When I woke up, I wanted to go home.

Chapter 298 "Marriage Mountain" - The Red Lotus Woman!

"Hey!

Even if you didn't ask, I would still tell you, Master.

Just two weeks ago, a female ghost with only a head suddenly appeared in the sky above the village one night.

The female ghost, with disheveled hair and bared fangs, told us that all the villagers should move away from this village in a month.

Otherwise, he would slaughter the entire village.

We started with the elderly, then the children, and then us young adults.

We have lived in this village for generations, and all our possessions are in this village.

The female ghost told us to move away, but where can we go?

"Has the female ghost not appeared in the past two weeks?"

Or perhaps you didn't report it to the authorities or consult a Buddhist master to discuss the matter?

Hearing the man's tearful account, Zhu Chongjiu asked in confusion.

"Since that female ghost first appeared, she hasn't shown up again in the past two weeks."

As for reporting to the authorities, our village is quite remote and very far from the county government.

The village still mainly uses oxcarts for farming; there are no horses.

Even if you were to report it to the authorities, the round trip would take more than a month.

If what the female ghost said is true, by the time the authorities arrive, the village will probably already be defunct.

They waited until they said they wanted to find a monk.

In the villages near the mountains, there are no highly accomplished Taoist masters.

They sent people to invite her, but upon hearing of the female ghost's revealed form, none of them dared to subdue her.

"You mean to subdue it?"

Do you know anything about that female ghost?

"How would we know where this suddenly appearing female ghost came from?"

That was the name the female ghost announced as she left.

She claimed to be from "Marriage Mountain" and called herself "Red Lotus Woman"!

Having heard the man's reply to his question, Zhu Chongjiu continued to ask:

"The Red Lotus Woman?"

Where is that mountain where the marriage alliance takes place?

Zhu Chongjiu looked in the direction the man was pointing.

This is the mountain range to the left of the one I came from.

After a moment's thought, Zhu Chongjiu thought to himself, "Although it deviates somewhat from my original route, it hasn't gone too far astray."

"I'll go to that marriage alliance mountain you mentioned first thing tomorrow morning."

As for whether or not we will encounter that female ghost, or whether we will be able to subdue her if we do, we don't know.

After all, my Taoist skills are not yet very profound!

Upon hearing Zhu Chongjiu's words, the man suddenly knelt down opposite Zhu Chongjiu and kowtowed to him.

At the same time, the woman who had been silent on the kang (a heated brick bed) also hurriedly followed the man and kowtowed to Zhu Chongjiu.

And he kept muttering things like, "Thank you for your great kindness and life-saving grace, Taoist priest."

Upon seeing this, Zhu Chongjiu quickly helped the man up and stopped the woman from bowing to him.

"Exorcising demons and monsters is the duty of a minor Taoist, so there's no need for you to be so polite."

Zhu Chongjiu then chatted with the man about everyday matters, and the woman on the kang (heated brick bed) visibly relaxed a lot, occasionally managing to chime in with a few words.

One large kang (heated brick bed) was more than enough to sleep the four of them.

Zhu Chongjiu had his own simple luggage, but the man insisted on giving Zhu Chongjiu the quilt he had only used once at his wedding, so that he could sleep under it for one night.

The woman even joked at the time, "Poor people don't have many good things."

These beddings were meant to be used by my son when he gets married.

This is truly a treasured possession.

The Taoist priest covered the child with the blanket overnight to ward off bad luck and allow the child to absorb some divine energy!

After a night, the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Zhu Chongjiu got up with the man and his wife.

Just as Zhu Chongjiu was washing up, the man hastily wiped his face and hurriedly left.

The woman also grabbed a kitchen knife from the kitchen and quickly left.

A few minutes later, Zhu Chongjiu heard the chicks scream in agony.

Zhu Chongjiu knew how precious a hen that could lay eggs was to such a small mountain village and such poor families.

But he just shook his head helplessly and did not stop him.

After Zhu Chongjiu finished washing up and packed his simple luggage, the quick-handed woman had already put the slaughtered hen into the pot.

A moment later, as he was playing with the children who were playing with rattles on the kang (a heated brick bed), he suddenly heard a cacophony of footsteps outside.

The moment Zhu Chongjiu went out to check, he couldn't help but shed tears.

There were about fifty or sixty people gathered in the small courtyard.

Among these people are elderly people in their seventies and infants who can only be held in arms.

And these people were all holding something in their hands.

Some carried a dozen or so eggs, some carried some fine rice and grains, some carried a piece of cured meat, and some carried several meters of new cloth, and so on and so forth...!

Zhu Chongjiu knew, of course, that these things were a gift for him, and he also knew why the villagers had given him these things.

The man at the very front, slightly out of breath, ran back to Zhu Chongjiu's side and said:

"I told our village chief this morning about your trip to the Marriage Alliance Mountain."

After hearing this, the village chief asked me to go to the village and inform everyone that we couldn't let the Taoist priest down by doing such a life-or-death thing for the village.

After the man gave a brief explanation, an elderly man stepped forward from the crowd and said to Zhu Chongjiu in a trembling voice:

"Our village mainly makes a living by cultivating some farmland and hunting wild animals in the mountains."

Therefore, they are not wealthy.

These items are a token of the villagers' goodwill; please accept them, Taoist priest.

As the village chief spoke, he approached Zhu Chongjiu.

She tremblingly handed him a cloth bag with both hands.

At the same time, the villagers also stepped forward and placed what they were carrying at Zhu Chongjiu's feet.

After everyone had put their things away, Zhu Chongjiu put the cloth bag he was holding back into the village chief's arms.

"You should all take these things back with you!"

Seeing this, the village chief asked Zhu Chongjiu in alarm, "Taoist Master, do you think these things are not enough?"

"Or please wait a moment, Taoist priest, I'll send someone to borrow some from a village outside the mountain!"

Seeing that he had bent over towards him and was asking him in a pleading voice, Zhu Chongjiu quickly helped him up.

"Old man, you're wrong!"

I have accepted your things.

What I am giving you now is mine, not yours.

"But……?"

Seeing that the village chief was about to say something, Zhu Chongjiu waved his hand to interrupt him, saying, "Old man, please don't say any more."

I'm a wanderer, eating wherever I go.

These things are useless to me.

In that case, it's better to hand it over to someone who can use it.

As for this bag of copper coins…!

As he spoke, Zhu Chongjiu pointed to the cloth bag that had been stuffed back into the village chief's arms.

I don't know if I'll succeed in finding that female ghost on my journey to the Marriage Alliance Mountain.

Putting aside the fact that I feel unworthy of such an invitation, even if you were to invite me, you've already paid for it.

After saying that, Zhu Chongjiu pointed to the old hen stewing in the pot inside the house.

Seeing that Zhu Chongjiu said so, the two sides declined each other's offer for a while, and then everyone returned to their respective homes.

Of course, he also took back the things he had brought with him before leaving.

After eating two flatbreads and drinking two large bowls of chicken soup, Zhu Chongjiu got up and bid farewell to the farmer.

"Master, if you really encounter that female ghost, you must run back if you are no match for her."

Back in the village, everyone started thinking of solutions.

If all else fails, Taoist priest, when you pass through the county town, please report what happened here to the authorities.

That way, someone will come and collect our bodies, so we can all be laid to rest and not left to rot in the wilderness.

Upon hearing the man's words, Zhu Chongjiu simply replied, "No, I won't," before carrying his bag and heading towards the marriage alliance mountain.

Although they only had one night together, the man could tell.

The Taoist priest in front of me was not the kind of person who deceived others and stole fame.

Judging from his young age, his Taoist skills probably aren't very profound.

Several times, the man wanted to advise the young Taoist priest to leave and not get involved in this mess.

I really blame myself for being so talkative and telling the village chief about it.

This put the young Taoist priest in a difficult position.

Seeing the man anxiously pacing in circles, the woman holding the child beside him, her eyes slightly red and her voice trembling, said to him:

"Go ahead and do it if you want. We're just living a little poorer life..."

After staring at the woman for a few seconds, the man suddenly ran in the direction where Zhu Chongjiu had disappeared.

About twenty minutes later, seeing that Zhu Chongjiu had reached the foot of the marriage alliance mountain, the man called out, "Daoist Master, Daoist Master!"

Upon hearing the shout, Zhu Chongjiu stopped, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Hey... Daoist Master, your walking speed isn't fast, how come you've walked so far in such a short time?"

If I had run even a few steps slower, I wouldn't have been able to find you once you were inside the mountains.

The man, panting heavily, said this while his hands were on his knees.

"Oh, I'm not simply walking."

Instead, he walks using a stance taught by his master, which is a way of practicing boxing while also walking!

What brings you here, my esteemed friend, to seek me out?

"Master, I have a feeling that the female ghost is not so easy to deal with."

Daoist Master, you are still young. If possible, you can help us slay the ghosts when you are older and your Daoist skills are more profound. For now, let's leave together!

I happen to know a shortcut out of the village; I'll take you back.

The man grabbed Zhu Chongjiu's arm and pulled him back.

When the man pulled him, Zhu Chongjiu simply paused slightly, shaking the man's hand away.

"My lord, don't underestimate me."

Besides, I also have powerful magical artifacts!

As Zhu Chongjiu spoke, he pointed to the floating object peeking out from inside the leather bag, and the large sword slung across his back.

The man didn't pay attention to Zhu Chongjiu's words; he only felt the other man shake his hand off and said with some displeasure:

"Why are you so disobedient, you little Taoist priest?"

"Come with me right now! Acting rashly could cost you your life!"

As he spoke, the man continued to pull Zhu Chongjiu back.

“My friend, you said there is a shortcut back, but I’m afraid you don’t mean to go back, but rather to take me out of the village by a side path.”

The reason for doing this was to prevent other villagers from seeing it.

"you……!"

Zhu Chongjiu interrupted the man and continued:

Please rest assured, I did not show off any skills.

Although I don't know if I have the ability to capture that female ghost or change her decision.

As for why I have to do this, I can only tell you...

You have a connection with the path!