One person: Lu Jin, do I look like your master?

The sound wasn't that of a wild animal, but rather the sound of footsteps that someone was trying to make quiet, yet still couldn't completely conceal, mixed with the faint scraping sound of some kind of metallic object dragging across the ground.

Wang Xuan slowly opened his closed eyes, his clear and calm gaze like a rising star in the night sky, precisely directed towards the source of the sound.

Through the gaps in the layers of branches and leaves, he saw a rather peculiar sight.

A slender young girl, dressed in casual work clothes and with slightly disheveled hair, was seen walking out of the dense forest, her steps uneven.

On her shoulders, she effortlessly carried a young man who was bound hand and foot and was still twisting and struggling!

In the girl's free hand, she was holding a... shiny shovel, covered in a little dirt.

"This is……?"

The woodland he chose to live in was already considered an extremely remote corner of the back mountain of Longhu Mountain. Few people came here during the day, let alone at nightfall.

He thought he could finally have some peace and quiet, but he never expected that someone would "break in" in this way.

The person who arrived was Feng Baobao.

The incident naturally stemmed from her simple, direct, and even somewhat brutal "concern" for the "slave" Zhang Chulan.

Zhang Chulan successfully advanced to the top 32 during the day, but his opponent in the next round is the Azure Talisman God, Shan Shitong, who is skilled in talismans and has considerable strength.

In Feng Baobao's linear thinking that "to solve a problem, you must start from the source,"...

Since this Shan Shitong might hinder Zhang Chulan's advancement, the best solution is to "deal with" him in advance—for example, by digging a hole and burying him so that he cannot participate in tomorrow's competition.

So she relied on her ghostly skills and beast-like intuition.

They successfully ambush and kidnapped the lone Shan Shitong, and were preparing to carry him deeper into the mountains to find a propitious spot to carry out their "burial plan".

Unexpectedly, she ran into someone on this secluded path that she thought was foolproof!

Moreover, it was a white-clad person sitting on a branch of a tall tree, several meters high, quietly watching her!

A rare, extremely subtle hint of surprise and... wariness flashed across Feng Baobao's usually empty and blank eyes.

She may not be the brightest, but her instinct for danger is frighteningly sharp.

The sense of oppression emanating from the man in white before her was far more intense and direct than when she had glimpsed him during the day!

Almost without hesitation, the instant she recognized the person as the "very strong person" from earlier in the day, Feng Baobao immediately made her most instinctive reaction—

She shrugged and threw Shan Shitong, who was still struggling on her shoulder, onto the ground like a sack of potatoes, making a dull thud.

Then, without even glancing at the "goods" on the ground or paying attention to the shovel, she turned and ran!

Like a startled deer, its figure flashed and disappeared into the dark forest it had come from with astonishing speed.

From discovering Wang Xuan to abandoning him and running away, the whole process happened in the blink of an eye, so swift and decisive that it was astonishing.

Wang Xuan: “…”

He glanced in the direction where Feng Baobao had disappeared, then looked down at Shan Shitong, who was thrown under a tree, dazed and confused, tightly bound, with a rag stuffed in his mouth, only able to make helpless "woo-woo" sounds.

Wang Xuan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

What kind of nonsense is this? An illegal kidnapping was uncovered, and then the kidnappers abandoned the hostage and fled?

He had absolutely no interest in Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao's petty squabbles, and had no intention of getting involved.

As for the kidnapped Qingfu Shen Dan Shitong... good luck to him, he seems to be out of danger anyway.

So Wang Xuan simply withdrew his gaze expressionlessly, and slowly closed his eyes again, as if everything that had just happened was just an insignificant illusion.

His aura returned to calm and deep, and he entered a state of cultivation once again.

Only Shan Shitong, abandoned under the tree, was left writhing in vain in the deepening night, his heart filled with terror, anger, and a huge question mark.

On the other side, Feng Baobao ran at an extremely high speed and soon returned to the temporary dormitory area provided by the Celestial Master's Mansion for the contestants.

Due to the large number of attendees and the shortage of rooms, many participants were accommodated in shared rooms.

Zhang Chulan was assigned to a room with several other contestants.

At this time, in the room.

Zhang Chulan was lying alone on his bed, his head covered by the blanket, his body twitching slightly, and there were faint, suppressed, aggrieved sniffling sounds.

He had just learned a "truth" from the two young Taoist priests, Ye Xing and Ji Yun, that made him feel extremely indignant and question the meaning of life—his seemingly aloof and otherworldly junior uncle, Zhang Lingyu.

The reason I dislike him and target him in every way is actually because... Zhang Lingyu is no longer a virgin!

But Zhang Chulan is still pitifully guarding that damned "virginity mark"!

He was overwhelmed by an immense, indescribable sense of injustice and grievance! Why?!

Even someone like Junior Uncle has already... Is there any justice left in this world?!

He felt that his pure heart had been struck by an unprecedented blow!

Just as he was immersed in the immense sorrow of "being the only virgin in the whole world" and weeping alone—

The room door was pushed open abruptly and without any politeness!

Zhang Chulan was startled and jumped up from the bed. He hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve and looked nervously towards the door.

Does this wretched place even allow people to watch your sadness?

Feng Baobao stood at the door, her breathing steady, as if the high-speed run had had no effect on her.

She looked at Zhang Chulan expressionlessly and said directly in her characteristically flat and emotionless tone:

"Zhang Chulan, come out and come with me."

Chapter 38 The Pupae, Shan Shitong

Zhang Chulan was filled with unease, completely unable to figure out what Bao'er was up to.

But based on his long-established "survival instinct," he knew that resistance was usually futile and could lead to even more outrageous consequences.

He had no choice but to resign himself to his fate, grab his coat and put it on, then sighed and followed Feng Baobao out of the dormitory.

Both were extraordinary individuals, their speed and agility far surpassing that of ordinary people. Feng Baobao, needless to say, possessed unpredictable and swift movements, traversing the dark mountain forest as if walking on flat ground.

Although Zhang Chulan was inwardly complaining, his speed was not slow at all thanks to the basic enhancement of the Golden Light Mantra.

The night wind whistled in my ears, and the dark shadows in the forest rushed past.

Before long, the two of them approached the secluded woodland where Feng Baobao had previously "abandoned the goods".

"Huff...huff...Sister Bao'er, what exactly did you bring me here for? It's so dark..."

Zhang Chulan, slightly out of breath, couldn't help but ask again, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.

Feng Baobao didn't stop walking or turn her head, and answered in her characteristically flat and unremarkable tone:

"I was planning to tie up that guy named Shan Shitong and bury him so he wouldn't be able to compete tomorrow."

"What?!!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chulan almost stumbled and fell to the ground, his face instantly turning green.

"Bao...Bao'er sister! You...how could you do this again...!"

He knew it! He knew it wouldn't be anything good! This woman's problem-solving approach is always so simple, brutal, and appalling!

Feng Baobao completely ignored Zhang Chulan's breakdown and continued to add:

"But when I carried him here, I was discovered. It was that very strong person I told you about during the day."

These words were like the final straw, completely breaking Zhang Chulan's spirit. A failed kidnapping attempt, and he was caught red-handed?!

And the witness was that mysterious expert whom even Bao'er Jie admitted was "better than me"?! This is practically a hellish start!

Zhang Chulan felt like crying at this moment, his inner voice screaming:

"Sister Bao'er! Sister Bao'er! Couldn't you have found a more secluded place to kidnap someone?!"

Or at least try to be discreet and not get caught! This is it! This is all over!

Helpless, with things having come to this point, he could only grit his teeth and, with the feeling of going to his execution, quickly follow Feng Baobao to the scene of the incident.

Upon arriving at the destination, using the sparse moonlight overhead and his excellent night vision, Zhang Chulan was able to clearly see the scene before him—

The Qingfu Shen Danshitong whom I saw during the day was now bound hand and foot and thrown on the ground like a giant silkworm cocoon, with a rag stuffed in his mouth.

It could only make muffled "woofing" sounds, its body still unwillingly remaining a pupa, looking both pathetic and pitiful.

What's even more eye-catching is that right next to them, on that towering ancient tree that requires several people to encircle, is the young man in white whom I saw during the day.

He sat cross-legged on a thick tree branch, his eyes closed, his breathing long and deep, his aura seemingly blending into the night forest.

Such a "horrible" incident occurred under the tree, yet he seemed completely oblivious, as if he were in deep meditation, or perhaps... he simply didn't care.

Zhang Chulan's gaze first swept over Shan Shitong on the ground, his lips twitched slightly, and he ignored him for the time being.

His entire attention was focused on the mysterious figure in the tree.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. The person in front of him was unknown, whether he was friend or foe was unclear, but the fact that Bao'er was so wary of him meant that his strength was absolutely terrifying.

If handled carelessly, the consequences could be disastrous.

He stood under the tree, carefully considering his words, and finally, with a mixture of respect and uncertainty, looked up at the tree and called out:

"This...uh...senior?"

He felt a little awkward when he called out "senior" because the person in the tree looked very young, but in the world of supernatural beings, the most experienced come first, and strength is the only true measure of success.

The person in the tree looks very strong.

Seeing that the person in the tree did not react at all, not even lifting an eyelid, Zhang Chulan felt even more uncertain.

He recalled what Xu San and Xu Si had said during the day: this person had not participated in the competition, had a mysterious background, and the company's database contained very little information about him.

He braced himself and continued, "Senior, my name is Zhang Chulan."

Tonight's incident... was really a misunderstanding! My friend... she's a bit straightforward and doesn't think things through; she had absolutely no malicious intent!

We are truly sorry to have disturbed your peaceful meditation! We will take the person away immediately and ensure they are handled properly so as not to cause you any further trouble!

He spoke rapidly, trying his best to take responsibility and minimize the impact.

Just as Zhang Chulan was feeling uneasy, wondering how the other party would react, a calm and clear voice, like a night breeze, gently drifted down from the tree:

Just two words, yet they carried a strange, comforting power, causing Zhang Chulan's tense nerves to relax slightly.

The voice continued calmly:

"You do your thing, as long as no one dies, I'll pretend I didn't see anything."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chulan was stunned and could hardly believe his ears!

This... that's it? Not only are they not investigating, but they've actually tacitly approved it?

This senior is... way too easy to talk to! Or is he simply too lazy to bother with these kinds of things?

Zhang Chulan naturally had no idea what Wang Xuan was thinking at that moment.

There are several reasons why Wang Xuan made this statement:

Firstly, based on his vague memories of his past life, he knew that Zhang Chulan would come to handle this mess and would eventually "convince" Shan Shitong so that things wouldn't really get out of control.

Secondly, this matter has nothing to do with him in essence; he was just an unexpected bystander and there was no need for him to force his way in and get himself into trouble.

Thirdly, and most importantly, he knew that this grand Taoist ritual involved a wide range of people, even including some of the plans or tacit approvals of that "supreme" old Celestial Master.

Feng Baobao and Zhang Chulan's antics may be within some "expected" or "acceptable" range.

If he were to rashly intervene, it might disrupt the balance and add variables, which would contradict his core goal of "cultivating in peace and seeking the Six Treasuries".

It's better to avoid trouble and observe the situation calmly; that's the best course of action.

Having received the "tacit approval" of the mysterious senior in the tree, Zhang Chulan felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and a huge weight was finally lifted from his heart.

He quickly cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards the tree and said, "Thank you, senior! I promise I will not cause any death! I apologize for disturbing you!"

After saying that, he immediately turned around and looked at Shan Shitong, who was still struggling to "cocoon" on the ground. A complicated smile appeared on his face, a mixture of apology, embarrassment and a hint of "you've fallen into my hands".

Next, it was time for him to have a "good talk" with this Azure Talisman God.

Wang Xuan, still perched on the tree, remained with his eyes closed, seemingly transformed into a statue coexisting with the ancient tree, completely shutting out the "friendly negotiations" that were about to take place below.

Chapter 39 The Old Celestial Master Observing in Secret