EFB Chapter 112 My daughter was kidnapped by that blond guy
Chapter 112 My daughter was kidnapped by that blond guy
"You two stay home and wait for me to return this time. Then I will take you back to Zhenlong Temple to see my master."
Lu Yuan mounted his horse, flicked his wrist, and the reins made a crisp sound.
Wang Cheng'an and Xu Erxiao, being quite clever, immediately shouted to the two beautiful aunts, "See you, sisters-in-law!"
After shouting, he followed closely behind.
Shen Shulan sat upright on his horse, bowed slightly to Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin as a sign of greeting, and then spurred his horse to follow Lu Yuan without any hesitation.
In the blink of an eye, the silhouettes of the four people and four riders disappeared into tiny black dots at the end of the long street.
At the main gate, only Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin remained.
Aunt Qiao watched the departing figure and couldn't help but lean closer to Aunt Qin, her breath sweet as orchids.
"Back then, you insisted on living together, and I was really unhappy about it."
"Now that I think about it, we really do need to live together."
She laughed sweetly:
"From now on, we two big female donkeys will have to be tied together on the kang (heated brick bed). Even if there are a hundred more of these, we won't be afraid that our good boy won't want us anymore~" Aunt Qin blushed upon hearing this and spat.
"I'm never going to hang out with you again!"
"He spits in people's faces three times in one night, anyone who hangs out with him is crazy!"
After saying that, Aunt Qin turned around and walked into the mansion, yawning and stretching her body in a very graceful way.
That night, my bones felt so sore from all the torment!
Aunt Qiao'er immediately followed, saying in a sweet voice:
"It's like you didn't spit in my face!"
The two were speaking in a vulgar and incomprehensible language when they entered the courtyard. They saw Song Yan coming out of the house with his head down.
He looked just like a defeated rooster.
Song Yan looked up and saw the two stunningly beautiful women, but he could only weakly offer a bow before dejectedly leaving. He had only one thought in his mind.
What are we going to do later!
How am I supposed to explain this to my master?
If Master heard this, wouldn't he fly into a rage and tear down the roof beams?!
If things get heated and you start cursing... please don't let the cursing turn back on you...
Fengtian City, Beihua Tower, inside a small courtyard.
Inside the incense burner, the smoke from sandalwood rose straight up.
"Is that what he said?"
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable, who was sitting in meditation before the ancestral master's tablet, slowly opened his eyes after listening to Song Yan's retelling.
There was no anger in his eyes as expected, only a deep calm.
Song Yan hung her head, her voice trembling with tears.
"Hmm... Not a single word was different. I didn't dare to change even half a word. That's exactly what Junior Brother Lu Yuan said back then."
He was prepared to face his master's wrath, and even shrank his neck slightly.
However, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable ultimately only let out a long sigh.
He stood up, his voice carrying a hint of melancholy.
"Know"……"
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the ancestral master's tablet and then over his own mentor's tablet, before finally seeming to pierce through the roof and gaze into an unknown distance.
"He Yin... didn't he find a disciple?"
"They've found a true successor..."
He turned around and gently patted Song Yan's shoulder beside him.
"Do you know why, out of all my disciples, I love you the most?"
"You're not the most hardworking, not the most clever, and certainly not the most talented."
Song Yan shook his head blankly.
"Your disciple does not know..."
After saying this, Song Yan paused, and for the first time, a look of understanding appeared in his eyes.
"Now... I think I understand a little..."
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable nodded, said no more, and slowly spoke as he walked toward the quiet room behind him.
"We don't need to worry about that old man for now..."
"We, too, have things we must do now..."
In the secluded courtyard behind Beihua Tower in Fengtian City, the air is filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
This is one of the core warehouses of Wuqing Temple in Fengtian City.
The building, with its blue bricks and gray tiles, appears simple, but in reality, it is equipped with thirty-six "Hidden Dragon Locking Qi Arrays" both inside and out.
Ordinary evil spirits, let alone getting close, will cause their souls to ache even if they just glance at them a few times.
At that moment, the door of the warehouse, which was covered with yellow talismans inscribed with "Six Jia Secret Blessings," was pushed open from the inside with a loud bang.
Shen Shulan, dressed in a blue robe, stepped out with a rare, almost "sweeping" focused expression on her cool face.
Behind her, two young Taoist boys were struggling to lift a huge camphor wood chest.
The box lid wasn't even properly closed, and the radiant light and spiritual pressure emanating from the gaps caused a long string of "ghost-startling bells" hanging under the eaves to ring out merrily without any wind.
Under the corridor, a middle-aged man dressed in a dark purple Taoist robe and wearing a hibiscus crown stood with his hands behind his back.
It was Shen Jizhou, the abbot of Wuqing Temple and the leading figure in Taoism outside the Great Wall.
He usually had an air of otherworldly elegance, but now his eyes were twitching wildly, his gaze fixed on the box behind his daughter, which seemed to overflow with precious light. "Shulan."
Shen Jizhou tried his best to maintain the dignity and calmness of the abbot, but the last syllable of his voice still trembled.
"Are you... going to empty out our entire warehouse?"
He practically squeezed out the last three words through gritted teeth.
Shen Shulan continued walking without stopping, her cool voice completely calm.
"Father, don't talk nonsense."
"Uncle Lu's journey is fraught with unknown dangers. Since I am going with you, I will make sure you are fully prepared."
As she spoke, she had already walked to the "Golden Stone Pavilion" next door, which stored top-level magical artifacts.
Shen Jizhou followed behind, his heart pounding, watching helplessly as his daughter waved her hand.
She even took down one of the "everlasting pearl lamps" used for lighting inside the pavilion and casually stuffed it into her chain.
For a moment, Shen Jizhou felt a sharp pain in his chest.
"Shulan... that's enough, it's just a few places to raise evil spirits..."
Shen Jizhou felt a little breathless.
Without turning his head, Shen Shulan opened a jade box contained in a sandalwood case. Inside lay seven beads, each the size of a longan and with a warm, lustrous color. "The Three Talents Stabilizing Beads?"
"Perfect, one is enough for one place to nurture evil spirits. It can hold the core evil spirits in place for three hours, making it easier for my master to set up an array to remove them."
After saying this, Shen Shulan closed the jade box and put it directly into his trousers.
"That was passed down from your great-grandfather!"
Shen Jizhou's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, and his Taoist robe billowed out.
"There are only seven left! They are rare, one-of-a-kind items, and each one is one less available! The crafting method has long been lost!"
"Therefore, it should be used where it's most needed." Shen Shulan's logic was clear: "Clearing out places that nurture evil spirits and protecting the region is precisely where the blade is needed."
Shen Jizhou clutched his chest, feeling his Dao heart wavering.
He watched as his daughter walked towards the "Talisman Workshop," where high-level talismans accumulated by generations of masters were stored.
Shen Shulan's gaze swept over the rows of jade boxes.
Her fingers paused for a moment on a jade box sealed with the "Purple Mansion Thunder Pivot Seal".
Inside are ten "Five Thunder Slaying Talismans," which draw upon genuine righteous heavenly thunder energy.
It has a devastating effect on yin and evil objects, but its production is extremely difficult. It requires collecting the essence of thunder on a high mountain peak on a specific day of thunderstorms, and the failure rate is extremely high. Shen Jizhou's heart was in his throat, and he almost begged for mercy.
However, Shen Shulan moved her fingers away again.
Shen Jizhou had just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her open a larger jade box next to her.
Inside, there were no fewer than a hundred "Yangyan Po Hui Talismans" neatly stacked.
Although its power is slightly less than that of the Five Thunder Talisman, it has the advantage of being plentiful and effective in covering and striking targets.
"This is useful."
Shen Shulan nodded, and then began stuffing his pants, which seemed to have no bottom, one shovel after another.
The action didn't resemble taking out a precious talisman; it looked more like handling some worthless yellow paper.
Shen Jizhou: ..."
My dear daughter!!!
Oh my god!
Don't move it!!
If we move again, the house will be empty!
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan and his two companions were sitting at a simple tea stall by the roadside.
The tea was the cheapest flower tea available at the stall, with a stronger astringent taste than a fragrant one, and a few dry tea leaves bobbing up and down in the rough porcelain bowl.
Shen Shulan said she needed to go home to get some magical artifacts, so Lu Yuan let her go.
She hadn't expected Lu Yuan to leave today, and the preparations were rushed.
Lu Yuan wasn't in a hurry.
The girl is here to help me, so even if I have to wait half an hour, or even half a day, I have to wait.
Xu Erxiao was getting restless, frequently glancing at the Beihua Building across the street, and muttering in a low voice:
"They've been inside for almost half an hour, why haven't they come out yet?"
"Brother, could something have happened?"
Wang Chengan also craned his neck.
Lu Yuan picked up the teacup, blew away the floating leaves, and slowly took a sip.
"Don't rush."
His voice was steady, his gaze fixed on the ornately decorated building across the street, his eyes showing no sign of anxiety.
Lu Yuan was anxious about Song Yan because he felt that what Song Yan said was useless and a waste of breath.
But Shen Shulan was naturally different.
Just quietly sip your tea and wait.
Once they left Fengtian City, the remaining seven places for nurturing evil spirits were all in the wilderness, making it difficult to find a cup of hot tea there again. So, Lu Yuan ordered another pot of the cheapest flower tea.
Although he married Aunt Qiao'er, the richest woman outside the Great Wall, Lu Yuan still remained accustomed to being frugal.
The money was earned by my wife, not by me.
Lu Yuan looked down on himself for his extravagant, nouveau riche lifestyle, even if Aunt Qiao'er didn't say anything.
Just then, three figures silently stood beside the tea table, casting shadows that completely enveloped the teacups of Lu Yuan and the other two.
"Master, you are merciful."
The young Taoist priest at the head of the group spoke, his voice carrying a hint of condescending scrutiny.
Lu Yuan looked up.
Three completely unfamiliar faces, and the cloud patterns on their Taoist robes were something I had never seen before.
He put down his teacup, slowly rose, and bowed, saying:
"May the Heavenly Venerable grant boundless blessings."
The young Taoist priest did not return the greeting, but went straight to asking:
"Is that Master Lu Yuan from Zhenlong Temple?"
"I saw you there before, at the altar of the Luotian Grand Ritual, regarding the matter between you and the Biyu Temple."
"I belong to the Beidou Guanxiao generation, Shi Xiangyang, and my Taoist name is Xiaoyi."
Beidou Guan?
Lu Yuan went through it in his mind, and indeed, this name was not among the Taoist knowledge he had been cramming on recently.
The three upper gates—Wuqing Temple, Riyue Temple, and Tianlong Temple—need no further explanation.
The remaining four Taoist temples where the Celestial Venerables of this era reside are Fuhai Temple, Xianyun Temple, Zilin Temple, and Biyu Temple.
This Beidou Temple...
Lu Yuanzhen had never heard of it before.
Lu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and said:
"What brings you here, fellow Daoist?"
Before Lu Yuan could finish speaking, Shi Xiangyang cut to the chase and said directly:
"Junior Brother Lu Yuan, are you going to destroy the Nurturing Fiend Land?"
Lu Yuan blinked, hey...
This news spread really fast.
But thinking about it carefully, it seems normal.
In the beginning, the story of raising evil spirits had not yet spread.
However, as Wuqing Temple carried out large-scale extermination of evil spirit lands outside, and later, people from Wuqing Temple also arrived in Fengtian City.
Many people know that the place for nurturing evil spirits at Wuqing Temple was given to them by Lu Yuan.
After all, when Lu Yuan gave Shen Shulan the Ferocious Earth, it wasn't a secret gift.
Many of Shen Shulan's fellow disciples from Wuqing Temple were watching and knew about it.
Moreover, Lu Yuan didn't ask for this to be kept secret, so it naturally spread quickly.
Lu Yuan immediately responded:
"What's up?"
Then, Shi Xiangyang of the Beidou Temple directly cupped his hands and said:
"Junior Brother Lu Yuan, would you be willing to share a suitable place for nurturing evil spirits with my Beidou Temple?"
Having said that, before Lu Yuan could react, Shi Xiangyang leaned forward slightly and whispered in front of Lu Yuan:
"Junior Brother Lu Yuan is the grand-nephew of Celestial Venerable Crane Patrol, so you must know that..."
"My master is He Cheng, one of the newly promoted Celestial Venerables this year and the abbot of the Beidou Temple."
Lu Yuan looked at him, his face expressionless.
I don't know.
Before Lu Yuan could say anything, Shi Xiangyang continued:
"Now, the matter of nurturing evil spirits has been entirely taken over by Wuqing Temple and Zhenlong Temple."
"Junior Brother Lu Yuan, would you be so kind as to bestow upon our Beidou Temple a place for nurturing evil spirits?"
"Rest assured, fellow Daoist, our Beidou Temple will definitely provide you with satisfactory conditions."
Lu Yuan lowered his eyelids, looking at the swirling tea leaf in the bowl.
Ok……
I never expected that what Song Yan mentioned would happen to me so soon.
The ones who are most eager to cultivate their merits in the Sha Earth are undoubtedly the four newly promoted Heavenly Venerables, apart from the three upper sects.
After all, everyone knows about the matter of the Nourishing Evil Land, yet none of the four newly appointed Heavenly Venerables have broken through the Nourishing Evil Land.
This is really not a good look.
No, there are three.
Shen Shulan is destined to squeeze one out.
As for Lu Yuan himself, he was also vying for the position of Heavenly Venerable.
This achievement is his path, and his way.
How could I possibly allow that?
Lu Yuan raised his head and slowly shook it.
"I can't give it to you."
Three words, crisp and clean, leaving no room for maneuver whatsoever.
Shi Xiangyang's smile froze instantly, and his brows furrowed.
"Junior Brother Lu, aren't you being a bit too selfish?"
His voice turned cold, and the accusation of "selfishness" made the air around the tea stall tense.
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow and asked in return.
"I discovered this place to nurture evil spirits. If I don't give it to you, am I being selfish?"
Shi Xiangyang was momentarily speechless, then let out a cold snort, his voice suddenly rising in pitch:
"The entire Taoist community is united in this great undertaking; how can you claim all the credit?"
"By sharing the land for nurturing evil spirits and working together, we can truly demonstrate the unity and harmonious coexistence of our Taoist sect!"
"What else is it but selfishness—only caring about your own fame and disregarding the bonds of camaraderie—that you're clinging to this so tightly?!"
His words were spoken with righteous indignation, as if Lu Yuan had become the eternal sinner who had destroyed the unity of the Daoist sect.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan couldn't help but laugh.
Lu Yuan is not afraid of being labeled or given value by others.
Coming to his senses, Lu Yuan immediately looked at Shi Xiangyang and sneered:
"What a joke!"
Then, Lu Yuan raised his head and looked at Shi Xiangyang, shouting loudly:
"Since I, Lu Yuan, entered the Zhenlong Temple, the first lesson my master taught me was that those in the Daoist sect bear the character 'Dao' above their heads, and must guard their hearts and their responsibilities!" "What we guard is the heart to help and save people, and the responsibility to protect all living beings!"
"The duty of the Taoist sect has never been to maintain superficial harmony and appeasement, much less to form cliques and engage in petty social niceties!"
Lu Yuan stepped forward. Although he was younger than Shi Xiangyang, his aura completely overwhelmed him, and his eyes were filled with disdain as he said:
"I tell you, the duty of the Taoist sect is to inherit the lineage of our master, never forgetting the arduous journey and passionate sacrifices of our ancestors who fought to slay demons and monsters!" "It is also to protect the common people, placing their safety and well-being above our own personal honor and even the slightest disgrace!"
Shi Xiangyang's face turned pale and then red after being hit by these words, and he opened his mouth to defend himself.
Lu Yuan didn't give him a chance at all, and changed the subject, his sarcasm becoming even stronger.
"Besides, who said I didn't share the land for nurturing evil spirits?"
"I shared the land for nurturing evil spirits with Wuqing Temple. Didn't your Beidou Temple know that?"
"What, you dare not go to Wuqing Temple, one of the top three sects, to 'share' the credit, but you insist on blocking me, a lowly Taoist priest from Zhenlong Temple?" "If I don't give it to you, you accuse me of being selfish?"
Lu Yuan stared at him, speaking slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud, but each word piercing to the heart.
Whether I am selfish or not is another matter.
"Your Beidou Temple... you're definitely bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong!"
"Dad, it's cold, you should go back."
Shen Shulan carefully placed the camphor wood chest, which was filled with treasures, into the large bags on either side of the horse's back.
She patted her still-bulging trousers, then deftly mounted her horse, her figure graceful and dashing.
At the entrance of the compound, Shen Jizhou stood in the cold wind, looking at his precious daughter. His lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing. Only a sigh remained.
Finally, Shen Shulan's figure turned into a black dot before his eyes and disappeared into the distance.
After a while, a commotion appeared beside Shen Jizhou.
"Senior brother, are you really going to send Shulan with all these treasures to help Lu Yuan of the True Dragon Temple?"
Someone appeared beside Shen Jizhou without his knowledge.
Shen Jizhou withdrew his gaze, put his hands behind his back, and turned to walk into the house.
"That's enough, that's enough."
His voice carried a sense of desolation.
"A daughter is like a tree that grows up and leaves home..."
"Besides, putting aside personal feelings, Lu Yuan first did our Wuqing Temple a great favor in the matter of the Zhao family."
"They then shared information about the Nurturing Ground with us."
"Both morally and logically, we should express our gratitude."
"But... Shulan insists on doing it herself..."
Shen Jizhou paused, as if he had remembered something.
"Speaking of which, I vaguely remember that Lu Yuan."
I met him once at last year's Luo Tian Grand Ceremony.
The junior apprentice followed, his tone tinged with curiosity:
"How come my senior brother remembered it for so long?"
"He must be an extraordinary and heroic figure; no wonder he has captured Shulan's heart so deeply."
Shen Jizhou shook his head.
"But I looked at him a few more times, not because of that."
"It's because of his master, He Yin."
The junior apprentice suddenly stopped in his tracks, his voice changing tone:
"Last year's Luo Tian Grand Ceremony... He Yin came?!"
"They're here." Shen Jizhou nodded, his expression becoming somewhat complicated.
"Although he is now old and looks terrible, reeking of alcohol and slovenly, it is hard to associate that old drunkard with the spirited Li Xiuye of yesteryear."
His brows furrowed into a knot.
"But I can still recognize him."
Shen Jizhou sighed again, but his tone carried a hint of something indescribable.
"He did take on a good apprentice."
"The nineteen-year-old Taoist master."
"Such talent and such a level of attainment are indeed... worthy of our Shulan."
The junior apprentice nodded slightly, then remembered something else:
"But senior brother, yesterday I heard He Xun say that Zhenlong Temple also seems to be vying for the position of Heavenly Venerable this year."
"We forcibly changed the list this year, squeezing out Yuxiao Temple's place, which was already somewhat forced."
"If Zhenlong Temple were to interfere again..."
Shen Jizhou walked with his hands behind his back, head down, without saying a word, his thoughts growing increasingly deep.
The two entered the house one after the other.
Shen Jizhou sank into the soft Western-style sofa, picked up his teacup, but just stared at the tea leaves floating in the water, remaining silent for a long time.
My junior brother sat quietly beside me.
The air inside was so quiet that only the ticking of the grandfather clock could be heard.
I don't know how much time passed.
There was a soft knock on the open door, and a person stood in the doorway.
The two looked up, and then Shen Jizhou said to himself:
"Have you found out anything about Lu Yuan?"
The man shook his head slightly and said:
"I found some, but they weren't very useful."
Shen Jizhou, holding his teacup, nodded slightly and said:
"Anyway, he doesn't have any bad habits, and he's a decent person, right?"
The man nodded seriously and said:
"Yes, he doesn't even drink alcohol."
"Over the past year, when people in Fengtian City talk about Lu Yuan, they all give him a thumbs up."
Upon hearing this, a satisfied expression appeared on Shen Jizhou's face.
The junior brother standing next to him nodded in agreement.
Not bad~ Not bad~
It's really great!
Shen Jizhou then nodded in satisfaction and said:
"Okay, I understand. Go check it out again, and let me know if you find anything else."
The man nodded and turned to leave.
However, after turning around and taking only two steps, the man suddenly turned back and said:
"Master, there's something else, it's not exactly a serious matter, it just happened yesterday."
Shen Jizhou looked up curiously and asked:
"Um?"
Tell me about it.
The man paused immediately and said:
"Yesterday, the Zhao family purchased a lot of wedding supplies."
"I heard it's because the lady of the house is getting married."
"Yesterday, Lu Yuan returned to Fengtian City and went directly to the Zhao residence, so it seems..."
"It must be that Lu Yuan is getting married to Zhao Qiao'er, the president of the Bailu Chamber of Commerce."
"After what happened in Ningyuan Town, the two of them have maintained a good relationship, and people in the manor have been saying privately that they will get married sooner or later." "Now it seems that's really the case."
Shen Jizhou: "?"
Then the man said again:
"..."
"It seems that Song Meiqin from the Song family was also married by Lu Yuan yesterday."
Shen Jizhou: "??"
At this point, the man sighed somewhat:
"This kid is really capable."
"Those two are no pushovers, yet he managed to take them both in one go."
The next second, Shen Jizhou's furious voice echoed throughout the room.
"Why the hell didn't you say so sooner?!"
"Quick!! Call Shulan back! Shulan has been tricked!!! He still thinks he's not married!!!"
"Quickly bring Shulan back! Don't let her get involved!!"
The person opposite him was startled by Shen Jizhou's sudden outburst and stammered:
"Master...Master..."
"Shulan should know..."
"She went to the Zhao residence to see Lu Yuan this morning, and she probably met Lu Yuan's two wives."
Shen Jizhou: "????"
My daughter...she found out...
She...she's going to go with Lu Yuan?
It's over...it's all over...
This is hopeless!!!
We're already hooked!