[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h":3,"chapter-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-142":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Devouring Evil, Exterminating Demons Across All Heavens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2267087,4426,"Chapter 142: Cultivating Courage, Calmness, and Strength","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-142",142,"\u003Cp>Cock-a-doodle-doo!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the chicken farm, the rooster’s crow echoed far and wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As dawn broke, Guangling, like a sleeping giant, finally freed itself from the chaotic, uneasy breathing of the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early morning, its breath settled into a calm rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu looked at the sky and stopped walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it was light, even if a few lingering evil spirits or wraiths remained, they’d surely have hidden underground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night, he gathered an enormous quantity of evil spirit materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The list and annotations on the token screen took ages to scroll through before reaching the bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as solid and reassuring as counting up one’s bank deposits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the powerful evil spirit that had played music at the crossroads was already slain in a bloody siege by the vice principal and others by the time he arrived,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even the combined total of all the other evil spirits was more than three times what he’d collected in the Tang world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too bad it still caused casualties among the townspeople. If only there were some abandoned place we could slowly clear out, that’d be perfect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid his joy, Chu Tianshu felt a faint pang of reflection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans are truly greedy—and they grow greedier by the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They want only benefits, never losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After passing through the city at night, patrolling its perimeter and hunting evil spirits, he now returned near Jindao Martial School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, with students sent home and all capable individuals out fighting, the school should’ve been deserted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, it was crowded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those commissioned by Jindao Martial School to scout at night and who were wounded had gathered here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Special Ops team’s injured, along with civilians brought in by medical vans, were also being treated here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head cooks in the cafeteria had worked through the night, preparing meals to replenish everyone’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with lighter injuries or who possessed cultivation and could endure it simply rested in the cafeteria.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The big cafeteria was noisy and chaotic—more lively than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chu Tianshu entered, he saw Lin Baishui with a bandage around his neck, his left arm suspended, his right hand casually inserting needles with pinpoint accuracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A companion stood beside him, holding a tray filled with silver needles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui looked exhausted but brightened instantly upon seeing him: “Tianshu! Come, come, quick, help out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re short on medics, and I’ve injured one hand—thankfully yours are both fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, you don’t need to needle them—just feel their pulses and call out the acupoints. I’ll insert the needles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu smiled and stepped forward, placing one hand on each patient’s pulse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d intended to feel the pulse normally, but suddenly thought of something and subtly infused his hands with strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two combat team members felt a tingling numbness in their wrists as Chu Tianshu rattled off a rapid series of names.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? Can you feel pulses this fast?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui was also startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spirit power of the Ghost Gate healers could detect illnesses caused by evil spirit yin energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these combatants, when fighting evil spirits, didn’t just suffer disrupted bodily functions and lesions—they were also directly injured by the spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Illness and trauma were different, yet intertwined; some even suffered exhaustion from using needle treatments or talismanic waters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These required careful pulse diagnosis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can directly perceive illnesses caused by yin energy, and I can sense bodily injuries through my strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After mastering the “Martial Kitchen God,” even without unleashing full power or entering the Golden Stillness state where his body became like yellow jade, his previous martial energies now flowed more smoothly and effortlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His ability to probe the entire body with Immortal strength had reached the point where a mere touch revealed internal conditions as clearly as seeing and hearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui inserted a few needles first, observed the patients’ reactions, confirmed Chu Tianshu’s diagnoses were flawless, and then sped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two worked in tandem and quickly treated all remaining wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui exhaled, walked to the cafeteria entrance where a breeze blew, and slumped down against the table, leaning back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His companion wiped his sweat, then turned to attend to other tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu sat beside him, cracking his fingers, and asked casually, “Where’s the vice principal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wasn’t it said the Mo brothers were the masterminds behind the Ghost Market?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui replied, “They own several other businesses in the city—Vice Principal Yuan and several of our team leaders went to investigate them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu whistled. “Your team leader Liu’s limbs have dozens of wounds at least—how’s he still running around?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His constitution is unique—he’s the type whose vitality outstrips his combat power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui looked at Chu Tianshu and smiled. “Where’d you get that outfit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d only briefly met at the crossroads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu had been shirtless then, his lower body torn to shreds—only the Three Seven Divine Sword tied at his waist had preserved a few scraps of fabric.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he wore long pants and a coat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coat had a few buttons fastened, but clearly nothing was worn underneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I picked it up at a mall on the way. I noted the name—I’ll pay back this afternoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu asked again, “With Guangling’s incident this big, what’s the official response going to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui tilted his head back to rest his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just an employee—how would I know what the decision-makers plan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I guess they’ll ride the wave, let public opinion simmer for a few days, then gradually release some information.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui said, “And they’ll try to coordinate synchronized actions internationally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You might not know, but last week, a group of spirit-world creatures in London somehow got hold of a 20th-century airship and caused a huge mess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though they later tried to muddy the waters, flooding the media with false reports under the guise of terrorism, it backfired—instead, it sparked several large-scale protests.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if some in our country still wanted to cover it up, they’d have to consider London’s precedent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu asked curiously, “You mean those intelligent native spirit-world creatures—not the corrupted wraiths?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Half of them are intelligent spirit-world beings, and the other half are humans who’ve implanted spirit-world genes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Baishui opened his eyes. “Gene modification is still too uncertain. Chang’an’s Centipede Project already has massive flaws within its known scope.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That Dr. Du just won’t let go—he’s truly fearless of overreaching and tearing his own balls off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu said, “That’s ignoring reality’s foundations—history’s full of such cases. Huh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words reminded him of his second uncle’s opera lyrics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Frantically seeking holy names like Wang Mang, a thousand cuts still bring no end!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the teaching building, suction hooks had been stuck to the walls to hang IV bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Dengwan, wrapped in multiple layers of bandages around his waist, had a pale face but smiled happily at his wife and child beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re still smiling? Your intestines nearly spilled out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman in the dark red cotton-padded jacket, rarely angry, raised her hand to strike him but feared jarring his wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not that bad—if it were, I wouldn’t just be sitting here getting IVs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Dengwan patted his own face. “Still, I deserve a beating. Should’ve known better than to go out wandering—I almost didn’t make it back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he reached for his wife’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She noticed others nearby receiving IVs and blushed. “It’s embarrassing—let your son stay here. I’ll go home and make you some wontons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Dengwan hurriedly said, “No, no, no—the sun hasn’t fully risen yet. Don’t walk alone outside. Go check the school cafeteria—they’ve made a lot of food.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright,” the woman nodded and stood to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Dengwan sighed contentedly: “Peaceful days are best. I used to think life before prison was more exciting, but now I realize how chaotic it really was.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You didn’t take on this mission just for excitement, did you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Shu, sitting nearby, overheard and chuckled. “That’s actually good—it means you’re still young.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By our age, you realize the passion of youth was just to earn the right to choose peaceful days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some older patients nearby nodded in agreement, then sighed: “Too bad, with Guangling’s incident this big, the aftermath won’t be quiet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows how many peaceful days we’ll have left—will things spiral into chaos again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Shu said, “Then face it with calmness. Young people may struggle to stay steady—we older ones can help cool them down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This drew more nods of agreement—they were all skilled locals in Guangling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if not close, they knew each other’s basics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone suggested they create a convenient communication channel so they could help each other if trouble arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Shu suddenly realized that once Guangling’s news spread, many independent martial folk would likely form similar alliances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, Ma Dengwan’s wife pushed in a cart with two tiers full of utensils—but no food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her, a young man entered carrying two large iron buckets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone worked hard all night, and the wounded need nourishment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu laughed. “This bucket’s soy milk, this one’s buns and steamed bread.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch out for any dietary restrictions—everyone take care of yourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bun bucket had four compartments: meat buns, vegetable buns, three-delicacy buns, and plain steamed buns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soy milk was steaming hot, unsweetened, its fragrance purely natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who arrived early to be with their families rose and went willingly to fetch the soy milk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Nan stared at Chu Tianshu, his face filled with astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu, having just served several bowls, handed one to him: “Uncle, drink up—what’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Nan was momentarily stunned; his son quickly thanked him and took the soy milk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It really is you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Nan finally spoke: “You’re so ruthless in your methods… how come you’re working in the cafeteria?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several others in the classroom recognized Chu Tianshu and kept glancing over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, my martial skills are pretty good—thanks for the compliment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu smiled. “But since I’d already finished, someone suggested bringing food to everyone, and since I was already at the cafeteria, I came over to help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat up—this weather’s awful, don’t let it get cold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu waved his hand and left the classroom, heading back toward the cafeteria.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Nan’s son, in his thirties, whispered quietly: “Who is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The man who saved your father’s life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Nan took the soy milk, drank a sip while distracted, nearly scalded himself, and quickly blew on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the ripples in the bowl, recalling the warriors he’d met last night—their faces, their ages—and the students who’d grabbed stools and charged out, drenched in blood. He smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are those who grow stronger with age, and among the young, there are those who are remarkably steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if storms lie ahead, as long as everyone cultivates courage, calm, and strength, they may still live well!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1819,"2026-06-19T20:45:51.976Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","95533b4184ba920ca89ecc7e91129abc7080de3c0e9a781c1581737a622ab87d","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-143","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-141",155,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdevouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-cover.jpg"]