A Glimpse of Stunning Beauty on the Way Home

A Stunning Glimpse on the Way Home

"Young Master, you were far too generous. Besides, it is already getting late. Even if you had only donated two strings of coins as merit money, White Cloud Temple would still have kept you for a vegetarian meal."

On the way down the mountain, Uncle Li chattered on somewhat incessantly.

Even his former master had never been this generous.

Lu Zheng stroked his chin and ignored Uncle Li, lost in thought.

Evil entity!

Those had been Daoist Priest Mingzhang's exact words, and they also explained the purpose of this talisman.

This world had lifted another corner of its skirt before him.

They went down the mountain, boarded the cart, and headed back.

"Uncle Li, do ghosts really exist in this world?"

"Of course they do. Why wouldn't they?" Uncle Li wore the expression of someone stating common sense. "Last year, Zhang Yuanwai's household in the county was plagued by a ghostly calamity. Then a wandering Daoist stepped in and took the ghost away."

Lu Zheng: (⊙o⊙)!! So I was the one lacking common sense?

Lu Zheng was speechless, but thinking about it, that made sense. Who would casually keep ordinary common-sense questions on their lips?

Besides, ordinary people would instinctively avoid topics beyond their ability to handle. It made them feel safer.

"But rest assured, Young Master. The Great Jing Dynasty still rules this land, after all. Every prefecture and county has a City God standing guard. Most people may never see anything strange even once in their lives," Uncle Li comforted Lu Zheng.

Why had a City God suddenly popped up too? Uncle Li, exactly how much common sense have you neglected to tell me?

Lu Zheng sighed. Most people would never encounter anything abnormal in their entire lives, so most people lived normal lives all their lives.

On the surface, the winds were calm and the waves still; beneath it, dark currents churned.

How alike the two worlds were, differing only in how they revealed themselves.

Forget it. He would explore slowly on his own.

"Hyah!" The driver urged the donkey cart onward, bouncing along the rugged Mountain Road before quickly turning onto the Official Road.

Lu Zheng shifted his backside and felt a little more comfortable.

Through the cart window, he saw the sky already spread with rosy clouds. The sun had turned huge and red as it slowly sank in the west.

"Zhang Laoshi, hurry up. If we do not make it back to the county before the sun sets, we will have to travel at night." Seeing Lu Zheng frown, Uncle Li repeatedly urged him from the side.

"Please forgive me, Young Master. My donkey is old; this is already as fast as it can go," the driver, Zhang Laoshi, hurriedly said. "But do not worry. This beast has plenty of endurance. We will definitely reach the county seat before dark."

Lu Zheng nodded. They had already turned onto the Official Road. Even if they failed to enter the county seat before nightfall, they would only be a li or so away. It was not far.

Seeing Lu Zheng nod, Uncle Li stopped urging him.

The group fell silent, leaving only the creaking of the cart and the clip-clop of the donkey's hooves on the Official Road.

Lu Zheng was admiring the scenery beneath the evening glow when he suddenly spotted a figure trudging alone by the roadside ahead.

As the donkey cart drew closer, Lu Zheng saw the figure more clearly.

She appeared to be a woman. She carried a blue coarse-cloth bundle on her back and wore a water-green plain gauze dress patterned with hidden flowers. Her hair was coiled in a crescent-moon bun, secured with a brass hairpin.

Her figure was slender and delicate, swaying with every step. From time to time, she raised a hand to wipe her sweat or adjust the bundle on her back. Who knew how long she had already been walking? She looked to be having a very difficult time.

Zhang Laoshi instinctively glanced back at Lu Zheng.

Yet Lu Zheng remained expressionless. "The county seat is only a few li away, and the entire route is along the Official Road. There is no danger."

The implication was clear: they would not bother with her.

Zhang Laoshi's gaze dimmed. He muttered something under his breath, though no one could make it out. Then he turned back and continued driving in silence.

Uncle Li also gave Lu Zheng a puzzled glance. He did not know why the usually easygoing Young Master had no inclination to cherish jade and pity flowers this time.

Clip-clop... clip-clop...

The donkey cart swayed past the woman.

Both Zhang Laoshi and Uncle Li could not help looking at her. Lu Zheng, too, failed to resist and cast a sidelong glance.

She was no more than seventeen or eighteen, with a graceful figure, almond eyes, and peach-blossom cheeks. Loose strands of hair hung at her temples. After exhaling lightly and panting, she pressed her lips tightly together again. Her complexion was rosy yet tinged with faint greenish pallor, and beneath her allure radiated a peculiar steadfastness.

What a lovely girl from a modest household.

But in the span of a single glance, the two sides had already passed each other. The donkey cart rocked and jolted along, but it was far faster than walking.

"Young Master?" Uncle Li asked Lu Zheng again.

Lu Zheng loosened his hand and lowered his head to look at the Peace Talisman in his palm.

The Peace Talisman showed no reaction.

Had he been overthinking it?

Lu Zheng nodded and was just about to agree when a sweet, lively voice, like that of an oriole, came from behind the cart. "Esteemed people in the carriage ahead, could you show some kindness and give this little woman a ride?"

Seeing Lu Zheng nod, Uncle Li was about to call out to Zhang Laoshi. Hearing the woman's voice, Zhang Laoshi had already pulled on the reins, preparing to stop.

At that moment, Lu Zheng's cold voice suddenly rang out. "Keep going. Do not stop!"

"Huh?"

Uncle Li froze, while Zhang Laoshi had already instinctively snapped the whip in his hand.

"Hyah!"

Clip-clop... clip-clop...

The donkey broke into a trot, even quickening for several steps, and the cart went farther and farther away, leaving the woman far behind.

Seeing that the donkey cart would not stop, the woman did not call out again. She merely wiped her sweat, adjusted her bundle, and continued on her way.

"Young Master?"

Lu Zheng's face had gone stiff. His heart hammered wildly, while a chill shot up from his tailbone.

One edge of the Peace Talisman in his hand had curled and turned scorched yellow, as if it had been singed from afar by fire.

It had happened the instant that woman spoke! Lu Zheng had been about to agree when she called out.

The very moment her sweet voice rang out, the Peace Talisman in Lu Zheng's hand suddenly gave off a burst of warmth—like a hand warmer.

Then one side of the talisman paper began to turn scorched yellow.

At the same time, coldness welled up, and Lu Zheng even caught a faint whiff of stench.

Only after Lu Zheng gave the order and the donkey cart had gone far away did the heat fade from the talisman paper, and the scorched yellowing stop spreading.

Hearing Uncle Li's question, Lu Zheng said nothing and merely showed him the paper talisman in his hand.

Uncle Li's eyes widened round as he could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

Uncle Li looked at Lu Zheng and thought, Just who is Young Master? How come all the strange things I have never encountered in my entire life keep appearing ever since I began following him? First meeting an expert, then running into an evil entity—this is far too thrilling.

Suppressing the urge to look back again, the donkey cart really did jolt and sway its way into the county seat before nightfall.

Zhang Laoshi delivered the two of them to their doorstep, then drove the donkey cart away again beneath the moonlight and the lamps of shops that had not yet closed.

Lu Zheng and Uncle Li ate the dinner Aunt Liu had left for them. Then Lu Zheng told Uncle Li and the others to rest while he returned to his bedroom alone.

Glancing at his four-piece silk bedding set and thin velvet quilt, Lu Zheng shook his head. He placed the Peace Talisman beneath his pillow, then instantly traveled back to the modern world.

Thanks to fellow Daoist Just Played It, Do Not Quite Understand for the generous reward.