Chapter 60: Chapter Sixty: The Butcher Shop

Ordinarily, if a demon or ghost conceals its aura, most spellcasters cannot detect it, but if one kills too many people or acts too recklessly, various abnormalities will naturally reveal themselves.

For instance, the courtyard and two shops that Gu Zhao discovered when he last came to Xiuyue County.

"What would this honored guest like to order?"

At the entrance of the butcher shop, a burly man with a protruding chest and belly held a sharp knife in his hand, yet he looked at the group with a full smile. "All are living creatures killed fresh this morning; they are very fresh."

"What kinds of meat do you have here?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Mutton! Dog meat!" The big man pointed to the meat on the block, then to the meat hanging on the iron hooks around them. "Fresh, tender, fragrant, and smooth; roasting or stewing it at home is the most delicious."

Gu Zhao looked at the shop, then at the big man.

This butcher shop was located at the end of a side street; the room had no windows, pitch black so nothing could be seen, only the cutting board, knives, and some scattered bones and flesh could be made out.

A rack stood at the shop entrance, holding more than ten iron hooks with over a dozen pieces of fresh meat hanging from them, shaved of hair and deboned; there was also a cutting board with several large chunks of meat spread out on it, marbled with fat and lean, cut evenly.

The big man wore coarse cloth short clothes, a square hat on his head, and his chest was open; although he looked fat, large, and rough, he was covered in smiles, giving people a feeling of a kind personality.

Gu Zhao looked at the big man, then at the meat around him. "Is it really mutton and dog meat?"

"How could it be fake?" The big man laughed, picked up a piece of meat from the block, and said, "Honored guest, look, it is clearly a goat's front leg!"

Gu Zhao took the piece of meat, his eye corner twitched involuntarily, and he subconsciously put the piece of meat back.

"I think your meat isn't very fresh," Daoist Yan Song said, stepping forward. "Was it really killed this morning?"

"Of course!" The big man patted his chest. "I slaughter sheep and kill dogs every morning; the neighbors can all hear it; how could I fake it?"

Gu Zhao looked inside the shop. "Do you raise sheep and dogs in the backyard?"

The big man snorted. "You little brat are so ignorant; how can one raise sheep in the county town? I collect sheep and dogs at nearby towns after closing up shop every day and rush back overnight to slaughter and sell them."

Just then, a peddler carrying a shoulder pole turned specifically into the alley. "Chu Da, cut me half a jin of dog meat; I'm going back to make buns."

"Alright!"

Chu Da picked up the sharp knife, skillfully cut a piece of meat, weighed it on the scale, then wrapped it in oil paper, tied it with a straw rope, and handed it to the peddler. "Five taels and six qian; I'll count it as half a jin for you."

"Chu Da is righteous; I'll treat you to a drink next time." The peddler put the meat into his carrying basket, then hummed a little tune and left.

Chu Da waved at the peddler with a smile, watched him leave, and only then looked at Gu Zhao and the others. "You must be from out of town coming to stay with relatives; you'll know after living here a while. My Chu Da's meat is always very fresh."

Daoist Yan Song wore a blue long robe and a mixed-origin hat that wrapped the head and protected the neck; he looked like an old man afraid of wind and cold.

The embroiderer wore a green floral cloth dress; although clean, it was already old, and she looked innocent and naive, not like someone who had seen the world.

Only Gu Zhao looked young and strong, with clear eyebrows and a handsome face; his green robe was relatively new, but it looked simple and plain, not luxurious.

This combination was obviously a young master from a declining family bringing an old servant and a maid; since they were not locals and did not stay with their own fallen family assets, they must have come to stay with relatives; coming here to buy meat...

Thinking of this, Chu Da looked at the bundle on the embroiderer's back, his heart stirred, then looked at Gu Zhao and the embroiderer; a barely noticeable smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "You are buying meat to give as a gift, right? Have you not yet visited their door?"

"Not yet." Gu Zhao followed Chu Da's lead and asked tentatively, "Is there some reason for you to ask this?"

"Young Master has asked the right person. The meat outside here is all small pieces, just for neighbors to buy and eat at home; if given as a gift, it would be somewhat unsightly."

Chu Da's smile grew a bit more, revealing his front teeth. "I have a few whole-cut sheep legs inside my room; they are most suitable for visiting and giving as gifts."

Afraid Gu Zhao might be unwilling, Chu Da emphasized specifically, "Young Master found my place on his first entry into the city; we can count this as fate. Today is our first meeting, and there will be future interactions; I will calculate it cheaper for you."

Gu Zhao and Daoist Yan Song exchanged a glance, then said to Chu Da, "Then we trouble you."

"No trouble, no trouble; honored guests, come in and pick!" Chu Da laughed, moved aside, and then glanced sideways at the outside.

The remote street was empty; the peddler from just now had already turned out of the street.

"He won't be moving in broad daylight, will he?" Daoist Yan Song transmitted a voice in surprise. "There are other shops nearby, and residents around; isn't he afraid of being discovered?"

"Last time I came, whether it was that painting demon or the Golden Wind Hall Divine General, they all made their moves during the day," Gu Zhao said gloomily. "Ordinary people have no power to fight back; as long as one avoids the line of sight and doesn't make too much commotion, what's the difference between day and night?"

"Makes sense." Daoist Yan Song nodded, then followed behind Chu Da into the butcher shop.

The three walked past Chu Da one after another; Chu Da casually closed the shop door, then led the three around the main hall, through a narrow passage, walking fully more than ten meters before arriving at the door of a room in the back.

Hearing the footsteps following behind him, Chu Da's smile became even more unrestrained; as if wanting to watch a good show, he pulled open the door, bowed, and invited, "Please, honored guests, come in!"

As soon as the door opened, a heavy smell of blood rushed to their faces; only a dim light shone down from the paper window inside the room, making it impossible to see clearly what was inside for a moment.

A bad premonition suddenly surged in Gu Zhao's heart; he pinched his nose and stepped back, blocking the embroiderer who wanted to move forward.

"Young Master?" The embroiderer looked at Gu Zhao.

Gu Zhao looked at Chu Da. "We won't go in; please just fetch a piece of sheep leg for us."

Chu Da stood at the door, inviting earnestly. "There are many sheep legs inside; Young Master, come in and take a look; pick one yourself."

"Really no need." Gu Zhao refused again. "The smell inside this house is a bit strong; I won't go in."

Seeing Gu Zhao pinching his nose, Chu Da sneered and curled his lips disdainfully; he did not force the issue. Then, as if thinking of something interesting again, he nodded and went into the back room. "Young Master, wait a moment; I'll pick a good one for you!"

Seeing Chu Da enter the room, Gu Zhao looked at Daoist Yan Song. "What is in the room?"

Just now, while Gu Zhao was talking to Chu Da, Daoist Yan Song had stretched his neck slightly to take a look; ordinary people couldn't see anything, but Daoist Yan Song could naturally see the situation inside clearly.

"A classic scene from horror movies." Daoist Yan Song also stepped back. "You wouldn't want to see it."

The next moment, Chu Da walked out of the room excitedly, holding a skull head in one hand and pinching a human spine in the other, with dead flesh and blood still remaining on it.

Chu Da's face was ferocious; he grinned and laughed loudly. "Look at this, how about..."

Then he saw that the three people who had just seemed like a down-and-out young master, an old servant, and a maid had changed.

The down-and-out young master was expressionless, forming a seal and chanting a spell; a magnificent and vast aura surged out from his body.

The old servant suddenly had a red mask appear on his face; one hand was at his abdomen, the other at his chest, with his index and middle fingers joined and pointing at himself.

A white fox suddenly appeared on the maid's shoulder; she looked at herself with tension and seriousness, holding a green feather fan in her hand, radiating waves of spiritual power.

Chu Da's laughter stopped abruptly.

"Gah?"