Evil Immortal!

The blacksmith was an unremarkable old man, short and thin with dark skin, but with a rather sturdy build.

He glanced at Meng Yuan and said in a hoarse voice, "Please make yourself at home, sir."

Thank you.

Meng Yuan nodded, reached out and took it down. He felt that it was heavy and the material was obviously very solid. Then he drew his long sword.

Clang——

With a crisp clang, a gleaming longsword was drawn. The blade was three feet long, with a thin and sharp edge and a thick and straight back.

After examining it for a moment, Meng Yuan was quite satisfied and looked up to ask, "How much is this knife?"

The old man said calmly, "Fifteen taels of silver, no bargaining."

Fifteen taels of silver... Meng Yuan's lips twitched.

Silver has a strong purchasing power in this world; one coin is equivalent to two dollars in my previous life.

Fifteen taels of silver is equivalent to about thirty thousand yuan, and it's a very substantial amount.

However, iron is quite valuable these days, and this knife is probably made of refined iron, making it quite sharp. For ordinary people, it's something to protect themselves and their lives, and it can even be passed down through generations, so it's understandable that it's priced higher.

"Okay, I'll take this knife."

Meng Yuan decisively bought it, but his heart was bleeding with pain.

He borrowed money from Chen Bao by mortgaging his ancestral home, receiving more than fifty taels of silver. Yesterday, he used ten taels to learn the "Black Pig Gluttony Technique," and now he has used another fifteen taels. In the blink of an eye, half of the fifty-plus taels of silver has been used up, so he naturally feels a little heartache.

"Making money is as hard as eating shit, spending money is as easy as water... Mr. Lu Xun was right. Money comes fast and goes fast!"

Meng Yuan paid the money, took the long knife, and muttered to himself, "Once I've dealt with this Skinning Demon, I'll have to figure out how to make some money..."

Having obtained the weapon, Meng Yuan did not leave, but instead politely inquired:

"There's one more thing. May I ask if the shopkeeper knows of any households around here that raise roosters? Preferably those that are over ten years old."

The old man was somewhat surprised: "Roosters are inherently considered to be of pure yang nature, and roosters over ten years old are even rarer. These old roosters aren't cheap. Are you sure you want to buy one?"

"Price is not an issue, please tell me frankly, sir."

Meng Yuan was overjoyed and quickly cupped his hands in greeting. He hadn't held out much hope and had only planned to try his luck, but seeing the old man's performance, he realized there was actually a clue, which was a pleasant surprise.

......

Before long, Meng Yuan came out of an old house, carrying a bamboo cage in his hand. Inside was a rooster with fiery red and golden feathers, shiny and glossy, sharp claws and beak, and a blood-red comb.

"A rooster that's thirteen years old has abundant yang energy and definitely possesses the ability to ward off evil..."

With the rooster in hand, Meng Yuan felt somewhat relieved and then went to a temple.

The temple is called Xiangji Temple. It is a bit remote, but it has a lot of believers. There is a constant stream of devout men and women coming to offer incense and make wishes.

Outside Xiangji Temple, there are also some vendors setting up stalls, selling incense, candles, sweet soup, and tea, making it quite lively.

The world is treacherous, evil spirits run rampant, and the people live in hardship and suffering.

Therefore, most of these pilgrims are seeking wealth and peace, and there are even more seeking peace than wealth.

Meng Yuan naturally knew that although these pilgrims appeared devout, most of them were probably only half-believing and half-doubting in their hearts.

Life is already hard enough, so we have to find some comfort and hope.

Even self-deception is better than bitterness and despair.

When Meng Yuan arrived at the entrance of Xiangji Temple, he could already smell the aroma of burning incense and paper money.

He walked without stopping into the temple courtyard.

Then his gaze swept around, as if searching for someone in the crowd.

Soon, his gaze sharpened and fell on a young monk in the corner.

The young monk had a slightly immature face, not much younger than Meng Yuan. He was fair-skinned and wore a yellowish-gray monk's robe. His round eyes revealed a cunning and cleverness. At this moment, he seemed to be lost in thought, as if daydreaming.

"My name is Meng Yuan, and I greet you, Master."

Meng Yuan approached the young monk and clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect.

The young monk, regaining his senses, returned the greeting: "Master, you flatter me. Please just call me Huiming. Did you need something from me?"

"There's something I'd like to ask the master for a small favor."

Meng Yuan naturally didn't take this seriously, and then put on a bitter face, "To tell you the truth, I have recently been plagued by evil spirits, and I can't eat or sleep properly, so I would like to ask for some incense ash to ward off evil and calm my mind. Please help me, Master."

In ordinary temples, there are not many believers, so incense ash is almost useless. Even if it is useful, its effect in warding off evil is negligible.

But Xiangji Temple was different. Meng Yuan knew very well that this temple contained a real Buddha, and in addition, the incense was very popular, so the ash from the burning incense was very effective in warding off evil spirits.

In her past life, a player with the ID "Succubus Zhuangzhuang's Mom" ​​accidentally discovered that the incense ash from Xiangji Temple was a good thing, capable of causing considerable damage to evil spirits and ghosts, making it a powerful tool for killing monsters. With this advantage, she quickly leveled up by killing monsters, changed her job, and made a great name for herself among players.

However, too many players came to Xiangji Temple to take advantage of the situation, which alerted the temple, leading to a strict ban on the outflow of incense ash.

"Please don't make things difficult for this humble monk, benefactor."

However, the young monk Huiming shook his head repeatedly and sternly refused, saying, "Everything in the temple belongs to the public and cannot be damaged or taken at will. You should find another way."

"Master Huiming, monks should always be compassionate."

Meng Yuan stepped forward and discreetly slipped a piece of silver into the other man's hand: "Moreover, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Please, Master, help me out."

"this......"

The young monk Huiming paused for a moment, then skillfully flipped his hand, and the broken silver disappeared without a trace. His face was full of compassion, and his appearance was solemn: "What you say is very true, benefactor. Buddha is compassionate. Helping others is helping yourself. Please wait a moment, benefactor, I will be right back."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master..."

Meng Yuan watched as the other person entered the main hall, a smile on his face.

This Xiangji Temple is no ordinary temple. Although it cannot compare to the major sects of Yunzhou, such as the Golden Rooster Temple and the Danxia Sect, it is not far behind.

Because there is a highly respected person with relics residing in this temple.

Such a person is comparable to a Golden Core cultivator who lives for five hundred years in the Immortal Path, and is no less than a martial arts grandmaster who founded a sect!

Its essence of life has been sublimated, and it is no exaggeration to say that it has transcended the ordinary and entered sainthood.

Even the young monk Huiming from earlier, despite his young age, possesses considerable cultivation, exceptional talent and comprehension, and will undoubtedly become a renowned figure in Buddhism in the future.

"Please accept this, benefactor."

Before long, Huiming came to Meng Yuan and handed him a small package. It was light and had a sandalwood scent.

"Thank you, Master."

Meng Yuan calmly put it away and was about to leave when he saw a robust middle-aged monk stride over.

"Amitabha!"

The middle-aged monk, with piercing eyes, approached Meng Yuan, staring at him with a slightly serious expression. He clasped his hands together, seemingly polite, but his tone was actually firm:

"Esteemed benefactor, our Xiangji Temple is a pure and tranquil Buddhist place. You are deeply entrenched in demonic energy and harbor evil intentions. To avoid offending the Buddha, please do not linger here."

The middle-aged monk was robust, with bulging muscles and arms thicker than an average person's thighs. His skin had a faint bronze hue, and he exuded a powerful and domineering aura. The pressure he exerted on Meng Yuan was no less than that of his own team leader, and perhaps even stronger.

He glanced at the bulge around Meng Yuan's neck, which was wrapped in rags, and his eyes held a hint of disgust.