The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

As the saying goes, "Once bitten by a snake, twice shy." After experiencing the Jurchen massacre of their village, the two men were both unusually sensitive to any sudden noises.

Upon hearing footsteps, Lin Qingyan immediately took a step back and looked up at Wang Zhenhuan. Wang Zhenhuan stepped forward, stood in front of Lin Qingyan, and instinctively reached out to shield her behind him.

"Come on, let's go hide in the temple right away. Don't come out unless I tell you to. Go now!"

Wang Zhenhuan whispered to the girl, and Lin Qingyan looked up at him but didn't say anything. She simply turned and walked into the temple. Wang Zhenhuan remained standing at the entrance.

His hands were behind his back, gripping the dagger he had found at the Lin family's house, his eyes fixed on the doorway. He frowned, and sweat was already beading on his forehead.

The footsteps were initially very soft, barely audible in the quiet night. As the footsteps grew louder, they began to be accompanied by the sound of footsteps rubbing against the roadside weeds.

Wang Huanzhen stood at the entrance of the main hall, his mind tormented. He had no time to ponder why the Jurchens were here. Only one thought occupied his mind.

That means either this golden man dies, or he dies. He won't leave Lin Qingyan alone like last time, even though he's just a teenager now.

However, the sudden attack did not mean there was no chance of victory. Moreover, it was nighttime, and although a crescent moon hung in the sky, its light was obscured by dark clouds, and visibility was only about ten feet.

Just as Wang Zhenhuan was struggling with his inner turmoil and feeling uneasy, the footsteps suddenly stopped at the entrance of the dilapidated temple. He was startled, wondering if the golden man had discovered him?

Just then, the person outside the door suddenly spoke. Wang Zhenhuan heard it clearly from inside the courtyard. The person said, "Boundless blessings! There is actually an old temple here. It is truly the blessing of the ancestral master!"

Hearing this, Wang Zhenhuan breathed a sigh of relief. No matter who it was, as long as it wasn't a Jurchen, that was fine. Thinking this, he greeted the person outside the door.

"May I ask who is outside? It's getting late. If you don't mind, you can come in and stay for the night. We just got here ourselves."

Wang Zhenhuan's words had two meanings. The first was to let the other party know that they were also Han Chinese, to avoid any misunderstandings upon meeting. After all, someone who dared to travel alone at night must have some martial arts skills.

Another meaning is to let the other person know that he is not the only one in the temple, and that they have just arrived, which is why they haven't lit a fire. They hope the other person won't misunderstand and become suspicious.

This implies a willingness to be frank, but also carries a sense of feigned composure. After all, neither side knows the other's true strength, and his willingness to be the first to disclose his side's situation suggests he must have some confidence.

Whether this was just bluffing or genuine confidence, only he himself knew. The person outside the door, upon hearing his words, paused for a moment in surprise.

Seemingly surprised to find someone inside this dilapidated temple in the middle of nowhere, and without even a fire lit. However, after hearing Wang Zhenhuan's words, the person outside immediately softened and walked straight towards the temple gate.

Hearing footsteps, Wang Zhenhuan felt a little nervous, but his face remained expressionless. As the person approached, he looked closely and saw that it was a young Taoist priest dressed in a Taoist robe.

This young Taoist priest, dressed in a dark blue robe, was not old, perhaps around twenty years old. His hair was tied in a topknot, his face was ruddy and beardless, he held a long sword in his hand, and carried a white bundle on his back.

Hearing the noise, Lin Qingyan came out of the hall. Wang Zhenhuan turned around and glared at her, and Lin Qingyan stuck out her tongue.

The Taoist priest stepped forward and said to the two men, "Gentlemen, it is getting late. Would you allow me to rest here for a moment?"

Wang Huanzhen was immediately impressed by the Taoist priest's polite demeanor. He pulled Lin Qingyan aside, extended his hand towards the main hall, and said, "My sister and I are just passing through. Please come in, Taoist priest!"

Wang Zhenhuan knew very little about Taoist priests, and his impression of them was limited to fortune-telling and divination. In his previous life, most people believed in Buddhism, so he had virtually no contact with Taoist priests.

However, given the current situation, he welcomes anyone who comes, whether a Taoist priest or a Buddhist monk, as long as they are not Jurchens from the south. Moreover, he's heard that Taoist priests are skilled at catching ghosts.

Staying in this temple tonight, he didn't need to worry about anything unclean coming his way. Therefore, he genuinely welcomed the Taoist priest. The Taoist priest seemed to sense Wang Zhenhuan's enthusiasm as well.

He smiled, nodded to Wang Huanzhen, and then followed the two into the main hall. After entering the room, he found a pillar, put down his bundle and longsword, and then clasped his hands in greeting to the two men.

"You two virtuous gentlemen, I, Lingyinzi, bow in reverence!"

By the moonlight, Wang Huanzhen noticed that the young Taoist's fist-clasping posture was different from what he remembered. In his memory, the fist-clasping posture always involved the right hand clenched into a fist, with the left hand extended and placed above.

When this Taoist priest cupped his hands, his right hand grasped his left thumb, and his left hand completely enveloped his right hand. Although the whole movement looked somewhat strange, it had an inexplicable sense of harmony.

Wang Zhenhuan returned the greeting with clasped hands and said to the Taoist priest, "Please sit down, Taoist priest. I'll go chop up this table and start a fire. It's autumn now, and the nights are getting a bit chilly."

"No rush, no rush. Young sir, though the temple is dilapidated, the offering table must not be abandoned. Please wait a moment while I go out to fetch some firewood." The young Taoist named Lingyinzi said, then picked up his long sword and went out.

"I didn't expect this Taoist priest to be so particular. In my impression, Taoist priests should all be old scholars with long beards," Wang Zhenhuan said to Lin Qingyan, watching the young Taoist priest's back.

"Nonsense. Before that Taoist temple on the mountain in the village was abandoned, I heard that an old Taoist priest lived there. That old Taoist priest was famous in the village for his fortune telling, exorcism, and feng shui." Lin Qingyan rolled her eyes at him and retorted.

"Let's prepare some dry food. Since that Taoist priest went out to gather firewood, we can't just leave without showing our appreciation. We're all traveling together, so we should take care of each other," Wang Zhenhuan said to Lin Qingyan.

Just as the two were talking, the young Taoist priest came in carrying a bundle of firewood. Judging from the broken ends of the firewood, it must have been freshly split. After the fire was lit, Lin Qingyan handed a piece of the warmed dry rations to the young Taoist priest.

After thanking him, the Taoist priest did not refuse and took the dry rations, eating them in small bites. Seeing that he was having difficulty eating, Wang Zhenhuan went to his side and handed him the water jug.

The Taoist took the water jug, but didn't touch it to his lips. He drank a few mouthfuls from a distance before handing the jug to Wang Huanzhen. He then stood up again, bowed, and thanked the two of them.

"May you be blessed with boundless happiness. Thank you both for your kindness. I have other matters to attend to and will not stay any longer."