Jiang Hao traveled at an unhurried pace, occasionally stopping to admire the scenery. Two days later, he arrived in Shouchang County, Yanzhou Prefecture. After entering the city, he found an inn and rented a superior room.
"Waiter, bring up a bucket of hot water. I want to take a bath. And send up a table of food as well. You can keep the rest as a tip." As he spoke, he took out two taels of silver.
The waiter weighed the silver in his hand and thought he could probably keep about half of it. Delighted, he nodded and bowed.
"Young Master, I'll arrange it right away. I guarantee everything will be properly taken care of."
Just as the waiter was about to leave, Jiang Hao stopped him. "Let me ask you something. Do you know where Xuan Yuan Temple is?"
"Of course I do. Xuan Yuan Temple is at the foot of Cloud Brocade Mountain, ten li south of the city. Just leave the city and follow the road straight ahead—you'll see it. Are you planning to visit Xuan Yuan Temple, sir?" the waiter asked warmly.
"I heard that Daoist Master Lingxiao possesses profound magic and is skilled in fortune-telling. I want him to tell my future," Jiang Hao said.
The waiter chuckled. "Daoist Master Lingxiao is indeed quite famous around here. His Daoist arts are extremely profound, and he's captured quite a few demons and ghosts. But if you go now, Young Master, you might not get to see him."
"Oh? Why? Has he gone traveling?"
"Not traveling. He was injured," the waiter said.
"Injured? Tell me what happened," Jiang Hao asked.
Seeing that the guest was interested in his story, the waiter began showing off, deliberately lowering his voice.
"Just a couple of days ago, the Dai