Chapter 476: The Master
The Unexpected Confrontation
"We took a plane for a day, followed by half a day on a train, and were rattled all the way just to get to White Cloud Temple, yet you immediately turn us away without even an explanation."
"I've visited so many scenic spots and historical sites; I've never seen anyone as arrogant as you."
"Believe it or not, I'll find a journalist to expose you, so the whole world can see what kind of conduct White Cloud Temple displays."
Number Eleven (in Luke's body) was unreasonable and contentious, spouting nonsense left and right. The young Daoist priest was no match for him. Unable to cope, he had no choice but to ask his Senior Brother for help.
After a few minutes of arguing, the Senior Brother also gave in and invited them to rest in an adjacent courtyard.
Linda watched, speechless, and couldn't help but say,
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just knock them out? Why go through all this?"
Number Eleven gave her a blank look. "We're here to find someone, not to fight."
Upon arriving at the courtyard, Number Eleven opened his travel bag and took out the tools for casting a spell, while Linda stood watch outside.
Before long, a faint, intermittent wailing sound drifted from inside the room.
A chill wind blew through the air, and vague, wandering ghost shadows could be seen.
Inside the main hall, Zhang Ruochen, who was meditating, suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp as lightning, directed toward the courtyard.
"What insignificant wretch dares to command evil spirits under the seat of the True Lord?"
Eager to vent his pent-up frustration, Zhang Ruochen grabbed his Daoist sword and strode out toward the courtyard. When he arrived, he was met by a blonde, blue-eyed foreign girl. He was momentarily stunned, then harshly scolded the young Daoist priest beside him,
"Didn't I say that outsiders are strictly forbidden?"
The young Daoist priest opened his mouth to explain, but Zhang Ruochen gave him no chance, pushing him aside and rushing straight for the room. As for the girl in front of him, he paid her no mind.
Linda shifted a step, blocking his way. She lightly lifted her left foot, and without seeming to exert much force, the floor instantly cracked open like a spiderweb with a loud boom.
Zhang Ruochen's pupils contracted, his shock evident.
That single strike likely weighed ten thousand pounds—he had never seen such terrifying force.
"My friend is resting and does not wish to be disturbed by outsiders."
The girl's expression was cold and stern. Standing at the doorway, she was a single woman defending the pass, seemingly invincible.
Zhang Ruochen couldn't gauge her strength. Seeing the evil fluctuation from the wooden house intensify, he immediately raised his Daoist sword toward the sky.
A muffled thunderclap exploded in the sky. The ghost shadows circling the area instantly scattered. Inside the room, Number Eleven, who was casting the spell, opened his eyes and cursed fiercely, "Stupid Daoist!"
White Cloud Temple was a place of Daoist cultivation. Casting soul magic here was akin to pulling hair from a tiger's tail or scratching a lion's head.
He had no choice but to put away his instruments and walk out of the room.
He was in disguise, wearing black-rimmed glasses. Without prior knowledge, one would never recognize the prosperous young master Luke Shaw standing before them.
Zhang Ruochen said coldly,
"Was that black magic you just used, your Excellency?"
Number Eleven frowned slightly. "It wasn't black magic, just a few small tricks."
"Ha!"
Zhang Ruochen sneered, stroking his beard as he spoke in a low voice,
"You must take me for a fool. I know the Western magic system. Enslaving souls is no small trick."
"Black magic is a forbidden art. Using such magic at White Cloud Temple—you'd better give me an explanation, or else..."
Zhang Ruochen raised his Daoist sword, and the surrounding disciples behind him did the same.
Linda turned to look at Number Eleven, asking if they should fight. He looked helpless; he had never expected White Cloud Temple to possess such power. He was detected the moment he started the spell.
And that muffled thunder was clearly a proprietary method to suppress spirits.
What should they do? Fight or not fight?
Number Eleven was indecisive, as were the other apostles within him.
After a brief internal consultation, Number Eleven smiled and said,
"Esteemed Daoist priest, we had no intention of offense. We only came here hoping to witness the Chinese Daoist practices that our elders spoke of. Unfortunately, my skills are crude; I was bested the moment we met. Shameful, truly shameful."
Zhang Ruochen sized him up, then let his gaze rest on Linda. After a moment of silence, he waved his hand.
"See them off."
The young Daoist priest timidly walked forward, his eyes full of resentment toward Number Eleven: The hateful foreigner actually lied to him.
Luke and Linda left White Cloud Temple surrounded by Daoist priests.
The Master of the Temple
Outside the main gate, the girl was full of cold sarcasm.
"You're such a coward! If Luke were here, he absolutely wouldn't leave so shamefully."
Number Eleven sighed helplessly. "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"Grab them, interrogate them one by one. I don't believe we won't get a result."
Number Eleven's mouth twitched violently. The other apostles inside him were also speechless. The girl's power attribute was growing stronger, and she was rapidly developing into a violent woman.
At this point, Number Eight spoke up.
"If I'm not mistaken, the Original Body is inside the temple."
"Are you sure?"
Number Eight nodded gravely. "The Daoist priests of White Cloud Temple are not simple; they seem to have mastered methods of soul attack. This matches the earlier intelligence. The reason the Original Body erupted with soul fluctuations is very likely because the Daoists here attacked him."
"Linda, use your eyes to scan the area. See if anything is hidden."
The girl nodded, flashed to the mountain peak, and carefully observed the temple from top to bottom. The temple complex seemed completely normal, with no suspicious spots. However, when her gaze swept toward the back mountain, a point of suspicion arose.
In the back mountain, there were several hidden stone chambers, and further away, there was a stone monument wrapped in a strange energy she couldn't penetrate.
"Wait here. I'll be right back."
Linda leaped up, flying over White Cloud Temple toward the back mountain where the stone chamber was. The stone monument was right there. Its surface was covered with incomprehensible talismans and wrapped in five chains as thick as a man's arm.
One end of the chains was sunk into the wall, and the other ends were interlocked, seemingly intended to trap the stone monument there.
Linda didn't understand the meaning of these objects, but instinctively felt something was strange. After thinking for a moment, she placed her hands under the monument and lifted it. Just then, a whisper reached her ear,
"A demon is sealed beneath that monument. You shouldn't tamper with it."
The girl spun around sharply. Without her noticing, a white-haired old Daoist priest had appeared behind her.
"Who are you?"
"Zhang Haoyan, Daoist True Master."
The old man raised his whisk. He looked extremely aged, but his eyes were frighteningly bright, like two beams of light.
Linda sensed something was wrong. Her superior senses should have detected the old man's presence, yet she hadn't—that was highly abnormal.
The old man smiled softly twice, walked to the stone monument, and retrieved a wooden box from a hidden compartment beneath it. The lid opened, and inside lay the red metal containing Luke Shaw's Original Body.
"Is this what you are looking for?"
Linda's eyes lit up, and she immediately reached out to seize it. Suddenly, an unimaginable soul shock exploded in her mind. Her vision went blank, and her body staggered backward. Her face turned green and pale, showing extreme pain.
"Young lass, that's not how you take things."
The old man closed the lid and casually tossed the box onto the stone monument.
"This stone took my disciple's life. How could I let you take it so easily?"
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!