After queuing for a full half-incense stick, Ji Yuan and his companions finally entered Baiyun Temple.
The ancient and elegant temple looked at least two hundred years old. Many of its items were aged, and though they could fetch a good price, they were casually placed by the monks here.
It made sense, really. There probably weren't many people in the world who dared to steal under the watchful eyes of immortals, gods, and Buddhas.
For ordinary folk, the saying "there are deities three feet above your head" was not just a platitude; it was a deeply ingrained principle.
It resonated more profoundly than the writings of Confucian sages or the scriptures of Taoism and Buddhism.
Upon entering the temple, the group did not head directly to the halls housing Buddha statues. Instead, they took a less-traveled path, drawing the gaze of passing monks as they calmly proceeded to the courtyard behind the temple.
This small, elegant courtyard was where the monks truly practiced their cultivation.
As Ji Yuan stepped into the courtyard, he immediately saw Huixin, who was meditating beneath an old tree, reciting Buddhist scriptures with his eyes closed.
His chanting, as soft as a mosquito's hum, reached their ears like the tolling of morning bells and evening drums, instantly bringing a sense of peace to their hearts.
"His words manifest power, and he's only in the early Enlightenment stage, yet he can produce such phenomena. This monk's future achievements will be extraordinary."
Zhao Yuansong murmured to himself, his gaze towards the young monk under the old tree becoming increasingly solemn.
Generally, experiencing such anomalies upon embarking on the path of cultivation indicated that the individual's future achievements would be at least on par with those of a great cultivator.
Although Huixin was already over twenty, cultivation differed from martial arts. The latter emphasized physical strength and vital energy, with potential rapidly declining with age, limiting future accomplishments.
For the former, however, age was rarely a barrier. There were countless elders who, after years of study and arduous practice, would achieve enlightenment and ascend to the realm of terrestrial immortals.
Compared to the individuals from Jiuxuan Sect, Ji Yuan's expression was much more composed, suggesting he had witnessed the phenomena produced by Huixin's chanting on more than one occasion.
After a moment, the chanting in the courtyard ceased. Huixin, who had been meditating under the old tree, opened his eyes and rose, walking towards the group that had entered the courtyard.
He clasped his hands together, recited a Buddhist chant, and bowed to Ji Yuan and his fifth senior brother, Guo Tao. Then, his gaze turned with a hint of curiosity towards Zhao Yuansong and the other four.
The young Daoist priest then introduced both parties, also clarifying the purpose of their visit.
Upon hearing that they were there to dispel a deeply hidden evil entity in the county town, Huixin agreed without hesitation, not mentioning any benefits or potential dangers.
Ji Yuan repeatedly shook his head at the monk's straightforward demeanor, wondering how far he could truly go in the martial world with such a disposition.
"Please wait a moment, benefactors. Allow this humble monk to borrow a Dharma artifact from my master to vanquish demons and subdue evil."
After hearing Zhao Yuansong's assessment of the hidden evil, Huixin quickly excused himself and hurried towards a small hut in a corner of the courtyard.
Shortly thereafter, he returned to the courtyard, wearing a string of prayer beads.
This string of prayer beads was made of sandalwood and comprised one hundred and eight beads, each intricately carved with tiny characters.
According to Huixin, these beads were inscribed with the opening verses of a fundamental Buddhist scripture, possessing the power to purify evil and cleanse spirits. Whether used for offense or self-preservation, they could exert great might.
Judging by their appearance alone, these Buddhist prayer beads surpassed most Dharma artifacts and were undoubtedly an astonishingly valuable and rare item.
"Where shall we go first?"
Once everyone was ready, Ji Yuan turned to Zhao Yuansong.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuansong pondered for a moment before replying, "Although the malevolent energy in the common quarters is closest to here, I personally suggest we head to Xiyu River first."
He had a rough understanding of the origin of the aquatic demon. Compared to the other two locations, where the monk had no leads, Xiyu River, though seemingly more troublesome, was actually the simplest to deal with.
Thus, the group set off in a grand procession towards Xiyu River, located where the western and central parts of the city met.
It could be said that Xiyu River was known to nearly everyone in the county town, as it flowed through the entire city, and countless households relied on its water for their daily needs.
However, calling it a river was perhaps an exaggeration; it was more akin to a stream. At its widest point, it was no more than three to four zhang, and at its narrowest, only one to two zhang.
It was called a river due to a tradition dating back over three hundred years. Back then, Xiyu River was vastly different, with its broad surface serving as a place where many people came to wash the jade they had mined.
That being said, though Xiyu River no longer resembled its former glory, its depth remained unchanged, reaching twenty to thirty zhang in the deepest parts.
Furthermore, despite its seemingly calm surface, strong undercurrents surged within the river. Every year, numerous strong young men who ventured into the water to cool off were swept away by these currents and disappeared.
"The demon lurking there is likely a fish that has gained sentience. It's probably accumulated its cultivation by continuously consuming the strong young men who were swept away by the undercurrents."
Zhao Yuansong said in a deep voice, "If that demon were given a few more years, and consumed more young men, its body would accumulate enough essence and vital energy. It would soon break through to the next realm and develop profound spiritual power."
At that point, the demon would become a formidable force. Relying on its water-attribute divine abilities and techniques, it would trigger a massive flood, claiming many lives before fleeing along Xiyu River.
Once the demon cultivated spiritual power, even a cultivator one or two minor realms higher, if not skilled in water arts, would find it difficult to harm it in the river.
"Hearing you say this, I'm starting to suspect that those who drowned in previous years might have had a chance to survive, and perhaps were all harmed by this evil entity."
Ji Yuan frowned. This thought was not unfounded. After all, with so many people drowning over the years, none had ever miraculously survived, which was highly abnormal.
However, in the past, everyone attributed it to the treacherous currents, never suspecting a demon lurking at the riverbed.
"If there are no accidents, it should be as you surmise. From that demon, I sense a profound sin."
Zhao Yuansong sighed.
In this world, good deeds did not necessarily bring merit, but evil deeds invariably generated sin.
When even a cultivator could sense profound sin, one could imagine how many people that demon had harmed.
"Amitabha!"
Huixin clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist phrase, his voice filled with self-reproach.
Like Ji Yuan, he had grown up in Qianyu City. He had entered the Buddhist sect over ten years ago and had been a Buddhist cultivator for two to three years.
Yet, Huixin had never discovered the demon that had been hiding at the bottom of Xiyu River, secretly harming innocent lives for decades.
Even Ji Yuan, who was usually unconcerned with external affairs, now had a look of anger in his eyes. The thought of the number of innocent people the demon had consumed over the years ignited a flame of fury within him.
About half an hour later, the group arrived at the banks of Xiyu River. Their gazes fell upon the water, as if they could see through the calm surface to the turbulent undercurrents below.
"How do we lure the demon out?"
Ji Yuan frowned and whispered, "With a depth of twenty to thirty zhang, our current cultivation levels are insufficient to dive down, let alone battle the demon within."
At such a depth, even a cultivator in the second realm, 'Dianling Realm', who was skilled in water arts, would likely exhaust their spiritual power within moments.
Perhaps only a cultivator in the third realm, 'Mingdao Realm', proficient in water arts, could descend to the twenty to thirty zhang riverbed and slay a lurking demon.
However, cultivators of such a realm were mostly guest elders of various sects, or sect leaders themselves. If they were to join the imperial court, they would easily attain official positions.
Not merely nominal positions without real power, but substantial high-ranking posts within the imperial court's Mingjian Division, wielding significant authority.
Let alone a third-class county town like Qianyu City, it would be difficult to find such a powerful expert even in a prefectural city.
"I have a set of water-locking formation flags. Once activated, they can seal a ten-zhang area of water, preventing the demon from escaping."
Zhao Yuansong did not hoard his resources. He casually produced a set of formation flags: eighteen small, aquamarine flags and a pale blue jade disc.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan's pupils constricted slightly, and his assessment of Zhao Yuansong rose once more.
The method of conjuring objects out of thin air undoubtedly indicated he possessed a Mountain and River Pouch. The value of such an item was so great that even he, with his profound fortune and skills in alchemy and talismans, felt it was unnecessary at the moment.
If Zhao Yuansong were a powerful cultivator in the third realm, 'Mingdao Realm', it would be understandable. Even with its cost, such an item would not be difficult to acquire with his cultivation.
Even a disciple in the second realm, 'Dianling Realm', from a renowned sect and a direct descendant, might receive such a gift from their elders.
However, as an outer disciple of Jiuxuan Sect, even if he had risen to the position of senior disciple through his own efforts, he would still lack the financial capacity to afford it.
Furthermore, Zhao Yuansong had mentioned his humble origins and lack of a prominent family background. Therefore, it could not be an inheritance or a gift from an elder.
With his cultivation at the late stage of the Enlightenment Realm, possessing an expensive Mountain and River Pouch indicated either extreme luck and a fortunate encounter, or that he was exceptionally capable, having achieved this through his own means.
"If that's the case, this humble Daoist happens to have a Blood Essence Demon Luring Talisman. It might be able to lure the riverbed demon to the surface."
His thoughts raced for a fleeting moment. Then, Ji Yuan took out a talisman from his robes.
This talisman differed from ordinary ones. The yellow paper was stained with blood, and the runes were drawn in gold ink. A faint aura of blood emanated from it as soon as it was produced.
However, this aura was not foul-smelling. On the contrary, a mere whiff was invigorating, as if one were smelling the aroma of delicious cuisine.