Chapter 75

Each time “Bai Wu Jin Ji” expels the corruption, it sheds a layer of skin—since each infection is different, the properties of this skin vary accordingly.

Xu Yuan spat out several Yin Soldier Pills and selected the one belonging to the Ghost Bride.

The Yin Soldier Pill shattered, and a crimson sedan chair materialized out of thin air, floating three feet above the ground.

Then the curtain parted, and the Ghost Bride, veiled in red, stepped out delicately, her feet not touching the ground.

Xu Yuan tossed the skin and pulled it over the Ghost Bride’s head, enveloping her completely.

The Ghost Bride felt something strange, reached into her robe, pulled out a small mirror, and nearly screamed.

Then she feigned shyness and whispered softly: “Master, your servant has taken on your form…”

Once this skin is worn, anything becomes Xu Yuan’s likeness!

The Ghost Bride emitted not a trace of yin energy, appearing exactly like a living human.

And she could now wield all of Xu Yuan’s current Eighth-Tier Alchemy cultivation abilities!

The third ability actually came from the clay statue, allowing free reshaping.

Xu Yuan recondensed the Ghost Bride back into an Yin Soldier Pill; with this skin, he now had a clone.

This ability might be even more useful than the first two.

But at that moment, Xu Yuan had a bold idea!

Too bold… Xu Yuan himself dared not try it.

What if I consumed this skin and refined it into my Skin Pill?

But this skin contained excessive corruption, and Xu Yuan feared he might kill himself.

“No more fooling around.” Xu Yuan tucked away the skin—the moment it touched his “abdominal fire,” it shrank rapidly and clung to his arm, indistinguishable from his normal skin.

Xu Yuan stretched, moved his body, and stepped out the door.

Then he saw his stepmother shoot out from the main hall, slamming straight into him.

“How are you?”

Xu Yuan patted his chest and moved his limbs. “I’m fine.”

Lin Wan still wasn’t reassured; she checked him over thoroughly before finally exhaling a long breath of relief.

The three men—Shen Daye—also gathered around, and Wang Shen began her usual chatter: “You should avoid the Purification Office in the future; those people are ill-omened, always bringing misfortune…”

Mao Sishu opened his mouth to speak, then burst into a cough.

Shen Daye glanced at him, pulled a dog-skin plaster from his robe, and tossed it: “Stick it on yourself.”

Mao Sishu laughed: “You actually care about me?”

Shen Daye glared at him, then turned to Xu Yuan: “Ma Tianshou came to see you. Since you’re well, go find him.”

“Alright.” Xu Yuan agreed.

His stepmother and Wang Shen both sneered.

Xu Yuan would definitely go—Yan Lao had promised him the post of Mountain-Moving Captain.

He’d done the work; not collecting the reward would be a waste.

Xu Yuan changed into clean clothes, stepped to the door, and pulled it open—just as a familiar voice called out: “Hehe, this is the place—I knew I didn’t get lost.”

Plump Uncle Rongkui stood outside, about to knock.

“Why are you here?” Xu Yuan asked, puzzled.

“This is also your second uncle’s home—can’t I come?”

Uncle Rongkui didn’t wait for an invitation; he stepped right in.

Hearing the noise, Lin Wan, Wang Shen, and the others came out; Xu Yuan had no choice but to introduce them.

Uncle Rongkui saw Lin Wan and beamed like a blooming flower: “Oh my, this must be the sister-in-law…”

Lin Wan’s face remained cold: “What purpose did Xu Chuanyang send you for?”

Uncle Rongkui kept smiling warmly: “Of course, he wants to advance his nephew. I just received a letter from the Commander-in-Chief yesterday—if Xu Yuan agrees, he’ll be appointed Platoon Leader right away, just like me.”

The people in the courtyard exchanged glances but said nothing immediately.

Uncle Rongkui clucked his tongue: “I’ve risked my life for over a decade and barely earned my Platoon Leader post. Old Zheng truly cares for his nephew.”

Now Xu Yuan faced two choices: the Purification Office or the Demon-Slaying Army?

The Demon-Slaying Army offered support and a concrete position.

“Platoon Leader” couldn’t be lower than the Mountain-Moving Captain of the Purification Office.

Xu Yuan smiled: “I have something to attend to—I’ll go out for a bit. We can discuss the Demon-Slaying Army later.”

Uncle Rongkui grew anxious: “Why hesitate over such a good offer?”

Xu Yuan walked away; behind him, Uncle Rongkui called out: “I’m staying at Xing’an Freight Station in West City—come find me when you decide!”

Xu Yuan ignored him.

Xu Yuan left; Uncle Rongkui looked around the courtyard. Aside from the “sister-in-law,” who was pleasing to the eye, the rest were all misshapen, ugly faces?

Whatever. The Commander-in-Chief had specifically warned me before leaving to treat the “old family” in this alley with courtesy.

Uncle Rongkui grinned: “Gentlemen, do me the honor—tomorrow noon, Fish Sashimi Pavilion, my treat.”

Because the almanac often forbade fishing on the River, eating fish had become a luxury in the Huang Ming.

Uncle Rongkui had truly spent heavily.

Too bad Shen Daye didn’t even glance at him; he just sucked on his pipe, hands behind his back, and shuffled off.

Mao Sishu told Lin Wan and Wang Shen: “I’m going back to apply my medicine.”

Wang Shen glared at Uncle Rongkui: “We don’t eat that kind of food. Just leave.”

“Hey…” Uncle Rongkui tried to plead further, but Wang Shen shoved him out the door and slammed it shut with a bang.

Wang Shen’s voice drifted through the crack: “That fellow’s ugly, with rat eyes glued to you—he’s no good.”

Then she warned Lin Wan: “If he dares act improperly, don’t spare Xu Chuanyang’s face—peel him alive and turn him into a shadow play.”

When Uncle Rongkui heard the old woman call him “no good,” his temper flared—he turned to smash the door open and argue with her.

Then he heard her say “peel him alive and turn him into a shadow play”—a chill shot from his tailbone straight to the crown of his head.

He instantly cowered… bowed his head and hurried out of River Works Alley.

“How stiff and strange these ‘old family’ of the Commander-in-Chief are—no kindness, no decency at all.”

…

Xu Yuan arrived at the county magistrate’s gate… but there was no “gate” anymore—the entire magistrate’s compound was gone.

Hundreds of nearby homes had collapsed as well.

The County Magistrate and all his staff had been devoured by the corruption.

Even in a Huang Ming rife with corruption and strange phenomena, this was a “major case.”

It would surely reach the Son of Heaven and shake the Six Ministries.

But now, the news hadn’t spread yet—and night was falling, while thousands of refugees nearby needed aid.

When Xu Yuan arrived, he saw several servants of local wealthy families assisting Fu Jingyu and the county captain, orderly leading refugees to temporary shelters in the western part of the city.

The County Captain had barely escaped death.

He’d avoided it because the magistrate’s staff had been busy fawning over Ma Tianshou, acting aggressively within the compound.

Unable to resist, he’d taken sick leave these past two days and stayed home.

Fu Jingyu spotted Xu Yuan, gave a word to the County Captain, then came over.

Fu Jingyu was badly injured, but with no one else available, he had to step up.

Yan Lao needed to guard the severely wounded Ma Tianshou.

Xu Yuan looked at the orderly disaster relief scene and sincerely praised: “Fu my lord, your heart is pure, your ability remarkable.”

Fu Jingyu sighed, watching the refugees line up toward West City: “Tonight will be hard.”

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(End of Chapter)