Liaozhai: Immortality Begins with Becoming Yan Chixia's Apprentice

Chapter 82 Encountering the Two Han Dynasties Again

Yan Chixia then took out a pill from his sleeve, handed it to Zhou Ning, and said:

"This is a 'Life-Extending Pill,' which can restore a large amount of true energy in a short time after consumption. Do not use it unless absolutely necessary."

Zhou Ning took the pill and carefully put it away.

"Go ahead," Yan Chixia waved his hand.

Go early and come back early.

Zhou Ning bowed respectfully and withdrew from the main hall.

He returned to his lodgings and packed his bags.

The Qingfeng Sword, the Bixie Sword, talismans, cinnabar, yellow paper, elixirs, Buddha relics, and the jade slip containing the Concentration Technique were all packed away one by one.

He checked his luggage again to make sure nothing was missing before he slung it over his shoulder and left the room.

In the courtyard, Xin Shisi Niang and Liu Niang were standing at the door, silently watching him.

"Young Master Zhou, are you going to the North again?" Xin Shisi Niang's eyes reddened.

Zhou Ning nodded: "I need to take care of something."

"Is it dangerous?"

Zhou Ning smiled and said, "A little. But I can handle it."

Xin Shisi Niang took out a jade pendant from her bosom and handed it to him: "This is a protective amulet from our Qingqiu Fox Clan. It can ward off evil spirits. Wear it; it might be useful."

Zhou Ning hesitated for a moment before taking it. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, and a lifelike fox was carved on it.

He carefully put the jade pendant away and bowed deeply to Xin Shisi Niang.

"Thank you, Miss Xin."

Xin Shisi Niang shook her head.

"Young Master Zhou, you saved the lives of our Qingqiu Fox Clan. This small token is nothing. You must return safely."

Zhou Ning nodded, then glanced at Liu Niang and Xiao Cui beside him.

Neither Liu Niang nor Xiao Cui spoke; they simply bowed deeply to him.

Zhou Ning bowed in return, then turned and strode down the mountain.

When he reached the mountain gate, he looked back.

Yan Chixia stood at the entrance of the main hall, hands behind his back, watching him leave.

"The universe is vast and boundless; evil cannot prevail over good. Accumulate merit and virtue, and evil spirits will find it difficult to invade." Yan Chixia watched Zhou Ning's figure descend the mountain, and his expression suddenly became somewhat dazed.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on him, bathing his blue robe in a warm golden hue.

His face was expressionless, but Zhou Ning knew that his master must have a thousand words to say in his heart.

Zhou Ning took a deep breath, turned around, and strode away.

Behind me, the bell of Lanruo Temple rang out softly, echoing through the valley and lingering for a long time.

Zhou Ning traveled north, enduring wind and rain, and sleeping in the open.

He walked for three days and arrived at a small town called "Qingshi Town".

The town is small, with only a few dozen households, but it is located on a major transportation route, and merchants and travelers come and go in an endless stream.

Zhou Ning found an inn in the town and stayed there, planning to rest for the night before continuing his journey.

As night fell, he was meditating and regulating his breathing in his room when he suddenly heard a quarrel coming from downstairs.

"I told you, I'm not going. That place is haunted, just like last time. Do you think you can always be as lucky as last time?"

A loud, angry voice rang out.

"What's there to be afraid of? Good people are always protected by heaven. If you could get away with it last time, you can do it this time too."

When the sound rang out, Zhou Ning suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, so he frowned and went downstairs to check.

In the lobby of the inn, two middle-aged men were arguing loudly, their faces flushed red.

"So it was them. No wonder their voices sounded so familiar," Zhou Ning thought to himself.

The two middle-aged men in the hall were the same two men he had met in Cangwu City while searching for medicinal herbs, who were preparing to venture into the Ghost Temple.

Unexpectedly, I encountered the two people again when I went to the North.

Judging from the voice, it was clear that they had encountered some thorny problem again, and the two were arguing back and forth.

"Brothers, it's been a long time. How have you been? It seems you've encountered some difficulties again," Zhou Ning said with a cupped hand and a smile as he walked over.

The two men looked at Zhou Ning at the same time, and then their expressions brightened with delight.

The tall, thin man exclaimed in surprise, "Oh! So you're the little immortal master from Cangwu City! What a coincidence! Please, have a seat."

Zhou Ning sat down in response and asked, "How did you two come to this place? If you've encountered any trouble, please feel free to speak up; perhaps I can offer some assistance."

The short, chubby guy immediately chimed in, "After we parted ways last time, we realized how fast this money was, so we came up with the idea of ​​sneaking into a haunted temple. And look, we've run into it again this time."

Then, the two briefly told Zhou Ning about the eeriness of the ghost temple in this place.

It turns out that there is a notoriously desolate and haunted temple on the mountain north of Qingshi Town.

It's called "Qingshan Temple".

The temple had long been in disrepair and had been neglected for countless years.

But in the last year or two, strange noises have suddenly started to come out at night, including the sound of bells and chanting, which are eerie and terrifying, scaring away the beggars who often stay there at night.

"Sure enough, half a year ago, the original owner of this mountain offered a reward of five hundred taels of silver to find someone bold enough to investigate Qingshan Temple."

The short, chubby man said, "So we want to give it a try. I just don't believe it. Is there really a ghost? And if there isn't, we can easily make this money."

Zhou Ning gave a wry smile and said, "You two are really bold. Alright, since it's on the way anyway, if you don't mind, I'll go with you."

The tall, thin man patted Zhou Ning on the shoulder excitedly and laughed loudly, "Alright, the two of us will accompany you to venture into the Ghost Temple again, little brother."

The next morning, Zhou Ning and the two men headed up the mountain to the north.

The mountains are steep, the forests are dense, and the mountains are often shrouded in mist.

Qingshan Temple is also built halfway up the mountain, and it doesn't seem too far away from a distance.

Zhou Ning and two men climbed upwards along the mountain path.

After walking for about half an hour, a dilapidated and desolate temple appeared ahead.

The words "Qingshan Temple" are faintly visible above the temple gate, but the characters are blurred.

The three entered the main hall, which was covered in dust and cobwebs.

"My goodness! What kind of temple is this? It's so deserted, yet it hasn't collapsed."

"Young man, display your divine power! See if there are any spirits or monsters around?"

Zhou Ning could tell that although the two appeared calm, their legs were actually trembling and their voices were slightly shaking.

Zhou Ning activated his divine sense and searched everywhere, but found nothing.

Soon, Zhou Ning's divine sense reached the back of the temple hall, clearly indicating that something strange was going on there.

Zhou Ning immediately said, "Gentlemen, there may really be ghosts and monsters haunting the depths of this temple. Since you two do not understand Taoist magic and supernatural powers, it is best not to go there."

The tall, thin man's eyes darted around before he said, "I'll cheer you on, buddy, and you can sell it."

Zhou Ning said, "I don't care. Cultivators are not afraid of being haunted by ghosts. However, ghosts have always been fond of taking people's lives, which is a way to shorten the lifespan of mortals."

"Since you two are going to come along, that's fine. Then stay close and make sure you don't let the ghosts drain your lifespan."

Upon hearing Zhou Ning's words, the man who had been hoping to make a quick buck was so frightened that he scrambled out of the temple and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Ning smiled slightly. Perhaps after this incident, the two of them would no longer engage in any shady dealings like sneaking into ghost temples to make money.

But he wasn't lying about one thing: there really was something strange about the depths of this temple.