Chapter 395: Not Enough to Fill a Tooth Gap

“Aowu——”

Pi Long opened its mouth and accepted it gladly.

But after actually eating it, Xu Yuan secretly frowned.

This malevolent spirit… isn’t entirely a malevolent spirit!

After consuming the offering, Pi Long rapidly assimilated it.

Xu Yuan discovered that the force driving Pi Long’s transformation toward “dragon” truly came from the Dragon Transformation Scripture, and could even discern its origin: a single dragon soul.

Those who cultivate the Dragon Transformation Scripture all refer to their own souls as dragon souls.

This sliver of dragon soul, after fusing with the malevolent spirit, granted the spirit certain abilities.

And these abilities are not the spirit’s own, but the dragon’s.

Thus, this doubly transformed malevolent spirit is half malevolent spirit, half dragon.

Xu Yuan shook his head inwardly again, feeling this description was inaccurate—it should be: a bucket of water into which a single drop of wine had been poured.

But now, the water carried the taste of wine.

The abilities came from that sliver of dragon soul, yet the power driving them originated from the malevolent spirit.

Pi Long absorbed that sliver of dragon soul; Xu Yuan savored it carefully: “It’s fifth-rank Dragon Transformation Scripture!”

Too little, though.

No wonder that malevolent spirit charged in like a demon, only to be effortlessly swallowed by Pi Long.

A single sliver of dragon soul versus a true cultivator of the Dragon Transformation Scripture—no matter how you look at it, the latter holds overwhelming superiority.

So Pi Long quietly came ashore and searched the docks for doubly transformed malevolent spirits.

But Xu Yuan still had a question: whether human or dragon, the soul is exceptionally fragile.

Why would that fifth-rank Fu family member have split off so much of his dragon soul to fuse with malevolent spirits?

Truly baffling.

…

Xu Miao used a talisman to suppress and slay this malevolent spirit; the souls drifting like waterweeds in midair suddenly shuddered, as if awakening.

Then, panicked upon realizing their souls had left their bodies, they scrambled in chaos.

“We were on night watch with Master Xu—how did our souls get pulled out all at once?”

“I need to go back! Get out of my way, don’t block me!”

“So cold…”

Several souls even felt forces creeping into their bodies from the night.

This was corruption!

They must return to their bodies immediately and find a way to purge the corruption, or they would transform!

They grew even more panicked.

“Don’t panic!” Xu Miao’s voice rang out.

She often recited ancient poetry and scriptures, so her voice carried an inherent power that instantly calmed the souls.

“Follow me!”

Xu Miao led the souls back inside the house; they exhaled in relief and each slipped back into their bodies.

But just now, under the night sky, several of these souls had turned and seen the house—yet failed to recognize it as their own post.

Nor did they realize their own bodies were likely inside.

In their panic and confusion, they were like drowning men, incapable of rational judgment.

“Thank you, my lord!”

Xu Miao waved her hand; the bright, spirited expression usually on her face had vanished entirely.

In its place was gravity… and hesitation.

She turned her head as if by accident, letting her gaze fall on a spot where she could not see the night beyond the door or window.

As if not seeing it meant she wouldn’t have to think: in such a night, there were certainly not just one or two doubly transformed malevolent spirits.

If they wished, they could drain the souls of every person below seventh rank on the entire dock!

Xu Miao knew how dangerous they were.

But nights here were perilous—especially since this place bordered not only the canal but also Xiao Yu Mountain and Ghost Witch Mountain!

If a great malevolent spirit emerged and I encountered it…

I have a bright future; recently, Master Luo Gongqiao has taken notice of me.

I’ve barely managed, thanks to Zhu Zhanlei’s refusal, to make my family temporarily stop pushing me into marriage.

I will one day fulfill my ambitions and show my parents I’m no worse than my two brothers.

But then she remembered the Hejian’s Zhanglu Master from earlier that day.

They say he confronted An Chengyuan three times right before Master Luo’s face.

Such a man—unbending, proud, unyielding—had lowered himself to beg me for help over this matter.

I had praised his “public spirit” then.

But now… I clearly fall far short of “acting for the public good.”

If I act this way, crawling and scheming, I’m no different from any other time-serving bureaucrat in the vast Ming bureaucracy.

How can I ever fulfill my ambitions?

Unconsciously, Xu Miao turned her face back.

Through the door crack, she faintly saw at the far end of the long street a slender malevolent spirit, slithering along, swaying its head and tail, drawing forth soul after soul from the houses on either side—familiar, practiced, having devoured countless human souls!

Xu Miao murmured to herself: “Master Xu, thank you for encouraging me.”

She rose and strode out, commanding: “All of you, follow me—slay the malevolent spirits!”

…

Pi Long had devoured four dragon malevolent spirits.

After formally cultivating the Dragon Transformation Scripture, Pi Long was no longer limited to swimming—it could walk on land using its claws or slither like a snake.

If it exerted all its strength, it could barely “ride clouds and mist” up to… half a person’s height, then shoot forward three hundred zhang.

Xu Yuan confirmed these dragon souls came from the same person.

Though fifth-rank, the quantity was truly minuscule.

Truly: not enough to fill a tooth gap.

But the temptation of devouring fifth-rank dragon souls was immense for Xu Yuan.

Thus, Pi Long continued searching.

During this process, Xu Yuan heard battle sounds spreading across the docks.

The night watch teams in all four directions had encountered these dragon malevolent spirits.

Three of the four watch posts were led by Xu Yuan’s friends: Miao Yu, Zhu Zhanmei, and Xu Miao.

The last one was merely an acquaintance: Assistant Regional Commander Lu Renxing of the River Camp.

Suddenly, Pi Long sensed a looming threat.

The feeling came from instinct, an instinct born of the Dragon Transformation Scripture.

A great malevolent spirit lies ahead!

Pi Long shrank its body, preparing to detour.

If it pursued, Pi Long would flee into the canal.

Once in the water, Pi Long was confident it could devour the opponent!

But after walking a while, the great malevolent spirit did not follow.

Xu Yuan found this strange.

Master Xu himself stepped out of the courtyard, silently arriving here.

This was an open space before a major trading house on the docks.

At the intersection of three streets.

Yet now, an odd shop had suddenly appeared at this intersection.

A blood-red lantern hung before its door.

Inside the open storefront, a horizontal pole bore a row of iron hooks.

On the hooks hung over a dozen people!

An old goat was sharpening a bone-cutting knife inside.

Suddenly, a malevolent spirit emerged from the side and entered the human-meat shop, gesturing at a woman’s thigh: “Cut me this piece.”

The old goat frowned: “Aren’t the pre-cut pieces on the table good enough?”

The malevolent spirit shook its head: “I want fresh meat—and this one’s a woman, tender.”

The person it pointed to was Xu Miao.

(End of Chapter)