Lu Zheng's posture straightened, his eyes flickered, "Probing your reality?"
Probing reality is far different from unintentionally visiting; it is a deliberate display of cultivation or even an attempt to ascertain Shen Ying's true identity.
This behavior cannot be described as friendly at all.
"Precisely." Shen Ying frowned, "The opponent's cultivation is not weak, and... seems to carry some aura similar to mine?"
"Hmm?" Lu Zheng blinked, "Could it be another plant spirit?"
"No, the opponent is human." Shen Ying shook her head, "Let's go see."
In other places, Shen Ying couldn't intervene for now, but Peach Blossom Plain and Taohua Temple were her territory, not to be coveted or destroyed by outsiders.
With illusion techniques concealing themselves, the two floated lightly to the entrance of Taohua Temple.
Taohua Temple was different now from when it was first built last year.
Last year, it was merely a dry shrine with a stone tablet. Now, it had a courtyard and several side halls, with a square of dozens of yards in front of the main hall.
The government had not allocated additional funds; these were made possible by Taohua Temple's own incense money and donations from several wealthy households in the city.
Countless citizens burned incense and offered their prayers at Taohua Temple, while those with some wealth placed money in the merit box.
The Peach Blossom Fairy statue on the altar occasionally returned strands of peach blossom spiritual qi to the citizens providing the most incense and candle qi.
This spiritual qi could bring joy to the mind, strengthen the body, and ward off illness and disaster.
At the time, besides the devoutly praying citizens, there was someone blended among the leisure-tourists, gazing thoughtfully at the Peach Blossoms stone tablet in front of the main hall.
This person, dressed in a sky-blue patterned jacket, appeared to be in his forties, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and spirited eyes, a slight beard under his chin, looking like a government official.
He furrowed his brows while examining the Peach Blossoms stone tablet, threads of true qi seeped from his hands into it. His Dao practice was profound, and neither Uncle Qian nor Uncle An, who were hosting prayers in the main hall, noticed.
"Such pure incense and candle qi." The man muttered in surprise, glancing towards the main hall.
"Other Taohua Temples are built by mortal citizens, with temple priests appointed by the court or backed by wealthy families. It seems only here are two ghosts serving as temple priests, signifying the source of the 'Peach Blossoms' poem and the Peach Blossom Fairy."
"It's truly unexpected that a mere 'Peach Blossoms' poem could cause a mere Earth God to undergo qualitative change, harmonizing with the poem, and having endless future potential, even sharing incense profits with the Mother God."
"If…"
The man looked into the depths of the Peach Grove, "Could the Peach Blossom Fairy be in the depths of the grove? I wonder what level of Dao practice she has now."
At this thought, the man suddenly seemed aware and glanced around.
Everything appeared normal.
Looking back at the Peach Blossom Fairy sculpture in the main hall, the man's gaze held a hint of wariness, "Has this woman noticed me? How can a mere Earth God, having absorbed incense for only a year, have already refined her Dao practice to this extent?"
The man withdrew his gaze from the Peach Blossom Fairy sculpture, restrained his entire aura, and left Taohua Temple casually along with the other citizens, heading down the mountain.
"The opponent is very cautious."
"Can't get too close, follow up first."
Lu Zheng and Shen Ying stood in a corner outside the courtyard of Taohua Temple, shrouded in illusion, and quietly took the small path as they saw the man leave.
The opponent's Dao practice was formidable, and he was hidden among countless citizens. Lu Zheng and Shen Ying were cautious. Not knowing the opponent's true nature, they refrained from rashly acting or revealing themselves.
...
The man took the small path to the main road, halfway through, a strange feeling lingered in his mind.
"Have I been discovered?"
The man's eyes flickered, but he sneered dismissively, appearing indifferent, and naturally mingled with the citizens heading downhill, traversed dozens of miles of mountain road, before entering Tonglin County.
"Mere ghosts, broad daylight, even if they perceive the Peach Grove, could they follow me into town?"
The man proceeded to Tonglai Inn, asked the shopkeeper some more about Taohua Temple, checked out in the afternoon, and headed south through the west gate.
"Hmm?"
Just as he turned into a secluded path, the man saw a pair standing not far in the middle of the path, both watching him.
"Peach Blossom Fairy?" The man paused in his steps.
"Who are you, and why did you secretly investigate my Taohua Temple?" Shen Ying asked coldly.
"Oh?" The man exclaimed, "You can manifest your true form here? The 'Peach Blossoms' poem has benefited you so greatly?"
Even though the man only asked and did not answer, Shen Ying could feel his malevolent intentions towards her.
Since he wouldn't give up information easily, she would have to subdue him first.
Shen Ying waved her hand, countless peach blossom illusions spilled out, filling the air.
The man faced the enveloping Peach Blossom Evil, glanced at Lu Zheng beside Shen Ying, sneered, and a palm-sized peach talisman slipped from his sleeve into his hand.
"Peach Blossom Fairy, until we meet again!"
"Bang!"
With a soft bang, the peach talisman exploded, a mass of pink peach blossom miasma instantly spread, covering hundreds of yards, and its toxic miasma threads seeped towards Lu Zheng and Shen Ying.
"Mere rotten peach miasma, dare to flaunt it, break it!"
Shen Ying gently shouted, her sleeves fluttered, countless peach blossom evils spun and danced, absorbing the miasma in mere moments.
Next, the two saw the man who had just detonated the peach talisman turn into a plume of smoke, fleeing swiftly southwest.
Lu Zheng's gaze narrowed, "So decisive?"
The opponent's cultivation was formidable, yet he turned and fled without a word.
But...
"Stay!"
Shen Ying swung her long sleeves, gracefully pursuing him.
Lu Zheng recited a mantra, and suddenly the mountain wind howled, swathing him for rapid progress, while boosting Shen Ying with added force from behind.
Shen Ying's dress fluttered in the wind, resembling Lingbo Fairy, gracefully overtaking the man as endless peach blossom evils encircled him tightly, "Speak! Who are you, and why spy on my domain?"
"What a Peach Blossom Fairy! Lucky, but alas, unfortunate destiny!"
The man shouted, a peach talisman appeared in his hand again, thrown to the ground, rapidly growing into a peach tree within breaths, towering and piercing through countless peach blossom evils, appearing between heaven and earth.
Yet, the man's figure vanished once more.
"He escaped using tree roots!"
Lu Zheng shouted, his form then submerged underground, pursuing with earth travel technique.
However...
"Bang!"
Lu Zheng emerged hundreds of yards away, holding a peach tree root broken into two segments, his expression unpleasant.
"Substitution Technique!"
Looking up, Shen Ying had quietly arrived, while the huge peach tree had already turned to ashes.