Chapter Seven, Girl

Wen Leyang responded with an acknowledgment, yet his heart was filled with uncertainty. In the Dead Word Alley, there was no one present

The first two items are the main subjects that Wen Leyang needs to study, and there are certainly more than a thousand books just on these two topics

Wen Leyang's two foolish uncles often shouted for him to come out and play in a loud voice outside the woods. Wen Leyang would drop whatever he was doing and run around the mountains with his two uncles, and by evening, they would roast a half-cooked protected animal.

To seek the secrets of heaven, none among the ancestors of Wen have escaped to immortality, nor have they established a legacy without attaining the Dao; what benefit is there in reciting verses in vain?

The young girl was brought to the Red Leaf Forest by Lord Wen Si from her infancy, growing up on the milk of the mountain beasts. She was exceptionally intelligent and wise, and by the age of three, she had begun to recognize characters. By the time she was four, she could read without difficulty. Lord Wen Si strictly adhered to the family rules and was unwilling to teach her skills, yet he allowed this child to freely browse the books in the character workshop.

Since Wen Leyang began memorizing texts, every month he has submitted a set of notes to Old Master Wen Si. The content is not extensive; it consists entirely of the repetitive information he has discovered during his memorization process. Wen Leyang is currently focusing on the properties of medicinal formulas summarized by the ancestors of the Wen family. These predecessors have compiled their lifelong experiences into volumes, with many entries being repetitive. He has made a simple record of the large sections of repetition he encountered, so that future readers of these insights can easily skip over the redundant parts.

The little girl looked at Wen Leyang with a hint of timidity, and Wen Leyang was also observing her.

Master Wen Si lived his entire life without a wife or children, spending decades alone in the alley of life, aging, and death. His personality was eccentric and reclusive, yet he genuinely liked the young girl. When she was reading, he intentionally placed foundational texts within her easy reach. Under Master Wen Si's deliberate arrangement, Wen Xiaoyi progressed from simple to complex, with most of the materials focusing on toxicity and pharmacology. Now at the age of thirteen, she has indeed read a considerable number of books available in the market.

In a forest of red leaves, apart from Wen Leyang, Xiao Yi, and two men raised by wild beasts, everyone else exhibited no signs of life. They lived each day like walking corpses, making not even the slightest sound while walking. After a few attempts to strike up a conversation and being met with cold indifference, Wen Leyang settled down and no longer tried to engage others in conversation.

I wonder what the spicy ancestor is scolding about now, " Xiao Yi said with a smile as she took the booklet and continued to flip through it. Having spent half a year with Wen Leyang, she knew that the Buddha lamp bug would not come out of the pot while playing, so she no longer avoided it: " Oh dear, this is quite chaotic.

The little girl looked blankly at the hand reaching out before her, nervously tugging at her braid. She had been abandoned by her parents in a wooden basin and thrown into the river while still in swaddling clothes. Two days later, when Lord Wen Si rescued her, she was barely alive, clinging to the last breath. After being saved, she stayed by Lord Wen Si's side. Not to mention leaving the mountains, she rarely ventured out of the maple forest, completely unaware of the etiquette and knowledge of the outside world.

"No breaking, no standing... poisonous veins become..." Wen Xiaoyi diligently deciphered the jumbled handwriting, silently reciting the insights left by Wen Lazi, becoming increasingly engrossed. Her elegantly arched eyebrows had formed a charming question mark.

Wen Leyang waved her hand, and a twisted carrot appeared in her hand.

Master Wen Si has never said much, maintaining a state of zero preservation towards Wen Leyang. However, gradually, as the notes he sent increased, the gaze of Master Si towards him has diminished in the overt contempt that was once so apparent.

The maple forest is not particularly large, and in all four directions, there are rows of wooden houses arranged in an orderly and neat manner, encircling several large buildings in the center of the forest

Wen Leyang moved his sore shoulder that had been bumped and asked with a hint of astonishment: "Death Number?"

Wen Leyang, the great oddity, grew up following the old demon Wen. It is not surprising that she is familiar with the ink jade incense burner. However, from her current perspective, she cannot see the Buddha lamp bug rolling and showing off in her palm.

Generally, every ten to fifteen days, the four elders would forcibly send Wen Leyang out of the forest, requiring him to take Wen Xiaoyi and two other men who had been raised by wild beasts since childhood to play in the mountains for a day. Wen Leyang had grown accustomed to submitting to this and did not resist; after all, going out to play was a joyful experience, and upon returning, he would bury himself in his studies, overwhelmed with the workload.

For over two thousand years, none of the ancestors of the Wen family have achieved enlightenment through cultivation, with the highest accomplishment being living to the age of ninety-nine. The methods of cultivation and the configurations of toxic formulas found in the classics are essentially on par with taking a hundred steps after a meal. However, the Wen family finds some solace in the fact that the Luo family's techniques from Miao Bujiao and Wuyaling also seem to be akin to taking a hundred steps after a meal

Old Master Wen Si snorted and said: "No need to count anymore. When you came in, I had already administered the antidote to you, so there is naturally no harm. You can come and go freely for the next two years without worry. However, if you plan to bring someone in, it is best to inform me in advance"

The two peculiar individuals nodded gently and laboriously, making murmuring sounds as they approached Wen Leyang, rubbing against him a few times in a gesture of goodwill. Wen Leyang felt a twinge of compassion in his heart, standing frozen in place, unsure of how to respond.

Xiao Yi obediently hid behind a large tree, yet feeling somewhat unwilling, he stood on tiptoe and stretched his neck to look into the incense burner. After pondering for a moment with his big eyes, he smiled and said: "Wen Leyang, is there a Buddha lamp bug inside the incense burner?"

Wen Leyang was just about to say he dared not when suddenly the leaves above his head rustled, and a figure leaped towards him with incredible agility. Caught off guard, Wen Leyang's two years of hard training immediately paid off; his body instinctively lunged forward, then he bent down to touch the ground, his feet scissoring towards the assailant in pursuit.

The Fourth Master probably never imagined that there could be such a foolish method. Whether it was during the time when the brothers were together or when Wen Tunhai was studying in the Fangzi, they would first spend some time identifying the most suitable direction for their alchemical formulas from the summaries of their predecessors on the art of alchemy. They would then focus on a specific discipline, adhering to ancient methods. Each person's fate and attributes are different, and within the Five Elements, there will inevitably be certain biases. Therefore, in their practice of alchemy and self-cultivation, they would choose medicinal materials and techniques that complement their own elemental attributes. It has never been heard of anyone like Wen Leyang, who, upon entering, does not ask any questions, but simply picks up a book and memorizes it, then switches to another one after finishing.

Master Wen Si's voice remained devoid of any emotion: "In these mountains, there are some sentient beasts that, after losing their offspring, steal infants to raise. One of them was taken from an old ape, and the other was rescued from a wolf's den, both of whom can only be considered guests in this place, just like you." As he spoke, the old man's gaze softened as he looked at the two strange individuals, and he gently said, "Come over and pay your respects; from now on, you are no longer outsiders."

Wen Leyang was about to say something when his expression suddenly froze. This time, after rolling in the palm of his hand, the Buddha Lamp Bug did not jump back into the incense burner. Instead, it was pushing its plump body, inch by inch, along his arm, crawling out of the incense burner, and now it was curled up in the crook of his arm, shaking its fat little head up at him.

The third aspect is the texts from various sects ranging from cultivation to dark arts, along with the summaries made by the predecessors of the Wen family regarding them

Currently, Wen Leyang only engages in four activities besides eating, sleeping, and paying respects to the four elders: practicing martial arts, memorizing texts, coaxing insects, and gnawing on carrots

The young girl's bright gaze shifted, and she saw Old Master Wen Si and Wen Leyang, who looked bewildered behind him. A joyful expression immediately appeared on her small face: "Grandfather, you are back! How wonderful, so soon!"

Wen Leyang smiled innocently.

At first, Wen Leyang was skeptical, but after two or three days, he realized he had encountered a little fairy. In the dozens of large rooms filled with ancient texts, Wen Xiaoyi could recite them all as if they were her own treasures. She was fully aware of where each book was placed and what its content was. As for the Wen family disciples who usually organized books in the character workshop, they had wooden faces and could not produce a single sound even with three sticks; every day, they merely dried books or copied incomplete texts, completely ignoring Wen Leyang.

Every time he accompanied the firefly to play, he would tell Wen Xiaoyi about the outside world, share stories of the poorly made television dramas he had watched, and recount amusing anecdotes from his past training. This brief time became the happiest anticipation for Wen Xiaoyi each day

According to Xiao Yi, Master Wen Si never taught those two peculiar individuals any martial arts; he merely provided medical treatment and erased some of their innate beastly traits. Wen Leyang secretly marveled at this, as he was well aware of his own physical condition. However, in terms of strength, a dozen ordinary strong men would not stand a chance against him, yet these two untrained beast children were surprisingly on par with him.

Wen Leyang was following Xiao Yi as they moved between the wooden cabins when a squeaking sound suddenly came from his backpack. He was already quite familiar with this sound over the past few days; every time the firefly had rested enough, it would call out to him. He quickly urged Xiao Yi to keep a distance and took out the incense burner to reach in, playing with the little creature for a while.

Wen Leyang was startled and hurriedly recalled how many steps he had taken

As foolish as a pig, let us strive together with the piglets and pig descendants

Upon seeing this, Xiao Yi became interested and smiled as he leaned closer, saying: "Oh, your ancestors must have scolded you like a dog. I only flipped through this booklet before and didn't examine it too closely"

After dinner, Xiao Yi pulled Wen Leyang along, pointing out the surroundings. After all, there were only a few rows of houses: the Shengzi Lane was to the east, the Laozizi Lane to the south, the Bingzi Lane to the west, and the Sizizi Lane to the north, with little to turn around. In the entire Shenglaobingsi area, apart from Wen Leyang, it seemed that only three individuals had some vitality: Wen Xiao Yi, the Wolf Boy, and the Ape Boy. The others, including Old Master Wen Si, were all nothing more than walking corpses.

After a while, the two youths simultaneously let out a breath, exchanging a glance filled with astonishment and disbelief.

Two strange individuals each called out and dashed into the house like the wind

Wen Leyang's intellect cannot be considered exceptionally brilliant, but compared to his peers, his heart is much simpler. Once he immerses himself in a subject, he behaves like a fool, diving into the library every day as soon as he opens his eyes, and even in his dreams, he murmurs recitations. Every day, aside from taking care of the Fourth Master, Wen Xiaoyi comes to help him memorize.

Wen Xiaoyi carefully read her name a few times, her small face filled with excitement, as she pulled Wen Leyang along: "Wen Leyang, let's go eat!"

In the outside world, Wen Xiaoyi was completely unaware. In her small mind, aside from taking care of her grandfather, she was engrossed in reading. With her undivided attention, her reading speed was remarkably fast. Although it could not be said that she had a photographic memory, she could grasp the general content of a book after reading it. Moreover, as a child, she was selective in her reading; she only glanced at the truly profound and complex techniques before putting them back, while she thoroughly enjoyed browsing through various attributes of cordyceps and interesting folk remedies as if they were stories.

At this moment, Lord Wen Si let out a sharp reprimand, causing the two assailants to instantly freeze in place and retreat to the side. Once Wen Leyang steadied himself, he could clearly see that one of the individuals was hunched over like a monkey, with both hands swaying near his ankles; the other was crouched like a wolf, his nose twitching incessantly as if he were sniffing the scent of a living person

Spicy and hot

Six months later, transitioning from early spring to deep summer, on this day, Wen Leyang was mumbling as he recited his lessons, while Xiao Yi sat beside him, bored, weaving a grass ring with wild grass. Suddenly, with a playful exclamation, she sweetly asked, "Wen Leyang, why are you cursing?"

The thirteen-year-old child, having grown up in the mountains and forests, still bore the innocence of youth on his face; however, the purity that flickered in his eyes brought a refreshing sense of comfort to Wen Leyang's heart

Compared to the child before him, Wen Leyang felt that the purity he had accumulated over eighteen years could only be fed to dogs

The little girl's big eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded vigorously, remembering Wen Leyang's words: "Grandpa calls me 'girl', so I will be called 'girl'."

Wen Leyang was momentarily taken aback and, bowing slightly behind him, said: "Fourth Grandfather, rest assured, I will not bring anyone in"

Xiao Yi shook his head: "Grandpa would never teach us. I grew up in the forest, and every day, besides taking care of Grandpa, the monkey, and the old wolf, I spent my time reading in those houses. The ink jade incense burner and the Buddha lamp bug were all things I learned about from books myself"

Wen Leyang felt a sudden brightness before his eyes, as if he were infected by the genuine smile of the young girl, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face

Wen Leyang is now reciting texts every day, and there is hardly any understanding, nor are there any questions. Aside from encountering obscure characters, there is nothing to trouble the Fourth Master with. However, the issue is that generally, the characters that Wen Leyang does not recognize, the Fourth Master also does not recognize.

"She is an abandoned child I picked up from the river. She grew up in the workshop, especially familiar with the character workshop; just tell her what book you are looking for." After saying this, Master Wen Si no longer paid attention to them and stepped into the largest wooden house in the center of the forest, slamming the wooden door shut.

Currently, there is no one in the Dead Character Workshop. You are not permitted to step even one more inch into the Old Character Workshop or the Sick Character Workshop. It does not matter if you cannot remember; you will naturally remember once your eyes are gone. Additionally, in the Red Leaf Forest, the use of lit incense burners is strictly prohibited

However, if one wishes to achieve the lofty ideal of becoming a transcendent being who can summon thunder wherever they go, then these texts, aside from offering a bit of reference and inspiration, hold little practical value. It is akin to having hundreds of students who failed their college entrance exams serve as tutors for a high school senior.

Old Master Wen Si seemed to smile slightly: "I am just giving a heads-up in advance, no need to overthink it"

Thus, Master Wen Si is often put in a very passive position by this young man

Wen Leyang was utterly astonished; he had never imagined that a person could pounce like a wolf. With both shoulders exerting force and limbs pushing fiercely, he collided head-on with the second assailant!

Do not be afraid, a pat on the shoulder and a gentle touch on the head will suffice; they will not trouble you again in the future. Lord Wen Si's voice was very calm: "You are wise to recognize the situation, not allowing any poison to seep into your wrongdoings."

In principle, such texts should be studied and tested simultaneously to achieve the best results. However, Wen Leyang only had a brief two years. Later, driven by his stubborn nature, he simply chose the most foolish method: rote memorization! He paid no attention to the principles behind the formulas, let alone drawing inferences from one instance to another; he just memorized exactly what was written in the book.

On the last few pages, there are traces of smudging everywhere, and the once pristine book has been transformed into a chaotic mess by a brush, with only a few words occasionally visible between the lines, barely forming a coherent narrative. When Wen Lazi was writing these things back in the day, he was either in extreme distress, constantly revising, or suffering from Parkinson's.

Wen Leyang held in his hand what seemed to be the notes on poison techniques compiled by an ancestor of the Wen family in their later years. However, judging by the paper and ink, it did not appear to be too ancient, likely dating back a few hundred years. He had basically memorized it; this booklet was largely similar to other texts, documenting the properties of substances and poison formulas he had experimented with, along with his experiences and questions regarding the cultivation of poison techniques. There were also many overlapping insights with those of others. Yet, towards the last few pages, a sentence suddenly jumped out: "Nonsense, those who read are no better than nonsense, and those who memorize are like nonsense!" He had basically memorized it; this booklet was largely similar to other texts, documenting the properties of substances and poison formulas he had experimented with, along with his experiences and questions regarding the cultivation of poison techniques. There were also many overlapping insights with those of others. Yet, towards the last few pages, a sentence suddenly jumped out: "Nonsense, those who read are no better than nonsense, and those who memorize are like nonsense!"

Old Master Wen responded indifferently, then turned to Wen Leyang and said: "This is the girl. Aside from matters related to her studies, do not bother me with anything else; just ask her. Thirteen years ago, I..."

However, it seems that this ancestor has come to the same conclusion as himself; he had asked a similar question when he and his uncle had just entered the mountain.

Wen Leyang took her small hand and placed it in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze, and said: "This is a handshake. When people meet, they should shake hands to show warmth. My name is Wen Leyang. What is your name? Do you eat carrots?"

Wen Leyang also leaned his head over, playing and frolicking with the firefly while reading with the little girl.

If it is to deal with the enemy, it is sufficient to learn just one of the many poison formulas summarized by predecessors in the workshop

Old Master Wen Si was completely unconcerned, walking ahead with his hands clasped behind his back, and without turning his head, he said to him: "No one can take seven steps in this forest without my permission"

Wen Leyang felt dizzy from reciting the text. At first, he was taken aback: "What did I just curse?" Then, he suddenly realized, and after carefully examining the small booklet in his hand, he smiled and said: "It’s not me cursing; it’s the authors of the book who are cursing."

The second aspect pertains to the principles of the interactions and combinations of various properties among drugs, as well as the methods of their preparation. This can be understood as biochemistry

Wen Leyang swallowed nervously, truly afraid that the girl in front of him would suddenly make a gesture like that of a giraffe or a bear.

Some people were coming in and out of the wooden house, and there were also individuals moving about in the forest. However, they all wore expressions that were cold to the extreme, ignoring Wen Leyang's pure smile, and even disregarding Old Master Wen and the others. It was unclear whether they considered themselves invisible or treated the others as if they were air.

With a muffled sound, Wen Leyang and the other person simultaneously let out a grunt and staggered backward together. At the same time, another roar erupted, and the other individual dropped to all fours, pouncing towards him with the agility of a wild beast. The expression on his face was fierce and terrifying, and a pair of bone-white teeth were aimed directly at his throat, ready to bite down!

The books in the Shuzi Workshop are primarily divided into four main categories

After being angrily scolded by Wen Lazi, he hastily and chaotically recorded in his notes his intention to use the Wen family's poison techniques as a foundation to cultivate a transcendent skill: first, sever the meridians, disperse the accumulated toxins in the meridians throughout the body, and before the deadly poison corrodes the body, gather the toxins using a misaligned fist technique, reshape the toxic meridians, and directly refine the deadly poison into the flesh!

Beneath the profanity of our ancestors, there are a few lines of small text

Several dishes of mixed vegetables, a plate of cured meat, and a bowl of thin porridge left Wen Leyang singing praises without end. Wen Xiaoyi's face turned rosy from his compliments as she eagerly served him more porridge

Fourthly, there are various folk techniques and remedies, many of which even the ancestors of the Wen family could not explain, yet they are indeed effective

With a creak, the door of a wooden cabin in the forest opened, and a girl of about twelve or thirteen stood at the entrance, calling out to two strange figures: "A-Yuan, Old Wolf, come and eat!"

Wen Leyang nodded with a smile: "Fourth Grandfather has taught you quite a bit; in the future, when I am in the neighborhood, you must help teach me."

Wen Leyang secretly curled his lips; it was evident that it was a name recently created. However, it was still acceptable. The older generation was indeed impressive, as they could come up with names far superior to that of his own father

Bang

The voice of Master Wen Si suddenly came from the wooden house: "In the future, when you handle poisons, keep your distance from the girl. She hasn't practiced the skills of the Wen family! She has a name, called... Xiao Yi, Wen Xiao Yi!"

Wen Leyang extended a hand and smiled at the little girl, saying, "My name is Wen Leyang"

Xiao Yi blinked her big eyes, stuck out her tongue, and giggled: "The ancestors of the spicy chili are getting anxious."

While he was daydreaming, the firefly suddenly called out to him. Wen Leyang casually handed Wen Lazi's notes to Xiao Yi, took off the ink jade incense burner, and reached in to play with the firefly.

If one uses poison to attack the enemy, then it suffices to remember any one volume from the workshop

After observing Wen Leyang's expression, Xiao Yi explained with even more confidence: "The only one who stays in the Mo Yu Xiang Ding and refuses to come out, while also wanting someone to play with it, is the Buddha Lamp Bug, Wen Leyang. Am I right?"

About ten days after entering the maple forest, the Buddha lamp insect in the incense cauldron suddenly became somewhat irritable, behaving unusually by refusing to sleep and not playing with Wen Leyang. It kept spinning around in the cauldron without pause, and several times it almost climbed out of the incense cauldron, only to jump back in, as if it both wanted to escape and was reluctant to leave the cauldron. Fortunately, a few days later, it returned to its original state and settled down again, and Wen Leyang did not pay much attention to it.

Wen Leyang smiled wryly as he pinched his brow, faintly feeling that the name Wen Lazi sounded somewhat familiar, yet he could not recall it at the moment

Firstly, it pertains to the five elemental properties of all things in the world, as well as the medicinal properties and pharmacology. This can be understood as the foundational study of materials