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

Nothing happened that night. When Wang Zhen woke up the next day, he opened the door and saw that the snow had been falling all night. This was the first snow of winter, and it seemed to have come a little earlier than usual.

Ever since Wang Zhenhuan could remember, he had always believed that he did not belong to this world. It was only after talking with Daoist Luo Puzi that he learned about the concept of spiritual light.

From then on, he was always curious about his origins. If he didn't belong to this world, why were his memories of his past life so vague, and why couldn't he even remember the people and events from his previous life?

But if he was originally from this world, then why does he have no memories of his childhood? He only remembers being adopted by a Taoist priest, and now he can't even recall what the priest looked like.

The chaotic memories gave him a feeling of being in a dream. Like the falling snow, silent yet affecting the entire world. Therefore, Wang Zhenhuan highly suspected that his memories had been tampered with.

He didn't even have a vague idea of ​​his own age. He couldn't remember exactly how old he was. These things had been buried deep in his heart until he saw the falling snow today, and only then did he bring them back to mind.

Just then, Ao Shuang also came out of the house. Wang Zhenhuan greeted him with a smile, and judging from his complexion, he looked much better than yesterday. Yesterday, his face was deathly pale, without a trace of blood.

That Daoist Chong and Zi never returned after they left. The medicine was still prepared and delivered by Master Lu, who said that some kind of monster had apparently been discovered outside the town.

Master Chonghezi and his master went to investigate. Therefore, Wang Zhenhuan and the others never had the chance to meet this old friend Master Chonghezi spoke of, and naturally, they were unable to express their gratitude.

However, Wang Zhen could understand this. In this turbulent time, evil spirits were rampant. The fact that this local official, a mere mortal, could brave the heavy snow to go outside the town and cooperate with Daoist Chong Hezi to subdue the demons showed that he was no ordinary person.

After washing up with Ao Shuang, they declined the servants' invitation to dinner. The two then went to the same room from yesterday, where Xiao Liu Zi and Ling Zhi Zi were still lying unconscious on the bed.

However, his complexion was much better than yesterday. Xiao Liu's face had started to regain its rosy hue, and he would probably be fully awake today. Although his injuries weren't serious, he was, after all, just a mortal.

Although Ling Zhizi's face was still pale, her pulse gradually stabilized. It seems that Daoist Chong Hezi was being modest yesterday; he was not merely dabbling in medicine, but clearly an expert in the field.

After confirming the two's condition, Wang Zhen felt much more at ease. He then went with Ao Shuang, led by servants, to have breakfast. Xia Yi Town was small, with only one county magistrate.

There weren't many servants in the mansion, just one cook, one tidyer, and Master Lu. Although he was called Master Lu, he actually did a job similar to a steward.

This shows just how incorruptible this county magistrate was. In these chaotic times, officials who are wealthy may not necessarily be incompetent and greedy, but incorruptible officials certainly are not like that.

This can be seen from the people of Xiayi. Although the area near the Huai River was haunted at the time, the town's main streets were not deserted. People were still coming and going.

This shows that the people feel safe, even though the town is haunted. They believe that the county magistrate can handle the matter well, and this trust cannot be built up in a short time.

As the saying goes, "Only a long road tests a horse's strength, and time reveals a person's true character," and this is exactly the point. Only through year after year, day after day, and by genuinely serving the people, can such results be achieved.

Therefore, Wang Zhenhuan was even more curious about this county magistrate. You see, the county magistrate was the lowest-ranking official in the Song Dynasty. Below him was the village head, which wasn't considered an official position, at most a village chief or something similar.

A mere county magistrate, in this chaotic world, managed to govern the county with remarkable efficiency. No one would believe he was just an ordinary official. After all, not just anyone could be a close friend of Daoist Chong Hezi.

After the meal, Wang Zhenhuan and Ao Shuang discussed it and decided to go outside the town to find Daoist Chong Hezi and the others. After all, they were currently eating and staying at their home, and it was only right and proper for them to go and thank them in person.

The two men told their idea to the clerk named Lu Zhaohua, who immediately nodded in agreement and gave a few instructions to two servants in the mansion. Then, he led Wang Zhenhuan and Ao Shuang out of town.

Although it snowed last night, the townspeople did not stay cooped up in their homes. There were still many pedestrians on the streets, and the shops on both sides of the street were open for business. It seems that the events of the past few days have not had much impact on the townspeople.

Wang Zhenhuan, filled with curiosity, couldn't help but ask the clerk, "Clerk Lu, from what I've observed, the people in the town seem to be living quite peacefully. Although so many things have happened these past few days, it doesn't seem to have had a significant impact?"

"In reply to the young Taoist priest, that's for sure. My master has lived here for nearly ten years, and almost everyone in the neighborhood knows him, so there's no need to panic."

When Master Lu spoke of his master, a genuine sense of pride shone on his face. Even his tone of voice carried a self-assured confidence. Wang Zhenhuan nodded, then continued to press for more information.

"Then may I ask, sir, what kind of person do you think your master is?"

After thinking for a moment, the clerk replied, "I think you are a good official, a truly good official who cares about the people. Take the severe drought a few years ago, for example."

"If it weren't for my master opening the granaries and distributing grain, countless people in this town would have died. The people of the town are all grateful to my master, so they often send things to your residence."

As the clerk spoke, he greeted the surrounding vendors familiarly. The vendors readily obliged, some even offering him food, which the clerk waved away and refused.

These details show that the clerk was not lying. The people's actions stemmed from their heartfelt love and respect, and as the county magistrate's only clerk, Lu Zhaohua's status naturally rose accordingly.

After leaving the town, there were significantly fewer pedestrians on the road. Naturally, the group walked much faster, and after about half an hour, they arrived at the familiar hilltop.

This mountain was none other than the one where Puji Temple was located. Seeing that Master Lu was leading him up the mountain without hesitation, Wang Zhenhuan was puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "Master, what exactly happened? I remember this road leads to Puji Temple, right?"

"Yes, the young Taoist priest is right. Something happened at Puji Temple. I heard that a strange creature resembling a puppy was found in the temple and knocked over the Buddha statue in the main hall!"