"Master, I'm afraid we won't make it to the next town before nightfall today."
Lu Qing and his companions were unaware that a notorious villain causing chaos across all of Jizhou was hot on their trail.
At this moment, they were staring at the gloomy clouds above, feeling somewhat troubled.
The sky seemed ready to unleash a torrential downpour, yet they found themselves in the wilderness, still dozens of miles away from the next town, unlikely to reach it in time.
"If we can't make it, we should find a place to take shelter from the rain. I remember there used to be a half-abandoned Daoist temple nearby. I'm not sure if it's still habitable now."
The old doctor glanced at the heavy black clouds overhead, knowing they had to find shelter soon, or it would be too late.
They were relatively fortunate, with a carriage to shield them from the rain, so they didn't have to worry too much about getting drenched.
But if the rain turned too heavy, the carriage might get stuck in the mud, which would be troublesome.
Under the old doctor's guidance, Mago drove the carriage to the abandoned temple.
However, there wasn't even a plaque to indicate what temple it was.
"Alright, we'll stay here for the night. This rain doesn't seem like it'll let up anytime soon. We'll continue our journey tomorrow."
The old doctor surveyed the surroundings and made the decision.
Lu Qing and the others had no objections.
They were no ordinary people, and spending the night outdoors wouldn't cause much inconvenience, except for the lack of comfort.
Even Xiao Yan, who had grown quite courageous, showed no fear.
"Master, I'll go gather some firewood so we can start a fire and cook dinner."
Seeing Mago tending to the carriage, Lu Qing volunteered.
"Alright, go ahead." The old doctor nodded.
As for Wei Zian, even if he wanted to help, Lu Qing and the others wouldn't let him.
Before long, Lu Qing returned with a pile of firewood.
Just as he got the fire going, the long-looming clouds finally began to release their rain.
At first, it was just a few scattered drops, but soon it turned into a torrential downpour, startling Lu Qing and his companions with its intensity.
"Thankfully, you knew about this temple, Master. Otherwise, we'd be soaked to the bone if we were still on the road."
Lu Qing looked at the thick curtain of rain outside, which almost obscured the view ten meters away, and felt a sense of relief.
Mago and Wei Zian nodded in agreement.
Even though their carriage, specially made by the Wei family, could withstand wind and rain, this kind of heavy downpour would be hard to bear.
Meanwhile, Xiao Li snuggled closer to Xiao Yan. It hated the rain.
"This rain is indeed heavy. It's the heaviest I've seen in years. As for this temple, I used to be friends with the head monk here. After he passed away, the temple was left unmanaged and gradually fell into disrepair."
The old doctor sighed as he watched the downpour outside, his tone filled with nostalgia.
Lu Qing's heart stirred slightly.
He knew very little about his master's past, as the old doctor rarely spoke of it.
This was one of the rare times his master mentioned something from the past.
"Master, didn't the head monk have any disciples?" Lu Qing asked.
"No," the old doctor shook his head. "He was a solitary man and never took in any students."
"How was the head monk's martial arts prowess? Was he very skilled?" Wei Zian asked out of curiosity.
The old doctor smiled. "My friend only practiced some breathing exercises and methods for cultivating the spirit. He had no significant achievements in martial arts, but his character was exceptionally noble, someone I deeply admired."
Wei Zian and Mago were immediately filled with respect.
To them, the old doctor's high medical ethics were already rare in this world. For someone to earn his admiration, their character must have been extraordinary, a person truly worthy of respect.
Only Lu Qing had some doubts about his master's words.
He knew that when it came to martial arts, his master's words could only be half-believed.
The old doctor often claimed he had poor aptitude and wasn't good at fighting.
In reality, while he indeed wasn't fond of fighting, his aptitude was exceptional.
Otherwise, how could he have created the Health Nourishing Boxing and comprehended the concept of Water-Fire Harmony and the Precelestial Domain?
So when he said the head monk had no significant achievements in martial arts, it was likely a humble statement.
Surviving alone in this remote temple, how could he be an ordinary person?
Unfortunately, the monk had already passed away, and they couldn't meet him.
As they chatted, Lu Qing skillfully prepared a pot of meat porridge, distributing it to everyone.
As for Xiao Li, who didn't like porridge, it was given a big bowl of dried fish.
For this trip, the Wei family had naturally prepared plenty of supplies.
But Lu Qing was even more extravagant in his preparations, thanks to his Spatial Qi Bag.
For example, he had packed dozens of catties of dried fish for Xiao Li.
This was only because he hadn't had enough time to buy more. Otherwise, he would have prepared a hundred catties.
Of course, unless absolutely necessary, Lu Qing wouldn't use the items in the Spatial Qi Bag.
Over the past few days, they had been using the supplies from the carriage and replenishing them in the towns along the way.
In the chilly rainy weather, a few mouthfuls of hot porridge made everyone feel comfortable.
"Brother Lu Qing, your cooking skills are truly exceptional. Even this simple salted meat porridge tastes so delicious when you make it."
After drinking a bowl of porridge, Mago couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
Wei Zian, who was also slurping down his porridge, nodded in agreement.
"It's not that amazing. I just added some homemade seasoning to the preserved meat, making it taste a bit special." Lu Qing smiled.
Traveling, fresh meat was not suitable for carrying.
So Lu Qing had brought along all the preserved meat he had stored at home over the past two years. Unexpectedly, it came in handy on this trip.
While Lu Qing and his companions were enjoying their porridge in the temple, the rain outside grew heavier.
Eventually, it seemed as if the heavens had opened up, pouring down water relentlessly.
Watching the streams of water flowing from the eaves like pillars, Lu Qing and the others felt a bit anxious.
They feared the main hall's roof might collapse under the pressure, or the accumulated water might flood inside.
Fortunately, though the main hall was old, it was well-built and situated on high ground.
So, even after the rain subsided, it didn't collapse, and the water didn't flood inside, much to Lu Qing and his companions' relief.
However, the old doctor remained worried. "This rain is unusually heavy."
Lu Qing's heart was stirred.
This was the first rain after the great upheaval in the world. Could its intensity be a sign of something?
The old doctor seemed to have thought of this as well. After exchanging a glance with Lu Qing, his worry deepened.
A silence fell over the main hall.
But the silence didn't last long.
Just as Lu Qing was contemplating the omen of this downpour, he suddenly sensed something.
At the same time, Xiao Li's ears perked up.
A few breaths later, the old doctor also raised his head.
Only Mago and Wei Zian were still oblivious.
But soon, they too heard the commotion coming from outside.