" This..."
Han Chi's gaze swept over my waist, glided across the clothing, and finally rested on my face.
"Apparently, after Luo Brother retrieved his own thing, he still had other opportunities, and he became a disciple of the Four Rules Mountain. That's also my brother in the door of the school. I should congratulate Luo Brother."
"However, Luo Brother is not aware that phantoms and evil spirits, driven by resentment and grievances, are endless in loneliness. Today, I can hold on to my original mind. What about tomorrow or the next? Can I get through a year or two? Ten years or twenty years?"
"Men have greedy desires, the Tao has inner demons. If one is a ghost of the Tao, it is even more terrifying than an ordinary ghost."
"My intention is already made up."
The first half of the words, Han Qi is indeed congratulating me, and the latter half is only left with perseverance and decisiveness.
Si Yan's expression was complex, conveying a sense of helplessness.
"Bamboo flowers bloom, ruin the family and break the door. I rely on bamboo roots to survive. After its decline, I should be able to disperse my soul and spirit." Han Qi continued.
In fact, he had already implied this earlier, but now he was saying it more clearly and obviously, indicating his firm attitude.
"I have been to a place called Gaotian Taoist Temple."
Without arguing with Han Qi, I directly cut to the point without beating around the bush.
Han Qi's face looked a bit better, as if he thought I had stopped trying to persuade him stubbornly. He replied, "I have heard of the Gaotian Taoist Temple, a group of Taoist priests who worship ghosts. It has not appeared on the scene for many years."
I shook my head and said, "Actually, that's not the case. The Gaotian Taoist Temple worships a Taoist named the God of Gaotian Dao, who is a highly powerful practitioner."
"After his death, he became a ghost and left behind the inheritance, allowing the Taoist Temple to be established."
"Let's set aside the teaching of Gao Tian and the way of doing things at the Daoist Temple. Brother Han, are you really qualified to be a good ghost?"
"Seek a quiet place, choose a talented disciple, impart Taoist arts, act on behalf of heaven, uphold justice – isn't that more valuable? It is far better than fleeing and much preferable to letting oneself be scattered by spirits."
"Brother Han, if you are not afraid of being scattered by spirits, why should you be afraid of not being able to control your desires?"
"If there is such a day, I will personally accompany Brother Han on his journey."
"With that, Brother Han has no complaints, and neither do I."
After saying this, I looked deeply at Han Qi.
Han Qi was frozen in shock.
"A good person is naturally a good ghost, Master Han has a wrong notion." Old Gong squinted his eyes and sighed, "If your obsession is to spread Taoist arts far and wide, making everyone in the world a good person, then you go ahead and do it. Just like my own obsession with great benevolence, I have always been a good ghost."
"Fear is always unnecessary for things that have not happened. It's like worrying about something that does not exist. It is not like worrying about something that has not happened."
In fact, when Old Gong said that he had a great obsession with goodness and was a good ghost, I frowned slightly.
However, his entire statement was indeed without any issue.
Han Qi was clearly wavering under our persuasions.
"I understand roughly, thank you, Brother Luo, no, Luo younger brother." Han Qi's expression and tone became much more resolute.
At this moment, Si Yan finally spoke up, saying, "Brother Han, you should address Luo Xian as 'Masteruncle,' and I will do the same."
"Masteruncle?" Han Qi seemed to be extremely surprised and confused.
Si Yan and Han Qi briefly explained a few things, including my ascension to the mountain and everything she had learned about it afterward.
Han Qi's gaze became serious, and he murmured, "Sun Zhuo... Luo... Masteruncle... He really is a big troublemaker, but I am powerless. Sister Si Yan can't do anything about it either. Since you're here, he can't be allowed to get away scot-free!"
I nodded, but did not speak about how to deal with Sun Zhuo.
I had a brief chat with Han Qi again, but it wasn't about the Four Rules Mountain or Han Qi's affairs. Instead, it was about the Daoist arts.
Han Qi seemed more like discussing with me, trying to gauge the level of my Taoist arts.
After about half an hour, Si Yan reminded me that we needed to return to the mountain gate before the other sisters would worry.
Han Qi was somewhat reluctant to leave, but he didn't keep us around for long.
As Si Yan and I left, I caught a glimpse through the corner of my eye that Han Qi first fixed his gaze on me, and then watched Si Yan as she left.
After we walked a distance away, he disappeared.
Just before we reached the gate of the Four Rules Mountain, I hesitated for a moment and asked Si Yan a question: Why did she give up the succession ceremony? Could it be that she didn't have the confidence to face Sun Zhuo once?
In fact, logically speaking, Si Yan should not have retreated after learning about Sun Zhuo's oddities from me, and with Han Qi's presence as well. Given her personality, she should not have given in.
It should be by using all means to deal with Sun Zhuo.
Si Yan was silent for a moment before replying, "Just after I returned with Master Han, I had to handle a matter on my way down. It was considered an experience as a disciple for the succession ceremony. However, I encountered a fierce ghost that injured my soul and spirit, preventing me from recovering immediately. I couldn't stand up to Sun Zhuo. Why should I disgrace myself?"
"Moreover, Sun Zhuo seems to have a strong admiration for me in the eyes of outsiders. He will surely hold back during the match. I don't want to become a topic of conversation for others."
I felt a chill in my heart.
Suddenly, I thought of Wang Shi…
A Taoist who defected from the mountain, deliberately attracting disciples on their journey of experience to the village below the Four Rules Mountain.
In front of Si Yan encountering the big ghost, and in the back, Wang Shi waiting for a prey. He himself had said that if he encountered Wang Shi directly, he would definitely not be able to stand against him.
Is this cheating?
Sun Zhuo knows which Taoists will be going down the mountain and who will be his opponents, so he notifies the Tianshou Daoist Temple and the Ghost Cache to help him clear away obstacles.
Given Sun Zhuo's usual arrogant temperament, he would probably do this because the command I took away from him had not fully recovered?
The succession ceremony is still a few days away, and the Four Rules Mountain is screening the qualifications of the disciples, while Sun Zhuo is using underhand tactics in the dark.
Plus the partiality of Mingjin Zhenren towards him, he will definitely continue to help him regulate his body and recover more…
In this way, unless it was this unpredictable variable of mine, Sun Zhuo should be able to become a disciple of the Four Rules Mountain without any doubt!
Suddenly, a chill spread throughout my limbs and bones.
According to the day I climbed up here, it has been seven days.
Sun Zhuo should attack me.
He wouldn't act on his own. If he can't disqualify me, it would likely be the Ghost Nunnery or the Tianshou Daoist Temple?
While thinking, I didn't say much and followed Si Yan into the mountain gate.
When we were close enough to the Miaoxuan Hall, Si Yan indicated for me to stop and not follow her anymore, in case it caused misunderstandings. Plus, since Laoshi sister has unsavory behavior, there would probably be a dispute with Old Gong.
Old Gong, the original instigator, had half of his head buried in a sack, only leaving the upper part of his nose visible above it, his eyes twinkling and moving around.
I didn't move forward again and returned to the ancestral temple after watching Si Yan leave.
During that time, I made a call to Jie Ying.
My intention was to tell Jie Ying not to stay at the foot of the Four Rules Mountain, as it was unsafe. I would be staying on the mountain for a while, so I asked her to find a place farther away to hide.
But when I called Jie Ying's phone, no one answered.
Perhaps it was midnight, and Jie Ying was asleep and hadn't noticed.
Entering the room that He Youtian had arranged for me earlier, I put down all the things on me, lay on the bed, and fell asleep heavily.
The next day, when I woke up, I tried to call Jie Ying again, but this time the phone wasn't ringing.
