103: Chen Feng arrived, and due to karmic entanglements, went to Guandong.

By the time Chen Feng arrived at the foot of Yuntai Mountain, it was already the afternoon of the third day of late autumn.

The mountain wind carried a biting chill, swirling up withered yellow leaves from the ground and rustling them against the winding bluestone steps. He pulled his worn black down jacket tight, looking up at the Mountain Gate hidden amidst the mist and verdant green, feeling as if his legs were filled with lead.

This heaviness stemmed not only from two days and one night of continuous travel, but also from a shadow-like fear originating from the depths of his Soul that was nearly crushing his spirit.

The three slightly weathered ancient characters for "Qingfeng Temple" watched him silently from the stone lintel of the Mountain Gate.

Chen Feng took a deep breath. The chill stung his lungs but also cleared his groggy mind. He gritted his teeth and stepped onto the stone stairs. Every step felt like an escape from an invisible pursuit behind him; every step also seemed to lead toward a faint, unknown hope. He didn't know how much skill his old classmate, who was said to be "Cultivating" deep in the mountains, actually had, but right now, this was the only driftwood he could grasp.

The stone steps were long, and the mountain forest was silent. Occasional birdsong from the depths only emphasized the emptiness. Chen Feng had no heart to admire the mountain scenery; he only felt that the quieter the surroundings, the clearer the drum-like palpitations in his heart became. He always felt something was hiding behind the swaying shadows of the trees, peering at his pathetic climb with a cold, mocking gaze.

Finally, when sweat soaked his undershirt and his breathing sounded like a broken bellows, he saw the outline of the Taoist temple partially hidden behind several tall ancient cypress trees. With blue tiles and gray walls, it wasn't grand—even somewhat simple and old—but it exuded an aura of stability settled by time.

The temple gate was ajar.

Chen Feng steadied himself and raised his hand to knock, but the door opened from the inside with a creak.

The one who opened the door was a white-haired, energetic old man with a kind face and gentle eyes. Seeing Chen Feng, a look of appropriate inquiry appeared on the old man's face: "This Lay Practitioner, are you here to offer incense, or..."

"I... I'm looking for Li Muchen," Chen Feng spoke quickly, his voice dry from tension and fatigue. "I'm his classmate, Chen Feng. I have an appointment with him."

"Oh, so it is Layman Chen." The old man—who was indeed Zhao Desheng—smiled more broadly and stepped aside to let him in. "The Temple Head gave instructions early on that you would arrive these few days. Please, come in quickly; the Temple Head is waiting in the backyard."

Temple Head? Chen Feng was slightly stunned. Muchen... has already become a Temple Head? In this old mountain temple? Having no time for detailed thoughts, he offered his thanks and stepped over the threshold.

The moment he stepped into the temple, Chen Feng inexplicably felt his whole body lighten. It was as if an invisible and gentle ripple of water brushed over his body, dispelling most of the coldness and oppression that had clung to him for days. He couldn't help but take a deep breath; the faint scent of incense and the fresh air of plants and trees slightly relaxed his tense nerves.

The temple wasn't large. The front courtyard was clean and tidy, and the doors of the Main Hall were open, revealing the properly enshrined statues and the curling blue smoke from the incense burner. Everything was orderly, exuding an indescribable peace and harmony. This was completely different from the dilapidated and desolate mountain temple Chen Feng had imagined.

Zhao Desheng led him through the front courtyard, around the side corridor of the Main Hall, and into the backyard. The backyard was even more serene than the front. On one side were several simple rooms, and on the other was a small vegetable patch next to a lush old tree. At a stone table under the tree, a person sat with their back to the path, wearing a green Taoist robe. Their posture was upright as they held an ancient-looking copper kettle, slowly pouring water into a white porcelain cup on the stone table.

The sound of water gurgled and steam rose, blending into the surrounding silence.

Hearing footsteps, the person turned around.

It was Li Muchen.

It was still that handsome and calm face from his memory, but the temperament in his features had changed completely. The Li Muchen of their university days, though also quiet, always carried the inherent greenness and scholarly air of a young man.

But the Li Muchen before him had eyes as deep as an unruffled ancient well and a serene, natural expression. His whole being seemed enveloped in an ineffable aura of tranquility. Just by standing there casually, he became one with the mountain, the temple, and the autumn wind and leaves, without the slightest hint of discord.

"You've come." Li Muchen set down the copper kettle. His voice was peaceful, without much emotional fluctuation, yet it strangely caused Chen Feng's heart, which had been hanging all the way, to settle down a bit.

"Muchen..." Chen Feng opened his mouth, but a thousand thoughts were blocked in his throat, and for a moment, he didn't know where to start. The fear, grievance, and helplessness of the past few days nearly burst forth the moment he saw his old friend's calm gaze. His eyes instantly reddened.

Li Muchen pointed to the stone stool opposite him: "Sit. Have some hot tea and speak slowly."

Chen Feng sat as told and picked up the cup of hot tea with both hands. The warm porcelain comforted his cold, trembling fingertips, and the faint tea fragrance seeped into his heart. He took several gulps, and the warm current sliding down his throat seemed to give him the courage to continue.

He set down the teacup and took a deep breath. When he looked up again, his face was a mask of wretched panic.

"Muchen, I... I might have been cursed by something evil—no, I really ran into 'that'!" His voice was very low but carried an uncontrollable tremble. "A Weasel Spirit! It's a Weasel Spirit asking for a Title!"

Li Muchen listened quietly. His expression didn't change much, though his eyes narrowed slightly.

As if he had finally found an outlet, Chen Feng hurriedly poured out that nightmare-like experience: the ritual at a village on the outskirts of Changbai Mountain arranged by Changqing Temple, the abandoned village where they stayed on the way back, the eerie figure by the ancient well at midnight, that hair-raising question—"Do I look like a human or a god to you?"—the tragic death of his companion, a Lay Taoist, after a casual reply, and the endless harassment that followed—the grinning face in his dreams, the flash of a straw hat's outline in the mirror, the short shadow in his peripheral vision that he could never shake off... He described every detail, his voice shaking more and more and his face growing paler, as if he were reliving the terrifying scene.

"I tried reciting the Heart-Calming Incantation and using the exorcism Talismans given by the temple, but nothing worked! That thing... that thing seems to have locked onto me! The elders of Changqing Temple..." At this point, a flash of complex emotion appeared in Chen Feng's eyes, fear mixed with disappointment and confusion. "At first, they helped me look into it and performed rituals. Later... later they just told me to take it easy, saying this might be a tribulation in my fate, even... even hinting that if I agreed to whatever condition that thing wanted, I could be free..."

He suddenly grabbed his hair and said in pain: "I didn't agree to anything! Would I dare to? I saw with my own eyes how Old Zhang died! Muchen, I'm really going crazy. I feel like it's watching me every second, waiting for me to relax, waiting for me to break! It wants to drive me to death!"

Li Muchen listened in silence until Chen Feng's emotions calmed slightly, then he spoke slowly: "You said the people of Changqing Temple had an ambiguous attitude and even made hints?"

"Yes." Chen Feng nodded vigorously, the fear in his eyes intensifying. "I feel... they seem to know something but don't dare to get involved, or... don't want to. Otherwise, why tell me to 'take it easy'? This is a living human life!"

Li Muchen picked up his own teacup and gently blew on the foam. The misty steam blurred his deep eyes.

A Weasel Spirit asking for a Title is indeed recorded in Northeast folk legends and some surviving ancient texts. It involves a Weasel Immortal with successful cultivation asking a human for a "Title Validation," using the human's words to help it Cultivate or transform. Answering "like a god" helps its cultivation soar, but the one giving the title must bear immense Karma. Answering "like a human" might break its cultivation and invite retaliation. As for Chen Feng's companion dying on the spot, it was clear that the Weasel Spirit harbored malice and never intended to follow the righteous path; it was merely using the title request as an excuse for slaughter, perhaps with other designs.

Even more worth pondering was the attitude of Changqing Temple. For a medium-sized Taoist temple with decent incense offerings, when faced with a Disciple encountering such an evil entity, even if they lacked the power to help, they shouldn't have such a vague, retreating, or even suggestive attitude. Unless the inside information they knew made them wary, or... this itself was within some kind of "tacit approval" or "rules"?

Connecting this to the vague Karma related to his original body that he had sensed on a whim, a picture gradually formed in Li Muchen's mind. This matter was likely not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

"There is indeed a wisp of special Demonic Qi remaining on you, sinister and sticky like a maggot in the bone." Li Muchen set down his teacup and looked at Chen Feng calmly. "Ordinary exorcism methods are difficult to root out; it's not a problem with your cultivation or Talismans."

Hearing this, the color drained from Chen Feng's face: "Then... then what should I do? Muchen, do you have a way?"

Li Muchen didn't answer directly but asked instead: "Do you know the specific location of that abandoned village? Also, regarding your deceased companion and yourself, is there anything special about your birth dates?"

Chen Feng froze for a moment, trying to remember: "The village is roughly in the Black Water Ridge area of the Changbai Mountain branch. It's very remote; it might not even be clearly marked on a map. Old Zhang's birth date... I'm not too sure. Mine..." He reported his lunar birth date.

Li Muchen calculated silently, his fingertips moving imperceptibly. As expected, Chen Feng's birth date was leaning toward Yin, and his fate carried a rare potential for the "Tongyou Constitution." This kind of Physique was like a candle in the dark for certain supernatural existences. Was it a coincidence, or was he specifically chosen?

"I am aware of this matter now." Li Muchen stood up, his green robe moving slightly with the wind. "Since you have come here, stay for a while with peace of mind. The temple is quiet and can temporarily keep you safe."

Chen Feng was overjoyed and so excited he almost stood up again: "Muchen, you're willing to help me? Really? Thank you! Thank you!"

"However," Li Muchen's tone shifted, "to untie the bell, one must find the person who tied it. To completely solve the trouble on you and settle this Karma, I'm afraid we must head to the Northeast and visit the source."

Chen Feng's face turned pale as he thought of the abandoned village's ancient well, instinctively feeling fear. But seeing Li Muchen's calm and determined gaze and thinking of the torture he had endured these days that was worse than death, he hardened his heart and nodded heavily: "I'll go with you! Muchen, as long as you can solve this, I'll go through fire and water! It's better than being like this—neither human nor ghost!"

Li Muchen nodded slightly: "Rest for two days to steady your mind. I need to make some arrangements. We will depart in three days."

For the next two days, Chen Feng stayed at Qingfeng Temple. Zhao Desheng arranged a clean guest room for him, and although the vegetarian meals were simple, they were delicious and heartwarming. Being in this pure place, that prickly feeling of being watched indeed lessened significantly. Although he would still wake up with palpitations in the dead of night, he could finally get a few hours of steady sleep. His gratitude and trust in Li Muchen also grew by the day.

On the morning of the third day, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and the mountain mist had not yet dispersed.

Li Muchen summoned Zhao Desheng to the quiet room. This rural old man, because of long-term consumption of spiritual spring water, was now increasingly energetic. Coupled with a bit of simple health-preserving boxing learned under Li Muchen's occasional guidance, although he hadn't developed a sense of Qi, it was true that his body was strong and his senses were sharp.

"Layman Zhao, Chen Feng and I need to go down the mountain for a while to handle some matters in the Northeast. Our return date is uncertain." Li Muchen placed a brass key on the table that looked ordinary but was actually inscribed with a simple protective rune using his Divine Sense. "The temple's affairs will be managed by you as usual. This key can open the doors to the quiet room and my study. If an urgent matter arises, you can enter and take the Talismans from the yellow Talisman bag in the cabinet; I have already told you how to use them before."

Zhao Desheng took the key with both hands, his expression solemn: "Rest assured, Temple Head. This old man will certainly do his utmost to watch over the home and wait for your return." He knew deeply that this young Temple Head was extraordinary and the things he did must be remarkable; what he could do was guard this foundation so there would be no worries behind him.

Li Muchen nodded and added: "While I am away, that monkey on the back mountain will keep an eye on the temple. No need to disturb it for ordinary matters, but if there truly is an external enemy or evil intrusion, it will naturally appear."

Zhao Desheng knew of that spiritual Demon Ape on the back mountain and felt even more at ease upon hearing this: "With Wukong here, it is truly foolproof."

Having finished his instructions, Li Muchen walked out of the quiet room. Chen Feng had already packed a simple bundle and was waiting in the courtyard. Although there was still worry on his face, his gaze was much firmer than when he first arrived.

Li Muchen himself only carried a green cloth satchel. Inside, besides a few changes of clothes, were some specially made Talismans, Medicinal Pills, and that qingxiao sword that never left his side. The sword was ancient and its aura restrained; an ordinary person looking at it would only think it was a decorative ancient sword of an unusual style.

"Let's go." Li Muchen said no more and took the lead toward the temple exit.

Chen Feng quickly followed. One after the other, they stepped onto the stone stairs where the morning dew had not yet dried and headed down the mountain.

When they reached the Mountain Gate, Li Muchen paused and looked back at Qingfeng Temple standing peacefully in the morning light. The temple was serene, the ancient cypress trees were gray-green, and everything was as usual.

With a slight thought, an invisible intention was sent toward a deep cave somewhere on the back mountain.

Inside the cave, a pair of golden eyes suddenly snapped open, like two small lamps lighting up. The Demon Ape Wukong withdrew its gaze from the direction of the mountain path, gave a low "wu" sound, patted its furry chest, and then slowly closed its eyes again. Air currents faintly circled its body as it continued its cultivation and guardianship.

The mountain wind blew past, bringing the faint sound of pine waves from afar.

Li Muchen turned back around, his green robe fluttering as he stepped onto the path down the mountain. Chen Feng followed closely behind, and their figures gradually disappeared into the winding mountain path and the lingering mist.

The land of the Northeast, the pact of the five immortals, the bizarre evil entity entangling his old friend, and the secretive attitude of Changqing Temple... what kind of storms awaited them ahead?

Li Muchen looked ahead, his expression remaining calm. The Golden Core rotated slowly within his Dantian, breathing in spiritual energy, and the qingxiao sword in his satchel emitted an almost inaudible clear hum.

Since Karma has arrived, then he shall go and settle it.