The next day at noon, the sun was shining brightly.

Wen Rou and I climbed the mountain once again.

Originally, Zhao Chengkun and Zhang Li were to become Daoist partners, and Longhu Mountain was decorated with lights and colors, a scene of joy and festivity.

But now that Zhao Chengkun was dead, the wedding was naturally canceled.

Longhu Mountain had also returned to its original state.

Wen Rou sighed, “Yesterday, I was really curious as to why Zhao Chengkun had to die. Although he deceived Daoist Zhang Li, it was just a deception after all. Logically speaking, his crime did not warrant death!”

“Yes!”

I said, “Moreover, he did give the Golden Elixir to Daoist Zhang Li!”

Wen Rou said, “Now I understand, only with Zhao Chengkun’s death could the wedding be canceled! For the reputation of Longhu Mountain, Zhao Chengkun had to die!”

We chatted casually along the way and soon reached the mountain peak.

However, we did not meet Daoist Zhang Chenglong; instead, Zhang Li greeted us.

Curious, I asked, “Where is Daoist Zhang Chenglong?”

Zhang Li said, “My brother has gone to another place to attend a Taoist cultural and academic exchange. It will be some time before he returns.”

I thought I had arrived late and said with regret, “If I had known, I would have come in the morning!”

Zhang Li said, “My brother left before dawn.”

I was puzzled and asked, “Then why did he ask me to come now?”

Zhang Li said, “Breaking the Yin-Yang marriage contract is not as easy as you think. My brother asked you to come just to discuss it with you.”

I felt a bit annoyed.

If it can be resolved, resolve it; if not, forget it. What’s the point of keeping someone in suspense, like some green tea!

I asked, “So what do we do now?”

Zhang Li said, “There are two solutions to lift the Yin-Yang marriage contract on you. The first is to activate the century-old Longhu Formation, consuming a hundred years of Longhu Mountain’s fortune to forcibly sever your connection with that female ghost!”

I sneered and said, “I bet you’ve already rejected that option, haven’t you?”

Hearing this, Zhang Li looked slightly embarrassed, nodded, and said, “The Longhu Formation belongs not only to Longhu Mountain but to all the people in the world! It should not be activated lightly unless it’s an absolute last resort when lives are at stake!”

“These swindlers!”

I cursed inwardly.

Honestly, I wasn’t holding out much hope anymore.

At that moment, Wen Rou hurriedly asked, “What about the second solution?”

Zhang Li said, “The second solution is to set up a ghost-killing formation in advance, using him as bait to lure Zheng Ruyan into the formation and kill her! Once Zheng Ruyan is dead, their Yin-Yang marriage contract will naturally be nullified.”

Hearing this, hope flared up in me again, and I said, “Although it’s a bit dangerous, it’s worth a try!”

“Mm!”

Zhang Li said, “We originally planned to set off at noon today to go to Green Vine City and set up the ghost-killing formation, but who knew my brother would go to a meeting early in the morning.”

I asked, “Why set up the formation in Green Vine City?”

Zhang Li said, “That female ghost definitely wouldn’t dare to come to Longhu Mountain again! Ghosts are cunning and suspicious by nature; she would definitely suspect a trap! Only by going to her territory might she show up!”

“That makes sense!”

I said, “So now…”

Zhang Li said, “Once my brother returns from the meeting, we’ll set off!”

“Alright!”

No matter what, at least now there was a clear plan.

I said, “So should I continue to wait for news at the foot of the mountain?”

Zhang Li thought for a moment and said, “With my brother not here, there are certain risks at the foot of the mountain. So, Zhao Chengkun’s Daoist residence is still vacant; you can stay there for now!”

“Okay, thanks!”

After speaking, I prepared to leave with Wen Rou.

“Wait!”

Zhang Li said, “Wen Rou, you stay first. We’ll go through the initiation ceremony in a bit.”

“Yes!”

Wen Rou reluctantly let go of me and looked at Zhang Li, “Am I going to be initiated as a disciple today?”

“Mm!”

Zhang Li said, “Longhu Mountain takes disciples on the eighth, eighteenth, and twenty-eighth days of the lunar month, and today happens to be the eighteenth.”

I looked at the two of them and said, “Then you guys go ahead, I’ll go rest.”

I went to the Daoist residence alone, feeling a little down.

Both of us came to Longhu Mountain as tourists, Wen Rou was taken as a disciple, but no one cared about me!

Sigh…

The Daoist residence was empty.

Presumably, Zhao Chengkun’s only disciple was also dead.

It was the young Daoist who had tricked me into coming here yesterday.

Knowing so many secrets, the Zhang siblings would certainly not let him live!

The Daoist residence had three rooms.

One for meditation and cultivation, one for living and entertainment, and one for sleeping.

The place was not small, but there was little to entertain oneself with, feeling like a return to decades ago.

I spent the afternoon bored.

When the sun set, a young monk brought food, two dishes, and a soup.

The dishes were braised eggplant in oil and stir-fried pork, and the soup was tomato and egg soup.

I wasn’t sure if Daoists used to eat meat, but it seemed there weren’t so many dietary restrictions now.

It made sense.

If they didn’t abstain from women, why abstain from meat!

After dinner, it was already dark.

I didn’t know what Wen Rou was up to; she hadn’t come to find me.

I wanted to find her, but I didn’t know the way.

I went to the bedroom to tidy up.

While arranging the bedding, I found a book without a name pressed under the covers.

Opening the title page, there was a human body diagram, dense with meridian lines and acupoints.

Aside from the human body diagram, the title page had only one sentence: To enter this path, one must open the Ren and Du meridians!

The Ren and Du meridians were marked on the human body diagram.

The Ren meridian was in front of the chest, governing Yang.

The Du meridian was on the back, governing Yin.

Between the two meridians was a blockage, where Yin and Yang did not flow.

Although the human body diagram marked the locations, it did not leave a method to open the Ren and Du meridians.

Of course, I didn’t delude myself into thinking I could open them.

With my aptitude, not even Longhu Mountain would take me as a disciple, so I likely didn’t have the talent.

Turning the page, I continued to read.

After all, I had nothing better to do.

The main content was only five pages.

The first page: Observing Qi, determining various conditions through the Qi inherent in people or objects.

The second page: Feng Shui formations, achieving certain effects by changing the layout of objects, which could be positive or negative.

The third page: Talismans and incantations, countless in variety.

The fourth page: Acupuncture, claiming that all things can be treated with acupuncture!

The last page was a martial art technique: Seventy-Two Yin-Yang Hands, each with a different function, capable of grappling, acupoint striking, healing, exorcising evil, moving mountains, overturning seas, cutting rivers, sealing waters, slaying gods, annihilating ghosts, subduing demons, and conquering monsters…

What a feat!

I felt embarrassed for the author just reading it!

This guy was really blowing his own trumpet!

Pure pie in the sky!

After reading the book, I was bored again.

At that moment, there was a sudden sound of footsteps in the courtyard.

I put down the book and opened the door to see that it was Wen Rou.

“You finally came!”

I hugged her tightly, showing affection and whispering sweet nothings.

Wen Rou asked, “What have you been doing all afternoon?”

“Missing you!”

I said, “And you?”

Wen Rou said, “I had the initiation ceremony in the afternoon, meditated with my master after dinner, and just finished.”

I asked, “What is meditation?”

Wen Rou explained, “It’s sitting cross-legged, regulating breathing, and trying to enter a state of deep contemplation.”

Deep contemplation, that is, thinking of nothing.

In this materialistic society, entering a state of deep contemplation is not an easy task!

I asked curiously, “Did you enter that state?”

“I don’t know.”

Wen Rou shook her head in confusion, “Anyway, when I opened my eyes, it was now, and it felt like it was just a moment.”

“Then you must have entered!”

I said, “No wonder they actively wanted to take you as a disciple; you have a great talent!”

Wen Rou blushed with my praise and said, “Master said that meditation is just the foundation, and the path of cultivation is still very long. To open the legendary Ren and Du meridians, it would take a hundred years of practice, but how many people can live to be a hundred years old!”

Speaking of the Ren and Du meridians, I quickly said, “Right, I just found a book by chance. Take a look, it might help with your cultivation!”

I led Wen Rou into the bedroom.

But when I looked down, something eerie happened.

The nameless book that I had placed on the bed had disappeared.