In the afternoon, a man dressed as a scholar with a bamboo basket on his back emerged from the city and headed north all the way to a temple in the northern outskirts.

The scholar was Ning Caichen, who was on his way to the provincial examination in Hangzhou.

Looking at the overgrown weeds in the courtyard that were taller than herself, she thought to herself, "It seems like nobody has lived here for a very long time."

There is no other way. The provincial examination is imminent, and all the low-priced houses in the city have been rented out. In this situation, places like temples usually do not refuse accommodation. This way, I can save some money on renting a house, so I can only temporarily stay in this temple for now.

Carefully observing the temple, I discovered that the scenery here is quite good. The halls and buildings are tall and magnificent, with Buddha statues placed within. The rooms on both sides of the east and west wings are tightly closed, their true nature unknown. The room on the south side has a newly replaced lock, indicating that someone already owns it, perhaps a scholar who is in a hurry to take an exam. I will wait for his return and then ask to stay with him and travel together to Hangzhou, so I will have a companion.

Ning Caichen temporarily placed the items in the empty cabin to the north. He wandered around the temple, exploring every corner. In the northern part of the hall, there were several clumps of sturdy bamboo. Below the steps, there was also a large pond, with overlapping lotus leaves and clear, deep water. Although the place was dilapidated, it could still be considered peaceful and secluded, making it a good place for reading.

What pleased him even more was that the stone table outside the hall was particularly clean, with the north side sheltered from the sunlight. It was perfect for sitting and doing exercises on the table.

When the sun was about to set, Su Qian, who had caught several spotted doves and wild rabbits outside the temple, returned inside. As soon as he entered, he saw a scholarly man sitting upright and proper. It was Ning Caichen.

Su Qian walked quietly, not wanting to disturb the person who was working on the questions.

"Clang..."

Helplessly, just as I stepped into the courtyard, the plaque of the long-standing "Lanruo Temple," which had already been weathered by wind and rain, finally fell down...

The scholar sitting on the stone bench to do his tasks seemed to be startled at this moment. His slightly frail back trembled ever so slightly.

Su Qian first spoke, saying, "Brother."

Upon hearing someone, the scholar turned around and saw that it was a person entering the temple. With courtesy, he stood up and greeted them with a slight bow.

I am Ning Caichen," said the scholar, his voice clear and melodious.

Su Qian felt secretly delighted in his heart. The crucial figure who would rescue Xiao Qian had finally appeared. He smiled faintly and took the initiative to strike up a conversation, saying, "Yan Chixia, brother, were you the scholar who went to Hangzhou for the provincial examination?"

"Indeed," Ning Caichen replied as he walked towards Su Qian.

It was clearly a figure in a green robe, but the footsteps were light and graceful, with a slender and elegant physique. The body emitted a fragrant scent, with a breath as refreshing as orchids, even surpassing that of a woman.

This scholar is completely different from the scholar I saw earlier. There is a kind of comfortable temperament about him.

Although it was so, Su Qian couldn't help but furrow his brows faintly. This Ning Caichen was probably around 1.6 meters tall, roughly a head shorter than Nie Xiaoqian. Could she really be interested in him...

After stopping, Ning Caichen said, "I would like to stay overnight in the temple. I wonder if Brother Yan is available?"

"The owner of this house is not me, I am just staying here temporarily. This place is desolate. If Brother is willing to stay here, I can also ask you some questions if you have any doubts," Su Qian said with a cheerful smile.

Looks can be deceiving, but even in terms of etiquette alone, this person is several times more impressive than the scholar I met earlier this morning.

"Thank you very much then." Ning Caichen was somewhat puzzled, "Yan Xiong, your accent doesn't sound like a local."

"I am from Shaanxi," Yan Chixia said.

Ning Caichen nodded, thinking to himself that it was strange for someone who wasn't a local to come here for an examination. However, this person never mentioned once that he came here to participate in the examination.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and Ning Caichen fell silent.

Su Qian took the initiative to speak, "I am a swordsman, and I can also be considered a Taoist."

Ning Caichen suddenly became interested and asked, "Are you a Taoist capable of capturing ghosts?"

Su Qian thought to himself, "I was afraid you wouldn't ask." He replied, "Exactly."

"Are there really demons and monsters in this world?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever vanquished demons and ghosts?"

"Yup."

"What magical weapon do you use to vanquish demons and ghosts?"

"Jian." Su Qian replied smoothly, pointing at the hare he had just hunted, and joked, "These wild game are actually transformed monsters, but they're good ones. If you eat them, you might hit the jackpot."

"Do ghosts and monsters also have good and evil distinctions?"

"Of course, people are divided between good and evil, and naturally, so are ghosts and monsters."