Beautiful.
Indeed beautiful.
Especially that aura of an unattainable flower on a high peak that kept people at a thousand miles' distance, which had a fatal attraction for men.
After all, men just liked to conquer.
Especially if one could conquer this type of woman, it would absolutely be the highest highlight of one's life. However, for Lu Yuan, it was just okay.
After all, Lu Yuan still preferred types like Auntie Qin and Auntie Qiao'er.
Heavily made up, gorgeous and sexy, tall and voluptuous, full of charm, with breasts bigger than heads and hips wider than shoulders, top-tier mature women.
For this type of cold, top-tier elegant older woman, Lu Yuan had no vulgar thoughts.
Especially since Lu Yuan felt that this Shen Shulan should be harboring hostility toward him.
After all, it was really too obvious.
Chen Fushun, this guy, had really drawn a huge wave of hatred for him these past two days.
"Wuqing Temple, Xiao generation Shen Shulan, greets Martial Uncle Lu Yuan."
Just as Lu Yuan was pondering, Shen Shulan had already walked before him. Her clear, cold voice rang out as she bowed slightly.
Lu Yuan: "???"
Huh?
This... this polite??
Daoists beyond the pass who had lineages all determined seniority based on the twenty-character true mantra.
Shou Xu Ming Zhi Dao, Huai De Wu Xuan Zhen.
Yun He Ling Xiao Han, Qing Wei Guan Gu Jin.
The old man master was of the "He" (Crane) generation, and Lu Yuan, as his direct disciple, was of the "Ling" generation.
And although this Shen Shulan was the daughter of Wuqing Temple's temple master, the Grand Celestial Master Shen Jizhou, she hadn't taken her own father as her master.
Speaking of which, regarding apprenticeship, there was no such thing as taking one's own father as master anyway.
Instead, she had taken another famous master and entered the "Xiao" generation.
According to lineage, she indeed should call Lu Yuan "Martial Uncle."
The problem was... who would recognize this!
The two weren't even from the same temple!
Moreover, Lu Yuan didn't remember knowing Shen Shulan at all!
Lu Yuan and Shen Shulan were indeed meeting for the second time, that was correct.
The first time was when Lu Yuan followed the old man to participate in the annual Daoist Luotian Grand Assembly, catching a distant glimpse across a sea of people.
At that time, Shen Shulan had such grand pomp!
Not only because of Shen Shulan's own reputation, but also because of Shen Shulan's father, the Grand Celestial Master Shen Jizhou.
Wherever Shen Shulan went, she was like the moon surrounded by stars, brilliantly radiant but Lu Yuan didn't think Shen Shulan had noticed him among tens of thousands of people at that time.
Taking ten thousand steps back, even if she had seen him, she wouldn't remember such an unknown nobody like himself.
Thinking it through carefully.
Damn!
It must be that Chen Fushun had been drawing hatred for him these past few days somehow, severely offending this heaven's favored daughter.
She had investigated his entire ancestral line of eighteen generations and was specifically waiting here.
If you asked Lu Yuan, this Chen Fushun was also sick.
Since the Wuqing Temple people had already come, why not just let them help solve the problem?
Why insist on waiting for him?
Lu Yuan's thoughts raced, but his face immediately showed modesty as he waved his hand and politely replied, "I dare not accept such address. Daoist Master is too polite. Let's go inside first to talk."
Regarding Shen Shulan being so polite, Lu Yuan didn't think much of it.
Wuqing Temple people had always been good at surface pleasantries.
Just like when he first met Huang Guanmin in Ningyuan Town.
Huang Guanmin had looked down on these small-town Daoists so much in his heart, but when Lu Yuan greeted him, he still responded.
Shen Shulan being so polite on the surface now, but in her heart she probably held all the grievances she'd suffered these past days.
This "Martial Uncle" address might even carry some sarcasm...
The group entered the house and took their seats.
Village Chief Chen Fushun immediately had someone bring three cups of hot tea for Lu Yuan's group to warm themselves.
As for Shen Shulan's group, they were left to the side without even a cup of cold water.
Shen Shulan's expression remained coldly indifferent, showing no joy or anger. However, the several Wuqing Temple disciples behind her had faces so ugly they'd reached the extreme, their jaw muscles tensed.
Lu Yuan's face darkened. This Chen Fushun was openly trying to drive the Wuqing Temple people away.
Lu Yuan was truly curious now.
What had the Wuqing Temple people done?
Why were they so disliked by Chen Fushun?
"Have the three Daoist Masters eaten? Should we get you something first?"
Chen Fushun looked at Lu Yuan's group and inquired.
Lu Yuan quickly waved his hand, "Let's talk business."
At the mention of business, the smile on Chen Fushun's face instantly collapsed. He let out a long sigh and, with a face full of grief, began recounting the tragic events that had occurred in the village.
The initial encounters were similar to what Lu Yuan knew.
The afflicted households dreamed of starving ghosts at night, woke up vomiting continuously, and what they vomited were undigested offerings but starting from the sixth household, things completely spiraled out of control.
The dead were Li Laifu and Chen Mancang's six-year-old grandson.
Both failed to survive until dawn.
When discovered, they had long gone stiff.
Their mouths were stuffed full of grave dirt mixed with incense ash.
Their bellies had been ripped open from the inside with a large gash, like a flesh-and-blood bowl filled with offerings.
Inside were half-digested chicken heads, fish bones, and cake crumbs.
By the end, this man over sixty years old was shedding tears, his voice trembling, "Daoist Master, what can we do! One person dies each day. If this evil spirit isn't eliminated tonight, then tonight... tonight there will be another..."
Before the village chief finished speaking, one of the Wuqing Temple disciples scolded with an expression of disappointment, "Crying, crying, crying!"
"Now that people have died, you know to cry!!"
"If you had followed our methods early on, cooperated with us early, would it have come to this..."
Before he could finish, Shen Shulan shot him an icy glare.
The disciple's throat caught, and he forcibly swallowed the rest of his words, resentfully closing his mouth.
Hearing this, Lu Yuan was somewhat curious.
What methods?
But thinking it over, he decided not to ask.
If he opened his mouth, the other side would probably immediately start with the sarcasm.
"Oh, isn't this 'White-Robed Young Daoist' Martial Uncle Lu? Your skills are so great, the entire village is counting on you, why would you ask us?"
Anyway, Lu Yuan basically had it figured out in his heart, only lacking the final few steps of verification.
...
Lu Yuan first went to the deceased Li Laifu's home.
White banners fluttered in the courtyard, filled with crying.
Lu Yuan went straight into the main room where the body was laid out. After just one glance at the coffin, he turned and walked toward the stove.
He squatted by the stove and reached his hand into the pitch-black stove cavity, feeling around.
The village chief and the Wuqing Temple group followed behind, all holding their breath and watching.
Several Wuqing Temple disciples saw this and sneered, their eyes full of contempt.
In the eyes of the Wuqing Temple crowd, Lu Yuan was just a half-grown kid. For the village chief to count on Lu Yuan was simply nonsense!
Look at what this guy was doing!
Scraping the bottom of the pot for ash?!
But Shen Shulan watched seriously, wanting to see Lu Yuan's techniques, wanting to see what methods Lu Yuan would use to find this evil spirit.
Two days had passed, and counting today made it three days.
Shen Shulan still hadn't found the evil spirit even now, truly at a complete loss.
Of course, there was the reason that Village Chief Chen Fushun and the villagers were unwilling to cooperate with her, but this matter was truly strange.
Shen Shulan's attitude toward Lu Yuan was that since he could be anticipated by so many people, he naturally must have real ability!
Shen Shulan wanted to see if Lu Yuan truly had this ability.
"Martial Uncle Lu."
A clear, cold voice sounded from behind.
"We've investigated this place for two days and found some clues."
"Would you like to hear our findings first?"
Lu Yuan was struggling to feel around deep in the stove cavity. Hearing this, he looked back at Shen Shulan somewhat surprised.
Sharing... clues with him?
This shouldn't be right. Shouldn't she be watching him make a fool of himself?
Lu Yuan was about to speak, but his movements suddenly froze.
The next second, Lu Yuan withdrew his hand.
A clump of wet, blackish mud lay quietly on his fingertips.
Lu Yuan crushed the small clump of black mud with his fingers and brought it to his nose to smell.
The soil was mixed with an extremely faint smell of corpse wax.
After smelling this scent, Lu Yuan instantly confirmed all his speculations.
Immediately, Lu Yuan casually flicked away the mud on his fingertips, stood up, and unhurriedly patted the pot ash off his sleeves.
Lu Yuan didn't even glance at Shen Shulan again, only speaking indifferently, "No need."
"I already know what creature is causing this."
"Tonight, I'll catch it."
Shen Shulan's cold expression instantly froze.
"?"
The group of Wuqing Temple disciples behind her looked even more dumbfounded.
"???"
You're fucking bragging!!