[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-just-stop-using-your-divine-powers":3,"chapter-just-stop-using-your-divine-powers-just-stop-using-your-divine-powers-chapter-74":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Just Stop Using Your Divine Powers!",{"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},2275932,4450,"Chapter 74: [It","just-stop-using-your-divine-powers-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>A streak of Qi shot out, instantly parting the lake water; a figure beneath the surface was tightly bound by the Qi and yanked upward, slamming hard onto the shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure was unmistakably a small monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the previous two monsters, its head was covered in matted gray hair, soaked and clinging to its skull from the water, its face twisted in ferocity, features contorted, mouth gaping to reveal a chaotic array of jagged fangs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But its body was slender and smaller than the earlier two monsters, roughly the height of an ordinary child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small monster lifted its head, struggled, bared its teeth at the old man, and let out a guttural roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man squinted, then slowly stepped forward and raised his right hand…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive palm strike, wrapped in Qi, cracked against the monster’s left cheek, sending it stumbling sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another massive palm strike landed on its right cheek, sending it stumbling to the left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it raised its head again, the small monster no longer roared; each cheek bore several distinct finger marks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its eyes, however, had grown much clearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the old man raise his hand once more, the small monster instantly curled into a ball, clutching its head and emitting fearful whimpers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, you three must be a family. Group-dwelling Shan Kui are rare—looks like you’ve developed a touch of spiritual awareness.” The old man squinted, studying the small Shan Kui: “Your malevolent Qi is strong—you’ve killed many. I should have slain you with a single sword strike. But I’m just now refining a magical artifact that requires malevolent Qi to nurture—you’re perfectly suited.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, the old man extended a finger; a streak of golden light sank into the small Shan Kui’s forehead. Instantly, its body trembled, rolled over several times on the ground, its bones stretching and contracting, its head and form shifting, and coarse gray fur sprouting across its body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally it stopped moving—now it looked like a large monkey-like creature crouched on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s voice was cold: “My artifact is sealed within your spiritual awareness. It will drain the yin-malevolent Qi from your body daily. In ten years, your malevolent Qi will be fully absorbed. Consider yourself lucky—you’ve gained ten extra years of life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, that boy next door keeps a demonic tortoise as a pet—I, an old man, keep a large monkey. Not much of a loss of face, then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the old man reached out, seized the large monkey, and vanished in a flash of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several minutes later, the girl on the lakeshore shuddered and slowly awoke, letting out a scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Monster! Monster!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she froze, looking around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I… where am I?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>·\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before dawn, a black sedan slowly drove into the forest path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the forest’s edge, the car stopped; Chu Keqing stepped out, wrapped in a wool overcoat, gazed up at the forest beneath the dawn, then drew in a cool breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A look of gravity settled on her beautiful face as she murmured: “There’s a scent of malevolent Qi…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her assistant, already beside her, held out a wooden box with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing took her white jade Luo Pan in one hand and slowly walked toward the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the forest path, two police cars slowly emerged and drove past Chu Keqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing frowned as she watched the police cars leave, then murmured: “The police were here—something must have happened. Go ask.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant nodded and turned to make a phone call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing stood at the forest’s edge, gazing into the trees, one hand holding the Luo Pan, the other forming rapid hand seals, calculating swiftly, then using the Art of Observing Qi to scrutinize the surroundings—suddenly she drew a deep breath, bent low, and stepped into the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Chu?” Her assistant gasped: “It’s damp and cold in there—you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing waved her hand: “Find out what you can, then come find me in the forest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without regard for her pristine white wool coat, now dampened by dew from the treetops, she stepped slowly into the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At midnight, Chu Keqing had jolted awake from a dream; possessing cultivation and considerable skill, enhanced by the Art of Observing Qi, she had sensed the direction of the blood-malevolent Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though by the time she noticed it, most of the blood-malevolent Qi had already dissipated, the lingering resonance of the malevolent energy had piqued her interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a cultivator, how could she not investigate such an occurrence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the forest remained dim at dawn, Chu Keqing, confident in her cultivation, walked calmly through the trees, unaware of how long she’d traveled—until she emerged from the forest and reached the wild lake in the valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The malevolent Qi here is even stronger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing frowned, glanced at her Luo Pan, then fixed her gaze on the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The yin-malevolent Qi was concentrated within the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place is dangerous… Chu Keqing shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Luo Pan’s readings, the lake occupied the yin position of this valley—extremely cold and dark. Any malevolent Qi would naturally flow toward this spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And because of the lake’s presence, the yin-malevolent Qi that flowed here became trapped, accumulating over time, inevitably giving rise to inexplicable phenomena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She walked along the lakeshore, studying the ground… someone had been here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she reached the forest’s edge, Chu Keqing’s eyes brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small tree nearby had been snapped clean through, as if torn apart by some force—its trunk split into four pieces. She stepped two paces forward and saw another tree felled, as if struck directly by immense power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stared at the trees, then reached out and lightly pinched the broken trunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi filled her body; instantly, she felt her fingertips surge with Qi, gently washing away a faint trace of malevolent Qi clinging to her skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like fire meeting fuel—a sudden shift that gave Chu Keqing a clear suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, her phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket—it was her assistant. After answering, she said calmly: “I’m at the wild lake in the valley. Come find me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hanging up, she walked a while longer through the forest, then stepped out and continued searching the lake’s perimeter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant arrived soon after—but this time, she drove; she entered via the forest path, took a side road, and finally circled around to the wild lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Chu Keqing standing by the lake from afar, the assistant hurried out of the car, but she wasn’t alone—a middle-aged man in a black leather jacket stepped out behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing saw the man and smiled politely, walking over: “Director Wu, what brings you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Chu, you’re too kind!” Director Wu shook her hand and chuckled: “Your assistant called just as I was nearby. When I heard you were here, I simply tagged along.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Wu was the official in charge of the nearby scenic area and knew Chu Keqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenic area housed several temples and Daoist monasteries, home to some practitioners of the mysterious arts; during festivals, they often held rituals to attract tourists, inevitably bringing them into contact with figures like Chu Keqing, a prominent name in Jin Ling’s occult circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re here so early, Director Wu?” Chu Keqing asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah!” Director Wu shook his head: “I’m not that hardworking. The scenic area had an incident last night—I came as soon as it was light.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they were familiar and the matter held no great complexity or secrecy, Director Wu casually recounted the events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last night, police received a report from a girl who claimed she was attacked in our scenic area. She lost her phone, ran out of the woods alone, reached the highway, and flagged down a passing car to call for help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The police arrived and, following her description, searched the forest thoroughly—but found nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing smiled faintly: “Nothing at all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Wu snorted: “Strange. The girl said she saw a monster—some hairy thing, with a bloody maw, long arms and legs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She also claimed her dog, trying to protect her, fought the monster and was killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She ran away, then somehow fainted by the lakeshore—right here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The police searched the area for a long time and found nothing. They even had our scenic area staff join the search through the forest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was no monster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we did find damaged trees. Our forest keeper inspected them and said they were likely crushed by wild boars.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You know how it is—ecology’s improved lately, wild boars have multiplied here. Last year, one even wandered down into the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wild boars?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing recalled the trees she’d seen shattered in the forest. She smiled slightly: “And then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We did find the girl’s dog.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, poor thing. We found it half-eaten. Based on her account and the scene, it was clearly her dog—a large Husky.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We suspect she came to paint or sketch in the mountains, returned late, and encountered a wild boar foraging.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her dog was killed by the boar; she fled in terror.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for the monster—probably just a hallucination triggered by shock.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hallucination… Chu Keqing smiled, said nothing, and murmured: “Yes, shock can certainly shatter a person’s mind and produce illusions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly!” Director Wu nodded, sighing: “The girl was both unlucky and lucky—she encountered a wild boar and escaped with barely a scratch, just frightened. Lucky to be alive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re relieved too! If someone had died in the scenic area, the investigations, the blame, the fallout—we’d never survive the New Year. Thank heavens, no major disaster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Director Wu asked why Chu Keqing had come so early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing gave a vague excuse, shaking her head: “Lately I’ve been unsettled. I wanted a quiet place for meditation. I remembered this area has several temples and monasteries with retreats, so I came to take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Wu immediately smiled: “Miss Chu, if you wish to stay here, we’d be honored! You’re a renowned figure in Jin Ling’s Daoist circles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing smiled but said nothing—she had indeed adopted a Daoist identity for convenience in her travels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exchanging a few more pleasantries and declining Director Wu’s invitation to visit the management office, Chu Keqing had her assistant drive him back, while she remained by the lake, continuing her stroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She grew increasingly certain of one thing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t wild boars at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gray fur, bloody maw, jagged fangs, long limbs, humanoid shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shan Kui!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing frowned… Shan Kui were rare, and even when they existed, they usually avoided humans…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could this lake be the cause? Has it been tainted by yin-malevolent Qi for too long?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She recalled how this wild lake had, year after year, drowned several reckless souls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lake had existed for countless years. In recent decades, authorities had repeatedly urged, warned, and posted signs along the lake and at the mountain’s base, forbidding swimming…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there are always those who seek danger, who crave thrills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good advice cannot save those determined to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, how many ghosts had drowned here? The malevolent Qi must have grown thicker and thicker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she pondered, Chu Keqing walked to the edge of a forest and suddenly let out a soft “Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dry twigs and leaves on the ground were clearly trampled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the tracks on the ground formed only a single path, ending right here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not know that this very spot was where the monster that had chased Chen Yan had been cut into more than ten pieces by Gu Qingyi, then turned to black mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing crouched down and ran her fingers over the ground for a moment, then suddenly trembled inside!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fingers slowly pinched between them a tiny scrap of paper—no larger than half a thumb’s width—lodged among the dead leaves!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After bringing it close to inspect… it was a talisman paper!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was a charred remnant—one that had released its talismanic power but had not been fully burned away!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing’s body shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She not only recognized it as talisman paper—she even recognized its origin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, when Luo Qing had been retaliated against by Chen Yan, the talismans Chen Yan used were made of this exact type of paper!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The material was ordinary, merely common fare in the Daoist arts world—Chu Keqing had even visited the very shop that sold this kind of talisman paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it have been Elder Chen Yan who struck down the Mountain Ogre here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Keqing’s eyes lit up!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, logically speaking, while the talisman paper was the same, many people bought it—it need not have been Chen Yan who acted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She refused to believe that in Jin Ling, among those who used this talisman paper, there was another cultivator besides Chen Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The odds of that were simply too slim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talisman masters were not as common as cabbages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>·\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【A few votes, please~】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>·\u003C\u002Fp>",2159,"2026-06-20T00:04:18.515Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8b7fbab63d5996fc30f7ca54e4a8d1f1d41db26e9872d2b628fd02f121a90c4b","just-stop-using-your-divine-powers-chapter-75","just-stop-using-your-divine-powers-chapter-73",174,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fjust-stop-using-your-divine-powers-cover.jpg"]