Chapter 158: Visiting the Taoist Temple in the Deep Mountains

Chapter 158: Visiting the Taoist Temple in the Deep Mountains

The sight of the proud Lu Yao bowing to Princess Qingyu would be breathtaking, worthy of a painter's brush.

Wait a little longer.

Wait until Lu Yao's fame grows even more.

The mountains are veiled in wispy clouds, the sky meets the withered grass, and mist swirls in the air.

Lu Mingchao and Xie Yan ascend the long stone steps one by one.

Snow from recent days piles up on the sides of the steps, leaving a narrow path swept clean in the center.

This Taoist temple is far more desolate than Lu Mingchao ever imagined.

It truly embodies the phrase: desolate and uninhabited, chilling to the bone, and eerily profound.

Living here long enough, one might either transcend through ascetic practices and achieve immortality.

Or, like the ancient trees of the barren mountains, wither and decay until becoming a mere ghost.

Old Master Sun and Madam Sun, who have lived in wealth and luxury most of their lives, naturally can't adjust to the austere life of self-cultivation, nor can they hope to achieve immortality. Therefore, they can only be the latter.

Even ghosts can claim lives.

The temple gate is tightly shut, its red paint peeling, presenting a scene of complete desolation.

Xie Yan knocks for a while before the door creaks open.

A young boy dressed as a Taoist acolyte appears.

As the wind blows, the acolyte shrinks his neck and shivers slightly, saying, "This temple is abandoned. Seeking shelter or offering incense here would be a waste of time. Please find another temple to ease your soul."

Xie Yan says indifferently, "We happened to pass by the mountain's base and saw a charming temple halfway up, so we decided to take a look."

"Even if we're not here to pray or offer incense, we should still donate some incense money."

Xie Yan's sleeve shifts slightly, and a bulging pouch appears in his hand. "Please take this, young Taoist."

The acolyte blinks, licks his dry lips, and whispers, "This temple really isn't effective. Your donation will be wasted."

Xie Yan hands over the pouch. "Sincerity brings results."

"Young Taoist, would you allow us, a married couple, to enter and have a look?"

The acolyte feels the pouch's weight and glances at the strikingly handsome couple.

So, they're a married couple.

He thought they were siblings.

The woman, her hair in a married woman's bun, has lips as red as cinnabar and skin as white as jade. At first glance, her dark eyes are clear and cold, possessing a soul-piercing intensity; yet upon closer inspection, one can see a faint, open-minded smile in her eyes, full of vitality.

She resembles the only living green pine in the temple.

In contrast, the man, who has been speaking, moves with gentle and polite manners, yet sends a chill down one's spine.

"Please."

The creak echoed again.

The vermilion temple gate, slightly ajar, swung wide open.

The temple interior was equally bleak.

Only a lush, straight green pine stood before the Sanqing Hall.

It contrasted sharply with the temple's desolation.

Lu Mingchao stepped in and bowed.

"Young priest, carry on with your duties; no need to tend to us."

The young priest, recalling the hefty purse, warned, "In the backyard lives an elderly couple who lost their son. Grief seems to have driven them to madness. Though their daughter-in-law cares for them, they often make unsettling noises. It's quite eerie, so steer clear."

Xie Yan nodded, "Thanks for the heads-up, young priest."

The young priest clutched the purse, glancing back repeatedly.

Xie Yan and Lu Mingchao exchanged looks, "Madness from grief?"

Lu Mingchao shook her head, "It's more than that."

"Let's check it out."

Lu Mingchao and Xie Yan walked hand in hand to the temple's quarters.

The temple was truly abandoned, just as they'd heard.

They passed only a few elderly Taoist priests, their hunched forms blending with the temple's desolation.

A disheveled woman sat on a stone bench by the quarters, crying, laughing, and humming a lullaby.

She clutched withered weeds, tossing them down, picking them up, and repeating.

Lu Mingchao remembered Madam Sun from the magistrate's wife's plum banquet, where she'd haughtily berated her.

Now, Madam Sun seemed mad.

The courtyard snow, not fully melted, crunched underfoot.

At the sound, Madam Sun turned.

Her vacant look turned to deep hatred at the sight of Lu Mingchao.

Lu Mingchao bowed from afar.

The withered weeds fell from Madam Sun's hands.

"Lu Mingchao!" Madam Sun's voice was hoarse and dry, stumbling and unnatural, as if she hadn't spoken in a very long time. "Go die, go die!"

"You deserve to die!"

Xie Yan instinctively moved to shield Lu Mingchao.

Lu Mingchao tugged at Xie Yan's sleeve, shaking her head slightly, silently saying, "No need."

Madam Sun posed no threat.

She wasn’t intimidated by Madam Sun either.

Lu Mingchao stepped forward slowly, stopping three feet from Madam Sun, tilting her head slightly, an icy smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Am I really the one who deserves to die?"

"Madam Sun!"

"The grievances between your son and me were settled in the county court. His misdeeds were countless and unforgivable, but I did not drive him to his death."

"From start to finish, I’ve never stepped outside the bounds of Daqian law."

"Madam Sun, you say you love your son as if he were your own life. Have you ever dreamt of your son’s bloodied face in those midnight hours?"

"Or maybe, by pinning it on me, Madam Sun can fool herself and feel a little better."

Madam Sun felt like she’d punched cotton, her murderous rage with nowhere to go.

Her gaze hardened, and the dim light on Lu Mingchao’s face cast a shadow, like a cold, silent ridge, sending an inexplicable shiver of fear through her.

Cutting words!

Cutting words!

The absurd part was, she knew they were cutting, but she couldn’t help nodding along.

"Running into each other is fate, and I’ve got some good news..."

"Xie Lu Shi!"

"Lu Mingchao!"

Two venomous voices rang out, one after the other.

Lu Mingchao sharply sensed the surge of hatred in Madam Sun’s eyes the moment the voices sounded.

Her eyes flickered, quietly taking in Madam Sun’s reaction.

She turned, her eyes locking onto the source of the voices.

Old Master Sun and Qu Ying, father-in-law and daughter-in-law, stepped out of a side room!

Qu Ying’s hand rested lightly on her flat stomach, her eyes blazing, her pretty face contorted with rage.

Old Master Sun stood behind her, his face just as full of hate.

Lu Mingchao frowned slightly, watching Old Master Sun instinctively shield Qu Ying, as if a lightning bolt had struck, clearing all the confusion.

So... She and Old Master Sun had ended up in the same place, but by different roads?

She’d been tirelessly searching for the second young master of the Sun family’s lost heir, trying to turn Old Master Sun and Madam Sun into kin who’d turn on Sun Zhiye.

Meanwhile, Old Master Sun had been sneaking around with Qu Ying, planning to secretly father a child?

In the end, Old Master Sun didn’t want to be tied down anymore, plotting to reclaim control of the Sun family.

In this godforsaken, barren mountain, the bitter Qu Ying and Old Master Sun found common ground.

This theory was downright shocking and heartbreaking.

Lu Mingchao couldn’t help but glance at Madam Sun, her cheeks hollow.

"Good news to share."