Chapter 5: Spring River Crossing the Hundred Yue Regions, Shen Qinggui's Daoist Companion. ...

"Didn't you say you were looking for someone? Why are you being so direct—"

Shen Jiuxu muttered under his breath, but still took the painting down against his will. In an instant, the house shook, and with a hiss, a black figure appeared out of thin air in the room, glaring fiercely at Jiang Yu, "Disrespect for the gods is a serious crime."

"That's ridiculous, I've never seen a god like that before."

Jiang Yu looked him up and down, unable to discern his facial features, only seeing many limbs stretching out in all directions. "You built a statue, received worship for a few days, and now you really think you're something special? If it weren't for the sake of a scholar's eyes, I'd rather not dirty my hands."

Like an army pressing in, the night, which could have been described as bright and starry, instantly changed. The sword was drawn, golden light shining brightly, and rushed towards the figure. Jiang Yu was about to make a move when Shen Jiuxu stopped him, "Let me do it. Isn't your hand injury still not healed?"

Shen Jiuxu flicked his sleeve and brandished his sword. The sharp blade swiftly swept past the ghostly figure's body and bounced back. The golden light pierced through the wall, and dozens of pine trees behind it also fell down.

The birds that had been sleeping suddenly cried out and flew into the sky. The three portraits split open from the middle, and the edges of the paper scattered and flew toward Jiang Yu.

The sky was so dark it looked like it was about to swallow you whole.

The ghostly figure chuckled softly, its spiritual power causing Jiang Yu to feel dizzy and disoriented. Jiang Yu then felt something dry tighten around his neck—it was the ghostly figure's arm.

The intense feeling of suffocation made his face flush red, and his blood surged like that of a healthy, normal person. An untimely pain shot through his wrist, and he couldn't even cough up anything. He only felt a thick mass of blood blocking his throat.

The sword that fell to the ground emitted a light and swiftly struck the ghost's elbow, snapping off at the base with a "crack." Thick blood spurted out. Jiang Yu lightly touched his neck a few times with one hand, then grabbed the sword flying towards him with the other and slashed at the man.

The loud noise made the ground tremble, and the soil was turned upside down with tremendous force. Jiang Yu was thrown back several meters, and his once smooth face was covered in mud.

His hands hung limply at his sides. The wrist bone that had shattered three years ago hadn't fully recovered, and now, after swinging the sword a few times, the pain returned. The excruciating pain almost made Jiang Yu collapse to the ground, but Shen Jiuxu swiftly caught him, pulled him into his arms, and rapidly channeled spiritual energy into him.

Thick pine branches blocked the ghostly figure's path. Shen Jiuxu gasped for breath. He had just chopped off several arms, but the man was completely unharmed, standing there unscathed, and had even grown larger.

A ghostly figure, several stories high, enveloped them, its soft limbs flying everywhere. Tree trunks glowing red crashed down on Jiang Yu and Shen Jiuxu, while a barrage of sword beams squeezed in as if trying to find a gap.

Shen Jiuxu bit his wrist, and the rich fragrance of flowers enveloped the entire temple. The ghostly figure showed a rare look of astonishment. Seeing this, Shen Jiuxu pushed Jiang Yu behind him and used his powerful spiritual energy to slash the ghostly figure's neck.

A plume of blue smoke rose from nowhere, and the sky gradually brightened. Jiang Yu, whose mind was still hazy, heard voices.

"Elder, I have come here today with a request."

A graceful and elegant woman spoke slowly and softly, her every move exuding nobility. She was accompanied by two maids, her apricot-colored dress flowing smoothly against her body. Her attire suggested that of a lady from a wealthy family coming out to offer incense.

"Please speak, Madam."

The person speaking was not the same one who opened the door for them last night. He looked much older, with a white beard and clearly visible wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He put his hands together and bowed to the statue.

“The elder said a few days ago that the statues in Jingchuan Temple seemed to be damaged and he wanted to repair them. I mentioned it to the master when I got back, and he agreed and asked me to bring some money.”

The woman clapped her hands, and a group of maids carrying trays rushed in from outside. The sandalwood trays were covered with red silk cloth, and she casually lifted a corner to reveal gleaming silver coins.

"Elder, is this enough or not?"

Jiang Yu lay on the roof, skillfully moving a few tiles to get a view of what was happening below. He then reached out and pressed down on Shen Jiuxu's waist, signaling him to lie down, and whispered a shushing sound to him.

The innkeeper had mentioned that since the Qi'an Pot was banned, the incense offerings at Jingchuan Temple had declined significantly. Although people would occasionally sneak over, it was rare to see someone as open and honest as this woman leading so many people.

The monk glanced sideways, then nodded slightly. "The master and madam's sincerity is certainly enough. Madam, I'm afraid you didn't come here just for the temple repairs, did you?"

"You may all leave now!"

The woman spoke softly, and all the maids behind her left. Jiang Yu became interested, and Shen Jiuxu had no choice but to put one hand to the side to prevent him from falling, while keeping a close eye on the situation around him.

"Elder, is Shen Wuke truly dead?"

Jiang Yu's face darkened upon hearing this. He glanced at Shen Jiuxu, whose attention was focused on his surroundings, indicating that he hadn't heard what they were saying.

He whispered something in Shen Jiuxu's ear, and the man, staring at him, finally gave in. Jiang Yu waved his hand, "Go quickly, go quickly."

The back mountain.

Several young monks were slacking off here; none of them wanted to spend all day burning incense and praying for blessings inside the house, where the smoke and soot made their eyes black.

"If the elders find out we're all slacking off here, we're doomed."

"You're quite the worrywart. Important guests have arrived, and the elders are busy entertaining them; they can't spare a moment for us." The man patted the mud off his legs. "If you're scared, go back yourself."

"Shh, senior brother, someone's coming."

Shen Jiuxu coughed lightly and smiled modestly, “Masters, I heard that the temple needs repairs recently, and I would like to do my part, but I have never done this before. I don’t know how much silver is appropriate to donate. I see that the elders are busy, so I hope that you masters can help me with this question.”

"That's natural. However, temple renovation is a major undertaking, and we only know a little about it. A few thousand taels should be enough."

"I am ashamed to say that I did not bring much silver with me this time. I estimate that I can only make simple repairs to this statue. I hope the elders will not find it offensive." Shen Jiuxu lowered his head at the right moment. The disciples, who were inexperienced in the ways of the world, felt ashamed when they were tricked by his trick. In fact, the repairs did not require so much money. It was just that they could make a small profit from the extra money.

The young monk immediately said, "As long as the intention is there, it's not a big problem. One morning three months ago, a few of us went to clean the main hall and found that the eyes of the statue were missing and some bricks and tiles on the roof were also missing. Later, the master said that this place has been exposed to the wind and sun for a long time and naturally needs to be repaired. I don't think it will cost too much money."

It's also an eye; it seems the scholar's eyes must be on this statue.

"I wonder when this temple was built?" Shen Jiuxu asked again. He had a dignified demeanor and looked like a rich young man who was simple-minded and generous. The group was naturally willing to say a few more words.

"This temple is old, but the statue was built three years ago. It was built for someone who ascended to heaven."

He scratched his head sheepishly, "We're all from poor families, we can't afford to eat, that's why we came here. We clean the courtyard and offer incense to the donors when we pray for blessings. We don't know this person well, we just heard my master say his name is something like Chun."

"Baiyuechun."

"Ah, yes, yes, Bai Yuechun. I heard he's a rogue cultivator who ascended to immortality by chance. But he's a man of action. This temple may be new, but it's very popular. Did you come alone, young master?"

"two."

Shen Jiuxu noticed that the person in front of him's eyes lit up instantly. "Did you come with your future partner, young master? I heard from the gatekeeper last night that there were two people living in the same house."

"What's wrong?" Shen Jiuxu asked slowly. He didn't intend to explain, since it wasn't a big deal. But he didn't expect that his attitude was no different from tacit agreement in the eyes of those monks.

“Young master, since you are here, my master can do a fortune telling for you. Everyone who comes to Jingchuan Temple has something to ask for. If you are a married couple, you ask for a loving and long-lasting marriage. If you are brothers, you come for family property. If you are close friends, then it is another matter.” The man explained, “For the two of you, it would be best if you could ask for a loving and smooth life, and a house full of children and grandchildren.”

It's likely that the person didn't tell him that there were two men coming.

"Uh, thanks—"

As Shen Jiu was speaking, a loud bang was suddenly heard, and a beam of golden light shot into the sky from the very center. The thick aura of blood made people feel uncomfortable. The cries of birds and several wild monkeys echoed around, seemingly affecting everything from the main hall in front to the back mountain.

Is Jiang Yu in a fight?

The roof was ripped off by a sword, and bricks and tiles fell down with a crash. As the elder was speaking, a brick hit him on the head. He looked up in confusion and saw a man in white with a cold expression and a ring of blood on his wrist. The blade, so clear that it could reflect his own image, was now pointed at his head.

"What are you doing? There's an assassin! Help! There's an assassin!" the woman shouted in panic and ran out. A group of guards surrounded her, drawing their swords and holding them in front of her.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" The woman pushed the head guard. "Go back to the manor first. Can you few fight this? I don't want to lose my life here. When the people from Star Palace come, let them come over."

The footsteps gradually faded away.

The elder smiled at Jiang Yu, "Young master, are you here to offer incense and pray for blessings?"

"No, I'm looking for something," Jiang Yu said calmly. "I wonder if the elder has ever seen a pair of eyes?"

With a wave of his hand, the door closed, leaving only the enormous statue inside, its body gleaming with golden light. The area where its eyes used to be was now covered with ink dots, making it pitch black and unfathomable.

“What are you saying, young master? I am the kindest man in my life, how could I possibly see such a bloody thing?”

Jiang Yu, unwilling to waste words, slashed at the statue with his sword. With a deafening roar, the elder, who had been benevolent-looking, suddenly unleashed two swords. A powerful vortex rose like a storm, instantly covering the bright sky with dark clouds, and thunder struck down towards Jiang Yu's location.

He leaped forward and kicked the statue in the back. The massive thing crashed to the ground. Jiang Yu seized the opportunity, quickly slashed the statue's eyes a few times, grabbed the elder by the collar, and threw him into the water.

The ground was charred black and caught fire. The pine wood used to build the roof beams quickly turned to ashes. The smoky smell made his eyes red. Jiang Yu didn't care about that. He just wiped his eyes a few times with his sleeve and stabbed the elder in the chest with his sword.

A few black feathers floated on the water, and a pair of eyes floated on them, bloodshot. Although Jiang Yu was disgusted, time was of the essence, so he could only tear off his outer garment to wrap the things up and rush to the scholar on his sword to give them to him.

"Now I can go and be reincarnated."

The scholar blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden light. A handsome man suddenly came into view, and the well-read scholar couldn't find a suitable word to describe him.

"Thank you so much, my benefactor! In my next life, I will surely serve you like a cow or a horse to repay your kindness—"

Jiang Yu got goosebumps from his cheesy words. "Hurry back. Remember you have someone to thank, Shen Qinggui."

"And you, my benefactors, I remember your names well. From now on, I will definitely pay my respects three times a day and offer incense and prayers to you two benefactors."

"Jiang Yu, Shen Qinggui's Daoist partner."

A note from the author:

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Our young scholar Fang is truly upright and virtuous, devoted to studying the classics, and speaks in a refined and scholarly manner. He is an absolutely wonderful and incomparably good person.

After arguing with the elder, Jiang Yu licked his lips and then realized he had poisoned himself [helpless].

Shen Jiuxu was ordered to investigate the news, but when he returned, he found that his wife had smashed the temple to pieces. He touched his empty pockets and wondered where he could get some money.

No update tomorrow, will update the day after. Good night, get some rest.