In a secluded ancient temple nestled in the mountains, Duan Lao Liu clung to the leg of a white-haired elder, wailing like a slaughtered pig.
"Master, I don't want to leave! I haven't served you enough yet!"
Duan Lao Liu cried with all his might, but no tears came. Instead, two streams of snot dripped down.
The white-haired elder's eyes turned red, tears welling up.
/
"Thank you, Fifth Master!"
Duan Lao Liu offered thanks, a rare occurrence.
It seemed money could not only make ghosts work but also sweeten one's tongue.
When it was the next person's turn, Duan Lao Liu licked his lips, but ultimately dared not speak.
He had intended to skip this master, but Sixth Master, whose presence was concealed within a black robe, unusually spoke first.
"See this thumb ring, and you see me."
As he spoke, a dark gold thumb ring was placed on Lao Liu's left thumb.
Duan Lao Liu nodded to Sixth Master, understanding passing between them without words.
Then, he opened his arms and lunged towards a radiant and captivating woman.
The woman had fair, smooth skin and exuded a faint, alluring fragrance.
Her figure was accentuated by a red dress that clung to her curves.
Just as Duan Lao Liu was about to embrace her warmly, the woman struck him on the head with a sharp rap!
Puffing out her chest, she cursed, "You brat, you think you can take advantage of me?"
Duan Lao Liu greedily inhaled the scent in the air and chuckled.
"Seventh Master, you know I can't bear to leave you. Why don't you come down the mountain with me? Isn't it better than guarding this bunch of old men!"
Seventh Master giggled repeatedly, while the other six old men turned ashen.
"Brat, if I came with you, how would you chase girls? Think about all those girls, tall, short, fat, thin, in uniforms, in black stockings..."
Duan Lao Liu swallowed and interrupted, "Seventh Master, you don't need to say more. I think I know what to do."
Before he could finish, a black shadow swept away, and his voice drifted back from the mountain path.
It was a joke; when choosing between one big tree and a forest, one would surely pick the forest!
...
Inside the ancient temple, only the seven masters remained, looking at each other.
"That little devil, we've finally managed to send him away!"
First Master let out a long sigh, but his eyes showed no relief.
Second Master smiled with satisfaction, "He's learned our true teachings. Wherever that brat goes, he'll stir up a storm!"
Seventh Master's face showed sorrow, "It's a pity. This parting might be forever. I already miss him."
Third Master shook his head and sighed, "There's no other way. He's still young. We can't let him die with us old fellows!"
Fourth Master snorted angrily, "The mere Ghost Sword Immortal. We weren't afraid of him twenty years ago, and we're not afraid of him now."
Fifth Master clacked his abacus, "Twenty years ago, we only won by a narrow margin. He's been in seclusion for twenty years, his power must have greatly increased, while we've merely wasted twenty years. With this difference, this battle... is perilous!"
Sixth Master delivered the final verdict, "Let's just do it!"
...
Jiangyang Train Station was a blur of people.
Duan Lao Liu squatted down at the exit as soon as he alighted from the train.
It wasn't that he wanted to rest, but he found the scenery from this angle to be particularly good.
Short skirts that hugged the hips, black stockings, fair white legs... it was stimulating, satisfying. He couldn't see such good scenery on the mountain!
But no matter how good the scenery was, he couldn't stare forever, or people would think he was a bumpkin.
Even though he dressed like a bumpkin and acted like one.
He just didn't want to be treated as a bumpkin.
Wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, Duan Lao Liu stood up and stretched.
Bang!
A muffled thud.
Duan Lao Liu looked back to see a skinny, dark-haired youth lying on the ground.
He looked like a dried-up rabbit.
"Damn it, don't you have eyes?"
Before Duan Lao Liu could figure out what happened, the youth started cursing.
"Are you okay, brother? I just stretched, I didn't expect to knock you over like this!"
Duan Lao Liu wondered if his power had been increasing lately, to injure people just by walking past!
The youth wailed, "Okay? You broke my arm, and you say I'm okay? I can't even stand up now!"
Duan Lao Liu was taken aback, "Your arm is broken, so why can't you stand up? From a medical perspective, you'd only be unable to stand if your leg was broken!"
The youth was also stunned.
Damn it, he'd been careless.
"I don't care, you injured me anyway. You won't leave without paying me!"
Duan Lao Liu chuckled, "How much do you want me to pay?"
The youth's eyes darted around, "If it's not five thousand yuan, you're not leaving today!"
Duan Lao Liu's smile widened, "Brother, if I'm not mistaken, you're trying to scam me, aren't you!"