Notes on Longevity

Chapter 228 Do not say that the past is not worth regretting; who in the world does not know you?
Inside Huangzhou City, in front of a secluded alley, bandit leader Sun Cheng frowned as he looked at the three characters "Qiantangju" on the plaque above the door and asked, "What are we doing here?"

Zheng Di, Wu Ke of the Qingshan Sect, and Wang Huai, a Taoist hermit, were equally puzzled, while Yang Chenghan and his companions, who had been leisurely following along, found it rather novel.

Yang Chenghan looked at the doorway, now covered in cobwebs, and then at the plaque, momentarily at a loss for what to do. Meanwhile, Zhao Yunchu, Lihua, and Wandou were laughing and joking around: "Miss, look at this room, doesn't it look like the dark room where Wandou used to be punished by facing the wall in repentance?"

Pear Blossom teased Wan Dou about the messy storefront, while Zhao Yun Chu pondered for a moment and replied with a smile, "The storefront covered in cobwebs does look a bit like that, but I wonder what it looks like inside."

After being verbally abused, Wan Dou snorted angrily and said, "How is it similar? The darkrooms I've been to are much bigger than this. Besides, I always clean it very thoroughly, it's nothing like this."

After speaking, seeing that Pea was so stubborn, Pear Blossom was about to tease her. Yang Chenghan heard this, turned around and looked at the three who were already playing around, smiling gently. At the same time, his thoughts were drawn by a "creak".

Turning around, Lu Ya had already pushed open the dusty, unattended wooden door.

The moment the door opened, the cool, clear light of the full moon fell upon the courtyard. Dust flew everywhere, and the empty courtyard was silent. The eaves, covered in cobwebs, echoed with the sounds of rats scurrying about. Right at Lu Ya's feet, a long, black and red snake slithered swiftly to the outside of the door before disappearing into a crack.

Seeing this, the others remained silent. After a moment of silence, the free spirit Wang Huai raised an eyebrow and said, "What made you decide to come here today?"

Lu Ya smiled without saying a word, but instead waved to Yang Chenghan. Zheng Di and the others were confused and could only watch as Yang Chenghan walked helplessly to Lu Ya's side.

He patted Yang Chenghan on the shoulder and smiled, then stepped into the courtyard and said softly, "Shouren, come with me."

Yang Chenghan gave a noncommittal "Oh" and then followed him inside, leaving Zheng Di and the others looking at each other in bewilderment.

"What does he mean?"

Zheng Di looked at Jiang Huai and the others in astonishment, but their shaking of their heads clearly showed that they didn't know what was going on.

"Lu Ya rarely comes here. He must have his reasons for coming today. Let's go inside first."

Sun Cheng was more open-minded. Instead of letting his mind wander, he decided to go in and see for himself.

Wu Ke thought it made sense. He patted Zheng Di on the head and laughed, "Go away from those hedonistic activities, or you'll ruin your brain."

"What do you mean?"

Zheng Di watched as Wu Ke followed him inside, finding the behavior of these people today rather strange. However, before he could continue complaining, Wang Huai, the hermit, grabbed him and pulled him straight into the courtyard, adding, "What are you thinking about? Let's go in."

Inside the dark courtyard, moonlight dappled the stone table, casting two figures on the mottled stone patterns, which had long been soaked by rain, seemingly recounting scenes from the past.

Lu Ya tucked his sword into his belt, while in his other hand he held a flute and tapped it incessantly on the stone table before him. Yang Chenghan was puzzled, but the sudden silence gave him a sense of familiarity, so he asked, "Young Master Lu, do you know my father?"

Lu Ya smiled calmly and said, "Don't say that the past is not worth regretting, for who in the world does not know you?"

With a sigh of regret, Yang Chenghan recalled Lu Ya's rebuke to the group of martial arts practitioners. From his words, he felt that both Lu Ya in front of him and Zheng Di and the others behind him must know about his father's past. In particular, the hesitant words of Steward Huang when he first arrived at the Zhao residence made him even more curious about his father's past.

In his memory, his father was a martial artist who practiced martial arts all his life but never made a name for himself in the martial arts world.

But from that day on, everyone who knew his background would always be evasive when asked about his father, except for one phrase they would often use: "a villain of the underworld."

"Today, from your conversation with the steward, Shouren has sensed some unspeakable secrets. You both say that my father was once a demon. Did he commit some heinous crimes that are condemned by all?"

Yang Chenghan frowned as he stared at Lu Ya, who had his back to him. Many images of his father's evil deeds flashed through his mind: swords flashing and rivers of blood flowing.

However, Lu Ya's resolute tone extinguished his suspicions: "Who said that what he did was a heinous crime that is condemned by all? If I had known, I would have crippled him. In my heart, he is the only person in the past thousand years, apart from the Divine Martial Emperor, whom I respect immensely. He is a person with a heart that understands the origins of heaven and earth and the common origin of all things. He did something truly remarkable."

"whats the matter?"

Yang Chenghan pressed for an answer.

He asked, "What's the difference between humans and demons?"

As Lu Ya finished speaking, Yang Chenghan frowned, while Zheng Di, Wang Huai, the Taoist hermit, Wu Ke of the Green Mountain Sect, and Sun Cheng, the bandit leader, stared at Yang Chenghan in disbelief.

Listening to their conversation, they already knew why Lu Ya had suggested coming here tonight. It turned out that the sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy in front of them was the descendant of Yang Tianqian, a notorious figure in the martial arts world decades ago.

Among the group, the bandit leader Sun Cheng and the free spirit Wang Huai reacted the fastest. The two quickly came between the two men, their astonished eyes shifting back and forth between Lu Ya and Yang Chenghan.

Finally, the hermit Wang Huai couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Lu Ya, do you mean this young master Yang is a descendant of the old master Yang?"

"Exactly."

Lu Ya's words were resounding, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

The bandit leader, Sun Cheng, turned around and grabbed Yang Chenghan's arms, scrutinizing him closely. This action caused the others to surround him as well, making Yang Chenghan extremely frightened.

"You know what, this kid looks thin, but he's got a tough bone in him, especially those calluses on his hands, which are obviously the result of years of martial arts training."

Sun Cheng grasped Yang Chenghan's hand and let it slide down, lifting his hands to examine them closely. He couldn't help but sigh, "I never thought I would be able to meet the descendants of Senior Yang in my lifetime. This life has been worthwhile."

After he finished speaking, a loud laugh broke out.

Jiang Huai, a wandering swordsman, also gleaned something from between Yang Chenghan's bones. However, what intrigued him was how Lu Ya knew that Yang Chenghan's father was Yang Tianqian.

Zheng Di and Wu Ke were also curious, so they asked, "Lu Ya, how did you know?"

Lu Ya laughed and said, "He said that when the Zhao family came last night."

It turned out that when Zhao Wuyong instructed someone to invite Lu Ya, he not only mentioned that Zhao Yunchu had been bullied, but also casually brought up Yang Chenghan as well. He said, "Young Master Lu, Miss was bullied at Ya Xiang Lou. Master Yang's son and his guards went there first. My master sent me to invite you over."

Lu Ya stopped circulating his internal energy and went to the door. He flung the door open and stared at the servant, asking, "Master Yang's son?"

"This is the son of Master Yang Tianqian. Starting today, Young Master Cheng Han will be staying at our home for an extended period."

Upon hearing this, Wu Ke said, "I see. I knew it. Who else in the world could have such a relationship with Old Man Zhao besides you?"

"And that's why you suddenly suggested coming here," Wang Huai nodded.

"Did my father ever live here?" Yang Chenghan had a rough idea, but without an answer, he dared not confirm.

Zheng Di then spoke up, "I did live here, but that wasn't the main reason. I heard from Lu Ya that Senior Yang and your mother got married here."

"marriage."

Yang Chenghan was speechless. He didn't know what his father and mother had done to be called demons, but judging from the reactions of Lu Ya and the others, it was definitely not just because of some "evil" things.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "May I ask, Young Master Lu, do you know what my parents did in the martial world that would make them so fearful and disliked by others?"

Lu Ya replied, "I don't know the specifics either. I only know that the battle was because what he was doing involved a demon. Back then, he declared in the martial world that humans and all things coexist, so why can't demons? Anyone who disagrees, feel free to kill him."

"In the end, everyone in the martial arts world went. If the imperial court hadn't been alerted, all the masters and grandmasters in the martial arts world would have died in that battle."

"Father went against the entire martial arts world for a demon? And was forced to retire in the end?" Lu Ya shook his head helplessly and said, "Yes, he ruined his future for a demon. If he had chosen to kill that demon back then, with his skills and those dead masters and grandmasters, it wouldn't be my turn to be a junior in the martial arts world today."

"But because of that incident, I have great respect for Senior Yang."

“Jiang Huai is a Taoist, he should understand what I’m saying.”

As Lu Ya finished speaking, Jiang Huai continued, "Family and religion share the same origin. The Taoist patriarch once said, 'Heaven and earth were born together with me, and all things are one with me.' This is the same idea as what Senior Yang said about why humans and demons cannot coexist."

"Since we are born under the same heaven and earth, why can't we support each other and coexist?"

"But this is not the only one. There are three thousand great paths, just like the human heart. Some people can accept the different, while others cannot. For example, humans are the most refined essence of heaven and earth, so humans are the greatest of heaven and earth; and just as the spirit of all things comes from the natural world and the brilliance of the sun and moon, so humans are born together with all things."

"These two concepts represent two types of people. The most shrewd people are those who prioritize themselves, like businessmen who prioritize profit, and this is the vast majority of people. The second type are those who cherish life, knowing that the growth of all things is not easy, and therefore always have compassion, and this is also the vast majority of people."

Yang Chenghan listened attentively, but at the end he couldn't help but ask, "Why are both types the vast majority of people? Isn't that a contradiction?"

“You wouldn’t understand,” Wu Ke explained when he heard Yang Chenghan’s question, “What do you think hidden weapons are used for?”

After thinking carefully for a moment, Yang Chenghan replied, "To kill someone when they are not paying attention."

Wu Ke smiled and lowered his head, then walked to Sun Cheng's side, casually resting his elbow on Sun Cheng's shoulder. He winked at Yang Chenghan and asked, "Sun Cheng, known as the leader of the Jianghu bandits, or to put it simply, a thief, and the most skilled one at that. So, do you think he's a good person or a bad person?"

Yang Chenghan was conflicted. He couldn't answer Wu Ke's question. In his first impression, Lu Ya was a handsome and upright person, and naturally a good person. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Anyone who could walk with Lu Ya must also be a good person. But now he didn't know how to answer.

Yang Chenghan's silence was within Wu Ke's expectations. He patted Yang Chenghan on the shoulder and laughed, "There's really only one way to use hidden weapons: to kill or injure people. But it depends on how you use them."

"For example, just now, I killed that person with a flying blade. Do you think I did the right thing or the wrong thing?"

Yang Chenghan was caught off guard by Wu Ke's sudden question, but in the end he could only timidly say, "Killing is never right."

"However, if you hadn't appeared just now, I don't know what would have happened tonight. After all, I know the principle of making an example of someone."

Wu Ke smiled with satisfaction after hearing Yang Chenghan's answer. He gently pressed down on Yang Chenghan's shoulder: "It's good that you understand. You are worthy of your status as a descendant of Senior Yang. To put it bluntly, I'm just a rough guy who has practiced kung fu for a few years. I'm not much older than you. Let's not talk about grand principles. I'll just ask you one question: do you think we are good people or bad people?"

Yang Chenghan fell silent. He didn't know how to answer. Of the people in front of him, two had just killed someone in front of him, and one was a gang leader in the martial arts world. As the saying goes, a life for a life, but what should he say now? He didn't know. He was confused, like a little white rabbit lost in a thicket of thorns, letting them inflict wounds on him, yet unable to escape.

Zheng Di, who was six or seven years older than him and whose behavior and speech still resembled that of a child, was someone he never expected to be so fond of romance.

The only one among them who seemed like a good person was Wang Huai, a Taoist hermit, yet Yang Chenghan still didn't know how he had ended up with these people. Torn by inner turmoil, his brow furrowed, Lu Ya, seeing his expression, finally couldn't help but laugh. He said to Wu Ke, "Don't tease the child, or Elder Yang might come looking for trouble."

Upon hearing this, Wu Ke laughed loudly, grabbed Yang Chenghan, raised his eyebrows, and said to the hermit Wang Huai, "You old Taoist, look how well I imitate you."

Wu Ke's actions and words sent a chill down Yang Chenghan's spine. He asked himself in his mind, "What does this mean?"

At this moment, Wang Huai also laughed and said, "It's just like it, so much like it. Just now, your appearance reminded me of my master. He always spoke in a cryptic way, asking questions he already knew the answer to."

Zheng Di stood at the edge of the cliff and asked, "Lu Ya, why did you bring us here?"

Lu Ya pursed his lips and stared at Yang Chenghan, who was completely bewildered, and said with a smile, "Senior Yang is like a mentor to me in the martial arts world. If I hadn't grown up listening to his stories, I might still be following my old man on a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) mission, instead of being as free and unrestrained as I am now."

“Isn’t escorting goods a good thing?” Zheng Di said.

Lu Ya said, "Aren't you also just wandering around?"

Zheng Di smiled helplessly upon hearing this: "How can I compare to you? After all, not everyone has family."

Lu Ya tapped his head with his flute, his words tinged with pity: "So, you're going to wander the world, right?"

Zheng Di was no longer as ignorant as a child. He sighed and slowly said, "I used to wander around. I could beg for food from kind people and learn a move from people in the martial arts world. But sometimes I had to be wary of some people. Before I met you, I lived in fear every day. Now that I am so relaxed, I have let go."

"By the way, you haven't answered my question yet."

Zheng Di sighed and continued to press Lu Ya for answers.

Lu Ya laughed and said, "I'm also feeling sentimental! The former number one in the martial arts world, invincible under heaven, is now nowhere to be found, and he doesn't even mention his children what he used to be like."

Zheng Di, however, felt that Yang Tianqian was right to do so: "After all, if some people find out that Yang Chenghan is his descendant, they will all rush over like madmen."

"Wait, you brought him here today not to talk to him about the past, right?"

Zheng Di had a sudden inspiration and thought of this place, but it was quickly rejected by Lu Ya.

He said, "Why should I overstep my bounds like this?"

Zheng Di continued, "Then what are you doing here?"

“My family says I look like my mother, but some of my uncles say I look more like my father.”

"So, I brought him here to see what kind of demeanor Senior Yang had when he was young."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Di also looked at Yang Chenghan, but he couldn't see anything amiss, so he asked, "Does he look like him?"

Lu Ya stared at Yang Chenghan, who was talking to Wang Huai and the others, for a long time before finally giving Zheng Di his answer: "It doesn't look like him at all. He doesn't even have a trace of Senior Yang."

His words seemed to be full of disappointment.

Zheng Di tilted his head and mimicked Lu Ya's tone, saying, "It really doesn't look like it."

Lu Ya frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

“What I mean is, you’ve never even met Elder Yang, so how can you say he doesn’t look like him?” Zheng Di shook his head helplessly and said, “It’s clear that your respect for him has almost reached the point of obsession, to the point that you don’t even acknowledge his descendants.”

Lu Ya was rendered speechless by Zheng Di's words.

Zheng Di decided not to bother with him anymore. Since he had nothing better to do here, he wanted to find out more about Yang Tianqian's current situation. However, when he learned that Yang Tianqian was currently hoeing and farming, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "What?!"

However, Zheng Di still suggested taking Yang Chenghan for a stroll around the small courtyard, since they couldn't come for nothing. He also told Yang Chenghan about the scene of Yang Tianqian's wedding that he had heard from Lu Ya. With his silver tongue, he described the wedding he had heard about in a wonderfully exaggerated way, even fantastical, and in the end, he even said that the emperor had sent people to congratulate them.

Lu Ya stood in the center of the courtyard, watching the group of people wandering around. His expression changed from the disappointment he felt when talking to Zheng Di to a strange joy. At least he knew that Yang Tianqian was still alive. He thought that if the opportunity was right, he would go to Yang Chenghan and ask where they were living now.

As night deepened, Zhao Yunchu and the others who had been playing outside the courtyard grew tired, so she came in and asked, "Brother Lu, have you finished talking? It's time to go back."

Lu Ya nodded to Zhao Yunchu, then called out to the others still in the room, "It's getting late."

Then, a response came from inside: "Okay!"

(End of this chapter)