Chapter 162

At this time, seeing someone seemingly trying to expose them, the many onlookers became even more interested, and more and more people were attracted to gather around. A few people had already recognized the magistrate's identity.

"Let me see..."

The Daoist picked up these items and looked at them casually.

"It really is two taels of silver...

"Gao Yuanfu...

"Magistrate? So you are the magistrate?"

The Daoist said this, and although his tone was still relaxed, it caused an uproar among the onlookers around him.

The previous magistrate had been promoted, and this magistrate had only been in office for a short time, so not many people had seen his face. Seeing the Daoist take the magistrate's belongings from a distance without a sound, everyone was naturally even more amazed.

It was impossible for the magistrate to be a plant.

They saw the Daoist remain casual, handing these items to his servants, just smiling at the magistrate: "Can this magic art of mine meet the magistrate's eye?"

"So you really are an expert!" The magistrate had already shown shock, hurriedly cupping his hands, and untying the money bag that the servant had brought back, offering the two taels of silver inside with both hands. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "I wonder if the immortal expert knows any other magic arts?"

"Other magic arts? Very well, very well."

The Seventh Third Third Shixiong strolled leisurely and just took out a piece of cloth.

He beckoned toward the back, called out a few times, and summoned an unwilling colorful civet cat.

Whether it was the magistrate, the clerk, or the onlookers who were gathering more and more, they all opened their eyes wide to watch.

They saw the Daoist cover the cat with the cloth, then wrap it up, and like netting a fish, he wrapped the cat up and lifted it. Then he tightened the cloth more and more, pinched it to the smallest size, and even spread it out and shook it, but the cat's figure was never seen in the cloth, as if it had disappeared into thin air.

Just when everyone thought the cat was no longer in the cloth and had been moved elsewhere, the Daoist asked the clerk beside the magistrate to pick an empty spot, covered the empty spot with the cloth, recited a spell, and then took the cloth away.

Inside, there was an egg the size of a bowl.

Although the egg was large, it was absolutely impossible to fit an adult cat inside.

Moreover, everyone went to check. The egg was very hard, intact, and had no cracks at all. How could it fit anything inside?

But the Daoist said the cat was in the egg.

So he broke the egg, and sure enough, a cat crawled out.

The cat had been curled up in the egg. Seeing this, it slowly opened its eyes, looking a bit dazed, then stretched its body, stretched again on the ground, and only then walked back to the feet of the female Daoist and lay down.

A fox was also lying there.

"How is it?"

The young Daoist asked the crowd.

Many onlookers were amazed and donated generously one after another.

"Wonderful," the magistrate praised, but then said, "It's just that Gao wasn't asking about this, but wanted to ask the Daoist if you know any other immortal arts?"

"Magic arts in the world don't distinguish between high and low. What are immortal arts?"

"It is Gao who is dull," the magistrate bowed, his eyes showing some amazement and some thoughts. "The immortal arts I speak of refer to things like the way of longevity, the art of bringing the dead back to life, and the method of foreknowing the future."

"I, your Daoist brother, learned magic tricks to amuse myself and others, and have never learned anything else," the Seventh Third Third Shixiong said with a smile. "However, there is a way of longevity within the practice of the Dao, but it is hard to seek. Just as there is a way to govern the country as a prime minister in the books of sages, how many people in the world can become prime ministers?"

He paused after saying this:

"As for bringing the dead back to life and foreknowing the future, I have a senior brother who specializes in medicine. If a person's body and head are separated and they have been dead for three days, naturally they cannot be saved. But if an ordinary person has contracted a minor illness and has just stopped breathing, my senior brother still has a chance to save them. I wonder if that counts as bringing the dead back to life? I also have a senior brother who is proficient in the art of planchette writing. The planchette immortal is knowledgeable and can calculate, which can also be considered knowing the future."

"Oh?" The magistrate thought for a moment upon hearing this. "I wonder where the Daoist's senior brother is?"

"He is in the city."

"I wonder if you could introduce..."

"Naturally, I can, but you have to wait a while."

Although the Seventh Third Third Shixiong received his gift of silver, he also said: "We are here today to perform magic tricks to amuse the elders and fellow villagers. With so many people gathered here, it would be a sin if I let everyone return disappointed."

Upon hearing this, the magistrate hurriedly cupped his hands and took two steps back.

Then he heard the Seventh Third Third Shixiong say to the many onlookers:

"We are Daoists from Mount Yishan. We are new here. From now on, my Sixth Third Third Shixiong will reside and practice in the Yangxin Temple in the city. The silver donated by everyone will all be used to repair the temple and for no other purpose.

"My senior brother is good at planchette writing. From now on, if the elders and fellow villagers in the city have any difficult or unresolved matters, you can go find him!

"We brothers will also be in the city for these few days. If there are any demon or ghost matters, poisoning, evil possession, or difficult and miscellaneous illnesses, you can come to the Yangxin Temple to find us. The money is up to you, and you can give it after the demons are removed, the poison is cleared, and the illness is cured."

Upon hearing this, the clerk's expression changed, and he hurriedly leaned close to the magistrate and whispered:

"Magistrate Gao! After the Daoists of the Yangxin Temple were arrested, the previous magistrate granted it to that old immortal from Mount Yishan, saying that the old immortal's disciples would come to reside and practice in the future. Could it be these Daoist priests?"

Without him saying it, the magistrate's expression had already changed.

Thinking about it this way, unless everything the clerk said was a lie, the group of bandits on Monkey Mountain was most likely wiped out by these Daoists.

The magistrate's expression suddenly became even more amazed and awestruck.

He didn't expect that when he was young, he yearned for immortals and true Dao, visiting famous mountains without success, but now that he was older and felt that there were probably not so many immortals and experts in the world, he had encountered them here.

Lin Jue sat on the bench, counting the broken silver and copper coins, but he was also pondering in his heart.

What he was pondering was also the matter of money.

The Seventh Third Third Shixiong's magic tricks were indeed very suitable for raising money. In fact, besides performing magic tricks on the streets of the city and raising money from a hundred families, one could also associate with the powerful and wealthy. People in this day and age mostly yearned for Buddhism, Daoism, and magic arts. As long as one could prove that one truly had Daoist arts, one would naturally receive silver as a gift. Many heroes and powerful people in history had associated with alchemists and experts in this way.

It's just that the Seventh Third Third Shixiong liked to demonstrate magic arts on the street.

Lin Jue guessed that he had some desire for performance.

Today, they had indeed raised quite a bit of money.

The many commoners saw that he was truly a Daoist practitioner, truly knew magic arts, and was raising money to build a temple, so their desire to donate money was naturally very high.

It was estimated that just today alone, not counting the money obtained by the Third Third Third Shixiong from wiping out the bandits, the money for repairing the temple and purchasing items was enough. But after all, this was money obtained by the Seventh Third Third Shixiong and would be used to repair the temple, so Lin Jue still needed to consider how to get silver himself to feed the Silver-Eating Ghost.

When Master was still alive, the Silver-Eating Ghost could eat dozens of taels of white silver a month. Although it hadn't reached the limit, it could be considered full. On average, every month and a half to two months, everyone could take turns getting a Spirit Origin Pill.

Therefore, their cultivation could be considered to be advancing rapidly.

Until Master passed away, everyone was busy with the funeral arrangements. Two months had passed since then, and the Silver-Eating Ghost had only eaten one meal, consuming ten taels of white silver.

Lin Jue was really afraid of starving it to death.

But it wasn't just this life-saving money.

From now on, there had to be at least one meal every month.

"Sigh..."

When they were in the temple, Mount Yishan and the Fuqiu Temple had some reputation at least. Although on average each person didn't get ten taels a month, there was still a stable income of white silver. Now that they had descended the mountain, the pressure came suddenly.

Just at this moment, onlookers and commoners around were asking what other Daoist arts the two sitting Daoist priests knew.

The crowd was enthusiastic and it was hard to refuse.

The Little Xiao Xiao Shimei scratched her head and walked forward in a hurry.

Her Stone-Crushing Technique was already perfected, which was more ornamental than breaking a large stone on the chest. However, they were on the street, and besides the stone bricks on the ground, there were no stones for her to smash, so she had to demonstrate the Stone Transformation Technique.

A delicate female Daoist priest suddenly turning into a stone statue in full view of everyone also shocked many onlookers.

Then it was Lin Jue's turn.

He couldn't avoid it, so he had to step forward.

Actually, he knew many spells, many of which could be used for both fighting and performing. It's just that he was influenced by the Seventh Third Third Shixiong and felt that most spells, although ornamental, were not beautiful and romantic enough. For example, the Little Xiao Xiao Shimei's Stone Transformation Technique and Stone-Crushing Technique only shocked people's eyes and couldn't move people's hearts.

Magic tricks were meant to move people's hearts.

It was spring, and among the onlookers were woodcutters carrying unsold firewood, so he stepped forward to borrow a wooden branch from a woodcutter and showed it to everyone.

Then he blew a breath of air.

"Hoo~~"

The withered wood immediately met spring, growing new buds, sprouting flower buds, and blooming with beautiful spring flowers at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Everyone was shocked and shouted "immortal."

Even the Seventh Third Third Shixiong was shocked, not knowing when his Little Junior Third Shixiong had learned this spell.

After the performance, he asked the onlookers to disperse.

"Respected immortal masters, true people, I didn't know the immortal masters and true people came from Mount Yishan. If there was any rudeness, please forgive me." The magistrate's attitude was much more respectful now.

"We are not immortal masters or true people; just call us Daoist priests." The Seventh Third Third Shixiong was very casual. Looking at the basket of silver and money raised, his mood was also good, and he said to the magistrate, "We arrived here only yesterday. This morning, some senior brothers should have taken the ordination certificate to the county government office to register and report. I didn't expect to meet the magistrate here; it can be considered fate."

"It is fate, it is fate."

"This place is very prosperous."

"Although this city is small, it is a major transportation hub and a place that has been contested by military strategists throughout history, so it is prosperous. However, I have only been in office for two months. Although this place is well-governed, it is not my merit."

The magistrate said while bowing to the Seventh Third Third Shixiong:

"When I was young, I also yearned for Daoist arts and immortal arts, but I visited famous mountains without success. I heard that the Daoist has a senior brother who is good at planchette writing and will reside and practice in the Yangxin Temple in the city. He must also have real skills. From now on, we will inevitably have dealings in the city. I hope the Daoist can introduce me."

"That would naturally be best."

The Seventh Third Third Shixiong had no reason to refuse.

"Magistrate, please this way."

"Thank you, thank you." The magistrate thanked him and said, "Now that the world is in chaos, there are strange things everywhere. There should have been a Daoist temple or shrine in the city long ago. It's just that the people who lived in the Yangxin Temple before were a group of demon people. After the temple became dilapidated, the previous magistrate granted it to your master, but no one ever came, so it wasn't repaired. Now that true experts have come, the matter of repairing the temple should be funded by the county."

"Why didn't the magistrate say so earlier?"

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"I, your Daoist brother, have already raised money and said that this money will be used to repair the temple and for no other purpose. How can I go back on my word?"

"This..."

"Haha! Just joking!"

"Hoo..."

The magistrate breathed a sigh of relief, then asked the Seventh Third Third Shixiong for advice: "Speaking of which, at the border between our Qiuru County and Danxun County, there is a mountain called Monkey Mountain. There is a group of mountain bandits on it who have occupied the mountain as kings for many days. I heard the night before last that they were wiped out by several Daoists. I wonder if the Daoist knows..."

"Several? One, right?" The Seventh Third Third Shixiong replied, "The day before yesterday afternoon, we passed by Monkey Mountain and were robbed by those bandits. My Third Third Third Shixiong has always been a chivalrous person, so he wiped them out on the way."

Lin Jue walked beside him, holding the flowering wooden branch, and squinted at him—

This magistrate was actually still probing.

Probing so clearly showed his caution. Being so cautious, he probably had a major matter to ask for help with, so he didn't want to make any mistakes.

"Hiss!"

The magistrate was indeed greatly shocked. Although he had guessed it in his heart, when he really heard that a Daoist priest could summon celestial soldiers and generals to wipe out more than a hundred bandits, he couldn't help but be surprised.

You have to know that the Daoist priests of Mount Qiyun couldn't do it.

And even if one read through ancient books, except for the ancient gods and demons in ancient times, most Daoist experts faced the imperial court's orders and the military's search and arrest by hiding and avoiding, and could not confront them head-on.

At this moment, there were no more doubts in his heart.

But then he heard the Daoist ask with a smile: "I still have to ask the magistrate, after wiping out the bandits, is there any reward money?"

"Aiyo..."

The magistrate immediately showed a bitter expression:

"The Daoist is joking. If I hadn't met an immortal expert like the Daoist, how could I have imagined that someone could wipe out more than a hundred bandits with their own strength? Even if the first swordsman or the first blade-man in the Jianghu who has been famous for a long time came, I'm afraid it wouldn't work. Not to mention one person, even the nearby Jianghu sects and militia groups would find it difficult. Therefore, naturally, there would be no reward."

He paused after saying this:

"If the Daoist wants money to repair the temple, I can pay out of my own pocket and give the Daoist some remuneration."

"That's not necessary. We are Daoist practitioners; we cannot take this kind of money."

The Seventh Third Third Shixiong said with a smile.

This was the busy market, and the Yangxin Temple was not far away. While talking, they arrived in a few steps.

Many senior brothers had also returned.

Because the money was limited, they didn't buy too many things, just added basic pots, pans, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tables, chairs, stools, cushions, bedding, etc., and ordered tiles and invited craftsmen to repair the temple. At this time, seeing Lin Jue and the Little Xiao Xiao Shimei carrying a basket of copper coins and white silver in, and bringing a guest, they were all surprised.

"We raised a lot of money."

The Little Xiao Xiao Shimei said to them very happily.

"This is the Qiuru magistrate."

The Seventh Third Third Shixiong introduced him to the Sixth Third Third Shixiong in front.

Lin Jue saw that one of the senior brothers had bought a vase in the main hall. After putting down the basket of silver, he walked over and inserted the flowering withered branch in his hand into it.

"Hmm?"

Unexpectedly, it was just a simple bunch of pear blossoms, but once inserted, it added a lot of color to the dilapidated and empty main hall.

Standing in the hall, his heart became much quieter.

At this moment, Lin Jue suddenly felt that even if this "Flower Blooming in an Instant" spell didn't have such powerful fighting ability, just being able to make withered wood bloom was already very worth learning.

Lin Jue smiled, then came back to listen to their conversation.