Divine Level Witch Doctor

Having lost interest, Ying Ji didn’t want to linger. She urged them, ”You got your autographs and posted the group photo to your socials. That should be enough, right? I want to walk around and look at the sights. We had an accident yesterday before we could take any scenic pictures. We can’t waste today, too.”

Zhao Yuan asked around and learned that they were a group of amateur travel photographers who often organized trips together. Yesterday, they’d arrived in the mountain village and hired Feng Ming as their guide. As a few of the girls were posing for photos on a scenic hillside, one of them missed her footing and tumbled down the slope. At the critical moment, Feng Ming had thrown himself in front of the girl to protect her, but a tree branch had pierced his femoral artery in the process.

The girl Feng Ming had saved didn’t come up the mountain today; she had stayed behind at the county hospital to take care of him.

Zhao Yuan couldn’t help but think, ’If Feng Ming’s act of heroism wins him a wife, then it wouldn’t be a total loss. But that’s highly unlikely. Judging by the way these people are dressed, you can tell they come from money. They’d probably look down on someone like Feng Ming.’

Although Deng Chang and the other two wanted to chat with Zhao Yuan a little longer, they couldn’t hold out against Ying Ji, who was constantly hurrying them along. They gave up and said with resignation, ”Zhao Yuan, we’ll be going then. Let’s keep in touch by phone and WeChat.”

Zhao Yuan thought to himself, ’This Ying Ji must be here for the Top Grade Thunderstruck Wood. Travel photography? Not a bad excuse.’

An idea struck him, and he said, ”You aren’t familiar with this area. It would be terrible if you got lost. How about this? I don’t have anything better to do, so why don’t I act as your guide?”

He volunteered so he could monitor Ying Ji from up close and prevent this woman who dealt with Ghosts from doing anything to harm him, his family, or the village!

Before Ying Ji could react, Deng Chang and the other two exclaimed in excitement, ”That’s wonderful! You’re a local, Zhao Yuan. With you as our guide, we definitely won’t get lost. And we can keep talking along the way. I have so many things I want to ask you.”

Seeing that her companions had already agreed, Ying Ji found it difficult to refuse and could only agree with a frown.

The group started by walking around the village, taking photos. The pristine scenery of the small mountain village was a refreshing novelty for these city-dwellers, and their cameras clicked away nonstop.

Although Ying Ji was also holding a camera and taking pictures, it was easy to see she was just going through the motions, a stark contrast to her companions’ high spirits.

On this note, Zhao Yuan asked Deng Chang, ”Your companion doesn’t seem to be a big fan of photography, does she?”

”You mean Ying Ji?” Deng Chang glanced over at her. ”That’s just her personality. She’s always cold and a little withdrawn, no matter what’s going on. But she’s a good person at heart. When Feng Ming was injured yesterday, we were all scared stiff. She was the first one to react, using her scarf as a makeshift bandage and pressing down hard on the wound on his leg to stop the bleeding.”

”Is that so?” Zhao Yuan nodded.

’So, according to Deng Chang, Ying Ji didn’t just stand by and watch after Feng Ming was injured; she actively helped. Then why didn’t she step in to save her companion when she fell? Was she trying to hide her strength? Or do Cultivators of the Witch and Priest School simply not possess the same level of martial prowess as Martial Arts Cultivators?’

Just then, Ying Ji’s gaze shifted to him. Though her interest in Zhao Yuan had plummeted, there was one thing she was still quite curious about. ”I heard from Deng Chang that your medical skills are incredible,” she asked, ”and that you even defeated a Noble Family of medicine. I’m very curious, where did you learn such superb skills? I hear you’re only a college freshman, and from what I can tell, no one in this village knows medicine. You couldn’t have been born with this knowledge, could you?”

”Born with the knowledge? That’s what a transmigrator gets, right?” Zhao Yuan joked before continuing, ”Actually, there used to be someone in our village who knew medicine—the Daoist at the village temple. Unfortunately, he’s passed away. I learned my medical skills from him.”

These words were half-truth, half-lie.

The Daoist had been real, and it was true that he knew medicine; the only part that was a lie was that Zhao Yuan had studied under him. But since not even the villagers could tell the difference, how could outsiders like Ying Ji and her friends possibly see through the ruse?

Deng Chang, Yang Li, and Wu Mei looked at him with admiration. ”If he taught you to be this good, then just how incredible must that Elder Daoist’s medical skills have been? To think that such a reclusive master physician was hiding out in a remote mountain village.”

Ying Ji, however, raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She squinted, studying Zhao Yuan again, but unfortunately, she still couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

With the help of his Creation Technique, Zhao Yuan’s Essence Qi was completely contained. No matter how powerful Ying Ji was, she couldn’t find any flaw in his composure.

Zhao Yuan, on the other hand, noticed her expression and thought, ’She really is here for the Top Grade Thunderstruck Wood!’

”Can you take me to see your village temple?” Ying Ji retracted her scrutinizing gaze and made a request.

Zhao Yuan nodded. ”Of course, but it’s completely run-down and deserted. I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”

Yang Li laughed. ”It’s no problem. Ying Ji loves visiting Daoist Temples and shrines, especially dilapidated and abandoned ones. She says that in places like that, you can see the weight and depth of history.”

Wu Mei added, ”Well, what do you expect from an archaeology major? This is right up her alley.”

Zhao Yuan understood. ’Seeing the ”weight and depth of history” is just a lie,’ he thought. ’The real reason is to look for treasure, isn’t it? Still, archaeology is a pretty creative excuse.’

The group soon arrived at the village’s ruined temple.

Once inside, Ying Ji took out a Compass, rested it in her palm, and began to walk around.

”There she goes again.” Deng Chang slapped his forehead and proactively explained to Zhao Yuan, ”Ying Ji isn’t just interested in archaeology; she loves studying feng shui, too. Whenever we visit an ancient site, she always studies its feng shui layout.”

Zhao Yuan smiled. ”I see. Miss Ying’s hobbies are quite retro.”

In reality, he knew exactly what she was doing. The moment Ying Ji took out the Compass, information had appeared on his Information Leaf: Qi-Seeking Compass, an auxiliary-type Magical Artifact. Used to survey and search for Qi-Containing Materials.

Ying Ji was clearly looking for the Top Grade Thunderstruck Wood. Unfortunately for her, she was destined to fail, as the treasure had already been safely stored in Zhao Yuan’s Storage Ring.

After searching the entire area, Ying Ji came up empty-handed. ’So the treasure really was taken by those two men in black,’ she thought grimly. ’Hmph. Taking the treasure is one thing, but they also injured my Ghost Spirit. If I ever find out who you are, I won’t let you off lightly!’

Little did she know, the person who had actually taken the treasure was standing right behind her, watching her in secret.