This celestial master cultivates both physical and magical arts; why did you provoke him?

Xia En hung up the phone, put it back in his pocket, and quickened his pace.

After walking a few steps, he stopped again.

He stood there for a moment, then suddenly turned around and looked back in the direction he had come from.

The night was thick, the mountain road was dark, and nothing could be seen.

"We've been following you all this way," Shane said. "Come out."

no respond.

"Do I really have to pay?"

Still nothing.

Xia En sighed, bent down to pick up a stone, and casually tossed it behind him.

The stone traced an arc and struck the trunk of a pine tree with pinpoint accuracy.

"Ouch!"

A dark shadow rolled out from behind the tree, did two somersaults on the ground, got up and tried to run away.

With a single step, Xia En covered the three-meter distance as if it had been shrunk to an inch, instantly reaching the shadow and grabbing it by the back of the neck.

"Why are you running?"

The shadow struggled desperately, only to find itself being held by that hand like a chick, its feet off the ground and thrashing about for a long time, but it couldn't break free.

"Let go of me!"

Xia En turned him around and looked him over in the moonlight.

He was a young man in his early twenties, dressed all in black, as thin as a stick, with delicate features, but his eyes were shifty and he didn't look like a good person at all.

"Are you here to raid tombs too?"

"No! I didn't!" the young man vehemently denied. "I was just passing by! Just passing by!"

"Just passing by?" Xia En laughed. "Passing by a mass grave in the middle of the night?"

"I...I go for a night run!"

"Would you like to go for a night run to a mass grave?"

"I love excitement!"

Xia En stared at him for three seconds, then suddenly let go.

The young man fell to the ground with a "thud".

"Alright, then keep running." Xia En clapped his hands, turned around and left.

The young man was stunned, not expecting the other party to let him go so easily. He got up, looked at Xia En's retreating figure, hesitated for two seconds, and suddenly spoke:

"Hello!"

Xia En didn't stop.

"Hey! Aren't you going to ask me who I am?"

"I don't want to ask."

"Why?!"

"Who are you? What business is it of mine?"

The young man choked.

He stood there, watching the figure walk further and further away, stamping his feet in frustration. Finally, he gritted his teeth and chased after it.

"Wait for me!"

Without turning his head, Xia En asked, "Why are you following me?"

"I..." the young man caught up with him, panting, "My name is Fang Zijian! Fang as in square and round, Zi as in son, Jian as in healthy! I'm an intern reporter!"

"oh."

Aren't you going to ask me why I'm following you?

"I don't want to ask."

"you……"

Fang Zijian took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down:

"I saw it all! You were dealing with that female ghost! And those three tomb raiders! You're from the Celestial Master's Mansion, right? You know magic, don't you?"

Xia En finally turned her head to look at him: "You followed me just to ask this?"

"I'm a reporter!"

Fang Zijian puffed out his chest. "I specialize in investigating paranormal events! I heard there's something real around Longhu Mountain, so I've been staking out here for half a month, and today I finally stumbled upon it!"

Xia En didn't say anything and continued walking forward.

Fang Zijian followed closely behind: "Do you take on apprentices? I can be your assistant! No salary! Just meals!"

"No, we won't accept it."

Why?

"trouble."

"It's no trouble for me!"

"You're troublesome enough as long as you're with me."

Fang Zijian grew anxious and quickly stepped in front of Xia En, blocking her way: "Just let me follow you! I want to see with my own eyes how you catch ghosts! I promise I won't cause any trouble!"

Xia En stopped and looked at him.

Under the moonlight, the young man's eyes were filled with determination and longing, completely different from the tomb raiders from before.

"You really want to go with me?"

"think!"

"OK."

Fang Zijian's eyes lit up: "Really?!"

"Really." Shane nodded, pointing ahead. "See that road?"

Fang Zijian looked in the direction he was pointing—it was a road leading down the mountain to the town at the foot of Longhu Mountain.

"Keep walking along this road until tomorrow morning, then go to the Celestial Master's Mansion. Register at the entrance, pay the incense fee, and buy a ticket for your visit."

Xia En withdrew his hand. "Look however you want, for as long as you want."

After saying that, she walked past him and continued walking forward.

Fang Zijian stood there stunned for a moment before he reacted: "I don't want to tour! I want to follow you!"

"Following me won't do you any good."

Xia En's voice came from the front, "Our Celestial Master's Mansion does not accept intern reporters."

"Then what do you collect?"

"Taking on apprentices."

"Then I'll become your apprentice!"

"There is an exam required to become an apprentice."

"What kind of test?!"

"Let's get into a university first."

Fang Zijian: "..."

What the hell are these conditions? Are they looking down on college graduates?!

By the time he came to his senses, Xia En was already far away.

Fang Zijian stood there, watching the figure disappear into the night, and suddenly smiled.

"interesting."

He took out his phone, opened the notes app, and typed quickly:

"Longhu Mountain, Celestial Master's Mansion, Xia En. Suspected to be genuine. Will keep watching tomorrow."

After finishing the call, he put his phone back in his pocket and turned to walk down the mountain.

After taking a few steps, he stopped and looked back.

The night was deep and the mountains and forests were silent.

The three tomb raiders had disappeared without a trace, and even the bespectacled man who had fainted was nowhere to be found.

Only the cold moonlight shone on that mountain path.

Fang Zijian shrank his neck, suddenly regretting that he hadn't stayed close to that person earlier.

He quickened his pace and ran down the mountain in a flash.

This spell's wind-up animation is way too long!!

When Xia En returned to the Celestial Master's Mansion, it was almost four o'clock.

The mountain gate had long been closed, so he didn't go through the main gate. Instead, he went around to the east wall, which was more than two meters high, and he jumped over it as easily as if it were flat ground. He landed without making a sound.

The disciple on night duty happened to pass by and paused for a moment upon seeing him:

"Senior Brother Xia? What's wrong...?"

"Shh——!!"

Xia En put a finger to his lips. "Don't make a sound. Is Master looking for me?"

"Yes, in the rear hall..."

"understood."

Xia En waved his hand, passed through the moon gate, and walked into the inner courtyard.