Ch. 3 - The Ancient Temple

Wearing a loose-fitting cyan Daoist robe, the figure had delicate features, appearing no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. It seemed the mountain ghost's claim of the figure being a child was not entirely incorrect.

The young girl coldly snorted again, showing no intention of making another move. She retrieved the mountain ghost's form and said, "At such a young age, instead of quietly cultivating in the Daoist temple, you're out causing trouble. It's fortunate that I'm patient; I don't wish to engage with you further. Otherwise, you'd regret it today!"

"Fellow Daoist, your cultivation is astonishing, reaching the Upper Realm of Returning to Truth even in the body of a mountain ghost. It's truly remarkable," the young Daoist praised repeatedly, carefully examining the girl's entire body. His gaze paused on the white halo that surrounded her from time to time, his expression turning more solemn. "If you could progress further, you could rid yourself of this mountain ghost's form, present yourself to the Supreme God of the Yuan Yan Realm, and request the official appointment as a divine god. From then on, you'd be revered as a local mountain deity, receiving worship within a thousand-mile radius."

His surprise was understandable; cultivating in the body of a mountain ghost was incredibly challenging, and reaching the Upper Realm of Returning to Truth was exceptionally rare.

To break free from this tainted body, ascend to the status of a divine god, and leverage one's profound foundation for greater heights—after an unknown length of time in cultivation, one might even glimpse the position of the Supreme God of the regional realms, although that was uncertain.

"You, young one, are probably passing by the Qingluan Mountains for the first time, right? The Upper Realm of Returning to Truth... so what? I'm afraid there's no chance for me to break through in this lifetime."

Hearing the Daoist's words, a self-deprecating expression appeared on the girl's face. She shook her head, turned around, and transformed into a faint white light, carrying the figure from the pile of rubble. She was about to leave and disappear into the forest.

"Hold on!" The Daoist looked at the figure wrapped in the white light, his gaze intense.

The girl gradually halted, her back turned to the Daoist in cyan robes. Her beautiful face contorted, eventually turning into a more hideous and terrifying ghost face. Her voice also became hoarse, "Young Daoist, don't offer a toast only to reject the wine. Take the punishment."

Although her tone was flat, it was now tinged with hostility.

Her cultivation in Yin Qi surpassed the young Daoist's cultivation in Xuan Qi at the initial stage of Returning to Truth. She had refrained from acting earlier out of concern for the Daoist's seniority and backing.

However, being a mountain ghost born in the northwest corner of the Qingluan Mountains, she couldn't leave this territory. This young Daoist, with his cultivation at such a young age, must have a terrifying background behind him, far beyond her capability to provoke.

Yet, a mud figurine could also be somewhat stubborn, especially a mountain ghost that had consumed countless beings!

The reason the young Daoist refrained from acting was his realization that this mountain ghost was an exceptionally rare cultivator at the Upper Realm of Returning to Truth realm, something he couldn't easily control. That's why they had been able to converse earlier.

"Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. I mean no harm; I'm merely wondering if it's excessive for someone with your cultivation to still prey on humans," the young Daoist shook his head and smiled. "If it's merely for sustenance, I can understand. But wouldn't you want to progress further? If someday your violence is discovered by the Supreme God and protectors of the regional mountain gods, you might not attain the position of a mountain god."

"Progress further?" The girl gradually manifested her complete mountain ghost form, with dark Yin Qi spreading from her skull. It was clear her emotions were not calm at the moment. "I've already said, I have no hope for advancement in this lifetime. The Upper Realm of Returning to Truth realm is my limit. Are you deaf!?"

The last sentence was fiercely said. At this point, her entire body had transformed into an enormous and terrifying mountain ghost, nearly fifty feet tall, with six legs, nine arms, and two heads. The pitch-black mountain wind swept around her, accentuating her fierceness and ferocity.

"Oh no, my words seem to have touched a nerve; I fear I can't save this person anymore." The young Daoist looked somewhat regretful, glancing at the figure casually thrown to the side by the mountain ghost. He silently uttered a word, flicked his cyan Daoist robe, and without hesitation, propelled himself with a verdant ray of light, swiftly fleeing into the distance.

Roar!

The mountain ghost's two massive heads filled with sharp teeth opened to their maximum, emitting a roar that echoed through the forest!

Invisible ripples surged wildly, shattering rocks and stopping the flow of the creek. The entire northwest corner of the Qingluan Mountains quivered slightly under this terrifying roar.

Clang!

Suddenly, a deafening bell echoed throughout the Qingluan Mountains!

Initially majestic, the bell's sound contained an incredibly eerie and resentful intent. Even the verdant forest seemed to be shrouded in a faint gloom.

As the bell tolled, the mountain ghost paused. With the contraction and concentration of the white light around her, her colossal form rapidly shrank within moments, returning to the appearance of an incredibly beautiful barefoot girl.

The faint white halo around her was now wavering, occasionally brightening and dimming. Her eyes, once filled with despair and resentment, no longer carried the previous brutality and ferocity.

However, moments later, she concealed all those emotions. Covering the turbulence within her eyes with a white light, she picked up the unconscious figure of Ji Yuenian, then disappeared into the dense forest.

Ancient temple.

There were no statues within the temple, only a few worn yet clean mats. In a corner lay a crude wooden table, now slightly dusty, obviously unused for a long time.

A clothed young man strolled into the temple, casually throwing a heavy bell hammer to the ground, muttering softly, "These things in the mountains have been getting increasingly unruly lately. Should I report it to Master Bai Lu and have all these demons turned into elixirs ahead of time? If they continue to make noise like this, it'll disturb my cultivation."

After some hesitation, he dismissed the fleeting thought. After all, White Egret Demon Lord was too formidable. Even he, every time he went to pay respects, had to be extra cautious.

The clothed young man approached and sat on one of the mats, closing his eyes slowly. Mysterious golden true light emanated from his body, gradually submerging him into meditation.

As the golden light pervaded the ancient temple, a small golden-haired beast's phantom slowly materialized above the young man's head. Upon closer inspection, the small beast was also in a meditative pose, with closed eyes, mirroring the young man's meditative state.

The murmuring sound of the stream lingered around, and Ji Yuenian suddenly opened his eyes, greeted by the refreshing sight of verdant mountains. The bright sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, casting patches of dappled shadows around him.

By the side of a small stream a few yards away, the slender figure of the white-robed girl sat on a sturdy rock. Her bare feet dipped into the rapidly flowing cold water, gently swaying. She spoke softly, "You're awake."

The faint white halo surrounding her had completely vanished by now. Her pitch-black long hair cascaded down like a waterfall. From Ji Yuenian's angle, he could only vaguely discern the girl's profile. The crystal-clear earlobes peeked out, tinged with a hint of blush, making her seem no different from an ordinary mortal girl.

Bowing her head slightly, Ji Yuenian's left arm, bereft of its sleeve, hung limp. Occasional sharp pangs shot through the injury, but it was much better than before.

"Is the pain gone now?" The white-robed girl stood up, casually grabbing a clean silk cloth beside her, wiping the clear water droplets hanging from Ji Yuenian's legs and feet. "I cast a Yin Qi spell on you, not only to temporarily relieve your pain but also to reverse Yin and Yang, hastening the regeneration of your wound. Within ten days or so, your severed arm will completely regenerate."

For some reason, this white-robed girl seemed to have undergone a complete change in demeanor. There was no trace of her previous hostility.

Ji Yuenian remained silent, his gaze lowered even further.

At this moment, he was at the mercy of others; no matter how much was said, it would be futile.

However ... the severed arm didn't seem as the mountain ghost described it. At this moment, not only did he occasionally experience intense pain, but he also keenly noticed that the speed of regeneration was terrifyingly fast!

Underneath the half-foot sleeve covering his arm, what was once a bald stump had now regrown into a two-inch forearm, fully formed with flesh, blood, and bone. At the end, it was still enveloped in the white light left by the mountain ghost, which intermittently emitted dazzling points of light merging into the arm, catalyzing its growth.

Looking at the mountain ghost resembling an ordinary mortal girl, Ji Yuenian's gaze dimmed slightly for a moment before he lowered his head and closed his eyes once more, delving deeply into his memories, attempting to recall the horrifying scene that had left him trembling after waking up.

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