In the cool morning light, a black carriage drove out from the gate of the Taoist temple, passing through the streets where there were not many people in the early morning, and headed towards the east gate of Sixi County.
"Taoist Master Jiang, why don't you stay in the Taoist temple for a few more days?"
Yao Cheng, who was acting as a temporary coachman, looked curiously at the young man wearing a black monk's robe beside him:
"You have just become the dean as your disciple, shouldn't you get closer to him?"
"There are also those big shots in the county who are all waiting to make friends with you."
Jiang Xuan, who was holding a thumb-sized piece of jade in his hand, smiled when he heard this:
“It’s difficult to build a road. If you focus all your attention on business relationships, how much time will you have left to build a road?”
"What's more, a teacher preaches, teaches, and solves doubts."
"Last night, I held a candlelit night talk with Master and asked all the questions that needed to be asked. The road to spiritual cultivation is smooth."
"Under such circumstances, why not return to your hometown to practice seriously, rather than dealing with various people in the Taoist temple?"
Thinking of everything that happened after the news that he was accepted as a disciple by Ye Jing spread yesterday afternoon, Jiang Xuan still felt a little frightened.
Even if the words and money are exchanged, there are actually men who offer themselves pillow seats.
It's really outrageous. His mother opened the door for outrageous things. It's outrageous.
As Jiang Xuan finished speaking, Yao Cheng, who was driving the carriage, immediately picked up the words:
"Taoist Master Jiang, with your pure and inactive mentality, you really look like a born Taoist priest."
"Perhaps this is the reason why you were able to introduce Qi into Taoism and be accepted as a disciple by the dean within one year."
"Hey, if it were me, I definitely wouldn't be able to do this."
"If I had become a Taoist, I might still be setting up flowing water mats in the city."
While chatting, the carriage drove halfway.
Just when Jiang Xuan lowered his head and thought about what to do when he got home in half an hour, the carriage suddenly stopped.
Looking up, it turned out that the driveway was blocked by a group of government officials holding gongs and drums.
"Where are you from? What are you doing with gongs and drums? Do you know whose way you are blocking?"
Before Jiang Xuan opened his mouth, Yao Cheng, who was sitting in the groom's seat, stood up, waved his whip, and asked the government servants head-to-head.
Seeing Yao Chengyi's bossy look, the government servants looked at each other, and then a sturdy, slightly older government servant walked out of the team and stood respectfully beside the carriage:
"I don't know if any of the Taoist lords are traveling. We are the yamen of Guyao Town. We just caught a bird this morning and are going to send it to the county yamen. Please forgive me for disturbing the lord."
Hearing this, Jiang Xuan immediately stretched out his hand to stop Yao Cheng who wanted to continue speaking. He put the sapphire in his hand into his cuff and got off the carriage. He pulled out the fly whisk from his waist and waved it:
"Fusheng Boundless Heavenly Lord, poor Taoist Shenxiao sect Jiang Daoxuan has seen this layman. Are you sure you caught Mei, not Azi or Yuanqiu, Colonel Xuanqiu?"
Mei, Azi, Yuanqiu Xiaowei, and Xuanqiu Xiaowei are all names given to foxes after they become spirits.
Mei refers to a fox that likes to run into crowds of people after becoming a spirit. At this stage, the fox has not yet harmed people and is a spiritual beast.
But if you stay among people for a long time and see too much, you will probably turn into A Zi.
Ah Zi, also known as the vixen, is an evil spirit who likes to engage in sexual intercourse with people and absorbs their yang energy.
Captain Yuanqiu is a monster.
The old fox who does not go out of the mountains but likes to dream is called Yuanqiu Captain.
As for Colonel Xuanqiu, he belongs to the immortal spirit.
Before the pre-Qin and Han dynasties, the fox had the most respected status.
It is one of the four auspicious signs along with dragon, unicorn and phoenix.
In the stone carvings and brick paintings of the Han Dynasty, nine-tailed foxes, white rabbits, toads, and bluebirds often appear side by side next to the throne of the Queen Mother of the West to show auspiciousness.
According to legend, Xia Jie's sister Xi, King Zhou's Daji, and King Zhou You's concubine were all transformed into demon foxes and brought trouble to the court.
Not to mention whether these legends are true or false, even if they are true, foxes were still auspicious at that time. Can we say that they are demon foxes?
Of course not!
Those records will be slandered by future generations!
Now that Jiang Xuan heard the yamen officer say that he had captured Mei, he naturally wanted to broaden his horizons.
However, as Jiang Xuan introduced himself, the government officials all lowered their heads.
Seeing their appearance, Jiang Xuan suddenly remembered something.
The Shenxiao Sect is very powerful, but its reputation is not good.
First, the people of the Shenxiao Sect use lightning techniques, which are so powerful that ordinary people are frightened when they see them.
The second reason is because of the style of Shenxiao people.
From the Shenxiao jade plaque that Ye Jing gave to Jiang Xuan, it can be seen that the Shenxiao sect is extremely harmonious. It is absolutely correct to say that they are a family that loves each other.
But outside, as long as there is some knowledge, the Shenxiao sect is simply a ghost-like existence in their eyes.
Did you like something?
Let’s talk about it later.
Not enough money?
Make a free note and pay if you have money.
An opportunity arises?
I see that it is mine. If you dare to hit me, I will shake it. If the person I shake can't beat it, then I will continue to shake it.
As a big sect of the Shenxiao sect, there is always a thunder that you cannot bear.
All in all, the little people in Shengdou who have little knowledge may think that these evil Taoist priests who like to use lightning are Taoist heavenly masters who save people in distress.
But in the eyes of these knowledgeable government officials, they were unlucky for eight lifetimes when they met Jiang Xuan.
Thinking of this, Jiang Xuan lost interest in watching the excitement and sat back on the carriage. He then applied the Tai Chi Yin Qi to his eyes and glanced at the team of government officials.
Then he frowned:
"Yao Cheng, according to the county's rules, how much is a living Mei worth?"
Hearing Jiang Xuan's words, Yao Cheng, who was already alert, suddenly spoke loudly:
"The county has regulations that for those who are haunted by evil spirits, their dead items are worth 30,000, their living items are worth 90,000, and their spiritual beasts will be multiplied."
"Mei is a spiritual beast. According to the county's rules, it is worth 180,000 treasure notes."
Having said this, he changed his tone again:
"But it's hard to say whether the fox in front of me is Mei or Azi."
Waving his hand to interrupt Yao Cheng, Jiang Xuan counted out 18 ten-thousand-yuan banknotes and handed them to Yao Cheng:
"Since they say it's Mei, then buy it at Mei's price."
"If they dare to lie to me, huh!"
Jiang Xuan didn't finish his words, but everyone knew what he meant.
When the leading man saw that Jiang Xuan was determined to buy it, he could only wailed secretly.
For him, the monetary reward for catching the spirit beast is secondary. After all, there is a lot of money in the yamen.
What he values is the achievement of catching spiritual beasts.
For this achievement, he dared to fight with the Taoist temple guards in the town.
Unfortunately, I was unlucky and met a Taoist priest from the Shenxiao sect.
But being favored by a Taoist priest from the Shenxiao sect and being able to get money in person without being ostracized seems to be considered a profound blessing?
After enjoying the pain, the strong man nodded and took the treasure note from Yao Cheng, who was glaring at him.
"Don't worry, sir. The Taoist priest stationed in our town has seen this fox and I guarantee it is charming."
"If this guy is Ah Zi, I will return double the Taoist Master's treasure."
As he spoke, the muscular yamen servant called his subordinates to bring over a cage covered with black cloth, and handed it to Yao Cheng respectfully.
Yao Cheng didn't open the cage after taking it from the strong man, but looked at Jiang Xuan.
Jiang Xuan just squinted his eyes and waved his hand, as if he suddenly didn't care about the fox anymore:
"Put the car in, give way, and continue on your way."
After saying that, Yao Cheng put the cage into the carriage as he was told, then picked up the riding whip and continued on his way.
As for those government officials in Guyao Town?
The moment Jiang Xuan finished speaking, they consciously retreated to both sides of the road.
It seemed that if they retreated slowly, lightning would strike them.
After watching the carriage go away, a yamen servant with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks walked out of the team of government officials and stood next to the strong man:
"Brother, let's just forget it?"
"The Taoist priest just said that he was a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect, and he didn't provide any specific proof."
"That Mei was the one we caught after half a year of squatting. It was your qualification for promotion, and you just let it go like this?"
"In order to trick it into the cage, Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu were still lying in the hospital."
"And Mr. Zhou from the county government also heard about that Mei."
Before he finished speaking, the strong man slapped the sharp-mouthed yamen servant angrily, causing him to stagger:
"You want to die, but I don't want to die yet."
"When the coachman lifted up the carriage just now, I took a look. In addition to boxes, the carriage is filled with books. Are those books ordinary people can have?"
"Besides, who dares to pretend to be a member of the Shenxiao sect? Isn't he afraid that his whole family will be killed by lightning?"
Having said this, the strong man looked at the direction in which the carriage was leaving, with a look of reluctance on his face:
"Let Aqiang and the others go back, and you go to the county government office with me."