Becoming a fox fairy from Liaozhai

Chapter 856 Master Gong

Master Luo's cultivation is actually quite high, on par with Chun Jing Shu, enough to sweep away those martial arts practitioners and leave behind truly capable masters.

However, he could neither break free from Gong Daoren's supernatural powers nor Gong Mengbi's supernatural powers. He was so frustrated that his face turned red, and in the end, he could only helplessly admit defeat.

The giant foot that had been stepping on Little Luo Daoist retreated back into the sky, as if an invisible giant stood in the night.

Master Luo looked hesitantly towards the sky in the direction the foot had retracted, confirming that he hadn't seen any giant hiding in the sky who had helped Master Gong and the... this cultivator in front of him.

He couldn't find the right words to describe Gong Mengbi. Gong Mengbi's temperament was unlike anyone he had ever met, making him unforgettable at first sight.

Master Luo composed himself, and as was customary, asked Gong Mengbi for his name, handed him a reply and a token, and asked him to wait for the summons from the Prince of Lu.

Sanren Gong Mingfu left quickly and returned quickly; when he returned, Gong Daoren had not yet left.

Gong Daoren appeared simple and upright, and was also a master of illusion. Gong Mengbi, who was interested in befriending him, took the initiative to say, "It's quite a coincidence. It's a rare opportunity to meet a fellow practitioner who is proficient in illusion. Fellow Daoist Gong, would you be interested in joining me for a drink?"

Gong Daoren hesitated for a moment, but still refused: "I just arrived in Xiaqiu today and am looking for an old friend to stay with. How about we meet another day?"

Gong Mengbi was not discouraged. He told Gong Daoren where he was staying and said, "If you have time, you can come and find me."

Gong Mengbi climbed into the dragon-drawn carriage, which returned along the same route, but the sound of horses' hooves and the wheels of the carriage could not be heard.

Gong Daoren watched him leave, then turned and walked into the mist. Soon he arrived at an abandoned house in the city. It looked uninhabited, but when he knocked on the door, an elderly woman opened it.

"Gong Xian, it's been a long time." The woman smiled and said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you to travel all the way to Xiaqiu."

Gong Daoren said, "I have already met the person you asked me to deal with, and he is somewhat different from what I imagined."

The woman said, "He is a rare talent, but unfortunately he has gone astray. I have no other choice but to ask you for help to curb his arrogance and let him know that there are always people more capable than him and that there is always something beyond his reach."

After a moment of silence, Master Gong said, "Back then, my master suffered a qi deviation and was saved by Senior Su's medicine. I owe Senior Su a favor."

The woman, who had many more warm words to reminisce about the past, stopped here and could only sigh and say, "Once this is done, we'll be even."

Gong Daoren bowed to her, declined her invitation to enter, and turned to leave the old house.

The woman watched his retreating figure, knowing that their friendship of many years had come to an end, and couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

"My mother-in-law once saved his life, how could he just leave like this?" A young girl's reproachful head popped out from behind the woman.

The woman rubbed her head and said, "He is a man of extraordinary will and cannot be swayed by others. Our relationship ends here. It's a pity you are too young, otherwise entrusting you to him would be a good match."

The girl pouted and said, "It's not a pity at all."

Having left the woman, Gong Daoren felt relieved, a weight lifted from his mind, and found himself a place to stay at an inn. As for seeking out Gong Mengbi, that was a complete joke. He was entrusted to deal with Gong Mengbi; how could he possibly cultivate a relationship with him?
He didn't want to associate with Gong Mengbi, but Gong Mengbi wouldn't let him off easily.

From the moment Gong Mengbi landed in Xiaqiu, he sensed that the atmosphere in Xiaqiu, both overt and covert, was gradually becoming turbulent and unpredictable.

Gong Mengbi was indeed not a master of arithmetic, but he had some knowledge of it. He had successively mastered the art of observing qi and had the ability to sense heaven. His virtue of auspicious omens was growing stronger day by day, making it difficult for him to ambush him when he was on guard.

When all else fails, take out the wishing tree to suppress the spirits, calculate the opportunities, and everything will be clear.

He used the divination method of the moon, with Xiaqiu City as his compass, corresponding to the stars in the sky, to show the four phases of the moon, gradually clearing away the fog and seeing that he would have to go through several obstacles in this trial.

Therefore, upon first meeting Master Gong, Gong already knew that this would be his first obstacle. Despite the obstacle, Gong Mengbi could see that Master Gong was someone he could befriend, and that if he could overcome this obstacle, there was a chance to forge a good relationship with him.

Therefore, the next day, Gong Daoren simply went out for a stroll in Xiaqiu City and saw Gong Mengbi, who had come out to investigate the news, again.

Gong Mengbi, disguised as a wealthy-looking young man, is treating people to drinks at a tavern by the Si River and inquiring about the Mingxia Temple.

Gong Daoren glanced at him and realized that he hadn't actually made many changes; he was just much more low-key and dim than his true form, so that people wouldn't keep a close eye on him.

Gong Daoren glanced at him, and Gong Mengbi sensed it. Then, he saw the wealthy young man's eyes light up. The young man said something to the boatman who was offering him wine, then left the tavern and headed towards Gong Daoren.

Gong Daoren was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to stay or leave. Before he could react, Gong Mengbi had already approached and said with a smile, "Truly, it's fate. We parted yesterday, and meet again today. Fellow Daoist Gong, do you have some free time to stroll with me?"

Having no other choice, Master Gong had to agree.

Gong Mengbi turned back and waved to the tavern, bidding farewell to the boatman, saying, "This boatman's mother works at the Prince of Lu's residence. I'd like to ask him about some things."

Gong Daoren, who was not originally curious, couldn't help but ask now: "What are you asking about, Fellow Daoist Gong?"

Gong Mengbi said, "It's about Mingxia Temple. Prince Lu is fond of Taoism, and he enshrines Taoist priests from Mingxia Temple in his residence. I'm very curious about the origins of Mingxia Temple."

Why are you curious about the origins of Mingxia Temple?

Gong Mengbi gave Gong Daoren a strange look and said, "Prince Lu is using the name of setting up a new altar to recruit talents. If he wants to preside over this matter, he will inevitably have to compete with the Daoists of Mingxia Temple. Even if Fellow Daoist Gong does not have the ambition to preside over the construction of the altar, he should still inquire about the character of the Daoists of Mingxia Temple. After all, if he works in Prince Lu's mansion in the future, he will probably be under the jurisdiction of the Daoists of Mingxia Temple."

Gong Daoren had never thought about these things, nor was that his purpose. He simply said vaguely, "I don't really care about these things."

“I don’t want to care, but I have something to do related to Mingxia Temple, so I have to care. If things go smoothly, I will leave. Why would I be attached to the power and wealth here?” Gong Mengbi did not hide anything.

Now that Gong Daoren was truly curious, Gong Mengbi simply smiled and didn't continue the conversation. Instead, he turned to yesterday's topic: "Fellow Daoist Gong's illusion techniques are extremely exquisite. They look similar to mine, but in reality, they are quite different. I wonder if you would be willing to exchange techniques with me?"

Gong Daoren pondered for a moment. He figured he would be facing off against Gong Mengbi in the next few days, so it might be wise to probe his strength first. Although it was somewhat underhanded, Gong was, after all, here to repay a debt, and he couldn't afford to be perfunctory. If he could make him back down now, he could avoid a lot of trouble.

Daoist Gong asked, "How does Fellow Daoist Gong intend to compete?"

Gong Mengbi said, "There are too many people and too many eyes here, so it's not convenient to use magic. Fellow Daoist, please come with me to Xiaqiu Mountain."

As soon as he finished speaking, he disappeared into the crowd. Like a drop of water merging into a river, he could never be found again.