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

On the third day, business started coming in.

It wasn't Chen Guodong calling; it was an unfamiliar number.

Xia En answered the phone, and a young woman's voice came from the other end, trembling with sobs and incoherent:

"Excuse me, are you Master Xia Enxia? Please, please save my brother! He's been possessed by something, and we've tried so many people without success. Please, I beg you..."

"Take your time, what is it?"

The woman took a deep breath and said haltingly:

"My younger brother is eighteen years old. Last week, he went to an abandoned factory in the western suburbs to play. After he came back, he started acting strangely. He doesn't sleep at night and talks to himself in front of the wall. He doesn't speak human language; it sounds like...like a wild animal howling. Sometimes his eyes change color and turn yellow, like a cat's eyes."

"We invited a Taoist priest to take a look, but he went in, glanced at us, and ran out, saying he 'couldn't afford to offend him,' and left without even taking any money. Master Xia, I beg you, I only have this one brother..."

Xia En paused for a moment, then said, "Address."

The woman gave her address.

In the western suburbs of Jiangzhou City, there is a place called "Fenghuangling", which is about 40 kilometers away from Qingheju.

I'll go there this afternoon.

After hanging up the phone, Xia En looked at Ma Xiaoling, who was drawing talismans in the yard.

Ma Xiaoling raised her head, still holding a calligraphy brush in her hand, her face smeared with cinnabar, making her look like a spotted cat.

"Senior brother, a customer has arrived?"

"Hmm. The western suburbs seem to be possessed by an evil spirit. You're coming with me."

Ma Xiaoling's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really, you've been learning lightning magic for three days, it's time for some real combat."

Ma Xiaoling threw down her calligraphy brush, jumped up, and was as excited as a child.

"Okay, I'll go change my clothes!"

She rushed into the house. Fang Zijian stood up from the steps, holding up his phone. "I'm going too!"

"You stay home," Shane said.

Why?

"Because the place we're going to this time is an abandoned factory, which might be dangerous. If you go, I'll have to take care of you."

Fang Zijian opened his mouth, but swallowed his words.

Liu Ruyan came out of the house and handed the backpack to Xia En.

Be careful.

Xia En took the backpack, looked at her, and asked, "Aren't you going to stop me?"

"Why are you stopping me? You're a Taoist priest, this is your job."

Liu Ruyan smiled, "Besides, with your junior sister by your side, I'm at ease."

Ma Xiaoling rushed out of the house, having changed into a black work uniform.

Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, a magic wand was attached to her waist, and she was carrying a makeup case in her hand.

She looked like a female soldier on a special mission, very dashing and heroic.

"Senior brother, let's go!"

Xia En nodded, and the two walked out of the yard and got into the car.

Fang Zijian stood at the door, watching the car disappear into the alley, and sighed, "I want to go see it too."

Liu Ruyan patted his shoulder, "Next time."

The car drove for forty minutes and arrived at Phoenix Ridge.

It was an abandoned industrial area, filled with collapsed factory buildings and rusty machines.

The area was overgrown with weeds, frequented by stray dogs, and filled with a pungent chemical odor.

Xia En parked the car in front of an abandoned dormitory building, got out, and looked around.

The yin energy is very strong.

It wasn't ordinary yin energy; it carried a wild and violent aura, like that of a wild beast.

"Senior brother, can you feel it?" Ma Xiaoling stood next to him, her expression serious.

"Hmm. It's demonic energy, not evil energy. It's possessed by a demon."

They entered the dormitory building.

The hallway was dark; the motion-activated lights had long been broken, and only a faint light shone through the broken windows.

The dust on the ground was thick, and every step kicked up a cloud of dust.

There was a strange smell in the air, like the smell of an animal or rotting meat.

The second door on the right on the third floor.

The door was closed, but a faint light shone through the crack in it.

The eerie aura emanated from behind this door, so intense it was almost suffocating.

Xia En knocked on the door.

No one answered.

He knocked a few more times, but there was still no response.

He reached out and turned the doorknob; the door wasn't locked.

Pushing open the door, you'll find a small room inside.

A bed, a table, and a chair.

Sitting on the bed was a boy, about eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing a dirty T-shirt, with messy hair, a pale face, and blue lips.

His eyes were yellow, with vertical pupils, like a cat's eyes.

He stared at Xia En and Ma Xiaoling, a strange smile slowly spreading across his face.

"You're here?"

He spoke, his voice low and deep, "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Xia En stood in the doorway, looking at him. "Who are you?"

"Who I am is not important. What is important is that this body is mine now."

Ma Xiaoling pulled out the Demon-Subduing Staff from her waist and pointed it at the boy.

"Get out of his body, or I'll beat you until you come out."

The boy looked at Ma Xiaoling with his yellow eyes and smiled.

"You're from the Ma family of the Exorcist Dragon Clan? I've eaten people from your family before. They were quite delicious."

Ma Xiaoling's expression changed.

She took a step forward, and the Demon-Subduing Staff pierced straight at the boy's face.

The boy sprang up from the bed with astonishing speed, dodging the attack.

He landed in the corner of the room, on all fours, like a wild beast.

His mouth opened, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, and he let out a low growl.

"Hehehe."

"The Ma family is still so impulsive."

Ma Xiaoling ignored him, sweeping the Demon-Subduing Staff horizontally with a golden light.

The boy dodged again, moving so fast that he left afterimages in the air.

He jumped onto the ceiling and clung to it like a gecko, looking down at Ma Xiaoling.

You can't hit me.

Ma Xiaoling gritted her teeth, about to make another move, when Xia En reached out and stopped her.

"I'll do it."

He took a step forward and looked up at the boy on the ceiling.

"How long have you been attached to this child?"

"One week."

A hint of pride flashed in the boy's yellow eyes. "This child's body is young and full of energy. I like him very much."

"Do you know that possession will destroy his soul?"

"I know. But so what? Human souls are just food to me."

Xia En paused for a moment. Then he raised his right hand, his five fingers spread.

"Palm Thunder".

"boom--!!!"

A bolt of lightning erupted from his palm, not striking the boy, but striking the ceiling.

Thunder exploded around the boy, golden arcs of electricity dancing around him.

The boy let out a scream and fell from the ceiling, crashing to the ground.

His body was convulsing, and his yellow eyes were filled with fear.

"You...you're the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain?"

"Yes." Shane walked up to him, looked down at him, and said, "Now, get out of that child's body. I'll give you three seconds. One, two—"

"Wait!" the boy screamed. "I'm coming out! I'm coming out!"

A wisp of black energy surged from the boy's seven orifices, condensing in the air into a blurry beast shape.

It was a huge black wolf, covered in black scales, with blood-red eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth.

It looked at Shane, its eyes filled with fear.

Xia En looked at the black wolf and raised his right hand.

"Palm Thunder".

"No--!"

"boom--!!!"

Thunder exploded, blasting the black wolf into pieces, which turned into black mist and dissipated into the air.

The boy lay on the ground, his face pale.

But the eerie yellow color disappeared, replaced by a normal skin tone.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady.

Xia En crouched down and checked his pulse. It was still beating, and very steady.

"alright."

He stood up. "The demon has been exorcised, and the person is fine. They'll recover after a few days of rest."

Ma Xiaoling stood to the side, looking at Xia En with eyes full of admiration.

"Senior brother, you're amazing. You finished it off with just one palm strike."

"Not just one move."

Xia En took the lollipop out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth. "It was two moves. The first move was to force it out, and the second move was to kill it. But it begged for mercy after the second move, so I only used one move."

Ma Xiaoling's lips twitched. "It begged for mercy and you still hit it?"

"It possessed the child for a week, and the child's soul has been damaged. It has to pay for it."

Ma Xiaoling was speechless.

As they walked out of the dormitory building, the young woman called.

Xia En accepted it.

"Master Xia, how is it?"

"Alright. Your brother is fine now. Come and pick him up."

I heard crying on the other end of the phone, the kind of crying from joy.

"Thank you, Master Xia! Thank you! I've transferred the money to your account, please check!"

Xia En hung up the phone and glanced at the bank's text message.

fifty thousand.

He nodded and put his phone back in his pocket.

Ma Xiaoling leaned closer, "How much money did you receive?"

"fifty thousand."

"Only 50,000? Didn't you receive 500,000 last time?"

"Last time was last time, and this time is this time. This family isn't well-off; 50,000 is already their limit. We can't take more."

Ma Xiaoling looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Senior brother, you're two-faced. You say you love money, but you're actually softer than anyone else."

Xia En glanced at her. "You talk a lot, Xiao Ling."

Ma Xiaoling stuck out her tongue.

Once in the car, Xia En started the engine and drove towards Qingheju.

Sitting in the passenger seat, watching the scenery rushing past the window, Ma Xiaoling suddenly spoke and asked:

"Senior brother, how long have you been a Taoist priest?"

"From childhood."

Have you ever regretted it?

Xia En paused for a moment, then said, "No."

Why?

"Because it's the only thing I know how to do."

Ma Xiaoling turned her head and looked at him.

The setting sun shone on his face, giving him a golden glow.

Xia En's expression was calm; he was already used to it.

"Senior brother, you really are just like my dad."

Xia En glanced at her. "Your dad? Ma Santong?"

"Yeah. He's like that too. He says he doesn't care about anything, but he can't let go of anything in his heart."

Ma Xiaoling laughed, "People like you live such tiring lives."

Xia En didn't say anything.

The car drove in the setting sun, casting a long shadow.

Back at Qingheju, Fang Zijian was already waiting at the door.

Seeing Xia En get out of the car, he rushed up to her.

"How was it? How was it? Isn't Junior Sister amazing?"

"sharp."

"She almost tore the ceiling down," Shane said.

Ma Xiaoling blushed. "Senior brother! I didn't!"

Fang Zijian burst into laughter.

Liu Ruyan came out of the house, holding a cup of tea, and handed it to Xia En.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Xia En took the tea, took a sip, and said, "It wasn't hard work. I received 50,000."

Liu Ruyan smiled, "Fifty thousand is still money."

"Yes. Fifty thousand is still money." Xia En walked into the yard, lay back on the wicker chair, and sucked on a lollipop.

Ma Xiaoling sat next to him, took out her notebook, and began to record today's practical experience.

"Senior brother, the palm strike you just used was at a 30-degree angle upwards, and its power was about 10% of your usual strength. Was it because you were afraid of hurting that boy?"

Xia En glanced at her. "Are you analyzing my lightning magic?"

"Yes. It's for studying."

Ma Xiaoling's eyes sparkled. "Every move you make is worth studying."

Xia En paused for a moment, then said, "You're better at business than I am."

Ma Xiaoling laughed, "That's right. I'm a descendant of the Ma family."

Xia En paused for a moment, then said, "You're better at business than I am."

Ma Xiaoling laughed, "That's right. I'm a descendant of the Ma family."

Fang Zijian, standing nearby, raised his phone and captured the moment.

Xia En lay on the wicker chair, sucking on a lollipop.

Ma Xiaoling sat beside them, taking notes with her head down, the setting sun shining on them.

He posted the photo on his WeChat Moments with the caption: "Xia En and Ma Xiaoling, the strongest duo from the Tianshi Mansion of Longhu Mountain."

The comments section exploded.

"The ultimate duo? Xia En and Ma Xiaoling? What an amazing combination!"

"The combination of the exorcist dragon clan and the Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion is invincible."

"Ma Xiaoling looks so cute when she's taking notes so diligently."

"Xia En still has that carefree attitude, but his eyes are different. The way he looks at his junior sister is like he's looking at his own disciple."

When the news reached Longhu Mountain, Zhang Jingxuan was drinking tea in the back hall.

Zhang Jingqing walked in with her phone and showed him the photo.

Zhang Jingxuan stared at it for a long time, then smiled.

"This kid finally has a companion."

Zhang Jingqing was taken aback. "Master, you mean...?"

"I mean, he's been carrying this burden alone for too long. Now that Xiaoling is helping him, he can relax a bit."

Zhang Jingqing looked at Xia En's expression in the photo.

It was a relaxed expression, with a touch of warmth, that he rarely saw.

"Master is right."

On the seventh day of Ma Xiaoling's visit to Longhu Mountain, the real test began.

At one in the morning, Xia En's phone rang. No.

It was a phone call, a voice message.

The message was sent by Chen Guodong, his voice very low, carrying a deliberate tension:

"Master Xia, something terrible has happened. Another one has appeared in the area of ​​the Chu King's Tomb in the eastern suburbs. This time it's not a zombie, not a general, it's... I can't quite put my finger on what it is. It's huge, really huge. Our searchlights can only illuminate a part of it. It's moving, heading towards the city. It's moving very fast, and we expect it to enter the residential area in about twenty minutes."

Xia En sat up, took the lollipop out from under her pillow, and without peeling it, put it in her mouth.

How big is it?

"It's at least ten stories high. Our detection equipment shows that its energy level is... a hundred times that of the last zombie general."

Xia En took the lollipop out of his mouth and looked at the sugar residue left on the stick.

One hundred times.

He was silent for two seconds.

"Understood. Everyone evacuate and stay away from it. I'll handle it."

He hung up the phone and walked out of the room.

In the corridor, Ma Xiaoling was already standing there, wearing black overalls, her hair tied in a high ponytail, with a demon-slaying staff at her waist and a makeup case in her hand.

She looked at Xia En, her expression calm.

"Senior brother, I heard it. A hundred times."

Are you scared?

"Afraid."

Ma Xiaoling laughed, "But I'm afraid I still have to fight. Because I am a descendant of the Ma family, the exorcist dragon clan."

Xia En looked at her and nodded. "Let's go."