Chapter 24: Volume One: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 24: When the Sun is at its Zenith, it Shifts; When the Moon is Full, it Wanes

Volume One: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 24: When the Sun is at its Zenith, it Shifts; When the Moon is Full, it Wanes

Bai Youjun widened her eyes, whispering in disbelief: "Is the Young Master going to kneel to that Mold Ghost? Young Master, you must not kneel!"

Bai Yuqing put away the Fufeng sword. She had guessed Zhao Chan's next move and, in a playful mood, deliberately deceived her: "Qing, even the common people know that there is gold under a man's knees. It seems your Young Master, whom you fell in love with at first sight, has no gold under his knees."

"That's impossible, that's impossible. The Young Master couldn't possibly kneel to the Mold Ghost. He... he is tricking it, that must be it!" she whispered in explanation.

A Ping, feeling relaxed, jumped to their side again and smiled: "Zhao Chan has only lost some unimportant face, but their getting along harmoniously is a great joy!"

Bai Youjun threw a tantrum: "You hypocrite, don't talk to us!"

"Ha, you little demon, you are truly interesting. Why not follow me back to the Xuanwei Sect to be a spiritual creature guarding the medicine garden?" A Ping didn't take her mockery to heart at all.

Bai Yuqing raised her hand to stop Bai Youjun's retort and asked: "You are so confident?"

"Hmm?"

"We've only just begun; the good show is about to appear."

A Ping's eyes widened instantly, and the sword scar on his forehead looked even more ferocious due to the drastic change in his expression.

As future fellow Patrol Mountain Ghost Envoys of Fei Mountain, Zhao Chan was now going to kneel to it. Even though it had lost a ghost servant that could retain memories from its lifetime, the Mold Ghost was in a very good mood.

"You don't know what kind of ghost servant you killed! Although ghost servants are easy to refine, one that can retain memories from its lifetime is one in a thousand. You killed her, and I am very angry. Making you kneel and kowtow three times is already me being magnanimous."

"Alright, kneel down, don't come any closer."

The Mold Ghost was a cultivator in the Lower-Grade Qi Gathering Realm. In its eyes, Zhao Chan was just livestock with no threat.

Even if the livestock carried a sword and gripped a rather strange peach branch, the Mold Ghost had no worries at all.

Zhao Chan didn't say a single word; it was all the Mold Ghost talking to itself.

Therefore, he walked up to it extremely easily. Just like when he killed the arrogant tiger demon, he mobilized the strength in his muscles and bones. It was still the third form of the *Shake God Sword*, "Sword Trace." His understanding of this sword technique was becoming deeper and deeper, and he was using it with increasing ease.

The peach branch slashed toward the Mold Ghost, which had no defense at all. This sword strike was unstoppable!

The sword manual described the perfected "Sword Trace" as "only seeing the trace, capable of slicing stone and splitting gold."

The "Sword Trace" strike Zhao Chan performed was so fast that even the "trace" was becoming hard to see, as if a shallow rain line were falling from the sky in the midst of a heavy downpour.

The Mold Ghost, in the Lower-Grade Qi Gathering Realm, didn't even react until it died.

It was slashed into two pieces with one sword.

To ensure the Mold Ghost was dead, the still-calm young man added another strike to its head.

Afterward, he looked at the place where the mold was and waited silently.

It was not until the mold of various colors withered and drifted away that Zhao Chan turned and walked into the alley.

In the damp corners of the small alley, where mold had also been growing, the mold fell off one after another and disappeared after the Mold Ghost died.

He untied the wine gourd from his waist, pulled out the stopper, and gulped down two mouthfuls.

The wine stung his throat, like an unreasonable fire dragon drilling into his stomach.

Savoring the taste of the wine, he took the opportunity to reflect on the sword strike just now.

Of the twelve forms of the *Shake God Sword*, he liked the "Sword Trace" form more and more.

There was no flashiness, only speed and force—sufficiently crisp, clean, and not dragging his feet.

This was his first time drinking. Having already drunk one jar, plus these two large mouthfuls, he soon became dizzy.

Bai Yuqing laughed and shook her head, saying nothing.

A Ping stood dumbfounded on the spot. He had been too confident, confident enough to celebrate halfway through, seemingly certain that Zhao Chan would kneel and kowtow to the Mold Ghost.

Come to think of it, the Mold Ghost was actually half a catty to A Ping's eight taels—too self-righteous, thinking Zhao Chan had truly submitted.

There was no submission at all; they simply didn't understand the current Zhao Chan!

Bai Yuqing couldn't be bothered to show off in front of A Ping, but Bai Youjun didn't intend to let him off. Seeing the Young Master kill the Mold Ghost, she beamed with joy and asked A Ping with a playful laugh: "My Young Master has ten thousand taels of gold under his knees, unlike some hypocrite who talks about saving the world in every breath but is actually extremely selfish and disgusting."

"Alright, Qing, verbal disputes are meaningless," Bai Yuqing smiled.

A Ping suddenly recovered. If the Mold Ghost was dead, it was dead. Anyway, he hadn't had contact with it yet. There were so many outsiders in Youju Town that as long as he operated properly, he and Xie Wan could steadily reap the benefits.

Besides, tomorrow was the twelfth of the eighth month, and Xie Wan's cultivation would be unsealed.

A Ping smiled slightly and explained for himself: "The Wangqing River Jiao Clan had four small Jiao dragons wreaking havoc in one place. I helped the local Demon Slaying Division skin them, which led to the pursuit from the Wangqing River. You also saw the old Jiao dragon I killed. The other old Jiao dragon hunting me is still on the way and will catch up soon.

If I were a hypocrite, why would I help the Demon Slaying Division kill demons? Why would I provoke the Wangqing River?"

Bai Yuqing mocked: "Do you think I don't know about the great feud between the Xuanwei Sect and the Wangqing River? A hundred years ago, a Zhenren cultivator from your Xuanwei Sect killed a Jiao dragon that was traveling the river and even skinned it to make a belt. The Wangqing River came to ask for an explanation. What did your Xuanwei Sect say at the time?"

A Ping's face darkened instantly.

"The Xuanwei Sect said, 'Can't a human cultivator kill a small Jiao dragon to make a belt?'

The ridiculous thing is, that Jiao dragon traveling the river cared deeply for the common people. Every time it arrived at a place, it would drive the river water to help irrigate the fields on both banks. The people called it 'Dragon Lord'."

"Enough! Shut up!" A Ping scolded.

Bai Yuqing sneered: "The Xuanwei Sect's corrupt style hasn't been for just a year or two..."

Seeing that she was still going on, A Ping flicked a coin at her: "One Mountain Ghost Flower Money, in exchange for you sisters being honest for two days."

"Oh?" Bai Yuqing was surprised. "This Mountain Ghost Flower Money has the aura of the Mountain Ghost lurking outside Youju Town. Did it give it to you?"

She smiled again: "Since you have already seen that Mountain Ghost, why didn't you capture it?"

"Hmph, you don't need to know." A Ping naturally wouldn't say that he was wary of Xiaoshui Zhenren. Besides, at that time, he had just killed the old Jiao dragon that was hunting him, and his internal injuries were severe.

"What a pity, I am not short of Mountain Ghost Flower Money." After saying this, the Mountain Ghost Flower Money flicked back into A Ping's hand.

"You sisters are truly stubborn," he sighed, shaking his head.

Bai Youjun said angrily: "It's none of your business."

Bai Yuqing said with a smile: "It is indeed none of his business. Qing, let's go. Let's go see your Young Master. I promised to give him two Mountain Ghost Flower Money before, but I never fulfilled it. Killing a Mold Ghost in the Qi Gathering Realm, these two Mountain Ghost Flower Money can be considered a celebration for him."

On the night of the ninth of the eighth month, after Bai Youjun followed Zhao Chan home from the Xizhao Inn, she promised him that if he agreed to be the bait for her sister to fish for the Mountain Ghost, she would give him two Mountain Ghost Flower Money.

The two sisters jumped down from the eaves and walked to the side of Nongsui Lane, where the drunken Zhao Chan happened to come out.

They met face to face.

Bai Youjun was overjoyed: "Young Master!"

Zhao Chan broke his usual pattern and smiled heartily: "Did the two Miss Bais see me kill the demon?"

"Oh! Young Master is truly brilliant! Sister, the Young Master guessed that we have always been concerned about him."

Bai Yuqing couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the self-indulgent Bai Youjun: "Zhao Chan, that sword strike was not bad."

Zhao Chan burped from the alcohol and asked with a smile: "Was it enough to show the high spirits of a youth?"

"Enough!" Bai Yuqing affirmed.

"That is good. I did not let the teacher down."

"Teacher?"

"The teacher at the private school. The teacher is a very, very good person." Zhao Chan waved goodbye as he passed the two sisters.

Bai Youjun shouted: "The Young Master is also a very, very good person!"

"Me?"

Zhao Chan looked back at her: "I am trying hard to be a good person."

Bai Yuqing sniffed the scent of alcohol radiating from him and smiled lightly: "I have an old friend in Lingzhou City. Although she is not good at writing, she likes to pretend to be elegant and often drinks a line after getting very drunk: 'Ten thousand miles of horizontal spear to explore the tiger's den, three cups of sword-drawing to dance the dragon spring.' If she saw you, she would definitely be happy."

The implication was that killing the tiger demon first and then the Mold Ghost, both by fighting across realms, was truly wonderful and magnificent!

Immediately, she threw two Mountain Ghost Flower Money to Zhao Chan.

"Good work, you deserve a reward."

Zhao Chan took the two Mountain Ghost Flower Money and saw that they were crimson in color. On the back of the coins were the eight characters: Qian, Dui, Kun, Li, Xun, Zhen, Gen, Kan. The characters were pitch black, with no traces of engraving, as if they were formed naturally. The front of the coins had no characters and were as smooth as a mirror.

The moment he got them in his hand, he suddenly felt his body become light, and his head became clear. The discomfort from being drunk vanished into thin air.

"Mountain Ghost Flower Money?" he asked.

"Guess," Bai Yuqing arched her brows and said heroically, "In the future, when you drink to get drunk, remember to take the Mountain Ghost Flower Money away, otherwise you won't be able to get drunk. Once you have Dharma power, you will be able to isolate the protective effect of the Mountain Ghost Flower Money, and you can be drunk when you want to be, and not drunk when you don't."

Mountain Ghost Flower Money could not only protect the body but was also a currency used by Mountain cultivators for trading.

Calmly putting away the two Mountain Ghost Flower Money, Zhao Chan walked toward the Demon Slaying Division.

Bai Yuqing narrowed her eyes and smiled: "Qing, look at the line of characters on the wine gourd."

Bai Youjun opened her eyes wide and read: "Wandering with wine, idle with tea; lying under willows, sleeping among flowers? Sister, what does it mean?"

"Heh, a place of romance," Bai Yuqing hinted.

"Oh! Who sent the Young Master such dirty things!"

She blushed and stomped her feet in anger.

"It's your Young Master. This is what it should look like! While being calm and composed, he is also high-spirited and magnificent! That Lao Liu is truly a strange person, personally carving a piece of fine gold and jade. Once the time comes, it will immediately shine with ten thousand rays of light, dazzling and eye-catching."

"Sister, I have a question."

"Ask."

"Why does Sister think it was Lao Liu who carved him, rather than the Young Master being a natural piece of good jade?"

Bai Yuqing patted her little head: "No matter how good the jade is, if there is no guide, it will sooner or later be assimilated by the surrounding 'silt' into the same stupid thing!"

"Oh, that's right. The Young Master is not as muddled as the people here; he is like a fairy lotus that emerges from the mud without being stained. Oh! Sister, don't pat my head, I won't grow tall!!!"

Zhao Chan pulled open the wine gourd, took a small sip, and muttered to himself: "Fear the gods, respect the caution of being alone."

He had been arrogant enough; it was time to collect his heart. When he was auditing in the private school, the teacher had said—be sincere within, manifest without; a gentleman must be cautious when alone.

The teacher explained that a gentleman must be careful and strictly demand of himself even when alone, when no one is paying attention, and not do things that violate morality.

Lao Liu had also mentioned that a wild horse that has broken its reins often dies the fastest.

A Ping returned to the Xizhao Inn and told with a dark face that Zhao Chan had killed the Mold Ghost with one sword.

Xie Wan was dumbfounded: "Was that tiger demon also in the Lower-Grade Qi Gathering Realm?"

"Hmm."

"Was this Mold Ghost also in the Lower-Grade Qi Gathering Realm?"

"Yes."

"Killing two demons across realms!!" Xie Wan screamed in excitement. "A Ping, we have found a treasure!"

"It's more than a treasure; it should be a fairy flower covered by dust. After returning to the Xuanwei Sect, we must request the sect to cultivate him at all costs. Once he achieves success in his cultivation, you and I will have good days ahead!"

"A Ping! A Ping! I can't wait! Hurry up and tie Zhao Chan to the inn, and we will guard him day and night!" Xie Wan said with a surging heart. "I will give my body to him again, so that Little Toad will remember me forever, forever!"

A Ping looked helplessly at his excited Junior Sister. "Don't be anxious. Zhao Chan can't escape from our palms. The top priority now is Hundred Treasure Zhen Pan Xi's cave abode, as well as that Mountain Ghost."

"Kill! Kill them all!" Xie Wan suddenly became murderous. "Destroy Youju Town, kill those overestimating cultivators, we will occupy the cave abode, and then capture the Mountain Ghost!"

"The fifteenth of the eighth month is the day the cave abode opens. I suspect that among the cultivators who came to Youju Town, there is more than one tricky hard nut hidden."

"What about Zhou Sheng?" Xie Wan asked suddenly. "Didn't you give the quota for apprenticing at the Xuanwei Sect to his grandson?"

A Ping laughed: "Why does Junior Sister count on this old slippery Zhou Sheng?"

"Zhao Chan!"

A group of children ran out of Xiliu Lane and surrounded Zhao Chan.

"You became a Demon Slayer?!"

"A Demon Slayer, eh? Will you teach us martial arts then?"

"Zhao Chan, Zhao Chan, does the Demon Slaying Division have a lot of good food? Can you bring some to me?"

"Zhao Chan! My grandfather asked me to invite you to eat at home! Big fish and big meat! It will make you drool!"

"Zhao Chan, when I grow up, I also want to be a Demon Slayer and slay demons for the villagers!"

The children talked all at once.

He looked at them with a faint smile, stopped, and was not in a hurry to go to the Demon Slaying Division.

He patiently answered their questions one by one.

"I did indeed become a Demon Slayer."

"When you are nine years old, it should be Brother Wang Huan who teaches you martial arts."

"Thank you for your grandfather's kindness, but please forgive my rudeness; I cannot go to your house as a guest."

"Good, I will wait for you to grow up, and I will also wait for you to become a Demon Slayer."

A child named Zhou Wangcai grabbed Zhao Chan's hand and asked with a pitiful look: "Brother Zhao, can I tell you something quietly?"

He picked up Zhou Wangcai: "Alright, whisper it in my ear."

Zhou Wangcai happily wrapped his arms around Zhao Chan's neck and whispered: "Brother Zhao, grandfather wants me to tell you that if you are not having a smooth time at the Demon Slaying Division one day, you might as well go to the Silver Vase Temple to chat with him. My grandfather's name is Zhou Sheng."

"Wait! Brother Zhao, this is what my grandfather told me. I have something else I want to say to you. It is... it is... Brother Zhao, please be careful."

Please be careful?

Zhao Chan asked in confusion: "Why should I be careful?"

"Because Brother Zhao has gained too much good fortune in a short time. When the sun is at its zenith, it shifts; when the moon is full, it wanes. Beware of the opposite happening!"

"Did you think of this yourself?"

"No, I saw it! I saw that Brother Zhao's good fortune is terrifyingly thick."

"Do you have anything else to say to me?"

"No."

Zhao Chan put him down.

Zhou Wangcai held his hand, his little face full of worry.

He touched Zhou Wangcai's head and said seriously: "I have kept in mind everything you said."

Zhou Wangcai was eight years old this year, and Zhao Chan was fourteen; there was a six-year difference between them.

Two years ago, Zhou Wangcai moved to Youju Town with his grandfather Zhou Sheng. The grandfather and grandson had good tempers and got along well with the neighbors.

Before, when Zhao Chan passed through Xiliu Lane to gather lacquer, he would occasionally run into the playing Zhou Wangcai, and as they met more often, they gradually became familiar with each other.

Once, after selling lacquer, he bought two candied haws and gave one to Zhou Wangcai.

The other one, he gave to Chen Xianggu in Taoli Lane. ===== CHAPTER 25 =====