Chapter 1: The Haunted Yōlin (Part 1)

  Zhang Shanyi closed his eyes and concentrated, regulating his breath and circulating his vital energy.

  In an instant, strands of spiritual energy overflowed from his body, but unlike Zhang Shanyi's usual abundant spiritual energy, Ding Lingshu clearly felt that Zhang Shanyi's spiritual energy was extremely turbid and disorderly, and was almost the same as some ordinary people with stronger spiritual power.

  Zhang Shanyi also sensed that something was wrong, his expression tense, he quickly recited the Purification Incantation, but stopped halfway through, immediately realizing where the problem lay, and in an instant his whole body felt like cotton.

  "No good, my inner elixir... has actually disappeared."

  Ding Lingshu was also shocked and lost his color, the inner elixir of Taoism is not a medicinal pill but a kind of cultivation, it's something that condenses spiritual energy, similar to an ordinary person's primordial spirit, how could this thing possibly disappear out of thin air?

  The abbot looked at the two of them and said in a low voice:

  "Zhang Zhenren, don't panic, your inner elixir didn't suddenly disappear without reason, it was stolen."

  "Stolen away?" Zhang Shanyi was even more unbelievable.

  The inner elixir is one's own cultivation, and the third-stage inner elixir can be different from the first and second stages. To say nothing of stealing it away, even if someone were to move it around and change its position within his body, he would immediately discover it. How could it possibly be stolen away without him being aware of it at all?

  "Fang Zhang, don't tell me... we haven't encountered any monsters or ghosts on this road, nor have we come into contact with any strangers. How could it be...?" Zhang Shanyi's words trailed off as he suddenly remembered the magician they had met at the temple entrance earlier, "Wait a minute, could it be them?"

  Zhang Shanyi looked at Ding Lingxiu, Ding Lingxiu nodded slightly, but immediately shook his head.

  "It shouldn't be them, they don't have any demonic aura on their bodies, and even my demon-tracking compass didn't react at all. Moreover, I've been keeping an eye on them throughout the whole process, and they haven't made any strange moves."

  The abbot's eyes slowly closed and then gradually opened again, calmly saying:

  "Are the two people you're talking about a man and a woman? And is the man still wearing his hat?"

  Ding Lingxiu and Zhang Shanyi exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

  "The matter was then clear: the ones who had stolen Zhang Zhenren's internal elixir were these two, or rather, these two demons."

  "Two demons? Abbot, you say these two are demons?" Zhang Shanyi didn't dare to believe his ears. Not to mention whether Ding Lingxu's demon-seeking compass was accurate or not, as a Taoist priest for many years, it was impossible for him to hold hands with a demon without being aware of it at all.

  "That's right, Zhang Zhenren doesn't need to be surprised. With one thought of foolishness, it's like a sudden death; with one thought of wisdom, it's like a sudden rebirth. These two demons are not ordinary demons, they have a background that I'm not at liberty to speak of, and in the Chessboard Mountain, they've been causing trouble for many years, it's not an accidental appearance. The two of you meeting them by chance, might not be a bad thing." The abbot rotated his Buddhist beads, with a kind face.

  "The root cause of evil prevailing is people's silence. No matter how unusual they are, these two monsters dare to make a move on Tai Sui's head, I will definitely subdue them." Ding Ling Xiu's eyes were sharp and resolute, or the real reason that enraged him was that these monsters made Zhang Shan Yi become very strange, he could not allow his brother who had saved his life to be turned into an annoying person by the monsters.

  "Alright, Master Fang, please tell me where this monster is now? I and Brother Ding will go find it immediately and eliminate the evil for the people." Zhang Shanyi asked anxiously.

  The abbot smiled slightly:

  "Ding Shi, if you're going to search for demons, I won't ask any more questions. But if Zhang wants to follow you, absolutely not."

  "Why?" Zhang Shanyi was somewhat puzzled.

  "Has Zhang Zhenren recently broken his vow?"

  Zhang Shanyi was taken aback and murmured in response:

  "Yes, before going down the mountain, Master had warned me not to take the train, or I would encounter bad luck. Who knew that Master's words would come true."

  The abbot continued:

  "So, Zhang Zhenren, you are still plagued by bad luck. I hope you can stay and rest at ease, cultivate your body and mind, and let Ding Shi Zhu retrieve the inner elixir for you. This is the best plan. You must not rashly follow him, otherwise both of you will fall into a desperate situation."

  Zhang Shanyi listened, and his palms actually broke out in cold sweat. After all, he had just broken the taboo to verify it, and now this abbot was making another prophecy for himself. He was really hesitant, although he had saved Ding Lingxiu before, but he still didn't want Ding Lingxiu to pay the price for his own mistake, taking risks for him.

  "This is a good idea, just like what I was thinking. I don't want to bring a burden either." Ding Lingxiu replied firmly.

  Although it sounded harsh, Zhang Shanyi knew that Ding Lingxiu was intentionally saying this because he feared for his safety and didn't want him to follow.

  "That's very good." The abbot nodded his head.

  "But..." Zhang Shanyi's face showed a difficult expression.

  "Never mind, Ah Yi, it's been decided so happily." Ding Lingxiu smiled and patted him on the back.

  "Aren't you supposed to go to the underworld first?" Zhang Shanyi asked.

  "Your matter is urgent, put that aside for now. The underworld is more reliable than the bank, what's to fear? The money won't be lost if it's placed there, why are you in such a hurry to get me to repay?" Ding Lingxiu said.

  "Of course not, alright, Brother Ding, your profound understanding is beyond words for me."

  "Less of that, when you saved me I didn't even thank you properly, haha..." Ding Lingxiu laughed openly and looked at Fangzhang, "Fangzhang, this matter can't be delayed. Can you tell me where these two demons are hiding? I'll set out to find them right now."

  "Master Ding, no need to rush. Everything is predetermined by fate. The journey is tiring, it won't be late to go after resting here for a while."

  "Thank you, Master. I'm a person who is naturally careless and also used to eating meat and fish, it's really hard for me to be vegetarian. Since Master has already understood my intention, please tell me how to go first, so I can leave quickly and return quickly." Ding Lingxiu said honestly.

  The abbot closed his eyes and thought for a moment before speaking:

  "Master Ding, please forgive me for speaking bluntly. As for these two demons, I'd rather not say more, but Master Ding can just follow his intuition to search for them. On the way, there will be a noble person who will point you in the right direction and help you subdue the demons."

  Is this a hint from a superior? Ding Lingxu was taken aback, but seeing Fangzhang's calm expression, he realized that further questioning would be futile.

  Ding Lingxiu had no choice but to give up and bid farewell to Fang Zhang and Zhang Shanyi, then hastily left the mountain.

  He rushed down the mountain mainly because of his nicotine addiction. Although Ding Ling's father did not stop him from smoking, as a demon hunter often slept in the open and had heavy dampness on his body, smoking could drive out the dampness. However, since childhood, Ding Lin educated Ding Ling to smoke, chew betel nuts, and speak dirty words in the Buddhist hall, which was disrespectful to the Three Jewels and would pollute the purity of the Buddhist hall. The Buddhist hall was a sacred place for monks to practice Buddhism, but many ignorant people would play or accompany believers to worship while smoking, causing pollution and seriously disturbing the monks' practice. The sin of such people is immeasurable, so Ding Ling was particularly taboo.

  But Ding Lingxu started smoking not to drive away the tide, but to hold onto endless thoughts.

  After Ding Qinyu's disappearance, smoke seemed to be the only thing that could bring him hope. In the illusory mist, his and Ding Qinyu's whispers, laughter, and quarrels all emerged and dissipated in this vast expanse.

  These scattered memories are like a bridge, yet they lead to a desolate prison.

  Ding Lingxiu puffed on his cigarette, shrugged slightly, and let his backpack settle more comfortably on his back as he slowly walked down the stairs.

  He walked out of the mountain forest through a deep and quiet path, came to Xiuhu Lake, took out the Xunyao Luopan, wanted to find some clues, but was greatly disappointed, the Xunyao Luopan didn't have any reaction at all.

  Just as he was at a loss for what to do, a white-clad figure in the distance caught his attention.

  This white-clad girl was actually the same girl who was a demon hunter that he and Zhang Shanyi had met in front of the mountain gate.

  She had already come down from the mountain, why would she return again? Ding Ling Xiu was somewhat puzzled and quickly followed her secretly.