My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

The mournful howls rose and fell, only to quickly fade away.

In just a dozen breaths, the terrifying horde of corpses was completely annihilated, reduced to ashes and charred bones.

The night wind blew by, carrying a strong, acrid smell, but it also dispelled the suffocating, chilling stench of death.

The crimson-gold fire dragon circled once in the air, letting out a silent cry of joy, before dispersing again, returning to its original position, and merging into the remaining four walls of flame.

The old Taoist priest finished his hand seals, and the four pillars of flame slowly sank into the ground and disappeared.

All that remained was a ring of scorched earth and the lingering heat in the air.

A brief silence returned around the campfire, broken only by the occasional crackling of sparks.

The Lin family members escaped death and looked at the devastated "battlefield" around them, as if they had never been there before.

The gaze directed at the old Taoist priest was no longer merely one of awe, but rather one of reverence, as if looking upon a deity.

Such methods—setting up a fiery barrier with a wave of the hand and transforming into a dragon to wipe out the horde of corpses—are simply divine abilities possessed only by legendary immortals!

"Thank you so much for saving our lives, Immortal Master!" Lin Suwei was the first to react, leading everyone in a deep bow of gratitude, their voices choked with emotion.

The bizarre and perilous events they encountered tonight were truly unprecedented in their lives. If it weren't for the intervention of this highly skilled cultivator, they would have already perished without a burial place.

The old Taoist waved his hand, this time too lazy to even exchange pleasantries, but his brows remained furrowed, and his gaze once again turned to the depths of the Wild Boar Forest, as he spoke in a deep voice.

"No need for thanks. Although the corpse aura here has been temporarily cleared, the root cause has not been eliminated. The fact that so many zombies could be spawned at the same time suggests that what is hidden in that forest is probably more troublesome than I thought."

He paused, looked at Lin Suwei, and said in an unquestionable tone, "Miss Lin, pack up immediately, return the way you came, and leave as soon as possible!"

This is not a place for you to linger. If you go any further, even this old Taoist priest may not be able to protect you at all times.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Suwei nodded hastily, "Yes, I understand! We'll leave now!"

Having witnessed true terror, she knew the old Taoist priest was right. While a healer's compassion was important, pointless sacrifices were meaningless.

The group hurriedly began packing their belongings, extinguishing any remaining campfires, and preparing to evacuate.

Throughout the entire process, Ye Qingfeng remained quietly seated in his original position, as if he were an detached spectator.

While directing the Lin family's evacuation, the old Taoist priest glanced at Ye Qingfeng again out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing that he remained calm and unmoved, the doubt in my heart resurfaced.

This kid, seeing such magic, still reacts like this?

Does he not understand the intricacies involved, or... is he truly so profound that even he himself cannot see through him?

But his aura was clearly nothing special...

Shaking his head, the old Taoist priest suppressed this unrealistic conjecture. Perhaps this young man was just naturally bold and indifferent to worldly affairs.

The most important thing right now is to deal with the root cause of the Wild Boar Forest's problems.

......

The Lin family members quickly packed their belongings. The campfire was mostly extinguished, leaving only a sliver of light to illuminate their still-shaken and hurried figures.

The night wind swept through the forest, carrying ashes and a faint, unsettling scent from the direction of Wild Boar Forest in the distance.

The old Taoist priest walked up to Lin Suwei and carefully pulled out a flat, oiled paper packet from the lining of his tattered Taoist robe.

Upon opening, only three yellow talismans folded into a triangular shape remained inside. The cinnabar patterns had dimmed somewhat, but a faint spiritual light could still be felt flowing through them.

He picked out one of the bills and handed it over, his expression solemn:

"Miss Lin, your journey home may not be entirely peaceful. Take this 'Crimson Bright Fire Exorcising Talisman' with you and keep it close to your body."

If you encounter evil spirits, foul air, or feel restless or have hallucinations, tear this talisman apart immediately.

It can unleash the pure and righteous energy within, slaying ordinary evil spirits and perhaps securing a sliver of hope.

He paused, then added, "However, this talisman has limited power and can only be used temporarily. After tearing it open, you must immediately leave the dangerous area and never rely on it."

Lin Suwei respectfully accepted the seemingly ordinary talisman, which could be a matter of life and death, with both hands.

It was slightly warm to the touch. She carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief, placed it close to her body, and bowed again.

"Thank you for bestowing the talisman, Immortal Master! The Lin family will forever remember this kindness and virtue!" The steward and the guards also bowed and expressed their gratitude, feeling somewhat relieved.

However, while feeling relieved, a lingering worry also emerged.

One talisman... If the journey home is truly fraught with danger, and one encounters a horde of corpses like the one just encountered, or even more powerful evil creatures, will this one talisman be enough?

The butler's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something but stopped, his face showing undisguised worry.

Although Lin Suwei did not say it explicitly, she unconsciously tightened her grip on the talisman.

These subtle emotional fluctuations naturally fell into Ye Qingfeng's notice.

He had been quietly watching the old Taoist priest give him the talisman, but suddenly he chuckled. The clear and cheerful laugh broke the somewhat heavy atmosphere.

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings." Ye Qingfeng stood up and patted the grass clippings off his Taoist robe.

I walked leisurely to the old willow tree with lush foliage by the stream, and casually broke off a willow branch that was about three feet long, as thick as a thumb, and supple and fresh.

He walked back to the crowd with the willow branch in his hand, his movements as casual as if he were just playing with an ordinary tree branch.

"Gentlemen, there is no need to worry too much." Ye Qingfeng said with a gentle smile, his gaze sweeping over the Lin family members.

"The venerable immortal bestowed upon me this talisman, a treasure for protection. As for this humble Taoist..."

He shook the verdant willow branch in his hand.

"Miss Menglin just now bestowed upon me wine, food, and pastries. Although it was a small matter, it was still a great kindness."

"This humble Taoist priest has nothing of value to repay you with, so I have borrowed this wood, which springs forth from heaven and earth, and after some minor processing, I offer it to you all. Perhaps this will bring you some peace of mind and repay the kindness of a single meal."

As he spoke, he held a willow branch in his hand and made a simple hand gesture with his left hand.

With his right hand, fingers joined like a sword, he lightly brushed along the willow branch from top to bottom, muttering a few indistinct syllables as if reciting something.

It seemed like a spell made up on the spot, or the ramblings of a country shaman pretending to be a ghost.

Although his movements were fluid, they lacked both the imposing presence of the old Taoist priest and any spiritual energy.

To everyone else, especially the guards who had just witnessed real magic, it was simply... child's play.

The old Taoist priest watched from the side, his eyebrows twitching almost imperceptibly.

With his cultivation level, his eyesight was naturally exceptional, and he focused his attention on perceiving things.

The willow branch was still just an ordinary plant, without any trace of spiritual power or magical imprint.

This is just an ordinary willow branch that was just broken off.

Is this young fellow Daoist joking?

Or is it some kind of profound, back-to-basics approach that one cannot understand?

He rejected the next thought as soon as it came to mind. What kind of realm is returning to simplicity and authenticity?

How could such a young Taoist priest achieve this?

Most of them are young people who are easily embarrassed. They are treated well and receive a talisman as a gift, so they want to show their appreciation, but they don't have any real skills, so they just pretend to do it.