Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Lord Xiao?

The moment I heard that name, a memory flashed through my mind.

Back when Li Qingying and I went to the Opera Stage in Wufu Town to find something, I was bitten by a Yellow Weasel and infected with evil toxins. In my half-conscious state, I overheard Li Qingying telling Liu Junyan that she had obtained something from Lord Xiao, but Lord Xiao had warned Liu Junyan to use it with caution.

I didn’t know what Lord Xiao had given Liu Junyan back then, but afterward, Liu Junyan gained the opportunity to accompany me outside for a single day.

It was on that very day that Liu Junyan helped me retrieve Fengwu.

So, Lord Xiao and Liu Junyan must have a very good relationship.

Since they were close… I stared at the Golden Scale in Lord Xiao’s hand and moved to step forward to ask for it.

The Golden Scale originally belonged to Liu Junyan; surely Lord Xiao wouldn’t keep it for himself.

But as soon as I moved, Li Qingying grabbed me. She shook her head at me, signaling me not to be impulsive.

Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with awe and dread.

She was truly terrified of this Lord Xiao.

“You are Xiao Jiu?” Lord Xiao suddenly spoke.

His voice was pleasant-bright, mellow, and a standard baritone. There was a strong sense of presence in his tone, yet it wasn’t as oppressive as I had imagined.

“I am,” I nodded, then asked, “Did Liu Junyan ask you to come and save us?”

I couldn’t think of any other possibility.

Lord Xiao had arrived just in time.

If he hadn’t appeared so suddenly, I would have been torn to shreds by those Dirty Things in the water today.

Even if I had escaped that Calamity, I wouldn’t have been able to evade the clutches of the Black Snake.

Wait, where was the Black Snake?

Lord Xiao gave a soft grunt of affirmation and took a few steps forward, holding out the Golden Scale toward me.

I hurriedly reached out to take it and thanked him.

“Xiao Jiu,” Lord Xiao said, “treat Seventh Master well.”

With that, he vanished.

He came and went without a trace, a testament to the depth of his cultivation.

Clutching the Golden Scale, I felt a mix of excitement and helplessness.

Why did everyone keep telling me to treat Liu Junyan well?

Li Qingying said it, and now Lord Xiao said it too.

Between me and Liu Junyan, I was clearly the vulnerable one, okay?

I was even worried that one day Liu Junyan would return to the Linghai Dragon Palace and leave me behind!

Beside me, Li Qingying still seemed to be in a daze. “Lord Xiao actually gave the Golden Scale to you? Since when was he so easy to talk to?”

I was puzzled. “Is he usually difficult to get along with?”

“Of course!” Li Qingying said instinctively. “He…”

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she cut herself off abruptly. Her gaze swept over the Little Monks lying scattered across the ground, and she clamped her mouth shut.

Just then, Jin Wuya let out a startled cry. “Look, why is there no water down here anymore?”

Li Qingying and I immediately looked toward Jin Wuya and were equally shocked.

Just moments ago, I had been dragged into the water, and it had nearly reached my neck. My clothes were still soaking wet, yet now, there wasn’t a single drop of water left below. It was as parched as a dry tunnel.

Scattered across the ground were numerous white bones, all covered in cracks. There wasn’t a trace of Yin energy left on them.

No way!

At this moment, I felt like I could finally empathize with Li Qingying’s fear.

Lord Xiao had only been here for a brief moment!

But in that short time, the Black Snake had vanished!

The Female Ghosts who had grabbed me had been reduced to ashes, and even the skeletal remains were so brittle that they would crumble at a touch.

The water source of Jiyu Temple, which had never run dry even during the great drought sixty years ago, had completely evaporated!

Just what was Lord Xiao’s background? How could he be this powerful?

It was so powerful that it was… eerie.

Jin Wuya and I both jumped down, following the tunnel upward. We stepped on withered bones the entire way until we reached the hot spring area.

After climbing up from the hot spring, we found ourselves standing in the Inner Courtyard.

Jin Wuya and I didn’t say anything to each other, but with unspoken understanding, we began searching through the Inner Courtyard.
Before long, we discovered a hidden compartment in Master Yinxuan’s meditation room containing a memorial tablet.

It was being actively enshrined, with no lack of incense or offerings placed before it.

When I saw the name of the primary deity inscribed on the tablet, I froze once again.

The one Master Yinxuan was worshipping was actually… Second Master Liu of Wangting Mountain!

Back then, Dou Jinsuo had told me that the events in Wufu Town were deeply connected to someone called Second Master Liu.

Second Master Liu… that Black Snake was actually Second Master Liu!

I turned and bolted toward the front of the temple.

Li Qingying hadn’t followed us into the tunnel; she had stayed behind to guard the scene.

I rushed over and skidded to a halt beside Master Yinxuan.

Master Yinxuan was lying stiffly on the ground, his eyes wide and staring. His entire body was covered in cadaveric spots, and a foul stench of decay emanated from him.

He was dead.

However, the state of his corpse didn’t look like someone who had just died; it looked as if he had been dead for a very long time.

Since Second Master Liu of Wangting Mountain was the one Master Yinxuan worshipped, I had hoped to question him about the man. Unfortunately, he was dead.

It made sense, though.

The only reason he had been able to live to the ripe old age of ninety-six was because of Second Master Liu.

I felt the Golden Scale in my pocket, and everything became clear.

The Black Snake that had appeared in Jiyu Temple earlier wasn’t Second Master Liu’s physical body, but rather his Essence Spirit.

He had existed by possessing Master Yinxuan.

The moment he left, Master Yinxuan could no longer survive.

*Thump!*

A dull sound startled us.

I looked up and saw that the Former Abbot’s physical body, which had been half-burned, was now dissolving into a pool of cadaveric fluid.

Even the Six-Petal Lotus beneath him had completely shattered into fragments.

*Rumble!*

Muffled thunder rolled overhead, and the wind began to pick up. It looked as though a mountain storm was imminent.

Jin Wuya let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Over sixty years ago, Jiyu Temple set up that Formation with the Former Abbot’s mummified body to pray for rain. Now that the Formation is broken, it’s finally starting to rain. How ironic.”

Indeed.

This Formation at Jiyu Temple had never existed to pray for rain.

The great drought back then was likely connected to the Black Snake that had been cultivating in the hot springs beneath the temple.

The Black Snake had seduced Master Yinxuan step by step, leading to everything that followed.

Li Qingying asked, “The Black Snake has fled and Master Yinxuan is dead. What do we do with the remaining injured Little Monks?”

It was a complete mess.

“Call the police,” Jin Wuya said. “The mastermind is dead, but his accomplices are still alive. There’s no telling how many girls have died in Jiyu Temple over the years. This needs a thorough investigation.”

As he spoke, he was already dialing his phone.

I walked toward the five girls nearby.

Their Essence Spirits had been siphoned away. Even though they were still clinging to life, they wouldn’t last long.

However, since the Formation hadn’t been fully activated, their Essence Spirits should still be around. I just didn’t know where they had drifted to.

I needed to perform a ritual to Summon Souls.

After a moment’s thought, I called Master Hui Quan. I explained the situation and asked him to come over to help Summon Souls and perform the ritual to Release from Suffering.

Jin Wuya, having finished his police report, overheard my conversation with Master Hui Quan and quickly added, “Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu, please ask the Master to help Release from Suffering for my master as well while he’s at it.”

Master Hui Quan was more than happy to help; these matters were his specialty, and he agreed immediately.

The three of us were covered in injuries. Li Qingying’s were the most severe, and she had been forcing herself to hold on.

Jin Wuya said, “You two head back down the mountain first to treat your wounds. I’ll stay here to handle the aftermath. We’ll get in touch later.”

I didn’t stand on ceremony with Jin Wuya. I helped Li Qingying, and we made our way down the mountain.

I didn’t have a driver’s license, so Qingying still had to drive.

As the car drove smoothly along the road, I finally couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Qingying, can you tell me about Lord Xiao?”