The night wind passed through the withered mulberry branches, emitting a whimpering-like low moan.
"I'm sorry."
Lu Yuan's voice rang out in the silent burial ground, honest and carrying a trace of defeat he himself hadn't noticed.
"This thing is harder than I thought."
Gu Qingwan's blood-red figure floated quietly.
In those crimson eyes, neither sorrow nor joy could be discerned, only a pond-like deathly stillness.
She had no reaction.
Perhaps she had already anticipated this result.
Perhaps, as an "evil spirit," her emotions had long been worn away by endless years.
"I'm sorry, this thing is much more difficult than I thought."
Lu Yuan looked at her, his gaze exceptionally serious.
"Although I have no way to undo these sinister techniques, I think my master can."
"I want to take you home, back to True Dragon Temple."
"I'll ask my master to help take a look. Perhaps he has a solution."
Lu Yuan paused, his gaze becoming extremely firm, as if making a vow.
"If even my master can't undo it..."
"I have one last method."
"Please trust me, I will never harm you!"
That method didn't come from the old man's teachings, but rather originated from the top-level mental cultivation technique rewarded by the system.
The Dao.
That method would definitely work!
However... in any case, he first needed to transport her coffin back to True Dragon Temple.
If... if she was willing to go back with him. However, Lu Yuan felt she wouldn't agree to this so easily.
An evil spirit's true body was very important, especially since the place Lu Yuan wanted to take her was a Daoist temple that enshrined the Three Pure Ones and slayed demons and eliminated evil.
Lu Yuan was pondering how to persuade Gu Qingwan, but...
"..."
"...Alright."
The night grew deeper...
Moonlight flowed over the coffin wood, the blood-colored figure, and the young Daoist.
...
The next day, early morning.
After bustling about all night, Lu Yuan had tidied up all the messy things here.
He pushed the coffin wood back together and closed it, then covered it back with grave soil.
Afterward, he went straight down the mountain, heading directly to the Xu family in Ningyuan Town.
Lu Yuan needed to find some people to help carry the coffin down the mountain, and he also needed to hire a horse cart.
Additionally, besides these matters, Lu Yuan mainly wanted to ask about Gu Qingwan's situation.
He wanted to ask in as much detail as possible, as this would also help with breaking these sinister techniques in the future.
Arriving at the Xu family and finding Old Master Xu, Lu Yuan went straight to the point.
The most critical question among them was that, according to reason, Gu Qingwan shouldn't be buried here all alone by herself for this so-called ghost marriage.
A ghost marriage was a wedding after all, so naturally it should involve a pair.
According to reason, Gu Qingwan should have had her coffin moved to the grave of the county magistrate's young grandson from back then.
That is, in one pit, two coffins placed side by side together. However, Gu Qingwan was buried here all alone by herself, which was a bit strange.
As for Lu Yuan's question, unfortunately, Old Master Xu shook his head to indicate he didn't know.
These events had occurred before he was born.
The things he knew about this matter were all learned from occasionally hearing the old people in the village chat in later years.
Lu Yuan also asked if there was anyone else in Ningyuan Town who knew about this matter, and Old Master Xu also shook his head.
Finally, at half past eleven in the morning, Lu Yuan came out from Old Master Xu's house.
The Xu family wanted to keep Lu Yuan for a meal, but Lu Yuan wasn't currently working for the Xu family, so it wouldn't be proper.
Additionally, Lu Yuan also wanted to return to True Dragon Temple as early as possible.
Even if he could arrive one meal's time earlier, that would be good.
Lu Yuan led a dozen or so young men that Old Master Xu had found for him and went straight up the mountain.
After carrying down Gu Qingwan's coffin, they placed it on the horse cart that had already been prepared.
At this point, past four in the afternoon, Lu Yuan rode the horse cart back to True Dragon Temple.
Two days later.
After a bumpy journey, the horse cart carrying the heavy coffin finally arrived at the foot of the mountain where True Dragon Temple was located.
The horse cart was stopped at the first stone archway.
Ahead, luxurious horse carts blocked the way one after another, forming a long line.
It wasn't that the road had ended, but rather it was the rules.
The "Qixia Ridge" where True Dragon Temple was located, starting from this archway, was sacred temple grounds.
Without special permission, carts and horses could go no further. However, that was for others. For Lu Yuan, the eldest senior brother of True Dragon Temple, it didn't apply.
"Go around from the side."
Lu Yuan instructed the driver indifferently.
"Right away!"
The driver cracked his whip, and the horse cart rolled over the wheel ruts beside the mountain road, heading toward the secluded small path reserved for internal use by the temple.
Qixia Ridge wasn't precipitous. The mountain's terrain was gentle, like a dragon lying down.
Along both sides of the mountain road, one could see a small stone niche every so often.
Inside, what was enshrined wasn't a deity statue, but mountain stones carved with auspicious words like "Tranquility" and "Peace."
In front of the stones were traces of fresh incense stems. These were "road gods" spontaneously offered by pilgrims going up the mountain, grateful for the easy path.
The higher they went, the more human voices could gradually be heard.
Not clamor, but a kind of low, flowing hum.
Interspersed with the crisp lingering sounds of bronze chimes, melodious fragments of sutra chanting, and occasional children's laughter mixed with elders' whispers.
Rounding the last mountain bend, the view suddenly opened up.
A huge natural platform jutted out from the mountainside, and True Dragon Temple was situated here.
The temple gate wasn't resplendent with gold and jade, but rather made of simple, heavy black lacquered wooden doors.
The door studs numbered eighty-one, nine by nine, conforming to the number of ultimate yang.
Above the gate hung a large ebony plaque with three large gilded characters, "True Dragon Temple."
The calligraphy was forceful and vigorous, faintly carrying the momentum of wind and thunder.
The horse cart stopped.
Ahead, a stone stairway that had been swept until it shone black extended steeply upward, leading directly to the temple gate. The horse cart couldn't go up.
Lu Yuan jumped down from the horse cart.
"Wait here. I'll go call a few junior brothers down."
The driver hunched his neck, exhaling white vapor as he nodded repeatedly.
"No rush, no rush. Daoist Master, you go ahead with your business."
Lu Yuan ascended the mountain steps and arrived at the entrance of True Dragon Temple.
A wave of heat mixed with incense sticks, candle flames, human body temperature, firewood stove smoke, and some indescribable warm sandalwood qi rushed toward him.
On the vast bluestone plaza, human shadows overlapped, shoulder to shoulder.
In front of the main hall, the "Three Pure Ones Hall," the huge bronze incense cauldron had now become the absolute center.
The incense fire inside the cauldron was so abundant that thick incense sticks as thick as a child's arm densely filled the cauldron's belly. The rising blue smoke went straight up, thick as a pillar.
The lines in front of the side halls, "Medicine King Hall" and "Compassionate Deliverance Hall," were the longest.
Winter brought frequent illnesses, and there were many seeking medicine and asking after health.
People stamped their feet to keep warm, hands tucked in their sleeves, yet still maintained orderly lines.
At the hall entrance, thick cotton curtains had been set up to block the wind. The curtains lifted from time to time, revealing the warmer air inside and a faint scent of herbal medicine.
The offerings brought by pilgrims fulfilling their vows also had distinct winter characteristics.
Frozen-stiff carp, bundles of old mountain ginseng, whole chunks of roe deer meat, and even frozen pears wrapped in red cloth.
Solemnly placed on the offering tables in front of the halls.
At the edge of the plaza, under several massive old pine trees, a few junior brothers had set up several large pots.
Inside, ginger and jujube tea was boiling, steaming hot, provided free of charge to pilgrims who had come from afar and were thoroughly frozen.
The pilgrims holding rough porcelain bowls and exhaling to warm their hands finally showed a trace of relief on their faces.
A year ago, True Dragon Temple hadn't been like this.
It couldn't be called dilapidated, but it could certainly be considered deserted, with few visitors.
Counting the old man, the entire True Dragon Temple had only seven or eight old Daoists.
Later, after Lu Yuan arrived, gradually, as Lu Yuan's reputation as the "White-Robed Young Daoist" became known throughout the Fengtian City area.
The number of people kept increasing.
Especially during the middle of the year, when Auntie Qin donated a very large sum of incense money.
True Dragon Temple was thoroughly renovated.
For a time, this small, rundown temple that had been deserted a year ago now faintly possessed the imposing appearance of a great, famous temple.
Lu Yuan didn't linger in the main hall plaza but instead turned toward a blue brick path on the side of the temple that fewer people walked.
At the entrance to the small path stood an inconspicuous stone tablet inscribed with "Tranquil Ground."
This was the path leading to the area where the temple's Daoists lived their daily lives and to the pure grounds of the back mountain.
Arriving at the back courtyard, Lu Yuan pushed the door open directly, looking to see who was currently free so he could pick a few to go out and carry the coffin.
Just as Lu Yuan entered, before he could even look around himself, two delighted voices rang out from the side:
"Brother Lu!"
[NEXT CHAPTER]