Nan Zhi glanced at Daoist Qinglong, who was lying casually in the ruined bamboo pavilion, unsure if he was feigning sleep or truly asleep. With an expressionless face, she pulled back the half of her sleeve that was now wet and sticky.
“Fellow Daoist Crane, please behave yourself.”
The white crane's cultivation was above hers, and it was Daoist Qinglong's mount. She could neither beat it nor kill it, so Nan Zhi could only try to reason with it.
“The Temple Master also said just now that it was merely a friendly sparring match between fellow Daoists, and a slip of the hand. Since I've dirtied your... feathers, I'm sure you can understand, Fellow Daoist Crane.”
Besides, there was no logic in this world where the person who was attacked and fought back had to pay money.
This white crane seemed accustomed to being a bully. It relentlessly pecked at Nan Zhi's arm with its long beak, but unfortunately for it, her Constitution was high enough that not a single drop of blood appeared even after a long time.
“Gaaah! Gah gah gah!”
【Money, money, money, money, money! Give me money!】
The feathers on its long neck puffed up. It refused to believe that it had suffered a loss at the hands of a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, squawking and cursing as it went.
It paced back and forth on its long legs, looking exactly like a startled goose at a village entrance.
Nan Zhi recalled the unpleasant memories of being chased by village bullies in her childhood, and she almost did something impolite.
For example, grabbing it by the neck, lifting it up, and checking its underside to see if it was male or female.
—Of course, if Nan Zhi actually did that, this narrow-minded white crane would probably fight her to the death.
“Uncle Crane, it was just a spar. There's no need to be so furious. Fellow Daoist Nan is the biological older sister of Nan Yi and Nan Ye. You've always been close to those two, so please let it go for their sake. Besides, Master is asleep now, so let's not disturb him here.”
Shen Luohe was highly experienced in this. Folding his fan, he walked over quickly and pulled several pieces of fine jade from his sleeve.
“This is top-grade Liuyang jade. Calm down. We will all be colleagues in the Demon Suppression Division in the future, so there's no need to make things so tense.”
Although the white crane was still somewhat reluctant, it glanced at Daoist Qinglong and, hearing the names of the Nan siblings, knew when to quit while it was ahead.
Its long beak darted out, swallowing the pieces of jade. It crunched them down like broad beans before finally letting the two of them leave.
This crane actually liked to eat gold, silver, and jade! No wonder the Northwest Circuit Demon Suppression Monastery was so impoverished. One of the main culprits had been found.
Nan Zhi looked at the white crane. Once it was full, it stood on one leg, burying its head in its feathers as if preening its wings.
It seemed to be fooling around, but in reality, it was guarding Daoist Qinglong and refused to leave his side. It looked quite loyal.
Only after they had left the vicinity of the mountaintop bamboo pavilion did Shen Luohe dare to breathe a bit more freely. He turned to explain to Nan Zhi.
“Uncle Crane is over four hundred years old. He was a spirit beast contracted by my late Master's wife. When he was just a tiny thing newly hatched from his egg, he traveled everywhere with my Master and Master's wife. Ever since my Master's wife, Danxia Fairy, passed away, Master has doted on him excessively, which led to... In the past, all of us junior brothers and sisters had to address him as 'Uncle Crane' as well.”
Nan Zhi understood immediately. When she asked about his mention of Nan Yi and Nan Ye just now, Shen Luohe smiled and said.
“You wouldn't know, but after the great upheaval in Bianjing half a month ago, evil demons and ghosts frequently caused trouble in the surrounding cities. Since the monastery was short-handed, Xijian invited your younger sister to help with some clerical work. Uncle Crane is extremely fond of your siblings. He never pecks them with his beak, nor does he let anyone else get close. If any junior brother or sister talks too much to your younger brother, they'll be chased away by him.”
“Sister Ye is exceptionally clever and already had the ambition to join the Demon Suppression Division. If she passes the exam next year, she might even become my colleague.”
Nan Zhi nodded, understanding the situation.
So that white crane was a relic left behind by Danxia Fairy to Daoist Qinglong. No wonder it had been raised to have such an overbearing personality.
Across the Twenty-Four Circuits of the Demon Suppression Division, there were only about a hundred or so cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage. Yet, a white-feathered crane had been fed with pills and spiritual items to the point of forcefully piling its cultivation up to Foundation Establishment Level 7.
“In that case, Fellow Daoist Crane is much older than many of the demon suppressors in this Northwest Circuit.”
Nan Zhi brought it up casually, as if making small talk.
“Even his mount is at Foundation Establishment Level 7. I wonder what the Temple Master's current cultivation level is...”
“Master took over this Demon Suppression Monastery during the reign of Empress Shenlong while he was traveling the mortal realm.
“Afterward, dynasties changed, and the Song replaced the Tang. The Northwest Circuit Demon Suppression Monastery has always answered only to mobilization, not summons, focusing solely on subduing demons and ignoring politics.”
Shen Luohe hesitated for a moment.
In truth, Daoist Qinglong's origins were not a secret within the Demon Suppression Division.
He stopped and bowed deeply toward the direction of the bamboo pavilion from afar before speaking again.
“Master was already at Mid-stage Nascent Soul a hundred years ago. His current strength is even more unfathomable.”
Then, wasn't it possible that he was now at the Nascent Soul Great Circle, or even had hopes of reaching the deity transformation stage? He could be considered the strongest combat power in the mortal realm.
If Daoist Qinglong was the inside agent in the Demon Suppression Division...
Then wouldn't she have to fight a Nascent Soul Great Circle expert as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?
Nan Zhi immediately began to brainstorm.
One must know that the Golden Core nurtures the Nascent Soul, and when the core shatters, the soul is formed. Any random Nascent Soul cultivator had a lifespan starting from at least a thousand years.
If the monk Huiyuan's co-conspirator in the Demon Suppression Division was him, why would they need to be so secretive? They could have just flipped the table directly.
Moreover, above the Nascent Soul was the deity transformation stage. Even in the cultivation world, such cultivation would grant one the position of a first-class elder in a minor sect, receiving the same treatment as a sect master.
What could Daoist Qinglong possibly gain by conspiring with Huiyuan?
Even if she took ten thousand steps back, if he truly was Huiyuan's co-conspirator, why hadn't he killed her directly the moment she stepped into the Demon Suppression Monastery?
As for the whereabouts of the Witch Corpse, he would only need to kill her and then search her soul or refine her corpse, or use her family to coerce her. Why would he worry about not finding the whereabouts of that evil treasure?
When the white crane tested her just now, Qinglong could have directly killed Nan Zhi.
If he really was a co-conspirator, why would he bother acting in front of her?
Could it possibly be to gain the trust of a mere cultivator at the second level of Foundation Establishment?
Rather, Mo Chenghuai, who had fled to the cultivation world half a month ago, was far more suspicious.
Nan Zhi could not help but feel a bit of a headache.
She felt that behind all the events that had occurred recently, there seemed to be a thread she had overlooked.
It was all so bewildering.
...
...
After many months, Nan Zhi finally saw Chen Jingui and Nan Dazhuang's comforting faces again.
There were also mortals working in the Demon Suppression Division. Fearing that the Nan family would not be used to it, Shen Luohe had specially found a courtyard with a persimmon tree to settle them.
When Nan Zhi descended from the clouds, Chen Jingui was standing in the courtyard airing out quilt covers, nagging and tirelessly instructing Nan Dazhuang.
“Shake the quilt to make it softer. Brother Yi's leg is still injured. If he sleeps on something softer, he won't suffer as much at night.”
“Lately, there have been fewer and fewer people walking around the monastery. At night, it's completely empty, which is even more terrifying than a wild temple on a desolate mountain... Sister Ye is working for the immortal master now. Although she doesn't need to fear any bandits or thieves in the monastery, she is still young and easily frightened. Be more diligent in delivering her meals every day. At night, you'd rather wait a bit longer in front of the Records Tower than let her walk back alone.”
“Sigh, the pork the Daoist boy bought from the town a couple of days ago really can't compare to the fresh, fat pigs we slaughter ourselves. It tastes so dry and tough.”
“We left in such a hurry that I forgot to take the two pieces of cured meat hanging over the stove. It really benefited those thieves and mice.”
“Sigh, she's been gone for three months now, and autumn is just around the corner. Why isn't Sister Zhi back yet? I wonder if the wool covers and wool mattress I made for her before are big enough.”
“That child has never left home since she was small. She was tied to my heels from childhood, and I raised her bit by bit. The letter she sent earlier was also very vague, only saying she was investigating a case in Bianjing.”
“Sigh! I wonder if she got promoted, to what rank, and if we can move into a big mansion in the future.”
After talking for a long while, Chen Jingui felt her mouth go dry. Seeing that Nan Dazhuang only responded with occasional grunts and nods, she suddenly flew into a rage.
“You useless blockhead who can't even squeeze out a fart after three blows, how did I ever lose my mind and fall for you back then?”
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