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Mayor Guo pointed to the scratches on his face and arms and said, "Youcai witnessed it with his own eyes and experienced it firsthand. It's absolutely true. The scene was simply terrifying."

“Hmm, that strange old woman suddenly appeared in Fengling Temple. There’s something fishy about this. Although she expelled the insects for you, she must have some connection with that fake ‘Monk Liaokong’,” Song Diweng analyzed with a frown.

“That’s right. Not only is that old woman suspicious, but this Hong Kong businessman, Chairman Xu, is also highly suspicious. Moreover, he was with the young monk from Fengling Temple, which suggests he has wealth. He must be thoroughly investigated,” Secretary Qin said decisively.

"Yes, Chairman Xu has been placed under house arrest. Master Fei is keeping watch in the room next to his, and You Fu went to Fengling Temple early this morning to keep an eye on the old woman's whereabouts," Mayor Guo explained.

“Yes, very good. Now let’s go to Master Fei’s place first.” Song Diweng stood up.

"I've already had the canteen prepare a feast to welcome Chairman Song..." Mayor Guo said warmly.

"Let's eat later, we need to take care of business first." Song Diweng interrupted Mayor Guo and walked out of the room, with Secretary Qin and Mayor Guo quickly following behind.

Upon arriving at the guesthouse, the corridor was deserted. The chair was still left outside Chairman Xu's room, but the staff were nowhere to be seen.

"That kid must have gone to the cafeteria to get food. He's irresponsible at work..." Mayor Guo muttered to himself.

Pushing open the door to Master Fei's room, everyone was immediately taken aback...

Master Fei lay stiffly on the bed, half-naked, with an expression of ecstasy on his face. He was gripping his neck with both hands and stretching it out forcefully, occasionally letting out a pleasurable groan.

Secretary Qin glanced at Mayor Guo and asked in surprise, "Youcai, what's going on?"

Mayor Guo also looked bewildered and shook his head, saying, "I don't know either. He was perfectly fine during the day."

“He’s been poisoned by a curse.” Song Diweng stood in front of the bed, looking at Fei Daozhang’s appearance, and said coldly.

"Poisoned?" Secretary Qin asked in surprise.

"Could it be..." Mayor Guo said, seemingly having realized something.

"What is it?" Secretary Qin asked eagerly.

"Little sorcerer... Nizi?" Mayor Guo asked in confusion.

“It’s not Nizi, it’s Monk Liaokong…” Song Diweng said coldly.

Secretary Qin and Mayor Guo were taken aback and looked at each other, thinking to themselves, "So, Monk Liaokong is a sorcerer?"

“This is a kind of ‘worm gu’, which has been recorded in ancient books. The most obvious characteristic of a person infected with this gu is that they can stretch their neck and rotate it 360 degrees on their own,” Song Diweng said slowly, pondering.

“Yes, yes,” Mayor Guo hurriedly said, “The monk Liaokong was facing away from us, but he could turn his face around, and his neck stretched out to be more than two meters long!”

Song Diweng nodded and fell into deep thought.

"Chairman Song, how should we treat Master Fei? Should we send him to the county hospital immediately?" Secretary Qin asked cautiously.

“The hospital is useless. Ancient books record that to cure ‘worm gu’, you need to do it before the larvae are fully developed. Otherwise, once the worms grow up, there will be no way to cure it,” Song Diweng stared straight at Fei Daozhang and said with a frown. “Now we need to find the location where the worms are hiding and then operate to remove them… Mayor Guo, please tell me in more detail how you were infected with the gu in the first place.”

Mayor Guo then recounted how the monk Liaokong spat out a large bubble, inside which swam many pink, tadpole-like insects. Later, Master Fei shot and popped the bubble, and the insects fell from the sky, scrambling to burrow into the human body, causing both pain and itching. The only recourse was to scratch desperately, and after that, I don't know what happened... After regaining consciousness, I remember Chairman Xu helping us put on our clothes. There was a bonfire nearby, and standing beside it was a strange little boy and a huge blue-feathered parrot.

"What method did this old woman use to cure the Gu and expel the insects? Since you and Youfu have cured the 'worm Gu,' why hasn't Master Fei cured it? Also, why weren't Chairman Xu and that little monk Youliang infected with the Gu?" Song Diweng asked a series of questions, and then said, "Mayor Guo, go and call that Hong Kong businessman over. I have some questions for him."

Mayor Guo responded and walked out to the door of the next room. He knocked gently and found the door was ajar, so he pushed it open and went in.

Chairman Xu and the young monk Youliang were nowhere to be seen in the room. The blanket on the bed was piled high, as if someone was fast asleep. Mayor Guo abruptly pulled back the blanket, revealing the town government staff member lying unconscious on the bed, fully clothed…

Mayor Guo rushed back next door in a panic. Upon hearing this, Song Diweng and Secretary Qin hurried over. "He's been acupunctured," Song Diweng said, glancing at him. He then quickly pressed several acupuncture points with his fingers, and the staff member slowly awoke, staring blankly at everyone…

"What exactly happened? Where are Chairman Xu and the others?" Mayor Guo asked anxiously.

The staff member, regaining his composure, stammered, "The Hong Kong businessman called me in, saying he had something to discuss. But as soon as I entered the room, he poked me in the waist, and then I don't remember anything else..."

"Hmph." Song Diweng sighed and shook his head, then turned and went back to the next room.

Song Diweng carefully examined Fei Ziyun's symptoms, trying to figure out where the "worm gu" might be hiding, but after a long time he still had no clue. Finally, he could only sigh helplessly and said, "We have no choice but to go find that old woman." After saying that, he turned around and pointed a finger at Fei Daozhang's Tanzhong acupoint.

Master Fei was stretching his neck with great effort, his cervical spine cracking loudly, when suddenly his Tanzhong acupoint was blocked. His hands loosened, and he fell backward onto the bed with a "thud," unconscious.

Song Diweng casually pulled the blanket over him and turned to Secretary Qin and Mayor Guo, saying, "Let's go to Fengling Temple."

The moon rose over the eastern hills, casting a cool glow over the old course of the Yellow River. Inside the jeep, Mayor Guo muttered to himself, "Strange, how did Chairman Xu manage to run away..."

Song Diweng snorted and said, "Is there any need to say more? This Hong Kong businessman's identity is definitely fake. His pressure point technique is extremely profound. This person's martial arts are already above Fei Ziyun's."

"Where might he flee to with the young monk Youliang?" Secretary Qin frowned.

“If Old Man Di is not mistaken, they have also come to Fengling Temple,” Old Man Di sneered.

"We'll find out soon enough by asking Youfu," Mayor Guo said confidently.

Song Diweng shook his head, gazing at the night sky outside the car window, and said nothing more. In fact, he knew very well that the public security special commissioner Guo Youfu had also been ambushed.

The car stopped, and everyone jumped out, crossed the pebble beach, and walked towards Fengling Temple in the distance.

The moonlight was hazy, and the gates of Fengling Temple were wide open. The temple was pitch black inside, and even the candlelight in the main hall had been extinguished. It was completely dark all around, and not a sound could be heard.

“Youfu…” Mayor Guo called softly.

Song Diweng knelt on the ground with his hands on the ground and pressed his ears to the stone slab, listening intently... After a while, he jumped up and said, "Within a radius of a hundred meters, only in the corner of the main hall can one hear the faint heartbeat of a person."

With a click, Secretary Qin lit the lighter in his hand. In the dim light, everyone glimpsed a one-armed man lying in the corner on the right side of the hall. It was Guo Youfu.

"Youfu!" Mayor Guo exclaimed in shock. He rushed over, helped his younger brother up, and said anxiously to Song Diweng, "He has already fainted."

"He was also knocked unconscious by acupressure," Song Diweng said. Before he finished speaking, he used three quick taps to release Youfu's acupressure points.

“Youfu, wake up…” Mayor Guo shook him anxiously.

Youfu slowly opened his eyes, opened his mouth, and said with difficulty, "Chairman Xu acupunctured my pressure points..."

"Guo Youfu, have you seen the old woman and the others?" Song Diweng asked hurriedly.

“I arrived at Fengling Temple in the morning and have been hiding in the poplar grove across the street. The old lady and the others have been in the temple the whole time, and they even started a fire to cook. Around three or four o'clock in the afternoon, I heard footsteps behind me. When I turned around, I saw Chairman Xu and Youliang. I was about to ask them why they were here when Chairman Xu poked my waist with his finger and I passed out…” Youfu recounted intermittently.

"So they were all in cahoots!" Mayor Guo said bitterly.

"Are they all still in the temple?" Youfu asked.

“They’ve long since disappeared,” Song Diweng said with a shake of his head and a sigh.

Chapter 102

In the morning light, a faint ray of sunlight shines on the Five Old Peaks. In the distance, the peaks are layered with green, white clouds emerge from the mountains, and a layer of white mist floats among the forests. Up close, you can hear birds chirping and streams babbling, as if it were a fairyland.

Master Jia carried the sleeping girl on his back and traveled nearly a hundred miles north overnight, finally arriving at the foot of the Five Old Peaks in Yongji at dawn.

Wulaofeng (Five Old Men Peak) is located more than ten kilometers southeast of Yongji in southern Shanxi Province. It is a place where the Heluo culture spread in its early stages and one of the birthplaces of the Quanzhen School of Taoism in northern my country. Historically, it was known as the "Fifty-Second Blessed Land of Taoism." It stands opposite Wutai Mountain, a Buddhist holy site in northern Shanxi, and faces Huashan Mountain in the west, historically known as "Donghuashan" (Eastern Huashan). The five peaks here resemble five elderly men, hence the name Wulaoshan (Five Old Men Mountain). The mountain is characterized by its steep peaks, deep caves, and requires climbing chains to ascend. There are 9 springs, 12 caves, and 362 streams. At its peak, it housed 64 temples and monasteries. Rugged and verdant, it was the most beautiful mountain in Shanxi Province. No wonder Lü Dongbin once wrote: "Holding a sword and carrying a gourd, I dwell in the three realms, my body hidden in the nine heavens."

Until the Japanese invasion, there were more than forty teahouses and restaurants along the route from Xiguan in Yuxiang at the foot of the mountain to the top of Yuzhu Peak. It was a bustling place with a constant stream of pilgrims from Shanxi. Later, it gradually declined and has long since lost its former prosperity.

Master Jia put Nizi down, squatted down by the babbling brook, washed his face, and then scooped up some water to drink. The water was clear, transparent, and very sweet.

Six years ago, after learning that the prophecy of Geda had been abolished, Master Jia decided to retire from the martial world and went to live in seclusion on Yuzhu Peak of the Five Old Peaks in the Zhongtiao Mountains. Although many Buddhist and Taoist practitioners cultivated, meditated and lived there, no one knew that Master Jia Shiming, the most skilled martial artist in the Quanzhen School, was also living in seclusion there.

The main peak of the Five Old Men Peaks, Jade Pillar Peak, rises to 1809.3 meters above sea level. Its sheer cliffs, shaped like jade pillars, pierce the clouds, earning it the name "Spirit Peak," and it appears and disappears amidst the misty clouds. The four peaks—East Jinping Peak, West Jinping Peak, Taiyiping Peak, and Qipanshan Peak—form a "reclining and hunched" shape, like four old men bowing respectfully towards the highest peak, "Spirit Peak." At the summit, there is a flat area of four or five acres, containing some ruins and ancient relics, requiring visitors to climb chains to reach it. There, a simple wooden hut stands—the dwelling place of Master Jia.

With Nizi on his back, Master Jia quickly climbed to the top of Jade Pillar Peak by climbing the iron chains.

At this moment, Nizi had already woken up. She turned her head in surprise and looked down at the sea of clouds below the peak, where a mountain eagle was soaring in the sky...

"Nizi, we're home." Master Jia put Nizi down and said kindly.

The cabin was very simply furnished, with a wooden table, a wooden chair, a wooden bed, and the rest were pots and pans, and a water tank that was half full of water.

Holding the big black cat in her arms, Nizi looked around with great curiosity. "Grandpa Taoist priest, when will you take me to see my mother?" she asked softly.

“Girl, you must first learn my ‘Innate Qi Gong’ before you can find your mother and ancestor,” Master Jia coaxed her.

“Why does my mother call me ‘Old Ancestor’? It’s not a nice name,” Nizi said.

"Oh, your mother's real name is Zuying. I just call her that because I'm used to it," Master Jia chuckled.

“Zu Ying…this name sounds nice.” Ni Zi smiled with satisfaction.

Master Jia walked around the room, shook his head, and said, "Nizi, you wait on the mountain. You can wander around and look around as you like. I'm going down the mountain to buy some daily necessities and food. We'll be staying here for a long time."

"Mmm." Nizi walked out of the cabin and saw a grove of trees behind it. She put the big black cat in her arms down and said, "Little Cui'er, let's go play." With a hop, she skipped off.

Master Jia was in high spirits. Not only had he found a satisfactory successor, but the girl also possessed the secret of the "Wind Queen's Tomb." It seemed that only he and his disciple knew the whereabouts of the "Ghost Pot." "Hahaha..." He couldn't help but laugh heartily, then descended the mountain alone.

In the grass, a gray shadow flashed by. Before Nizi could see what it was, the big black cat "Xiao Cui'er" had already pounced on it and chased it into the grove. Nizi quickly followed.

A moment later, she heard a "meow" sound. Nizi looked closely and saw "Little Cui'er" already carrying a big gray rabbit in her mouth, swaying back home...

"Wow, a rabbit!" Nizi exclaimed excitedly.

The big gray rabbit stared at Nizi with its red eyes, pleading, its whiskers trembling, and its eyes brimming with tears…

Nizi squatted down. "So cute..." She gently stroked the rabbit's soft gray fur, feeling its body temperature and slightly trembling body, and couldn't bear to let it go.

One drop, two drops... Fresh blood slowly flowed down from the gray rabbit's neck, landing on the grass, emitting a fresh, bloody smell.

Nizi shivered, sniffed the air, and a strange look gradually appeared in her eyes... The large blood flea inside her sensed the scent of the gray rabbit's blood and began to stir.

Nizi slowly extended her finger, smeared a little rabbit blood in her mouth, and gently sucked on it, smacking her lips and tasting its sweetness.

"Meow..." Two calls rang out, and Nizi looked down to see the big black cat's tongue covered in bright red blood. It turned out it was also licking rabbit blood. "Little Cui'er" stared at Nizi with its two dark eyes, seemingly urging her on...

At this moment, Nizi's blood was boiling. The blood flea could no longer restrain itself. Nizi couldn't help but roar, wildly grabbing the big gray rabbit with both hands, opening its sharp teeth and biting into its carotid artery, sucking the blood with a "glug-glug" sound, as if she were in a trance...

Master Jia descended the mountain to the market in Yuxiang, where he purchased some rice, oil, vegetables, and a large piece of cured meat, which he packed into a large basket and carried on his back. It was common for practitioners to come down from Wulao Peak to shop; most were thin and pale, and the stall owners, understanding their difficult lives, would usually offer discounts.

Master Jia went to a clothing shop and carefully selected two beautiful floral dresses and embroidered cloth shoes for Nizi, because his disciple couldn't be dressed too shabbily.

"Are you also a cultivator in the mountains?" the shopkeeper asked, sizing up Master Jia.

"What?" Master Jia's sharp gaze went straight to the shop owner.

"It's our custom here to offer discounts to people who come up the mountain for quiet meditation," the shopkeeper explained with a smile.

Master Jia nodded, indicating his agreement.

"Wouldn't you like to buy some hair ties and hair ornaments too? Little girls love them," the shopkeeper enthusiastically recommended.

"Where should this thing be stuck?" Master Jia asked embarrassedly. He had spent his life roaming the martial arts world, but he had never paid attention to how the little girl styled her hair.

"It's very simple..." the shopkeeper gestured as he explained how to use it.

Master Jia then bought several colors of hair ties and hair ornaments, and carefully tucked them into his pocket.

Watching Master Jia's departing figure, the shop owner pondered for a long time before deciding to call the police. Not long ago, a little girl from a family in Yuxiang South Pass was abducted; she was only about six or seven years old. How could this thin old man, who was supposed to be a hermit on Five Old Peaks, be raising a little girl? If he wasn't a hermit, it would be rather strange that an ordinary old man wouldn't even know how to arrange hair ties or hair ornaments.

He told his family to watch the shop, and then hurried off to the public security office in the market.

The last thing Master Jia purchased was wine. The most famous wine from Shanxi is Xinghua Village Fenjiu, produced in Fenyang, Jinzhong. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties 1500 years ago, Fenjiu was highly praised by Emperor Wucheng of the Northern Qi Dynasty and recorded in the Twenty-Four Histories, making it famous overnight. The great Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu's poem "Qingming" became a timeless classic: "May I ask where the tavern is? A shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village." This inspired countless scholars and literati in the Central Plains to flock to it.