"Thank you, Young Master Lu, for your assistance!" Ouyang Kong expressed his gratitude.

Beside him, apart from the two experts from the Anomaly Suppression Bureau, there was the dispirited Duan Boran lying on the ground, two young men, and an elderly man with white hair and beard dressed in black.

...

Upon sensing the aura of battle, everyone followed the trail to find Ouyang Kong engaged in a fierce fight with an elder and seemingly at a disadvantage.

What more was there to say?

Lu Zheng, Liu Qingyan, Shen Ying, and Yue Honghai surrounded on four sides, and the moment their aura was slightly revealed, the opposition collapsed immediately.

"Lord Ouyang is too kind, this is merely my duty," Lu Zheng glanced at the people, noticing Duan Boran's vacant gaze, truly despairing this time, not pretending.

"So they are…"

"Duan Boran once served in Chuandong Dao, and his son joined Pan Shui Cave," Ouyang Kong explained.

"Pan Shui Cave?"

Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, recalling the events from five years ago, "Are they also related to this flood disaster?"

"No! Don't speak nonsense; we're only here to rescue my father!" a young man hurriedly protested.

Ouyang Kong glanced at the expressionless elder, shook his head, and said, "Five years ago, Lord Luo from the Anomaly Bureau in Chuandong Dao invited several local experts to visit Pan Shui Grotto Heaven. It was expected that Pan Shui Cave wouldn't act rashly this year."

Upon hearing this, the elder's expression softened, and he nodded, "Five years ago, Pan Shui Cave decided to close the mountain for ten years. This time, I acted on my own accord, violating the Da Jing Law, subject to Lord Ouyang's discretion."

Pan Shui Cave had previous entanglements with the former dynasty and opposed the Great Jing Dynasty Court. Once they disappeared from the mortal world, both sides compromised.

However, the grudge between them still existed. For centuries, Pan Shui Cave never interacted with the court and would occasionally make trouble for them.

Similarly, the court would suppress Pan Shui Cave from time to time. Nonetheless, considering that Pan Shui Cave had many masters and often exorcised demons and protected the local area, the court wasn't overly aggressive against them.

But Pan Shui Cave crossed the line five years ago, even though it was the faction of the former dynasty's prince acting independently, the entire sect was held accountable.

Thus, after paying a certain price, Pan Shui Cave once again sealed the mountain and cave.

Unexpectedly, problems arose again five years later.

"You even accept the son of a corrupt official? Aren't you afraid of retribution?" Du Yueyao spoke resentfully.

Now an Abnormal Person herself, not an ignorant novice in cultivation, Du Yueyao understood that when Abnormal People accepted disciples, unless they were extremely talented, they also considered their character and family background, to prevent producing a malevolent person.

She couldn't believe this elder didn't know before accepting that Duan Boran was a major corrupt official, and with this corrupt official sure that his son would come to rescue him, it was evident that this son wasn't a good person either.

If Duan Boran's son returned successful in cultivation, combining with his father's corruption, the harm they would cause to the court and the people would be greater than ordinary demons or ghosts, just like this time…,

Wait, could it have been intentional?

Du Yueyao's eyes widened, "It's too much! Aren't you afraid that the harmed commoners might turn into vengeful spirits, seeking revenge on you?"

"Would an elder with hundreds of years of Dao practice fear being haunted by ghosts?" Lu Zheng patted Du Yueyao's shoulder, smirking, "Let's have Lord Ouyang take them to Zhongjing instead."

Ouyang Kong nodded, "Since Pan Shui Cave is involved, this isn't a matter for the ordinary government."

Joking aside, who in Yizhou dared to escort, besides Ouyang Kong, masters with centuries of Dao practice?

After saying their farewells, Ouyang Kong summoned a fierce wind, carrying the elder and the other three into the air, flying straight to Zhongjing.

"Buzz!"

Several hundred strands of Light of Fortune were registered as income, not knowing exactly who was affected.

...

In the following days, they didn't encounter any particularly powerful demons; apart from Yue Honghai eliminating a Fish Demon for a meal, the other demons were mostly dealt with by other Abnormal People traveling in the area.

Lu Zheng and his group made a round through several southern provinces of Zhongyang Dao, then headed east into Sanjiang Dao.

By then, the flood had passed its peak; though no more people would be swept away by sudden floods, the burden of post-disaster medical relief was even heavier.

Everywhere they passed, they saw homes destroyed, people hungry and cold, and residents falling ill due to weakness.

Distributing food and treating the injured slowed their progress significantly.

"Brother Yuanlin?"

Early one morning, as they arrived at a village, Lu Zheng's eyes lit up, spotting Daoist Yuanlin of the White Cloud Temple.

Yuanlin, one of the prominent figures of the Yuan Generation at White Cloud Temple, had once hosted Lu Zheng, was about four or five decades old, with about a millennium of Dao practice, surpassing many seniors, and was considered the next Temple Master of White Cloud Temple.

"Junior Brother Yuanzheng!" Yuanlin nodded with a smile, "It's been two years, glad to see you well."

"Thank you, Senior Brother, glad to see you well too." Lu Zheng responded with a bow.

"Greetings, young ladies." Daoist Yuanlin bowed respectfully, then looked at Liu Qingyan, "I have long heard of Lady Qingyi's renown; meeting you today, the reputation is truly deserved. Yuanzheng is indeed fortunate."

Liu Qingyan returned the courtesy with a soft voice, "Lu Lang loves me, which is my fortune."

"Allow me to introduce…" Lu Zheng began to speak when he noticed an elderly figure with a tall stature, white hair and beard, wearing a tattered gray Daoist robe, emerging from a thatched hut in the village.

"Infinite Celestial Venerable!"

"Eh… Master Ancestor?" Lu Zheng was dumbfounded.

The elder, remarkably, was the Ancestor of White Cloud Temple, whom Lu Zheng had only met once before.

Lu Zheng didn't even know the Ancestor's title; the only encounter was during a spring Dharma Assembly at White Cloud Temple, playing chess with elders in the rear mountain.

At that time, the Ancestor was mixing with the other seniors, so humble that his identity wasn't apparent, except for the respect shown by the elders towards him, until Lu Zheng later discussed it with Daoist Mingzhang and learned that this person was at least six hundred years old and had witnessed Emperor Jing founding the dynasty.

But after that, Lu Zheng never saw him again, nor dared he inquire. Over time, the matter faded away, and as a transmigrator, Lu Zheng figured that having less contact with the White Cloud Temple Ancestor would be a good thing, preventing the discovery of his identity as an Outer Heaven Demon and potential banishment.

Thus, encountering the White Cloud Temple Ancestor again, Lu Zheng was quite surprised. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Greetings, Master Ancestor!" Lu Zheng hurriedly bowed in salute.

The Ancestor nodded, but his eyes were on Si Lingxi, his eyes gleaming with a faint Innate Cloud Qi shimmering in his pupils, ethereal and transcendent, as if a flowing cloud immortal. Bowing, he said, "Infinite Celestial Venerable, greetings Sect Leader Si. Sect Leader Si's presence in Great Jing was not warmly received by Dongyang."

Here, Dongyangzi paused, then asked gravely, "But Sect Leader Si, for what urgent matter do you conceal your aura and accompany my little student?"

Si Lingxi squinted her eyes but remained silent. Lu Zheng couldn't help swallowing, his heart racing, and quickly said, "Ancestor, Lingxi is my wife."

Dongyangzi: ⚆_⚆???