The afterglow was intense.

The dying rays, blood-red, spilled over the two of them, making their hair look as if it had been splashed with a layer of blood.

The one knocking at the door was a chubby middle-aged man. He leaned against the door, struggling to lift himself up and peer into the temple, and immediately locked eyes with Samuel.

Samuel instinctively felt a bit nervous.

This was the first person he had seen since crossing over.

And he had a gut feeling that there was something off about the arrival of these two.

Just as he was about to carefully ponder what was wrong, the plump middle-aged man greeted him, “Taiyi Savior of the Suffering, I am David Carter, greetings, young man!”

“May I ask, young man, where is Master Four-Eyes? I have urgent business with him.”

Hearing the other mention his own master, Samuel instinctively thought of the food that had been taken away.

This made him instantly both depressed and sorrowful.

He replied gloomily, “You’ve come at a bad time, benefactor. My master left a few days ago.”

Seeing his mood shift, David Carter’s face immediately turned ashen. “What? Master Four-Eyes is gone? When did he leave? The last time we met was a year ago—I never thought that would be our final farewell…”

His watery eyes squeezed out tears, and his eyes instantly reddened.

“It’s not a final farewell, Benefactor Carter, you misunderstood me!” Samuel hurried to explain, “My master left, ran away, went down the mountain to travel and save the world—he’s not gone, not dead, not passed away, not kicked the bucket.”

He believed this explanation was enough to clearly account for his cheap master’s departure.

Since the visitor was an old acquaintance of the temple, there was no reason to leave him waiting outside.

So Samuel stepped forward and said, “Benefactor Carter, please come in. What’s wrong with the elderly gentleman on your back? Come, let me give you a hand. Please, come in and have a seat and rest.”

Seeing him reach out toward his own back, David Carter looked shocked. “W-what elderly gentleman on my back? I came here alone!”

As he spoke—

The skinny old man lying on his back slowly lifted his head to look at Samuel.

A face so pale that even the age spots were white!

Chapter 002: Gaining Treasure and Silver

The deathly pale old face turned toward Samuel.

The drooping eyelids slowly opened, revealing two pitch-black, unvaried eyeballs.

Samuel stared blankly at the old face: Confirmed by the look in his eyes—this is not a living person!

David Carter saw him staring intently at his own back and started to panic.

He asked in terror, “Little Daoist, w-what did you see? What did you just say—what elderly gentleman?”

As he spoke, he turned his head to look around. From his expression, Samuel could tell he couldn’t see the skinny old man on his own back.

The old man was clearly not human. His eye sockets were filled with deep blackness, and two streams of blackness were spreading from the corners of his eyes down his face…

Realizing this, he acted immediately!

With his right hand, he dragged the table from outside inside; with his left, he slammed the main door shut and bolted it from the inside; then with his right hand, he pushed the table against the door and darted into the main hall.

He’d seen a ghost!

Ancestor, save me!

This damn place isn’t a materialist world!

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

The pounding on the door followed him inside.

David Carter shouted from outside, “Little Daoist, open the door! What’s wrong with you? No, help! Little Daoist, save me, save me!”

Samuel wasn’t the type to stand by and watch someone die.

But he was just an ordinary young man.

Even though he was now in a Daoist temple and wearing Daoist robes, he was a fake Daoist—how could he possibly save someone from a ghost?

Besides, he’d seen it clearly just now: that old ghost was clinging tightly to David Carter, his two old legs wrapped around him like tree roots—clearly intent on entangling him to death!

How was he supposed to save anyone?

In fact, let alone saving someone else, how was he supposed to save his own skin?

As he anxiously panicked, there was a crash and a bang from outside. A battered, timeworn door, unable to withstand David Carter’s strength, was pushed open, toppling the table!

As soon as the door opened, David Carter rushed into the temple:

“Sorry, Little Daoist, I didn’t mean it! Please save me, save my life! If you can save me, I’ll buy the temple a new door—a Western-style gilded iron gate!”

The old ghost on his back had already turned from deathly pale to pitch black.

Bouncing along, it gradually straightened up. When David Carter reached the main hall entrance, its legs stayed wrapped around him like tree roots, but its body stretched out eerily, and with arms spread wide like an old man pushing a cart, it lunged at Samuel!

Just like a giant python darting out of its lair!

Its mouth gaped open, a pitch-black tongue flickering in and out.

This made it look even more like a python.

The attack was fierce and fast as lightning—Samuel’s heart sank.

He was doomed!

Just as the old ghost, claws bared, lunged into the main hall, the envelope he’d pressed under the incense burner earlier suddenly burst into flames on its own.

The envelope burned quickly, transforming into a blazing golden light that swept across like a bolt of lightning.

In an instant.

The old ghost’s figure froze in the main hall.

Samuel immediately understood: this letter really could save his life, but it wasn’t the contents of the letter that mattered—it was the envelope.

This envelope was a powerful talisman, capable of immobilizing demons and ghosts.

The old ghost was subdued.

Now what?

Running was useless—he’d shut the door and run into the temple earlier, but the ghost had followed him right in.