Chapter 1781
Let's Chat 7
Yan Chixia practiced a method that allowed him to see other people's fortune.
When Ning Caichen came to stay, Yan Chixia saw his aura, which was a bluish-purple color, indicating that Ning Caichen would become a high-ranking official and reach the pinnacle of power.
Being able to save such a person, befriend him, and share in his fortune would be of great benefit to him.
Therefore, Yan Chixia valued Ning Caichen highly.
As for the other scholars, they were just ordinary people, and their fate depended entirely on their own luck.
As for Liu Dong's group...
Liu Dong had already covered up their information, so Yan Chixia couldn't see anything and treated them as ordinary people like other scholars.
The subsequent developments were similar to those in the original novel. Ning Caichen was not tempted by money and beautiful women, but instead won Nie Xiaoqian's favor.
The night passed just like that, so peacefully that Yan Chixia questioned the meaning of life.
He thought someone would die that night.
The tree spirit and the ghost were also questioning their existence.
After the ghosts entered Lanruo Temple, apart from Nie Xiaoqian finding Ning Caichen's house, the rest of the ghosts just wandered around the temple, unable to find the houses where the others lived.
"Yan Chixia!"
The Tree Demon Granny was furious, believing that Yan Chixia was behind it all.
Well water doesn't interfere with river water?
Hmph! Yan Chixia broke the agreement, and it will surely make him regret it. It will devour Yan Chixia's soul.
The soul of a cultivator is a hundred times stronger than that of an ordinary soul.
Once he digests Yan Chixia's soul, his strength will definitely increase by several levels.
At that time, it will be qualified to challenge the Black Mountain Demon.
Thinking of this, the Tree Demon Granny's murderous intent towards Yan Chixia intensified.
Yan Chixia was unaware that he had taken the blame for someone else. Although he was puzzled, he didn't think much of it, assuming that the Tree Demon Granny had learned of Ning Caichen's extraordinary abilities and therefore looked down on other ordinary people.
The second day passed peacefully; the tree demon and the ghost did not come out to harm people during the day.
Some of the scholars left.
They had stayed in a dilapidated temple because the inns in the city were full or too expensive to afford.
Now that the inn had available regular rooms, they left the dilapidated temple.
Now, besides Liu Dong and his three companions, there are only Yan Chixia, Ning Caichen, and two other scholars in the dilapidated temple.
The two scholars were in even worse financial condition than Ning Caichen, and they were determined to stay in the dilapidated temple for an extended period.
During this time, Liu San went down the mountain and bought a lot of food and a jar of wine.
Yan Chixia took the initiative to come over when he saw the wine, and Liu Qiu smiled and invited the remaining two scholars over as well, and they ate dinner together.
After the meal, they went back to their rooms. Qingyun and Qingyang once again quietly placed the talismans into the two scholars' rooms.
The moon is out, and the moonlight is beautiful tonight. It shines on Nie Xiaoqian, making her even more beautiful. She doesn't look like a ghost, but rather like a fairy.
Ning Caichen couldn't help but be moved.
Nie Xiaoqian told Ning Caichen the truth and told him to leave the next day.
Ning Caichen refused to leave; he wanted to save Nie Xiaoqian.
Nie Xiaoqian was deeply moved. The two of them gazed at each other tenderly, and the night passed just like that.
After returning, Nie Xiaoqian lied to the Tree Demon Granny, saying that Ning Caichen had a protective talisman given to her by Yan Chixia, which was why she couldn't harm him.
The tree demon hated Yan Chixia even more, and decided to take action herself tonight.
Sensing an impending storm, Liu Qiu, fearing the two scholars might get in the way, decided to involve them in the tale of love between a human and a ghost. He instructed Qingyang to drug their food, rendering them unconscious, and then dump them in a room. To ensure their safety, Liu Qiu also assigned Qingyun and Qingyang to protect them in their room.
As night fell, Nie Xiaoqian rushed to find Ning Caichen, urging him to run away quickly.
But it was too late. Nie Xiaoqian could only drag Ning Caichen to Yan Chixia, begging him to help.
Yan Chixia never expected that Ning Caichen would provoke a female ghost.
He originally didn't want to bother with Nie Xiaoqian, but when he saw that the aura above Nie Xiaoqian's head was also cyan with purple, he was greatly alarmed.
Since Nie Xiaoqian is also a favorite of Heaven, we have no choice but to save her.
What happened next was just like in the original story.
With the help of Nie Xiaoqian and Ning Caichen, Yan Chixia killed the Tree Demon Granny. Then, Ning Caichen took Nie Xiaoqian's remains and the sword pouch given to him by Yan Chixia home.
Yan Chixia also left Lanruo Temple.
After they left, Liu Dong came to the side of the Tree Demon Granny's damaged body.
Yan Chixia and Nie Xiaoqian thought that the Tree Demon Granny was completely dead, but they did not know that the Tree Demon Granny was a plant with a section of root still intact, which could "spring back to life in the spring breeze".
The Tree Demon Granny's consciousness was hidden in that section of tree root.
Liu Tong pulled the tree demon's consciousness out of the tree roots and directly searched her soul.
From the spirit of the Tree Demon Granny, Liu Dong found what she was looking for: the location of the Black Mountain Demon.
The Black Mountain Demon did not exist in the original world of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but Liu Dong discovered that the Black Mountain Demon actually existed in this world, and since it did not appear in Nie Xiaoqian's story, he began to doubt the existence of the Black Mountain Demon.
Liu Tong suspected that the Black Mountain Demon was what he was looking for.
The Black Mountain Demon cannot be found in the mortal world, not even its aura. It is likely that, as in a certain movie, it resides somewhere in the underworld.
The underworld is vast, and Liu Dong has no idea where it is located.
He could only inquire with the Tree Demon Granny.
The Tree Demon Granny is a locust tree demon. Locust trees can summon ghosts, and their roots can reach the underworld. She is connected to the Black Mountain Demon.
After learning the exact location of the Black Mountain Demon, Liu Dong did not immediately go to find him.
How many years has he been in this world?
We haven't had enough fun yet!
Let's deal with the Black Mountain Demon when we leave this world.
Despite being portrayed as the villainous boss in the movie, the Black Mountain Demon is actually a homebody who spends all his time in the underworld and would never cause trouble in the mortal realm.
Its sins are far less than those of the Tree Demon Granny.
Liu Dong and his group traveled to Ning Caichen's hometown.
Nie Xiaoqian is now Ning Caichen's concubine. She diligently takes care of Ning Caichen's mother and wife, tirelessly working by Ning's wife's bedside.
This pleased Old Lady Ning greatly. Her prejudice against Nie Xiaoqian because she was a female ghost disappeared, and she often praised Nie Xiaoqian in front of outsiders.
Outsiders also praised Nie Xiaoqian, saying she was virtuous and considerate, and the perfect choice for a daughter-in-law.
Ning Caichen was even happier.
The only one who suffered was Ning's wife.
To be honest, she really didn't want Nie Xiaoqian to serve her, but she didn't dare to say it out loud, for fear that people would say she was ungrateful.
Feeling depressed, and with Nie Xiaoqian constantly absorbing her yang energy, Ning's wife's health deteriorated, and she was on the verge of death.
On this day, Nie Xiaoqian went out with Ning's mother, leaving only Ning's wife at home.
A man appeared at Ning's wife's bedside. (End of Chapter)