Walking in the cycle of reincarnation

Chapter 13 Meng Cang, Meng Lie, Meng Shi

The whirlwind had only spun three times when it dissipated into nothingness.

Zhang Nanfeng remained silent.

A whirlwind that gave its all, yet ended up being so short-lived.

It seems that without embarking on spiritual practice, supernatural powers are ultimately difficult to maintain for long.

However, the path to cultivation is long and arduous, and only after achieving great supernatural powers can he confidently leave the mountains. This dilemma seems to have trapped him in a dead end once again.

He once again sank into the virtual realm, hoping to find a way to break the deadlock.

Through repeated contemplation and deduction, new insights are gained each time.

He unlocked more variations in toxicity.

However, regardless of the changes, venom is required as a base. If the amount consumed in condensing wind energy is also taken into account, the required amount is unimaginable.

Zhang Nanfeng pondered and calculated, a resolute look rising in his eyes.

Perhaps, some external help is needed...

As he looked back the way he had come, a bold idea took shape in his mind.

......

Mengjiazhai is built against the mountain, with thousands of stilted houses clinging to the steep slope.

The buildings are all constructed with wood as the frame and tree bark as the roof tiles. The ground floor is raised to avoid dampness, while the upper floors are for human habitation.

The buildings are connected by bamboo corridors, under which colorful banners are hung, and when the mountain wind blows, the whole village is filled with their loud sounds.

The stone paths in the village meander, and most of the pedestrians wear short, coarse indigo cloth, hemp sashes around their waists, and straw sandals on their feet.

However, among the many southern-style clothing worn by the villagers, there were several incongruous figures—

Some people were dressed in long, wide-sleeved robes, walking with leisurely steps. Others looked like merchants, wearing square headscarves, and were exchanging goods with the villagers under the stilted houses.

At the highest point of the village, a stilted house stands alone, towering several meters above the surrounding buildings. The house is covered with colorful paintings, mostly depicting poisonous insects and strange beasts, with the poisonous toad pattern being the most numerous and eye-catching.

On the top floor of the building, the windows blocked out the sun, and the lights were dim.

Four figures were located in the hall—

Meng Shi sat in the lower seat of the head seat, his thick eyebrows furrowed and his face solemn; Meng Yuanshan beside him was respectful; Meng Jinchuan huddled next to his elder brother, the usually talkative boy now pursing his lips, looking down at his nose and breathing very softly.

In the main seat of the hall sat a bald man.

The man was emaciated, wearing a loose black robe that covered his bare skin, which was pale and bluish, devoid of any human color.

The most horrifying thing was that his skin was covered with snake scales, which were almost integrated with his skin.

He spoke, his voice booming like a bell:

"Speak. What is it that deserves to disturb my training?"

Meng Shi cleared his throat and said in a deep voice:

"Second brother, I found a spirit seed while entering the mountains today."

"Oh? Tell me about it."

"This spirit creature resembles both a rat and a toad, with golden skin, purple spots, and long limbs. However..."

Upon hearing this, Meng Lie's interest was piqued:

"But what? Have you captured him?"

Meng Shi's expression froze for a moment, then he lowered his head, looking slightly ashamed, and said:

"...It escaped."

"They escaped?"

"The spirit seed broke out of the basket when I wasn't paying attention, and I couldn't catch it in time, so I lost track of it."

Meng Shi paused for a moment.

"Second brother, this beast is extraordinary. The golden poison it spews can even corrode through my bamboo basket woven from snakes coiled around bamboo..."

"So what if it escaped?" Meng Lie interrupted casually, his tone dismissive. "There are countless poisonous insects in the Southern Frontier; one more won't make a difference."

Meng Shi was taken aback and said hastily:

"Second brother, this thing is different! It..."

Meng Lie raised his eyes and coldly interrupted Meng Shi's words.

Meng Shi choked up, but still refused to give up:

"Second Brother, sending men to search for him might just lead to his return. If we can find him, he could be a great asset to the Meng family's return to the Thirty-Six Caves!"

Seeing his father's displeasure, Meng Yuanshan, remembering his third uncle's words, couldn't help but bow and say:

"Father, what Third Uncle said is true, that spirit seed does indeed exist..."

That's enough.

Meng Lie's voice was not loud, but the sense of oppression was extremely strong.

He slowly rose, his black robe billowing without wind, and the tea in the cup on the table silently turned into black water.

Meng Yuanshan and Meng Jinchuan trembled, their faces turning deathly pale. Meng Shi was also sweating profusely, but he stubbornly refused to back down.

Meng Lie looked down at Meng Yuanshan, his voice devoid of any warmth:

"Yuanshan, what level have you reached in your poison skills?"

Meng Yuanshan suppressed his trembling and respectfully replied:

"Father...we are...we are about to reach the 'Poison-Inducing Realm'."

"Coming soon?" Meng Lie's tone was icy.

"You are fifteen this year. If you cannot enter the Poison-Inducing Realm before you are sixteen, you are not worthy to be the young patriarch of the Meng family. Don't you understand what you should and shouldn't worry about?"

"Yes." Meng Yuanshan lowered his head, his voice hoarse.

Meng Lie's gaze swept over Meng Jinchuan without lingering for a moment.

He turned to look at Meng Shi, his tone softening slightly, but still containing impatience:

"Third brother, you've become increasingly impetuous these past few years. It's just a poisonous insect; why make such a fuss?"

Meng Shi opened his mouth, but finally bowed:

"Second brother is right."

"All of you, step back."

Meng Lie waved his hand, turned around and sat down, his eyes half-closed, his expression full of annoyance.

Meng Yuanshan and Meng Jinchuan bowed respectfully, and Meng Shi also bowed his head and withdrew.

......

The three walked to the corridor, and Meng Yuanshan bowed to Meng Shi:

"Third Uncle, I'll take my leave now."

Meng Shi nodded and patted him on the shoulder:

"Go, don't disappoint your father."

Meng Yuanshan turned around and hurried away.

Meng Jinchuan did not set off immediately.

He watched his brother's figure disappear around the corner of the stairs, a smile playing on his lips, showing no trace of the gloom he felt at being ignored by his father.

"Uncle Stone." He leaned closer to Meng Shi, his voice low but still lively.

"Among the goods that Brother Linhai brought from Dongzhou this time, are there any new books?"

Meng Shi was taken aback by the question, then gave a wry smile:

"Why are you asking me? I don't have time to inspect the goods today."

"Then do you know anything about it?" Meng Jinchuan persisted. "Have any new books been published in Dongzhou's bookstores recently? Travelogues, essays, or even vernacular stories are all fine..."

"I don't know." Meng Shi was getting a headache from his pestering, so he waved his hand and said, "You should go find your brother Lin Hai; he should still be taking inventory."

"Thank you, Uncle Shitou!" Meng Jinchuan bowed and turned to run, his movements as swift as a sparrow.

Meng Shi watched his retreating figure, sighed softly, and shook his head.

Meng Lie's attitude left him feeling frustrated.

That spirit seed was no ordinary poisonous creature, yet my second brother treated it so lightly... Could it be that his temperament has become increasingly obsessive due to his recent practice of the "Snake Shedding" poison technique?

Thinking of this, Meng Shi's eyes hardened.

No, this matter must not be left unresolved.

He turned and went downstairs, walking through the village.

Upon reaching a three-story wooden building on the west side of the village, he grabbed a member of the Meng family who was dozing off at the door.

The man awoke with a start, saw it was Meng Shi, and hurriedly bowed:

"Third...Third Master?"

"Has the old man returned to the village?" Meng Shi asked in a deep voice.

"I just got back!" the man nodded quickly. "I'm changing clothes now..."

Before he could finish speaking, Meng Shi had already pushed open the door and entered.

Inside the building, a slender figure stood facing a bronze mirror, with a maid fastening the last button on his clothes.

The man turned around.

His eyebrows and eyes were extremely handsome, his jawline was soft, and his eyes were clear and gentle. He exuded a scholarly air about him, like an elegant gentleman who had walked out of an academy.

If it weren't for the resemblance between his eyebrows and Meng Shi's, no one would recognize that he came from the Meng family, much less imagine that he was a native of the Southern Frontier.

"Third brother?" Meng Cang raised an eyebrow upon seeing him rush in, a warm smile on his face. "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"

Meng Shi dismissed the maids, closed the door behind him, and hurried forward, saying urgently:

"Brother, today I encountered a spirit creature in the forest, but it escaped. Second brother didn't seem to care, but I still feel... it's a bit of a pity."

Meng Cang revealed a playful smile:

"Oh? Why are you so concerned, Third Brother? Tell me about it."