Li Meng was in no hurry to depart.

With casual grace, he retrieved a meditation cushion and placed it upon the sandy ground, settling into a cross-legged position. He flicked his sleeve, and five golden talismans shot out, embedding themselves into the earth at five cardinal points.

A thick mist surged upward, swallowing his figure. Moments later, the fog dissipated, and Li Meng vanished from sight, concealed within the Five Phases Cloud Dream Array.

Inside the formation, Li Meng’s hands danced, forming intricate seals. His body radiated a five-colored spiritual light as the Yellow Sand King’s golden hide floated out from the Sword Nurturing Gourd.

Suspended in the air, the beast skin was engulfed by a ball of True Essence Fire that manifested from thin air.

Seven days passed in silence.

Then, a brilliant streak of sword light erupted from the cliff, piercing the clouds. In the blink of an eye, it vanished into the distant horizon.

Night fell, bringing with it a relentless deluge.

At the foot of a mountain, not far from the official road, a sprawling mansion stood where none should be. It sat alone in the wilderness, twenty li south of Wei County.

The storm had swallowed the moon. Thick, oppressive clouds turned the world into a void of ink and rain.

Knock, knock, knock.

The heavy rapping on the wooden gate cut through the sound of the downpour.

Standing outside was an old Daoist priest in pristine white robes. Yet, to call him “old” felt contradictory. His posture was straight as a pine, his complexion ruddy and youthful, his skin as smooth as polished jade. Only his snowy white hair and long beard betrayed the passage of time, lending him the ethereal, transcendent aura of an immortal sage.

Footsteps shuffled from within. With a groan of protesting wood, the main gate creaked open.

An old maidservant stood in the gap, holding a flickering lantern.

If Li Meng looked like a rejuvenated immortal, this woman was the embodiment of decay. She was withered and frail, her skin folded into a roadmap of deep wrinkles. She exuded a heavy, twilight aura of death and decline.

To a mortal traveler, her appearance alone would have been enough to stop their heart.

The old woman squinted, her cloudy eyes assessing Li Meng.

“Daoist Priest,” she rasped, her voice scratching like sandpaper. “Why do you knock on our door in the dead of night?”

Her voice, combined with the gloom of the unlit mansion behind her, created a chilling atmosphere.

Li Meng smiled warmly, unfazed. He bowed with cupped hands.

“The rain tonight is fierce. Seeing a mansion here, I ventured to disturb you. I wonder if you might grant this poor Daoist shelter for the night?”

Hesitation flickered in the old woman’s eyes. She moved to block the gap.

“The Master is bedridden with a grave illness and cannot receive guests. Aside from him, only female family members remain. It is… inconvenient.”

“Is that so? Then this poor Daoist apologizes for the intrusion.”

Li Meng bowed again, ready to turn away. He had no intention of forcing his way in.

But just as he pivoted, a gentle, melodic voice drifted from the darkness of the courtyard.

“Nanny, we are miles from the county town. The storm is torrential. Where would you have the Daoist Priest go? Open the door. Let us offer him convenience.”

The speaker remained unseen, but the authority in her tone was clear.

The old maidservant glanced back over her shoulder, her demeanor shifting to submission.

“Yes, Madam.”

She pushed the door fully open. “Daoist Priest, please come in.”

“Many thanks.”

Li Meng stepped across the threshold.

The rain continued to hammer the roof tiles. Li Meng followed the hunched maidservant down a long, winding corridor.

“Daoist Priest,” she croaked without looking back. “Please do not wander at night. The Master is critically ill, and the household is on edge. I hope you can forgive the lack of hospitality.”

Outside the open corridor, the rain intensified, the drumming sound becoming a deafening roar.

They arrived at a guest room. The maidservant pushed the door open.

“Rest here, Priest. I will bring some food shortly.”

“No need for food,” Li Meng said, waving a hand casually. “But if you have a jar of wine to warm the body, that would be appreciated.”

“Very well. This old servant will fetch it.”

She turned and shuffled away, her lantern the only point of light in the swallowing darkness.

Li Meng entered the room and lit the oil lamp. The dancing flame pushed back the shadows, revealing a sparse but clean space. He moved to the bed, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing. Faint five-colored spiritual light shimmered around him.

He was indeed just passing through.

But he was never one to ignore a curiosity.

Returning to the Sect wasn’t urgent. Visiting the Tianshi Mansion could wait. Since he had time to spare, why not enjoy the show?

Outside, the storm began to soften, the torrential downpour fading into a misty drizzle.

In the corridor, the old maidservant stopped in front of the master bedroom.

“Madam,” she whispered through the wood. “The guest is settled. The old Daoist… rain does not cling to his robes. He has a youthful face and white hair. He bears the air of a true cultivator from the mountains. Perhaps he could help with Madam’s…”

“Fortune or misfortune is hard to predict,” the gentle voice interrupted from within. “Do not disturb him.”

The old maidservant sighed deeply. “Yes, Madam.”

She shuffled away, the aura of decay around her seemingly heavier than before.

Inside the room, a man’s voice broke the silence, thick with shame.

“Madam… I am sorry. Your husband is useless.”

“Husband, do not blame yourself,” the woman replied softly. “Perhaps… this is just our fate.”

The night deepened. Silence reclaimed the mansion.

Knock, knock, knock.

A sudden rapping on Li Meng’s door shattered the quiet.

Li Meng opened his eyes. The light in the room had dimmed, but his gaze was sharp. He unfolded his legs, walked to the door, and opened it.

It wasn’t the maidservant.

Standing there was a young scholar in white robes. He reeked of ink and books—a quintessential academic.

When the scholar saw Li Meng, his eyes lit up with frantic hope. He slipped into the room uninvited and immediately pressed the door shut, locking it with trembling hands.

Seeing Li Meng’s eyebrow raised in amusement, the scholar forced an awkward, terrified smile and bowed deeply.

“This humble student, Chen Nanfeng, pays his respects to the Daoist Priest!”

Li Meng swept his gaze over the young man.

Oh?

This mortal had remarkable Luck.

A value of 2000 hovered over him—an astronomical figure for a mere mortal. This boy was destined for the imperial court, a future cornerstone of a nation.

Li Meng returned the bow, adopting the persona of a wandering sage.

“This poor Daoist is Li Feiyu. I roam the four directions, making the world my home.”

Chen Nanfeng stared at him, his gaze intense and desperate.

“Daoist Li… do you know how to subdue demons and vanquish monsters?”

Li Meng chuckled, stroking his white beard. “I know a little. Just a little.”

Chen Nanfeng let out a breath he seemed to have been holding for hours. He rushed to the window, ensuring the latch was secure, then hurried back to Li Meng and bowed again, deeper this time.

“Daoist Priest! Whether this student lives to see sunrise depends entirely on you. If you can protect me tonight… if I survive to pass the imperial examinations and achieve rank, I swear I will repay you with everything I have!”

Li Meng looked at the scholar with a faint smile.

Interesting fellow. Already painting a big pie—promising the moon before he even has a copper coin to his name.

“Calm yourself,” Li Meng said, his voice soothing. “Speak slowly. What is the matter?”

Chen Nanfeng wiped a sheen of cold sweat from his forehead. He cast a fearful glance at the floorboards beneath his feet.

“Daoist Priest, don’t you think this mansion is… eerie?”

“It does have a certain gloom to it,” Li Meng agreed casually.

Seeing the validation, the scholar’s eyes widened.

“Exactly! Daoist, listen to me. Just now… I heard noises under the floor. It wasn’t rats. It sounded heavy. Like something large crawling beneath the wood.”

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a trembling whisper.

“I found a crack in the planks and looked down. Daoist Priest… you won’t believe what I saw.”