A faint sunlight filtered through the soft clouds over the western hills, casting listlessly onto the earth, yet bringing no warmth to people’s faces. The sun had already lost its vitality, as layers of darkness gathered across the entire horizon. Sparrows flew back in twos and threes to their nests beneath the eaves, quietly waiting for the final curtain of night to fall. On the grass, nocturnal insects crawled out of their burrows, as night marked the beginning of their new day.
Shui Miao stood atop a high mound, gazing into the distance.
He had searched several places already. Nightfall approached rapidly, and Huang Yatou’s pain was intensifying, yet there was still no sign of the Lingyin Taoist Temple.
Shui Miao was anxious. It was his fault for delaying Huang Yatou. If anything happened to her, how could he bear the responsibility?
Lin Qing’er had called her friends, but no one knew where the Lingyin Temple was.
Shui Miao had already made calls himself, asking Director Zhang and Lin Xue. Lin Xue and others had come earlier at noon, yet after searching for hours, they found nothing.
Shui Miao returned to the car and shook his head at Lin Qing’er.
Lin Qing’er looked at Huang Yatou, who was lying on the back seat, holding her head and groaning softly. Her heart burned with worry. “Shui Miao, why don’t you summon that female ghost again to ask? She must have a way.”
“I can’t summon her. She appeared on her own before.” Shui Miao was helpless. “If nothing else works, I’ll try to recall my spiritual energy with my mind. I’ve never tried it before, so I don’t know if it will work. I wanted to call my grandfather to ask, but his phone has been off all day.”
“Alright, stop talking so much. Just try it now.”
Lin Qing’er felt a bit resentful toward Shui Miao. He knew how to release spiritual energy but not how to retrieve it. Knowing it could harm others, he still infused it into Huang Yatou—wasn’t that harming her? In truth, Shui Miao was equally helpless. This technique was taught by the female ghost Wang Ruyan. At the time, he hadn’t thought much before acting. Now he deeply regretted his impulsive actions and resolved to be more careful in the future.
Shui Miao opened the rear door of the car and gently placed his hands on Huang Yatou’s temples. As he focused his mind, a sudden realization struck him. “How could I be so stupid? Haven’t I always been able to silently chant spells to attract spiritual energy for cultivation? If I can absorb spiritual energy, I should naturally be able to retrieve the energy I released!”
With this thought, Shui Miao immediately began chanting silently, regulating his breath, and started absorbing the spiritual energy.
Gradually, he felt the energy returning.
And Huang Yatou’s pain eased…
About ten minutes later, as night fully descended, Huang Yatou pulled her hands away from Shui Miao, excitedly exclaiming, “It doesn’t hurt anymore! I’m all better now, not a bit of pain!”
“Great! Finally, everything is okay. What a relief!”
Lin Qing’er excitedly grabbed Huang Yatou’s hand. “From now on, promise me you won’t do anything reckless again. There are many strange things in this world. If you try everything without caution, you’ll eventually get hurt.”
“It’s all my fault. I was just being careless,” Shui Miao humbly admitted.
Seeing Shui Miao’s sincerity, Huang Yatou suddenly smiled and grabbed his hand. “It’s okay, okay. Actually, I was scared. I wasn’t really that hurt—I just thought it would hurt a lot, so I instinctively acted like it did. I’m also at fault for making you two worry.”
It was rare for Huang Yatou to admit fault, which surprised Lin Qing’er.
“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about it anymore. We’re in the middle of nowhere, and I definitely don’t want to spend the night here. Shui, hurry and get in the car,” Lin Qing’er felt relieved and happy, thinking this deserved a celebration.
“Okay!”
Shui Miao got into the car and sat beside Huang Yatou, feeling ashamed. Why had such a simple problem become so complicated? Wasn’t that just stupidity?
“To punish Shui, let’s make him treat us to dinner. Yatou, what do you want to eat? I’ll call ahead and have the restaurant prepare it,” Lin Qing’er planned to comfort Huang Yatou. After all, in running their business in Zhonghai, everything depended on Huang Yatou’s favor. If she got upset, their business would suffer.
“Great! I’ll treat you all to lobster!” Shui Miao eagerly agreed.
Lin Qing’er shook her head. “Shui, don’t always think lobster is the best. Yatou doesn’t even care for it anymore. She prefers bird’s nest, bear’s paw, and abalone. You’ll have to spend a lot more.”
“No problem! I made six million today, gave two million to Wang Ruyan’s parents, and still have four million left. I’d gladly spend a million treating you two!” Shui Miao extravagantly declared, spending money like it was worthless paper.
“Didn’t know you were so rich!” Huang Yatou smiled and patted Shui Miao’s hand. In fact, she hadn’t let go of his hand since just now. “But today, I just feel like having lobster. As long as you’re treating me, even if it’s just a street-side stall, I’ll eat it happily!”
“…”
At Huang Yatou’s words, both Shui Miao and Lin Qing’er experienced subtle shifts in their thoughts.
Shui Miao felt a faint sense of intimacy.
Lin Qing’er understood Huang Yatou well. She knew Huang Yatou wasn’t genuinely fond of Shui Miao, but rather curious about his special abilities. She must want to learn his techniques, hence deliberately acting affectionate toward him. Lin Qing’er couldn’t help worrying—Shui Miao was young and inexperienced, having never been in a relationship. Would he fall for Huang Yatou’s tricks?
She cared for both Huang Yatou and Shui Miao.
“Hold on, the road ahead is rough.”
Lin Qing’er wanted to change the subject, and indeed, the road ahead was quite bumpy.
It was a rough, uneven dirt path. The low chassis of the car made it prone to scraping. Lin Qing’er carefully observed the road conditions, driving slowly in the darkness at about ten miles per hour for over ten minutes. Suddenly, she noticed the road ahead remained pitch black, with no sign of an exit. The path was narrowing, becoming even bumpier.
“Shui Miao, we seem to be lost. I remember we didn’t take this road on the way here.”
Lin Qing’er stepped on the brake, feeling a bit panicked. On both sides of the road, vast reed fields appeared. Just over ten meters ahead, the path narrowed into a one-meter-wide trail, flanked by tangled weeds and trees. Most surprisingly, there were faint outlines of several graves by the roadside!
“How strange! How could this happen!”
Shui Miao was also puzzled. Lin Qing’er was an experienced driver and shouldn’t have gotten lost.
Shui Miao opened the car door and got out. He found the surroundings filled with dense reeds, making it impossible to see far. Although the trail ahead seemed narrow, he could see an open space dozens of meters away.
“Lin Jie, you two stay in the car. I’ll go ahead and check.”
“Me too! Me too!”
Huang Yatou quickly got out and held tightly onto Shui Miao’s hand.
“Then I’ll go too…”
Lin Qing’er felt uneasy staying alone and followed them out.
Thus, the three of them, guided by the headlights of the car, passed through the narrow trail and walked over a hundred meters before seeing a river ahead. About three hundred meters east along the river, several houses glowed with lights.
“There are people! Let’s go ask for directions. If we can’t find our way out, we can even stay the night.”
Seeing the lights, Lin Qing’er finally felt relieved.
“Great! I’ve never slept in a regular family’s house before. Shui Miao Gege, let’s hurry!”
Huang Yatou was eager to spend more time with Shui Miao, hoping for an opportunity to ask him about his spiritual energy techniques. She wanted to learn them herself. This technique was so mysterious and powerful, capable of killing without leaving a trace—perfect as a secret weapon.
When they reached the lights, they found it wasn’t a regular household, but a Taoist temple. The temple was brightly lit and filled with voices. Under a large elm tree at the entrance, five young Taoist apprentices were sitting around a small table, eating peanuts, drinking wine, and chatting.
“Haha! Finally, someone younger than me! Let me go ask!”
Seeing the young Taoists, Huang Yatou became interested. She ran to the tree and cleared her throat, smiling at the apprentices. “Little brothers, hello! I’m Huang Jiejie. What are you doing?”
The faint sunlight pierced through the dark clouds over the western mountains, softly spilling onto the earth, yet offering no warmth upon touching human faces. The sun had lost its vitality, and layers of gloom shrouded the entire sky. Sparrows, in twos and threes, flew back to their nests beneath the eaves and tiles, quietly awaiting the final descent of darkness. On the grass, nocturnal insects emerged from their burrows one after another—for them, the night marked the beginning of a new day.
Shui Miao stood atop a high mound, gazing into the distance.
He had already searched several places. As darkness fell completely, Huang Yatou’s suffering intensified, yet the Lingyin Temple remained elusive.
Shui Miao was frantic with worry. He had delayed Huang Yatou’s treatment, and if anything serious were to happen to her, how could he ever bear the responsibility?
Lin Qing’er called her friends to inquire, but none knew the whereabouts of the Lingyin Temple.
Shui Miao had already made calls earlier—to Director Zhang and to Lin Xue and the others. Lin Xue and her friends had come over curiously during their free time at noon, but after hours of searching, they had found nothing.
Shui Miao returned to the car and shook his head at Lin Qing’er.
Lin Qing’er glanced at Huang Yatou, who was lying on the back seat, clutching her head and moaning softly. Her anxiety flared up. “Shui Miao, why don’t you summon that female ghost again and ask her? She must have a solution.”
“I don’t know how to summon her. She appeared on her own last time,” Shui Miao replied helplessly. “If all else fails, let me try to retract the spiritual energy with my mind. I’ve never tried it before, so I’m not sure if it will work. I wanted to call Grandpa for advice, but his phone has been off all this time.”
“Enough talk. Just give it a try quickly.”
Lin Qing’er felt somewhat resentful toward Shui Miao. He knew how to release spiritual energy but not how to retract it. He was aware that spiritual energy could harm people, yet he had still channeled it into Huang Yatou. Wasn’t that just causing trouble? In truth, Shui Miao was also frustrated. This technique had been taught to him by the female ghost Wang Ruyan. At the time, he had acted without much thought. He deeply regretted not thinking things through carefully and vowed never to be so impulsive again.
Shui Miao opened the rear car door and gently pressed his hands against Huang Yatou’s temples. After calming his mind, a sudden realization struck him. Why had he been so foolish? Couldn’t he recite the spiritual chant to attract and cultivate spiritual energy? If he could absorb spiritual energy for cultivation, surely he could also retract the spiritual energy he had released!
With this thought, Shui Miao immediately began reciting the spiritual chant silently. With each breath, he started absorbing spiritual energy.
Gradually, Shui Miao felt the spiritual energy returning to him.
And Huang Yatou’s pain began to subside…
After about ten minutes, as darkness fully descended, Huang Yatou broke free from Shui Miao’s hands and exclaimed excitedly, “The pain is gone! I’m fine now. It doesn’t hurt at all.”
“Wonderful! Finally, it’s over. Thankfully, it was just a false alarm!”
Lin Qing’er excitedly grabbed Huang Yatou’s hand. “You must never do something like this again. There are many strange things in this world. If you keep experimenting with everything, you’ll eventually run into trouble.”
“It’s all my fault. I was thoughtless. This is entirely my mistake,” Shui Miao admitted humbly.
Seeing Shui Miao’s sincerity, Huang Yatou suddenly smiled slightly and took his hand. “Alright, alright. To be honest, I was just scared. It didn’t actually hurt that much—I just thought it would, so I instinctively acted like it did. I’m also to blame for making you worry.”
It was rare for Huang Yatou to admit fault, which took Lin Qing’er by surprise.
“Alright, let’s not stand around talking here. This is the wilderness, and I have no intention of spending the night here. Shui Miao, get in the car quickly.” Lin Qing’er felt relieved that everything had turned out fine. It was worth celebrating.
“Okay!”
Shui Miao got into the car and sat beside Huang Yatou, feeling deeply ashamed. What was wrong with his brain? Such a simple problem had been blown out of proportion. If this wasn’t foolishness, what was?
“To punish Shui Miao, let’s make him treat us to a meal. Yatou, what would you like to eat? I’ll call ahead and have the restaurant prepare it.” Lin Qing’er wanted to help Huang Yatou calm her nerves. Their business in Zhonghai relied heavily on Huang Yatou’s support. If they upset her, their business would suffer.
“Sure, it’s on me. I’ll treat you to lobster!” Shui Miao quickly agreed.
Lin Qing’er, however, shook her head. “Xiao Shui, don’t always assume lobster is the best. Yatou isn’t impressed by that. She prefers bird’s nest, bear paws, and geoduck. You’ll have to splurge a bit more.”
“No problem! I made six million today. I gave two million to Wang Ruyan’s parents, so I still have four million left. I’d even be willing to spend a million treating you!” Shui Miao spoke extravagantly, as if money were meaningless.
“I didn’t realize you were so generous!” Huang Yatou chuckled and patted the back of Shui Miao’s hand. In fact, she had been holding his hand from the beginning until now. “But today, I’m in the mood for lobster. As long as you’re treating, I’d even be happy with street food.”
“…”
Huang Yatou’s words caused both Shui Miao and Lin Qing’er to react inwardly.
Shui Miao sensed a faint hint of ambiguity.
Lin Qing’er knew Huang Yatou well. She understood that Huang Yatou wasn’t genuinely interested in Shui Miao but was curious about his unique abilities. Huang Yatou likely wanted to learn Shui Miao’s skills and was deliberately acting ambiguous to get closer to him. Lin Qing’er couldn’t help but worry. Shui Miao was young, inexperienced, and had never been in a relationship. Would he lose his head and fall into Huang Yatou’s trap?
Lin Qing’er cared about both Huang Yatou and Shui Miao.
“Buckle up. The road ahead is rough.”
Lin Qing’er wanted to change the subject. Besides, the road ahead was indeed challenging.
It was a bumpy dirt path. The car’s low chassis made it prone to scraping. Lin Qing’er carefully observed the road conditions and drove slowly forward. After driving at about ten miles per hour in the darkness for over ten minutes, she realized the road ahead was still pitch black. It was unclear how long it would take to get through, and the path was becoming narrower and more uneven.
“Shui Miao, I think we’re lost. I don’t remember taking this road when we came here.”
Lin Qing’er stepped on the brake, feeling a bit panicked. On both sides of the road, vast reed fields appeared. About ten meters ahead, the road narrowed into a one-meter-wide winding path flanked by tangled weeds and trees. To their surprise, there were even a few faintly visible graves by the roadside!
“Strange! How did this happen?”
Shui Miao was also puzzled. Sister Lin often drove; she shouldn’t have gotten lost.
Shui Miao opened the car door and stepped out. He noticed that the area was densely covered with reeds, obstructing the view. Although the path ahead was narrow, it appeared to lead to an open space about a few dozen meters away. “Sister Lin, stay in the car. I’ll go ahead and take a look.”
“I’ll go too, I’ll go too…”
Huang Yatou quickly got out of the car, clinging to Shui Miao’s hand.
“Then I’ll go as well…”
Lin Qing’er felt uneasy about staying alone and followed them out of the car.
Guided by the car’s headlights, the three of them traversed the narrow path. After walking about a hundred meters, they saw a river ahead. About three hundred meters east of the river, several houses were illuminated with lights.
“There are people there. Let’s go ask for directions. If necessary, we can stay the night there.”
Seeing the lights, Lin Qing’er finally felt relieved.
“Great! I’ve never slept in a commoner’s house before. Brother Xiao Shui, let’s go quickly…”
Huang Yatou was eager to spend more time with Shui Miao, hoping to ask him about cultivating spiritual energy. She wanted to learn this mysterious and elusive skill herself—it would make for a perfect trump card.
When the three reached the lighted area, they realized it wasn’t a commoner’s house but a Taoist temple. The temple was brightly lit and filled with noisy chatter. Under a large elm tree at the temple entrance, five young Taoist novices were gathered around a small table, eating peanuts, drinking wine, and chatting.
“Haha! Finally, I see people younger than me. Let me go ask!”
Seeing the novices, Huang Yatou immediately became interested. She ran to the tree, cleared her throat, and said with a smile, “Hello, little brothers! I’m Sister Huang. What are you all doing?”
Huang Yatou’s tone made her sound like a kindergarten teacher coaxing three-year-olds.
Watching this, Lin Qing’er shook her head and walked toward the tree.
Shui Miao found it amusing yet unbelievable. He couldn’t reconcile this image of Huang Yatou with her gangster connections.
The five novices appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen years old. One who looked about sixteen or seventeen stepped forward and addressed Huang Yatou directly, “Who are you calling ‘little brother’? Why are you coming to our Lingyin Temple to offer incense so late? Tonight is our grandmaster’s hundredth birthday. The temple is celebrating. If you want to offer incense, come back tomorrow.”
“This is the Lingyin Temple?” Lin Qing’er was astonished. She had checked the newly published map several times but hadn’t seen any mention of the Lingyin Temple nearby.
Shui Miao also found it incredible. He decided to be cautious and quietly circulated his spiritual energy, activating his Yin-Yang vision to scrutinize the area. Everything seemed normal; the five novices were just ordinary children.
“Yes! You didn’t know?” The novice frowned. “Are you not here to offer incense? Then what are you here for? Did you get lost?”
“Yes, we’re lost.” Seeing that the novices weren’t particularly welcoming to Huang Yatou, Lin Qing’er stepped forward and smiled at them. “Hello, little master. Could you tell us how to get out of here? We’re lost and followed the lights here.”
“Oh, I see. You must have been tricked by the village’s Big-Mouthed Monster. That guy has nothing better to do and often leads villagers astray. To find your way out, just walk until you see water and throw a coin into the river. Then you’ll see the normal road.” After saying this, the novice turned back to his wine and peanuts.
Big-Mouthed Monster!
It was likely some kind of demon.
Lin Qing’er remembered that when they drove away earlier, they had indeed passed a patch of water before turning onto this road.
“Thank you!”
Lin Qing’er expressed her gratitude and prepared to leave.
But Huang Yatou didn’t want to go. She grabbed Lin Qing’er’s hand. “Sister Qing’er, we finally found the Lingyin Temple. How can we leave so soon? Let’s go inside and chat with the Taoist masters. We can stay the night and leave tomorrow morning. I also want to ask about this Big-Mouthed Monster.”
“Yatou, don’t mess around.” The thought of being led astray by the Big-Mouthed Monster made Lin Qing’er uneasy. She preferred returning home, taking a hot shower, and sleeping in a clean bed. Staying in a temple full of men seemed highly inconvenient. “Shui Miao, what do you think?”
“I… I also want to stay a bit longer. Would it be alright to leave after a while?” Shui Miao was still thinking about what the female ghost Wang Ruyan had said. His cultivation level was too low. If he could seek guidance from the hundred-year-old Taoist master, it would benefit him for a lifetime.
“But we came empty-handed. How can we just stay?” Lin Qing’er still didn’t want to remain. “We’ve already found the Lingyin Temple. Why don’t we come back tomorrow morning with gifts? Wouldn’t that be better?”
“As the saying goes, ‘Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?’ The bonds between gentlemen should not be swayed by material things. For the three of you to arrive on the day of my grandmaster’s hundredth birthday is no small stroke of fate. If you do not mind, please come inside for a brief visit.” A resonant and magnetic voice sounded. A middle-aged Taoist priest with a kind face, slender eyebrows, and dressed in a blue robe emerged slowly from the temple.
Seeing this, Lin Qing’er shook her head and walked toward the tree.
Shui Miao found it amusing but also hard to believe, unable to associate Huang Yatou with the underworld.
The five apprentices were around fourteen or fifteen years old. One apprentice who looked like he was sixteen or seventeen stood up and directly said to Huang Yatou, “Who’s your little brother! Why are you coming to Lingyin Temple to burn incense so late? Tonight is our Master’s centennial birthday, and the temple is celebrating. Come back tomorrow if you want to burn incense.”
“This is Lingyin Temple?” Lin Qing’er was surprised. She had checked several newly published maps recently, and none showed a Lingyin Temple nearby.
Shui Miao also found it unbelievable. He subtly activated his spiritual energy and used his Yin-Yang Eyes to observe. Everything seemed normal—the five apprentices were just ordinary children.
“Of course! You don’t even know?” The apprentice frowned. “So you’re not here to burn incense. Then what are you here for? Did you get lost?”
“Yes, we’re lost,” Lin Qing’er quickly stepped forward, smiling at the apprentice. “Young Master, could you tell us how to get out from here? We lost our way and followed the lights.”
“Oh, I see. You must have been misled by the Big-Mouth Monster in the village. That creature often messes with villagers, making them lose their way. Actually, it’s simple to get out. Just walk until you see water, then throw a coin into the river. Then you’ll see the normal path,” the apprentice replied and turned back to his wine and peanuts.
The Big-Mouth Monster!
It must be some kind of demon.
Lin Qing’er recalled seeing a puddle of water when they left the car, then turned directions and came here.
“Thank you!”
Lin Qing’er thanked him and prepared to leave.
But Huang Yatou didn’t want to go. She held Lin Qing’er’s hand. “Qing’er Jiejie, we finally found Lingyin Temple. How can we leave so quickly? Why not go inside and chat with the Taoist priests? Staying here tonight and leaving tomorrow morning won’t be too late. I also want to know more about this Big-Mouth Monster!”
“Yatou, don’t be silly.” Lin Qing’er was still shaken from being misled by the Big-Mouth Monster. She thought about returning, taking a hot shower, and sleeping comfortably in a clean bed. Staying in the temple with a bunch of men was inconvenient.
“Shui Miao, what do you think?”
“I… I also want to stay a bit longer. It’s not too late to go back later?” Shui Miao was still thinking about Wang Ruyan’s words. His cultivation was too low. If he could get some guidance from the centenarian Taoist priest, it would benefit him for life!
“But we didn’t bring anything. How can we just stay?” Lin Qing’er still didn’t want to stay. “We already found Lingyin Temple. Why don’t we bring some gifts tomorrow morning and come back then?”
The faint sunlight pierced through the dark clouds over the western mountains, softly spilling onto the earth, yet offering no warmth when it touched people’s faces. The sunlight had lost its vitality, and layers of gloom shrouded the entire sky. Sparrows, in twos and threes, flew back to their nests under the eaves and tiles, quietly awaiting the final descent of darkness. On the grass, nocturnal insects emerged from their burrows one after another—for them, the night marked the beginning of a new day.
Shui Miao stood atop a high mound, gazing into the distance.
He had already searched several places. As darkness fell completely, Huang Yatou’s suffering intensified, yet the location of Lingyin Temple remained elusive.
Shui Miao was anxious. He had delayed Huang Yatou’s treatment, and if anything serious were to happen to her, how could he bear the responsibility?
Lin Qing’er called her friends to inquire, but no one knew where Lingyin Temple was.
Shui Miao had already made calls—to Director Zhang and to Lin Xue and the others. Lin Xue and her friends had come earlier out of curiosity during their free time at noon but had spent hours searching without any success.
Shui Miao returned to the car and shook his head at Lin Qing’er.
Lin Qing’er glanced at Huang Yatou, who was lying on the back seat, clutching her head and moaning softly. Her anxiety flared up. “Shui Miao, why don’t you summon that female ghost again and ask her? She must have a solution.”
“I don’t know how to summon her. She appeared on her own before,” Shui Miao replied helplessly. “If all else fails, let me try to retract the spiritual energy using my will. I’ve never tried it before and don’t know if it will work. I originally wanted to call Grandpa for advice, but his phone has been off the entire time.”
“Enough, stop wasting time. Just give it a try.”
Lin Qing’er felt somewhat resentful toward Shui Miao. He knew how to release spiritual energy but not how to retract it. He was aware that spiritual energy could harm people, yet he had still infused it into Huang Yatou. Wasn’t that just causing trouble? In truth, Shui Miao also felt helpless. This technique had been taught to him by the female ghost Wang Ruyan. At the time, he had acted without much thought, and he deeply regretted not thinking things through carefully. He resolved never to act so impulsively again.
Shui Miao opened the rear car door and gently pressed his hands against Huang Yatou’s temples. After calming his mind, a sudden realization struck him: Why had he been so foolish? Couldn’t he recite the mantra to attract spiritual energy for cultivation? If he could absorb spiritual energy for cultivation, surely he could also retract the spiritual energy he had released!
With this thought, Shui Miao quickly began reciting the mantra silently. Through controlled breathing, he started absorbing spiritual energy!
Gradually, Shui Miao felt the spiritual energy being drawn back.
And Huang Yatou’s pain began to subside…
After about ten minutes, as darkness fully descended, Huang Yatou broke free from Shui Miao’s hands and exclaimed excitedly, “It doesn’t hurt anymore! I’m fine now. It doesn’t hurt at all.”
“Great! Finally, it’s over. Thankfully, it was just a false alarm!”
Lin Qing’er excitedly grabbed Huang Yatou’s hand. “You must never do something like this again. There are many strange things in this world. If you keep trying everything, sooner or later, you’ll end up in trouble.”
“It’s all my fault. I was thoughtless. This is entirely my mistake,” Shui Miao admitted humbly.
Seeing Shui Miao’s sincerity, Huang Yatou suddenly smiled slightly and took his hand. “Alright, alright. Actually, I was just scared. It didn’t hurt that much—I just thought it would, so I instinctively acted like it did. I’m also to blame for making you worry.”
It was rare for Huang Yatou to admit fault, which surprised Lin Qing’er.
“Alright, alright, let’s not stand here talking. This is the wilderness—I don’t want to spend the night here. Shui Miao, get in the car quickly.” Lin Qing’er felt relieved that everything had turned out fine. It was worth celebrating.
“Okay!”
Shui Miao got into the car and sat beside Huang Yatou, feeling deeply ashamed. What was wrong with his brain? Such a simple problem had been made unnecessarily complicated. If this wasn’t foolishness, what was?
“To punish Shui Miao, let’s make him treat us to a meal. Yatou, what do you want to eat? I’ll call ahead and have the restaurant prepare it.” Lin Qing’er intended to help Huang Yatou calm her nerves. Their business in Zhonghai relied entirely on Huang Yatou’s support. If they upset her, their business would suffer.
“Sure, I’ll treat you both to lobster!” Shui Miao quickly agreed.
Lin Qing’er, however, shook her head. “Xiao Shui, don’t always think lobster is the best. Yatou isn’t impressed by it. She prefers bird’s nest, bear paws, and geoduck. You’ll have to spend a lot more.”
“No problem. I earned six million today. I gave two million to Wang Ruyan’s parents and have four million left. I’d even be willing to spend one million treating you both!” Shui Miao spoke extravagantly, as if money were worthless.
“I didn’t expect you to be so generous!” Huang Yatou smiled and patted the back of Shui Miao’s hand. In fact, she had been holding his hand from the beginning and hadn’t let go. “But today, I’m in the mood for lobster. As long as you’re treating, even if it’s just a street stall, I’ll happily eat it.”
“…”
Huang Yatou’s words caused both Shui Miao and Lin Qing’er to feel a shift in their emotions.
Shui Miao sensed a faint hint of ambiguity.
Lin Qing’er knew Huang Yatou well. She understood that Huang Yatou wasn’t genuinely interested in Shui Miao but was curious about his unique abilities. She must be trying to learn Shui Miao’s skills, which was why she was acting ambiguously toward him. Lin Qing’er couldn’t help but worry. Shui Miao was young, inexperienced, and had never been in a relationship. Would he lose his head and fall for Huang Yatou’s tricks?
Lin Qing’er cared about both Huang Yatou and Shui Miao.
“Buckle up. The road ahead is rough.”
Lin Qing’er wanted to change the subject. Additionally, the road ahead was indeed difficult to navigate.
It was a bumpy dirt road. The car’s low chassis made it prone to scraping. Lin Qing’er carefully observed the road conditions and drove slowly forward. After driving at about ten miles per hour in the darkness for over ten minutes, she realized the road ahead was still pitch black. It was unclear how long it would take to get out, and the road was becoming narrower and increasingly uneven.
“Shui Miao, I think we’re lost. I don’t remember taking this road when we came,” Lin Qing’er said, stepping on the brake with a growing sense of panic. On both sides of the road were vast stretches of reed fields. About ten meters ahead, the road narrowed into a one-meter-wide path flanked by tangled weeds and trees. To their surprise, there were even a few faintly visible graves by the roadside!
“Strange! How did this happen?”
Shui Miao also found it odd. Sister Lin often drove and shouldn’t have gotten lost.
Shui Miao opened the car door and stepped out. He found himself surrounded by dense reeds, making it impossible to see far. Although the path ahead was narrow, it appeared to open up into a clearing after several dozen meters. “Sister Lin, stay in the car. I’ll go ahead and take a look.”
“I’ll go too, I’ll go too…” Huang Yatou quickly got out of the car, clinging to Shui Miao’s hand.
“Then I’ll go as well…” Lin Qing’er felt uneasy about staying alone and followed them out of the car.
Guided by the car’s headlights, the three of them traversed the narrow path. After walking about a hundred meters, they saw a river ahead. About three hundred meters east of the river, several houses were illuminated by lights.
“There are people there. Let’s go ask for directions. If necessary, we can stay the night there.”
Seeing the lights, Lin Qing’er felt a sense of relief.
“Great, great! I’ve never slept in a commoner’s house before. Brother Xiao Shui, let’s hurry…” Huang Yatou was eager to spend more time with Shui Miao, hoping to ask him about how to cultivate spiritual energy. She wanted to learn this mysterious and elusive skill—it would make for a perfect trump card, capable of killing without leaving a trace.
When the three reached the lights, they realized it wasn’t a commoner’s house but a Taoist temple. The temple was brightly lit and filled with the noise of chatter. Under a large elm tree at the temple’s entrance, five young Taoist novices were gathered around a small table, eating peanuts, drinking wine, and chatting.
“Haha! Finally, I see people younger than me. Let me go ask!”
Seeing the novices, Huang Yatou immediately became interested. She ran to the tree, cleared her throat, and said with a smile, “Hello, little brothers! I’m Sister Huang. What are you all doing?”
Huang Yatou’s tone made her sound like a kindergarten teacher coaxing three-year-olds.
Witnessing this, Lin Qing’er shook her head and walked toward the tree.
Shui Miao found it amusing yet unbelievable. He couldn’t reconcile this image of Huang Yatou with her identity as a gang member.
The five novices appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen years old. One who looked about sixteen or seventeen stepped forward and addressed Huang Yatou directly: “Who are you calling ‘little brother’? Why are you coming to Lingyin Temple to offer incense so late? Tonight is our grandmaster’s hundredth birthday. The temple is celebrating. If you want to offer incense, come back tomorrow.”
“This is Lingyin Temple?” Lin Qing’er was astonished. She had checked the newly published map several times but hadn’t seen Lingyin Temple marked nearby.
Shui Miao also found it hard to believe. He decided to be cautious and quietly circulated his spiritual energy, activating his Yin-Yang vision to scrutinize the area. Everything seemed normal—the five novices were just ordinary children.
“Yes! You didn’t know?” The novice frowned. “Then you’re not here to offer incense? What are you here for? Are you lost?”
“Yes, we’re lost.” Seeing that the novices were dismissive of Huang Yatou, Lin Qing’er stepped forward and smiled at them. “Hello, little master. Could you tell us how to get out of here? We’re lost and followed the lights here.”
“Oh, I see. You must have been tricked by the village’s Big-Mouthed Monster. That guy has nothing better to do and often leads villagers astray. It’s actually simple to find your way out. Just walk until you see water and throw a coin into the river. Then you’ll see the normal road.” After saying this, the novice turned back to his wine and peanuts.
Big-Mouthed Monster!
It was likely some kind of demon.
Lin Qing’er remembered that when they drove away earlier, they had indeed passed a patch of water before turning onto this road.
“Thank you!”
Lin Qing’er expressed her gratitude and prepared to leave.
But Huang Yatou didn’t want to go. She grabbed Lin Qing’er’s hand. “Sister Qing’er, we’ve finally found Lingyin Temple. How can we leave so soon? Let’s go inside and chat with the Taoist masters. We can stay the night and leave tomorrow morning. I also want to ask about what this Big-Mouthed Monster is.”
“Yatou, don’t be unreasonable.” Having been led astray by the Big-Mouthed Monster, Lin Qing’er felt uneasy and apprehensive. She thought it would be much better to return home, take a hot shower, and sleep in a clean bed. Staying in a Taoist temple full of men would be too inconvenient. “Xiao Shui, what do you think?”
“I… I also want to stay a bit longer. Would it be alright to leave after a while?” Shui Miao was still thinking about what the female ghost Wang Ruyan had said. His cultivation level was too low. If he could seek guidance from the hundred-year-old Taoist master, it would benefit him for a lifetime!
“But we came empty-handed. How can we impose?” Lin Qing’er still didn’t want to stay. “We’ve already found Lingyin Temple. Why don’t we come back tomorrow morning with gifts? Wouldn’t that be better?”
“As the saying goes, ‘Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?’ The bonds between gentlemen should not be swayed by material matters. For the three of you to arrive on the day of my grandmaster’s hundredth birthday is no small stroke of fate. If you do not mind, please come inside for a brief visit.” A resonant and magnetic voice sounded. A middle-aged Taoist priest with a kind face, long eyebrows, and dressed in blue robes slowly emerged from the temple.
A loud, magnetic voice echoed. A middle-aged Taoist priest, with a kind face, long eyebrows, and wearing a green Taoist robe, slowly walked out from the temple.
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