Chapter 465: The Story of the Grey Monk

"Listen well, patrons. Today, we shall not speak of the Three Kingdoms' strife, nor shall we mention the heroes of the Water Margin. Let us instead recount the tale of the Manifest Saint Erlang Zhenjun..."

A table, a folding fan, and a wooden gavel.

The storyteller relied on the skill of his tongue. Though it was an old tale, the moment he began, it seemed to possess a kind of magic, drawing the audience's gaze.

Li Yan was also somewhat surprised; what surprised him was the twist of fate.

Since arriving in Shu, it seemed he was always encountering matters related to the Manifest Saint Erlang Zhenjun. Perhaps it truly contained no small opportunity.

"Proprietor, you've arrived."

As Xie Zhengyuan stepped through the door, the shopkeeper hurried forward.

"I've brought an honored guest. Find us a private booth."

"There is one upstairs."

Xie Zhengyuan led the way to make arrangements, while Li Yan looked left and right.

This teahouse was of considerable age, with blue bricks and grey tiles, timber-framed construction, flying eaves and upturned corners on the exterior, and bamboo tables and chairs throughout the hall.

Though it was morning, there were quite a few guests drinking tea, ranging from all walks of life. They were primarily merchants, either leisurely sipping tea or holding long-stemmed pipes, listening silently to the rhythmic storytelling.

In a corner of the main hall stood a tiger-stove.

The fire inside was roaring, and a blackened iron kettle bubbled, emitting steam. If the tea guests needed more, they would fetch the kettle and add water themselves.

Though not refined, it exuded a sense of leisure.

Soon, Xie Zhengyuan led him to the second floor. The private room had no door and was less than a meter from the wooden railing; looking up, one could see the stage below.

"Bring me that tea of mine."

Xie Zhengyuan gave the instruction, and the attendant immediately went downstairs, taking a bamboo tube from a locked cabinet in the back kitchen. It had red paper pasted on it, with the four characters "Xiangshan Tribute Tea" written upon it.

Soon, the tea was brewed, and tea snacks like chestnuts, walnuts, and dried tofu were spread across the table.

"Li Shaoxia, please do not mind the simplicity."

Xie Zhengyuan laughed, "Those who come to this Zouma Town are either driving carts and traveling the Jianghu, or they are merchant caravans earning hard-won money. They don't have many coins in their pockets."

"If the teahouse were built too finely, people wouldn't be willing to step inside."

"Not at all."

Li Yan smiled slightly, "This place is comfortable. After traveling everywhere, being able to stop occasionally for a cup of tea is a luxury."

"That person below, is it not Li Tiezui?"

As he spoke, he looked toward the stage below.

The storyteller, though appearing steady, had a youthful brow; he was merely a young man trying to appear old.

"Hah."

Xie Zhengyuan laughed, "That old thing, Li Tiezui, is terribly lazy now that he's older. If he doesn't sleep until the sun is high, he simply won't get out of bed."

"I have already sent word; he will come directly in a moment. Li Shaoxia, do not be impatient. Drink some tea and listen to the story."

Li Yan nodded and took a sip of tea. Finding the fragrance unique, he smiled, "Proprietor Xie, your state of mind is excellent. This junior admires it."

"What state of mind..."

Xie Zhengyuan shook his head, "When I was young, I was also anxious and hurried, running all over this Divine Land, thinking of achieving a great career."

"But as I grew older and could no longer run, I realized that working hard for a lifetime amounts to just that. Look at these tea guests; many are just common folk of Zouma Town who don't earn much money daily. A pot of broken tea—don't they live comfortably all the same?"

"On the contrary, some old companions I knew passed away early. After half a lifetime of toil, they didn't even have the chance to slow down and enjoy life..."

As he spoke, he ate peanuts to himself, occasionally sipping tea, listening to the rhythmic storytelling on stage, shaking his head.

Li Yan chuckled, deciding not to think of other things, and began to enjoy this long-lost moment of leisure...

…………

Elsewhere, Sha Lifei and Long Yaner also stepped out.

Zouma Town had many merchant caravans and a mix of good and bad people, with many hiding their identities. They wore bamboo hats and covered their faces with black cloth, so they did not stand out.

This place was indeed prosperous. Small noodles, wontons, bean curd, and crispy snacks—walking along the street, the food stalls under their sheds offered almost no repeats.

Sha Lifei was eloquent; even as an outsider, he could strike up a warm conversation in a few sentences. He ate and drank for a while, and even ran to a fortune-telling stall at the Jinmen to chat for a long time.

Before long, the entire situation in Zouma Town was clear to him.

Long Yaner was formerly the Saintess of the Gu Sect. Although she had Jianghu experience, she had spent most of her time in the mountains, protected whenever she went out, and later fled to Wushan for refuge.

It could be said that she had never been touched by such worldly smoke and fire.

Now, not thinking of other things, she felt a sense of novelty instead.

She followed Sha Lifei without speaking, just watching silently, and stopped when they arrived in front of a Shu embroidery shop.

Sha Lifei turned his head to look and saw Long Yaner silently staring at the embroiderers inside, watching them thread needles and guide the shuttles.

"What is there to see in this?"

After stopping, Sha Lifei was somewhat puzzled.

Long Yaner was silent for a moment, "I remember that before my mother died, she was also an embroiderer. I grew up listening to this sound since I was small."

"Tell me, how about I open a shop too?"

"I don't think much of it!"

Sha Lifei sneered, "This craft requires inheritance. It's novel for a few days, but doing this for a lifetime would bore you to death."

"I heard that factories in Jin Ling and Tianjin have opened, with hundreds of embroiderers working at the same time. If you go to do this, you'll only lose money."

"If one could enjoy a good life, who would be willing to suffer this fatigue!"

Long Yaner's hard-won mood was instantly ruined, and she immediately said irritably, "Then tell me what to do. Are we supposed to follow Li Yan and the others forever?"

"They are young and full of potential, not creatures of a pond; eventually, they will soar to the nine heavens. By then, you will be old, unable to even hold a spear steady. Aren't you thinking of a way out for yourself?"

Sha Lifei's face darkened, "Damn it, you woman, you really know how to poke where it hurts. I'm just idle!"

Having said that, he walked forward angrily.

Long Yaner suddenly felt her mood improve greatly. Following behind, she said, "You crude fellow, you can't see through things either. What are you pretending for?"

Sha Lifei couldn't be bothered to pay her any mind, looking around randomly.

After they left, Lu San revealed his figure from across the way, looking at Sha Lifei's receding silhouette, lost in thought...

…………

Inside the teahouse, Li Yan suddenly sensed something and looked to his right.

The sound of footsteps ascending the stairs rang out; before the person arrived, their voice had already reached them.

"Aiyo, Proprietor Xie, kept you waiting."

A black-robed old man walked into the private room. He had white whiskers and white hair, groomed very neatly, held an iron fan in his hand, and had a pocket watch hanging from his chest.

His appearance was quite good, except for his mouth, which had an underbite; a slight smile revealed a mouthful of protruding large teeth.

"You certainly know how to talk!"

Xie Zhengyuan stood up and shook his head, "You have never given me any face. I told you in advance, and you only arrive now."

"Aiyo, I'm old and prone to sleepiness. My apologies, my apologies."

It was evident that the relationship between the two was quite good.

After exchanging pleasantries, Xie Zhengyuan introduced him, "This is an honored guest from Ezhou who wishes to ask you about something."

"Oh?"

Li Tiezui narrowed his eyes, hugged his fan, and cupped his hands, "This young brother is clearly no ordinary person. I merely make a living in the storytelling trade. I wonder what you wish to ask?"

Xie Zhengyuan gave a wink, letting the attendant block the door, and then tactfully led the others away, leaving only the two in the room. Li Yan cupped his hands solemnly, "Senior, I have come to ask you about the matter of the 'Grey-Robed Mad Monk'."

"'Grey-Robed Mad Monk'? I'm familiar with that!"

Li Tiezui laughed, slapping his iron fan against his palm, "This 'Grey-Robed Mad Monk' was a strange man from the Tang Dynasty who spent his years mingling in the marketplaces of Chengdu, dressed in rags, acting mad and crazy."

"He often spoke startling words, and those who offended him would die inexplicably. Over time, the local people revered him as an immortal deity, but in reality, he was just a madman..."

Li Yan frowned slightly, "Senior, you should be able to guess that this is not what I want to hear."

Li Tiezui chuckled, "What does your Excellency wish to hear?"

This old man is hiding something...

Li Yan had already sensed something was wrong and decided to be direct, "I heard that he obtained the inheritance of Xing Hepu and is also a 'Master Master Huo Yin Messenger'..."

"Stop!"

Before he could finish, Li Tiezui's expression changed drastically. He stood up abruptly and stared fixedly at Li Yan, "Who exactly are you?"

Li Yan's expression was calm, "Senior, there is no need for haste. I have no ill intent; I only wish to find him and ask a few questions."

!.

He became even more certain that this old man knew some secrets.

What was strange was that he could talk to Cui Song about it before, and it was even compiled into storytelling segments, yet now he was being so secretive...

Could it be that something happened in the meantime?

"I don't know about the matter you're asking. Farewell!"

Opposite him, Li Tiezui cupped his hands and turned to leave.

"Senior, do not be in such a hurry."

Li Yan stood up quickly, preparing to block him.

Who would have thought that the old man would suddenly turn around, shake his iron fan, and strike directly at Li Yan's Shanzhong acupoint.

Yo-ho, this old man wants to play...

Li Yan was amused and stood motionless in place.

He could see that the old man was using Yan Tieshan Technique, which was relatively niche but quite powerful, originating from secret Shaolin routines.

This pair of iron fans looked quite heavy.

Practicing with them usually strengthens the body and cultivates the mind, but they can also be used against enemies, primarily by striking acupoints.

If blades were attached, there would be even more variations.

Bang!

Li Tiezui only wanted to force him back, not expecting Li Yan not to dodge or evade, and the iron fan struck directly on the Shanzhong acupoint.

"Ah, why didn't you dodge?"

Li Tiezui was instantly terrified.

It was one of the Eight Influential Acupoints, also the sea of ancestral Qi, where Qi gathers in the chest. If struck, it would cause chest tightness, coughing, and irritability.

If severe, it would lead to shortness of breath, blood stasis, and even death.

He only wanted to escape, not to hurt anyone.

But soon, Li Tiezui felt something was wrong.

His iron fan, weighing seven or eight jin, struck Li Yan, but the force felt like a clay ox entering the sea, disappearing instantly.

At the same time, Li Yan pushed forward gently, and a force surged out; Li Tiezui's iron fan flew high into the air, out of his control.

It was precisely Li Yan's Undying Seal Technique.

This old man was a senior in the storytelling Jianghu, but he was merely an entertainer, and his Kung Fu was at the peak of Ming Jin.

Li Yan could stand there and let him hit him, and the only one who would be injured would be the other party.

Seeing such mysterious Kung Fu, Li Tiezui's face was uncertain. Helplessly cupping his hands, he said, "I have made a fool of myself. This matter is truly too terrifying; why must your Excellency press so hard?"

Li Yan also smiled and cupped his hands, "Senior, do not be afraid. If there is any hidden difficulty, just speak it out, and this junior will help you resolve it."

Li Tiezui hesitated for a long time. Seeing that Li Yan would not let up, he finally sighed, "I thought this matter had passed..."

He was somewhat dejected. After sitting down and taking a sip of tea, he said, "If I had known it would be so troublesome, I would rather have never touched this matter."

"I only heard about the 'Grey-Robed Mad Monk' by chance. Even in strange legends, there are few records."

"In our line of work, fresh stories are essential, so I inquired in many places and spent a lot of effort before learning some things at Zhaojue Temple in Chengdu."

"This 'Grey-Robed Mad Monk', though a monk, had dabbled in Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and Shamanism, and had even stayed at Zhaojue Temple."

"Later, because those who offended him died inexplicably, Zhaojue Temple couldn't handle it and drove him out."

"But a young monk often accompanied him. Later, this 'Grey-Robed Mad Monk' died suddenly. After his death, his body emitted a strange fragrance, and local people built a temple to worship him."

"That young monk packed up the 'Grey-Robed Mad Monk's' belongings and returned to Zhaojue Temple, spreading the news that the other party was a Master Master Huo Yin Messenger."

"I have traveled north and south and heard much, so I knew what a Master Master Huo Yin Messenger was. My curiosity was piqued, so I followed the clues to find that Grey Monk Temple."

"But the years were long, and the temple had long since collapsed. According to local people, strange things often happened at the Grey Monk Temple; at midnight, there would be candlelights, and sounds of people chanting scriptures and reciting poems."

"There was even one time when thunder rolled, and local people smelled a stench. Following the smell, they searched and found that behind the temple, there lay a wild dog struck dead by lightning."

"Moreover, there were local legends of the Grey Monk turning into a zombie to harm people. Over time, no one worshiped there, and the temple was abandoned and collapsed."

"Originally, it was nothing. After I returned to Zouma Town, I turned these stories into rural strange tales to make people laugh."

"Who would have thought..."

As he spoke, his eyes were filled with fear, "After I had been telling this story for a long time, one night, I dreamed of the Grey Monk."

"He was green all over, dressed in rags, with long fingernails, having turned into a zombie, warning me not to mention him again."

"I originally thought it was a dream, but who would have thought that after waking up, a pair of bare footprints appeared on the floor in front of the bed, and the whole room smelled of corpse stench..."

"Oh?"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, "Didn't you ask the Chenghuangmiao?"

"I did!"

Li Tiezui gritted his teeth, "At that time, the Chongqing Prefecture Chenghuangmiao was still under the jurisdiction of the Daoists on Mount Qingcheng, but when I found them, I was also warned not to mention this matter again."

Li Yan pondered for a moment and shook his head, "Senior, there is no need to be afraid. Just don't mention this matter in the future. If he wanted to harm you, why would he need to warn you?"

"That may be so... sigh."

Li Tiezui shook his head, "I have spent half my life telling stories of ghosts and foxes, but in my heart, I didn't quite believe it. It was only after being scared by this thing that I had the intention to retire."

"This matter, please never mention that I was the one who told you."

"That is only natural."

Li Tiezui seemed not to want to stay any longer. With a face full of bad luck, he stood up and hurried away.

"Li Shaoxia, did you gain anything?"

After he left, Xie Zhengyuan entered the room to ask.

"Unfortunately, it is not what I am looking for..."

Li Yan gave a casual excuse, but in his heart, he had a vague guess.

This "Grey-Robed Mad Monk" had also discarded his summons and chosen to survive in the world, and he had practiced the Taiyin Refining Form Technique, so his soul had not been corrupted to this day.

Perhaps because he had been a Master Master Huo Yin Messenger, the other party was very careful, trying his best to hide his traces.

But the people on Mount Qingcheng probably knew about this.

It seems he would still have to go to Mount Qingcheng to inquire.

Returning to the inn, it was just noon. Everyone ate some food casually. Just as Li Yan returned to his room and lay down, Lu San knocked on the door and entered.

His expression was very solemn, "I have a way that might be able to help Old Sha..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 466 =====