Chapter 71: Snake Obsession (Part 2)

  The old man took out a small dagger with gems from his bosom, picked up the snake and cut it inch by inch with the dagger, then stuffed it into his mouth.

  The sound of chewing is crisp and clear, with bloodstains on his face that he can't even bother to wipe away.

  After swallowing the two big snakes, Wang Lao Tai Ye finally let out a long sigh and said with embarrassment: "Since I got this illness last year, if I don't eat live snakes every day, my whole body will feel uncomfortable. Only by eating two snakes every day can I alleviate this disease."

  Wang Jun stared in shock, Xuan Kong nodded slightly, and he already knew where the black air between Wang Lao Taigong's eyebrows came from.

  The old man walked back to his seat, took a towel from the servant and wiped away the bloodstains, sighing: "I've also asked Mr. about it, but even he said I just liked eating snakes and that my body was fine."

  Wang Jun inserted a sentence: "I have never heard of such a hobby."

  Xuan Kong suddenly remembered a passage from "Liao Zhai": "I heard that there was a person named Lü Fengning, who had a natural fondness for eating snakes. He was also skilled at smelling the scent of snakes and once detected the fragrance of a snake through a wall. He rushed outside and found a snake about a foot long. At the time, he wasn't carrying a dagger, so he started by eating the snake's head, while its tail still wriggled in his mouth."

  The old man Wang heard the immortal's vivid words and finally put down a big stone in his heart, laughing loudly: "So that's it! I thought I had been afflicted with some evil spell, but it was just my temperament, so there's no harm done."

  The house servant holding the towel also said, "If it's just buying snakes to eat snakes, the old master can have a whole basket of them every day and our family can afford to supply them!"

  Wang Jun laughed and only then did he realize that "one bamboo basket" was a family heirloom phrase passed down from his uncle, with the same tone of voice.

  Xuán Kōng didn't smile, instead his eyebrows furrowed. He knew things weren't that simple. The Lǚ Fèngníng in the story could be said to have a natural inclination, but Wáng Lǎo Tàiyé was clearly not like that.

  It's as if I've been possessed by a ghost from a past life, but I don't know who the mastermind is.

  "He stood up and said: 'I have disturbed you for a long time, I am also somewhat tired, so I will take my leave to rest.'"

  The old man patted his head and said self-critically: "Right, right, it was me who forgot."

  Hastily opening his mouth, the family servant came to take Xuan Kong down. A person who seemed to be the head of the Wang family's affairs welcomed him with a smile. The Wang family had already arranged for Xuan Kong and his disciples' accommodation, and the steward made arrangements that were considerate of their needs, making Xuan Kong very satisfied.

  When it comes to interpersonal relationships, Wang Jun is much more clever than his master, and with just a few words, he can get on the same topic as the person in charge.

  For these noble guests, the manager also tried his best to accommodate them.

  Fortunately, Wang Jun's questions were only about the local customs and conditions of Ninghai County, so Guan Shi naturally answered them fluently. Xuan Kong didn't say a word, but listened intently with his ears perked up, already having a suspicious target in mind.

  Wang Jun and the housekeeper chatted enthusiastically, and before long, they arrived at the most luxurious row of guest rooms in the Wang family's villa under the housekeeper's lead. These few rooms had not been used since their completion, and this time, they finally had guests with suitable status staying in them.

  Although no one has lived in it, the servants at home have cleaned up the rooms quite cleanly, and all kinds of furniture for daily use are also available.

  "This is the courtyard where our distinguished guests of the Wang family reside. The old master has ordered that all be opened, so you, Master Xianren, can choose with your disciple." The housekeeper opened all the doors to the guest rooms, leaving it up to Xuán Kōng to select.

  Xuan Kong didn't mind the unexpected pleasure, and without even looking, he chose the guest room closest to himself.

  Wang Jun nodded his thanks to Guan Shi and chose a room in the Xuan Kong house to live in.

  When the servant left, Wang Jun immediately rushed into Xuan Kong's room and asked: "Master, I think that old man Wang's expression is a bit off, has he been affected by evil magic?" Xuan Kong of course understood what his disciple was referring to, and smiled saying:

  "It's hard for you to discover too, in my opinion, this Ninghai County is quite evil, I'm afraid there are not only one or two evil demons and witches."

  He stretched out his hand in front of Wang Jun's eyes and swept past, wanting him to take a look himself. Good apprentice, Wang Qi responded with a sound, jumped onto the roof, leaned on the eaves, took a glance at the city, and indeed there was some demonic energy mixed in mid-air.

  "Wang Jun guessed: 'Master asked me to come and see the demonic energy, no need to say, Master Shu's old father is probably being harmed by the demons in the city. I just don't know how Master will deal with it?'"

  He jumped down again, but saw Xuan Kong already sitting cross-legged on the bed, saying: "I suffered some internal injuries on the way and haven't fully recovered yet. I'll meditate for a moment to recover my vital energy."

  Wang Jun led the order and asked again: "What about the demons in the city? How should they be dealt with?"

  Xuan Kong closed his eyes and said faintly, "If it's the old master of the Wang family inviting me to dinner, you can just help me decline. As for the Gu poison on him, I'll naturally find a way to dispel it."

  "What is Gu technique?"

  Xuan Kong pulled out a bamboo scroll from his sleeve: "This is the record of our Lao Mountain Sect about Gu sorcery, but it also doesn't go into detail about the specific application methods." Gu sorcery was one branch of the ancient witch tribe, and even Wen Zhong, Wen Tai Shi himself didn't know much about it.

  There is no record in the handed-down Taoist tradition either.

  With this bamboo slip, Xuan Kong supplemented the Cragsmount Sect with this article based on his own memory of his predecessors. However, he did not know that if it were not for Xuan Kong's intervention, this world would have slowly evolved on its own.

  Hundreds of years later, when there was a golden cicada born, it stirred up a great sensation again.

  Of course, it's still a shadowless thing now. Wang Jun took over the bamboo slips and returned to his room to study. Since he became an apprentice of Xuan Kong, Xuan Kong didn't rush to teach him Taoist magic spells, but only taught him some breathing exercises to cultivate his vital energy.

  Wang Jun gained the most from various mysterious rumors in the three realms.

  Nor did he know where his master came from, and many things that were even in the hidden books of Wang Jun's house were unheard of. For example, the method of raising Gu was quite eerie, and only Wang Jun could bear to read it with a chill.

  After finishing reading a volume of bamboo slips, it was also the sunset in the west. The remaining sunlight from the setting sun cast a golden red glow on the floor through the doorway.

  "Indeed, the sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it's just near dusk."

  Wang Jun stood up, stretched his waist and praised, then heard the sound of footsteps from not far away. He hurried out of the house, blocked in front of Guan Shi, and said: "My master usually sits here to practice at this time, so Mr. Guan doesn't need to disturb him."

  Guan Shi said with difficulty: "The old master has already set up a banquet to entertain the guests, and is about to invite the immortal masters to attend. What can be done?"

  Wang Jun smiled and said: "It's all right, I'll go with you. When the time comes, I'll explain it to Old Master Wang myself."

  The steward shook his head and said, "Alas, it's just like this." Wang Jun apologized on behalf of his master: "My master is devoted to cultivation and doesn't understand the worldly rules yet. Please don't blame him!" Seeing that the immortal's disciples had humbled themselves, the steward could say no more, so he left Xuan Kong in the room to meditate and took Wang Jun alone to the front hall for dinner.

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