In the faint grayish-white mist, slender yellow-green bamboo stalks stood tall. Though no wind blew, the bamboo swayed gently, and the rustling sound of countless bamboo leaves friction created an eerie atmosphere.
Ji Yuan scanned his surroundings. If he remembered correctly, he had seen this bamboo forest from a distant cliff, and at that time, he could even vaguely see several grand houses deep within.
If his guess was correct, those houses should be the location of the sect cultivating here, and also the place where the 'Luohun Slope' had the most potent and dense yin energy.
Precisely because of this, the young Taoist's expression had turned quite grim as soon as he discovered he had arrived outside the bamboo forest. After all, when it came to places most likely to breed evil spirits within the 'Luohun Slope,' this was undoubtedly it.
A 'Talisman for Dispelling Evil and Warding off Ghosts' was activated, and three clusters of light immediately appeared in mid-air. Two of them faced left and right, their flickering frequency not particularly fast.
Only one cluster of light faced forward, and under Ji Yuan's grim expression, it frantically flickered with a faint glow.
Without needing to think, there were definitely ghosts ahead. It was just that he couldn't understand why, after using the 'Talisman for Dispelling Evil and Warding off Ghosts' to scout his way and avoid directions where yin and evil spirits existed, he still ended up here.
However, before he could figure anything out, on the straight path in front of him, clusters of dark green flames suddenly ignited from nowhere, extending along both sides into the depths of the bamboo forest.
Vaguely, one could see a large object shrouded in darkness at the end of the path.
It was evident that something in the depths of the bamboo forest had sensed his arrival, otherwise, such a scene wouldn't have appeared. It was clearly an invitation for him to enter.
At this moment, Ji Yuan's expression changed repeatedly. He was inclined to turn and walk back into the mist, seeking another way to leave this place. But thinking about how he had been led here despite relying on talismans, he estimated that such a thought had little chance of success.
However, the idea of honestly following this path into the depths of the bamboo forest was absolutely out of the question. Doing so would be like a lamb walking into a tiger's den, with his life and death thereafter unpredictable.
"Infinite Heavenly Venerable! Wouldn't it be better to stay honestly in the temple to cultivate and refine pills? Why bother with that bit of money? Now look, my life might be lost here!"
The young Taoist's face changed several times, regretting that he shouldn't have been greedy for the rewards of those few exorcism ceremonies.
That meager amount of withheld silver was even less than what he usually earned from refining a few batches of pills. He must have been out of his mind, thinking that by embarking on the path of cultivation and having a few trump cards, he could start to yearn for the stories in novels about young heroes wielding swords and traveling the world.
Now, it seemed, he might perish here tonight!
Ji Yuan took a deep breath. After a period of struggle, his eyes gradually became firm. Perhaps it was due to being pushed to the brink, a surge of ferocity inexplicably rose in his chest.
He no longer hesitated, resolutely stepping onto the path before him and walking towards the depths of the bamboo forest. The dark green flames floating in the air on both sides made it feel as if he were walking on a road leading to the underworld.
However, despite the surge of courage within him, he did not walk fast, and the distance between each step was small, giving the impression of him stalling for time.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the young Taoist's mind was constantly contemplating various situations he might encounter later, as well as considering his means of dealing with enemies.
Yet, the path eventually had an end. Before long, Ji Yuan arrived outside a magnificent mansion gate, stopping in front of two stone lions.
"Great Omen of Disaster!"
He glanced at the two stone lions on either side and couldn't help but murmur to himself.
The stone lions, which should have been guarding the house and warding off evil, now only had half their bodies remaining. The rest had fractured into countless small stones scattered on the ground in front of the grand gate.
Even the remaining half of their bodies were covered in cracks, with black, foul-smelling liquid flowing out from them.
Creak~~~
Just as Ji Yuan's heart pounded with fear, the tightly shut gate suddenly opened. The grinding sound made him feel his scalp tingle, and he almost turned to run.
At this moment, an old woman appeared behind the gate, holding a lantern with a bright yellow flame, and looking at the young man outside with a smile.
"This young Taoist, are you seeking shelter late at night?"
The old woman inquired, her face deeply wrinkled from smiling, which looked rather frightening. If not for the fact that she exuded no yin or evil aura, the young Taoist would have likely thrown a handful of talismans at her.
"If it's inconvenient, I shall turn and leave immediately."
Although he didn't understand what the ghosts here intended, Ji Yuan could only brace himself and cooperate. Rashly upsetting the situation would only lead to his own disadvantage.
At the same time, he noticed that although the woman appeared normal, she completely ignored the two stone lions outside the gate and the two rows of dark green flames on the path, her attention focused solely on him.
"Convenient, very convenient. My master is also someone who pursues the Tao. He once instructed me to do my best to provide for any Taoist who visits."
The old woman nodded with a smile, then stepped aside, making a gesture of invitation to a distinguished guest, and then walked into the mansion.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan paused briefly before following. Since he had come this far, there were no other choices. If he turned and left, it was estimated that the ghosts within the mansion would not let him escape easily.
As he followed the old woman into the mansion, the gate behind him slowly closed with a gust of cold wind, and even the heavy bolt slid shut on its own.
The young Taoist was not surprised by this. He had already witnessed too many strange and eerie things tonight, so he didn't pay much attention to it.
At this time, the hunched-over old woman, holding a lantern, led the way. After crossing the spacious front courtyard, she guided Ji Yuan onto a path to the left, passing through several corridors and multiple courtyards.
Along the way, although many rooms inside the mansion were lit, and lanterns were hung under the eaves, Ji Yuan saw no one else besides the old woman in front of him.
Not to mention servants waiting to be dispatched by the master, he didn't even see any guards or martial artists watching the house.
Moreover, he distinctly remembered that this should be the location of a cultivating sect. When did it become a reclusive wealthy family's residence?
With his mind full of questions, the young Taoist followed the old woman to a secluded small courtyard. From the bamboo forest outside the high wall, it could be seen that this was likely the edge of the mansion.
"Master and mistress have already retired for the night. Without my master's permission, I naturally cannot arrange for superior rooms and can only ask the young Taoist to make do here for a night."
The old woman bowed and said apologetically.
Hearing this, Ji Yuan merely smiled and shook his head, but did not speak, his gaze fixed on the person in front of him.
He wanted to see what kind of play the ghosts in this mansion intended to put on.
However, the old woman did not show any discomfort with the young man's impolite behavior, nor did any other expression appear on her face. After repeatedly apologizing, she slowly withdrew from the courtyard.
After watching the hunched figure and the faint glow of the light recede, Ji Yuan pondered for a moment, then went to the small house not far away and pushed the door open.
Not long after, an oil lamp was lit. The bright light, though not strong, was enough to illuminate the room.