From Paper Craftsman to World-Suppressing Immortal

"Spring melts into the red buds, and the fragrance of flowers welcomes guests in broad daylight."

"The cold shrine is locked at night; do not linger at midnight."

Standing at the entrance of the Flower Goddess Temple, Zhang Zhixuan looked at the couplet on the door and subconsciously read it once. He felt that there was something strange about the couplet.

The first line describes welcoming guests during the day, while the second line says not to enter at midnight.

The fact that the deity welcomes guests during the day is self-evident, but the phrase "do not enter at midnight" is quite intriguing. Is it an admonition for worshippers not to disturb the deity's peaceful meditation at night?

"Who would go to a temple to pray to gods so late at night? They're crazy," Zhang Zhixuan complained. He stood at the entrance without going in, only casually glancing into the Flower Goddess Shrine.

Inside the shrine, incense and candles swirl around. On the central altar stands a statue of a goddess, taller than a person, with kind eyes and a face veiled in a light gauze. Layers of peonies are embroidered on the skirt of the goddess statue, making her look dignified and peaceful.

Fresh fruits and pastries were laid out on the offering table in front of the goddess statue, and incense sticks burned in the incense burner, with wisps of smoke rising, making it look no different from an ordinary ancestral temple.

But what caught Zhang Zhixuan's attention was that there were several bunches of peonies in full bloom on the offering table.

"Is it peony season now? I thought it was usually from March to May each year..."

"How strange, how strange, could they be fake flowers?" Zhang Zhixuan murmured to himself, just about to go in and take a closer look.

Suddenly, a sharp eagle cry came from overhead. Zhang Zhixuan looked up in the direction of the sound and saw a gray gyrfalcon swooping down and landing not far behind him.

Zhang Zhixuan looked closely and saw several figures standing at the bottom of the steps of the Flower Goddess Temple, among which a tall and strong figure stood out the most.

The tall, robust figure's gaze met Zhang Zhixuan's at that moment. The door god-like face grinned, revealing a kind smile. It was Pei Shouzhen, whom he hadn't seen for many days.

"Layman Zhang!"

"Haha! Master Pei!"

Zhang Zhixuan didn't care whether the flowers were real or fake, and quickly went down the stairs to Pei Shouzhen.

"Master Pei! I was worried I'd be delayed on the way and wouldn't know how to find you in this town, but what a coincidence! We've run into each other!"

"Yes, something similar happened to me on the way, and I thought I was late for our appointment."

"By the way, when did you arrive in this town?"

Pei Shouzhen laughed and said, "We've only just arrived."

As the two were talking, three more Taoist priests in robes came over.

Seeing the three approaching, Pei Shouzhen took the opportunity to introduce them to Zhang Zhixuan one by one: "This is my master Ling Xuzi, this is my senior brother Chu Qinghe, and this is my junior brother Yunmo."

The three bowed to Zhang Zhixuan in unison, and Zhang Zhixuan returned the bow to each of them, then looked them over.

Master Lingxuzi was a middle-aged Taoist priest with black hair and beard, wearing a dark blue Taoist robe. Chu Qinghe was a young Taoist priest with thick eyebrows and big eyes standing next to him, carrying a broadsword on his back. The last one was a shy Taoist priest carrying a medicine box, about seventeen or eighteen years old, named Yunmo.

"Master, senior brother, junior brother, this is Zhang Zhixuan, the lay Buddhist I often tell you about. He comprehended his innate spiritual light without a teacher, and two of them can be made into talismans. He has a natural talent for Taoism and his paper-making skills are quite extraordinary."

"The series of disappearances that shocked Tianjin a while ago was solved by Layman Zhang and me together," Pei Shouzhen said, patting Zhang Zhixuan on the shoulder and introducing him to the group with a smile.

"Haha, Layman Zhang, ever since I came to Tianjin, my junior brother has been talking about you from time to time. Today I finally get to meet you in person. I've heard so much about you!" Chu Qinghe laughed heartily and then actually reached out his hand to Zhang Zhixuan.

"Shake hands?" Zhang Zhixuan smiled and extended his right hand to shake hands with Chu Qinghe without thinking too much.

Unexpectedly, Chu Qinghe's seemingly casual handshake was actually quite forceful. Zhang Zhixuan had neglected physical training, so his strength was far inferior. When Chu Qinghe pinched him, Zhang Zhixuan's brows furrowed, and he had no choice but to grit his teeth and force himself not to show any weakness.

Standing to the side, Ling Xuzi immediately saw through his eldest disciple's childish tricks. He raised an eyebrow, grabbed Chu Qinghe's wrist, and scolded, "Qinghe, did you eat too much?"

Chu Qinghe laughed awkwardly after being scolded by his master: "I just had an itch to do it, haha, Layman Zhang, I was being rude."

Sweat beaded on Zhang Zhixuan's forehead as he increasingly felt his physical and strength deficiencies were too significant. After settling matters at Panlong Mountain and returning to Tianjin, he would have to activate the martial arts profession. Otherwise, when the paper puppets were ineffective and the talismans were no longer working, he would be as powerless as a lamb to the slaughter.

"The shortcomings are too obvious," Zhang Zhixuan sighed inwardly.

At this moment, Ling Xuzi was also quietly observing Zhang Zhixuan.

Just now, my eldest disciple's little test showed that Zhang Zhixuan had no foundation in martial arts training at all.

However, the second disciple, Pei Shouzhen, said that Zhang Zhixuan had already comprehended his innate spiritual light and was quite skilled at making paper. But strangely, he couldn't see any special fluctuations of his innate spiritual light in Zhang Zhixuan, and even his blood and strength were slightly weaker than those of ordinary people.

Could it be that he was born with the potential to attain enlightenment, a piece of uncarved jade?

If that's the case, then we really need to pay close attention and not waste such a promising talent.

At this moment, Pei Shouzhen suddenly pointed to the north and said, "Master, Layman Zhang, look, that's Panlong Mountain over there."

Following Pei Shouzhen's pointing finger, Zhang Zhixuan looked in the distance. A majestic mountain stretched across the sky, shrouded in mist. The mountaintop was even more shrouded in clouds, which even the sunlight could not penetrate. The combination of the mountain's rugged shape and the clouds on its summit resembled a giant dragon coiled on the mountain. This was Panlong Mountain.

Master Lingxu looked at the mountain in the distance, his expression becoming solemn: "Let's go, let's find a place to rest first."

Just as the group was about to leave, a group of pilgrims came down from the Flower Goddess Temple, chatting and laughing.

"This goddess of flowers is truly efficacious; whatever you ask for, you get."

"That's right! Last time I prayed to the Goddess of Flowers for a marriage match, and within a few days I got what I wanted!"

"Me too! My mother was bedridden for eight years! I prayed to the Goddess of Flowers to grant my mother health and longevity. When I got home, she actually got out of bed on her own and was cooking for me. Now my mother is almost as healthy as me."

"Now that you mention it, I'm starting to regret it. I regret not praying more to the Goddess of Flowers for more wealth!"

"Haha, you, you..."

Several pilgrims left, chatting and laughing, and Zhang Zhixuan, Pei Shouzhen, Ling Xuzi, and others all heard it clearly.

Zhang Zhixuan looked at the Flower Goddess Shrine and frowned: "There's something strange about this place."

"Open your treasure-hunting eye!"

The moment the treasure-seeing eye opened, the scene of the Flower Goddess Shrine in Zhang Zhixuan's eyes was different this time.

The entire temple was enveloped in a faint purple-gold aura and auspicious golden light. Even the few worshippers who had just visited were now covered in a very faint purple-gold aura. No wonder they had suddenly been blessed with good fortune and their wishes had come true.

"Could this Goddess of Flowers truly be a benevolent deity who cultivates virtue, reaps good rewards, enjoys the offerings of mortals, and protects her believers?"

Just as Zhang Zhixuan was about to put away his treasure-gazing eye, his gaze inadvertently caught a wisp of extremely faint pink demonic energy flashing from the bodies of several worshippers.

"Oh ho, interesting." Zhang Zhixuan chuckled to himself.

"Hehe, what have you figured out, young friend?" Master Lingxu's gentle voice rang out beside Zhang Zhixuan.

"These worshippers..."

Just as Zhang Zhixuan was about to speak, Pei Shouzhen suddenly tugged at his sleeve and gave him a look, signaling him to be quiet.

Zhang Zhixuan immediately understood.

Master Lingxu smiled faintly: "Let's go, find a place to rest and recuperate. We'll be busy tonight."