Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but Thunderbolt Taoist Sect

"The Yan family has repeatedly colluded with sorcerers, their behavior is suspicious. More than half of the peonies in Luoyang City withered overnight. Someone in Chang'an witnessed an immortal descending to earth. A man-eating fish appeared in the Qiantang River. Divine dragons were seen bringing rain in many parts of the south. The White Lotus Sect in various places is a farce. After a series of outrageous acts, they turned into cowards... Alas, it's all in complete chaos!"

Imperial Censor Wang carefully recounted some of the recent "major events," each one a supernatural or bizarre occurrence. Although such things had happened before and had caused disturbances in the capital, nothing like what was happening now. Regardless of whether they were good or bad, big or small, from any part of the country, they all erupted at once, making it difficult to determine whether they should be considered auspicious or inauspicious omens according to the "interaction between heaven and man."

"So many gods and ghosts?"

Madam Wang, who was standing nearby, was also surprised. She knew there had been many strange and supernatural things happening lately, but she hadn't expected so many.

"Because of these matters, His Majesty was furious in court this morning."

The current emperor is already quite superstitious about gods and ghosts, so it's impossible for him not to get angry after hearing these nonsensical reports. Moreover, there have indeed been "immortals" appearing in the capital before, and Imperial Censor Wang has also been seen in a dream, so the part about monsters cannot be judged as "exaggeration".

"Monster... How is Yuanfeng?"

"...Still the same as before, staring blankly at the portrait all day long."

"Ugh……"

Having received guidance from the immortal, and with most of his troublesome political enemies gone, Imperial Censor Wang was no longer worried about the emperor's wrath affecting him; he was now more concerned about his son, Wang Yuanfeng.

After Xiao Cui left the Wang family, she disappeared without a trace. Wang Yushi sent people to look for her, but they found no clues. His daughter-in-law did not reveal any information when she came, and she could not be found even after she left. If Wang Yuanfeng had not really become a fool, and if Xiao Cui's belongings were still there, Wang Yushi would have almost thought that he was going crazy from worrying too much and had imagined a fairy daughter-in-law who did not mind that his son was a fool.

After everyone left and could not be found, Imperial Censor Wang learned from his son that Xiao Cui was a fox spirit who married into the Wang family to repay her mother's debt of gratitude. He had indeed encountered a fox that looked like it was dodging lightning when he was a child, but he did not take it seriously at the time. In addition, he was young and did not understand anything, so he quickly forgot about it.

Who could have imagined that years later he would have a mentally challenged son? The fox from before brought her daughter to be his daughter-in-law. Not only did she help Imperial Censor Wang get rid of his mortal enemy, but she also cured her son's mental illness. Just as Xiao Cui said to Wang Yuanfeng before she left, she had done enough for the Wang family, and she was not as valuable as a beautiful vase.

Given Xiao Cui's past behavior, it's possible that she had other intentions when she smashed the vase at that crucial moment, but unfortunately, Imperial Censor Wang didn't think about it carefully.

"It's my fault for having such a bad temper."

In fact, as soon as he finished scolding, Imperial Censor Wang regretted it, realizing that he had gone too far. But by then, Xiao Cui had already left, and it was too late for regrets.

After Xiao Cui disappeared, Wang Yuanfeng became increasingly depressed. He would stare blankly at Xiao Cui's portrait and the things she used to use. He was even worse off than when he was a fool. At least when he was a fool, he was lively and energetic. Now, Wang Yuanfeng was like a walking corpse.

"Things aren't peaceful in the capital right now, so this way... at least he can avoid the limelight."

Currently, only the three members of their family know that Xiao Cui is a fox spirit. Imperial Censor Wang, who frequents the court, knows that this matter cannot be discussed. Madam Wang rarely goes out, so there is no need to worry. Wang Yuanfeng is in a daze all day long. Even if he is no longer stupid, he will not go out to play like other young masters. The fact that Wang's daughter-in-law is not human will not be revealed.

In the current atmosphere in the capital, anyone who gets involved with supernatural forces or strange phenomena will immediately become a target, or perhaps be caught by the Yan family as a "scapegoat."

"Once this storm passes and we still can't find Xiao Cui... let's go find some masters to take a look at Yuanfeng. He's finally recovered from his stupidity; he can't afford to go crazy again."

Speaking of monsters, Imperial Censor Wang thought of Xiao Cui and the old woman who brought her to his door; speaking of the master, he thought of the white immortal holding a lantern he had dreamed of before.

At the time, the immortal said that someone had recommended him. However, Wang Yushi had been dismissed from his post, and his daughter-in-law's whereabouts were unknown. He didn't have time to think too much; he just wanted to seize the opportunity to get things done and reclaim his official position. Looking back now, the only people he could connect with regarding supernatural beings were Xiao Cui and her daughter. It's reasonable to assume that the fox spirit and the immortal had a connection.

Therefore, it's highly likely that Xiao Cui, who ran away from home, recommended him to the immortal, allowing him to regain his official position and even receive more important responsibilities through that case. Did Xiao Cui visit the place where that case took place?

……

"Snapped!"

A scroll painting that looked extremely valuable was casually tossed on the table, as if its worth was completely ignored.

"This is it."

Yue Wuque clapped his hands indifferently. He really didn't care much. He didn't care about the price of the materials used in the painting, and the content was none of his business. That was something that Liu Qingyuan, the original body, should study.

"These people are just like some of the wise men in the Bitter Realm. They leave clues in such a long and drawn-out way, only revealing a little bit when they have to squeeze it out, as if they would lose out if they revealed everything at once."

Yue Wuque and the others went to Jinling initially because of the things that were circulating in Jinling, especially the part about Meng Danqing. He wanted to see how bold someone was in trying to get their hands on a swan.

In reality, Feng San Niang's claim that the painter admired the fairy was pure rumor. The painter himself was indeed the young man surnamed Bai who was rescued from the tiger's mouth by Meng Danqing. Although he was bold, he was also self-aware. In addition, his ancestors had some troubles, so he wouldn't have those kinds of crazy thoughts.

After Shuangxiu left Jinling, Bai and Wu were both busy. They started painting based on the innate people they had met. Painter Wu painted Lü Dongbin's image based on Juan Shoutian's appearance, while painter Bai, because of the previous life-saving grace, first painted the image of Meng Danqing descending from the sky to save him.

The two initially intended it as a memento, but it unexpectedly became a hit. They then tried to explain to those around them who the figures in the painting were and why they were so different from ordinary people.

As for Painter Wu, it's not too bad. Everyone in Jinling knows that he's almost gone mad with his paintings of Lü Dongbin. As dazzling as the golden robes of Juan Shou Tian are, the Taoist characteristics on his body are still very obvious. It can be said that Painter Wu is creating an alternative portrait of Lü Dongbin.

The problem lies with the painter, Bai. He was completely unaware of Meng Danqing's true situation and painted her as if she were a fairy. A young, unmarried man painting a portrait of a beautiful woman was enough to start rumors among those around him.

Moreover, there are two pieces of "evidence" about the White Painter that others find very compelling. First, he usually likes to wander around collecting ancient paintings, and he even dares to go to deserted ruins for this purpose. He is never home, which is why the White Painter has never married.

Even though he was well-educated, came from a wealthy family that had been in business for generations, and was a relatively famous painter in Jinling, no suitable girl was willing to marry him. This man was always wandering around, and always going to scary places; what if he really brought back something unclean?

When someone suddenly stops studying murals and ancient paintings and instead starts staying in their studio and diligently painting, especially beautiful women, who wouldn't say "something's wrong"?

Then there's the Bai family, whose members were painters. They had been merchants in Jinling for generations and were quite wealthy. But more famous in Jinling than their wealth was something else: a few decades ago, someone in the Bai family fell in love with a female ghost and committed suicide with her.

The man from the Bai family, named Bai Yi, was also uninterested in the family business and became a painter, gaining some fame at the time. Bai Yi liked to travel around seeking inspiration for his paintings. He happened to meet a female ghost who had committed suicide and fell in love at first sight. Bai Yi painted a portrait of the female ghost and took it home. He looked at the portrait every day and grew thinner and thinner. The Bai family members tried to control him, argued with him, and quarreled over this. In the end, Bai Yi still died. On the seventh day after his death, he appeared in his family's dream and told them that he had married the female ghost in the underworld and planned to live in the underworld to take care of the Bai family and fulfill the filial piety he could not fulfill in his previous life.

It's unknown who Bai Yi managed to get in the underworld, but this ghost couple had an exceptionally long lifespan without any cultivation, and they've been taking care of the Bai family ever since. The Bai family hasn't told anyone about this, but people around them say that the Bai family has a connection with ghosts because of Bai Yi's sudden death.

Once upon a time, there was a great painter, and now there is a famous painter. The former liked to travel and paint while enjoying nature, while the latter likes to go to deserted ruins. The former went out and painted a female ghost, while the latter went to the outskirts and painted a blonde fairy. Their actions match up perfectly, leaving no room for explanation from the artists themselves; the viewers will fill in the blanks themselves.

So the rumor spread along with the painting, and the painter was about to give up when Bai Yi suddenly showed up, just in time to run into Yue Wuque and his party who had come to Jinling.

In terms of seniority, the painter Bai should call Bai Yi "Grand Uncle". At that time, Bai's parents had only two sons. Bai Yi was the second son. He died before he could get married, and the family business was inherited by the eldest son. The family set up memorial tablets for Bai Yi and his wife so that he could visit them from the underworld.

The Bai family's current success is inseparable from Bai Yi's support. The younger generation has also met this "ghost relative" to varying degrees. Because the path that Bai the painter followed after growing up was similar to that of Bai Yi in his previous life, Bai Yi especially liked him.

Some time ago, the painter noticed that his elder hadn't appeared for a long time. He was curious about it, but people in the mortal world don't know about the underworld. He was also busy studying the murals outside the city and quickly forgot about his elder who lived in the underworld.

But to his surprise, the other party arrived at such a convenient time. He was just about to explain to Meng Danqing and the others that the portrait he had drawn was not what the rumors meant when Bai Yi emerged from underground.

According to Bai Yi himself—no, this ghost—he hadn't appeared before because he was avoiding trouble. Something big had happened in the underworld, and everyone was investigating. It wasn't appropriate for a ghost who had been dead for countless years to frequently run to the mortal world. In the past, he only needed to make some small favors, but that wasn't possible anymore. He and his wife had been waiting in the underworld for quite some time. Once the heat died down, he remembered some things that happened when he had just died and wanted to come to the mortal world to explain.

"...What is this painting?"

As Liu Qingyuan listened to Yue Wuque and the others' experiences in Jinling, she unfolded the scroll and found that the things depicted inside were very messy and she couldn't make out what they were at all.

"You ask the jade beauty, but who does she ask? A ghost? Even Danqing would shake his head at this grotesque drawing."

Bai Yi can travel from the underworld to the homes of his descendants in the mortal realm, but only within Jinling. He can't go any further. Otherwise, when Yue Wuque sees this painting, he would bring the painting and the ghost together. Unfortunately, he can't do that.

Regarding this painting, it was painted not long after Bai Yi died, when lovers in the underworld finally got together. A monk came to congratulate them. The monk clearly did not look like a ghost, yet he could come and go freely in the underworld. Bai Yi felt that the other party was extraordinary, so he welcomed the monk in.

The monk wanted Bai Yi to paint a picture for him and keep it safe. In return, Bai Yi would teach him how to use his ghost identity to support the Bai family business. When the time was right, the Bai family descendants would form a bond with some special immortals, and then he could hand the painting over to those immortals.

There's no need to guess who this monk is anymore. In any case, Liu Qingyuan can't find him anywhere, but he himself is still living in other people's stories. Judging from the timeline, Bai Yi may have seen that still intact temple in Jinling when he was a child.

"We've never been to the underworld. If you really want to ask about ghosts, only you, Jianzi, can go."

The painting Bai Yi gave us was very disorganized, but the source of the connection was probably still something from the murals. That's why Shu Longqin said that they found a boomerang related to the murals in Jinling.

"Forget it, let's deal with the snake pit first."

Liu Qingyuan looked at the scroll from left to right and, finding that he couldn't make out anything, put it back on the table. They were all in Changqing now and would soon be able to take Chilong to the snake cave to confront that mute giant snake.

"Why don't you stay and how about we do a snake-catching activity?"