Junior Sister is skilled in subduing demons.

Chapter 45: Stay True to Your Original Aspirations

Shen Anzhi's trip to Jingdezhen was indeed worthwhile. Although killing these porcelain demons did take a lot of effort, he did gain something from it: he obtained five demon seals, completing a small test of his skills since coming down the mountain.

evening,

Shen Anzhi returned to the dilapidated temple; she always felt that this was the place she belonged.

The afterglow of the setting sun, like a thin veil, gently draped over this ancient, dilapidated temple.

Shen Anzhi was dressed in a close-fitting outfit, his posture upright and agile, and the Jade Flower Sword at his waist gleamed with a cold light in the afterglow.

She tilted her head slightly, gazing at the blood-red sunset on the horizon. The evening glow dyed the sky a magnificent orange-red and deep purple, and the light shone through the ruins of the temple, illuminating her resolute face and outlining its distinct contours.

The serpent nearby seemed very excited, darting around the dilapidated temple to catch a skinny, emaciated rat.

A small test!

Indeed, Shen An has been down the mountain for half a month and has finally completed his first attempt. He has lived up to the guidance that his master, Meng Hong, gave him in his dreams every now and then, and he has also lived up to Elder Fan Jin's expectations of him.

During the day, in the woods, Kui Ran released two porcelain demons. Shen Anzhi had a big argument with him, feeling that Kui Ran had become an accomplice of the demons, or had been assimilated by them. In any case, she had a lot of complaints about him.

Kui Ran felt that demon hunters should also have a compassionate heart. The world belongs to all spirits, not just humans. Therefore, he felt it was inappropriate for Shen Anzhi to be so stubborn as to kill Liu Yulin and the five porcelain demons.

Ultimately, the two went their separate ways...

Shen Anzhi's eyes held a complex mix of emotions: a conflicted agreement with Kui Ran's viewpoint, and an anticipation for the future. Her long hair swayed gently in the wind, making her seem like the only living thing in the silent, dilapidated temple.

Inside the dilapidated temple, a fierce battle raged between a spirit snake and a rat, mingling with the distant chirping of birds. Shen Anzhi remained unmoved, intently watching the setting sun, seemingly contemplating how to proceed on his demon-slaying journey in this brief moment of tranquility…

"Snake Baby, Snake Baby." Shen Anzhi came to his senses and asked the victorious spirit snake, "I want to see the Ancestral Master tonight."

Just as the serpent was about to swallow the rat whole, it heard Anzhi's idea and immediately became delighted: "Great! Indeed, if we want to achieve something in just three months, we must have the guidance of our ancestor."

Shen Anzhi shared the same thought, because she had been gazing at the sunset and pondering many things for a long time, but her experience and perspective were limited, and she couldn't figure anything out; instead, she felt confused.

"Well, let's go to town to find something to eat later, and then you can take me to see the ancestor." Anzhi squatted down and kicked the rat away.

"Yes!" After responding, the snake quickly caught up with the mouse and began to devour it.

……

Soon, Shen Anzhi ate a bowl of ice jelly on the town street and returned to the dilapidated temple. While eating the ice jelly, he ran into the hateful Kui Ran again by sheer bad luck. The two of them didn't even bother to greet each other.

After putting down the Jade Flower Sword and tidying up the straw in the dilapidated temple, Anzhi sat cross-legged and slowly closed her eyes.

The serpent was directly in front of her, its two antennae constantly rubbing and turning. A beam of light entered Anzhi's mind, and she became drowsy, her vision blurred, and she gradually drifted into a dream...

In the tranquil courtyard, Anzhi walked in with a worried expression, clutching the Jade Flower Sword tightly in his hand, his gaze wandering, his heart filled with confusion about the future path of exorcising demons.

Meng Hong walked slowly over, his posture upright, his gaze deep and gentle. Looking at An Zhi's expression, he already understood.

Meng Hong said, "Anzhi, the Ancestral Master knows the confusion and struggle in your heart right now. The path of exorcising demons is full of difficulties and dangers, but it is the path of justice. There is no need to get entangled in worldly affairs."

An Zhi frowned slightly, as if he had realized something: "But, but Liu Yulin and the others..."

Meng Hong stood up, looked up at the sky, and said, "There is no such thing as fairness and justice in this world. As long as you stick to your original intention and do your best, even if everyone says you are wrong, you have succeeded."

A glimmer of light gradually appeared in Anzhi's eyes, and he clenched his fist: "Anzhi understands. We cannot back down because of concerns."

Meng Hong nodded in satisfaction. An Zhi stood up and bowed deeply to his ancestor, Meng Hong.

At that moment, the sunlight shone on the two of them, reflecting their resolute figures.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
early morning.

As dawn broke, the soft sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves and fell upon the dilapidated temple.

The ancient statue stood silently in the corner, its colors faded and covered in dust and cobwebs.

"Master, Master, wake up! Good news, good news!"

An Zhi slowly opened his eyes upon hearing the sound, as if he had just finished playing chess with his ancestor Meng Hong. His eyes were blurry as he looked at the spirit snake in front of him.

"Master, the two porcelain demons have arrived at the Maitreya Hall," the spirit snake confirmed again.

Meng Hong had been trying to comfort An Zhi all night, and when he heard this exciting news at dawn, An Zhi immediately got up, picked up the Jade Flower Sword beside him, and resolutely walked out of the dilapidated temple: "Snake Treasure, hurry, we must get rid of these two demons."

With resolute steps and determination, Anzhi and the spirit snake continued their pursuit towards the Maitreya Hall.

Anzhi stopped in his tracks as he passed through an ancient forest.

Tall, sturdy trees pierce the sky, their trunks marked with the wrinkles of time and traces of moss. Their massive canopies intertwine, forming a dense green canopy, with only sparse rays of sunlight able to penetrate the gaps in the leaves.

"Master, what's wrong?" the spirit snake asked curiously.

Shen Anzhi sensed a true aura from Mount Sanqing, which confirmed that there were people from the Sanqing Palace nearby.

“Snake Treasure, I sensed the Three Pure Ones' True Qi.” After saying this, Anzhi carefully hid deep in the forest.

A thick layer of decaying leaves lay beneath my feet, each step producing a soft creak. The roots, like the claws of a dragon, tangled and intertwined, pierced the earth, displaying a tenacious vitality.

really,

Along the path through the ancient forest, the familiar voices of a man and a woman could be heard.

Getting closer, getting closer.

Through the branches, one could see the eldest brother Ke Dasheng and the senior sister Luo Ling walking towards them. They seemed to have sensed the Three Pure Ones' true energy as well, and the two of them were also walking forward very cautiously.

Seeing this, the spirit snake asked softly, puzzled, "Master, why are you afraid of them now?"

Yes, why would I be afraid of them? I came down the mountain to train openly and honestly. Although we had a grudge before, I am now a five-coin demon hunter. With a few more demon seals, I will definitely be a six-coin demon hunter, just like Ke Dasheng.

Anzhi stretched deeply, stood up, and darted out of the woods in one swift step.

"Shen Anzhi!" Luo Ling was the first to see him and exclaimed in surprise, "No wonder there is the Three Pure Ones True Qi in this forest."

Shen Anzhi looked at the man and woman in front of him with disdain, guessing that they had either been expelled from the sect or had secretly gone down the mountain: "Senior Brother Ke, you also have time to go down the mountain? Were you expelled from the sect?"

Faced with Shen Anzhi's highly provocative greeting, Ke Dasheng could only remain awkwardly silent; the matter was indeed disgraceful.

Enemies meeting are bound to be hostile, and to make matters worse, she didn't even respect her. Luo Ling immediately stepped forward and questioned, "What do you mean? Don't think you're something special just because you came down the mountain to train. Look at you, you're nothing special."

Shen Anzhi's current level is the same as Luo Ling's, so he naturally doesn't take her seriously. He smiled contemptuously and said, "Senior Sister Luo, don't be so arrogant. Before the results are in, we really don't know how things will develop."

After saying that, Anzhi walked disdainfully into the depths of the forest...