"So this is a mage." Lin Yi casually picked up the Dragon Abyss Sword from the side, hung it at his waist, and then pushed open the door and walked out.
He gazed at the bright moon in the sky, remaining silent for a long time.
Making a breakthrough on the path of spiritual practice is something to be happy about.
But when Lin Yi wanted to find someone to share this joy with, he found himself so lonely.
With a clang, he drew his sword, its blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight.
Lin Yi casually swung the Dragon Abyss Sword in his hand, its sword light piercing the air and forming a continuous expanse. The joy and loneliness in his heart vanished along with the flying sword.
After a long while, Lin Yi returned his sword to its sheath.
Under the moonlight, he found solace in tranquility and solitude.
Looking back on the journey, what we've gained and lost is like drinking water—only we ourselves know whether it's hot or cold.
………………
Guobei County, Jinhua Prefecture, Zhejiang Province.
Early that morning, Magistrate Lou, who was usually reluctant to get up early, led his men out of the city gate and walked several miles toward the prefectural city, where they waited respectfully by the roadside.
The weather was extremely hot, and Magistrate Lou complained inwardly, but dared not show it on his face.
Several days ago, the prefect had sent word that he must handle this matter perfectly, otherwise…
A higher-ranking official can crush you.
Magistrate Lou hasn't had a good night's sleep in the past few days and has even lost weight.
Although the clerk standing nearby was also sweltering in the heat, he still dutifully fanned Magistrate Lou.
"Master, why don't we go and rest in the shade for a while?" the advisor said.
Magistrate Lou hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, no matter how hard or tiring it is this time, we have to persevere."
Just as the two were talking, several figures appeared on the official road.
"Someone's coming!" a constable shouted from the side.
Magistrate Lou glanced ahead and said, "Everyone, be alert. Anyone who causes me trouble is fired."
In the short time it took to speak, the three people had already arrived nearby.
A child who looked only seven or eight years old, with rosy lips and white teeth, and a delicate, exquisite appearance; a handsome young man of about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a blue Taoist robe and with a long sword hanging at his waist; and finally, a handsome young man with extraordinary bearing.
Lin Yi looked at Magistrate Lou and his entourage waiting by the roadside and asked, "Are you Magistrate Lou of Guobei County?"
Magistrate Lou nodded and said, "That is indeed me."
Lin Yi took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, "This is a letter from Prefect Yang of Jinhua Prefecture to you."
After reading the letter, Magistrate Lou was greatly shocked and hurriedly said, "This humble official greets the True Man Qingxuan."
Lin Yi waved his hand and said, "No need for all this formalities. How's the matter I assigned a few days ago going?"
Magistrate Lou said, "I have been working day and night these past few days, raising funds from all sides, and everything is ready. You will be able to see it once you enter the city."
Lin Yi nodded slightly and said, "That's good." Then, he turned to discuss briefly with the two people beside him, and the group headed towards Guo Bei County.
After entering the county town, Magistrate Lou led Lin Yi and the other two to a very spacious courtyard, where they saw a lot of firewood, oil and other flammable materials piled up.
Lin Yi nodded and asked, "How is the firebreak outside the city being set up?"
Magistrate Lou patted his chest and said, "Please rest assured, sir."
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Chapter Twenty: Fire Burns the Wilderness, Sword Illuminates the Netherworld
At noon, the sun is high in the sky, which is the time of day when the yang energy is at its peak.
However, Lin Yi still felt a bit eerie standing outside Lanruo Temple. He turned to the boy beside him and asked, "How much does Fellow Daoist Zhang know about Lanruo Temple?"
Zhang Tianshi said, “Lanruo, in Sanskrit, is Aranya, which originally means forest, and later refers to a quiet and secluded place far away from the world, generally referring to a Buddhist temple. At the request of my fellow Daoist Qingxuan, I consulted the classics after returning to the mountain and found some records. This Lanruo Temple was once quite famous in Buddhism, and its most proficient skill was a supernatural power called the ‘Two Realms and Ten Directions Vajra Garbage Treasury Great Array’.”
"Please enlighten me, fellow Daoist?" Lin Yi said.
Zhang Tianshi said, "One flower, one world; one tree, one Bodhi. One thought divides two realms; the mind empties, transforming into the ten directions. This supernatural power is known solely for its unwavering strength, excelling at sealing various heretical demons. The more demons sealed, the stronger its power..."
Just as the two were talking, two people walked out of Lanruo Temple.
The person in the lead was the young man who came with Lin Yi, followed by a middle-aged man with a full beard.
One of these two people is Zhi Qiu Yi Ye, who came from Kunlun Mountain and entered the world to cultivate; the other is Yan Chi Xia, who lived in seclusion at Lanruo Temple to cultivate.
Zhi Qiu Yiye came to Lin Yi, cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to the True Man, this place has been abandoned for a long time, and only one fellow Daoist is here to cultivate in seclusion."
"Alright." Lin Yi nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to the bearded man behind him and said, "This humble Taoist has come here to exorcise the demon on the orders of the Emperor. This matter concerns the fate of the Ming Dynasty, so please forgive me, fellow Taoist."
Yan Chixia said, "It is true that there is a thousand-year-old tree demon hidden in this place, but to say that this demon is related to the fate of the Ming Dynasty is a bit of an exaggeration."
Lin Yi smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist, you only know one side of the story. As far as I know, this demon's true form is an extremely rare Yin-Yang Locust Tree, which is born with the ability to communicate between the Yin and Yang realms. In recent years, the Yin and Yang of the world have been out of balance, with frequent droughts and floods, and people suffering greatly. This is largely related to the Nine Netherworld Evil Qi emanating from this place."
"Is that true?" Yan Chixia pressed.
Lin Yi shook his head and said, "To put it bluntly, you're not worth me lying to."
Having said that, he didn't bother to care what Yan Chixia thought and directly ordered, "Light the fire."