Chapter 48

Dreams follow the wind for ten thousand miles, through the vicissitudes of the mortal world, the face of the peach blossoms is remembered, and once again, the spring glory turns to autumn green.

Outside the city of Wuzhou (which is Jinhua), there is an abandoned temple called Lano Temple. Twenty miles away from Lano Temple, there is a town called Luoshan.

On the way from Luoshan Town to Wuzhou City, one must pass through a dense forest, where Lano Temple is located.

Because men often go missing around Lano Temple, and some who return from the temple become emaciated and die within a few days, it is rumored to be haunted. The authorities do not intervene, so Lano Temple gradually became a forbidden area around Wuzhou City. Even the woodcutters who frequently go up the mountain dare not approach the area around Lano Temple.

Over time, the trees around Lano Temple grew denser, making the area even more eerie. On a summer night, dark clouds loomed overhead, and low rumbles of thunder signaled an impending rain. The cold wind howled, beating against the window screens.

Inside Lano Temple, the grand hall and pagoda were magnificent, but the ground was overgrown with weeds taller than a person, as if no one had visited for a long time. The doors of the monks' quarters on both sides were slightly ajar, but a new lock hung on the door of a small room to the south. A grove of bamboo stood in the northeast corner of the hall, and a large pond with wild lotus flowers, already in bloom, lay below the steps.

At this moment, a fire was burning in the grand hall, casting a glow around several figures. Two scholars, one with disheveled hair but a towering build like a pagoda, a young man with a dark complexion and a simple, honest demeanor, a stunningly beautiful woman, and a scholar in a green robe were gathered there.

The two scholars, one a handsome young man with a refined and elegant appearance, and the other a composed and reserved young man in a white robe, were engaged in conversation. They discussed poetry, classics, and state affairs, then moved on to family matters, freely sharing their knowledge.

The others remained silent, listening quietly.

These people were Ning Wuxie, Ning Wushuang, Ning Bo Wu, Ruo Lan, and the bandit leader Chen Qinglong. There was also another young man in a white robe, Ning Cai Chen, whose name has been passed down through the ages!

In mid-March, Ning Wuxie and his companions left Qingyun County and traveled through the Jiangnan region, arriving in Wuzhou, Zhejiang. It was now late May, mid-summer. Because they had met Yan Chixia, Ning Wuxie was quite looking forward to Lano Temple. He had thought Ning Cai Chen would be in the capital for the imperial exams, but unexpectedly, they met him here.

As midnight approached, the night grew darker, and the temple doors creaked. Ning Cai Chen seemed restless, his gaze frequently darting toward the door.

"Brother Cai Chen, you seem distracted. Is there something troubling you?" Ning Wuxie, with a smile, asked.

Ning Cai Chen sighed softly. He and Ning Wuxie's group had only met by chance, and he was unsure whether to share his concerns. Even now, he found the whole situation too surreal, like a dream.

Perhaps because they shared the same surname, Ning Cai Chen was not entirely averse to the Ning brothers. After chatting, he felt that Ning Wuxie was a reliable person. Glancing at the door, he thought for a moment and said, "Have you heard about the ghost haunting Lano Temple?"

"Impossible! There are no such things as ghosts in this world," Chen Qinglong, who had joined Ning Wuxie to save his life after being subdued at Yixiang Garden, interjected.

At the time, even if Ning Wuxie had spared him, Li Xiuning would not have. Ning Wuxie initially did not want to take him in, but later realized he needed an experienced person. Ning Wushuang and Ruo Lan were still too young and lacked the experience Chen Qinglong had.

"Without hiding anything from you, there are indeed ghosts and demons here," Ning Cai Chen said solemnly. "Brothers, you should leave the mountain while the ghosts and demons are still not out, lest you lose your lives."

Ruo Lan covered her mouth and laughed, "If there are ghosts and demons, why are you still here?"

Ning Cai Chen had no choice but to recount how he met Nie Xiaoqian at Lano Temple and, with Yan Chixia's help, won the ghost girl's heart.

True to his scholarly nature, Ning Cai Chen told the story vividly, with ups and downs. When he reached the emotional parts, even Ruo Lan shed tears. At the thrilling parts, even Ning Wuxie was worried.

After finishing his story, Ning Cai Chen sighed deeply, "Xiaoqian was taken by the Black Mountain Demon, and her fate is unknown. Yan the Hero ventured into the demon's lair and has not returned. I can do nothing here. A scholar is useless, sigh, I am truly a failure."

Chen Qinglong sneered, "A scholar is useless? That's you. Remember when Ning Wuxie killed several imperial guards? It still gives me chills."

After a long sigh, Ning Cai Chen wiped away his tears and looked at Ning Wuxie and the others, "Brothers and Miss, please leave quickly. If the demons come, it will be my fault if you are harmed."

"What about you?" Ruo Lan looked at Ning Cai Chen, feeling a deep sense of sorrow. Could there be such a tragic and beautiful love in the world?

"I? I made a promise with Xiaoqian. I do not seek to live together, but to die together. If Xiaoqian dies, what use is it for me to live alone? Besides, I have also involved Yan the Hero. I will wait here for Yan the Hero to return or for the demons to come."

Ning Cai Chen's gaze was resolute. Ning Wuxie noticed a faint white aura around Ning Cai Chen's head, indicating he was a person of great fortune, much like Li Xiuning.

Yan Chixia had helped Ning Cai Chen multiple times, perhaps for other reasons. Ning Wuxie speculated.

At that moment, a blinding white light flashed outside, followed by a thunderclap, and heavy rain began to pour.

"Yan Chixia, you have invaded my Black Mountain multiple times. Do you think I dare not kill you? Nie Xiaoqian is my concubine. If you do not release her, I will go to the Xuanxin Dao Sect to demand an explanation."

A chilling voice echoed through the forest amidst the thunder, making the walls of Lano Temple tremble and dust fall.

Outside, under the lightning, ghosts and demons swirled, creating a terrifying and tragic scene. The demonic cries made Ruo Lan's face pale, and she involuntarily leaned against Ning Wuxie.

Chen Qinglong and Ning Wushuang sprang to their feet, drawing their long knives, their eyes gleaming.

Ning Cai Chen, after a moment of shock, rushed out. Ning Wuxie, sensing the fragrance around him, noticed that Ruo Lan, out of fear, had almost completely pressed her soft body against him, trembling and pale, said, "There really are ghosts?"

"Black Mountain Demon, you harm the people. If you dare to go to the Xuanxin Dao Sect, why do you act so aggressively here?"

A righteous and stern voice echoed from afar, and the door of Lano Temple shattered. The wind and rain rushed in, pushing Ning Cai Chen back. A figure in a green robe, carrying a woman in red, floated in.