How did I, who just ascended to heaven, become an evil spirit?

"Look! There's light over there!" the fancy mouse cried out joyfully, stretching out its paw to point into the distance.

The group squinted and looked in that direction. Sure enough, a bright, circular spot of light appeared in the distance, looking like the lid of a bronze wall had been lifted.

"Let's go, let's hurry."

Old Yuan was already impatient; he got down on all fours and ran forward nimbly.

Li Hu and his group followed behind, slowly approaching the ball of light.

The further they went, the smaller the light spot became; it seemed that as they got closer to the light spot, their figures were also getting larger.

Li Hu looked ahead and saw that Yuan Sou, who was running about five meters ahead, had grown taller, now standing at about two meters tall, while Yan Yang, who was following at the back, had shrunk a bit. He was originally only a little over 1.7 meters tall, but now he looked only about 1.3 meters tall.

Li Hu didn't know if his height had changed in their eyes, but he couldn't care less now; leaving as soon as possible was the priority.

Li Hu quickened his pace and ran forward, the light spot getting smaller and smaller, slowly changing to only two feet in length.

Old Yuan was the first to emerge from the spot of light.

"Oh dear! Tiger, faster, faster, this Weasel spirit might not make it!"

As soon as Yuan Sou crawled out, his anxious voice came from outside. A hairy hand reached in from the light spot, waving around trying to grab Li Hu's wrist.

Li Hu stepped forward and grasped his hand, then crouched down and peered out from the spot of light. Sure enough, there was a vast expanse of land outside.

He looked back and saw that the spot where he had just crawled out was indeed the opening of a cauldron for alchemy.

The alchemy furnace was yellowish with a hint of green rust, clearly made of bronze, just like the bronze wall inside.

What surprised Li Hu the most was that the alchemy furnace was only about three feet tall, about the size of a washing machine.

The alchemy furnace has been overturned, probably by Huang Daxian. Some bricks and tiles are scattered around the furnace opening, and it seems that part of the collapsed inn also fell out.

One by one, Wuchang Gui, Qi Yuehong, and the others emerged from the furnace opening, and everyone was present.

Everyone who looked back had a surprised expression on their face.

This place should be an abandoned Taoist temple outside Zhongzhou City, surrounded by a bamboo forest. The dilapidated Taoist temple stands quietly in the middle, with a small alchemy furnace lying on the ground at the entrance. There is a fire at the bottom of the furnace, but the red-haired Taoist is busy fighting and has not added any firewood. The remaining firewood is almost burned out.

"The precepts are hidden within Mount Sumeru, and the three-foot alchemy furnace can even contain an inn. How wonderful!" the ghost exclaimed upon seeing this scene.

"Never mind that!"

Old Man Yuan pointed and said anxiously, "Tiger Master, look, Huang Daxian is about to be defeated."

Li Hu stared intently and saw that Huang Daxian's fish-killing knife was already exhausted from fighting and unable to keep up, while the red-haired Taoist in purple robes was calm and composed. With the swing of his golden sword, he had already left more than a dozen fine wounds on Huang Daxian's body.

Li Hu's aggression was like fire. He lunged forward, his entire body surging with true energy, creating a thunderous roar.

At this moment, the iron sword at Yan Yang's waist also uncontrollably left its sheath. Li Hu caught the iron sword in mid-air with a swift movement and, while rolling, used all his strength to slash at the red-haired Taoist.

A desperate, selfless strike!

With a hissing sound, a bright red gash appeared on the red-haired Taoist's back.

He cried out and rolled awkwardly on the spot to avoid being attacked by the two men.

Li Hu vaguely sensed that his skill was also quite remarkable; otherwise, in the past, no one had ever survived such a sword strike.

However, after this exchange of blows and probing, Li Hu knew that he was now in an invincible position.

"Hmph, even mortals collude with such filth!"

The red-haired Taoist priest, sword in hand and crouching low, his eyes sinister, said, "I was careless today. Let me heal my injuries for a while, and we can fight again another day!"

Looking at the large group of people emerging from the alchemy furnace, the red-haired Taoist knew that the situation was hopeless and he had no chance of winning. He took a few steps back and turned to run away.

He moved with lightning speed, his long sleeves billowing like a bat, and in the blink of an eye he was already ten meters away.

Li Hu snorted coldly, snatched the fish-killing knife from Huang Daxian, and swung both swords at the same time!

Two sword beams shot out and struck the red-haired Taoist from behind. He cried out and suddenly fell into the ground, disappearing without a trace.

Li Hu rushed forward and saw that where the red-haired Taoist had disappeared, only his complete set of clothes remained: a lotus crown, a purple robe, a pair of cloud-walking shoes, a set of close-fitting undergarments, and a jade pendant and money pouch. No matter how Li Hu kicked and searched, there was nothing else.

Where are they?

Li Hu secretly thought to himself that things were not going well. This red-haired Taoist's Taoist arts were unpredictable, and letting a tiger return to the mountain was not his usual way of doing things.

"Don't worry, my lord, this is probably an earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic that allows one to escape into the ground) technique. This Taoist priest has burrowed underground naked," said Huang Daxian, panting heavily as he caught up.

"Earth Escape Technique?" Li Hu asked.

"Indeed, judging from the Taoist's swordsmanship and esoteric Taoist arts, he is secretly versed in the art of Qimen Dunjia, capable of shrinking the distance to an inch, creating a Sumeru within a ring, and disappearing upon landing. These skills are extremely unpredictable, and he may be a formidable opponent," Huang Daxian advised.

"Since he has already fled, a wise man does not venture into dangerous places. It would be best for you, sir, not to pursue a desperate enemy and to avoid getting entangled with him underground."

Li Hu steadied himself, gathered his inner energy, and handed the fish-killing knife back to Huang Daxian.

"My name is Li Hu, courtesy name Fengcong. Brother Huang, please don't call me 'sir' anymore."

Li Hu clasped his hands in thanks, "Thank you so much for today. If it weren't for Brother Huang's help, we would probably still be trapped in the alchemy furnace, not knowing whether we would live or die."

Wong Tai Sin waved his hand: "Young Master Li, you're too kind."

"To be honest, I can tell from your extraordinary demeanor that you are no ordinary people."

"Yesterday I kept an eye out and inquired about your lodgings. I found out it was at the inn in the north of the city, which is close to where I live. So I thought I'd prepare some nourishing food this morning and bring you some fasting pills for the long journey, so you won't go hungry on the road."

"But when I went to that inn this morning, I was shocked to find that the inn had disappeared. Starting from the foundation, all the buildings above it were gone. The owner and guests were all found dead on the foundation. Only you were missing. I knew then that this was dangerous, so I came here to find you."

"By sheer luck, I saw smoke rising from this deserted bamboo forest in the distance, so I thought I'd give it a try, only to find you here as expected."

"It really is destiny," Wong Tai Sin said with a smile, patting Li Hu's arm.

"It's true that our time to die hasn't come yet, thanks to Brother Huang." Li Hu clasped his hands and laughed.

"Haha, I wonder what everyone's plans are now?" Wong Tai Sin asked.

Li Hu thought for a moment and decided that it was more important to get on the road. So he said, "I don't know that thieving Taoist priest at all, and I can't be bothered with him. We still need to set off for Blackwater Mountain. I think it would be best to leave as early as possible today."

"Please wait a moment, Young Master Li."

Wong Tai Sin paused for a moment and said, "The food I prepared is still in the city. I'll go get it and it will be ready in a moment."

Li Hu nodded upon hearing this. His group had come to Zhongzhou City to resupply, but after the commotion that night, some of them who needed to eat hadn't prepared any dry rations, and some of them who needed to rest hadn't had a proper rest either.

Now that Wong Tai Sin has delivered the food, Li Hu is relieved, at least there won't be any underhanded poison.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Huang. It's probably not convenient for us evil spirits to enter the city right now, so we won't go together."

Li Hu turned to Yan Yang, tossed him a silver ingot, and said, "Yan Yang, you are an ordinary person, so you should be safer going into the city. Come with Brother Huang, get some food, and bring a few horses for the journey."

"Be careful of that red-haired Taoist. Don't let anyone follow you on the way back, and don't bother Brother Huang again."

Yan Yang nodded in agreement, then took the silver and put it in his pocket.

After exchanging pleasantries with Li Hu for a while, Huang Daxian left with Yan Yang.

Li Hu returned to the dilapidated Taoist temple and sat quietly for a while. About half an hour later, he heard footsteps outside.

Judging by the time, Yan Yang should be back by now.

Li Hu went outside and saw that it was indeed Yan Yang, but he looked extremely disheveled. He had some wounds on his body for some reason, and he hadn't brought the horse as agreed. He was empty-handed, like a defeated dog.

"What happened?" Li Hu asked.

"Tiger Lord, Tiger Lord!"

Yan Yang knew he had failed to complete the task Li Hu had assigned him, so he knelt down in front of Li Hu with a thud, took a breath and said, "We had just entered the city to get some food when we didn't expect that the red-haired Taoist priest was lying in ambush at Master Huang's residence, and he was also accompanied by more than a dozen constables to arrest us."

"Although we resisted, we were no match for him. Master Huang covered my retreat, which is how I escaped back. By now, Master Huang has probably already been captured!"

"What?!" Li Hu's eyes widened.

He had thought this Taoist was just an ordinary cultivator, but he didn't expect that he actually had some influence in Zhongzhou City and could even collude with the government. In such a short time, he was able to lead the officials to sneak into Huang Daxian's house to ambush him.

Li Hu was somewhat annoyed, but Yuan Sou stepped forward to comfort him, saying, "Master Hu, don't worry, this is not due to your carelessness."

"It seems that the red-haired Taoist came prepared. If it weren't for you, Tiger, sending Yan Yang along, Gu Xiu might have already been captured by now. We would have already set off on our journey and be far away, unable to receive any news. We would be helpless."

"It's not too late to do anything now. If you're planning to rescue Master Huang, you'd better make plans sooner rather than later."

Li Hu understood immediately and made a decision in a short time.

"You all stay here and hold your positions," Li Hu ordered in a deep voice. "Yan Yang, you're coming into the city with me again!"

"Yes!" Yan Yang responded, kneeling on one knee and pounding his fist on the ground.

After saying that, Li Hu grabbed Yan Yang by the back of his neck and ran wildly through the woods, his figure as fast as the wind. Before long, he had reached the south gate.

Led by Yan Yang, after turning through several streets and alleys, Li Hu arrived at Huang Daxian's residence.

The courtyard here was full of signs of a fight. Various drying racks were overturned on the ground, and there were patches of blood on the ground. The traces seemed to indicate the ferocity of the battle.

However, the main gate of Wong Tai Sin's house had been sealed off by the government, and a notice with ink stains on the door read:

"Huang Mingzi, a commoner, secretly colluded with evil spirits to harm people, killing 51 men, women, children and the elderly, and injuring 12. He provoked the yamen runners and dismembered the bodies in the night as revenge. He showed contempt for the law and his crimes were heinous. His home is now being searched as a warning. He will be executed at Caishikou at noon today as a deterrent to others."

Li Hu sensed something was wrong; how could someone be arrested and immediately executed without being imprisoned?

Judging from this notice, it seems like they've brought in Wong Tai Sin to settle accounts.

This hasty behavior clearly indicates that the Red-Haired Taoist was defeated by Li Hu and, feeling resentful, came back to vent his anger on Huang Daxian.

"Tiger, be careful, it might be a trap."

Yan Yang sensed something was amiss and frowned, saying, "I thought they would kill Master Huang on the spot, but I didn't expect them to execute him in the street. Are they trying to lure you into a trap with such a grand display?"

"You've been reading too many storybooks, Yan Yang."

Li Hu put his hands behind his back and said, "If that red-haired Taoist doesn't rely on any other skills and goes into battle with real swords and spears, let alone ten, even a hundred of them wouldn't be a match for me."

"Let's disguise ourselves and go to Caishikou to check out the situation."

"Brother Huang is a righteous man and has been kind to us. I must save him today."

After Li Hu finished speaking, he took Yan Yang to a clothing store, where they changed into ordinary people's clothes. Then they went to the execution site mentioned in the notice.

This was the heart of the bustling city. For years, Wong Tai Sin had been secretly distributing porridge here. The people were grateful for Wong Ming Tze's kindness and came to see him off. The cries of mourning echoed under the execution platform. The refugees who had received Wong Tai Sin's kindness all knelt down in grief.

On the execution ground, Huang Daxian was tightly bound, kneeling and curled up, his face swollen and bloodstained. Li Hu could hardly recognize him.

Li Hu glanced around; there were too many ordinary people here, so making a move indiscriminately was clearly not a good idea.

The best approach would be to first observe the positions of the officials, then find an opportunity to grab Wong Tai Sin and flee a distance away, before considering engaging in combat once they are out of the area.

As Li Hu pondered, the appointed time arrived.

"Come on, let's verify your identity!"

The red-haired Taoist priest appeared on the execution platform from who-knows-where. He had changed into a purple robe, his eyes wide with anger, and the wounds on his eyes had been bandaged with white cloth.

He plopped down in the position of executioner, his face beaming with smug satisfaction, and quipped:

"Before the execution, your identity must be verified. Who are you here?"

"My name is Gu Xiu of Zhongzhou, Huang Mingzi, courtesy name Mangzhong, sobriquet Qinglu Jushi," Huang Daxian replied weakly.

"Hmm! That's right, you're the one I'm going to kill, Huang Mingzi!"

The red-haired Taoist laughed heartily. He had led the team when they captured Huang Daxian just now, but now he wanted to tease him and vent his anger.

"Now that you've been arrested, what else do you have to say?"

The red-haired Taoist priest sat reclining in a grand chair, one foot on a stool and the other on the table.

Huang Daxian turned his head away, bit his lip, and remained silent.

"Waaaaaah!"

Before the execution platform, a little girl suddenly burst into tears. Huang Daxian remembered that she was a refugee who had just come to Zhongzhou to escape famine a few days ago. She was only seven years old and lived in the northern Anhui region. The Yangtze River had flooded, so she came to this Zhongzhou area.

Every time they secretly distributed porridge, this little girl was there, but she never drank much porridge, only taking a small half bowl.

The girl's parents died long ago, leaving her destitute and living in the courtyard of Wong Tai Sin's house for a long time.