Inner Demons

Chapter 107: Listen to the Rain

After listening to Congyunzi's narrative, Liu Ling pondered for a moment.

Then whispered, "Did I overthink it?"

Congyunzi didn't know if this Fairy was asking him, or what she was asking. Thus only remained silent carefully, daring not to walk away either.

Liu Ling played with that grape stem for a while like this, before casually throwing it on the table. "Did you have someone spread that matter?"

“Yes.” Congyunzi hurriedly said. "That Yin Pingzhi already knows that matter. Probably thinks Li Yunxin killed his niece at this moment... will definitely go find trouble with that old Daoist. But... Fairy wants to deal with that old Daoist, abolish Li Yunxin, methods are plentiful. Why go through such trouble?"

Lingkongzi smiled slightly. "Not for him."

“Alright, you withdraw for now.”

She raised her head looking outside. "I am not foolish."

...

... When Li Yunxin returned to the Dragon King Temple, a slight breeze rose.

He crossed the front courtyard, entered the backyard, saw Old Daoist Liu waiting for him in the yard.

This old man was generous today, prepared a table full of wine and dishes. That stone table couldn't hold it, so used a cloud-patterned square table, also placed a mat underneath.

The old man sat upright before the table; as soon as Li Yunxin entered the door, discovered him looking at himself with burning eyes.

He first froze slightly, then laughed. "What is this for?"

But Old Daoist Liu only knelt up, poured two cups of wine, said with a solemn and serious tone: "Brother Xin, come sit."

Li Yunxin shook his head. "Making it so formal."

But still walked to that mat, took off shoes, knelt-sat.

The banquet was set by the small pond in the courtyard, slightly watery. But the water vapor steaming the other plants in the courtyard, the smell was extremely sweet.

The old Daoist took a deep breath of this sweet scent, drank a cup of wine first. Li Yunxin also wanted to take the cup, but the old Daoist hurriedly stopped: "Brother Xin, you still have big things to do, not suitable to drink wine."

Li Yunxin smiled and put down the cup.

The old Daoist poured himself another cup, drank it, then let out a long breath. "Brother Xin, you are leaving, aren't you?"

Li Yunxin blinked. "Hmm?"

"I know you are leaving." Old Daoist Liu said seriously. "This old Daoist is not as smart as you, but also always feels, more alert than ordinary people. You taught me these days... if I still don't know, it's wasting your painstaking effort."

“Brother Xin, you said to... kill them all. Old Daoist I know these are angry words of the moment. But other methods, you definitely have. You won't go to Langya Grotto-Heaven with that Lingkongzi—this I know. You like freedom, unrestrained nature, going to that kind of place, simply kills you.”

“Well said.” Li Yunxin nodded approvingly.

“So I think... you want to escape. Creating some matters, leave yourself. These days you wandered in the city, painting everywhere, also went to create some matters in that Qiao residence, all are setting up a layout, right?” The old Daoist said here, drank another cup of wine, seemed to accumulate some courage before saying, "Brother Xin, I want to go with you."

Li Yunxin was originally picking ginger shreds out of a plate of vegetarian stir-fry with chopsticks. Hearing the old Daoist's sentence, subconsciously "Ah"-ed, turned eyes to look at him: "...Go with me?"

“Brother Xin don't think Old Daoist I am afraid of trouble.” Old Daoist Liu looked at him with wide eyes, expression extremely serious—so Li Yunxin knew this little old man... drank three cups of wine, drunk again.

“Old Daoist I... surname Liu. Brother Xin never asked my real name, I never said either. Actually my real name is... Liu Gongzan!” The old Daoist said this, paused, looked at Li Yunxin somewhat expectantly. But finding the other party really had no feeling for this name, sighed, "Aiya. I'm muddled... you at that time... still... mn. When Old Daoist's fame was at its peak... was still more than thirty years ago..."

“At that time, sigh. I was originally, near this Weicheng... a boss with a name. Brother Xin should also know what this boss means. Actually, just being a bandit. At that time Kuizi told you my past—that was me coaxing her.”

“My family background wasn't good when young, but head was good. Learned some means of running in the Jianghu, recognized some characters, mixed with a group of rough people. Felt Heaven was unfair to me—I with such alert mind, literate, why couldn't get ahead, destitute?”

“Just happened to have a dispute with a rich household in the village, accidentally stabbed someone, afraid the government would seek me, so fled. Then... met Meng E. At that time he was also around twenty, learned some martial arts. Although I didn't know martial arts, wasn't a pedantic scholar either. We two hit it off like old friends at first meeting, said this world has so many injustices... why not enforce justice on behalf of Heaven!”

Hearing here, Li Yunxin smiled slightly, gave a thumbs up, continued eating slowly.

The old Daoist drank another cup of wine, laughed hehe: "Hehe... enforce justice on behalf of Heaven. Our thoughts were good... heard which big household was rich and heartless, went to kill. Heard where there was a group of roving bandits, also went to kill. Sometimes pretended to be an escort agency moving darts, walking back and forth on mountain roads, if someone came to rob, also killed."

“At that time we didn't have a stronghold, no fixed abode, only wandered everywhere. Dodging the government on one side, dodging those from the underworld seeking revenge on the other. We dozen people, guts big. That Meng E had high martial arts, killed many people, people called him Killing Ghost. I... didn't know martial arts, but gave advice, matters just handed to them to do—they called me Ghostly Strategist.”

“Ah... Ghostly Strategist, Liu Gongzan. At that time... on this Weicheng underworld, who didn't know my fame.”

Old Daoist Liu closed his eyes, immersed in that past time for a while, before sitting back down, sighed.

“Later something happened. Usually, they went to handle matters, I planned. Brothers were afraid I didn't know martial arts and would have an accident, only told me to hold the fort at the rear. One day I drank too much wine... also followed.”

“That time was a big household, beat a tenant farmer to death for autumn rent. Brothers heard and said to remove the harm. I disguised as a teacher to investigate in the village where that household was for four days, came back and set a plan of inside-outside coordination. On that day everything was very smooth, I was also present. But at that time... seeing them kill people, I felt unhappy.”

“That man's wife, several concubines, all killed together, also wanted to kill his only son. I said what does it have to do with this child? Meng E said, cut weeds and dig up roots. Anyway finally... sigh.”

“I usually also knew they killed people. But just listening to them say. That time seeing them kill people with my own eyes... after returning, I couldn't feel at peace. Moreover after some days knew... that person, wasn't beaten to death by that big household. Just called over, urged some rent, set a date... that person went back, died of anxious fire attacking heart. And a rascal having a grudge against that big household, deliberately made up these words.”

Hearing here, Li Yunxin sighed: "So before when there was news, I dared not spray immediately—definitely has a reversal."

The drunk old Daoist wouldn't think carefully about what "news" meant, only knew he agreed with his words.

So sighed again: "Sigh. After that matter... coincidentally I also had a girl I liked, felt disheartened, didn't want to do it anymore. We said enforce justice on behalf of Heaven... actually killed how many wrong people? Don't know. The money obtained? All spent by ourselves. Actually... also no different from bandits."

“I wanted to leave, Meng E didn't allow. We two quarreled, I finally left. Married that girl, used money in hand to buy some land, counted as well-off. Thus... passed three years.”

“After three years had a son and a daughter... past gradually forgotten. Also no one could find me.”

“That year nearing New Year, I went to Weicheng to buy New Year goods. A round trip took two days, I stayed overnight in Weicheng. I went back the second night... went back...”

Old Daoist Liu said here, staring eyes repeating these two words constantly.

Li Yunxin sighed in heart, put down chopsticks, reached out poured him a cup of wine.

Old Daoist Liu took it drank, paused for a while again, before saying: "Went back saw... my wife, a son and a daughter, all killed by someone. The killer, drank the stored wine in my home, sitting in the room."

“Seeing me, wanted to kill me. I later knew, someone told him, I this person, raped good family women, colluded with government, oppressed village people. And the person telling him this, was exactly the rascal in the village—because seeing my wife beautiful came to molest, bumped into by me. In the village, my popularity was extremely good, so naturally someone taught him a good lesson for me.”

“And this rascal held a grudge, accidentally bumped into this killer...”

Old Daoist Liu looked straight into distance for a while, reached out fiercely wiped face: "Brother Xin knows this killer... is who."

Li Yunxin sighed: "Meng E."

The old Daoist first froze, then smiled miserably: "Right. Smart person like Brother Xin, how could not guess."

“It's Meng E.”

“After I left... their business wasn't easy to do either. Finally ambushed and scattered, that Meng E, finally did business without capital. Just nearing year end government checked strictly, his business wasn't easy to do. Alone came near here... met that rascal. Heard that rascal lied, saying 'remembered the time enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven with me'... drank wine, came to my house.”

“Chopped my wife dead with one knife to head, chopped my son dead with another knife, chopped my daughter dead with another knife. Then sat in room continuing to drink, just waiting for me to return.”

Li Yunxin gently rubbed the rim of the wine cup: "And then."

“That Meng E finally recognized me. Wanted to commit suicide to apologize.”

“But I at that time... heart burst of emptiness.”

“I should have been grief-stricken. But don't know why... I at that time actually head blank. I was just thinking one thing...”

“Heavenly Dao cycles, retribution is unhappy.”

“I said to that Meng E, death? Death is naturally a very easy thing. You die, hooked by Black and White Yama Kings taken away, memory erased... your pain and guilt all gone. But living... conscience uneasy, living in guilt, is the hardest thing.”

“I wanted him to kill that rascal, then think well of that scene that day every day... live on day by day.”

“I... also so.” Old Daoist Liu looked straight at Li Yunxin. "I came to this Weicheng, followed former master. Didn't want to marry again. I also live in regret. That Meng E later found me, went to Qiao family to be an escort. I understand this person... wanted to guard me, look after me."

“Look after... without his looking after, this Dragon King Temple, also couldn't stay in my hand until now. He indeed looked after me.” Old Daoist Liu whispered. "So many years. So many things, those originally... I also... gradually let go. Just that..."

“So he was thrown into jail, you rushed to run around everywhere.” Li Yunxin supported the wine cup with fingers, slowly shaking by lips, only smelling that spilling wine fragrance. "But didn't go see. He was got out, you didn't ask where he went either. I originally wondered, didn't expect it's like this."

“So Brother Xin. Old Daoist I... originally not some person greedy for life afraid of death. Maybe before was but now... Brother Xin, if you want to leave, take me!” Old Daoist Liu supported on table with both hands. "You go to ends of earth, I also go to ends of earth. I this day, did wrong things when young, afterwards didn't do anything. Till now I am not far from entering earth... if not do something again, really can't do anymore!"

Li Yunxin was silent for a while, drank that cup of wine, smiled.

He put down wine cup gently waved hand: "You are also a person with a story. But don't be so excited."

“I ah... I this person ah, Old Liu, you must remember one thing.” He said smilingly. "Maybe like to tease, maybe tell a lie. But on some matters, dislike deceiving people. Standing in yard saying some ruthless words, then turn around dump you, flee—what words are these?"

“So say I won't flee. I, plan to sit on mountain watch tigers fight. Previously read two lines of poem to you—Not knowing Lu Mountain's true face, only because body is in this mountain. Meaning, actually you ah, are also a link in my plan. I want to get away, need your help.”

“Don't need to ask me how to help first. Knowing is enough. I did some things, let that demon and Liu Ling fight, main purpose is wanting them to hang together—of course, during this period need to make some adjustments. But general idea, is like this. As for matters you need to do... slowly you will know. I these days... mn, just made such a little trivial effort.”

Old Daoist Liu froze for a while, before blinking. Even if head paralyzed by alcohol, this unexpected news still brought him enough surprise.

He thought strenuously for a while, suddenly glared round eyes: "That Lingkongzi said that day, three days take you away. Then isn't it... isn't it... they really want to fight, just tomorrow?!"

Li Yunxin smilingly shook head: "Not kids arranging a fight. Where is the logic of agreeing on a date, then obediently fighting when time comes."

Old Daoist frowned: "Then when? I tonight can still prepare well, I..."

Li Yunxin stood tall, dusted his robe sleeves, hands behind back.

“Already came.”

Voice fell, muffled thunder rolled over cloud layer, crushing out all water vapor within.

Tonight's first drop of rain knocked on silver cup rim, a clanging sound.