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Erlang Shen has yet to obtain any evidence against Laozi. He knows that even if he brings the Golden Ox Star Lord back to Heaven for trial, it will be impossible to get the most deeply hidden mastermind to confess. Since he cannot punish Laozi, he can only try to give him a warning from the side.

Do you want to bring Red Boy back to Heaven?

Absolutely impossible!

Hiding behind the scenes and stirring up trouble, he almost harmed the Seventh Princess, the Weaver Girl, and even seduced the Purple-Clad Fairy into having an affair with a mortal. It's time for him to taste the bitterness of being schemed against.

Erlang Shen made up his mind and looked intently into the distance.

What appears in the three eyes is the Fire Cloud Cave in the Dry Pine Stream of Mount Shengying, where unruly children are bullying the local mountain god and earth god, forcing them to kneel on the ground and bark like dogs to amuse themselves.

"Life on earth is so slow." The Weaver Girl sat in front of the spinning wheel, slowly spinning cotton strips into thread, and looked at Jiang Chen tending to the flowers and plants. She couldn't help but laugh. "The sun rises and sets very quickly, though. The Heavenly Palace is completely different from the mortal world. Before, when I sat in front of the loom weaving clouds and mist, I would often look up at the sky and it seemed that nothing had changed."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen looked up at the sky, pointed to the white clouds, and asked, "Were those all woven by the Seventh Princess?"

“Yes, yes!” The Weaver Girl looked up at the cloud and smiled. “Sometimes I will specially weave some clouds that look like little animals, like little rabbits and deer, which seem to run in the sky as they are blown by the gentle breeze sent by the Wind God.”

The girl, with her adorable childlike heart, smiled sweetly, making Jiang Chen's lips curl into a smile as he asked, "Seventh Princess... will you be tempted by worldly desires?"

The Weaver Girl paused for a moment, then blushed slightly and lowered her voice involuntarily, "If I were to fall in love with a mortal, I would not lower my divine dignity. I would go to the Queen Mother's table to register and descend to the mortal realm to enter the cycle of reincarnation to end our karmic entanglement."

"The time of immortals is different from that of mortals. The reason why the Third Holy Mother and Liu Yanchang couldn't help themselves was probably because they felt that after falling into reincarnation, they would meet Liu Yanchang's reincarnation instead of the real him, which is why they were willing to have an affair. Aren't you worried that after descending to the mortal world, you will encounter the wrong person?"

"Of course not." The Weaver Girl looked at him with tender, affectionate eyes, and said softly but with utmost sincerity, "Whether in this life or the next, if the soul doesn't change, it's still the same person. If you're worried about encountering the wrong person after reincarnation, it's just that you don't have confidence in the person you've chosen."

In my opinion, a pure and kind soul will never change. There is no difference between him in this life and him in the next. When he was moved by worldly desires, he asked the Queen Mother of the West to arrange a marriage and overcome the tribulations of love.

As is often said, if someone is rescued in a previous life and eventually achieves enlightenment and transforms into a human to repay their kindness, does that mean that the kindness disappears and can be left unrepaid simply because the benefactor has entered reincarnation and is no longer the same as before?

The same applies to attraction and love.

No matter how many times you reincarnate, if it's true love, there are no barriers, not even three or ten lifetimes. Unless you only love the physical form of the other person and not their soul, and easily change your heart when you get a different, less desirable form.

Such lustful desires cannot bear the name of love. If two hearts are truly bound together, what need is there for daily companionship? And how can the cycle of reincarnation possibly withstand true and sincere love?

Before the 8th and 39th camphor trees in the land. However.

"If love between two people is meant to last, why should they be together day and night..." Jiang Chen murmured softly, repeating the Weaver Girl's words. He seemed to be moved and felt something, and for a moment he stared at the sky in a daze.

The Weaver Girl covered her mouth and chuckled softly as she continued spinning, a faint blush of pink creeping onto her cheeks—perhaps from the sunset.

As the birds returned to their nests in the quiet forest, and the orange candlelight shone from the thatched hut, Mu Jiuxiu wandered aimlessly through the woods, carrying his bundle, until he almost tripped over something. He then stumbled and staggered, finding a large rock to sit on and rest.

He's lost.

At noon, Mu Jiuxiu went into the mountains to look for the old ox and the Weaver Girl, but he couldn't find them anywhere. Anxious, he hurried all afternoon and searched all the places the Cowherd and the old ox had been, but still couldn't find a single clue.

He was both anxious and angry, and it was getting dark. You see, in the past, the Cowherd often took the old ox into and out of the deep mountains and rarely stayed overnight here. On the occasional night he stayed, he was only safe because the old ox secretly protected him with its magic. Now that he could not find the old ox and the Weaver Girl was nowhere to be seen, Mu Jiuxiu thought it would be safer to go down the mountain and return to the village as soon as possible.

Who knows if there might be wolves or wild boars roaming in these deep mountains and forests?

So he tried to take a shortcut, but the further he walked, the darker it got, and after going around in circles, he couldn't tell which way was which after sunset!

All that could be seen were trees. The Peach Blossom Village, which could be vaguely seen from the mountain, was nowhere to be seen, and there was no river to follow downstream to find a place to stay.

"Damn it, why am I so dizzy?" Mu Jiuxiu wiped his sweat and anxiously licked his dry, chapped lips.

I didn't bring much water when I went up the mountain in a hurry, and the weather was hot. I only drank some water by the stream on the way to quench my thirst. After chewing a few bites of cold sesame cake, I felt worried and wanted to drink some sweet and cool water.

I wish I had an ice-cold Coke.

He recalled the luxurious and comfortable shop and the sweet smile of the puppet maid Ime, and sighed deeply, once again feeling quite dissatisfied with himself for his inexperience in fabricating the identity of a poor man.

"Next time, I'll definitely get someone with a status advantage!" Mu Jiuxiu muttered fiercely, then repeated it with emphasis, "It has to be a combination of a second-generation official and a second-generation immortal! Damn it, being a poor and stupid low-class person again is just plain crazy!"

Through the bushes in the dim light, watching the cowherd cursing in the distance, Old Lady Niu brushed the dry leaves that had gotten stuck in her hair from somewhere and whispered, "Husband, do you think the female demon might have really been captured by the Taoist priest? We've been following the cowherd around this mountain for most of the day, and he hasn't found anything!"

"Be patient and wait a little longer. Haven't you heard the storyteller say that there's usually a story behind these kinds of demon and fairy tales? You might not see anything during the day, but at night, the red lanterns of the grand mansions will suddenly appear out of nowhere, emanating a demonic aura!"

Didn't you see him muttering some kind of spell? He's definitely looking for the demon's lair!

Niu Da stared hopefully at the Cowherd, his eyes barely daring to move, afraid the man might disappear into the demon's cave in the blink of an eye. He whispered, "Let's wait and see. What if the female demon is too frightened by the Taoist priest to come out during the day? If there's still no sign of her by later, then we'll..."

He gritted his teeth, made a beheading gesture, and gave his wife a look.

The other person understood and his heart pounded with panic. Then he saw the bulging package that the Cowherd had placed at his feet like a treasure, swallowed hard, and nodded.

"This is bad! This is really bad!" After leaving the land of demons, Daoist Chiling hurried back to Peach Blossom Village, but he couldn't find the fake cowherd.

The villagers all said they saw him when the village chief and others came down from the mountain. Afterwards, everyone discussed building a land temple, but they didn't know when he left or where he went.

After some calculation, Master Chiling realized that the other party should be on the mountain at this time. He saw that it was already late afternoon and guessed that the wandering ghost was probably looking for news of the accomplices, the Golden Ox Star Lord and the Magpie Spirit. If it was too late to find them, it would naturally return to the village.

He didn't want to rush into the mountains again without knowing the other party's exact location. Firstly, it was not safe in the deep forest after dark, and secondly, he had plenty of time. If the fake cowherd did not return by nightfall, it would be more appropriate for him to go into the mountains to search for him early the next morning.

Chiling Daoren thought this way, but he was still a little uneasy if he didn't keep the wandering ghosts under his watchful eye. When smoke began to rise from the village chimneys and oil lamps were lit in every household, the fake cowherd still hadn't returned, and he started to get restless.

"Master, you've had a long day. But we're just a poor village and don't have much good food or wine. We've prepared a couple of extra vegetables, so please don't mind." The village chief had finished preparing dinner and saw the Master standing in the courtyard looking towards Taoyuan Mountain, so he invited him to come and eat.

After witnessing the Taoist priest's extraordinary magical powers on the mountain, the village chief respected him even more.

Therefore, when the village chief heard that Master Chiling wanted to stay temporarily to help build the local temple and ensure that the incense would be prosperous and protect the local people, he was overjoyed and immediately invited him to his home, wishing he could worship him as a living god.

"For those who cultivate the Tao, having enough to eat to fill their stomachs is sufficient. After staying at the village chief's house, it's best not to be so extravagant." When Daoist Chiling entered the house and saw the plates and dishes on the table, he felt that it was indeed a bit of a predicament for Taoyuan Village, which was located near the mountains but couldn't make a living off them.

The village chief hurriedly waved his hand and said, "This is not extravagant at all. The Taoist priest helped us exorcise demons and monsters without accepting a penny. He even helped us build the local temple, which is a great service. It's just a few home-cooked dishes... Sigh, it has been passed down from generation to generation here that there are man-eating monsters in the mountains, so no one dares to go into the mountains. Even Grandpa Wang only hunts nearby, so there is not much meat on the table."

But things got better after you came!

Starting tomorrow, everyone can go into the mountains to forage for food. I'll try to make a trap to snatch mountain rabbits too! Hehe, Daoist, please take a seat! What were you looking at in the courtyard just now?

"The cowherd did not return until nightfall, and I felt my heart pounding for no reason. I hoped that nothing had happened to him in the mountains."

"The Cowherd?" The village chief thought there was something wrong with the feng shui of his own yard, so he asked the Taoist priest to help him make some changes, hoping that his ancestors' graves would be blessed with good fortune and that one of his descendants would achieve fame and success. He never expected that the other party was worried about that boy, the Cowherd.

He thought for a moment, then asked while picking his teeth, "You see, the Cowherd knows that his old ox is a monster, right?"

He knew perfectly well that the girl had been abducted by a monster, yet he imprisoned her, beat and scolded her, and forced her to weave cloth to sell and squander the money. This clearly shows that the Cowherd is no good either! Why are you worried about him?

“Village chief, you may not know this, but according to my divination, all of this seems to have originated from the Cowherd.” The Red Ridge Taoist sighed. “I wonder where he is now. I am worried that the matter of the mountain spirits may take an unexpected turn.”

The village chief was shocked. "What? Could it be that the boy has attracted an even more powerful demon? The people of Peach Blossom Village have treated him so well. How could the Cowherd repay kindness with enmity!"

"So be it, everyone has their own destiny. We can only do our best and leave the rest to fate." The Red Ridge Taoist had never encountered such a bizarre fate as the fake cowherd. Despite the obvious signs of leaving and entering the body, he couldn't calculate the specific origin of the wandering ghost.

It was as if a rootless soul suddenly appeared in the world. After taking over the body of the Cowherd, he was supposed to marry the Weaver Girl. He was even destined to have a son and a daughter. But now, things are unpredictable. Even the real Erlang Shen has come looking for him. Logically speaking, the fake Cowherd should not be able to attach himself to the destiny. His future is bleak and he may even wander and die. However, according to his own calculations, his fortune is extremely strong!

He was actually a powerful figure whose soul was immortal and who possessed the destiny of the chosen one!

The Red Ridge Taoist couldn't understand how such a person could have such good fortune. Could it be that the conflict between Buddhism and Taoism in the Heavenly Court gave rise to such a demon that disturbs the world and corrupts its morals, with the aim of causing unrest in the human world?

The sky grew darker, and a mountain wind suddenly rose outside the window.

The gloomy sky was devoid of stars and moon, seemingly brewing a storm.

"I hope the clouds will clear up tomorrow morning and everything will be alright!" Daoist Chiling carried an oil lamp into the guest room. The wind blowing in through the open window almost extinguished the tiny flame. He quickly closed the window and glanced at the stars.

It's a complete mess everywhere; it looks like gods are fighting and mortals are going to suffer!

A wooden window kept the strong winds out, but the howling winds almost knocked down the trees, making it difficult for the lost Mu Jiuxiu to walk.

"Damn it, this is what they call when it rains most, and when you're down on your luck, even drinking cold water can cause problems!" He cursed through gritted teeth as he groped his way forward through the pitch-black forest. Fortunately, there was a cave not far away that seemed to offer some shelter from the wind. He lit a fire and at least had a safe place to sleep.

We'll find our way back after it gets light tomorrow.

I wonder where the old ox took the Weaver Girl. No wonder the Cowherd skinned the old ox without hesitation in the story. He must have hated that guy for a long time.

She's utterly useless and a complete liability!

If only that old ox had put in a little effort, I wouldn't be in such a sorry state...

Originally, Mu Jiuxiu thought that when the plot required him to sharpen his knife and kill the old ox, he might have some psychological barriers and not be able to bring himself to do it since he had never even killed a chicken. Now, he had no such worries at all.

The hatred level has already been raised to the maximum. As long as the process reaches the point of white knife to red knife, there will be absolutely no hesitation. Not only will there be no physical or mental discomfort, but on the contrary, there will be a sense of pleasure in getting revenge!

"Maybe it's because I need to accumulate hatred points that I'm living such a miserable life. I'm just asking for trouble." He cursed under his breath, and almost used both hands and feet to climb into the cave. Fortunately, the strong wind that was about to blow him away didn't hit him. Mu Jiuxiu was cold and hungry.

Although it was summer, the temperature in the mountains was still quite low at night.

He was afraid that his mortal body would catch a cold and he would get sick, making his already difficult life even more difficult. After resting for a while, he struggled to get up again, found some dry firewood, and slowly struck a flint to create sparks to light the dry grass and start a fire.

Inside the sheltered cave, a warm fire blazed brightly. Mu Jiuxiu rummaged through his pack and found some dried meat, which he slowly roasted over the fire, preparing to eat something to replenish his energy before getting a good night's sleep.

"Husband, look over there, there's a light!" Old Mrs. Niu, almost blown away by the wind, leaned against a tree and pointed to the hillside not far away, shouting, "Could it be the light coming from the demon's house?"

Upon hearing this, Niu Da perked up. After looking around for a moment, he finally spotted a faint light in a grove of trees swaying in the wind. He nodded, panting, "That's right, it must be the Cowherd who found the female demon! Hurry, hurry, we can't lose him now that we've finally found him!"

As dusk settled, the couple followed the Cowherd without daring to light torches, only able to follow him stealthily in the dark.

Unexpectedly, it got darker and darker and soon they could see nothing in the forest. The Cowherd continued to walk in the dark. Before long, they lost track of him and accidentally fell down a steep slope, losing his baggage. They couldn't even light their torches.

Just when they were in despair, they suddenly saw hope. The two people, who hadn't eaten for most of the day and were hungry, tired and scared, didn't know where they got the strength and headed straight for the light!

"It smells delicious! It smells like roasted meat!" Niu Da was so hungry that his mouth watered as soon as he reached the edge of the cave.

Niu's wife didn't care about anything else; all she wanted was to find her brother and sister-in-law, have a good meal and drink, and get some rest.

Once inside the cave, she realized there was no luxurious silks, opulent furnishings, fine wine, or delicious food as she had imagined.

In the empty cave, only the cowherd, covered in soot, sat in front of the fire, slowly roasting a piece of dried meat on a stick. He was chewing on the dried meat when he saw me looking at him warily. He jumped up and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I went hunting in the mountains and got lost." Old Mrs. Niu said irritably, making up a story as she walked over to the fire and plopped down to warm herself. "Cowherd, what are you doing in the mountains? Did your wife really get taken by that Taoist priest?"

Niu Da also scrambled into the cave. Seeing his fantasy shattered in the face of reality, he was filled with anger and resentment, and his gaze towards Niu Lang was filled with coldness.

I almost lost my life in the deep mountains and forests because I followed him, and this is what I got?

The huge psychological gap made Niu Da and his wife very dissatisfied, but for the sake of future wealth and glory, he still endured it and sat down in front of the fire, coldly looking at his younger brother and asking, "Why don't you ask the Taoist priest yourself? If he takes your wife away, maybe he can say a few nice words and let you live."

"What kind of way out?" Mu Jiuxiu had his mind racing before he spoke, his brain practically burning with anxiety.

He knew that these two greedy people were definitely following him to try and get more benefits, so he couldn't exaggerate anymore lest they keep thinking about it endlessly. He had to completely cut off their hopes.

Having figured this out, Mu Jiuxiu sighed and said quietly, "Didn't you see that the Daoist Master wasn't carrying anything when he came down the mountain? If he had just been captured alive, there would definitely be his original form; the fact that he wasn't carrying anything means he was killed on the spot or even his ashes were scattered. I've been searching for so long and haven't found anything, so I'm afraid there's no hope."

Is there no hope left?

Niu Da and his wife exchanged a knowing glance, both seeing deep disappointment in each other's eyes.

His dream of finding a female demon and becoming a wealthy man with lots of gold and silver has been shattered. What use is this cowherd now?

The fortieth camphor tree can be slaughtered.

"So what are you planning to do in the future?" After being walked around in the woods like a dog all afternoon, Niu Da's eyes flickered as he glanced at the half-open package at Niu Lang's feet, the contents of which were still unclear.