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

Longhu Mountain, Celestial Master's Mansion.

The Celestial Master's Mansion occupies a considerable area, with a front hall, a rear hall, and east and west wings, comprising dozens of rooms of various sizes.

He walked through two courtyards and finally stopped in front of a brightly lit side room.

"Master?"

"Come in."

Xia En pushed open the door and went in.

The room was simply furnished with a table, a few chairs, and a painting of the Three Pure Ones hanging on the wall.

An elderly man, around sixty years old, with gray hair, was sitting at the table, drinking tea from a teacup. He was wearing a gray Taoist robe.

He is Zhang Jingxuan, the contemporary Celestial Master.

"Master."

"Hmm." Zhang Jingxuan put down her teacup, pointed to the chair opposite her, and said, "Sit."

Xia En sat down.

Zhang Jingxuan looked at him and suddenly frowned: "Why do you smell of smoke?"

"I went to deal with some tomb raiders down the mountain."

"Disposed of with smoke?"

"No, I smoked it myself."

Zhang Jingxuan: "..."

The old man paused for two seconds, then decided to ignore the question: "How are those tomb raiders doing?"

"Release them, let them come and repair the grave tomorrow."

"Didn't they do anything?"

"No one did it."

Zhang Jingxuan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

His little apprentice usually seems lazy and doesn't care about anything, but when it comes to actually doing something, he never wastes words.

How did you manage to refrain from hitting someone today?

"Changed gender?"

"no."

Xia En said, "Those three guys were too cowardly, it was no fun."

Zhang Jingxuan: "..."

Okay, still the same old you.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore."

Zhang Jingxuan picked up a piece of paper from the table and handed it to Xia En, "Take a look at this."

Xia En took it.

It was an invitation letter, with a red background and gold lettering, bearing the words "Jiangzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Association".

"Jiangzhou?"

"Yes," Zhang Jingxuan said, "Something happened over there, and they asked us to send someone to check it out."

Xia En looked down.

The invitation was written in a very official style, with phrases like "to promote traditional culture" and "to facilitate exchanges of intangible cultural heritage," but the last paragraph caught my attention:

"Recently, several cases of people going missing without explanation have occurred in Jiangzhou City. The police investigation has yielded no results, and local residents are speculating that it is related to paranormal events. Therefore, we have requested the Tianshi Mansion to send personnel to assist in the investigation."

"A missing person case?"

Xia En looked up. "Master, is this under our jurisdiction?"

"No matter what."

Zhang Jingxuan said, "But we have people in Jiangzhou who sent back news that this matter is indeed a bit strange."

"What's strange about it?"

"The missing people all disappeared at night, and the surveillance cameras didn't capture anything unusual; it was as if they vanished into thin air."

Zhang Jingxuan paused for a moment, then added, "Moreover, the locations where they disappeared are all in the same area: the old city of Jiangzhou, which used to be a mass burial ground."

Xia En put down the invitation: "So you want me to go?"

What do you think?

"Can I not go?"

"cannot."

Why?

"Because you are the youngest."

Zhang Jingxuan picked up her teacup. "Your senior brothers are all busy, only you are free."

Xia En: "..."

Why does this sound so familiar?

"When are you going?"

"tomorrow."

"So urgent?"

"They're pushing us hard over there."

Zhang Jingxuan said, "You should leave first thing tomorrow morning and arrive in the afternoon. Once you arrive, find a place to stay, and someone will contact you tonight."

Xia En nodded, folded the invitation, and put it in his pocket.

"By the way," Zhang Jingxuan called out to him again, "be more discreet this time."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..."

The old master carefully considered his words, "Your fighting style is sometimes too... direct. Jiangzhou is full of ordinary people, don't scare them."

Xia En thought for a moment and asked, "Can I use lightning magic?"

"It can be used."

"Can you use your strength?"

"..."

Zhang Jingxuan took a deep breath: "It can be used, but try not to go too far."

What do you mean by "too exaggerated"?

"Like punching through a wall."

"What if you encounter a powerful opponent, and you can't defeat them without breaking through the wall?"

Zhang Jingxuan fell silent.

He suddenly realized that sending this young apprentice to Jiangzhou might have been a mistake.

"Alright, alright," the old master waved his hand, "You handle it yourself, just don't cause trouble."

"Okay."

Xia En stood up, about to leave, when he remembered something:

"By the way, Master, there was an intern reporter squatting at the foot of the mountain just now, saying he wanted to investigate paranormal events."

Zhang Jingxuan frowned: "A reporter?"

"Yes, his name is Fang Zijian, he's in his early twenties, and he's as skinny as a stick."

How did you know?

"He followed me up the mountain, but I chased him away."

Zhang Jingxuan was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "You didn't do anything to him, did you?"

"No, he just needs to come tomorrow to buy tickets and visit."

Zhang Jingxuan: "..."

The old man rubbed his temples: "Alright, I understand. Tell someone to keep an eye on things tomorrow. You can go now."

Xia En nodded, turned and went out.

He reached the door, then turned back and said, "Master."

"Um?"

What time am I leaving tomorrow?

"The sooner the better."

"I'm going to sleep now."

Zhang Jingxuan waved her hand.

After the door closed, the old master sat in place, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"That kid..." he muttered to himself, "It looks like things are about to get interesting in Jiangzhou."

Early the next morning, Xia En packed a simple bundle, put in a few talismans, and went down the mountain.

He didn't take a car; he walked all the way towards Jiangzhou City.

The distance from the Celestial Master's Mansion to Jiangzhou is neither too far nor too near, a little over a hundred li. At Xia En's pace, if he walked quickly, he could arrive around two or three in the afternoon.

After walking about twenty miles, I heard a series of hurried footsteps behind me.

"Wait for me!"

Xia En turned around and saw a figure as thin as a stick desperately chasing after him.

Fang Zijian ran up to him, panting, and put his hands on his knees, gasping for breath: "You...how could you...walk so fast..."

Xia En looked at him: "Why are you here again?"

"I...I said...I'd follow you..."

"I said I wouldn't accept it."

"No...it's okay if you don't accept it...I'll just follow along and take a look..."

Xia En ignored him and turned to continue walking.

Fang Zijian straightened up, took a few deep breaths, and chased after him: "Where are you going?"

"Jiangzhou".

"Where are you going?"

"work."

"What is it?"

"It's none of your business."

Undeterred, Fang Zijian pressed on, "It's a paranormal event, isn't it? I've heard that people have been disappearing in Jiangzhou lately. Are you investigating that?"

Xia En didn't say anything.

"Definitely!" Fang Zijian's eyes lit up. "I'll go with you!"

"casual."

Fang Zijian was taken aback, not expecting that the other party would not refuse.

He quickened his pace to walk alongside Xia En: "You really want me to come along?"

"Your legs are your own business, what's it to me?"

Fang Zijian thought about it and agreed.

The two of them walked one after the other towards Jiangzhou.

After walking for more than an hour, Fang Zijian finally couldn't hold back any longer:

"Can we take a break? My legs are killing me."

Xia En stopped and turned to look at him.

This reporter was really incompetent; he was sweating profusely, his face was pale, and his legs were trembling.

"Don't you exercise regularly?"

"I...I'm a print journalist...I sit in an office all day..."

Xia En shook his head and pointed to the roadside: "There's a tree over there, let's rest for ten minutes."

Fang Zijian felt like he had been granted a pardon. He plopped down under the shade of a tree and took out his water bottle to gulp down water.

Xia En also sat down, took out a steamed bun from his bundle, and slowly ate it.

After Fang Zijian had drunk his fill of water, he watched him eat a steamed bun and suddenly asked, "Is this what people from your Celestial Master's Mansion usually eat?"

"Otherwise what?"

"I thought you guys were living the high life."

"That's a fake Taoist priest."

Fang Zijian nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "What do you usually do? Catch ghosts? Exterminate demons?"

Xia En took a bite of his steamed bun and mumbled, "Practicing martial arts, chanting scriptures, sweeping the floor, cooking."

"this one?"

"Otherwise what?"

"No, what I mean is..."

Fang Zijian leaned closer, "Do you guys have any... those really exciting missions? Like going down the mountain to exorcise demons and protect the righteous path or something?"

Xia En glanced at him: "You've been watching too much, haven't you?"

Fang Zijian chuckled awkwardly, "I was just curious."

"Curiousness is fine," Shane said, stuffing the last bite of his steamed bun into his mouth, "but don't get in the way."

"I promise it won't be a problem!"

Xia En stood up and patted the crumbs off his clothes: "Let's go."

Fang Zijian quickly got up and followed.