He Qing was waiting for them at the appointed place.
It was quite eye - catching. Two large stone lions stood at the entrance.
Behind them was a mountain. After climbing the steps and entering the mountain gate, a large square came into view.
There were quite a few people on the large square. The dressing styles of several people were particularly familiar. Obviously, they had met them at the foot of the mountain.
The so - called opening sermon was actually a bit boring.
Most of it was just reading from the script.
They talked about clichés or some mysterious things that others couldn't understand.
After several organizers took turns to speak, it was time for everyone to move freely.
At this time, the contestants or the families could get to know each other. It was the best time for socializing.
He Qing intended to introduce Nian Nian into his circle. When it was time for free communication, he took her to find his friends.
"Let me introduce you. This is Yu Nian Nian. You can call her Nian Nian. Don't be fooled by her young age. She has great skills. She has also signed up for the upcoming competition."
There stood a boy and a girl in front of He Qing.
The girl had a baby face and big eyes. She looked about eighteen or nineteen years old and was very lively.
The other boy looked a bit gloomy, with his eyes half - closed, giving people the impression that he didn't care about others.
Nian Nian politely smiled at them and greeted them.
The baby - faced girl immediately squatted down, picked up Nian Nian's little hand, and exclaimed, "Wow, you're the youngest Taoist novice in the competition's history, aren't you? You're so cute! My name is Fan Jing Jing. You can call me Jing Jing. I'm the heir of the Corpse - Driving Clan."
"Hello, Sister Jing Jing."
Nian Nian pursed her lips and greeted Fan Jing Jing with a smile.
But when she heard that the other person was from the Corpse - Driving Clan.
Her mind went blank for a moment.
Why did it seem like she had met them before?
But the aura on the sister was very strange. She should have never met her before.
In Taoyuan Village last time, it seemed that people from the Corpse - Driving Clan had attacked her.
Shen Wei Xun, who was standing beside them, also frowned slightly and sized up Fan Jing Jing.
But judging from the other person's age, she shouldn't be the one who attacked them that day.
"Wu Mo, from the Tomb - Raiding Clan."
The cold - looking boy also introduced himself.
Tomb - raiding experts.
Nian Nian blinked her eyes.
It was really rare to see such inheritors nowadays.
"Are you two going to participate in the competition, too?"
"Well, I'm not. There's nothing special about corpse - driving to show off. But Wu Mo is participating. He's good at feng shui."
Feng shui?!
When Nian Nian looked at Wu Mo again, she immediately labeled him as a competitor.
Hmm...
As the heir of the Tomb - Raiding Clan, he should be good at finding dragons and feng shui.
She hoped he wouldn't be a very powerful opponent.
"By the way, have you heard that there's another story about this year's competition? It's not just for exchange. It seems to be for selecting people to join the Dragon Team. Besides the orthodox Taoist skills, there are also some small internal competitions. Those who win all have the chance to be selected into the Dragon Team. Now people from the four factions are all gearing up to win a spot in the Dragon Team."
Fan Jing Jing suddenly lowered her voice, as if this information was very important.
But Nian Nian didn't understand a word.
"What's the Dragon Team? And what are the four factions?"
Nian Nian really knew nothing about this. Their small Taoist temple was located on a small hill.
They didn't communicate with other Taoists either.
Maybe Taoist Priest Qing Yun knew more, but he never told his apprentices about these things.
"Ah? You don't even know these things?"
Fan Jing Jing looked surprised. She looked at the little girl as if she were looking at some strange creature.
"I really don't know much. Is there a problem?"
Nian Nian's eyes were so pure and innocent that Fan Jing Jing then realized that the girl in front of her was only six years old.
It seemed normal for her not to know.
"Well... nothing. The four factions refer to the factions spontaneously organized by local folk families from different places in the east, west, south, and north. But folk customs are generally not recognized. Although we have a foothold in the metaphysical world, we are still far behind the orthodox Taoist sect."
"You can understand the Dragon Team as an official metaphysical organization. Those who can work there are all outstanding in metaphysics. In the past, it was all internal selection, and most of them only recruited Taoists, not us folk people. But this year, somehow, it's spread that they're going to recruit us as well."
"It's said that this exchange conference is the first step for the Dragon Team to select people. The treatment in the Dragon Team is very good, and there are also many resources. If you can be recruited and learn from the seniors for a few years, your cultivation will surely progress much faster than when we actively look for tasks to practice. So there are still many people who want to join the Dragon Team."
Fan Jing Jing patiently explained these things to Nian Nian. At first glance, joining the Dragon Team seemed to have many advantages.
But if you thought about it carefully, joining an organization meant being restricted by certain rules.
Nian Nian didn't like rules and restrictions. After thinking for a while, she didn't care much about this news.
"Okay."
Seeing that the little girl wasn't very interested in this news, Fan Jing Jing sensibly didn't continue.
But Shen Wei Xun was still a bit worried. He asked indirectly, "Are there many inheritors in your Corpse - Driving Clan?"
"Ah? Why do you ask... Of course not. Who would want to learn this nowadays? Besides, in this society, there aren't so many corpses for us to drive. Even if you learn this skill, it will just go to waste. In fact, most folk customs are like this. We just continue to inherit them so as not to let the skills of our ancestors be lost. After all, it's something passed down from our ancestors. In my hometown, there should be only three or four inheritors of the Corpse - Driving Clan now."
This wasn't a secret, so Fan Jing Jing didn't avoid it.
She came to this metaphysical exchange conference just for fun.
Participate in the competition?
In what?
In who can drive a fresher corpse?!
It's impossible to go to the cemetery and dig out a few corpses to drive.
There was no hope for the Dragon Team. Their declining family should just have some fun.
"Are there any paper - craftsmen participating in this exchange conference this year?"
They had encountered people from the Holy Cult several times before, and they all had some puppet paper people in their hands.
Those paper people were so lifelike that they were almost the same as real people.
Without some amazing inherited skills, it was impossible to do so.
It wasn't difficult to find folk inheritances like paper - craftsmen everywhere, but there weren't many paper - craftsmen who could make paper people move.
If there were any at this year's metaphysical exchange conference, maybe they could find the one who colluded with the Holy Cult from the traces of their competition.