Chapter Eleven
Before Li Zhi entered the Temple of Strange People, Zhang Tianshi and Pei Tianshi were sitting across a long table, discussing the case of Wang Lanzhen.
Master Pei frowned, looking down at the booklet in his hand, occasionally writing and drawing on it.
After a long pause, she hesitated and said, "This case isn't really closed yet."
Master Zhang held a cup of tea, took a leisurely sip, and casually asked, "Oh? What do you mean?"
Master Pei took the lead block wrapped in cloth and pointed to the booklet, saying, "First, we discussed it in the village. There was a second person involved in this case besides Wang Lanzhen. Although Wang Lanzhen herself admitted it, I don't think she switched the gold and silver poria flowers."
"That's true." Master Zhang nodded approvingly. "And the second one?"
"Secondly, where did Wang Lanzhen learn about the curse? She said she learned it from a guest many years ago, but I always felt something was off. What kind of guest would leave something like that to a complete stranger..."
"Hmm, that's true." Zhang Tianshi agreed while filling his teacup with tea.
"Senior, are you even listening to me?" Master Pei's round face scrunched up as he looked at Master Zhang with dissatisfaction.
Master Zhang quickly put down his teacup, sat up straighter, cleared his throat, and said seriously, "So, Xiao Pei, in your opinion, which of these villagers is more suspicious?"
Master Pei pondered for a moment and answered uncertainly, "I think Li Zhi is the most suspicious. He is too concerned about Aunt Wang's matter. Also, according to the villagers, Li Qing put a curse on him, but the one who put the curse on him was inexplicably harmed. Who helped him? Is it really just good luck?"
Zhang Tianshi gave a noncommittal "hmm" and urged, "Anything else?"
"And then there's Wang Lanzhen's niece, a frail woman who came all the way to Fuxia Village to look for her relatives. It all seems a bit strange. Oh, and also! Li Yao might have some issues too."
Master Zhang chuckled: "You've come to suspect everyone connected to the case."
After laughing, Zhang Tianshi put away his frivolous manner and said to Pei Tianshi, "Little Pei, pursuing the truth is the right thing to do, but you need evidence. You suspect Li Zhi and Wang Lanzhen's niece, do you have any evidence? Just because you say so, you think they are all related to monsters?"
“I…” Master Pei felt guilty as she thought of the non-directional compass she had used at Wang Lanzhen’s house.
"You have no evidence, right?" Master Zhang pointed out incisively, "Conjecture cannot serve as evidence. Mortals are always afraid of demons and ghosts. As a Celestial Master, if you suspect someone of being a demon without any evidence, even if it's just a suspicion, do you know how those ignorant villagers will treat your suspect after you leave?"
Master Pei was taken aback.
She had never thought about this aspect. Having grown up in luxury, she was unaware of the deep-seated power struggles between people in the remote countryside.
Only now did she truly respect this carefree and irresponsible senior.
Master Pei lowered his head and said softly, "I'm sorry, senior, I understand what you mean."
But Zhang Tianshi was not willing to let her go easily.
“When I was your age, I had just become a Taoist priest. I was arrogant and always thought that my predecessors were all good-for-nothings who did not take it seriously in order to slay demons and protect the people.”
"Once, we went on a mission to a small village deep in the mountains. It was a very isolated place, and the villagers rarely stepped out of the village."
"It was just a simple deer demon harassing the villagers. We could have simply driven it away or subdued it, but I had to think one step further. I suspected that a woman in the village was having an affair with the deer demon. But the elders all pretended not to hear. I wasn't having it, so I told the villagers what happened. Guess what happened next?"
"What's wrong?" Master Pei stammered in response.
Before I could finish speaking, several villagers raised their machetes and beheaded the woman right in front of me. Her blood splattered all over me, and her head rolled at my feet, her eyes wide open, staring at me.
“Pei Xuanji, I can still dream about the look in her eyes back then.”
Pei Xuanji pursed her lips tightly, her eyes unfathomable. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "Did that woman have any dealings with a demon?"
"Does it matter?" Zhang Tianshi lowered his eyes. "Are demons inherently evil, and mortals inherently good?"
Pei Xuanji did not answer, but Zhang Tianshi knew that she did not agree with the idea that there were demons who were not evil. This was a knot in her heart, and she would have to figure it out herself eventually.
After this deep conversation, both of them were a little tired, and no one spoke for a while. Zhang Tianshi drank his tea in peace, while Pei Xuanji lowered her head and sorted through the booklet.
Until someone came to deliver a message that a scholar who called himself Li Zhi was at the door and wanted to see them.
Zhang Tianshi finally broke the silence: "Look, you can't talk badly about people behind their backs in broad daylight. Now look what's happened."
Pei Xuanji forced a smile, stood up, and said, "I'll go greet him."
A short while later, Pei Xuanji led Li Zhi into the house. Upon seeing Li Zhi, she was clearly a little awkward. After guiding him to sit down, she poured him a cup of tea.
Li Zhi reached out and took the teacup, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.
Looking at the two men's behavior, Zhang Tianshi couldn't help but want to laugh. He forced himself to suppress his laughter and smiled at Li Zhi, saying, "May I ask what brings you here, Young Master Li?"
Li Zhi said, "I came here because of Aunt Wang. I wonder if the Temple of Strange People has reached a conclusion on her case?"
The two celestial masters looked at each other. Zhang, being the senior, touched his nose and said with a hint of apology, "Aunt Wang, she passed away in prison."
Li Zhi paused in putting down his teacup, and after a moment, he sighed softly: "I wonder if anyone has taken care of Aunt Wang's remains. If it's convenient, I have some money here, and we can bury her here in Qiling County."
“Don’t worry, we have already buried her,” Zhang Tianshi replied.
Pei Xuanji, standing to the side, looked at Li Zhi, still harboring her suspicions, and tentatively asked, "You're the only one in your village who still cares about Aunt Wang."
Li Zhi remained calm and explained, "Aunt Wang and my mother were old acquaintances. After my mother passed away, she took good care of me."
He put it tactfully, adding, "Before I came to Qiling County to study, I also taught Aiyuan to write a few large characters."
Pei Xuanji suddenly remembered the words the villagers used to insult Wang Lanzhen. So that's how it was.
Li Zhi's ability to take the imperial examination for the title of Xiucai indicates that his mother was not of low social status. However, since she was an old acquaintance of Aunt Wang, she must not have come from a good family either, and they sympathized with each other in their shared plight...
No wonder Li Zhi cared so much about Wang Lanzhen's family.
This dispelled most of Pei Xuanji's suspicions about Li Zhi, and she relaxed considerably.
Observing the situation, Li Zhi lowered his gaze and asked casually, "I see many young men in the courtyard. Are they the new Celestial Masters from the Temple of Strange People?"
Master Zhang shook his head: "They are all new servants. It is very difficult for us to recruit people here. The main reason is that there are thresholds to becoming a Celestial Master. If you don't have talent, you can't even use a compass."
Li Zhi asked curiously, "Those two Celestial Masters, can they detect demonic and resentful auras without using a compass?"
In fact, Li Zhi is only eighteen years old. Although he is usually very serious and no one treats him like a teenager, when he looks curious, he still reveals a bit of naivety. Coupled with his good looks, he is really likable.
Zhang Tianshi and Pei Xuanji exchanged a smile and explained amicably, "How could that be? If a mortal can sense demonic energy on their own, they are considered a genius and can walk around freely in the Temple of Strange People."
Li Zhi feigned a look of sudden realization.
Zhang Tianshi, who had been unusually serious for a moment, now reverted to his usual carefree demeanor and smiled at Li Zhi, saying, "Young Master Li, why don't you come and give it a try? Forget about those damned academic exams; becoming a Tianshi at Yiren Temple wouldn't be bad at all."
Before Li Zhi could answer, Pei Xuanji scolded him, "Senior! Don't talk nonsense."
Master Zhang gently patted his mouth: "My mistake."
Of all professions, only studying is noble; how could Zhang Tianshi not know this?
Li Zhi didn't say anything, only smiled. He had also stayed at the Temple of Strange People for a long time, and now he took the opportunity to say goodbye.
The two Celestial Masters got up and saw him to the door. Seeing him turn and walk towards the county school, Celestial Master Zhang became restless again and called out to Li Zhi from behind, "Young Master Li, if you are interested in becoming a Celestial Master, remember to come to the Temple of Strange People to find me, Zhang He."
Li Zhi paused, but did not reply to Zhang He, and hurriedly disappeared at the end of the long street.
By the time Li Zhi received his recommendation in the county, it was already afternoon. He looked up at the sky and figured that if he headed towards Xiandu Prefecture at this time, he would inevitably have to rest on the road.
This route is through desolate mountains and wilderness, and it's not safe. Logically, it would be better to wait until early tomorrow morning to set off.
However, Li Zhi seemed to have other plans in mind. He looked in the direction of Fuxia Village, pondered for a while, and slowly walked to a tea shop on the way to Xiandu Prefecture. He carefully inquired about the route to Xiandu Prefecture from the waiter. When the waiter's explanation was unclear, he took out paper and pen and asked the waiter to draw a map.
After figuring out the route, Li Zhi picked up the trunk and headed into the mountains.
At this time, Baozhu was also traveling through the mountains.
Carrying a small bundle on her back, she cursed herself inwardly as she tirelessly and swiftly moved through the grass.
Having finally met the living, young Li Zhi, how could they bear to let him die meaninglessly in the mountains like this!
After she knew that Li Zhi would one day be able to realize his ambitions and become a good official.
Baozhu put down the letter Li Zhi had given her, and immediately bought a large quantity of cured meat in the village. She also went up the mountain and slaughtered many pheasants and rabbits, hanging them all in the cave to air dry.
Before leaving, she grabbed the red fox's ear, which it was chewing on, and pulled the cured meat out of its mouth. She repeatedly warned it, "I might come back any day. Keep it and eat it slowly. Once it's gone, it'll be gone, and you'll starve to death."
After anxiously giving her instructions, Baozhu went out of the house and saw a male fox with a gorgeous coat of fur carrying a rabbit, waiting not far from the cave. It was clear that he had come to look for the red fox, and only then did she feel a little relieved.
The red fox may be lazy, but she has a good eye for male foxes.
Unlike myself.
Baozhu sighed as she thought about her past with Li Zhi, and hurried towards Qiling County.
They exerted all their strength and finally arrived in Qiling County before dark.
The fox spirit was panting heavily, but she felt a sense of relief. She wondered when Li Zhi had arrived in Qiling County. If it was too late to travel, he would probably rest in the county for the night.
Although Baozhu's intuition told her that Li Zhi probably wouldn't easily do as she wished.
With her legs trembling slightly, Baozhu found a teahouse on the only way to Xiandu Prefecture and asked the waiter if he had seen Li Zhi.
Before she could even ask the question, the waiter confidently replied, "They just left. I remember it perfectly clearly. That young master even asked me to draw a map to Xiandu Prefecture. How could I possibly know how to draw it? It took me ages to figure it out."
Baozhu almost cried out in agony.
Carrying her small bundle, she looked resentfully at the overlapping mountains and resignedly walked into them.
She was familiar with this mountain. On the way to Xiandu Prefecture, there was a dilapidated temple where travelers liked to rest at night.
In that dilapidated temple lived a spider demon. If mortals traveled in groups, she would not dare to cause trouble for fear of attracting the Heavenly Master. However, if there was a handsome, solitary mortal man, this damned spider demon, with her boundless lust, would definitely suck him dry.
In her previous life, Baozhu and Li Zhi spent the night in a dilapidated temple. While Li Zhi was fast asleep, she fought the spider demon fiercely and barely won.
"Li Zhi, if you lose your innocence, I will have no choice but to bury the spider demon with you."
Baozhu gritted her teeth and went into the mountains.
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