Li Ping'an and Old Ox walked through the woods, each step accompanied by the fragrance of grass and trees, refreshing the heart and soothing the spirit.
They also spotted a small pavilion on the outskirts and sat there to rest a while.
Birdsong and floral fragrance filled the woods, and the stream burbled.
Had they not known beforehand, they truly would not have believed there were any demons here.
Seven or eight days later, in a dense forest.
Li Ping'an and Old Ox stood by the river, its tranquil waters rippling outward.
The bright moon cast down a shaft of silver light.
Li Ping'an drank some mountain spring water, then leaned against a tree to rest for a while.
Just then, he suddenly heard footsteps.
A young male and female Daoist emerged from the woods.
This was the first time in days that Li Ping'an had sensed another human presence.
The two looked Li Ping'an over warily, and after confirming that there was no killing intent about him,
only then did they lower their sword-bearing hands, though their vigilance did not diminish.
"Greetings, Daoists," Li Ping'an greeted them first.
The two returned his greeting.
The male Daoist asked, "Brother, where are you headed?"
"North."
"Brother, are you from out of town? Have you not heard the rumors of a demon roaming these mountains?"
Li Ping'an nodded. "It's true I'm from out of town, but I've heard plenty of rumors."
"Then why come into the mountains? Aren't you afraid of running into the demon?"
Li Ping'an smiled. "If every road were full of demons, would we stop traveling altogether?"
The female Daoist warned him, "I'd advise you to hurry back, or wait until we've slain the demon before heading up. There really is a demon on this mountain."
The male Daoist