This Damned Thirst for Survival
chapter-27

Feng Li, as the new Master of the Feng family of the Six Schools, naturally knows the face of Chi You, the ruler of the Chi family.

His brow furrowed in surprise both because the sinister aura was the result of Chi You and because of the content of his words.

Both the man and the ghost were saying the same thing, and naturally their words were true, but Feng Li could not see such “deep love”. Feng Li’s right hand formed a seal in a fluid manner, his long index and middle fingers joined together in front of him, and he said indifferently, “Retreat.”

A flame, invisible to the eye, rises from the sky and distorts the air slightly. The crowd is surrounded by the flames, and the fire, raised by the Yang energy, can dispel all evil spirits and demons, and even burn them to the point of disintegration in severe cases.

Chi You, who had been watching Jiang Luo with interest, finally turned his head to Feng Li.

As the flames approached, Chi You squinted slightly, as if unable to fight the invisible flames, and finally peeled away from Jiang Luo’s body, disappearing without a trace.

Feng Li lowered his hand in a calm manner and frowned again when he looked at Jiang Luo, saying in a harsh tone, “Human beings and ghosts are not the same. He has already turned into an evil spirit, what are you expecting?”

Jiang Luo watched as Chi You was dispelled by Feng Li with a single word, and he wondered, “Is Feng Li that good?

The main character in the original book attacked with such strength?

“Mr Feng,” Jiang Luo looked lost in thought, “he’s just keeping me company, he’s not going to hurt me.”

Feng Li’s face took on more than a faint mocking smile, “Won’t hurt you?”

He looked around the circle of Feng family disciples, naming a few geniuses who had been favoured among the many expectant gazes, and looked to Jiang Luo , “You and a few of them, come and see me tomorrow at three o’clock.”

Feng Li paused, his light-coloured eyes looking deeply at Jiang Luo , “I’ll show you whether evil spirits can hurt people or not.”

After saying this, Feng Li turned around and left the garden.

Jiang Luo sighed against the envious and jealous stares of the crowd.

Feng Li is so strong that it would be best if we could befriend him. But Feng Li’s attitude is, to put it nicely, that of a good teacher, but to put it badly, that of a solemn one, and this is enough to show that the main character in the original book is not easy to deal with.

And Feng Li’s words came out of nowhere, catching Jiang Luo off guard. To the casual observer, one would be grateful for such a good opportunity, but Jiang Luo did not believe that someone’s kindness could come so suddenly.

He sighed again and left the garden close behind as the crowd watched.

The planned excursion was put on hold, but the Bai Hua University people had a potluck dinner planned.

It was only after they had returned to the hotel that they learned that a number of the participants had been injured.

Compared to the others, the Bai Hua University people are really lucky. Especially Sai Liaoer, who is full of luck points, is a great contrast to Jiang Luo.

They went out into the wilderness to prepare a barbecue buffet, setting up a wire rack to bring out the ingredients, and Lu Youyi even picked some mushrooms on the spot, which almost made it into the skewers for everyone to eat.

Next to the picnic site is a small maple forest, which is still bright green in May. Jiang Luo asked Wen Renlian for a cigarette and ran to the side to smoke it, looking at the dazzling natural scenery and relaxing.

After a few moments, Wen Renlian approached him and handed him a bottle of water, smiling, “In a good mood?”

Jiang Luo smiles: “I’m always in a good mood.”

Wen Renlian said leisurely, “They can’t see it, but I can’t fail to see it. Jiang Luo , haven’t you noticed?”

He nudged Jiang Luo across the room at his chest and smiled, “You’ve become a bit moody since Chi You died.”

“It’s as if something is pushing you on and on,” Wen Renlian said softly, “you’re getting anxious, as if it’s on your back, it’s imminent, and it’s going to be too late if you don’t do something about it …… You say, how long has it been since you How long has it been since you’ve really relaxed?”

Jiang Luo gave a thumbs up and said in admiration, ” Wen Ren, that was awesome.”

Wen Renlian smiled and sighed again, “What exactly are you worried about?”

Jiang Luo does not dispute Wen Renlian’s statement.

Wen Renlian is keenly aware that something is wrong with him emotionally, and indeed Jiang Luo has been on the edge of insanity and sanity ever since he was killed eighteen times by Chi You in a dream.

Jiang Luo has been killed once and it’s a horrible thing, but Jiang Luo has felt his death over and over again in eighteen different ways by Chi You, and he’s already got a lot of will power to wake up and open his eyes sensibly.

But the damage was still deeply engrained in Jiang Luo’s mind, and even though he tried to return to normal, there was a slight hint of Chi You-like madness.

He accepted his companion’s concern, but it was hard to say what was wrong mentally, and unless he could kill Chi You back that many times as well, any more words would have been empty.

Jiang Luo smiled, “I’ve never been in such a big competition before and I was a bit nervous, but I felt much better after the two races.”

Wen Renlian also said nothing more, and after chatting with him for a while, thoughtfully gave him a separate space and went back to the barbecue group.

Jiang Luo took a deep breath and squinted at the colourful butterflies flying past him, the narrow tails of his eyes lifting as he took in the view before him, when an overcast wind suddenly blew from behind him, violently blowing Jiang Luo’s hair out of his face.

“…… grass,” Jiang Luo sulked, tying his hair back up, “and cutting it in the morning.”

The barbecue was very enjoyable and they ordered a lot of local Yun Nan food, but the barley wine was a bit strange for Jiang Luo to drink, like the shortening tea.

After a relaxing night, Jiang Luo slept in the next day and woke up towards the end of the afternoon to have his hair cut after dinner.

He went to three barber shops in a row, but none of them were open. Jiang Luo simply bought a pair of scissors and went back to the hotel to look in the mirror to get himself a short haircut.

He left the length reserved and was about to cut it with a click when he found that the scissors, which had been opened, could not be pressed back.

Jiang Luo looks pensive.

His hand held the scissors with constant pressure, his fingertips slightly whitened against them, and even though they hurt against his fingers, the wide open scissors showed no sign of closing.

Jiang Luo looks up at the mirror.

In the mirror, his long hair is draped over his shoulders, black hair unfurling like silk. The black hair in front of his forehead is slightly closed like a lotus flower, falling just on either side of the young man’s beautiful declining brow.

Jiang Luo releases his grip on the scissors and the silvery scissors fall heavily to the ground with a crisp thud.

The twin blades that had been unable to close finally did so the moment they hit the ground.

Jiang Luo’s brow clouded as a line of slow, watermarked writing steepled on the mirror: I still like you with long hair.

Chi You.

Jiang Luo chanted the name in his mind through gritted teeth.

He almost hated the thought of skinning him, pulling his tendons and tasting his blood again to see if it tasted as boring as he showed.

What a fucking cunt.

It’s none of your business if I get a haircut.

Jiang Luo coldly watched the line appear and disappear as the alarm outside rang to remind him of the time and Lu Youyi shouted, “Jiang Luo, it’s time for you to go and find Feng Li!”

Jiang Luo suppresses his anger, ignores the mirror and walks out of the bathroom.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang.

*

At 3pm, Jiang Luo appeared in front of Feng Li on time.

By the time he arrived, several other people had already arrived. Seeing Jiang Luo arrive so late, the Feng Li disciples, who regarded Feng Li as a heavenly god, almost glared two holes in Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo stood calmly by, and Feng Li gave him a light look and said nothing, but got up and said, “Let’s go.”

The group got into the car and in the car, some of the others asked respectfully, “Mr Feng, where are we going?”

“I’ve been asked to take care of a small matter,” Feng Li said lightly, “and you’re to stay with me.”

Several people responded with a yes.

An hour later, the car pulled up in front of a mansion. Feng Li got out first and the rest of the group followed him, entering the mansion without a glance.

Before we even walked into the main hall, someone hurriedly greeted us, a haggard looking young man in his twenties, “Mr. Feng, you’re finally here!”

Feng Li nodded slightly and the young man breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had seen a lifeline, “Come in.”

The mansion is divided into two floors, the first of which is one hundred and fifty square feet in size. As soon as he entered, Feng Li stopped in his tracks, turned his head to Jiang Luo and asked, “What do you see?”

A man called Wang Santan beside Jiang Luo said solemnly, “A pine and cypress is planted at the Kan position in the courtyard, which can calm the house and turn away the bogeys.

Another man said, “The pine is placed at the entrance to ward off evil spirits and attract wealth and treasure. The Buddha’s belly bamboo is one of the plants feared by demons and monsters to ward off evil spirits. The owner of this house must have been a very rich and powerful person.”

Wang Santan seemed to feel that he hadn’t said as much as he had and bowed his head with a chagrined look on his face.

Feng Li nodded, not saying yes or no, but looking to Jiang Luo, “What do you think.”

Jiang Luo said with a straight face, “I think this family must have met a lot of evil things.”