Immortal Spirits
Yang Junshan was shocked and awakened. He sat up abruptly and suddenly realized that he was actually on a wooden bed. As his violent movement, the wooden bed began to bark.
The familiar wooden bed, the familiar beams, the familiar rafters, the familiar walls, the familiar furnishings, all of them were so warm and nature as they had been there for a long time, and the things that had long been frozen in the depths of Yang Junshanâs memories were slowly being picked out.
The only thing that he wasnât familiar with was that his half-sized body, but he wore the same warm and familiar clothes.
How did I become a little child?
This thought hadnât even surfaced in Yang Junshanâs mind yet, and a more overwhelming thought exploded in his mind, that made him dumbfounded. This was what I had been like a hundred years ago. I got reborn!
The memories of the present and experiences of the following hundred years began to reject each other in his mind. Memories from different times and locations began to surge up mixed and disorderly, causing Yang Junshan to become completely stupefied. Until a small white hand was shaking in front of his eyes, Yang Junshan finally recovered.
A small smiling face suddenly appeared in his sight. she giggled and said, âBrother, brother, come to yourself! come on!â
His eyes lit up again. He looked at the cute little girl in front of him and tried with some incredibility, âLittle sister?â
The little girl giggled, then withdrew her small hand from Yang Junshanâs face. She said innocently, âDid you not even know your sister? Youâve been sitting on the bed for two hours, thinking about what happened in the Hundred Sparrows Mountain paddock?â
The little girlâs words made Yang Junshanâs memories start backwards from 100 years later, until a scene of 100 years ago reappeared in his mind. Blending with the present scene, the prodigal of his previous incarnation who used to go through many changes in the past 100 years, finally merged together with this young Yang Junshan.
The little girl jumped up to Yang Junshan and turned her back to the bed. She lifted herself against the edge of the bed, and sat with Yang Junshan. Then the sweet child voice said, âDad and Uncle Baishan told that the Immortal Spirits remaining in the Hundred Sparrows Mountain paddock were just leftovers, and itâs very dangerous out there. Many fierce animals, and they ate human beings. Brotherâs not going there, ok?â
Yang Junshan rubbed his sisterâs head lovingly, causing Yang Junxinâs face to be filled with reluctance, âAh, donât touch my head! My mother braided my hair early this morning!â
The scenes of his previous incarnation continued to flash back and forth in his mind. Yang Junshan said with a smile, âLittle sister, donât worry. Although the Hundred Sparrows Mountain is dangerous, and the Immortal Spirits have been picked out by the Mountain Shaking Sect and other great clans two times, there are probably some Immortal Spirits of good quality they didnât discover left there. Maybe your brother are lucky enough to get them.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âHow can be that easy!â
A voice made Yang Junshanâs gaze skip over his sister Yang Junxin. A little boy who was two or three years younger than him, with a kind of similar appearance, stood at the door. Hearing Yang Junshanâs words, he curled his lips and said, âBig brother, Dad has managed to get a piece of Earth Yellow Stone from Grandma. Although itâs not so good, but still a medium one. Since our grandpa passed away, you should better know how difficult our family is. Because of this Immortal Spirit, I donât know how much our dad has been mocked by the fifth uncle and others. Apart from Mountain Shaking Sect and other several major clans and sects in Yu County, there were only a few people who could use medium-quality Immortal Spirits. What Father used to use for summoning Immortal Spirits was no better than a medium-quality Immortal Spirit. But you insist on going to the Hundred Sparrows Mountain, how dangerous it is! â
Yang Junshan was only two years older than his second brother. The two of them were occasionally in rough-and-tumble play, since they were of similar ages. Not long ago, they had argued over the ownership of a bow. The older and stronger Yang Junshan robbed the mulberry bow from his second brother, and his second brother sobbed for a while in front of his parents until his father promised to buy him a same mulberry bow when he was twelve.
Yang Junshan looked at his brother, whose face was filled with blame as well as a hint of worry. He recalled what happened in that over 100 years, and felt warm in his heart. âSecond brother, donât worry, Iâll just have a trip to the Hundred Sparrows Mountain. If I find nothing, then we can use the Earth Yellow Stone to summon spirits. But if Iâm lucky enough to find another Immortal Spirit, then the Earth Yellow Stone will be yours.â
Yang Junpingâs eyes lit up, but then he thought of something and muttered, âIf you were talking to me like this the day before yesterday, I should have not scrambled for that mulberry bow. I know that was dad bought you for your trip to the Hundred Sparrows Mountain.â
Yang Junshan saw his second brother muttering to himself and asked, âSecond brother, what are you talking about?â
Yang Junping grunted, âI donât really want your Earth Yellow Stone. Youâre talking about so easily, as if you will definitely get a Immortal Spirit. Donât you know how much danger it is? I think youâd better use the Earth Yellow Stone to summon spirits right now. Our villageâs Huzi, the blacksmith Zhangâs son, is one year younger than you. Heâs a third-grade and began cultivation at the same time with you. Now he has nearly been able to summon spirits and boasts in front of us so many times. If you donât summon spirits, I think weâll lose our fighting next time.â
Yang Junshan jumped down from the bed and walked to his second brother. He smiled and patted him on the shoulder. âDonât worry, itâs gonna be fine.â
After he said that, he walked past him and out of his room. Yang Junping shrugged his shoulder that had been patted by his big brother, and turned around to look at Yang Junshanâs back. He then walked out behind him and mumbled something.
Outside, Yang Tiangang had just finished a pot of dry smoke. He was sitting on a millstone and knocking his tobacco pot on the millstone. The ash rustled and fell.
This jade-mouthed, wind mill copper pipe was a top-grade magic tool that Yang Tiangang had just acquired thanks for the relationship of his third sisiter Yang Tianfang. For this top-grade magic tool, Yang Tiangang had almost taken half of his familyâs wealth.
Yang Junshanâs family therefore had spent a period of bitter life with him. It was only after Yang Tiangang split up three years ago that his family arrived at the village of Tu Qiu, in town Huang Tu of Meng Yu county, and Yang Tiangang became the mayor of the village, their life became better.
There were two small pouches hung on Yang Tiangangâs tobacco pot, and one was made of ordinary black cloth, which was full of tobacco he smoked every day. The other one was smaller, and seemed to be much less.
However, Yang Junshan knew that the tobacco in latter pouch was made from the spiritual herb, called cold jade. When smoking it, people would had a refreshing feeling with light spiritual energy. It was only when Yang Tiangang was happy or someone was visiting, he would smoke it.
Moreover, Yang Junshan also knew that this pouch was not only used to store the cold jade tobacco, but also as a small container which could to hold much bigger things than the pouch itself.
When he saw Yang Junshan coming out, Yang Tiangang took out the tobacco pot and dug it into the black pouch. Then, he squeezed some of tobacco and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. A spark flashed, and the pot was lit at the same time. He smoked a bit, and puffed out a cloud of white smoke, looking at Yang Jun, âHave you decided?â
Yang Junshanâs face was young, but his expression was resolute. He nodded, âI have. I decided to go to the Hundred Sparrows Mountain!â
âGo what! Go what? â
Han XiuMeiâs face was filled with panic as she shouted aloud and walked out of the kitchen. She waved her hands and her wet hands immediately got dry. She pointed a finger at Yang Junshanâs forehead and scolded, âLittle bastard, do you know where the Hundred Sparrows Mountain is? All the other great sects have no good intension. They said they do this for everyoneâs good, but they only let the children in, not letting adults follow them. Youâre not allowed to go, you just donât go. If you go, Iâll break your leg! â
Yang Junshan tried to escape his motherâs finger, but no matter how he shook his head, Han Xiumeiâs finger was always able to accurately hit his forehead. Helplessly, Yang Junshan covered his forehead and shouted, âOuch, it hurts, mother. Donât worry, everything will be ok.â
Hearing that, Han Xiumei was even more furious. She withdrew her finger and slapped the back of his head, making him stagger. She said, âLittle brat, what do you know? Iâm so easy to raise you? You didnât even need to go to the Hundred Sparrows Mountain after figuring out how much effort your father had taken to find the Earth Yellow Stone for you. Even if you have the ability to come back from the Hundred Sparrows Mountain, can you find some other Immortal Spirits that are better than the Earth Yellow Stone? I have no idea how many people have been scavenged there, and there must be nothing good to be left! â
Yang Junshan only laughed mischievously. How could Han Xiumei not know that this was her sonâs common trick that he had made up his mind to resist her, so she had to resort to Yang Tiangang: âMy husband, what do you say?â
Yang Tiangang took a sip of his tobacco and the smoke covered his face. Then, he slowly opened his mouth to ask Yang Junshan, âYouâve always been less interested in one thing in your life, but youâve practiced archery for a whole year. You did this for the trip to Hundred Sparrows Mountain?â
Yang Junshan rubbed his head and smiled. âYes!â
Yang Tiangang smoked and said no word. Yang Junping and Yang Junxin came out of the room, not daring to speak. The family stood in the middle of the courtyard, waiting for Yang Tiangang to decide.
Another pot of dry smoke was over. Yang Tiangang knocked the ash off and looked at Yang Junshan, âThen go!â
Hearing that, Han Xiumei became anxious and said loudly, âMy husband, you â¦â
Yang Tiangang just waved his hand, interrupting Han Xiumei, âAlright, the old one rarely concentrates on one thing for so long. Since heâs prepared to go to the Hundred Sparrows Mountain a year ago, heâs also practiced archery, then Iâll take him there three day later.
Seeing that Han Xiumei was still worried, Yang Tiangang said, âJust let him go around the outskirts of the Hundred Sparrows Mountain, and there wonât be too much danger. Anyway, to be the worst, we just get nothing.â