Chapter 19: Volume I: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 19: How Can One Allow a Demon to Sleep Beside One's Bed?

Volume I: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 19: How Can One Allow a Demon to Sleep Beside One's Bed?

"I waited in vain all night, yet Shao Hua and the others who went to Shanniu Village to wrap things up have not returned."

Wang Huan was filled with regret, no longer possessing his previous high spirits. He should have listened to those words from Zhao Chan earlier and sent someone to the Demon Slayer office in Yang County for reinforcements; then, this current situation that left him panicked and at a loss would never have happened.

Assuming Shao Hua and the other Demon Slayers, along with the group of constables, had all been buried in the bellies of Demons, and only he and Zhao Chan, who had just joined the Demon Slayer office, remained in Youju Town, it would be a catastrophic collapse.

Even if the Demons were pacified later, the Youju Town Demon Slayer office would still be hard-pressed to recover.

Thinking of this, Wang Huan stamped his feet in remorse.

"Perhaps Brother Shao is on his way," Zhao Chan said softly.

"How long did it take for you and me to go to Shanniu Village, and how much longer has Shao Hua been delayed? Even if they were finishing up the matter at Shanniu Village, they should have returned last night."

Wang Huan looked up and sighed heavily: "If they lost their lives because of me, I, Wang Huan, will be the sinner of Youju Town!"

"Wang Dage, things have not reached the worst point yet; please do not wallow in self-pity," Zhao Chan urged.

"Sigh." Wang Huan's mind was in turmoil, and he did not notice that Zhao Chan had arrived at the Demon Slayer office much later than usual. He waved his hand, "Sit down. As things stand, we can only pray that Shao Hua and the others return safely, and that this is all just me worrying needlessly."

He went to the backyard to open the warehouse where secret manuals and weapons were stored, took out the *Shake God Sword*, and explained it in detail to Zhao Chan.

The youth listened carefully and asked directly whenever he encountered something he did not understand.

Once the explanation was mostly finished, Wang Huan handed the book to Zhao Chan, telling him to ponder it himself.

"Little Toad, since this is your first time practicing, you must be extremely cautious.

The path of cultivation is by no means as easy as you imagine. For example, to practice until 'Sword Drawn with Spirit' and achieve the cultivation of the lower-grade Body Refining Realm—with your natural talent, it will take one year at the fastest, or three years at the slowest. During this time, you must eat well and drink well to temper your physique until it is sturdy and solid; only then will the sword you thrust be 'with spirit.'

I know of your special family situation. Practice with peace of mind; leave the supplements, medicinal herbs, and food for tempering your physique to me!"

Zhao Chan's lips moved, wanting to speak but stopping. When Wang Huan said these words, his expression was exceptionally earnest; this was exactly how he was considering things, and it was exactly what he intended to do.

He cupped his hands and said: "I will trouble you, Wang Dage."

Because Wang Huan was depressed with worry for Shao Hua and the others, he forced a smile and patted his shoulder: "Practice well. Once you have achieved success in your practice, killing a few more Demons will be enough to repay me."

A moment later, Wang Huan added solemnly and seriously: "I value you highly. Your talent in cultivation far exceeds mine, and your realm will inevitably surpass mine! You must strive to practice; do not waste such talent."

"I will keep Wang Dage's earnest teachings in mind."

Wang Huan let go of his awkward smile, "You can ponder the *Shake God Sword* later. I will first demonstrate the twelve forms of this manual for you. You must keep your eyes wide open and remember the movement of every one of my sword strikes."

"Yes!"

"Use your sword. This way, you will have more immersion when you practice."

"Many thanks, Wang Dage."

He took the Green Snake Sword.

Wang Huan drew his sword from its scabbard and tossed the scabbard back to Zhao Chan.

The first form: Rear Sword.

The form Wang Huan demonstrated differed greatly from how he had fought the Tiger Demon.

"Did you see it clearly?" After the first form was finished, Wang Huan asked.

Zhao Chan said: "Could Wang Dage demonstrate it one more time?"

"Fine."

He watched it once more.

Zhao Chan reached a conclusion in his heart: the 'Rear Sword' he used to kill the Tiger Demon was the correct one. The 'Rear Sword' Wang Huan demonstrated, while the moves were exactly the same as the manual in the *Shake God Sword*, lacked the spirit.

"Did you see it clearly this time?"

"I saw it clearly."

"The second form: Sword Trace!"

Wang Huan's movement suddenly sped up, yet in Zhao Chan's eyes, it was still too slow.

If it had been Wang Huan fighting that Tiger Demon, with such slow movement, he would have been swallowed by the Tiger Demon until not even bone fragments remained.

Wang Huan felt that the 'Sword Trace' form was very difficult. Back then, in order to master 'Sword Trace,' he had practiced diligently for three months, rising at the first light of dawn. Even with such hard work, he had only achieved a minor success. If he truly encountered a Demon, he would never dare to use this form, fearing that he would be swallowed by the Demon in one bite before he could even execute the Sword Trace.

"I have demonstrated 'Sword Trace' for you ten times; did you see it clearly?" Wang Huan turned his head and asked.

He had demonstrated it very earnestly, and every detail was executed with particular precision.

"I saw it clearly."

"Since you saw it clearly, why is your brow still furrowed?!" Wang Huan asked. "Little Toad, the *Shake God Sword* is the means you rely on now. You must not have a half-baked or superficial understanding; if you encounter powerful Demons in the future, you will suffer a great loss!"

He believed that the Tiger Demon Zhao Chan killed on Erniu Mountain was just a Demon that had only recently awakened its intelligence, and such Demons were often the easiest to kill.

Having just awakened its intelligence, it suddenly encountered Zhao Chan rushing over with the Green Snake Sword; the fear in its mind immediately overwhelmed its cruel instincts, and it only knew to flee, after which it was slaughtered by Zhao Chan.

If it had been replaced by a Demon Beast with only instincts, even with the Green Snake Sword at his side, the boy would have been in grave danger.

Zhao Chan thought for a moment and asked: "Did Wang Dage slow down your speed just to let me see the movement clearly?"

"No, the movement for the Sword Trace form is just this fast," Wang Huan shook his head. "I understand what you mean. By increasing the speed, with the swiftness of this Sword Trace strike, one could naturally kill a Demon in the blink of an eye. But you must know the four words: 'too much is as bad as too little.' If the speed is too fast, your hand holding the sword will become unstable, and your body will lose its balance. At that point, it won't be you killing the Demon, but the Demon easily swallowing you."

Zhao Chan looked down and flipped through the *Shake God Sword* to the page for the Sword Trace form, thinking to himself that Wang Dage's movement and actions in demonstrating this sword were exactly the same as the manual, yet he was somewhat bound by convention. In a fight to the death, victory or defeat often happens in an instant. The martial arts heroes that the storytellers talk about also pursue the realm where "the only invincible martial arts in the world is speed."

"I understand," he said.

Wang Huan squinted and asked: "Do you really understand?"

"Yes."

"The third form is called Sword Mark. I have told you before, the third through sixth forms of the *Shake God Sword* can only be used once you have cultivated to the level of 'Sword Drawn with Presence.' You should practice the first two forms first; do not be impatient."

"Wang Dage, I would like to see what the third form looks like."

Wang Huan sighed: "Greed for more leads to poor digestion. However, since you want to see it, I will demonstrate it for you once.

When you cultivate to 'Sword Drawn with Presence,' there will be power in your tendons and bones. When that power is added to the sword, that is the 'spirit' of this sword!

Little Toad, watch closely! The reason this sword is called Sword Mark is because of this!"

Having said this, Wang Huan gripped the sword hilt tightly and executed Sword Mark.

The second form, Sword Trace, requires footwork to complement the swordsmanship, while the third form purely pursues the speed and force of the sword; delivering a single strike, leaving only a mark, capable of cleaving stone and splitting metal, is considered mastery.

It was precisely with this sword that Zhao Chan cleanly and neatly sliced the tiger demon in two.

Seeing Wang Huan demonstrate Sword Trace, Zhao Chan secretly shook his head.

Whether in speed or force, it was quite a distance away from his own strike.

"This is Sword Trace, did you see it clearly?" Wang Huan asked.

Zhao Chan replied: "It was too fast, I did not see it clearly."

"You, just practice properly starting from the basics."

"Many thanks for the guidance, Wang Dage."

It was noon.

Shao Hua and the others were still nowhere to be seen.

Wang Huan's complexion looked even worse, and he said to Zhao Chan: "If they don't return by tonight, I will go to the Yang County Demon Slayer Office tomorrow to plead guilty."

Zhao Chan listened silently; he also did not know what to say.

"Alright, go eat lunch." Wang Huan had no appetite at all and told Zhao Chan to go home to eat by himself.

"Wang Dage, you should eat something too."

"Sigh, I really have no appetite. Go quickly, come back in the afternoon to practice sword."

Having spent the entire morning studying the *Shake God Sword* manual, Zhao Chan said: "Yes."

He trotted away from the Demon Slayer Office.

The matter between Yang Yun and Zhang Cuicui made the streets and alleys of Caiyan Street incredibly lively.

They gathered in groups of three or five to whisper; some added oil and vinegar to stir up trouble, saying things like Zhang Cuicui had secretly conceived Yang Yun's child; or that the child wasn't Yang Yun's, but belonged to Liang You from Xiao Hua Xiang; even rumors that Zhang Cuicui was cursed to kill her husbands emerged—that she became a widow precisely because she had cursed her previous husband to death, and now that she was with Yang Yun, this book-stupid, mangy-headed man would soon not be long for this world, he was going to die.

Zhao Chan desperately wanted to argue on their behalf, but the words died in his throat; having lived in Youju Town since he was small, he knew the character of this group too well—the more you explain, the more trouble you bring to Yang Dage and Cui Cui Jie. For instance, you might be talking about this specific matter, but what this group spreads is something completely unrelated, or they take the basis of what you said and change it wildly until it becomes absurd.

He had once asked Lao Liu how one should argue.

The two of them had also been slandered by the townspeople; they spread rumors that the reason Lao Liu was so good to Zhao Chan was because Zhao Chan was actually Lao Liu's own child.

Lao Liu said, a thousand words are not as good as silence.

The Landlady Xie Wan looked up at the inn's plaque; the plaque had grown mold, and the mold spots were spreading unscrupulously.

"Zhao Chan!"

Xie Wan sensed something, withdrew her gaze, turned around, and saw him.

Zhao Chan stopped his steps, secretly feeling suspicious; Wan'er Jie had always called him Little Toad before.

"Greetings, Wan'er Jie." He asked respectfully as usual.

"I have prepared lunch for you, come in quickly." Xie Wan hurriedly gripped his hand, leaving him no room to struggle, and pulled him into the inn's hall.

The performers of the Shadow Puppet Theater Troupe were each eating their meals; Zhao Chan looked around, but he did not see the sisters Bai Yuqing and Bai Youjun.

Zhao Chan's heart was filled with doubts; the sisters had entered the town with the troupe, but he saw that the troupe members were no different from ordinary people—could it be that there was no connection between them? Were the sisters merely using the troupe's banner to cover their tracks?

"Wan'er Jie, I can just go home to eat," Zhao Chan demurred.

Xie Wan's smile felt like a spring breeze: "Oh my, why is this child so stubborn? I have already prepared food for you. You are now a Demon Slayer, and these are troubled times; hurry up and wolf down a few bites to fill your stomach, then go back to the Demon Slayer Office to work, so as to avoid demons breaking into our town and destroying the Sunset Inn."

What she said was reasonable and well-founded, leaving Zhao Chan unable to find a reason to refuse.

However, eating the meal she prepared was equivalent to owing a favor.

Zhao Chan did not want to owe favors for no reason; although young, he understood that money is easy to repay, but favors are hard to clear.

Just like how Sun He pulled strings to let him become an Assistant Soldier for Wang Huan; even though Sun He explicitly named that Treasure Book of his in exchange, the favor of the introduction had still been owed.

It was precisely because of Sun He's introduction that the subsequent events occurred; he joined the Demon Slayer Office, learned the *Shake God Sword*...

"Are you thinking about how to refuse me?" Xie Wan asked with a grin, not annoyed in the slightest.

Zhao Chan slowly shook his head: "Wan'er Jie, do you think a person can change completely overnight? As if they were replaced by someone else?"

"They can!" Xie Wan affirmed.

There was one sentence she did not say—you are the one who seems to have changed overnight, to the point where I don't even recognize you.

"They can!" another voice also said.

Zhao Chan turned his head to look; A Ping was reading a picture book with great interest while answering Zhao Chan's question.

A Ping put the picture book back into his bosom: "If a person dies and is resurrected, they will become a stranger."

Xie Wan squinted as she sized up A Ping; A Ping had already told her about Sun He being refined into a Chang Ghost by the Mountain Ghost, and this sentence clearly referred to that matter.

A Ping did not know Sun He, but after he described the appearance, Xie Wan confirmed that this Chang Ghost who had sneaked into Youju Town was Sun He.

It was just that he had not acted rashly.

Zhao Chan pulled his hand back from Xie Wan's grip, cupped his hands in a polite bow, and asked: "Is Sir a cultivator?"

"Sir? I dare not accept that title," A Ping laughed, "just a mountain cultivator who has learned nothing of note. Your aptitude is not bad; are you interested in following me to the mountains to practice Qi and study the Dao?"

Zhao Chan diverted the topic: "I didn't understand what you said just now, Sir; since a person is dead, how can they come back to life?"

"It is possible."

Zhao Chan asked hesitantly: "A Chang Ghost?"

"The Chang Ghost Technique is not something that can be brought into polite society, but it is a technique frequently used by rogue cultivators."

"I understand." Zhao Chan frowned tightly.

When he and Wang Huan went to Shanniu Village, Sun He had secretly followed them.

It seems Sun He died there and was refined into a Chang Ghost; this could explain why he suddenly forgot to demand the Treasure Book from him, and why his personality underwent such a heaven-and-earth change.

"Do you really understand?" A Ping said.

"I really understand." Zhao Chan retreated to the door of the inn, "Wan'er Jie, I have something to do, so I'm going home."

Xie Wan tried to keep him: "No matter how big the matter is, it's not bigger than eating; don't be a stranger, come in quickly and eat."

"Thank you, Sister Wan'er. I have always kept your kindness in my heart."

A Ping and Xie Wan watched Zhao Chan's figure as he ran toward Nongsui Lane, and they were actually shocked.

"He is definitely going back to kill that Chang Ghost," Xie Wan said softly. "Little Toad has truly changed into a different person overnight."

"Why are you calling him 'Little Toad' again instead of 'Zhao Chan'?" A Ping asked with a smile.

"'Little Toad' is more affectionate."

"His parents gave him a good name. The moon has a toad, so it is used to refer to the bright moon. Children in small places are hard to raise, so it is popular to give them a humble nickname; the character 'Chan' can be said to serve two purposes."

"Three purposes."

"Oh? Which three?"

"In the customs of Youju Town, the toad symbolizes longevity and wealth. The common people believe that a toad can help them rise in rank, gain wealth, and bring honor to their family name."

"Haha..." A Ping suddenly laughed out loud.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Four purposes," he explained to himself. "Toads are as lowly as ants, yet they are everywhere. As long as you give them a little water, they can live happily; even in a foul-smelling ditch, they can find joy."

Xie Wan couldn't help but laugh: "If you put it that way, it really does fit Little Toad. His parents died early, and in order to struggle to survive, even a job as difficult as lacquer harvesting was something young Little Toad could do, and he even did it for many years."

A Ping turned the conversation back: "Sun He is Zhao Chan's neighbor..."

"Yes, he is."

"How can one allow a Demon to sleep soundly beside one's bed?" A Ping clapped his hands and laughed. "What a killer who cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes!"

There was one thing he and Xie Wan tacitly never spoke aloud.

Killing that Outsider must have been Zhao Chan's first time killing a person, yet this young man, as lowly as a toad, was calm and composed.