On the dining table in the kitchen, Ji Yuan and two youths, a boy and a girl, stared at each other, their gazes filled with curiosity.
Zhao Yuansong lowered his head, diligently eating his porridge, occasionally picking up a few strands of pickled vegetables. Despite the simple fare, he ate with great relish, as if it were a delicacy.
Under the eaves, a young man and woman held ceramic bowls, squatting on the ground. Together with their fifth senior brother, Guo Tao, they silently ate the thin porridge in their bowls. A small bowl of pickled vegetables sat on the long wooden bench before them.
Guo Tao eyed the two beside him with curiosity, seemingly unable to comprehend why they, disciples of the Nine Xuan Sect, could so naturally squat on the ground and eat such plain food.
"Thank you for the hospitality!"
At the dining table, Zhao Yuansong put down his bowl and chopsticks, expressing his sincere gratitude.
His expression was not one of pretense; his eyes were clear and genuine. A bowl of thin porridge and a bit of pickled vegetables seemed no less appealing to him than a feast of delicacies.
Ji Yuan took a sip of the rice porridge, a flicker of interest sparking within him for this man.
Let alone someone from the Nine Xuan Sect, a sect that stood at the pinnacle of a region's cultivation world, even ordinary families with substantial wealth would not typically think highly of such a breakfast.
Or perhaps, they had already realized that the breakfast used spiritual rice, and even the pickled vegetables were made from medicinal herbs from the mountains?
However, while such items might be precious to ordinary people, they should only be considered common fare by a renowned sect like the Nine Xuan Sect.
"I grew up in poverty. It was only after joining the Nine Xuan Sect that my life gradually improved. What ordinary people consider coarse food was already a rare delicacy to me in my childhood."
Sensing the young Taoist's thoughts, Zhao Yuansong smiled slightly, offering a small explanation.
This young man did not appear to come from a poor background; rather, he possessed an air of scholarly refinement, and his conversation felt as refreshing as a spring breeze.
A spring breeze…
The smile on Ji Yuan's face froze, then slowly faded. When he looked at the other person again, a hint of wariness had crept into his eyes.
His master had told him correctly: those who made others feel refreshed and drawn to them were often not simple individuals, and one could easily encounter deeply hidden scoundrels.
Therefore, Ji Yuan merely nodded indifferently to Zhao Yuansong's explanation, not bothering to respond, and focused on his breakfast.
After a long while, only four empty bowls and one empty plate remained on the table.
The four sat facing each other, their gazes measuring one another, yet no one spoke for a time.
In this peculiar atmosphere, Ji Yuan found himself harboring another layer of curiosity towards the two youths. If Zhao Yuansong's poverty explained his ability to eat thin porridge and pickled vegetables, then how could the boy and girl, who clearly had been pampered and protected by their elders since childhood, appear so accustomed to this meal?
"I have come with two main matters. The first is to ask if the young Taoist has given any thought to that particular matter."
Zhao Yuansong spoke slowly, revealing the purpose of his visit.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan's eyebrows shot up. He immediately understood. His master must have had a lengthy conversation with Zhao Yuansong yesterday, which was why he was now directly questioning him.
After a moment of contemplation, he replied, "I haven't quite figured it out yet. It might take a few days."
Zhao Yuansong nodded, not urging the young Taoist. He merely mentioned that he would be staying in Qianyu City for about six or seven days and that he could inform him of his decision before he left.
He paused, his expression turning slightly grave, and then asked in a low voice, "The second matter is to ask if I may request a bowl of merit water from the temple."
The young Taoist blinked, looking at the young man before him with suspicion, unsure of the meaning behind his words.
He naturally knew what merit water was. It was something found in every Taoist temple, a bowl of clear water placed before the main deity statue.
Due to the influence of incense, wishes, and a wisp of spiritual light from the enshrined deity, it possessed a natural suppressive effect on malevolent spirits and ghosts.
The magnitude of this effect, however, depended on the temple's scale and the amount of incense offered. The more people who offered incense and made wishes, the higher the divinity contained within the deity statue would rise.
Consequently, the efficacy of this bowl of merit water would also continuously increase.
It was said that in the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty, in Taoist temples renowned for their incense and wishes throughout the empire, a single bowl of merit water was sufficient to utterly obliterate malevolent spirits and ghosts comparable to powerful cultivators, causing them to vanish from existence.
Although Xuan Tian Temple's incense was sparse, with no worshippers visiting for weeks or even months, perhaps because the deities enshrined were figures of Taoism from across the province, as well as the revered Taoist Master who commanded the province's respect.
Therefore, the potency of this bowl of merit water was no less than that of a bustling Taoist temple in a first-class county.
However, apart from suppressing malevolent spirits and ghosts, merit water had no other use for cultivators. Only ordinary people, when gravely ill and facing difficult times, would come to a temple to request a bowl to give to the gravely ill for peace of mind.
"Yesterday, while exploring Qianyu City, I discovered several unusual places where malevolent entities might be present."
Zhao Yuansong stated truthfully.
He did not elaborate, but these few sentences caused Ji Yuan's brow to furrow.
As a local, even though he usually spent his time meditating and refining elixirs in the Taoist temple, he would often move about the city. Logically, any malevolent entities should have not escaped his perception.
Moreover, Qianyu City was not solely his domain. Besides the Bai Yun Temple in the west of the city, there were also various independent cultivators and guest scholars serving martial sects.
Even if all these cultivators overlooked something and failed to detect the presence of malevolent entities lurking under their noses, the county yamen, which governed the city, and the city god and land gods, appointed by the imperial court, would surely have noticed any such entities within their jurisdictions.
Of course, nothing was absolute. For instance, the malevolent entity secretly plotting against the young master of the Zhao family was not discovered by the county yamen or the city god.
"It's not that I'm unwilling, but the merit water in our temple was unfortunately used by some of my senior brothers a few days ago."
Ji Yuan said with a hint of helplessness, "The merit water currently offered before the deity statue has insufficient accumulated incense, wishes, and spiritual essence. It cannot even dispel a wisp of malevolent ghostly energy."
Hearing this, Zhao Yuansong couldn't help but show a look of regret. Qianyu City only had Xuan Tian Temple as a Taoist establishment. To find merit water elsewhere would require a journey of at least a hundred li.
Furthermore, the preservation of merit water was extremely stringent. It had to be contained in vessels that had been used to offer incense before a deity statue for many years, absorbing countless incense offerings. After being removed from the deity statue, it would often lose its original efficacy within about a day.
"If there are indeed malevolent entities lurking in the city, I naturally bear the responsibility. Although we no longer have merit water, I can invite a couple of helpers."
Ji Yuan smiled. "One is a Buddhist monk from Bai Yun Temple, and the other is a Confucian scholar."
Both Buddhist scriptures and Confucian classics possessed an innate ability to counter ghosts and malevolent spirits. Coupled with the assistance of a Taoist disciple like himself, and the use of talismans, the effect would be no less than that of merit water.
Not to mention these outstanding disciples from the Nine Xuan Sect present. For a ghost at the enlightenment stage, or even a malevolent entity that had cultivated spiritual power, they could forcefully subdue it.
A flicker of joy flashed in Zhao Yuansong's eyes; it was genuine delight. With the assistance of disciples from the Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions, this endeavor was essentially secured.
Faced with such a lineup, ordinary malevolent spirits would likely curse and reincarnate themselves upon seeing it, harboring no hope of resistance.
"That is excellent. May I ask when the young Taoist can set out?"
He inquired, his tone betraying a hint of urgency.
Ji Yuan smiled brightly, showing no hesitation, and stated that he could depart at any time.
He rose and returned to his room, tucking the San Cai Bao Qian into his sleeve. He brought ten taels of gold and some loose silver, carried a bronze oil lamp, and led Zhao Yuansong and the other four away from the temple.
As for elixirs and talismans, he naturally carried these with him, ensuring an ample supply.
"Junior brother! Wait for me!"
Just as the six of them had stepped out of the small alley in front of the temple gates, a shout came from behind them.
Ji Yuan turned to look and saw their fifth senior brother, who had just finished tidying up the bowls and chopsticks and still had some water stains on his Taoist robe, hurrying to close the temple door and striding towards them.
"I don't have much skill, senior brother, but I know you are going on important business. However, I still can't rest easy and want to follow along."
Guo Tao chuckled honestly, a little afraid to meet his junior brother's gaze, fearing rejection.
In fact, Ji Yuan did intend to refuse his senior brother's kind offer. Although their group included not only skilled experts but also disciples from the Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions who could counter malevolent spirits, they were still facing malevolent entities. These entities often employed insidious means that were difficult to guard against, and those without cultivation were easily ensnared.
"Since this Daoist priest wishes to accompany us, he may join us in subduing demons and eliminating evil."
At this moment, Zhao Yuansong smiled. "We immortal cultivators possess means to protect ourselves. We will ensure the Daoist priest's safety no matter what."
As he spoke, he winked at the young Taoist, hoping he would not disappoint his senior brother's good intentions.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan nodded, agreeing to his fifth senior brother's request. However, he naturally added a few admonishments, urging him to stay close to him and Zhao Yuansong, preferably within a distance of half a zhang.
Within this range, he was still somewhat confident in ensuring his senior brother's safety. As for those insidious and unpredictable methods, he believed the master at the late enlightenment stage beside him should be able to handle them with ease.
Immortals and Taoists differed. The latter, in the enlightenment stage, focused on nurturing the soul and spiritual light, primarily relying on martial arts and talismans for combat. Only after cultivating spiritual power could they unleash Taoist magic.
As for the former, after enlightenment, they did not need to thoroughly study Taoist scriptures. Immortal cultivation depended solely on spiritual root aptitude. In the enlightenment stage, they could already employ some sorceries, though their power was undoubtedly less potent than when performed with spiritual power.