Judging from the title, it seems to be a travelogue recording Zhang Tianshi's experience in subduing demons. It should be not much different from some of the vernacular novels he had seen before, most of which were strange stories fabricated by later generations.
Shen Luo didn't care much about it. He shook off the dust on it and put it into his sleeve pocket.
Afterwards, he looked through the remaining tables and chairs, but found nothing else, so he gave up, left the utility room, and returned to Qingshiping.
The quiet room in Qingshiping is a two-story townhouse with about twenty small rooms on each floor. Some of the disciples in the temple live here.
Shen Luo’s quiet room is on the far right of the first floor, adjacent to the cliff.
The disciples' quiet rooms were not big. Apart from a bed, a table and chairs, there was nothing else. Shen Luo's was no exception.
As soon as he opened the door, a strong smell of pine scent hit him in the face, causing Shen Luo to wrinkle his nose.
There are many incenses such as sandalwood and pine resin in the temple, and the temple never forbids disciples from using them, because usually when practicing meditation, having these incenses to concentrate the mind and calm the spirit can make it easier for people to enter a state of concentration.
But other people would just light up one and smell a slight aroma, no one would make it so strong like he did, it was almost choking.
However, there is nothing we can do about it.
Shen Luo's room was blocked from most of the sunlight by a crooked welcoming pine tree on the cliff, so it was already a bit cool and damp. On the desk in the room were dozens of ancient books that he had collected from various places in the temple. Most of them were covered with mold, so one could imagine the smell.
If it weren't for the rosin, it would be impossible to stay in this room.
Shen Luo was used to this. He went to sit down at the table against the wall, took out the newly brought back book "Chronicles of Zhang Tianshi Conquering Demons" from his sleeve pocket and placed it on the table.
The appearance of this book looks okay, except for the mildew spots on the cover which look a bit disgusting, the rest is quite complete. It is much better than most of the books in Shen Luo's collection.
He first picked up the kettle on the table and gulped down half a pot of water. After resting for half an incense stick, he finally recovered a little.
He opened the cover of the ancient book, revealing a yellowed page with a picture of a short and fat Taoist wearing a lotus crown and a seven-star robe. He was making hand gestures with one hand and holding a sword with the other, looking like a furious Vajra.
It looks like a portrait of Zhang Tianshi, but the lines are rough and it looks mostly freehand. After all, if a real person looked like this, he would be more ferocious and terrifying than a ghost.
Shen Luo smiled, turned the title page, and began to read the contents behind.
Upon seeing this, Shen Luo's attention was immediately attracted to it. The content recorded in the book was indeed a strange novel, telling many anecdotes about Zhang Tianshi exorcising demons and ghosts in the Lingnan area.
The book does not record the year, so the time cannot be verified, but the place names are clearly written. They are all place names that can be researched and searched at present, so they are probably not too long ago.
This Zhang Tianshi is a Taoist master who has mastered the secret techniques of alchemy and talismans. He is able to refine elixirs and make talismans. In the book, he subdued dozens of ghosts and many monsters such as rat spirits and fox spirits.