"Judge? Are you a judge of the underworld?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Xian was startled. He then recalled Xiao Ning's words before leaving. Looking at the man again, he saw that he was indeed standing without a shadow. He immediately realized that this was someone from the underworld, and he became even more respectful.
"Not bad, it seems you do have some knowledge!"
The man glanced at Xu Xian with surprise and asked slowly, "An hour ago, someone broke into Qiantang County and killed the city god. In the end, that person's aura disappeared from this place. Do you know where he went?"
Xu Xian was as clear-headed as a mirror. Just as the abbot had said, after the City God died, he went to the underworld to file a complaint, and they had already come knocking on his door.
"That evil cultivator abducted children and used them to refine a vicious ancient demon. My abbot discovered this and killed him here. His spirit has been taken away by my abbot. If you, Judge, wish to know more details, you can go to my abbot!"
Xu Xian replied respectfully.
"Oh? Your abbot... what is his name? Where is he now?"
The middle-aged scholar said with slight surprise.
"The abbot's surname is Xiao, and his given name is Ning. He resides in Qingxu Temple on Qianyuan Mountain, about twenty miles outside the city's eastern suburbs!"
Xu Xian did not hide anything and answered truthfully.
"Hmm? Xiao... Ning... Hiss! So it's the Heavenly Lord of the Cave of Truth and Salvation from Calamity. This judge will immediately go to your esteemed temple to pay him a visit!"
Upon hearing what Xu Xian said, the middle-aged scholar looked slightly puzzled. Then, like a Sichuan opera face-changing act, expressions of surprise, shock, understanding, and doubt flashed across his face.
He pondered for a moment and said, "I cannot fail to express my gratitude for your guidance, young friend. Here's what I have to say: I see that you have just advanced to the Grandmaster realm. I have a Spirit Condensation Pill that can help you condense your soul as soon as possible. I will give it to you today!"
As he spoke, the man reached out and revealed a palm-sized porcelain bottle, which he placed on the wooden table in the room. Without any apparent action, his entire body gradually faded away, as if he had never existed.
"Respectfully seeing off Your Honor, Judge! Xu Xian thanks you for the elixir!"
Xu Xian bowed respectfully, secretly relieved, picked up the porcelain bottle on the table, and a smile appeared on his face.
...
At Qingxu Temple, there is a bronze basin-sized incense burner on the offering table inside the hall. The incense smoke is rising from the burner and drifting away with the mountain breeze.
Xiao Ning sat cross-legged on a futon in the center of the hall, closing his eyes to rest.
At his current level, it's difficult to achieve significant and rapid breakthroughs through arduous cultivation alone. He needs to accumulate knowledge and skills over many years, persevering tirelessly for decades or even centuries before he has any chance of making a breakthrough.
"Distinguished guests, your presence is an honor to our humble abode. Please enter!"
Suddenly, he opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through numerous obstacles to see down the mountain. With the help of his magic, a voice traveled from afar to his ears.
At the foot of the mountain, the middle-aged scholar appeared, looking at the inconspicuous little mountain. He shook his head inwardly. To be honest, he couldn't understand why the other party, who was a Heavenly Emperor, would rather stay in this unknown place than go to the Heavenly Court to perform his duties.
This Heavenly Lord's strange and eccentric behavior caused many powerful beings in the Three Realms to shake their heads at the mere mention of his name.
Upon hearing the words, the middle-aged scholar stopped thinking and took a step to the top of the mountain, where he saw an ordinary Taoist temple.
The temple gates were wide open, but the inside was deserted. There were no young Taoist boys in sight. The middle-aged scholar chuckled lightly, showing no anger, and stepped into the temple.
"Cui Jue of the Underworld greets the Heavenly Emperor!"
After passing through the front courtyard and entering the main hall, one could see Xiao Ning standing there with a smile in the distance. The middle-aged scholar bowed with both hands and said loudly.
"Judge Cui is a rare guest, please invite him in quickly!"
Xiao Ning stood with his hands clasped and greeted him with a smile.
After entering the hall and taking their seats according to their status as host and guest, Xiao Ning personally brewed a pot of tea, held up the teacup, and made a respectful gesture from afar, saying, "All the young Taoist disciples in the temple have gone out to travel, so I, as the abbot, had to personally brew the tea. Judge Cui, please don't take offense!"
Despite this, he remained calm and composed, showing no sign of embarrassment.
Cui Jue shook his head slightly and said, "The Heavenly Lord acts according to his own nature and is well-versed in the ways of nature. I admire him more than anything, so how could I possibly blame him!"
Upon first meeting this eccentric celestial ruler, he felt comfortable and at ease, as if it were a friendly exchange between friends.
"The meaning of life is to live as you please. If you have to compromise, flatter, and humble yourself, what's the point of living? Even if you have extraordinary powers, you're not as carefree as an ordinary person!"
Perhaps due to his years of persistent recitation of the Huang Ting Jing, Xiao Ning's temperament has become increasingly indifferent, moving closer to the Daoist principle of non-action. This has also allowed him to revert to his childlike innocence, acting spontaneously and saying whatever comes to mind without any restraint.
I no longer have to carefully consider every word I say, whether it will offend people or make them think I've said something wrong.
No longer being so cautious, afraid that others would look down on them.
In this life, everyone else is just a passerby on the journey, so why care what others think?
As long as I'm happy!
I'm happy, I'm willing, I like it!
After years of arduous meditation, Xiao Ning's cultivation level did not advance to the next stage of the Primordial Spirit Realm, but his mental state was greatly improved, undergoing a qualitative change.
This is precisely why his personality has changed drastically.
In the past, he might have gone to the Fifth Heavenly Palace to find Bai Suzhen long ago, but now he has given up on that idea and is going with the flow.
The sexual encounters I used to enjoy now seem rather ordinary, and I no longer have the same intense desire for them as before.
Now, Xiao Ning finally understands why true masters of cultivation are all solitary and do not have many wives and concubines.
Some may retreat to the deep mountains to cultivate themselves, keeping company with heaven and earth; others may live in seclusion in the city, experiencing the mortal world; still others may live in seclusion in the court, manipulating the winds and clouds of the world.
True friends are hard to find, and fellow enthusiasts are even harder to come by.
At that moment, he seemed to become the embodiment of the Tao, the source of the Tao.