Chapter 420

This is indeed Liu Qingcheng's style.

First, setting aside Wei Zhengdao, whose score is unknown—whether it is the highest or the lowest—

and calculating an average score for comparison,

among all the past Dragon Kings, Liu Qingcheng belongs to the most special category.

When her partner died on the river, she held a grudge; after becoming the Long Wang, she took her sword and went to wipe out the families of her enemies one by one.

On this point, Li Li Zhuiyuan is not qualified to criticize her; after all, although he is still young, his household register is already as thick as a book.

Once, Li Li Zhuiyuan had also suspected whether she was deliberately using this method to vent her dissatisfaction with the arrangements of fate and the Heavenly Dao.

But after the incident with the Great Turtle, while drinking tea and enjoying the cool air in the evening, Grandma Liu told him many stories about her past with Grandpa Qin.

The boy learned that when Grandpa Qin went to pay his respects at the Liu family ancestral hall, Liu Qingcheng's Long Wang spirit had manifested from the spirit tablet and shaved off the beards of the Liu family elders who opposed the marriage.

Only then did Li Li Zhuiyuan confirm that this Liu Qingcheng, who could now be considered his own "ancestor," was simply like that by nature.

Just like what she did here.

If she had used her authority as the Long Wang back then to issue a Long Wang Decree, ordering these five immortals to be responsible for guarding this place, these five immortals would have accepted it, and might even have been immensely grateful.

But she seemed afraid that they would go back on their word, or that their "hearts would change" after a long time, so she chopped them up, hacked them down, gathered them into one piece, set them up here, and then suppressed them with the sword qi she left behind.

As long as her sword qi did not dissipate, if these five immortals dared to break up and abandon their post, that sword qi would fall and directly shatter their bodies of merit.

It is no wonder that these five incomplete statues have always exuded a faint resentment; clearly, they were doing such a great deed, yet they lost the most precious and complete emotional value.

Li Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, his palm facing the sword qi on the wall, and circulated the Liu Family Qi-Gazing Art.

The sword qi was appeased and no longer restless.

The old man beside him breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Li Zhuiyuan pointed at the wall and gave a redundant introduction:

"This was left behind by my elder."

The old man first bowed to the wall, then bowed to Li Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Li Zhuiyuan responded with the Liu family gate etiquette.

The old man: "This old man... cough... this little old man, on behalf of the villagers of this area back then, thanks the Liu family Long Wang for the grace of resolving the disaster and averting the calamity!"

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Without this Five Immortals Temple, and without the generations of sacrifice and protection by the immortal-summoning masters of the Five Immortals Temple, there would be no peace here."

Judge by deeds, not by intent.

In fact, applying this sentence to these five statues is very inappropriate, and even more unfair.

If these five immortals did not have the original intention of saving the world and helping the people, having been forcibly bound here for so many years without being able to leave, this temple would have been filled with towering resentment long ago, not faint resentment.

This precisely shows that Liu Qingcheng was wrong.

Li Li Zhuiyuan turned around, faced the five statues, first performed the Liu family gate etiquette, and then bowed down:

"My ancestor was negligent and handled things improperly back then; this junior is here to apologize to the five immortals."

Not every Liu family member who knows the Liu Family Qi-Gazing Art can receive a response from the Long Wang sword qi; Li Li Zhuiyuan being able to receive a response shows that his legal status within the Liu family gate is very high.

Therefore, his apology carries sufficient weight and also represents the sincerity of the Liu family.

The next moment,

the faint resentment in the temple dissipated, replaced by an upright, auspicious, and peaceful aura emanating from each statue.

The originally dim surroundings at night also seemed to become much brighter than before.

Liu Qingcheng had given benefits back then; the merit of suppressing evil spirits had always been blessing them.

Li Li Zhuiyuan's apology just now completed the emotional value they should have received.

From this day forward, the slight grudge in their hearts completely dissipated, and they could uprightly declare that they were acting out of their own volition, taking the initiative to establish the temple here to suppress evil spirits!

The old man smiled; he seemed to hear the hearty laughter of the immortals in his ears.

Li Li Zhuiyuan looked at the old man: "You..."

The old man: "You may call me Ah Bai, or Xiao Bai."

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Mr. Bai."

The old man: "Hey, Young Master Liu."

Li Li Zhuiyuan did not go to explain the surname issue, but said bluntly:

"I feel that the matter here has reached the time when it should be thoroughly resolved."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Bai did not show surprise, even though he knew what the thorough resolution of the matter here would mean for the future of the Five Immortals Temple.

"Young Master Liu, this little old man feels that this matter should not be rushed and should be discussed at length."

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Mr. Bai, human effort can achieve anything. It has been so long, I do not believe this evil spirit can make a comeback. Furthermore, I have always regarded helping to conclude the deeds of my ancestors as my own responsibility, and it is also to fulfill the name of the Long Long Wang Liu."

Mr. Bai: "Could Young Master Liu please step aside to talk? This little old man will have someone serve tea."

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Good."

Mr. Bai led Li Li Zhuiyuan to a small pavilion next to the temple. After arranging for the boy to be seated first, Mr. Bai walked outside and instructed the other old people to prepare tea and food to entertain Young Master Liu's attendants.

Li Li Zhuiyuan also heard Mr. Bai asking the old men and women in the temple outside, asking who knew how to repair a car, and to go down and repair the car.

The old men and women looked at each other in dismay upon hearing this. Many of these elderly people had been living in seclusion in the temple for thirty years; they had seen cars only a few times, let alone repaired them.

Finally, an old man who had repaired donkey carts when he was young volunteered to say he could go down and take a look.

Mr. Bai brought in tea and food and placed them on the pavilion table.

Next, Li Li Zhuiyuan listened to Mr. Bai's account while eating.

After the background was finished, Mr. Bai began to state the peculiarities of the situation.

In fact, Li Li Zhuiyuan was a little worried that Mr. Bai would describe it too specifically and make the difficulty too high, so that he would lose the motivation to insist on entering that mountain stream.

"It" in the "Wordless Book," Wei Zhengdao can be deceived, and Li Li Zhuiyuan can also be deceived.

But you cannot treat it like a silly roe deer in the local forest.

If it really is a narrow escape from death... and he still insists on going in the waves, then the plot will be exposed.

Previously, if Mr. Bai had deliberately concealed things for the sake of the temple's own interests and encouraged him to take risks, it would have been something Li Li Zhuiyuan would have been happy to see.

But the temple style here is a bit too upright, so upright that this Mr. Bai is truly willing to sacrifice the temple's interests to consider for him.

Fortunately, Mr. Bai is also not clear about the actual situation in the mountain stream.

Many years ago, the Five Immortals Temple felt that the residual evil spirits had been suppressed for so long that they should be at the end of their tether, so they gathered a group of the most powerful immortal-summoning masters of that generation, and even invited other sect forces in the surrounding area to assist, forming a team to thoroughly eliminate the hidden danger.

As a result, that "strong and sturdy" team never came out after entering.

Since then, the Five Immortals Temple has never sent anyone deep inside, but only set up defenses in the surrounding area, specifically to hunt down evil objects that tried to run out from inside.

Based on the records in the temple annals and his observations over half a lifetime, Mr. Bai gave three reasons for hoping Li Li Zhuiyuan would discuss it at length:

First, from the time he was young until now, the strength of the mountain spirits and monsters running out from the mountain stream has basically been at the same level. There would be easy ones to deal with and tricky ones, but none were too exaggerated.

But this kind of residual evil spirit that has been suppressed, either it continues to weaken until it dies, or it breaks through the cage and constantly recovers and strengthens. How could it always remain in a steady state?

Second, the weather and water flow in this area have not changed for so many years. Even if there is extreme weather occasionally, the area below is not affected.

Third, there are two fixed days every year when the mountain stream is very "lively." Looking from afar, it looks like lanterns are hung and decorations are set up, and listening carefully, there is faint drinking and laughter.

These three reasons all point to one thing: the residual evil spirit inside is very calm and at ease.

It has always kept the intensity of its external confrontation at a level it deems appropriate, neither overly ostentatious nor allowing itself to be disturbed.

It still has a high degree of mastery over the environment inside.

It even has the heart... to pursue spiritual life.

After listening, Li Li Zhuiyuan said: "It is very strange, but if it could really come out, there is no reason for it not to. And as Mr. Bai predicted, if it is really calmly preparing, then we cannot continue to sit idly by and let the tiger grow."

Mr. Bai: "Young Master Liu's words are reasonable, but if Young Master Liu really intends to go down and thoroughly eliminate this evil, could you wait a few more days? This little old man will gather the experts in the temple and call upon the surrounding clans and sects to serve as your assistance, Young Master Liu."

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "My time is very precious. To tell you the truth, I entered this place by mistake while on my way, not intentionally; furthermore, sometimes having too many people makes it easy to cause chaos. I prefer to bring only my own people to do things."

Mr. Bai: "But..."

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "I promise Mr. Bai that I will explore step by step. If the situation inside is really dangerous to a certain extent, I will not force myself; I will retreat if I should."

Seeing that the boy had made up his mind, Mr. Bai nodded and said: "Then this little old man will lead the temple crowd to stand by on the periphery. If Young Master Liu has any needs, send a message immediately, and we will definitely go deep to meet you and ensure Young Master Liu's safety!"

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Many thanks."

Mr. Bai: "It is this little old man who wants to express gratitude to you, and to the Long Long Wang Liu. This may be heaven's will; the Long Wang gate has not forgotten our small place."

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "It is my duty, and also my responsibility."

After finishing the conversation, Li Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the temple hall.

Outside, Lu Runsheng and the others had already finished their meal and completed their rest.

Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's go, let's go down and take a look."

Everyone immediately put on their mountaineering bags and walked down along a mountain path next to the Five Immortals Temple.

Mr. Bai watched their departing backs and couldn't help but sigh:

"The Long Wang family is truly worthy of being the Long Wang family."

The road down was quite easy to walk in the initial stage. It could be seen that it had been renovated and maintained, and it circled the valley, with many formation barriers set up. One could see many sentry posts and guard posts used by patrol personnel.

But after continuing further down, there was no road in the traditional sense. It could be considered entering the core area that immortal-summoning masters would not set foot in, and they had to rely on Lu Runsheng to clear the way with a Yellow River shovel.

Tan Tan Wenbin: "Young Master Xiao, there is 'movement' around."

This movement was not specific, more like gazes being cast over, peeping.

After traveling for another distance, the peeping began to gradually turn into actual actions.