Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 21 Ten Taels of Reward
The mountain road was flat, and Chen Ji and the bearded man walked forward together.

After walking for several miles, Chen Ji realized that the bearded man was indeed extraordinary.

Although he seemed to be walking normally, his body swayed slightly with every step, and his footsteps were too light to be like those of a normal person.

If Chen Ji hadn't paid special attention, he wouldn't have been able to hear his footsteps.

Looking at the ground again, the footprints left behind were extremely light, leaving no traces whatsoever.

"Fellow Daoist, this is a strange step. Is it also a magic?"

After walking a few hundred steps, Chen Ji couldn't help but ask.

"Oh? Fellow Daoist, can you actually see that my footwork is unique?"

The bearded man's eyes lit up.

"This isn't a spell, but a mortal footwork called the Tiger Crouching. It was created by hunters in the mountains who imitated the movements of mountain lions. It allows one to step on a mountain as if it were flat ground, and it improves one's leg skills a bit."

"Do casual cultivators also need to learn these?"

Chen Ji asked again.

The bearded man laughed heartily, knowing that Chen Ji had misunderstood something, and waved his hands repeatedly.

"You are wrong, my friend."

"It's not that independent cultivators need to learn these, but only by learning these can they have the opportunity to become independent cultivators."

"I've lived in Qin for a long time. It's much more dangerous there than here. The thousand-foot Qinling Mountains hide ferocious beasts, and the dense forests hide demons and ghosts. So the people there are tough and brave, and ordinary people have to learn some martial arts to protect themselves."

"I learned this at that time. Later, by chance, I became a free cultivator. I found that magic wasn't necessarily more effective than martial arts when dealing with demons and ghosts, so I didn't give it up."

After the bearded man finished speaking, he looked at Chen Ji deliberately.

"Fellow Daoist, your physique is not enough. If you really encounter a powerful demon or ghost, you can't defeat it, and you can't even run away."

"Those of us cultivators, although we mainly practice magic, we can't let our bodies fall too far. Even though some of the old Taoists in Qingliang Mountain have amazing magic, their bodies are still not strong enough to be kicked by a child."

Chen Ji was stunned.

Is it even reasonable to say such a thing?

Or the guy who dared to come to the evil land to catch ghosts just for ten taels of silver...

Eh?
Thinking of this, Chen Ji suddenly realized that the two of them had not yet exchanged names, so he introduced himself first.

"My name is Chen Ji. I'm practicing in Xiantai Mountain. May I ask where you are, fellow Taoist?"

"So you are a fellow Taoist from Xiantai Mountain. I was wondering how you could have such pure demonic aura."

Chen Ji knew that the bearded man had misunderstood and hurriedly explained.

"I am a human, not a demon."

The bearded man was stunned for a moment, still bowing in the Ziwu Jue posture.

"I was wrong, the wandering cultivator Yan Yuan."

"I didn't explain it clearly."

Chen Ji returned the greeting and asked again.

"Could Fellow Daoist Yan tell me about the town? This is my first time down the mountain, so I'm not very familiar with it."

"nature."

Yan Yuan didn't think there was anything wrong with what Chen Ji said.

People who practice cultivation will not enter the secular world without reason. It is normal that Chen Ji, who is young and has profound skills, has been practicing hard since childhood and has not left the mountain many times.

So he picked out some important situations nearby and started to introduce them.

Three mountains surrounded by water, and humans and demons separated by mountains are of course indispensable.

Of course, Yan Yuan’s introduction was different from Bai Qi’s, with more local customs and practices.

“There are three main towns around here.”

Yan Yuan raised his hand and counted them to Chen Ji one by one.

"The nearest one is Tiejin Town. There are various mineral veins nearby, hence the name. Almost every family is a blacksmith, making a living from this, and their smelting and forging skills are extremely high."

"The town further away is Zhanshui, close to the Hutuo River. The canal transportation and fishing nearby are all controlled by the people of that town. Because there are frequent caravans coming and going, there is a lot of trade. You can go there to buy things."

"There's another one behind Ziyun Mountain called Fenshan Town. It's a little way from these two towns and is the most chaotic. There are many demons and ghosts lurking there. Unless you're a cultivator, ordinary people rarely go there."

Chen Ji nodded, and he had some understanding.

Asked curiously again.

"Don't the government care about places like Fenshan Town?"

"Can they manage it? Corrupt officials are rampant, their fat chests filled with greed and their only concern is getting money for disaster relief and demon exorcism. What do they care about the lives of the people?"

"If they had done anything, the evil place would have been eradicated long ago. Why would you have to intervene?"

Yan Yuan sneered.

Then he lamented that the court was incompetent and people were treated like grass.

Although he didn't say more, Chen Ji knew the situation.

Demons and ghosts are rampant in the world, the human dynasty is in turmoil, the yin and yang of heaven, earth and man are reversed, and it is the most decadent and disastrous time. It is not easy for humans, demons, ghosts and gods.

To put it more nicely, this is called the melting pot of heaven and earth where all living beings are refined. If they succeed, they are true gold, while if they fail, they are reduced to dust.

But no one has ever asked sentient beings whether they are willing to be refined.

Besides, ordinary people don’t have the ability to turn it into real gold. They are just dust crushed by the road.

"Fellow Daoist, your remarks are quite unique! The furnace of heaven and earth, where all living things are refined, does have some monk-like meaning."

"I just said it casually. I am not a Buddhist."

Chen Ji hurriedly clarified the relationship.

It doesn't seem like a good thing for this kind of world to be associated with Buddhism.

"That fellow Daoist is also a man of great wisdom. In these chaotic times, it's rare to see things so clearly."

Chen Ji thought about it and realized that apart from the monsters and ghosts, other things seemed to have happened many times in history. They were nothing new and were just the cycle of history.

"Fellow Daoist, you are very insightful. It is indeed not easy for you to cultivate to such a level in Xiantai Mountain."

"Actually, I haven't been practicing in Xiantai Mountain all my life. I just came here not long ago. I haven't had much time to learn Taoism. By chance, I saw the demons and ghosts and learned the cultivation method."

Although Yan Yuan is enthusiastic and righteous, Mr. Fox and the animal-making are not ordinary experiences, and it is easy for something to go wrong, so I can't say much.

I can only wait until the next day to explain the truth.

Yan Yuan nodded slightly and didn't take it to heart.

"There are different levels of enlightenment, and the one who is proficient in the art of magic is the teacher. With such extraordinary talent, fellow Daoist, you must be a genius in cultivation."

"When I was your age, I was still practicing martial arts. If you were my age, I'm afraid you would be qualified to become an immortal."

"Thank you for your kind words, fellow Daoist!"

Although he knew it was an auspicious word, Chen Ji still thanked him sincerely.

"I'm not talking about the immortals with advanced cultivation, but the real immortals."

Yan Yuan looked at Chen Ji seriously.

"With your cultivation and talent, you have the chance to become a True Immortal."

"Are there really immortals in this world?"

"There is a legend," Yan Yuan said.

"Qingliang Mountain once produced immortals, and Xiantai Mountain also has traces of immortals."

"Isn't that a legend?"

"It is a legend precisely because someone passed it down. If no one passed it down, it would be a myth."

Yan Yuan said slowly.

"I have never seen the immortal ruins on Xiantai Mountain, but I have seen the ones on Qingliang Mountain with my own eyes. They are indeed left by immortals."

"Left by an immortal? How can we be sure?"

"You'll know once you've seen it. Don't say more."

Yan Yuan's words were mysterious, but Chen Ji was confused.

If you have never seen it before, how can you know it after seeing it?

And aren’t the immortal relics left on Xiantai Mountain the waterfall that Bai Qi took him to see before?
How come he didn't see that it was the work of an immortal?

What is the difference between real immortals and those powerful practitioners in books?
All these things lingered in Chen Ji's mind.

Until we got close to the town, the lanterns on both sides of the path extending out of the town swayed in the wind.

"Here we are."

Only when Yan Yuan spoke did Chen Ji finally come to his senses.

But the question of the immortals still lingered in his mind, so he decided to go back to the mountain and ask Miss Bai and Senior Huai, as they might know more.

"Do you have a place to stay, fellow Daoist?"

"Not yet."

"Why don't you come with me to the inn and stay overnight so we can discuss the Dao together tonight?"

Yan Yuan looked at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji felt the sincerity in his eyes and guessed that Yan Yuan was worried that he didn't have money, so he invited him to discuss Taoism to avoid embarrassment.

As expected of a chivalrous man who would go down the mountain to catch monsters for ten taels of silver, he is indeed enthusiastic.

"In that case, I'll trouble you, fellow Daoist."

Chen Ji bowed and thanked him.

"It's a small matter, but since this is your first time down the mountain, I believe you didn't forget to bring your identity documents or certificate of ordination, right?"

“Without this, I might not be able to stay in the hotel.”

Yan Yuan reminded.

"This...is definitely not on me."

Chen Ji was stunned for a moment before realizing that he had never done these things. Maybe he had done so before, but he couldn't find it now. He was indeed an illegal resident.

"Then don't say anything for now, just follow my instructions."

Yan Yuan said calmly, as if he had guessed it long ago.

"it is good."

Chen Ji also wanted to see how Yan Yuan would do it.

"Are you staying overnight or staying at the hotel?"

As the two stepped into the inn, they heard the waiter's voice.

"I'm back."

When Yan Yuan spoke, the waiter was stunned for a moment, then opened his eyes wide.

"Master Yan? Weren't you out catching ghosts? Why are you back now?"

"The ghost has been caught."

Yan Yuan said lightly.

"what?"

The waiter was surprised, and after a moment's reaction, he shouted at the top of his voice.

"Master Yan is back! The ghost has been caught!"

The loud shouting almost alarmed half of the inn. Everyone stuck their heads out and started talking inside the inn.

"Such a vicious ghost, and they caught it in less than half a day?"

"Master Yan is indeed not simple."

"If the government had someone like Taoist Master Yan, we would be able to rest assured!"

Amidst the discussions, a cry suddenly resounded through the crowd, and a woman dressed in mourning came in front of Yan Yuan and knelt down to kowtow.

"Thank you, Taoist Master Yan, for catching the ghost. My great revenge has been achieved, and my poor husband can finally rest in peace..."

Before he could finish his words, he was already crying uncontrollably.

Yan Yuan took off the square box behind him, lifted the woman's arm and helped her stand up, pointing at Chen Ji.

"It wasn't me who did it, but it was my senior brother's work."

Yan Yuan seems to have some reputation among these people.

Seeing that Chen Ji was young but was Senior Brother Yan Yuan, everyone thought that his Taoism must be more advanced, so they treated him with even more respect.

"You have to thank me for that too! You have to thank me!"

The woman was stunned at first, then knelt down and kowtowed in front of Chen Ji.

"Thank you, Taoist Priest. This is the silver we agreed on. I hope you will accept it. If it's not enough, I will sell my property to make up for it."

The woman stretched out her hand, tightly clenching ten taels of silver. Her hands had turned white, and she had no idea how long she had been holding them.

"this?"

Chen Ji didn't want to accept it at first, but when Yan Yuan gave him a wink, he accepted it first and planned to ask later.

When the woman saw Chen Ji accept the silver, she knelt down again to thank him.

After thinking about it, he gritted his teeth and begged.

"I wonder if the chief can let me take one last look at my husband?"

"Humans and ghosts have different paths, and your husband is a fierce ghost. If you are affected by the ghost's energy, you might get sick. Are you sure you want to see him?"

Yan Yuan asked seriously.

"We'll never see each other again after life and death. I feel really bad that I can't even look at him once."

The woman said sincerely.

"Master, let her take a look."

"It just so happens that we also want to see what a ghost looks like."

The people around also joined in.

"In that case, I'll trouble you, Senior Brother."

Yan Yuan respectfully asked Chen Ji to take action.

(End of this chapter)