Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but Thunderbolt Taoist Sect

He had said everything he needed to say, and Liu Qingyuan wasn't sure if the other party had understood. Anyway, the painted skin was dealt with, and one of the illegal transmigrators was caught. From the time Liu Qingyuan came to this world, he had completed these two tasks in less than three days.

Liu Qingyuan: I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence. Isn't this just handing someone a free kill?

"I always felt that he had misunderstood some aspects."

When Master Li left, his eyes never left the Ancient Dust Sword. It is indeed amazing that the sword has a sword spirit, but the other party did not seem to be a person obsessed with swords. Why was he so concerned about the Ancient Dust Sword?

"But now that we've dealt with the 'Painted Skin' issue, things should be more stable in the city for a while. Why don't we just use a different alias for fun now?"

Although it might be a bit faster in terms of time, he couldn't just wander around the city forever. After all, Gu Chen was a sword that couldn't speak, and the few times he cooperated were by producing smoke and refining pills and sugar.

This place is mostly inhabited by ordinary people. The smoke rising from the spinning sword hilt always startles them, so they generally don't dare to eat the sugar made this way. No one gets injured, and there's no need for alchemy here.

Moreover, to be honest, the pills that Gu Chen refined were all compatible with innate cultivation methods and were mostly used to consolidate the original qi and restore true qi. He really didn't know what effect they would have on the people in Liaozhai.

Leaving aside ordinary people, the cultivation systems of the two sides are different, and it is unknown whether the true qi and internal force of the innate masters correspond to the magic power here.

In conclusion, rather than acting against the Gu Chen attached to the system, he might as well release an alias to act against him.

"Let me see, who did I draw last time..."

"The painted skin is dead? Just one sword strike?!"

Xiao Cui stood under the tree, listening to the chirping reports of the birds and squirrels above. There were many intelligent little animals in the mountains, and not all of them were annoying creatures. Xiao Cui was a genuine fox spirit, and many little monsters were willing to flatter her.

Liu Qingyuan was going to work with the other Taoists to catch the Painted Skin, so Xiao Cui couldn't go along to watch the excitement. But she couldn't suppress her curiosity, so she told the other animals to observe from a distance.

Ironically, although the small animals hid far away, Liu Qingyuan's sword strike was incredibly powerful. Being far away made it easier to see, and like Master Li, they all thought that the painted skin had been cleaved into ashes by Liu Qingyuan's sword.

And that's exactly how they fed back to Xiao Cui.

"Just one sword..."

Xiao Cui was shocked by the result. It was true that the Sword Immortal was very strong, and the bronze sword behind him was indeed extraordinary, but the fact that he could split the ground with a single sword and leave a deep trench was still beyond her expectations.

Knowing that these little creatures wouldn't dare lie to her, but for some reason, Xiao Cui still decided to go and see for herself. She transformed into a fox and ran towards the place where the battle had taken place the night before, her goal being the deep trench that was supposedly cleaved by a single sword strike.

This place is easy to find. Liu Qingyuan's sword strike was just last night, and only half a day has passed. The remaining sharp sword energy has not yet dissipated. For spirits that are good at finding things by their aura, the presence of this sword energy is far greater than the actual deep trench it left behind.

"It's really..."

Although the sword's momentum had dissipated, the power of its energy remained. Such a powerful being was right beside him.

"Such great power, I must tell Mother... Oh no, I'll get scolded if I go back like this!"

She had originally run away halfway to repay her mother's kindness, and now was the time for her to continue her five-year relationship with Yuanfeng. She could at least stall here, but once she went home, her family would know that she had run away halfway, and she would inevitably get a scolding from her mother.

However, looking at the deep trench on the ground, Xiao Cui roughly estimated the power and realized that if this sword were to fall on her, she would be crippled even if she didn't die. Her previous feeling was correct; the bronze longsword of Sword Immortal was indeed an immortal sword.

It would be best to befriend a cultivator with such strength as soon as possible, but if she went home to report the news, her mother might send her back to the Imperial Censor Wang's house to continue repaying his kindness. Because of the vase incident, she didn't want to see Imperial Censor Wang right now.

If she were only sending a message home, Xiao Cui wouldn't be able to explain why she was here instead of in the capital. Was she supposed to rely on cultivating a relationship with the immortal master? To be honest, that would be putting the fox in a difficult position.

Although Jianzi Xianchang looked like a young man, at most thirty years old, his white hair and eyebrows, as well as the occasional air of an elder, made Xiao Cui feel that he was from her mother's generation.

In short, the other person seems like a slightly more lively "old sage," possessing both liveliness and maturity.

"How come there are foxes in a place like this?"

A clear and gentle male voice rang out above Xiao Cui's head, and a shadow fell upon her. It was a pleasant yet unfamiliar voice. Xiao Cui's ears, which had been drooping, perked up again, and she looked up.

The first thing she saw was a silvery-white color, the other person's long silvery-white hair hanging down to their chest, and then a wide gray-white robe with deep and shallow patterns, exquisite embroidery, and excellent fabric texture.

Xiao Cui's fox body is about the same size as an ordinary fox. Due to the limited angle between them, she couldn't see what the other fox looked like, but she felt that the other fox's color scheme was very familiar.

The last person to be so white at first glance was that Sword Immortal. If there was a difference, the latter was dressed in pure white, while the one in front of us had many silver embellishments, and his robes looked more exquisite. He was holding a long wooden pole with a large lantern hanging on it.

Xiao Cui: ...It's so strange to carry such a big lantern in broad daylight.

"Hmm? Interested in my guiding light?"

Seeing the fox turn its gaze to the lantern in its hand, Zhao Shiming bent down and knelt on the ground, trying its best to look the fox in the eye.

In this way, Xiao Cui saw the other person's face. The other person's hairstyle was very simple. Except for the hair on both sides that was draped forward in front of the chest like two long braids, the rest of the hair was combed back. This person was very good-looking, with a face like jade and hair like silver threads.

However, no matter how good-looking someone is, it can't hide the fact that this person is carrying a big lantern in broad daylight.

Especially when Zhao Shiming bent down, the lantern in his hand also lowered, almost hovering next to Xiao Cui. She made a rough measurement in her mind, and the lantern was about the same size as her when she coiled it up.

Xiao Cui is now certain that this unfamiliar lantern-bearing young master is on the same side as Sword Immortal. It's not for any other reason than his silver hair and the large lantern in his hand; there are no people with this kind of style in their area.

"May I ask if you, young master, have come to see Immortal Swordsman?"

The immortal had said that some of his fellow cultivators would come to travel here in the future, and that some of them would have appearances that were different from ordinary people. So Xiao Cui asked directly.

Upon hearing the fox speak, the person opposite showed no surprise or fear, and responded with a smile.

"Yes, I have indeed come to find Jianzi. Do you know where he is, young lady?"

"You are an immortal..."

"We should be considered good friends."

Then, Zhao Shiming looked ahead at the deep ravine emanating sword energy.

"According to everyone's estimation, I should have landed directly near the Open Realm after I came out, but for some reason I veered off course and landed in the deep mountains. I found the sword energy left by Jianzi nearby, thinking that he might be nearby."

But here, there is only an exaggerated sword mark left by Gu Chen.

"I know where the immortal is. I'll take you there!"

After confirming the other party's identity, Xiao Cui perked up again. Anyway, she didn't want to choose the option of going home at all. Since there was a new person here, she wanted to learn more information. So, it made sense for her to continue dealing with the other party instead of going home, right?

"Thank you very much, girl."

"Xiao Cui, haven't you noticed the problem?"

Since they had become familiar with each other, Liu Qingyuan began to call Xiao Cui by her given name.

"what is the problem?"

Xiao Cui was completely baffled by the question. She had just brought Zhao Shimingdeng over, and the two of them immediately recognized each other's names, which were also strange four-character names. These two were obviously old acquaintances, so what was the problem?

"Both I and Zhaoshi Mingdeng are Taoists. How come I am the Immortal Master and Zhaoshi Mingdeng is the Young Master?"

Honestly, Xiao Cui's way of addressing him made him feel like he was much older than Zhao Shimingdeng, even though their overall color schemes were similar.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Cui seriously considered it. Indeed, when she saw the World-Illuminating Lamp, she addressed him as "Young Master." Even after Liu Qingyuan pointed out that he was a fellow Daoist, she still addressed him as "Young Master."

According to his status, he should be called a Taoist priest or an immortal.

Xiao Cui looked at Liu Qingyuan, then at Zhao Shimingdeng, and finally said this.

"This young master is quite handsome... or perhaps a celestial being?"

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Cui saw the Taoist priest opposite her clutching his chest, as if he had been shot with an arrow.

Actually, Xiao Cui's way of thinking is quite logical. Although the world of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio has become somewhat special due to the supernatural and bizarre events, in the era when Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio was written, romance novels were popular among the common people. The male protagonists in these novels had only two characteristics: a handsome young scholar and a "melancholy and sickly body".

Influenced by these factors, the aesthetic standards for men here have shifted somewhat towards a more effeminate and delicate look, and Zhao Shiming's delicate appearance does indeed fit the aesthetic standards here better.

"I never expected to lose here."

"Ha, I didn't expect to receive such praise as soon as I arrived."

"Don't act innocent after getting the benefit. By the way, how did you get here from elsewhere?"

"There's probably a problem with the connecting channels."

Looking out over the open space, Zhao Shimingdeng saw that the place was newly found, as there was no special road leading here from the mountains. Those who came before relied on directions they knew in advance, along with the disturbed spiritual energy in the mountains.

To put it bluntly, if an ordinary person were to go up the mountain, they would wander aimlessly until they reached Yingning's house and never find the place of enlightenment. It can truly be said that they live in seclusion in the countryside, and immortals hide in the mountains and forests.

"If it weren't for this young lady, I'm afraid I would have wandered around in the mountains for a while longer."

"If it were someone else, it might only take a few turns, but if it were you, the World-Illuminating Lamp, it would probably take several more turns."

"Why?"

"Because of this."

Seeing the other person pointing at him holding a lantern, Zhaoshimingdeng looked down and then tilted his head slightly, not understanding the meaning behind it.

However, the other side quickly provided an explanation.

"After all, this open-minded place of mine is quite a rare place. Isn't it said that rare things are hard to find even with a lantern?"

Xiao Cui: ...What a lame joke.

"If that's the case, then I can only suffer the consequences of my own actions."

What surprised Xiao Cui even more was that Zhao Shimingdeng not only didn't find the joke lame, but also picked up on it.

Xiao Cui: You two are definitely old acquaintances, no doubt about it.

"By the way, why is it that only Xiao Cui came out?"

The issue of the painted skin has been resolved, and Liu Qingyuan has also told Yingning's adoptive mother about it, so Yingning shouldn't have to stay cooped up at home anymore.

"I haven't gone to see her yet today."

Because she was concerned about Liu Qingyuan's method of dealing with the painted skin, she did not stay at Yingning's house for long, and waited for the reports from the "spies" she had instructed.

Upon receiving news of the sword splitting the mountain, he rushed to the scene to watch it without stopping, and didn't even go to his girlfriends' place.

Even without the threat of the painted skin, Ying Ning grew up as a human, and compared to the mountain monsters, she was ultimately not as far away and free as they were.

“You said you are fellow practitioners of Taoism, but this young master… uh…”

Now that she had been pointed out, it would be inappropriate to call him "Young Master" again. However, Zhao Shiming's name had four characters, and it was difficult to discern his surname, making it hard to decipher. Xiao Cui couldn't find a suitable title for him.