The concept of a born saint begins with Strange Tales from Liaozhai.

Time passed slowly.

In the blink of an eye, more than an hour had passed.

Seeing Ning Caichen return looking distraught, Yan Chixia asked, "How are you?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Caichen said, "That young man..."

He told Yan Chixia the details of the situation.

Yan Chixia frowned, momentarily unsure whether the young man Ning Caichen had mentioned was genuinely trying to help or simply too afraid to come.

"Alright, scholar, stop thinking nonsense. We'll just wait," Yan Chixia said in a deep voice.

Ning Caichen nodded.

The blazing sun gradually moved across the sky, and the sky gradually darkened as the bright moon rose.

The Lanruo Temple, which was originally suppressed by yang energy, gradually became more yin, and female ghosts such as the Tree Demon Granny and Xiao Lian also became active.

At the same time, an old Taoist priest with white hair and beard, but not looking old, with a thin face and calm eyes, was also hesitating near Lanruo Temple.

Sensing the changes at Lanruo Temple, he was secretly alarmed, "Such a heavy demonic aura, such a sinister aura!"

During the day, he stayed near the Zhang family's residence, hoping to see that immortal, but unfortunately he never found an opportunity.

However, he did see a scholar named Ning Caichen. Since the immortal had met this scholar before, and was curious about what was so special about him, he secretly followed him to Lanruo Temple.

He had heard of Lanruo Temple before; it was rumored to be haunted and that many people had died there.

Now that I see it, it is indeed extraordinary!

Judging from the intensity of the demonic aura he sensed, the evil spirits in Lanruo Temple were far beyond his ability to deal with.

He's just a minor Taoist with a little skill; how could he possibly deal with such evil spirits!

Master Xuanqingzi was terrified and almost turned and ran away.

"That young scholar is truly fearless, daring to enter a place like this!"

"No wonder he was chosen by the immortals..."

That's all he could say.

He hesitated, unsure whether to turn around and leave now, or to take a look from a distance and see how the scholar was doing.

……

The wind howled in the night, as if something was crying softly deep in the desolate mountains.

In the desolate mountains and forests, broken walls and tiles are scattered everywhere, while wild vines and withered tendrils entwine and cling to them, enveloping Lanruo Temple.

The dilapidated eaves swayed gently in the wind, the tiles clinking against each other with a soft, grating sound, as if offering a farewell prayer for the upcoming arrival of the Erka Temple.

Chapter 39 The White-Clad Youth Appears at Lanruo Temple

The moonlight was deathly pale.

Moonlight spilled across the broken walls and ruins, casting dappled shadows across the empty space.

Under the moonlight, a white figure came with the wind.

She wore a long white dress, the fabric so light and thin it seemed like mist and smoke. The hem of the dress was lifted by the night breeze, as if her whole body was about to be blown away into the moonlight.

Her figure was slender and thin, and she floated into the temple without touching the ground, like a ghost drawn by the night.

She was extremely beautiful.

His face was pale and sickly, and his eyes were deep and dark, as if they contained lingering mist.

Those eyes held bewilderment, sorrow, and an undisguised fear.

Her long, black hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, casually tied up, with a few loose strands clinging to her cheeks, making her face appear even more aloof and solitary.

There were no gold or silver ornaments in her hair, only an old jade hairpin, its color dull, having long since lost its former glory.

It was Nie Xiaoqian.

She looked flustered and almost stumbled into a side room of the monks' quarters, where she reached out and shook Ning Caichen awake.

"Caichen, run!"

Her voice trembled slightly, filled with barely suppressed terror.

"Grandma is here, and she wants to kill you!"

Ning Caichen suddenly woke up with a start, instinctively grabbed her hand, and said urgently, "Grandma?"

"No, Xiaoqian, we run together!"

A bitter look appeared in Xiaoqian's eyes, and she shook her head slightly. "My remains are near Lanruo Temple, and my soul is controlled by Grandma. I can't escape..."

She spoke softly, her voice filled with helplessness.

“Caichen, you are a good person, I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me…”

She reached out and shoved Ning Caichen, trying to push him out the door.

Just as Ning Caichen looked anxious and opened his mouth to speak...

A chilling, bone-chilling voice suddenly rang out in the night.

"Hmph, you little bastards, you can't escape!"

"Keep them all for Grandma!"

The sound seemed to ring right next to my ear, carrying a chilling aura that sent shivers down my spine.

Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian's expressions changed drastically.

Boom!

The floor of the side room suddenly cracked open.

Thick tree roots burst forth from the ground, carrying mud and decaying leaves, like ferocious black snakes, suddenly lunging at the two of them.

"Caichen, be careful!"

Nie Xiaoqian exclaimed in surprise and pulled Ning Caichen away just in time.

Tree roots brushed past and slammed heavily against the wall, cracking bricks and sending wood chips flying.

Just as the Tree Demon Granny was filled with rage and preparing to launch another attack.

"You fiend, cease your arrogance!"

A sharp shout came from the sky.

A cold glint appeared.

A flying sword descended from the sky, its sword energy surging, instantly severing several tree roots. The severed roots writhed wildly on the ground, oozing dark green sap and emitting a pungent, fishy stench.

"what!"

The Tree Demon Granny let out a mournful wail and roared angrily, "Damn you, you stinking Taoist priest! I advise you to mind your own business, or I'll kill you too!"

Yan Chixia stepped forward, blocking Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian, and snorted coldly, "Bah, you old hag, if you want to fight, then fight! Why all the nonsense!"

"Good! Very good!" the Tree Demon Granny shrieked.

Boom boom boom!

The ground shook again.

Thicker tree roots burst from the ground and attacked from all directions, tearing the room apart in an instant.

Yan Chixia was startled. Without thinking, he grabbed Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian with one hand each and leaped out.

Boom!

Almost as soon as they left, the side room collapsed completely, turning into ruins.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust.

A figure slowly appeared.

The Tree Demon Granny stood not far ahead.

She wore a long, loose, dark reddish-brown robe that trailed on the ground, as if connected to the earth. Her long, gray hair hung loosely, like withered grass and tangled vines, swaying gently in the cold wind.

Her face was deathly pale and swollen, her lips were dark purple, and her eyes were narrow and sinister. Her gaze fell on the three of them as if she were looking at prey.

"Today, none of you will escape!"

Nie Xiaoqian and Ning Caichen turned pale.

Yan Chixia's expression was solemn, and he secretly gathered his strength.

This old hag is far more troublesome than he expected. Even he has to go all out, or something bad might happen if he's not careful.

Unfortunately, the young man Ning Caichen mentioned did not show up.

Otherwise, if that person comes, the two of them working together would definitely have a good chance of winning!

Otherwise, I wouldn't be in this state, so stressed and anxious by this old hag.

Yan Chixia's gaze was sharp as he confronted the Tree Demon Granny across the distance, his aura subtly shifting, not daring to be distracted in the slightest.

And in the darkness not far away.

Several slender figures stood silently.

Xiao Lian, dressed in a dark brown dress, A Lian, dressed in a light red shirt, and seven or eight other female ghosts hid behind the broken wall and ancient tree, watching the life-or-death confrontation from afar.

"Hmph, Xiaoqian is really ungrateful, daring to betray her grandmother."

Xiao Lian sneered, "Soon, she and her lover will become a pair of doomed lovers!"

Jealousy was practically overflowing from his words.

Xiaoqian, who had always been the one who seduced the most men among her sisters and was the one Grandma liked the most, was now in this state. Grandma was overjoyed and gloating, wishing that Xiaoqian would be beaten to a pulp by Grandma.

A-Lian hesitated and asked, "Tell me, who do you think will win the battle between Grandma and that Taoist priest?"

"It's hard to say, but I believe Grandma will win!" The female ghost Qiuyue's eyes flickered.

The female ghosts nodded, their eyes gleaming as they watched Grandma and Yan Chixia's battle.

In their view, Grandma and Yan Chixia were about the same strength, and either of them could win.

As for whether they hoped Grandma would win or lose, they each had their own opinions.

……

At the same time.

Lanruo Temple is further away.

Master Xuanqingzi stood atop a tall, ancient tree, his robes rustling in the night wind.

He gazed into the distance and saw demonic and yin energy rising into the sky.

He couldn't help but gasp.

"Hiss, is that a tree spirit? A tree spirit with nearly a thousand years of cultivation?"

Xuan Qingzi's face turned pale, and his eyes were filled with fear.

He immediately suppressed any lingering thoughts of helping him in the past.

A monster of this caliber could kill him with a single, casual strike.

He stood atop a tree, his heart pounding, only able to watch from afar.

"I hope this fellow Daoist... can hold on."

He murmured softly, his voice tinged with helplessness.

Fortunately, the tree demon was trapped in the vicinity of Lanruo Temple; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable if it had left the area.

Just as Xuan Qingzi was secretly praying, the female ghosts' eyes flickered.

Yan Chixia and the Tree Demon Granny faced off from afar, their murderous intent accumulating in the night, as if it would explode at any moment.

A young man dressed in moon-white silk robes, with fair skin, handsome features, and an air of refined elegance and aloofness.

In the darkness of night, they slowly approached the place where Yan Chixia and the others were.