Daoist Master, I'm really not an evil cultivator.

Chapter 9 The "Ling" in Poria cocos, the "Wei" in Gathering Ferns

The next morning, as dawn broke and the mountain mists had not yet dissipated.

Xu Changqing sat cross-legged on the futon, with faint starlight flowing around him, like mist or gauze, rising and falling slowly with his breath.

After a night of meditation, he became more familiar with the original illusory life force and the operation of the cultivation method in this body, and his cultivation level improved even more.

"Master...it's time for breakfast."

A timid call came from outside the door, the voice soft and hesitant.

Xu Changqing finished his practice and opened his eyes. The starlight subsided, and his aura returned to calm. He stood up, straightened his Taoist robe, and went out the door.

Two sisters stood under the eaves. I hadn't been able to see them clearly last night because of the darkness, but now I could see them clearly in the morning light. The two sisters were about fifteen or sixteen years old, with five or six points of resemblance in their faces, and both were slender.

My younger sister was carrying a wooden tray with a bowl of congee, two dishes of pickled vegetables, and a peeled boiled egg on it, steaming hot.

She had a pair of round almond-shaped eyes. Although she still looked timid, she was not as frightened as she had been the night before. Her fingers were still slightly gripping the edge of the tray.

Her older sister stood to the side, a head taller than her, with narrower eyebrows and eyes. She pursed her lips, her gaze quickly sweeping across his face before lowering her eyes again.

"Just leave it there," Xu Changqing said calmly.

The original owner of this body had reached the late stage of Qi Refining, capable of living on air and dew, and could go without food for over a month without any problems. However, Xu Changqing had only been in this body for a day, and their souls and bodies had only recently merged. The cravings for food that had been cultivated over many years could not be changed overnight. Furthermore, refining essence into qi was the foundation of cultivation, and grains also contained trace amounts of essence. Occasionally eating these foods would not hinder cultivation; on the contrary, it could nourish the body and harmonize qi and blood.

He took the bowl of porridge and ate it at the stone table under the eaves. The porridge was just the right temperature, and the pickled vegetables were crisp and fresh. Although it was simple, the taste was quite good.

The two sisters waited quietly, and only after he finished eating did the younger sister carefully step forward to clear the dishes.

"What are your names?" Xu Changqing asked casually.

The younger sister paused, as if she hadn't expected him to speak to her first. She hesitated for a moment before answering softly, "Replying to the Daoist Master, my name is A-Ling, Ling as in poria cocos. My older sister's name is A-Wei, Wei as in picking wild herbs."

A-Ling stood a few steps away, secretly glancing up at him.

In the morning light, the Taoist priest had a handsome face, clear features, and elegant manners, a stark contrast to the aloof figure who had effortlessly transformed the donkey-faced monster into a "human lotus" yesterday.

The fear in her heart had faded somewhat without her realizing it, but the strange noises coming from the alchemy room and the silent gray donkey in the courtyard still made her feel an indescribable eeriness about her surroundings.

Awei didn't say a word from beginning to end; she simply took the tray from her sister and carried it to the kitchen.

"It's almost time."

Xu Changqing turned and went back to the meditation room. When he came out again, he had changed into a black fire-avoiding robe, with dark red runes flowing around the hem. A worn-out brass bell hung at his waist. It was the Illusionary Demon Bell, a mid-grade magic artifact left behind by the original owner of the body. When shaken, it could bewitch people's minds and create illusions.

As the sun rose higher, Xu Changqing instructed A-Ling and A-Wei, who were peeking out from the kitchen, to "keep an eye on the gate," then flicked his sleeves and stepped out of Qingyang Temple.

Outside the mountain gate, clouds and mist swirl around.

With his current magical power, he cannot sustain long-term flight on the wind. He also needs to conserve his strength for this trip, so he can only use his feet to fly down the mountain to find a mount.

The distance between Qingyang Mountain and Heifeng Mountain is 800 li. If you walk there, the daylilies will be too cold by then.

As Xu Changqing descended the mountain, the sun was already quite dazzling. The mountain path wound its way down, with ancient trees reaching for the sky on both sides and vines hanging down. The further down the mountain he went, the thinner the mist in the forest became, and gradually he could hear the chirping of birds and the babbling of a stream in the distance.

Xu Ming chose this place to cultivate because, although it could not be considered a blessed land, it was still a quiet and secluded place.

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the view suddenly opened up. Seven or eight miles away, dozens of low wooden and earthen houses were scattered in the valley, with wisps of smoke rising from their rooftops—this was Qingyang Village.

Xu Changqing did not stop walking. His black Taoist robe fluttered in the mountain wind. With light steps, his figure was like smoke, and he arrived at the village entrance in an instant.

At the village entrance stood an old locust tree, its trunk requiring three or four people to encircle, its branches and leaves forming a dense canopy. Several children, some of them barely out of school, were squatting on the ground playing with pebbles. When they saw strangers entering the village, they all looked up and peered out.

Upon seeing the newcomer's appearance and clothing, the children immediately fell silent, their faces showing a mixture of awe and reverence, and silently took a few steps back.

Xu Changqing kept his eyes straight ahead and walked directly into the village.

He had been to Qingyang Village several times and knew the way well. The village roads were narrow, the houses on both sides were low and the walls were peeling. Occasionally, chickens and dogs would dart out from the alleys, but they would not bark at strangers, but would just tuck their tails between their legs and hurry away.

Most of the villagers were hunters and woodcutters who had lived in this area for generations, relying on the mountains for their livelihood. They had a deep affection for the "Master Xuming" at Qingyang Temple, both grateful for the Taoist priest's occasional acts of healing and exorcising evil spirits, and also fearful of the chilling aura emanating from him. Therefore, the villagers always treated him with great respect, yet kept their distance.

Xu Changqing walked through half the village and arrived at a wooden house built against the mountain. A low wooden fence surrounded the front of the house, several animal hides were drying in the yard, and chopped firewood was piled in the corner. A faint smell of blood mixed with the smell of smoke wafted over.

This is the home of hunter Zhang Laosan.

Xu Changqing stood outside the fence, and before he could knock, the door of the wooden house creaked open from the inside.

A short, stocky, dark-skinned middle-aged man leaned out; it was Zhang Laosan.

He was in his early forties, with a square face and a wide mouth. His brows were etched with the marks of years of trekking through the mountains and forests, but his eyes were quite sharp.

Upon seeing Xu Changqing, Zhang Laosan was taken aback for a moment, then a smile spread across his face as he hurriedly came forward to greet him, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture:

"Master! What brings you down the mountain? Please come in, please come in!"

His tone was respectful, yet he couldn't hide a hint of apprehension in his eyes. This handsome abbot of Qingyang Temple rarely descended the mountain on his own initiative; whether his visit was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

Xu Changqing nodded slightly and followed him into the hospital.

The courtyard wasn't large, but it was kept tidy. Zhang Laosan's wife, a thin woman, was picking vegetables at the kitchen door when she saw her husband leading Master Xuming from the mountain in. She hurriedly put down what she was doing, wiped her hands on her apron, stepped forward, curtsied, and whispered, "Greetings, Master Xuming."

She was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a haggard face, sunken eyes, chapped lips, and a few strands of gray hair at her temples. Her coarse cloth clothes were faded from washing, the cuffs were frayed, and her hands were rough and cracked with large knuckles, clearly the result of years of hard work.

This is Zhang Xiao'e's mother. Xu Changqing's gaze swept across her face. Judging from the woman's appearance, she must have suffered a lot in her early years, and her life is not easy now.

"No need for formalities," Xu Changqing said calmly. "I'm going down the mountain today to borrow a horse."

"Borrow a horse?" Upon hearing this, Zhang Laosan's smile became even more eager. "If you need a horse, Daoist Master, please just ask! Although my family isn't well-off, I have a fine-footed steed. I rely on it to haul goods and travel through the mountains. It has great stamina and a gentle temperament. How long will you need it, Daoist Master?"

"We'll return in two days," Xu Changqing said. "We'll set off today and return tomorrow."

"Alright! Alright!" Zhang Laosan nodded repeatedly, "I'll go and fetch it for you right away!"

As he spoke, he turned to go to the stable in the backyard, but his wife gently tugged at his sleeve.

The woman looked up at Xu Changqing, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't dare to speak.

Xu Changqing knew perfectly well what was going on, but pretended not to notice, turning his gaze towards the main house: "How has your daughter been lately?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Laosan and his wife's expressions changed.

The woman's eyes instantly reddened, and she lowered her head, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes tightly. Zhang Laosan rubbed his hands, his smile becoming strained: "Thank you for your concern, Daoist Master… Xiao'e… she's still the same, drowsy and lethargic, unable to eat anything…"

"Since I'm here, I might as well take a look around," Xu Changqing said.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhang exchanged a glance, a glimmer of hope igniting in their eyes simultaneously. The woman said urgently, "Thank you, Taoist priest! Thank you, Taoist priest! Please, please!"

As she spoke, she hurriedly led the way and pushed open the door to the main room.