At the foot of the mountain, Ping'an Town was quiet and peaceful, as though it were already brewing up the atmosphere of the New Year.
The snow on the streets had been swept clean. There were fewer people of all kinds coming and going, but it was still lively enough.
Li Qingyun went to the famous Jun You Lai tavern in town, ordered a few dishes, drank some wine, and sat cross-legged upstairs for the entire afternoon.
In the eyes of the other drinkers, the young Daoist from Lingbao Temple had simply stared blankly at birds all afternoon.
Above Ping'an Town, there were suddenly more birds flitting back and forth today.
"That bastard really couldn't hold himself back..."
As the sky darkened, Li Qingyun spotted the "fish that had taken the bait."
He packed up some food and wine, then staggered out of town, trudging through the snow with one foot deep and the other shallow, as if he had drunk a little too much.
Halfway there, great pines stood draped in snow, with no human traces to be seen nearby or afar.
Not a bad place!
He suddenly stopped, smiled faintly, and looked toward the towering pine ahead.
Two or three small birds hopped about amid the snow-covered branches.
"Come out!"
Li Qingyun shouted toward the back of the tree.
His voice shook the air, sending snow rustling down from the pine. Then a middle-aged Daoist priest with a scarred face stepped out from behind the tree.
Who else could it be but Cui Xinghuo!
"Didn't expect a piece of trash like you to have some vigilance after all!"
Cui Xinghuo walked toward Li Qingyun, an undisguised greedy smile spreading across his face.
"Hand over the spirit fruit. If the goods are truly worthwhile, I might consider sparing your