I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 61 The Four-Eyed Shadow Bat
It has been four days since Ying Chan arrived in this mountain area.

We haven't actually encountered many spirits that have gone out of control due to the Emperor's Dew. Including the demon tree we removed today, there are only three.

However, apart from the monster they encountered in the cave on the first day, the other two committed numerous acts of murder.

As Ying Chan walked through the mountains, he couldn't help but say to Cai Que'er, "The descent of the Emperor's Dew into the world... can hardly be considered a good thing."

“The Taoist priest is absolutely right.”

Cai Que'er also said sadly, "Luckily, I didn't get the Emperor's Elixir..."

Ying Chan recalled that night when he saw the Emperor's liquid fall like stars across the land, but not a single drop landed in the Taoist temple.

There is probably a reason for this.

Could it be that neither the Taoist Academy, nor even our own Xuandu sect, considers the Emperor's Flowing Essence to be a precious treasure?
He shook his head, clearing his mind of distractions, but then thought, "Perhaps it's time to go back and check on the monster in that cave."

Three days have passed since our encounter in the cave. I wonder if that monster has refined the essence of the Emperor's Dew.
Thinking of this, Ying Chan turned around and came to an open space, where he took out the talisman paper from Hechifang.

Before long, a clear cry came from the clouds, and the Crane King flapped its wings and flew over.

"Crane Lord".

Ying Chan performed a bow and then took out the Jade Dew Pill to present it.

Just as Crane Lord took the Jade Dew Pill from his palm, Colorful Sparrow suddenly said, "Taoist, I want one too!"

"Oh?"

Ying Chan still had quite a few Jade Dew Pills on him. He took one out and handed it to Cai Que, then said with a smile, "Fairy, it's been a long time since you've had a Jade Dew Pill."

"Hmph." The colorful sparrow snatched the Jade Dew Pill, swallowed it with difficulty, and then said, "I found a whole plate of Crimson Lingzhi for you this morning, so I deserve it!"

"Yes Yes."

Ying Chan nodded with a smile, then leaped onto Crane Lord's back.

Just as he was about to signal Crane Lord to go find the cave where he had encountered the monster that day, he suddenly sensed something, reached into his robes, and took out a jade talisman.

It turned out to be a reply from the State Council.

The original text should have been about the Demon Tree, but when I immersed myself in it, I received more than just that information.

The reply from the Ministry of State Affairs stated that it would send someone to investigate the situation of the Demon Tree, and also mentioned that a disciple of the Taoist Academy had encountered a large group of four-eyed Yin Bats. Since Ying Chan was the closest to them, he was tasked with dealing with the situation.

"Four-eyed Yin Bat?"

Ying Chan frowned slightly.

If his memory serves him correctly, this four-eyed yin bat should be a strange beast that lives only in places with extremely heavy yin energy and is very rare.

However, given a suitable environment, large flocks of four-eyed shadow bats often breed.

Moreover, the four-eyed yin bat is ferocious by nature, feeds on blood, hunts in groups without restraint, and is very similar in harm to the monsters that go out of control due to the Emperor's nectar.

If such ferocious beasts appear near the academy, the Department of State Affairs usually issues a list and instructs the disciples of the academy to go and eliminate them.

Perhaps that's why the State Council assigned him to handle it?

Ying Chan nodded thoughtfully, put away the jade talisman, and said to the crane beneath him, "Crane Lord, the situation has changed. Please head southeast first."

"Within a hundred or two hundred li, we should be able to see the signals of our fellow students in the academy."

He Jun responded, flapped his wings, and flew into the clouds, while Ying Chan occasionally glanced around in all directions.

Sure enough, a short while later, a streak of firelight could be seen drifting in the air diagonally in front of them.

Without needing to say more, Crane Lord flew closer to the flame.

He glanced into the firelight and saw a talisman that was half-burnt. He immediately cast a spell and pointed at the flames, saying, "Take this."

He channeled a wisp of magical power into the talismanic fire using a specific method. The talismanic fire flickered slightly and immediately descended, slowly drifting towards the mountains. This was the talismanic technique used by Daoist disciples to seek help from their fellow disciples; after releasing the talisman, it transformed into a ball of talismanic fire that floated in the air.

If fellow students from the Taoist academy encounter it, they can use a specific method to guide it back the way it came.

Seeing that the method was effective, Ying Chan nodded slightly and asked Crane Lord to follow the talisman fire.

……

at this time.

The three people were taking a rest in the mountains: an old man, a young man, and a young girl.

The old man, dressed in a Taoist robe, with a gaunt face, was none other than Huang Hesheng. The young woman, wearing a long dress and with bright almond-shaped eyes, was naturally Li Jingqiu.

As for the other young Taoist priest, he was also a fellow student at the Taoist academy.

The three of them received the imperial decree together and have been patrolling the mountains for several days. They even worked together to subdue an out-of-control bear spirit, and naturally became acquainted with each other.

At that moment, the young Taoist priest was clutching his shoulder, his brows furrowed slightly: "I didn't expect to encounter the Four-Eyed Yin Bat. I was even injured by carelessness. It seems I can only return to the courtyard to recuperate."

"We were able to escape from that swarm of Yin Bats thanks to Fellow Daoist Wang."

Huang Hesheng said from the side, "Fortunately, we have also made good progress these past few days. Not only did we subdue that bear demon and receive the Daoist merit reward from the academy, but we also collected a lot of medicinal herbs."

"Once we return to the academy, we will exchange all the medicinal herbs for the pill shop and ask for another elixir to heal you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Daoren simply smiled and said, "It's just a minor injury. At most, it'll be a bit troublesome to remove the yin energy, but it won't require any special elixirs."

As the two were talking, Li Jingqiu rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly at the sky. Suddenly, she saw the talisman fire fluttering back and forth, and her eyes lit up.

"Fu Huo is back!"

In fact, she didn't need to remind them; Wang Daoren and Huang Hesheng had already noticed it. They both looked up at the sky and saw a tall crane spreading its wings and landing behind the talisman fire.

On the back of the crane sat a young Taoist priest, his hair styled in a simple bun, his demeanor elegant and refined, quite otherworldly.

Wang Daoren perked up and said, "It's my senior brother from the Daoist academy."

He guessed that those who could receive the imperial edict from the Ministry of State Affairs were disciples who had studied the Dao for a long time and had profound cultivation, so it was perfectly appropriate to call them senior brothers.

But turning his head, he saw Huang Hesheng twisting his short beard with one hand, looking astonished and speechless.

"Ah!" Li Jingqiu's eyes lit up, and she stood up, beckoning and calling out, "Brother Ying!"

"Oh?" Wang Daoren asked in surprise, "Junior Sister Li, do you know this senior brother?"

“I know him,” Li Jingqiu said. “Brother Ying, Brother Huang, and I can be considered to be from the same class.”

"Huh?" Wang Daoren glanced at Huang Hesheng, then at Ying Chan who had arrived on a crane, and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Ying Chan was unaware of what the others were saying and thinking. Taking advantage of the crane's landing in the mountains, he felt somewhat superior and lightly leaped down to the ground.

"Brother Dao!" Upon seeing this, Li Jingqiu immediately came forward, excitedly saying, "I didn't expect it would be you!"

"Fellow Daoist Li."

Ying Chan nodded and said, "I just received a message from the Capital Affairs Bureau, instructing me to deal with the Four-Eyed Shadow Bat."

"But you encountered this thing?"

"Exactly, exactly."

As Li Jingqiu was responding, Wang Daoren, having heard Ying Chan's words, had dispelled some of his doubts and stepped forward to bow, saying, "Greetings, Senior Brother."

"The matter of the four-eyed shadowy bat was reported to the State Council by us."

(End of this chapter)