Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

"That's all."

The old Taoist priest seemed to have lost patience, turning his gaze to Lianxiang with a condescending indifference.

"Since you remain obstinate, young master, then I, this humble Taoist, will act on behalf of Heaven and subdue this demon; it will be a meritorious deed!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly swung the seemingly tattered cloth banner in his hand!
A beam of cool light shot out from the banner, carrying an aura of purification against evil spirits, and struck Lianxiang's face directly!
This beam of light was extremely fast and powerful, clearly intended to kill in one strike!
Lianxiang was so frightened that her face turned pale. She screamed and closed her eyes, waiting to die!

Just as that cool, clear light was about to touch Lianxiang, Yingxuan, who had been silent all along, finally moved.

He didn't even raise his hand; he just had a slight thought.

hum!
The star-studded jade pendant hanging at his waist suddenly lit up!
A light curtain, as thin as a cicada's wing yet seemingly containing an endless starry sky, instantly expanded and stood perfectly in front of Lianxiang!

laugh--!
The sharp, cold light struck the starlight screen, but before it could even cause a ripple, it vanished without a trace!
It's as if it never appeared!
"what?!"

The old Taoist's pupils suddenly contracted, and he cried out in alarm!
Although his "Clear Light Evil-Breaking Banner" was not a magical artifact, it had been refined over many years and possessed considerable power. Yet, it was neutralized so easily by the other party? And what was that jade pendant...?
Ying Xuan slowly raised his head, his gaze calmly looking at the old Taoist priest. His eyes were as deep as an abyss, making the old Taoist priest feel a sudden tremor in his heart for no reason.

"Noisy."

Ying Xuan uttered two words calmly.

As soon as he finished speaking, the clear sky suddenly darkened!
Thick, dark clouds rolled in from nowhere, instantly blocking out the sunlight!

Lightning bolts danced wildly in the clouds, accompanied by thunderous roars!

A vast and terrifying aura locked onto the gray-robed old Taoist below!

Boom--!!!
A terrifying bolt of lightning, as thick as a bucket and glowing purple, tore through the clouds, carrying the overwhelming might of heaven that could destroy everything, and struck down directly at the old Taoist priest!

Its power far surpasses that of the previous attack that slew the tiger demon!
The old Taoist priest was terrified! The destructive aura contained in the thunder made his very soul tremble!
He instantly realized that the seemingly ordinary scholar in front of him was the master who had previously unleashed the thunder magic!

How could I have been so blind as to attack first?!
"Senior, spare my life! Senior, spare my life!!"

The old Taoist priest no longer cared about maintaining his superior demeanor. He knelt down with a thud, raised his hands above his head, and begged for mercy in a pitiful voice.

"This humble Taoist priest was blind and did not recognize a great man! I have offended you, senior! I am a wandering Taoist priest, and my temple is nearby!"

"That tiger demon is ferocious and invulnerable to weapons, wreaking havoc in the region. This humble Taoist is powerless to vanquish it. That's why I sensed your divine power of thunder magic and have come seeking your help! I have absolutely no intention of offending you! Please spare my life, senior! Spare my life!!"

He spoke very quickly, pouring out all the prepared words in one go, tears streaming down his face, his posture extremely humble.

Ying Xuan remained expressionless, but with a slight thought, the terrifying lightning bolt that was about to strike the old Taoist's head suddenly stopped in mid-air!

The purple lightning was only a few feet away from the old Taoist's scalp. The violent power of the thunder made his hair and beard stand on end, and his Taoist robe fluttered wildly!
"Tiger demon?"

Ying Xuan's voice revealed no emotion.

"If you are powerless to eliminate the demon, why are you seeking me out? And why were you so ruthless in your attack just now?"

The old Taoist priest felt the destructive lightning that could fall from above at any moment, and he trembled with fear. He dared not hide anything any longer and cried out.

"Senior, please understand! This humble Taoist...this humble Taoist had selfish motives! The inheritance of my Taoist temple is in dire straits, and it seems there will be no successor. I have heard that the flesh and blood of that tiger demon contain a vast amount of essence. If I could obtain it, I might be able to refine elixirs and continue the lineage..."

"Just now, sensing your thunderous magic, I assumed you had slain the tiger demon and wanted to ask for some of its flesh and blood... I was momentarily blinded by greed, and seeing you with a fox demon by your side, who hadn't revealed its power, I thought I'd intimidate you before negotiating... I deserve to die! I deserve to die!"

He cried out and kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead striking the hard stone, instantly drawing blood.

After hearing this, Ying Xuan understood. So they came for the tiger demon's flesh and blood, and seeing that he was "weak," they wanted to seize it by force, even going so far as to kill Lian Xiang.

His eyes grew even colder, and the hovering thunderous pressure intensified once more!

"Senior, spare my life! The tiger demon... the tiger demon has been eliminated by you, a blessing to the people of this land! I... I will return to the city immediately to commission a golden statue of you, erect a shrine in your honor, and proclaim your great virtue in vanquishing the demon! May the people of all directions remember your kindness!"

Sensing impending death, the old Taoist priest, in a moment of quick thinking, promptly offered another bargaining chip.

Ying Xuan looked at the old Taoist priest at his feet, kowtowing repeatedly, and felt no murderous intent.

Killing these ants is pointless.

With a thought, the terrifying, suspended lightning suddenly dissipated, and the dark clouds in the sky were wiped away as if by an invisible hand, instantly restoring the clear sky.

"The tiger demon has been eliminated; there is no need to search for it anymore."

Ying Xuan's voice returned to its calm tone.

"get out."

"Thank you for sparing my life, senior! Thank you for sparing my life, senior!"

The old Taoist priest felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He scrambled to his feet, not even bothering to pick up the cloth banner that had fallen to the ground, and ran wildly toward the town without looking back. His speed was more than twice as fast as when he came!
He had only one thought in his mind: get away from this place! Get away from that unfathomable evil star! As for the statue becoming famous? At this moment, he just wanted to find a place to hide and never dare to utter another word!
Lianxiang only dared to open her eyes after the old Taoist's figure disappeared from sight.

She looked at Ying Xuan's calm profile, then at the cloudless sky, the devastating thunderous scene from just moments ago still vivid in her mind.

Although she knew that the young master was incredibly powerful, experiencing such terrifying divine might firsthand still filled her with indescribable fear. Her small hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, and her body was still trembling slightly.

Ying Xuan noticed her fear but didn't say anything. He simply reached out and gently patted her shoulder.

Lianxiang felt the warmth from that hand, and the shock in her heart subsided a little. But when she looked at Yingxuan, her eyes held not only dependence but also a deep sense of awe.

The old Taoist priest, still shaken, fled back to the town and hid in a corner, catching his breath for a long time before he could barely suppress his fear.

Recalling the earth-shattering power of the thunder and the unfathomable skills of the scholar, he felt not only lingering fear but also a deep sense of admiration.

"Senior... your skills are truly divine!"

The old Taoist priest muttered to himself, a complex light shining in his cloudy old eyes.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally mustered his courage and chased after Ying Xuan and his group in the direction they had gone.

It wasn't that he wasn't afraid of death, but rather that the ruins of the Taoist temple were his only concern.

When he caught up with Ying Xuan and the others, who were walking slowly, panting, Ying Xuan seemed to have expected him to come. He did not turn around, but simply asked indifferently.

"What's the matter?"

The old Taoist priest immediately bowed, his tone filled with unprecedented respect and flattery.

"Senior, your supernatural powers are vast and your magic is boundless. This humble Taoist...this humble Taoist admires you to the point of prostration! I was quite offensive just now, please forgive me, senior!"

Ying Xuan continued walking, his voice remaining calm.

“I am new to the world of cultivation and know very little about it. Since you are a rogue cultivator, you must have some knowledge and experience. Why don’t you tell me about it?”

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest's heart stirred.

This senior's strength is unfathomable, yet he claims to be a novice? Could he be a core disciple from some reclusive sect who has come out for training? He dared not be negligent and quickly replied.

"If you have any questions, senior, I will answer them to the best of my knowledge! However... this is not the place to talk. If you do not mind, senior, you may come to my dilapidated Taoist temple. I will serve you some rough tea and then explain in detail."

Ying Xuan nodded slightly.

"lead the way."

The old Taoist priest was overjoyed and quickly led the way.

The group walked through the town, following a secluded path towards a low hill outside the town. When they reached the foot of the hill, the old Taoist suddenly stopped, his face drained of color, and his body began to tremble violently!

Where is the Taoist temple now? Only charred ruins remain!

Broken bricks and tiles were scattered all over the ground, and several charred beams and pillars stood crookedly. The air was filled with a strong smell of burning and a chilling, eerie aura that had not yet completely dissipated.

In the center of the ruins, a familiar cloth banner, now only half a charred and blackened pole, stands forlornly among the rubble, as if telling the story of the tragedy that has befallen this place.

"Taoist temple...my Taoist temple..."

The old Taoist priest's lips trembled as he muttered to himself in a daze. He staggered toward the ruins, his trembling hand stroking the broken half of the flagpole, tears streaming down his face.

"It's all over...it's all over...the foundation laid by our ancestor...is destroyed in an instant! It's all because of that damned tiger demon! It's all its fault!!"

Ying Xuan stood at the edge of the ruins, his divine sense sweeping across them.

The demonic energy remaining here is of the same origin as the tiger demon he killed before, but it is even more concentrated and violent.

Clearly, the tiger demon had wreaked havoc here, completely destroying the Taoist temple.

His gaze was calm, and he didn't seem to feel much about it.

The law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is the fundamental law of nature.

The old Taoist priest searched aimlessly through the ruins for a while, but found nothing except some charred debris.

He slumped down on the rubble, his face ashen, his eyes vacant, as if all his energy had been drained away.

Years of hard work, the only place to live, and even that faint hope of passing on the family legacy, all vanished in this fire.

Seeing the old Taoist's desperate look, Ying Xuan's mind stirred slightly.

He was not an indiscriminately kind person, but although this old Taoist priest had some minor faults, he was not a great villain. Now that he had fallen into such a predicament, he was somewhat pitiful.

With a casual wave of his hand, a heavy package appeared out of thin air and landed on the ground in front of the old Taoist priest.

A corner of the package was opened, revealing a gleaming golden light inside! It was a whole tray full of gold ingots! At a rough glance, it weighed no less than a hundred taels!

"This……"

The old Taoist priest was so blinded by the golden light that he could hardly open his eyes, and he raised his head in a daze.

"Take it, rebuild the Taoist temple, or find another place to settle down."

Ying Xuan's voice remained calm, as if he were simply tossing something insignificant to the wind.

The old Taoist looked at the mountain of gold ingots before him, then at Ying Xuan's calm and expressionless face. The immense shock left him speechless for a moment.

One hundred taels of gold! This was an astronomical figure for him! Enough for him to rebuild a Taoist temple ten times better than the original one! It could even... even support him in finding a successor and continuing the Taoist lineage!

"Senior...Senior's kindness and virtue are beyond measure! This humble Taoist...this humble Taoist has no way to repay it!"

The old Taoist priest was so excited that he became incoherent. He struggled to get up and was about to perform a grand salute to Ying Xuan.

Ying Xuan raised his hand in a gesture of support, but a gentle force prevented him from bowing.

"No need for formalities. I have something to ask you."

"Please speak, senior! This humble Taoist will answer all your questions without reservation!"

The old Taoist priest quickly responded, his attitude extremely respectful.

“I observe that your maid Lianxiang has a special physique, but she has not cultivated any martial arts techniques, and her foundation is weak.”

Ying Xuan pointed to Lianxiang, who was standing quietly beside him.

"Although I am familiar with Maoshan Taoist practices, I cannot pass them on without permission. As a rogue cultivator, you should be able to manage your own cultivation methods as you see fit. Would you mind letting me take a look? I only need to study them; I will not practice them, nor will I divulge them."

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest immediately showed a troubled expression.

The inheritance of cultivation techniques is the foundation for a cultivator's existence. Even if it is just a random cultivation technique, it is still the basis for his livelihood.

But this senior in front of him had just bestowed upon him a hundred taels of gold that was enough to change his fate, and possessed the strength to easily crush him... Refuse? He dared not.

He struggled for a moment, then gritted his teeth and carefully took out a palm-sized, dark-colored wooden box with worn edges from his bosom.

With trembling hands, he opened the wooden box, inside which lay an ancient book, its paper yellowed and tightly wrapped in oiled paper.

"Senior...this is the only cultivation manual passed down by my sect..."

The old Taoist's voice was filled with reluctance and heartache as he held the wooden box in both hands and respectfully handed it to Ying Xuan.

"It is called 'The Record of Nourishing the Spirit and Cultivating the Sword'. Although... although it is crude and unbearable, it is the means by which I make a living... I hope senior... will understand."

Ying Xuan took the wooden box and took out the ancient book.

Unwrap the oiled paper and turn the pages. The paper is rough, and the handwriting is rather messy, clearly not some profound tradition.

He scanned it with his divine sense and instantly understood the contents.

This technique is indeed rudimentary, primarily cultivating the spirit and soul, with some basic breathing techniques and a rudimentary sword banner crafting method.

Its core lies in nurturing a natal "sword banner" with one's divine soul. Once the sword banner is formed, the divine soul condenses. The highest realm is merely touching the threshold of the primordial spirit, and there is no further path after that, with limited potential.

Ying Xuan's gaze did not linger on the cultivation technique itself for long; instead, it fell on the last few pages of the classic text.

It wasn't a cultivation method, but rather some scattered anecdotes about the cultivation world, strange and unusual things, and records about spirits and monsters taking human form.

It mentions that there are two main ways for spirits and monsters in this world to take human form: one is to be enlightened by a master who bestows upon them the method of transformation or a spiritual object.

Secondly, they are born with profound spirituality, and by chance, they absorb the essence of heaven and earth's spirituality, awaken their intelligence on their own, and transform into human form.

Although the latter can easily transform into human form, they are often unstable in foundation, weak in strength, and need to undergo the test of heavenly tribulation.

"I see."

Ying Xuan understood immediately; this was consistent with his prediction.

Lianxiang clearly belongs to the latter category.

He quickly browsed through all the contents, then rewrapped the ancient book, put it back in the wooden box, and handed it back to the old Taoist priest.

"Thank you."

The declaration of victory is concise and to the point.

The old Taoist priest quickly took the wooden box, hugged it tightly to his chest, as if it were a lost treasure that had been found again, and breathed a long sigh of relief.

He had expected the other party to forcibly take it, but to his surprise, they returned it so readily.

"Senior...you..."

The old Taoist priest was somewhat puzzled. (End of Chapter)