Li Fan walked out of the inn, while Li Hongyi jumped out of the window.
"Miss Li, we are just children of the Jianghu..." Li Fan teased as he saw Li Hongyi looking a bit embarrassed.
"Shut up." Li Hongyi said coldly, this bastard!
She shouldn't have been kind-hearted last night; who would have thought it would end up with this bastard teasing her.
"Alright, alright, alright." Li Fan nodded with a smile and didn't bring it up again.
Last night, he saw Li Hongyi asleep at the table in deep sleep, probably exhausted. Despite calling her, she didn't wake up, so he took action himself. Li Hongyi truly trusted him, sleeping so soundly.
If he had done something bad... of course, he's not that kind of person.
It's strange, they barely know each other but have mutual trust.
During the day, Lin'an City regained some vitality; although not as bustling as before, the street vendors' shouts and businesses opening their doors were full of life.
During the day, ghosts dare not appear, and demons and those doing shady business would also restrain themselves.
After all, the people need to live.
Walking down the street, people were talking in groups. Li Fan's hearing was excellent, and he heard many discussing the deaths of the Second Son of Chen and Chen Zongzhi, the constable from the county office.
There was also news about Fulong Manor, saying County Magistrate Cao Gong saw Fulong Manor sheltering demons. Because of this, County Magistrate Cao Gong nearly had a mishap and is now recuperating.
Li Fan was stunned upon hearing this, did they not kill him?
"This Fulong Manor truly acts without restraint."
"Recently, girls have been disappearing from Lin'an City daily. It's feared they've all been harmed by Fulong Manor; such sins." People on the street discussed.
"The people are probably being deceived again." Li Hongyi, with her face still veiled, looked at Li Fan and said, "Are you going about so openly?"
"I'm upright and proper." Li Fan replied. Was he implying she wasn't upright?
"Many major sects have come to Lin'an City, and the Chen family's clan from Chuzhou City has also sent people." Li Hongyi reminded, as the 'culprit' in people's discussions, shouldn't she be more low-key?
"If I encounter them, it will be interesting to see who tries to attack me." Li Fan responded.
Those people should have guessed he's a Li Mountain disciple. Whoever dares to attack him, means they are targeting Li Mountain, or they wouldn't dare touch him.
However, based on previous events, there might be a big conspiracy after all, and many forces are targeting Li Mountain.
"Are you a Li Mountain disciple?" Li Hongyi asked, evidently having guessed something as well.
"I don't know, kind of." Li Fan neither confirmed nor denied.
"I heard Li Mountain is very high?" Li Hongyi asked again, having never visited the legendary place.
"Li Mountain is certainly 'high'." Li Fan nodded.
"Where are we headed now?" Li Hongyi asked again.
"We?" Li Fan looked at Li Hongyi, "Miss Li, are you not planning to go home?"
Was she going to keep getting into trouble with him?
He didn't mind, but Li Hongyi was different from him, after all.
Li Hongyi stopped in her tracks, quietly looking at him.
How many times had this happened already??
"I shut up." Li Fan continued walking ahead, "Miss Li, shall we go visit the City God Temple?"
He came out this time under the guise of slaying demons and ghosts, but whether these 'demons' are humans or Ghost Gods, he needed to verify clearly.
It's fine if they want to target Li Mountain, but for colluding with demons to abduct women and harm the people of Lin'an, Li Mountain won't carry that blame.
"Alright." Li Hongyi gave Li Fan an 'at least you're sensible' look, and said, "Can you use another title?"
She didn't like the title Miss Li.
It felt distant.
Li Fan was taken aback, "Hongyi sister?"
Li Hongyi raised an eyebrow, her brow full of menacing energy.
Was he calling her old?
She was only nineteen this year!
"Hongyi?" Li Fan said again.
Li Hongyi: "..."
"Let's stick with Miss Li."
Although Hongyi was fine, it felt too intimate.
Were they really that close yet?
Hmm, probably not.
"As Miss Li wishes." Li Fan was tactful, women sure were troublesome.
...
Lin'an City God Temple was located in the south of the city. With tens of thousands of citizens offering sacrifices, it was bustling with incense smoke.
When Li Fan and Li Hongyi arrived at the City God Temple, they saw many worshipers there to pay respects to the City God.
With demons causing chaos and people feeling anxious, they hoped to seek shelter from the City God.
"Is Lin'an County quite wealthy?" Li Fan curiously asked, looking at the grand City God Temple before him.
"The current City God was a highly respected elder in Lin'an County, with great influence in the county. Various families generously contributed to build the temple, and many commoners donated. That's how it reached its current scale." Li Hongyi said.
Even though Ghost Women suspected the City God, it completely contradicted what she knew, hoping people weren't that bad.
Li Fan nodded, entering the City God Temple without saying more.
Hearing alone is illusory; seeing is believing, so he came to see for himself.
The space inside the City God Temple was large, with many people offering incense in the great hall. As Li Fan walked inside, he felt a strong yin energy enveloping him.
"Such heavy yin energy." Li Fan thought to himself. Ordinary people might not feel it strongly, but those cultivating could sense the Yin Yang Qi keenly.
However, the City God was a Ghost God, and this was a divine abode for Ghost Gods; the heavy yin energy was normal.
Li Fan looked up at the City God statue, an old man with a kind and benevolent face, smiling and looking peaceful.
"The City God was a local of Lin'an County during his lifetime. Rumor has it he was a filial son when young. Despite his family's poverty, he once fed his mother with his own flesh. Whenever Lin'an County faced disasters, he always took the lead and donated all his wealth to the poor before dying, earning high praise." Li Hongyi softly introduced.
From what she explained, this City God was a great benevolent person during his lifetime, now worshiped by incense offerings after death.
If that were true, he deserved the incense.
"Are you here to seek a romantic match?" At this moment, a woman approached with a smile and asked.
Li Fan glanced at her, then replied with a smile.
"Yes, ma'am, what about you?"
Li Hongyi silently gave Li Fan a glance.
"I'm here to pray for a grandson." The woman replied with a smile, "The City God is quite effective. My neighbor's daughter-in-law hadn't conceived for years, stayed one night at the City God Temple, and then had a big boy. Many people in Lin'an County do it this way. I'm trying it first, and if it doesn't work, I'll let my daughter-in-law stay a night too."
"Why don't you try it too? The young lady will surely conceive soon." The woman looked at Li Hongyi with a smile. Li Hongyi couldn't bear listening to this any longer; her face beneath the veil was burning.
"No need, we'll do it ourselves." Li Fan said.
Li Hongyi: "???"
"Then you work hard, I'll be on my way." The woman said with a smile and left.
Li Hongyi looked at Li Fan.
"Miss Li, we are just children of the Jianghu..." Li Fan remarked, while Li Hongyi turned her head away, ignoring him.
Let it be...
At this time, outside the City God Temple, an elderly man in tattered clothes was slowly making his way toward the temple. His body was hunched, and he seemed to have trouble with his legs but was still trudging along.
Before even entering the temple, he had already knelt on the ground, crawling in while chanting, "I pray to the City God to cure my granddaughter of her ailment soon."
The old man was exceedingly devout, continuously bowing to the City God, offering the few copper coins he had into the Merit Box.
Afterward, the old man knelt and backed out of the City God Temple. Li Fan listened closely; from the moment he was outside the temple, he had been repeating the same phrase.
Li Fan followed and asked, "Grandfather, I heard you praying to the City God for your granddaughter. If she's afflicted with illness, you should take her to a medical hall. Is praying to the City God effective?"
"Young man, you don't know. The City God is a deity; he once protected this old man. Now, my granddaughter has contracted a strange illness, unwilling to see anyone. I'm old and limited in ability; I can only hope the City God will show his power again." The old man said sadly.
"The City God has protected you?" Li Fan asked again.
"Yes." The old man nodded, "My wife passed away early, and my children were killed by evil spirits. It's just me and my granddaughter left, dependent on each other. Later, I, too, was afflicted by evil spirits, and my granddaughter had to pray to the City God on my behalf."
"Maybe my granddaughter's sincerity touched the City God, and since then, I've been cured; surely, the City God showed his power." The old man said.
"And your granddaughter, what illness does she have?" Li Fan asked.
Upon hearing about his granddaughter, the old man appeared worried and sighed, "My granddaughter is frail. Back then, while taking care of me, it seems she damaged her Primordial Energy. Now, she likes to lock herself in during the day and only goes out at night. This old man prays to the City God daily; surely, the City God will appear and cure my granddaughter."
"Locking herself in during the day?" This caught Li Fan's attention and his expression changed slightly. He asked, "Was this after your recovery, grandfather?"
"Yes." The old man said worriedly, "I hope she'll get better soon. Once she recovers, I'll find a matchmaker to find her a good family; then this old man can die in peace."
As he spoke, the old man's eyes grew teary. She was the only descendant left in his family.
He was nearing the end of his life and probably didn't have many days left. If his granddaughter didn't recover, he wouldn't rest in peace!
"Enough talk; I must return. I'm afraid she'll be scared alone in the room. I must accompany her." The old man turned, his body hunched, walking back slowly.
Li Fan and Li Hongyi watched the old man's back, then glanced at each other.
"Miss Li, let's go." Li Fan said and headed out of the City God Temple.
"This City God Temple is suspicious." Li Fan glanced back, and Li Hongyi frowned deeply; she certainly sensed it too.
Li Fan looked at the distant departing elder, lifted his feet, and said, "Let's check on that old man's granddaughter to uncover the truth."