Chapter 1: The Haunted Yōlin (Part 1)

  The young man who spoke had a clear and elegant appearance, with an aura of mystery surrounding him. His deep black eyes sparkled with a crystal-like luster, his pale face was chiseled and angular, radiating a warm smile. Although his large ears were somewhat unsightly, they did not detract from his handsome appearance.

  It's May in Northeast China, but this young man is only wearing a black T-shirt with an eight-trigram pattern. What's even more outrageous is that he's paired it with a pair of slippers and shorts. The young man has a large backpack on his back, from which a feather duster can be seen, its bristles exposed outside.

  "Hello, with so many seats, you can certainly sit wherever you like." Ding Ling replied politely to the boy.

  "Thank you." The boy in black wiped off the dust on the seat and sat down slowly, smiling as he looked at Ding Lingyu.

  "Hello friend, I'm Zhang Shanyi, also known as Tian Luanzi." The boy extended his hand in a friendly manner.

  He actually didn't think much of Ding Ling's pretentiousness, but when this guy said his Dharma name, Ding Ling almost spat out blood and was so stifled with laughter that he nearly got an internal injury.

  Tian Luozu? Which master gave him such a ruthless Dharma name, and he actually dared to say it out loud.

  "Ah... I'm Zhao Linxiu, nice to meet you." Ding Lingxiu shook hands symbolically.

  Ding Lingxiao didn't use his real name, even though this boy looked very sunny, Ding Lingxiao was still more cautious.

  Just as he was savoring Zhang Shanyi's nickname "Ditch Daddy", the smile on his face suddenly froze.

  As soon as Ding Lingxiu and Zhang Shanyi's soft hands touched, his whole body was shocked, staring at the gentle and kind boy in front of him.

  It turned out that although the two hands were in contact for a very short time, Ding Lingxiu immediately discovered that this pair of hands was extraordinary. This young man not only had astonishing spiritual power, but his physique was also extremely special, and he actually possessed the rare "Snake Bone Spiritual Body".

  This "Snake Bone Body" is an innate and bizarre physique that allows the body's bones to be as flexible as a snake, stretching and shrinking at will. Many tomb raiders have spent years soaking in small vinegar jars from a young age, but can only achieve less than half of the effect of having a "Snake Bone Body".

  "What's wrong? Do you find me familiar?" Zhang Shanyi smiled and said to Ding Lingxiu who was stunned.

  "No, it's the extraordinary talent of Dao Zhang that has left me utterly astonished."

  Ding Lingxiu finished speaking and even he himself wanted to bite his tongue, although he usually spoke a bit awkwardly, now being led by him like this, it was simply as if the two of them were two gods who had crossed over from ancient times.

  The other three passengers on the bus couldn't help but turn their heads to look at these two strange people, casting several disdainful glances.

  "Haha, brother, don't laugh at me. Although I have a natural talent that surpasses others, I indeed do not have as good fortune as you." Zhang Shanyi said with a smile.

  "Oh? What did you say?" Ding Lingxiu felt a little nervous in his heart, but still looked at Zhang Shanyi calmly.

  "If I'm not mistaken, the Spirit Tracking Compass you used just now is the Ding family's signature spiritual artifact - the Lingyu Stone Wheel. Lin Xiu brother, as a descendant of a renowned family, taking over the family business at such a young age, isn't that fortunate? Young Master Ding?" Zhang Shanyi gazed at Ding Lingxiu without allowing him to refute, his words laced with envy.

  Ding Lingxiu was taken aback, and even he himself couldn't remember the name of his own Xun Yao Luopan at ordinary times. How did this Zhang Shanyi manage to recognize the treasure with a discerning eye, accurately call out the name of his family's spiritual artifact, and guess his identity? What kind of situation was this? Looking at him again, he didn't seem to have any malicious intentions, so continuing to deceive him would be meaningless. Ding Lingxiu could only tell the truth now.

  "Sorry, I deceived you, Master Tao. The world is treacherous and one must be cautious. I am Ding Lingxiu, the 49th generation descendant of the Ding family. How did you recognize our family's spiritual artifact?"

  Ding Lingxiu lowered his voice and said.

  "Haha, I'm a wandering Taoist priest, there's no spiritual instrument that I haven't seen before. But I really didn't expect young Ding to inherit the family business at such a young age, his future prospects are boundless." said Zhang Shanyi.

  "It's too much of an honor, but Zhang Zhenren, what brings you to Guanmen Mountain this time?" asked Ding Lingxiu.

  "Heh heh, Young Master Ding, you're asking a question you already know the answer to. Of course, I'm here to drive away the evil spirits." Zhang Shanyi still had a smile on his face.

  "Oh, I see! So our goals are the same then?"

  Ding Lingxiu's words were light, but his heart was a bit nervous. After all, this Zhang Zhenren's Taoist skills were not shallow, and with another competitor added, it would be even more difficult than dealing with the police and monsters.

  "Ah, Master Ding misunderstood. I am dedicated to eradicating demons, while you aim to hunt them down. We don't interfere with each other's business. If you're willing, I'd be happy to lend a hand." Zhang Shanyi waved his hand in sincerity.

  Ding Lingxiu looked at the Taoist priest in front of him, who had a kind face and couldn't imagine that he would compete with himself for the inner bird, so he nodded.

  "That's really great, having a good match is truly helpful. This trip will definitely be like a fish in water. However, I have a request, I don't know if you can agree to it?" Ding Ling Xiu said.

  "Master Ding said it doesn't matter."

  "Can we speak normally?" Ding Lingxiu finally couldn't help but blurt out the words he had been holding back for a long time.

  "......Alright, I'm used to speaking like this when I'm cultivating. However, Young Master Ding, I also have a small request." Zhang Shanyi looked at Ding Lingxiu with some embarrassment.

  "Go ahead, what can't be said between partners like us?" Ding Lingxiu said.

  "Ding Shao, look at me this time helping you subdue the demon, these talismans and whatnots all require consumption, so... can't you sponsor a little funding for poor Dao?" Zhang Shanyi's face showed a difficult expression.

  Ding Lingxiu was overjoyed in his heart, and suddenly felt at ease. Because now he could fully cooperate with Zhang Shanyi without any worries. Ding Lingxiu wasn't afraid that Zhang would take advantage of him for money, but rather that he had no ulterior motives. In today's world where material desires reign supreme, if Zhang Shanyi were to help him out of the blue, that would be a suspicious move.

  "This is natural, no matter how high-sounding the words of subduing demons and exorcising evil spirits are, one still has to make a living. This time, regardless of whether the action succeeds or not, I will give Daozhang 2000 yuan as a reward. If Daozhang successfully helps me capture the inner phoenix, there will be an additional gift." Ding Lingxu said generously.

  "Master Ding is indeed generous, but I will also lend a hand. In fact, even if Master Ding refused, in order to prevent the evil spirit from continuing its evil deeds, I would still go to the mountain to subdue it." Zhang Shanyi was also very satisfied with this condition, which was much more than what he could get for exorcising evil spirits and praying for blessings for others.

  "This is natural. Although we come from different backgrounds, the principles in our hearts are the same. What's important is that eliminating evil can bring peace to the people, not just about money."

  What Ding Lingxu said was not a courtesy, it is the consensus of most famous schools and orthodox teachings. Even if the world is cold, the heart of these strange people will not change.

  "Did you just say 'enter inner demons'? Are you referring to that evil spirit's name?" Zhang Shanyi asked.

  "Yes, the Inner Bird is a very strange and sinister creature. Although it's said that they always appear in groups in spiritual mountains, working together to harm travelers. But in reality, they're not many monsters living together, but actually just one monster. However, it can transform into any number of bird-like creatures and can enter a person's body, feeding on their internal organs to gain nutrition and increase its powers. When the time is ripe, when the person being fed upon is almost dead, it will hatch the gained powers into eggs inside the person's body, then break out again as more Inner Birds, which gather together and merge back into one Inner Bird, greatly increasing its powers."

  "It's no wonder that the descendants of the Ding family are indeed famous for nothing, and they have a thorough understanding of demons and ghosts." Zhang Shanyi bowed his hands, his words full of admiration.

  "Haha, that's natural. Ah, this is also the result of accumulation over time. Now some people, as soon as they achieve a little bit of success, become complacent and think they're particularly awesome." Ding Lingxiu said.

  "There are indeed many such people who talk big but don't take action."

  "I am different."

  "Who are you?"

  "I feel like I'm awesome even when I don't do anything every day."

  “……”

  The two of them had similar interests and were in the same line of work, chatting all the way and hitting it off immediately, with a sense of regret that they hadn't met sooner.

  Ding Lingxiu learned through conversation with Zhang Shanyi that this Zhang Zhenren actually came from Longhushan, which was something Ding Lingxiu had not expected. Perhaps due to the passage of time and changing circumstances, even mainstream Orthodox Daoist disciples could no longer avoid charging tuition for their services. However, Longhushan is after all the "ancestral temple" of the Orthodox Unity Sect of Daoism, the Tianshi lineage. Since Zhang Daoling achieved great success in his cultivation and alchemy on Longhushan, from the fourth generation Tianshi Zhang Sheng of the Han dynasty onwards, successive generations of Tianshis have resided here, guarding Longhushan and seeking immortality, sitting in the Upper Clarity Palace to teach and transform, residing in the Tianshi Mansion to cultivate their character and nature. It can be said that this is a "capital of Daoism". Ordinary people find it extremely difficult to even think about becoming a disciple, yet this Zhang Shanyi was able to complete his cultivation and become a wandering Daoist before the age of twenty, truly a prodigy.

  Look at this Zhang Zhenren, with the Taoist name Tianzi, majestic and extraordinary in appearance. Although he didn't say it, Ding Lingxiu had already guessed a few points. This Zhang Shanyi was very likely to be the successor of Zhang Daoling, the first generation of the Heavenly Master of Taoism.

  There was some fog on the highway, and the bus driver drove very cautiously. After entering the mountainous area, the fog became even thicker, and after driving for a long time on the winding mountain road, we finally climbed to the top of the mountain. As soon as the car reached the top of the mountain, it suddenly felt refreshing and open, with the mountains shrouded in mist, like a fairyland. As the time approached noon, the fog slowly dispersed.

  "We were chatting and laughing, and before we knew it, the car had already arrived." Ding Lingxiu said with a smile.

  "Yes, traveling with you is endless fun, haha." Zhang Shanyi's laughter was loud and clear.

  They looked out of the car window and saw that Guanmen Mountain was majestic and beautiful, with clouds and mist rising between the mountains, making it even more magnificent.

  "The mountain's momentum is 'left auxiliary right wing', like the sun and moon shining together, this place is indeed auspicious and elegant, no wonder this demon also chose this place to cultivate its demonic powers." Zhang Shanyi couldn't help but exclaim.

  "Yes, but I think we should put aside the study of this Feng Shui pattern for now. The problem at hand is how to get in." Ding Lingxiu pointed to the mountain gate sealed off by the police, his brow furrowed.