There is a small secret to why Cangyi City is so prosperous. Although there is an entire grassland to the west, maintaining close communication with more distant city-states relies on frequent information exchanges. It's really inefficient to use people to deliver letters back and forth. Therefore, there are many pigeon breeders in this city. This ordinary bird is the most useful messenger.
It took a little over a day to wait for the pigeon to deliver the letter to Qinglize, plus waiting for the escort to arrive. A conservative estimate would add up to more than five days. Fortunately, there were no dangerous items in their luggage, and the city gate should be easy to enter. It doesn't matter, but it will take at least ten days for them to leave the city successfully.
This Mid-Autumn Festival was not a lively one. There was no opera, no lantern festival, just three or two boldly setting up stalls. They all said that this place was very lively in previous years, but they didn't notice it at all.
"The movement restriction order should be lifted soon," the landlady said while making tea. "I heard that the prisoner escaped."
"Run away?" Shan Hai was puzzled, "But hasn't the prisoner been caught yet?"
"I've heard rumors these days that someone climbed out of the city gate at night not long ago. He moved very quickly and no one noticed it. Only one guard saw it. No one believed him at first, but no one was found in the city. , everyone gradually felt that what he said was true. Therefore, the prisoner should have fled to Wule City in the east. "
Shi Wuqi picked up the tea cup and said mockingly: "I just think about it now, maybe people have already passed Wule City."
"Who knows. If you can leave without making a sound when there are many guards, it is no wonder that you can attack so many people in Taki Mansion in one night. It would be great if you really leave. I have had enough of the days when people are in panic. We can’t do business either. Fortunately, the Ye family recommended you here, so my place is not too deserted. But it seems that you have been here for a long time. Where have you been the past few days? "
Shi Wuqi choked on his throat with a mouthful of water, and Mu Wan quickly said: "It's just a casual stroll, it's a long story..."
"Boss Boss, Boss Boss" Dai Luan asked with some anticipation, "Is there anything else worth visiting in Cangyi City?"
"Although our place is lively, they are all people talking about business, and the scenery is not special. The hot springs in the south are somewhat interesting, but when the cook went to buy groceries in the morning, he heard that a large hotel there was closed. Maybe no one can do business anymore, and some say that the boss is sick. There is a volcano in the area, which is worth seeing, but it is also heavily guarded and no one can go out. I really can’t tell you what a good place to go. Ah, There is a Taoist temple in the northeast, but there is too little incense and it is already broken."
Several people took a look at Shanhai, but he didn't seem to express any special interest. Instead, Aluan pestered him and asked them to go and see it together. If she stays here all day long, she will grow mushrooms. People are like this. When they are busy, they feel tired, and when they are free, they feel that everything is wrong. Shanhai naturally agreed to her - after all, she didn't clamor to go to Long Mansion to see the murder scene, which was a great honor. They had a meal and set off in the afternoon.
When they arrived at the place, Shanhai found that the innkeeper's wife was really not polite to them.
This Taoist temple is not only broken, it is simply not ordinary broken. Weeds grew on the roof tiles, and moss covered the cracks in the walls. Everywhere you look there are holes, leaking wind and light, and it is cold in winter and warm in summer. It is not a place where people can live, and no one will ever come.
"It should be useless." Shi Wuqi looked at the incense stand that was full of ashes - not incense ashes, but ordinary dust.
"It's not what it should be. It's absolutely useless." Mu Wan sighed.
Ah Luan didn't care very much. She jumped up the stone steps and looked around in the dim temple. Shan Hai also followed and looked around. This place is much smaller than Linxiao Temple, and there is no particular emphasis on the location - Taoist temples and palaces all require good feng shui, and are generally built on high mountains, closer to the sky. This place made him feel that it was more like a place for collecting incense money.
Shi Wuqi commented: "Perhaps I took some money from businessmen in the early years to get some luck. Later I found out that no matter whether the incense was sold or not, the money was still earned, so I didn't waste time coming here."
"I guess so."
Mu Wan joked: "How are you? Do you miss home?"
"This, well, the conditions are almost..."
"——Can't you arouse this immortal's homesickness?"
This was a voice that did not belong to any of them. It was a male voice that sounded very young.
Including Miss Qi, the five people looked around at the same time. A Taoist priest walked in outside the door. He was handsome and walked across the threshold with silent steps. Although he looks young, his hair is green and white, and the white silk is more eye-catching than the mountains and seas. The Taoist robe on his body was also in black and white, and it was newer and more luxurious than the soot texture of Shan Hai's body.
Under this skylight with dilapidated and desolate background, he smiled like a flower blooming in a dry well.
He saluted, and the others quickly returned the salute. Shanhai raised his head and asked hesitantly:
"Are you...are you passing by here too?"
"Ah, I live here. I'm Linyou, I haven't asked for advice..."
"...I'm going to Linshanhai."
As usual, everyone made introductions. Just when introducing themselves, they couldn't help but use their brains to think about what Taoist Qi Lin said. His appearance and attire made it impossible for anyone to relate to this dilapidated place. Naturally, he also saw their doubts.
The most puzzling thing is the chain on his neck.
Thin black iron chains were wrapped around his front and wrapped around his shoulders on both sides. Because of the color, it is not so conspicuous on the Taoist robe, but you can still see it if you look closely.
"Oh, this" Lin You saw the confusion in their eyes, "It's for practice, it's a bit troublesome to explain. Maybe Master Lin can understand? People who practice Taoism always have some requirements for themselves."
"..."
Lin Shanhai actually doesn't understand.
Shi Wuqi kept staring at him. In other words, everyone couldn't take their eyes away from him. This sunny and handsome monk does not have the coldness of a Taoist monk, but makes people feel friendly and want to talk to him more. But to them, something wasn't quite right. Mu Wan still couldn't hold it back and asked him:
"You live here...? In, a place like this?"
"Don't look at what this place is like now. A few years ago, it was still lively here. There was an endless stream of visitors and the incense was very prosperous. Cangyi City was very peaceful, and there were few monsters causing trouble, so there were no Taoist priests or Onmyoji. Before A few days ago, a demon hunter came and should have killed all the last monsters in this city."
Shan Hai and Mu Wan looked at each other at the same time.
"Witcher, this..."
"Why?" Shi Wuqi looked at the two of them, "Aren't the demon hunters a member of the Onmyoji lineage?"
Mu Wan answered: "Yes, but... this is the least popular among the three branches."
"Why? I don't know the school of your Onmyoji. Aren't they all about subduing demons and eliminating evil for the people?"
"You don't understand this." Aluan squeezed his head between their shoulders, "Strictly speaking, the only ones who truly adhere to the principle of eliminating violence and peace are the Demon Slayers, like Shan Hai. The philosophy of the Demon Slayer, Probably because he wants humans and monsters to coexist harmoniously and to help ghosts reincarnate quickly, and only as a last resort will he resort to drastic measures for the sake of humans."
"It's more like chasing away than killing," Mu Wan said. "Some of the demon warriors probably have this mentality, and the rest just don't matter. We have made a contract with the monsters, which can be regarded as a search for monsters and humans." Balance. Of course, this does not exclude those who really use monsters as props for their own use. As for the demon hunters... they are just killing and using them."
Linyou took another step closer and joined the conversation. He showed no emotion and just stated quietly:
"Many decent onmyoji do not recognize the identity of demon hunters. Whether they hunt or capture, as long as they pay enough reward, they will do it. No matter how you say the first two, they can be considered from a human perspective, but they... Even if one person wants to use a monster to kill another person, they will not intervene much. In their view, monsters can be weapons, livestock, and tools..."
Shi Wuqi frowned: "It seems to be my style - but it sounds really annoying."
"What kind of monster is the so-called last monster?"
What Shan Hai was thinking about was actually the Zashiki boy he saw yesterday. But he knew that there must be another "person" Linyou mentioned. Linyou sighed softly, still smiling, and said a little tiredly:
"It's a group of Huang Daxian. Although the Yamen did not believe that the murderer of the family massacre was the work of monsters, they still secretly placed a reward list to eliminate all suspects and use the monsters' belongings to calculate the money. There was a demon hunter who paid a small sum of money. It is said that more than a dozen different Huang Xian's teeth received a large bounty and then flew away."
"Did they really do evil?"
"who cares?"
While Shan Hai was chatting with him, Wu Qi and Mu Wan walked aside and communicated quietly. There was a hole in the wall, and the pale light came in from the outside, drawing a diagonal line between the two of them.
"I'm a little concerned." Mu Wan hugged his shoulders, "That chain - it reminds me of bad things. Ying Yuejun also has a chain on his body, a demon-binding chain. I don't know if it's the same kind or not. Illusion, anyway it makes me very uncomfortable.”
"Whether he is a monster or not, I can't say. I believe I can tell it at a glance, but I'm not sure this time. I don't know what Shan Hai thinks. He is so clean... that is, clean, and there is no trace of dirt. clean."
"I know what you mean. What now?"
"It depends on how Shan Hai decides." Shi Wuqi glanced at their direction, "Also, keep an eye on Aluan."
Mu Wan turned around and looked at Shan Hai and Lin You talking relaxedly. Miss Qi stood not far away and looked over. Nothing unreasonable could be found on the calm faces of those two people. Mu Wan looked around again and suddenly felt something was wrong.
"Then - where did Aluan go?"
"Varied……"
