Chapter 75: Strange Body

"Hundred Taboos" expels the corruption of evil spirits from the body each time, shedding it as a layer of skin—since the evil spirit corrupting each time differs, the effect of this skin layer also differs.

Xu Yuan opened his mouth and spat out several Yin Soldier Pills, selecting the one belonging to the Ghost Bride.

The Yin Soldier Pill shattered, and a large red sedan chair appeared out of thin air, floating silently three feet off the ground.

Then the sedan curtain lifted, and the Ghost Bride, covered by a red veil, walked out daintily, her feet not touching the ground.

Xu Yuan tossed that layer of skin, covering the Ghost Bride from head to toe.

The Ghost Bride felt something was odd, pulled a small mirror from her collar, took a look, and nearly cried out in shock.

Then she pretended to be shy and whispered softly: "Master, I have already transformed into your shape..."

Once this layer of skin is worn, no matter what it is, it will turn into Xu Yuan's appearance!

The Ghost Bride leaked not a trace of Yin Qi, looking just like a normal living person.

Moreover, she could wield all the various abilities of Xu Yuan's current Rank Dan Xiu Eighth Grade!

The third ability actually came from that clay sculpture, allowing one to shape it at will.

Xu Yuan condensed the Ghost Bride back into a Yin Soldier Pill; with this layer of skin, he effectively had a clone.

This ability might be more useful than the previous two.

But at this moment, Xu Yuan suddenly had a bold idea!

Too bold... Xu Yuan himself dared not try it.

If I consume this layer of skin and refine it into a Skin Pill!

But this layer of skin condensed an excessively high level of evil spirit corruption; Xu Yuan feared he would kill himself.

"I dare not make trouble." Xu Yuan put away this layer of skin—this skin, having touched Xu Yuan's "Stomach Fire," quickly shrank and stuck to Xu Yuan's arm, looking no different from the surrounding skin.

Xu Yuan stretched, moved his body a few times, opened the door, and walked out.

Then he saw his stepmother shoot out of the main hall with a whoosh, crashing straight in front of him.

"How are you?"

Xu Yuan patted his chest and moved around: "It's fine."

Lin Wanmo was still not reassured, checked him up and down several times, and only then let out a long sigh of relief.

Elder Shen and the other two also gathered around, and Aunt Wang chattered on: "In the future, associate less with the Evil-Dispelling Bureau; those fellows are inauspicious and always bring disaster..."

Uncle Mao Si opened his mouth to speak but started coughing.

Elder Shen glanced at him, pulled a dog-skin plaster from his chest: "Stick it on yourself."

Uncle Mao Si smiled: "You old one have a moment of caring for me."

Elder Shen glared at him, then said to Xu Yuan: "Ma Tianshou came to see you; since you are fine, go find him."

"Good." Xu Yuan agreed.

The stepmother and Aunt Wang both pouted.

Xu Yuan was naturally going to go; Yan Lao had promised him the position of Mountain-Moving Captain.

I did the work myself; wouldn't it be a huge loss not to claim the reward?

Xu Yuan changed into clean clothes, and just as he walked to the door and pulled it open, he heard a familiar voice outside: "Hehe, it really is this place; I knew I didn't look in the wrong spot."

The chubby Uncle Rong Kui stood outside the door, about to knock.

"Why have you come?" Xu Yuan asked in surprise.

"This is also your Second Uncle's home; can't I come?"

Uncle Rong Kui didn't need an invitation; he lifted his foot and walked in himself.

The stepmother and others heard the sound and came out; Xu Yuan had no choice but to introduce everyone.

Uncle Rong Kui saw Lin Wanmo, and his fat face smiled like a flower: "Oh, so this is the sister-in-law..."

Lin Wanmo kept a cold face: "What purpose does Xu Chuanyang have in sending you?"

Uncle Rong Kui remained enthusiastic: "Of course, he wants to promote his nephew. I just received a letter from the Commander-in-Chief yesterday; as long as Xu Yuan is willing to go, the position is directly that of Standard Bearer, the same as mine."

The few people in the courtyard exchanged glances, none rushing to express an opinion.

Uncle Rong Kui clicked his tongue and added: "I, Old Zheng, have risked life and limb for over ten years and only managed to mix into the position of Standard Bearer; Old Zheng truly takes care of his nephew."

Now there were two choices before Xu Yuan: the Evil-Dispelling Bureau or the Demon-Slaying Army?

There was someone to look after him in the Demon-Slaying Army, and they gave a concrete position.

"Standard Bearer" should not be lower than the Mountain-Moving Captain of the Evil-Dispelling Bureau.

Xu Yuan smiled: "I have something to attend to; I'll go out for a bit. We can discuss the Demon-Slaying Army matter later."

Uncle Rong Kui grew somewhat anxious: "With such good conditions, why hesitate?"

Xu Yuan was already walking out; Uncle Rong Kui shouted from behind: "I live at the Xingan Freight Station in Chengxi; if you figure it out, come find me there."

Xu Yuan simply ignored him.

After Xu Yuan left, Uncle Rong Kui looked at the few people in the courtyard; except for the "sister-in-law" who was pleasant to the eye, what were the others but crooked melons and cracked dates?

Never mind; before the Commander-in-Chief departed, he specifically instructed me to be polite to the "old family members" in the alley.

Uncle Rong Kui grinned: "Everyone, please do me the honor; tomorrow noon at Fish Sashimi Tower, my treat."

Because the almanac often has days marked "Forbidden to Approach the River," eating fish in the Great Ming has become a luxury.

Uncle Rong Kui truly spent a fortune.

Unfortunately, Elder Shen didn't even look at him; holding his pipe bowl, hands behind his back, he clomped away.

Uncle Mao Si told Lin Wanmo and Aunt Wang: "I'm going back to take my medicine."

Aunt Wang glared at Uncle Rong Kui and said: "We aren't used to it; if there's nothing else, just go back."

"Eh..." Uncle Rong Kui was about to persuade again when Aunt Wang pushed him out the door, slamming it shut with a clang.

Aunt Wang's voice drifted out through the door crack: "That scoundrel looks wretched; those rat eyes of his want to stick to you; he certainly isn't a good thing."

Then she reminded Lin Wanmo: "If he dares to commit any disrespectful act, do not give Xu Chuanyang any face; strip off his skin and make it into a shadow play."

When Uncle Rong Kui heard that old woman say he was "not a good thing," his temper flared on the spot. He turned around, intending to push the door open and go inside to argue with her.

Then, hearing the old woman speak of stripping skin to make a shadow play, he instantly felt a chill shoot from his tailbone straight up to the crown of his head.

He cowardly backed down again... lowered his head and hurried out of Henggong Lane.

"How are these 'old servants' of the Commander so rigid and strange, lacking even a shred of the good virtue of being kind to others?"

Xu Yuan arrived at the main gate of the county yamen... there was no "main gate" anymore; the entire county yamen was gone.

Hundreds of nearby civilian houses had collapsed as well.

The magistrate and the entire county yamen staff had been eaten clean by the evil spirits.

Even though evil spirits and strange phenomena were rampant throughout the Great Ming, this was still a "major case."

It would surely be reported to the heavens and shake the Six Ministries.

But now, before the news could spread, night was already falling, and thousands of disaster victims in the surrounding area needed relief.

When Xu Yuan arrived, he saw the servants of several wealthy families in the local area cooperating with Fu Jingyu and the county commandant to orderly send the disaster victims to several courtyards in Chengxi for temporary shelter.

The county commandant had narrowly escaped death.

This was because, for the past few days, the county officials had been busy currying favor with Ma Tianshou, appearing extremely domineering within the county yamen.

The county commandant could not resist them, so he simply took sick leave for these two days, staying home to recuperate and not coming to duty.

Fu Jingyu saw Xu Yuan, gave a quick instruction to the county commandant, and then came over to meet Xu Yuan.

Fu Jingyu was not lightly injured, but with no one else available, he had to step up first.

Yan Lao needed to protect the severely wounded Ma Tianshou.

Looking at the orderly disaster relief scene, Xu Yuan sincerely praised: "My Lord Fu has a pure and kind heart and extraordinary abilities."

Fu Jingyu sighed, gazing at the disaster victims lining up to head toward Chengxi, and said: "Tonight will be very hard to endure."

It will be published next year; there will surely be a burst of updates. Please support us.





(End of this chapter)