Chapter 544: Chapter 351: Nameless Temple
Ten days later, on a government road southwest of Songlan Prefecture, outside Qian’an City, over ten Red Armored Knights were slowly escorting three carriages forward.
Each of these Red Armored Knights radiated an extraordinary aura, with copious Innate True Qi incessantly dispersing around them. They were, astonishingly, all members of the Innate Martial Sect.
The person in the lead had a face like a jujube, with a sheathless long sword hanging by his waist. The blade shone with a cold light and emitted a faint Spirit Light, marking it as a superior Magic Sword.
This group of Red Armored Knights was surprisingly the famous Red Dragon Knights of the Da Gu Heavenly Dynasty, tasked specifically with protecting high officials and nobility of the court. The leader was none other than a Red Dragon Captain.
Dusk was gradually falling, and the road was sparsely populated. A dilapidated temple suddenly appeared in the distance.
“My lord, it is getting late. We should find a place to stay and continue our journey early tomorrow, which should get us to Qian’an City,” the Red Dragon Captain suggested softly beside the carriage.
A cold voice of a middle-aged man emanated from the carriage, “Hmm, this official knows. Captain Jiang, please check if there’s a suitable place nearby for us to stay overnight.”
Upon hearing this, the Red Dragon Captain immediately replied, “My lord, a few miles ahead, there is a dilapidated temple which would be suitable for an overnight rest.”
“Hmm, let’s stay at the temple for the night then,” the voice from the carriage commanded.
“Yes, my lord.”
Having finished, the Red Dragon Captain spurred his horse away and then ordered his knights to quicken their pace.
Thus, the caravan sped up slightly.
Soon, the group arrived at the temple and stopped in the open space in front of it.
A dignified, portly White-faced Old Taoist descended from the carriage, with an ethereal young woman veiled in gossamer by his side. Her figure was graceful, and her fragrance was captivating.
The Red Dragon Knights crowded around the old man and walked to the temple entrance where a flickering light and muffled laughter could be heard from within.
“Someone, check inside,” commanded Captain Jiang with a stern face, gesturing to one of the knights nearby.
A knight promptly went inside and then came back out a moment later, reporting with a salute, “Reporting to the Captain, there are just three travelers passing by. I’ve interrogated them already. One is a medicine seller, one is a scholar with no physical strength, and the last is the scholar’s attendant student.”
“Hmm, even so, let’s all go in. We’ve been traveling all day, and everyone is tired,” the White-faced Old Taoist instructed after listening.
“Yes, my lord.”
Seeing the elder speak, Captain Jiang immediately gestured for his men to enter.
Subsequently, the knights, accompanying the White-faced Old Taoist and the veiled lady, entered the temple one by one. In front of the temple’s Divine Platform, two fires, one larger and one smaller, had been lit.
By the larger fire sat a handsome young scholar who was intensely writing, apparently unaware of the sudden arrival of the group.
Next to him was a young Attendant Student with two horned hairstyle, who was listlessly throwing twigs into the fire.
By the smaller fire, a middle-aged man with a Fu Manchu moustache, wearing a yellow robe, looked skinny and shady. He held a stick of incense, lit it by the fire, and then meticulously arranged several sticks of incense in a five-foot circle around his feet, enclosing himself within.
Immediately, a faint aroma of sandalwood began to permeate the temple.
As the other knights entered, Captain Jiang issued an order and the knights swiftly coordinated, organizing their surroundings. Some cleared the space, others went to gather firewood, and more unloading bedding, tables, chairs, lacquered tea sets, and other items from the carriages.
Soon, the fires were burning, and all the items were arranged in place. The elder and the veiled lady took their seats, with several delicate dishes and even a pot of clear liquor set before them.
At this moment, the Red Dragon Knights also quietly began to eat some dried meat they had carried with them.
The Red Dragon Guards were truly elite, well-trained indeed.
“Captain Jiang, we have a lot of food here, more than we can finish. Why not come over and share some with us?” The veiled lady glanced at the armored Captain Jiang and suddenly suggested with a smile.
“Thank you for the kind offer, madam, but I would rather eat with my brothers,” Captain Jiang responded with a glance at her before shaking his head in refusal.
“Hehe, then I will not force you, Captain. Let’s eat, my lord!” The veiled lady said, not seeming offended but gently nudging the White-faced Old Taoist beside her.
“Hmm, as the lady says, let’s eat!” responded the White-faced Old Taoist as if waking from a dream, his voice suddenly subdued.
About an hour later, the elder and the veiled lady had finished eating, and the leftovers were cleared away. The Red Dragon Knights spread out and sat on the ground around them, beginning to meditate in repose.
Just then, the young scholar who had been engrossed in his book suddenly burst out laughing, muttering praises, “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! The ways of humans and ghosts are distinct, good and evil rewarded! Daoist Zhao has slain another ghost.
The ancients said that beauties are found within the book, but who knew that the beauty was actually a demon in disguise!
Right, I should also jot down this Awakening Spell, lest some fail to distinguish between ghost and man.”
The medicine seller by the other fire seemed startled by the scholar’s loud thoughts and looked over in surprise.
At that moment, the Two-Horned Attendant Student beside the scholar suddenly seemed energized and threw down the twig he was holding, exclaiming with a disgusted look, “Hey, mister, don’t you think it reeks here? Besides, are you going to do something about it? If you don’t, and something from outside comes rushing in, don’t expect me to step in to stop it.”