Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

The next morning.

As dawn broke, dew still clung to the stone slabs in the courtyard.

Cheng Mo and Xia He stood in the center of the courtyard, their feet apart, their hands loosely clasped in front of their abdomens.

Pink mist emanated from the two of them and slowly spread throughout the courtyard.

Liu Hongzhong stood in the misty air, following the movements of the two men, practicing each move one by one.

These days his movements are much smoother than a few days ago, his coordination has improved significantly, and his complexion is no longer sickly pale, but has a faint rosy hue.

As usual, a crowd of people surrounded the courtyard.

There were extraordinary people and ordinary people, gathered in twos and threes, swaying and twisting in accordance with Cheng Mo's movements.

The movements looked uncoordinated, and some people were particularly strange, as if their limbs were not fully developed and did not follow commands well—their arms were bent when they should be straight, their legs were stiff when they should bend, and their necks were stiff when they should turn.

After completing a set of Eight Pieces of Brocade exercises, Cheng Mo and Xia He finished their practice, slowly lowering their hands and pressing their palms down in front of their abdomens.

The pink mist contracted as they moved, dissipating layer by layer from the edge of the courtyard, and finally returning to Xia He's body.

Liu Hongzhong opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

Cheng Mo looked at him and said, "You don't need to train with us anymore."

Liu Hongzhong was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Brother Cheng, thank you, Sister Xia He."

These days he practices kung fu every day, and he knows best the changes in his body. Now he can walk from his residence to the village entrance in one breath and back without feeling tired. He used to wake up several times at night, but now he can sleep through the night.

"elder brother!"

Liu Wu Kui skipped and hopped into the yard, his hair tied in two little pigtails, wearing a pink tracksuit, looking like a cheerful little rabbit.

These days, the already lively little girl has become even more lively, and the smile on her face has never left her.

Cheng Mo gave a suggestion: "When you practice in the future, you can bring Wu Kui along. He is a benign variant of the Child of Fate, which can enhance your cultivation. If Wu Kui practices with you, you might be able to discover a new path."

Liu Hongzhong was somewhat excited: "Okay, thank you very much, Brother Cheng."

Liu Wu Kui looked up at Cheng Mo: "Brother Cheng, can we go back now?"

Cheng Mo waved his hand: "You decide for yourselves."

Liu Wu Kui turned to Liu Hong Zhong: "Brother, let's go ask the leader. If he has nothing else to say, we'll go back."

Liu Hongzhong patted her hand: "Hmm, let's see what the leader has to say."

Cheng Mo listened with some emotion.

It seems that Old Ma is quite prestigious in the eyes of these respectable people. That makes sense; given his temperament, any normal person would respect him.

Sincere, open-minded, and with ideals and aspirations, such people are indeed rare in the world of supernatural beings.

Liu Wu Kui and his sister walked hand in hand toward the Xiu Shen Tang.

The door to the meditation hall was open, and it was quiet inside. The meditation furnace stood quietly in the center, and the pipes and gears gleamed with a metallic luster in the morning light.

Liu Wu Kui called out twice, "Master? Master?"

No one answered.

The brother and sister walked around the meditation hall and then went to the next room to look, but still no one was there.

Liu Wu Kui scratched his head: "Is the cult leader not here?"

Liu Hongzhong said, "Let's go back first and have some food."

"Um."

I ran into Qiu Rang when I came out.

Qiu Rang, carrying a teacup, was walking this way from his residence. Seeing the brother and sister, he greeted them with a smile: "Wu Kui, Hong Zhong, you've come so early?"

Liu Wu Kui asked, "Brother Qiu, where is the cult leader?"

Qiu Rang was taken aback: "Isn't the sect leader in the Cultivation Hall?"

Liu Hongzhong shook his head: "It's not here. We've searched everywhere, but we can't find it."

Qiu Rang frowned, picked up his teacup, and walked into the Xiu Shen Hall. He looked around inside and out and found that there was no one there.

He scratched his head: "The cult leader is usually here, he probably went out on something."

Liu Wu Kui said "Oh," and then said, "Let's go back first and talk about it when the leader returns."

Qiu Rang nodded: "Okay, I'll have someone tell you when he's back."

Liu Wu-kui and his sister returned to their residence.

Qiu Rang didn't take it seriously. He sat in the Cultivation Hall for a while, drank a cup of tea, and then went to the materials warehouse to move some refined steel and purple copper, and began to forge weapons.

He has recently been researching a new magical artifact that integrates defense and attack into the same vessel. When using it, there is no need to switch between them; one can switch them with a thought.

This is a great idea, but it's difficult to put into practice.

Qiu Rang spent two hours refining the material, wasting three pieces. The best product he could make could only switch within half a second of a thought. Half a second was enough time to die several times in actual combat.

"Damn it!"

Qiu Rang cursed, swept the debris aside, and decided to give up and go into the house to find something.

He pushed open Ma Xianhong's door. The room was very tidy, and the quilt was folded neatly.

Qiu Rang was stunned when he saw the few things on the bedside table.

These are all protective magical artifacts that Ma Xianhong never takes off.

Qiu Rang's expression changed drastically. He turned around and rushed out of the room, running around the village and gathering Ding Ziheng, Grandpa Bi, and several other trusted senior talents.

"The sect leader is missing." Qiu Rang stood at the entrance of the cultivation hall, his face ashen. "He didn't take any of his magical artifacts; they were all left on the bedside table."

"The sect leader is missing." Qiu Rang stood at the entrance of the cultivation hall, his face ashen. "He didn't take any of his magical artifacts; they were all left on the bedside table."

One of the most gifted individuals said, "Sometimes the leader goes out for a walk alone and comes back in a day or two."

Qiu Rang shook his head: "Impossible. The sect leader would at least tell me before he goes out. Even if he doesn't tell me, he would tell others."

He looked at the others: "Has anyone received a message from the cult leader?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Ding Ziheng frowned: "Could it be that they went out suddenly and left in a hurry without having time to inform us?"

Qiu Rang shook his head: "Impossible, those magical artifacts are always with him, they have never left his side."

"Have you tried contacting them using a communication device?" Grandpa Bi asked.

Qiu Rang nodded: "I've tried contacting them, but no one answered."

The several top students looked at each other in bewilderment.

Grandpa Bi thought for a moment: "Let's find people first, split up and search inside and outside the village."

The group split up and took action separately.

Qiu Rang and Ding Ziheng went to Cheng Mo's courtyard.

Cheng Mo was sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, basking in the sun, while Xia He was peeling oranges beside him, leaving orange peels scattered all over the ground.

Seeing the two enter, Cheng Mo sat up straight: "Oh, you two don't look too good. What's wrong?"

Qiu Rang: "Brother Cheng, the leader has disappeared."

Cheng Mo looked puzzled: "Isn't it normal for Lao Ma to disappear for ten days or half a month?"

"That's impossible!" Qiu Rang exclaimed anxiously. "Even if the sect leader goes out, he would at least tell me. He never leaves without saying goodbye."

Cheng Mo thought for a moment: "Is it possible that he didn't want to talk to you this time, but instead told someone else?"

Qiu Rang shook his head: "That's impossible. I asked other people, and none of them received any messages. Moreover, the communication device given to the sect leader didn't respond either."

Cheng Mo frowned: "That's definitely not right."

Qiu Rang pressed further, "Brother Cheng, do you have any leads?"

Cheng Mo thought for a moment, then hesitated, "This..."

Qiu Rang stamped his foot in frustration: "Hey, Brother Cheng, stop keeping me in suspense, just say what's on your mind."

Ding Ziheng chimed in from the side, "That's right, that's right."

Cheng Mo looked around to make sure no one was approaching, then lowered his voice and said to Qiu Rang, "Could it be that Old Ma has discovered something is wrong? Is he deliberately keeping it from you so he can observe the situation in secret?"

Qiu Rang and Ding Ziheng exchanged a glance, not quite understanding: "What's wrong?"

Cheng Mo heard a faint sound.

There was a person at the corner of the village road.

The man hid behind the wall, his breathing quickening and his heart racing. He then left quickly, his footsteps hurried, making a soft clattering sound on the stone pavement.

Cheng Mo chuckled inwardly, but kept a straight face, and continued, "I'm just guessing, okay? With so many more people in Biyou Village now, is it possible that some of them have ulterior motives, or other plans?"