Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun sat drinking tea. Xiao Kun remained silent throughout, listening as Xiang Xian and Lingqing exchanged questions and answers. He gleaned the general situation—this monster had appeared long ago, though no one knew exactly when it had taken up residence in Qingcheng Mountain. In the past, it had lived peacefully with the mortals of Dujiangyan. While Daoist Xu Yan was still alive, the monster never disturbed the villages at the mountain’s base.
But after Daoist Xu Yan’s passing, for some unknown reason, the monsters in the mountains grew restless. Though Lingqing was the chief disciple, he had neglected his Daoist cultivation, and for the moment, he could do nothing about these monsters.
Xiao Kun observed Lingqing and guessed he possessed little Magical Power.
“What evils have these monsters specifically committed?” Xiang Xian asked.
“Young, sturdy men are frequently abducted by the monsters,” Lingqing explained, his beard and hair snow-white. “They vanish without a trace. Some are boatmen, woodcutters, or hunters who enter the mountains and fail to return after several days. Their families search for them and report to the authorities, but they simply disappear. Qingcheng Back Mountain has been free of bandits for nearly a century, and it’s not ferocious beasts either—after all, when beasts devour people, bones remain. The officials searched the mountains everywhere and found that the paths near the missing persons were all afflicted with Bewilderment Spells. That was when they sought help from our temple. When Mingjing, Zhufeng, and the others went to investigate, the spells had been lifted. We had no choice but to seal off the back mountain temporarily and plan again come spring.”
“What’s a Bewilderment Spell?” Chaosheng clearly had never heard of such a low-level demon spell and asked.
“Ghost Hitting Wall,” Xiang Xian said.
Xiao Kun asked: “How many people have gone missing in total?”
“Off and on, seventeen in this past year,” Lingqing replied.
Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun exchanged a glance. In war-torn places like Yanyun, seventeen missing men would be negligible, but in Dujiangyan, it counted as a major incident.
“As a result, every young man of decent appearance in the city lives in fear,” Lingqing said awkwardly. “Our temple suspects it might be that Flower Demon causing trouble, but due to our late master’s ties with her……”
Yeah right, Xiao Kun thought. Lives are at stake, and you’re still considering your ties with a demon?
“I think you simply can’t do anything to her,” Xiang Xian said bluntly, leaving Lingqing no face. He even dared to curse the Emperor; an abbot was nothing to him.
Lingqing could only say: “Shameful, shameful. Since you two……three have come, why not……”
“Chaosheng,” Xiao Kun said, “don’t touch their Tribute Fruits.”
“I didn’t touch them, I was just looking,” Chaosheng argued slyly.
Xiao Kun asked again: “Legend has it that Senior Ge Liang secluded himself in the mountains before his passing. I wonder where his former residence is?”
“In Yulei Back Mountain,” Lingqing said. He summoned a young attendant. “Take them there for a look.”
Xiang Xian: “No need. Just draw us a map.”
Moments later, in front of the mountain gate housing the Xiansheng Zhenjun statue, the three sat on the steps examining it. Chaosheng had received a small pouch of Tribute Fruits from the abbot as compensation, and the broken silver tossed into the Merit Box earlier wasn’t retrieved—it was left as is.
“Let me see.” Xiang Xian unfolded the hand-drawn map. “Ghost Hitting Wall……where might this thing be hiding? Hey, don’t just eat—give some ideas.”
Xiang Xian nudged Xiao Kun with his elbow and asked: “Should we check Ge Liang’s old residence for clues on the Heart Lamp first, or Capture Demon?”
Chaosheng said: “I’ve been wanting to ask—this ‘Ge Liang,’ is he Zhuge Liang?”
“No,” Xiao Kun replied. “His surname is Ge, given name Liang. Kongming has the double surname Zhuge.”
“What’s their relation then?” Chaosheng asked, puzzled.
“There is none,” Xiang Xian said.
Xiao Kun ate a Winter Peach that Chaosheng fed him and gazed toward the temple fair below.
“Capture Demon first,” Xiao Kun said.
Xiang Xian: “Earlier, we sensed Demonic Aura. Could it be these mountain monsters out enjoying the fair?”
Xiao Kun handed the half-eaten peach to Xiang Xian and patted his robe, intending for him to toss it. But Xiang Xian misunderstood and took the bitten half, eating it himself.
Xiao Kun: “I’ll head out for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll go with you,” Xiang Xian said.
Xiao Kun waved it off, signaling no need, and left Erwang Temple like a gust of wind, entering the heart of the market.
He recalled the Demonic Aura he had detected that morning and wove through the temple fair, activating his Nether Eyes. His eyes flickered as he searched for monsters mingled among the mortals.
He found the first one—it looked like a Boar Demon transformed, come to the market for food. Harmless enough.
The second……there. Xiao Kun stood not far from a stall and spotted a Jackal Demon glancing about vigilantly. Xiao Kun didn’t dare get too close, fearing he would alert them. Though he could dispatch such low-level monsters with ease, causing a market panic would put them on guard.
The Jackal Demon was scouting mortals…… Xiao Kun faintly read its thoughts. Sure enough, it was grabbing strong men for the monster in Qingcheng Mountain.
Using Nether Eyes to read minds induced dizziness in the target—the higher the Cultivation Base, the stronger the sensation. Xiao Kun didn’t want it to notice someone spying, so he released the Jackal Demon and sought other targets.
Another Rabbit Demon. So many?
Xiao Kun discovered more monsters in the market—over a dozen, scattered about. Most were there on orders. The fair drew plenty of mortals, and the monsters seemed commanded to find “suitable people.”
Xiao Kun read a few more minds without alarming them and learned that “suitable people” meant handsome young men in their twenties—matching exactly what Lingqing had described. He returned to Erwang Temple.
Xiang Xian lay on the temple courtyard steps, map over his face, sunning himself. Chaosheng amused himself weaving a hat from twigs.
