"Yo, little disciple! We finally found you guys. We've rescued this little merman. We also found Liu Chuchen's two younger sisters in the basement, and the idols that have a bond with Nian Nian. Those idols are a bit of a headache. Third, hurry up and call some people to take the idols to your place. We'll figure them out slowly."
Just then, the voice of Taoist Priest Qingyun suddenly came from behind.
The eldest senior brother was beside him.
The little merman was right next to the eldest senior brother.
The little merman timidly looked at them, clutching the eldest senior brother's sleeve tightly and refusing to let go.
Mu Yanchen looked helpless, and his body was a bit stiff.
It was obvious that he wanted to avoid suspicion, but he couldn't.
"Alas, who are these two?"
Taoist Priest Qingyun finally noticed Meng Chang and the other person.
Seeing them standing with his little disciple, he didn't feel too vigilant.
Unexpectedly, Meng Chang's fanboy persona kicked in. He let out a loud shout and rushed towards Taoist Priest Qingyun at full speed like a sprinter in a 100 - meter dash.
Then he knelt on the ground and slid forward in one smooth motion. He hugged Taoist Priest Qingyun's thigh and said, "Please accept me as your disciple, Master. Please accept this disciple's bow!"
As he said that, he was about to kowtow three times.
Taoist Priest Qingyun almost jumped out of his skin in shock.
Where did this crazy person come from?
Coming up and wanting to kowtow and recognize him as a master?
He quickly reached out and supported Meng Chang, preventing him from kowtowing. Taoist Priest Qingyun let out a sigh of relief and looked at this young man with a strange expression.
He could tell that the young man looked decent, but he just seemed a bit simple - minded.
Oh, his body was black.
Could he be a mentally - handicapped laborer who escaped from a black coal mine?
"Master, Master, are you not willing to accept me as your disciple? I have great talent. I don't have a master either. I've grown up listening to your legends in the martial arts world. My greatest wish in this life is to be your disciple. I've refused others who wanted me as their disciple just to wait for you!
You can rest assured that as long as you accept me as your disciple, I'll take good care of you. No matter what your requirements are, I'll try my best to meet them. I'll even take care of you in your old age and see you off in the end.
A master is like a father. You'll be my real father from now on!"
Meng Chang didn't give Taoist Priest Qingyun a chance to speak at all. He was so eager that he was almost about to swear.
"Who are you? I don't even know you. Why should I accept you as my disciple? And looking at your age, you should be about the same as my eldest disciple. You've long passed the age for learning from a master. Moreover, I accept disciples based on fate, not talent."
Taoist Priest Qingyun was hopping mad. The word "disgust" was almost written on his face.
He looked at Nian Nian and Shen Weixun for help, but these two kids simply ignored his signal for help.
One looked up at the sky, and the other played with a bell. Neither of them paid any attention to him.
The reason Nian Nian ignored her master was simple. This big brother was so sincere.
Most importantly, she saw that this big brother indeed had a master - disciple fate with her master.
Maybe this person would be her future junior brother.
So the little dumpling simply didn't want to pay attention.
She had always been the youngest in the Taoist temple. It was nice that her senior brothers and master doted on her, but she also wanted to experience being a senior sister.
Hehe.
"Meng Chang, you've scared Taoist Priest Qingyun. And we still have important things to do. Why don't you leave your contact information and discuss the matter of becoming a disciple with Taoist Priest Qingyun later? Besides, there are proper rituals for becoming a disciple. Who in their right mind thinks that just kneeling down means becoming a disciple?"
Luo Song finally couldn't stand it anymore. He stepped forward and pulled Meng Chang up from the ground.
"Alas, who is this person?"
Only then did Taoist Priest Qingyun notice the old man on the ground who had lost his hands and feet and was crawling around, trying to slip away.
"Ah, this is the paper - figurine maker who often causes trouble for us. His hands and feet have been eaten clean by the hungry ghosts."
Hearing her master ask about the old man's identity, Nian Nian finally responded.
She quickly explained.
Taoist Priest Qingyun didn't know if he wanted to quickly divert Meng Chang's attention or if he really cared about this old man. He simply shook off Meng Chang and took three steps in two to get to the old man. Then he started punching and kicking him.
"Is it you who wanted to abduct my disciple? Is it you, you bastard, who has caused us trouble again and again? Today, this old Taoist must teach you a lesson and let you know that evil will never prevail over good!"
Poor old man, at his age, was being beaten on the ground. He howled in pain, rolling left and right, but he just couldn't escape.
Having already lost his hands and feet, he was like a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.
For a handicraftsman like the paper - figurine maker, losing his hands meant that he would never be able to perform any magic again.
He was now no different from an ordinary person.
Except that his body was a bit tougher than an ordinary person's.
When he saw the little merman with Taoist Priest Qingyun and the others, he knew that the situation was lost today.
This little merman was extremely important to the cult. The reason he had been stalling for time was that he was certain that the cult would send someone to capture the little merman again.
It didn't matter that the fusion of the evil idols had failed. As long as the little merman's soul was still there, it was okay.
But now, all his actions had failed.
For the cult, he was already a discarded pawn.
The commotion here was too big. Whether the cult was exposed to the official departments or to Nian Nian and the others, it was undoubtedly dangerous.
The cult had been scheming for so many years and would never take the risk to rescue him, a paper - figurine maker.
The old man's face was ashen. Just as he was about to breathe his last, he was finally stopped by Luo Song.
"Taoist Priest Qingyun, please wait. He still has some use. If you beat him to death like this, it will be difficult for us. What are these evil idols you just mentioned?"
Taoist Priest Qingyun gave him a puzzled look and then looked at Nian Nian and Shen Weixun.
His look seemed to be asking, How did these two come here without even knowing what the evil idols are?
"They were attracted here by the thunderbolt summoned by Nian Nian. They probably haven't figured out the situation yet."
Shen Weixun explained helplessly.
"Oh, I knew that the vigilance of your official departments is really too poor. They built a nest right under your noses and carried out this kind of sacrifice activity, but you didn't notice at all."
Taoist Priest Qingyun curled his lips, seemingly looking down on the official departments very much.
Judging from his appearance, one could tell that the master must have dealt with the official departments before.
It had even caused his dissatisfaction.
The little dumpling's eyes suddenly lit up.
It seemed that there was another story to listen to!
"Yes, yes, it's our fault. Then could you please tell us the ins and outs of the matter?"