Zhang Xiaofan gazed deeply at the middle-aged scholar who called himself "Wàn Rén Wǎng" and felt a bad premonition rising in his heart, but at the same time, another kind of power deep within him made him involuntarily ask: "Please instruct me, sir."

  The crowd looked at him with deep meaning, and slowly said: "This black short stick has a very heavy evil spirit, the black light is smooth and introverted. If someone approaches it within three feet, their bodys blood will be forced by this evil spirit, and they will die from inverted flow into the heart."

  Zhang Xiaofans heart skipped a beat, and he couldnt help but say: "Thats right, when I first encountered this thing, I felt my body sink, nauseous and almost fainted."

  The crowd let out a collective sigh, looking at him and saying: "Not bad, its indeed the case," as if frowning slightly, he sighed softly, "You actually didnt die, how strange."

  Zhang Xiaofan didnt hear clearly what he said behind him and asked: "What?"

  Ten thousand people smiled slightly, but did not answer him. They only pointed to the stove and said: "This black short rod is originally a born great evil thing, named soul capture, but its not a demon cult object. For thousands of years, it has never been out in the world, only some records on ancient rare books. Zhang Xiao brothers good fortune is deep, he can actually get these two treasures of the world."

  "Soul Capture!" Zhang Xiaofans face was wooden, and he muttered a sentence in a low voice.

  "Its true." The crowds faces returned to normal, and the man said, "The ancient book Ten Chapters of Strange Treasures has a record: Heaven has a strange iron, falling into the nine hells, the ghosts and spirits of the underworld refine it with ghostly fire, after a thousand years it turns red, after a thousand years it takes shape, after a thousand years it gathers the evil spirits energy, after a thousand years it gains the ability to capture souls. In fact, such an ominous thing is not something that living people can grasp, but unexpectedly Zhang Xiao...

  "Clang..." A crisp sound, the black fire poker slipped from Zhang Xiaofans hand and fell to the ground. Zhang Xiaofans hands and feet went soft, he felt extremely suffocated, stumbled backward a few steps, staring fixedly at the fire poker that had been by his side all these years, unable to utter a word.

  Everyone looked at him in shock and horror, but his face suddenly flashed a cold smile, saying: "Zhang Xiao, whats wrong with you?"

  Zhang Xiaofan shook his head in pain, almost unable to speak, and muttered: "How could it be like this? Im a disciple of Qingyun, how could I use such an evil object?" He also remembered that day in the Dead Spirit Abyss, no wonder those yin spirits were so afraid of his fire poker, probably because of this "Soul Capture" trick.

  Ten thousand people went to see his appearance, and they knew that this young man had grown up in the Qingyun Gate all along, and had never seen anything worldly. Now, he suddenly encountered a great change, and almost didnt know what to do. Just looking at him, it seemed like there was no comforting expression, only a faint tone: "Evil thing? What makes you think its an evil thing?"

  Zhang Xiaofan seemed to have lost his soul, staring blankly at the fire poker on the ground and pointing at it: "This... this thing has harmed countless lives, isnt it an evil object?"

  "Ten thousand people laughed coldly: Is it an evil thing just because it has killed many people?"

  "Is."

  Wan Ren Wangs face had a mocking expression, and the intimidating aura between his eyebrows gradually emerged. The whole person seemed to have changed into another person, but Zhang Xiaofan was confused and didnt notice. Wan Ren Wang just said: "Excuse me, sir, are boars, sows, black pigs, and white pigs all pigs?"

  Zhang Xiaofan didnt expect Wan Renwu to suddenly say this, and was taken aback for a moment before saying, "Of course."

  "Then what about lions and goats, tigers and rabbits? They all kill each other. Are they not living beings too? Is there a distinction between good and evil?"

  Zhang Xiaofan vaguely felt what he meant to say, but still didnt understand in his heart, and had to say: "Yes."

  The crowd hummed in unison and asked: "May I ask you again, what you call the right path and the evil path, are they all human?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment, wanting to refute, but when he got to the point of speaking, he felt that there was nothing to say, and could only say: "Yes."

  Everyone looked at him with a stern face, staring deeply until Zhang Xiaofan felt a bit hairy in his heart. Only then did he hear him say slowly: "Zhang Xiao, your Qingyun Mountain has a world-renowned, earth-shaking treasure - the ancient sword Slaying the Immortal, do you know about it?"

  Zhang Xiaofans emotions at this time were almost completely controlled by the crowd of thousands, and he nodded unconsciously: "Yes."

  The faces of the crowd suddenly sank, and a stern voice said: "Do you still know that this Exterminating Sword killed how many lives in the Great War between Good and Evil a thousand years ago? If we talk about the world today, among all the treasures, the one that has truly killed the most people and has the heaviest bloody aura is probably none other than your revered Exterminating Ancient Sword!"

  Zhang Xiaofans head buzzed with a loud noise, and he involuntarily took a step back, as if he had been punched in the face. At the same time, he felt that deep down, something sacred and inviolable since childhood was showing a small crack after a faint, crisp echo.

  ※※※

  The sunlight shines brightly, from the top of the big tree down, through the dense leaves, turning into small dots of scattered sunlight, falling on the ground, with the leaves constant swaying, like mischievous little kids, lightly jumping around.

  Sometimes there were a few rays of sunshine, which fell on the young mans body.

  Zhang Xiaofan crouched on the ground, in front of him was the calm and quiet firewood lying on the ground, which looked ugly and hideous in the shadow. What he said to everyone, actually had no big difference in meaning from what Bi Yao said that day in Kong Sang Mountain, but when it came out of his mouth, Zhang Xiaofan felt very different, deep down in his heart, there was a faint figure, quietly sneering: He is right, he is right.

  Ten thousand people quietly sat on one side, drinking the already cold tea. In the distance, the elderly tea stall owner glanced over here and then turned away, completely unaware that the young mans heart was like a turbulent sea of anger!

  It wasnt until much later that Zhang Xiaofans face gradually calmed down from its original anxiety, struggle and pain. He slowly stretched out his hand to grab the fire poker on the ground, stood up, and coldly said to the crowd: "Who are you?"

  Wan Ren Wang returned to his usual self at this moment, the fierce aura between his eyebrows had disappeared, and he smiled faintly: "Me? Im just Wan Ren Wang, a mortal man who travels the world."

  Zhang Xiaofan stared at him, slowly tightening his grip on the fire tongs in his hand, saying: "How can a common man like you understand so many things? Are you a demon from the Devils Sect?"

  The crowd didnt react at all, they just looked at him and said calmly: "Is the distinction between good and evil really that important to you?"

  Zhang Xiaofan took a deep breath and said heavily: "Yes!"

  Ten thousand people suddenly burst out laughing and said: "If so, why are you still using this evil magic object in your hand?"

  Zhang Xiaofans body trembled, but his expression was stern and he said: "This firework may be an evil demon thing, but I use it to slay demons and exorcise evil spirits, so it is the right path. As long as I am clear in my heart, then it is like what you said about our schools ancient sword slaying immortals."

  The crowd was stunned for a moment, then slowly stood up and looked Zhang Xiaofan up and down as if they had re-recognized him. A smile even appeared at the corner of his mouth: "You can actually think of this yourself, its rare, really rare. This kind of thinking is already better than most people in the world, not just Qingyun!"

  Zhang Xiaofan ignored him and stared at him, saying: "What kind of person are you?"

  Ten thousand people went but did not answer him, instead saying: "This time you head north, are you going back to Qingyun Mountain?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback for a moment and said, "What do you mean?"

  Ten thousand people smiled slightly and said, "You dont know yet, the Demon Sect has risen again, its power greatly increased. Recently, they gathered at Liusha Mountain in the East Sea. Many of your Qingyun Gate went there to join forces with other sects. Im afraid a big battle is brewing. Why dont you go take a look?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment, saying: "Is this really happening?" But he immediately looked up and said: "That has nothing to do with me, Ill ask you again..." Before he could finish speaking, he lost his train of thought. In that instant, the crowd suddenly vanished like ghosts, even the old man running the tea stall in the distance was gone. Only a solitary tea stall remained, along with Zhang Xiaofan standing alone.

  Zhang Xiaofan stared blankly around him, and under the bright sunlight, he couldnt help but feel a chill run down his spine.

  He stood still for a long time, and finally saw him jump out of this big tree and go east.

  Zhang Xiaofan had not walked for long when three people emerged from behind a large tree. The first person was Wan Renwei, the second was the owner of the tea stall, and the third was a girl who made Zhang Xiaofans eyes widen in surprise - Bi Yao, the demonic cult girl.

  Everyone looked eastward, nodded slightly, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "This young man is strong-willed, determined, and has a few similarities to my appearance in those years."

  The tea stall owner standing beside him was no longer in his usual frail and feeble appearance, but instead had a sharp gaze, with a fierce expression, saying: "Master, since he has our Magic Sects precious treasure in his hands, why not keep this person here."

  Ten thousand people looked at the one called "Zong Zhu" and calmly said, "The Blood Devouring Pearl and Soul Capturing Orb somehow were fused together by this young man using his pure blood, turning them into a Blood Refining artifact. From now on, no one else can control this treasure except for this young man, so even if we seize it, it would be useless."

  Bi Yao hummed a sound beside him and said: "I said that day in the Dead Spirit Abyss, how did this stick look so strange, it turned out to have such a big background."

  Everyone turned their heads to look at Bi Yao, with a gentle expression on his face, and said: "Bi Yao, what do you think of this young man?"

  Bi Yaos face turned red and she scolded: "Father, today was originally when I let you see what he is like!"

  Ten thousand people laughed and said, "This young man is still not bad, but he has been deeply poisoned by the Qingyunmen sect since childhood. Its hard to get him into our Holy Church with his stubborn temperament."

  Biyaos face suddenly turned pale and she let out a soft sigh.

  Ten thousand people stretched out their hands, gently stroking the girls head, and smiled: "But he can untie your heart knot for many years, let us parents and daughter reconcile, this kindness, we must repay."

  Biyaos expression changed, and she happily said: "Father, you have a way?"

  Ten thousand people looked up at him, and a sense of majesty slowly emanated from him, showing that he was a person who had held great power for a long time. But somehow, looking at his expression, it seemed to have a hint of sadness. He slowly said, "To change a persons nature is not easy, but its not impossible either."

  Bi Yaos joy was written all over her face, and everyone turned their heads to look at her. With a faint smile in her eyes, her expression was no different from that of any father seeing his daughter happy for the first time. Bi Yao smiled at her father, but noticed the person beside him frowning, whispering to Wan Ren Tao: "Master, hes just an unknown junior from Qing Yun Men, is it worth expending so much energy?"

  Ten thousand people nodded in agreement: "That young man has a great evil treasure that has never been seen before, and judging by his appearance, he can actually control it with ease. In the future, he will definitely not be an ordinary person. Such a talent, if we can recruit him, will surely greatly benefit our cause, not to mention that he also helped us father and daughter in a big way."

  Bi Yao nodded repeatedly and said: "Thats right, I told him that day, if he can join our Holy Church, Father will definitely value him, but he didnt listen."

  "Ha ha, how could he possibly listen? With his temperament, growing up in Qingyun, he has always deeply resented our Holy Sect. However, the Blood Devouring Pearl and Soul Capturing Orb are among the most vicious objects in this world. Although they have been mysteriously refined into a blood-refined treasure by this young man, with their evil energy contained within, not revealing itself on the outside... but having these two great evils by his side, how could he remain unaffected? In my opinion, this young mans cultivation is still shallow, and being with these great evils day and night, over time, he will inevitably be influenced by the evil energy within the treasure, changing his temperament to become bloodthirsty and violent. By then, our Holy Sect will no longer tolerate him, and we can easily manipulate him... it will be difficult for him to not enter my Holy Sect."

  Bi Yao was stunned for a moment, and for a while, she couldnt say whether she was happy or worried, and she couldnt speak. She could only stare blankly towards the east, where the sun shone brightly, right in the middle of the sky. On the ancient road, however, that young figure had already disappeared from view.

  ※※※

  Zhang Xiaofan left the tea stall and headed east alone.

  It was just noon, and the sunlight shone all over the land. After passing through the mountainous area of Kong Sang Mountain, it became a vast expanse of fertile fields, empty and with few signs of human habitation. There was only one ancient path, which had been trodden by countless people in the past and present, stretching straight forward across this wilderness.

  Zhang Xiaofan did not fly through the air, but walked silently on the ancient path. The conversation with Wan Ren just now had a great impact on his heart. Although he spoke to Wan Ren with justice and righteousness, at this moment, when he was alone by himself, he couldnt help but ask himself: Am I really right?

  The black gun still quietly leaned against his waist, faintly, a thread of coolness came from the rod.

  Walking, walking, walking...

  Under the vast sky, on the ancient road, a young man with a heart full of thoughts suddenly stopped his footsteps and looked up at the sky.

  That day was azure, high up above, looking as if it were that high and unattainable.

  Zhang Xiaofan stared blankly, his mouth corners twitching slightly, his eyebrows furrowed together, low and soft, towards the sky, as if also towards someones deep heart, softly saying:

  "What is the ultimate purpose of human life?"

  ※※※

  Along the way, Zhang Xiaofan had a simple meal and slept under the stars. Although he didnt have much silver on him, when he was hungry, he would catch some wild birds or rabbits in the wilderness, and when he was tired, he would find a tree to spend the night under. Anyway, since he used to do wood-chopping exercises on Mount Dazhu, his body was quite strong, so he didnt feel particularly miserable.

  Actually, if he had flown through the air on his fire stick, it would have been much faster, but for some reason, he didnt plan to do so. He felt a sense of unease in his heart and was troubled by all sorts of thoughts, so he preferred to move slowly, hoping to clear up the doubts in his mind.

  But if it comes to this, Zhang Xiaofans current problem is how a young man like him can understand it clearly. No matter how hard he thinks, he always feels that the teachings of his sect are sacred and infallible, and will not be wrong; but when he thinks about what others say, it seems to make some sense too, and he cannot decide, truly perplexed.

  If it were someone else, say his sixth senior brother Du Bishu, he would sneer and ignore him, after all, I am under the Qingyun Gate, naturally listening to the Qingyun Gates words; but if it were his eldest senior brother Song Daren, who is strict in nature, he wouldnt believe in this so-called evil demon at all, not even thinking about it.

  It was Zhang Xiaofan who had a strong personality, and when he encountered this problem that almost challenged his past beliefs, he wanted to think carefully and come up with a clear understanding.

  He buried his head in thought and walked for three whole days, but still couldnt think of a reason.

  On this day, Zhang Xiaofan suddenly felt that there were more and more people on the road. He looked forward with his eyes fixed, and in front of the ancient path, there was a small town. Although it didnt look big in scale, there might be many people on this ancient path.

  Zhang Xiaofan felt a surge of joy in his heart, and for the time being, he forgot about his troubles. For the past three days on the road, there were few people around, but now seeing this small town, it was quite refreshing.

  As I walked closer, I saw a stone monument standing by the side of the road at the entrance to the town, with the three characters "Xiaochi Town" engraved on it. It seemed that this was the name of the small town.

  Zhang Xiaofan walked in with a steady pace, and the sound of peoples voices gradually grew louder. The ancient road went straight through this small town, with houses and shops on both sides of the road, but more were vendors who set up stalls directly on both sides of the road. As he walked along the street, the cries of hawkers never ceased to fill his ears, truly a vivid picture of everyday life.

  Zhang Xiaofan walked among the crowd, a faint smile gradually appearing at the corner of his mouth. When he was young and still living in Caomiao Village, he vaguely remembered it being similar to this scene. The worldly smoke and fire seemed to have a different flavor compared to the years spent cultivating on Qingyun Mountain.

  "Ding ding ding ding ding ding..."

  Just as Zhang Xiaofan was still immersed in the memories of the past, a loud gong sound suddenly came from the street ahead, startling him. Then he saw the townspeople around him quickening their pace and running towards the front, with some people chatting while walking: "Hurry up, the town head is going to give a speech."

  "Is it just that thing?"

  "Yes, I heard that the town head and Li Baochang, Fan Xiucan and others discussed it all night yesterday, I dont know if they came up with a solution?"

  "I hope theres a way out of this, otherwise its really unbearable!"

  ……

  Zhang Xiaofan heard it in his ears, and his curiosity was piqued, so he also followed the crowd to move forward. Only to see the surrounding people gathering around, after a while, there were two or three hundred people gathered around a stone platform in the center of the town.

  Zhang Xiaofan stood in the crowd, looking towards the middle, and saw that the stone platform was more than half a person high, and it looked quite smooth. There were three people standing on top, two old men and one young man, who should be the town head and Li Baochang, Fan Xiuciai, the three people he had heard about earlier.

  As the crowd had almost arrived, one of the three middle-aged men on the stone platform stood up and waved to the townspeople below. The townspeople gradually quieted down in response.

  When it was completely quiet, the old man looked around and said in a heavy tone: "Fellow villagers, Im sure you all know why were gathered here today. Since that demon moved into Black Stone Cave ten miles outside town three months ago, it has been constantly harassing our town. In the past month, it has become even more ruthless, coming every night and taking away countless cattle, sheep, and poultry. And just three days ago, Wangs father and son fought back against it to protect their last cow, but... alas, they unfortunately died at the hands of that demon."

  The villagers around him let out a sigh, and a few even cursed out loud. Zhang Xiaofan understood most of it in his heart, but still didnt know what that monster was.

  At this time, the town mayor said again: "I am the town mayor, but I cannot keep a town safe, its really embarrassing. Last night, after discussing with Li Baochang and Fan Xiucan, I thought that since this demon is not ordinary, its not something that ordinary people like us can resist. Its better to post notices and ask some Taoist masters to come back and catch the demon. As for the expenses, we still need to ask everyone to support together."

  As soon as he finished speaking, the townspeople below all said: "The town mayor is right, we should invite a master to come back and catch the monster."

  "If things go on like this, Im afraid everyone will be eaten by that demon, and whats the point of caring about that little bit of money?"

  "Right, right..."

  The three on the stage saw that most of the townspeople agreed, and the town head also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, saying: "Since thats the case, I asked Fan Xiucan to write a notice last night, so lets post it." After finishing speaking, he nodded towards the young man who looked like a scholar. The scholar responded with a sound, took out a white paper from his bosom with some written words on it, walked down from the stone stage, and posted it on a brick wall standing beside him.

  The villagers immediately swarmed over, and Zhang Xiaofan also followed to take a look, only to see that the paper read:

  There is a three-tailed fox demon residing in the Black Stone Cave ten miles outside of town, which emerges at night to harass and plunder the local livestock, and has even injured people. Its evil powers are formidable. We specially invite a virtuous and powerful person to eliminate this scourge for the benefit of the people. The town of Xiao Chi is willing to offer 500 taels of silver as thanks.

  Zhang Xiaofan saw that the signature was from a resident of Xiao Chi Town, and he heard the surrounding residents expressing their agreement. He hesitated for a moment, originally intending to do this good deed, but thinking about what the townspeople and the town mayor had said earlier, this demon might be quite formidable, his own magical powers were weak, losing to that demon was a small matter, but if he wasnt careful, he would lose his life and also lose face for his sect, which was something he couldnt bear.

  He was hesitating here, when he suddenly heard a commotion among the townspeople around him. He quickly looked up and was shocked to see a giant of a man walking towards him from outside. Wherever he went, with just a slight wave of his hand, the crowd parted like water to make way for him.

  As the giant approached, Zhang Xiaofan saw him clearly. The man didnt look very old, probably around twenty years old, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a square face and wide ears. With his astonishing physique, an aura of fierce power emanated from him.

  In a crowd of people, the tallest one only reached his shoulder, and it was indeed like a crane standing among chickens.

  He walked up to the wall in big strides, carefully read the notice from top to bottom, and without saying a word, he actually tore it down.

  A commotion arose in the crowd, and the giant turned around, casting a sideways glance at the surrounding people. The townspeople immediately fell silent. All that could be heard was the giants loud and clear voice saying: "I am Shi Tou, the sole disciple of Jin Gang Men master Da Li Zun Zhe, who has come out to cultivate under his masters orders. Today, I have arrived here to do this one good deed for all of you."

  Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment, searching through his mind, and had never heard of this Golden Gate sect of the Xianmen.

  The people around stared at him, and the town mayor and others also rushed over, walking to the front of this giant who claimed to be called Shi Tou. The town mayor said cautiously: "This... brave warrior, that demon is very powerful, not just because of brute force, coughing, its not just a matter of strength, there may even be danger to your life, youd better think carefully?"

  The giant nodded and looked at the town head, saying in a deep voice: "Dont you believe me?"

  The town mayor was stared at by him with a huge gaze, and his heart felt some fluff, so he stiffened his scalp and said: "No, no, I just wanted to remind you."

  The giant turned his head and looked around, after a moment, his gaze fell on the brick wall with the posted notice.

  "Is this wall useful to you?"

  The town mayor was taken aback and said: "Usually its useless, just posting a notice."

  The giant called Shi Tou burst out laughing and suddenly roared: "Make way."

  The sound was like thunder, and in Zhang Xiaofans ears, it was also buzzing. As for the other townspeople, their faces were pale, and in an instant, a large empty space opened up in the middle of the scene, with only the giant standing in the center.

  He furrowed his brow and stretched out his hand, suddenly stomping his right foot heavily on the ground, forming a seal with one hand, and muttering a short incantation under his breath, then let out a loud shout:

  "Get up!"

  "A loud whoosh", a fierce gust of wind suddenly emerged from the giants body, whizzing past everyones ears, almost making them lose their footing. The crowd turned pale and retreated several steps with a "thud thud thud" sound. Suddenly, a golden light burst forth, and the giant majestically drew out an enormous wolf-toothed club that shone brightly with a golden color, suspended in mid-air, with two characters "Break Evil" engraved on it, exuding an air of solemnity.

  The crowd cheered, but Zhang Xiaofan furrowed his brow as he stood among them. He had learned the true method of "Mahāpraj?ā" from Pu Zhi back then, and although no one had taught him since, he had secretly practiced it over the years. As a result, he understood some of the Buddhist methods for cultivating the truth. The golden light emanating from the wolf-tooth club wielded by this giant named Shi Tou was majestic, and when Zhang Xiaofan looked at his gestures while casting the spell, they seemed to have some similarities with Pu Zhis back then. It was likely that there was a connection between this method and the Buddhist cultivation of truth.

  This golden, glittering golden wolf-toothed club was enormous, seemingly larger than its owner. At this moment, it was suspended in mid-air by a stone, radiating a brilliant light. The stones eyes were wide open, and with a single gesture of its finger, the wolf-toothed club whizzed through the air, striking down with a loud crash.

  The crowd gasped in shock!

  "With a loud rumble", amidst the deafening noise, dust flew everywhere. What was originally a good brick wall, in an instant, under his magical power, turned into powder.

  "Wow……" The townspeople were all stunned, and then they all smiled with joy. This giant had such strength, it would be easy to get rid of the three-tailed demon fox. The town mayor walked out first, laughing non-stop, saying: "Stone Giant, youre so skilled, well leave it to you."

  The stone nodded.

  The town mayor paused for a moment, and a hint of hesitation flashed across his face before he continued: "However, there is one thing that I hope Stone Zhong can understand."

  This sturdy man named Shi Tou spoke in a deep and hollow tone, saying: "Please speak, old man."

  Town Mayor said: "As for those rewards, since they are all the hard-earned money of the townspeople, I hope that after the brave warriors have eliminated the evil spirits, we can..."

  Unexpectedly, Shi Tou heard this and waved his hand, saying: "Dont worry about it. Before I left home, my master told me that as a righteous person, when encountering evil spirits, we should stand up and take action without hesitation, treating it as an opportunity to hone our skills. As for the matter of money, dont mention it again. You just provide me with a full meal, and after eating my fill, Ill have the energy to go and slay the demon."

  The village head was overjoyed, and theres such a good deal, it cant be better. He repeatedly said: "This is natural, this is natural, brave warrior please follow me, I will definitely make you satisfied."

  Zhang Xiaofan listened to the stones words on the side, and for some reason, his chest was stirred up, feeling extremely ashamed. He thought that Master and Mistress had also taught their fellow disciples in this way before, but when it came to himself, he was afraid of trouble, which really disgraced Masters face.

  Thinking of this, his blood surged upwards, he felt that as a member of a renowned family, how could he not take care of this matter. He thought about it and was about to step forward, reveal his identity, and go with the stone to exorcise the demon.

  Just as he lifted his foot off the ground, a voice suddenly came from beside him, with a hint of anxiety and urgency, saying: "Ah, young man, you have dark clouds over your head, a black forehead, and a face with a deathly aura, something terrible is going to happen!"

  Zhang Xiaofan was originally full of confidence, the words reached the tip of his tongue, and he was about to say them out loud, ready to do something righteous. But unexpectedly, someone whispered this in his ear, startling him, and he swallowed his words back down. His foot slipped carelessly, and he took a wrong step, treading on a pile of dog shit.

  This was no trivial matter, Zhang Xiaofan jumped up, but felt a stench under his feet. Although it was separated by the soles of his shoes, he felt a chill in his heart and his body trembled slightly. He turned his head back with hatred, wanting to see who this person was.

  Beside him stood an old man with a white beard, a plain face, and a somewhat ethereal air about him, like that of a Taoist immortal. He looked like a wise and venerable person, inspiring respect at first glance. Next to the old man was a little girl, eight or nine years old, with two pigtails tied up high, lively and lovely, holding a string of candied hawthorns in her hand, savoring them with relish.

  Zhang Xiaofan was momentarily stunned by the old mans demeanor and couldnt scold him, just thinking about what to say, but saw that the old man looked at his feet and not only didnt apologize, but instead became more anxious, saying: "Look, look, isnt this a great omen?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was shocked and said: "What?"

  The old man looked at him and said with a heavy heart, "Havent you heard the saying: Step on dog shit, bad luck follows; nine out of ten people die, gloomy atmosphere fills the sky?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was stunned and muttered: "No, I just heard my seniors say that its only when someone has extremely good luck that people will say theyve had a stroke of good fortune..."

  The old man was stunned for a moment, shook his head repeatedly and said: "Nonsense, nonsense, its simply absurd."

  "Whats wrong?"

  The old man said: "Since you say so, have you ever intentionally stepped on dog shit?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was startled, remembering the time on Dazhu Peak when, being the youngest in seniority, he often had to do some dirty work, and his master Tian Nais big dog Da Huang would...

  At this moment, Li immediately shook his head repeatedly.

  The old man nodded and said, "Have you ever seen anyone deliberately step on dog shit?"

  Zhang Xiaofan shook his head and said, "What are you talking about?"

  "Right!" The old man clapped his hands and said, "If there really is such a thing as dog shit luck, why would everyone avoid it? Moreover, dog shit is an extremely filthy thing, with a stench that fills the air, and everyone detests it. If you step on it, wouldnt that be bad luck instead of good?"

  Zhang Xiaofan listened and felt that this made a lot of sense, it seemed that he was indeed wrong before. Thinking again about the old mans words earlier, they were truly frightening to hear, and he couldnt help but break out in a cold sweat, saying: "That elderly person you just said I..."

  The old man furrowed his brow, looked Zhang Xiaofan up and down, making Zhang Xiaofan feel uneasy. He then said, "Hmmm, it seems you indeed have a great calamity. Why dont you come over here and let me take a look at your fortune?"

  "Fortune telling?" Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback, only then noticing that the old man was also holding a bamboo pole with a white cloth hanging from it, on which were written four characters: Immortals Guidance.

  He was originally a physiognomist, but despite this, Zhang Xiaofan did not have any disdainful intentions in his heart. The reason was simple: the founder of Qingyun Gate, Qingyun Patriarch, was also a physiognomist back in the day. Of course, no one in Qingyun Gate practices this art anymore, but Qingyun Gate has always been very friendly to physiognomists; otherwise, wouldnt that be betraying their ancestors?

  Zhang Xiaofan hesitated for a moment, but felt that at the critical moment when he was talking to this old man, those townspeople had already surrounded and taken away that giant called Shi Tou. He calmed down and thought that even if he let the old man take a look first, it wouldnt be a problem. After all, the town mayor had just said that they would invite the giant to eat his fill before going to exorcise the demon, so there was still time.

  Thinking of this, he turned his head and said to the old man: "Alright then, would you be so kind as to help me have my fortune told?"

  The old man chuckled and pointed to a big tree by the side of the road, saying: "Lets go talk over there." After finishing speaking, he turned around and walked away.

  Zhang Xiaofan was about to catch up when he suddenly heard a clear voice beside him say: "Big brother."

  Zhang Xiaofan was stunned, but it turned out to be the little girl who was eating ice sugar gourd next to the old man earlier. At this moment, she called him for some reason. Zhang Xiaofan looked at her rosy face, which was extremely cute, and smiled as he leaned down, saying: "Whats up, little sister?"

  That little girl was chewing with her mouth, spat out a few cores, looked at Zhang Xiaofan, and said with a smile on her face: "There is still dog shit under your feet, its very smelly!"

  "Ah!" Zhang Xiaofans face turned bright red instantly, he jumped up and frantically shook his feet, shaking off the dirt from his shoes.

  The little girl looked at his disheveled appearance, smiled and turned around, skipping to the old man standing under the tree.