The black-robed sorcerer beside them was utterly bewildered by their conversation.

He knew, of course, that this esteemed guest was no ordinary person. Though merely a son-in-law, he was a son-in-law of the Wei Clan. This identity alone was enough for his master, a high-ranking official, to intervene and save him. That was why he dared to bring this person to Plum Blossom Alley.

But if his master harbored doubts and didn't want to help, so be it. Why was this old servant inexplicably talking about scheming for a county magistrate position and becoming an official?

A mere county magistrate was hardly worth boasting about in front of his master.

Besides, everyone in the know understood the current state of the imperial court. Officials in the prefectural capital were treading on thin ice. What was so great about scheming for a county magistrate position?

But when his master heard this, his expression became grave, far more than he expected. Meeting his master's gaze, the old servant merely gritted his teeth and nodded slowly.

"Don't speak."

Just as the black-robed sorcerer was filled with confusion, the old man suddenly raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder. His face was extremely heavy. He wanted to speak, but suddenly looked up and glared at the attendant beside him.

The attendant hadn't seen such an expression on the old man's face in years. He hurriedly exclaimed, "I understand."

He turned and went out of the room, loudly berating the servants outside, telling them not to loiter near the door. Even those cooking in the small kitchen and sweeping the courtyard were ordered to leave and stand outside the gate, waiting in the alley for instructions.

"So..."

Once everyone was gone, the old man slowly turned to the old servant and said in a low voice, "Liyuan County isn't much."

"Although evil is rampant now, the official appointment should still be valid, but if I remember correctly, isn't the Qinglian (Green Lotus) Sect causing quite a stir in Liyuan County?"

"They took advantage of the locust plague to incite the disaster victims, seize the prefectural government, and distribute grain, right?"

"..."

The old servant didn't know if revealing this was good or bad. He was extremely nervous, but for the sake of his master, he nodded.

The old man stared intently at him, allowing no falsehoods, and said in a low voice, "Your master received the official appointment there at this time, and the Wei Clan helped secure it. So, is he going to suppress bandits, or..."

"...to be someone's advisor?"

"..."

The old servant never expected that a single sentence from him would lead the old man before him to guess so much. For a moment, he was so frightened that cold sweat poured down his back.

The old man in Plum Blossom Alley knew there was no need to ask further.

He nodded to himself. The answer was quite clear. If it was truly just to suppress bandits and prevent chaos, then the ones sent should be capable exorcists. Why would an old scholar with no cultivation be chosen?

He slowly nodded and finally said, "So, it has truly begun?"

"Finally..."

"...they are going to choose a new emperor?"

"..."

A single sentence seemed to strike like lightning in the dark room, as if shocking the soul out of one's body.

The old servant couldn't help but say it at first, but now he realized the matter was too great and dared not speak further.

The black-robed sorcerer, who was initially anxious and didn't know what his master was talking about, didn't dare to ask, seeing his master's solemn expression. In his anxiety, he finally heard his master's words, which startled him so much that his eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat.

The imperial court had been neglectful for many years, and everyone had grown accustomed to it.

The Emperor's peeling was no longer a secret. Countless people secretly discussed it and even treated it as a strange tale that spread among the common people.

But choosing a new emperor?

At least for someone at the level of the black-robed sorcerer, it was difficult to imagine the magnitude of this event.

"I don't know anything else."

The old servant stammered, trying his best to say, "I only know that my master has an important task this time and must take office. To be honest, if there was enough time, we could even ask the Wei Clan to find someone, but my master can't delay that long..."

"Please, Master Official, save my master!"

"..."

"Don't say any more of these words."

The old man raised a hand, stopping him from kneeling, his expression suddenly becoming serious as he looked at the old servant:

"Your master was possessed by vengeful spirits as soon as he arrived? Didn't he make preparations?"

"..."

"We did..."

The old servant said anxiously, "To be safe, we sent someone to check first and confirmed that there were no demons in the well. Even so, to be safe, we sealed it. But on the way, he was inexplicably possessed..."

Master Mei frowned and suddenly looked at his disciple: "What did that young official say when they met?"

"She...she only said that the vengeful spirits were claiming a life, that it was justified, and that outsiders should not interfere..."

"..."

"Outsiders should not interfere..."

Master Mei repeated the words, then suddenly sighed deeply and said, "No wonder..."

"I didn't understand just now why that esteemed guest would care about such a small matter?"

"Heh, it seems that although he has stayed in Mingzhou, hiding himself extremely well and not interacting with anyone in Mingzhou City, he actually understands everything."

"The matter of choosing an emperor is no small matter. He couldn't possibly be unaware. He's probably using this small incident to show his attitude..."

"..."

"So, my master didn't accidentally encounter evil spirits, but someone deliberately targeted my master..."

The old man's words weren't entirely clear, but the old servant suddenly guessed the truth. For a moment, sweat poured down like rain, his face as white as paper, and he hurriedly said, "Old Master, I've told you everything, please..."

"Silence!"

The old man suddenly raised a hand, stopping him. The servant quickly shut his mouth, staring at him expectantly.

The old man kept releasing and clenching his hands, as if experiencing extreme torment. After a long time, he suddenly made a decision, staring straight at the old servant, and said in a deep voice, "Remember this, since it's that person's intention, no one can save your master."

The old servant's eyes widened in fright, wanting to speak, but was interrupted again.

The old man lowered his voice: "However, if you are truly so worried about your master's life and are willing to take a risk, there might still be a glimmer of hope..."

"I...I am willing!"

The old servant hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

Seeing that the servant was loyal and devoted, the old man frowned slightly and made a decision. He suddenly stood up and went to the carriage, to the esteemed guest who had fainted.

He opened his eyelids and looked, then felt his pulse for a long time, before saying to the servant in a low voice, "Your master is possessed by vengeful spirits. With each passing day, his fortune and life force weaken. But I can pawn something to him, to protect him temporarily."

"However, I won't accept your silver. Just consider it stolen from me."

"And you need to immediately travel by fast horse to Pengjia Village, two hundred *li* away, to Gouzi Camp in Nanshan Hollow, southwest of there."

"There, blindfold yourself with a black cloth, grope forward. Whenever laughter appears beside you, turn and walk in the direction of the laughter. Turn five times in a row. If you don't die, then remove the black cloth from your eyes."

"If you can see a black temple, then kowtow every three steps and enter the temple to seek help from the gods. Explain your master's background and his upcoming appointment clearly."

"If the statue in the temple speaks to you, then your master will have a glimmer of hope."

"And if the other party wants to ask you for sacrifices, don't mention any offerings of livestock or blood. Just mention one thing, and it might move it."

"..."

"..."

There were many strange and bizarre things in this series of words, but seeing that the old man spoke solemnly, the old servant didn't dare to ask more. He could only try to remember these words.

After the old man finished speaking, he still had questions but nowhere to ask them. Looking up at the old man, he saw that he had already stood up and returned to the inner hall, as if nothing had just been said. Even the door to the inner hall was closed.

The old servant reacted for a long time before suddenly understanding. He hurriedly got up and went to the pawnshop in front, glanced around, grabbed a memorial tablet at random, quickly came out, and stuffed it into his master's hand.

Throughout the process, even the shopkeeper in the pawnshop turned a blind eye to his actions, as if he hadn't seen anything.

Then, the old servant glared fiercely at the other servants, telling them to take good care of his master. He tore off the rope of a horse pulling the carriage, quickly went out, and the sound of hooves faded away as he left the alley.

The people in the courtyard were unnerved by this mysterious atmosphere, and no one dared to speak loudly. Only the black-robed sorcerer hurriedly followed into the inner hall.

He saw the old man kneeling on a prayer mat, kowtowing to the obscure and unclear statues above, whispering for a long time, before carefully inserting the three incense sticks he held in his hand into the incense burner.

He then asked anxiously, "Master, that was..."

"This esteemed guest is worth saving, but not because of him, nor because of his status as the Wei Clan's son-in-law."

Master Mei stood up from the prayer mat and slowly said, "However, it shouldn't be me who saves him, and you can't save him either. Now, in this entire Mingzhou and the surrounding area, the only one who might be able to save him is the one enshrined in that black temple..."

The black-robed sorcerer had guessed it, but wasn't quite sure. He asked cautiously, "I've heard you say that the one enshrined in that temple is..."

The old man in Plum Blossom Alley fell silent. After a long time, he said in a low voice, "The Five Fiends God."

"The Five Fiends God?"

Upon confirming this, the black-robed sorcerer was suddenly startled, his heart trembling, his lips dry. He said in a low voice, "How dare we invite such a fierce, violent, and unruly thing?"

"There's no other way."

The old man in Plum Blossom Alley waved his hand, obviously knowing the consequences of inviting this thing more than his disciple, but he only sighed softly and said, "To save his life, this is the only way..."

"This old scholar has changed his fate..."

(End of Chapter)