Chapter 33: Volume I: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 33: Mountain Ghost? Xiaoshui Zhenren?

Volume I: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 33: Mountain Ghost? Xiaoshui Zhenren?

After safely sending Wu Ting back to Youju Town, Zhao Chan led the mule and the cart to the coffin shop. Since the demonic infestation, the coffin shop had closed its doors. He knocked for a long time before hearing the owner ask who was knocking.

"It's me, Zhao Chan."

"Is the mule and the cart finished?"

"Yes, I'm here to return them."

The owner hid behind the front door and shouted: "Little brother, lead it in from the back door."

Detouring to the back door, the owner opened the door and poked his head out to look left and right.

"Only me, no one else."

"Little brother, come in quickly. Sigh, troubled times, troubled times! We have been neighbors for many years. You are now a Demon Slayer, tell me the truth, is Youju Town still safe?"

Zhao Chan thought for a moment: "Owner, even if it's not stable, can you take your family and run to Yang County?"

"Sigh! Who says it isn't!"

He first untied the cart pulled by the mule, then took the reins and sent it to the animal pen.

"Little brother, will there be demonic infestations in the future?" the owner asked Zhao Chan mysteriously, getting closer.

Zhao Chan smiled helplessly: "Even if there is a demonic infestation, it is Brother Wang and I who charge to the front. Does the owner want to join the Demon Slaying Division and fight with us?"

"Ha, where, where, this old bone of mine, let alone dealing with demons, if a young man pushes me lightly, I will fall apart," the owner was scared to dance by his words.

"This is one tael of silver deposit."

Zhao Chan counted twenty-seven copper coins and handed them to the owner.

"Can't, can't, little brother is fighting hard to kill demons and deal with the demonic infestation for us commoners, how can I have the face to take your money?"

"One thing is one thing. If the owner doesn't take this money, and it spreads out, it will become me smearing the Demon Slaying Division," Zhao Chan forced the money into the owner's hand.

"Sigh! I have no choice but to do so," the owner really didn't want to take these twenty-seven copper coins. He would rather borrow this dispensable favor so that when a demonic infestation happens in the future, Zhao Chan would take more care of his family.

Ending this matter, Zhao Chan said goodbye and left.

He wanted to inform Wang Huan.

Passing by Xizhao Inn.

Xie Wan didn't know what was wrong, but she was heavily made up, and with her proud breasts and round buttocks, she was very eye-catching.

"Little Toad!" she called out coquettishly.

Zhao Chan still looked straight ahead, stopped, and greeted: "Hello, Sister Wan'er."

"I have prepared food, come in and have a bite."

"Thank you for your kindness, Sister Wan'er, but I have to go out of town a few more times, so I really don't have time to eat."

"Oh? What are you going to do? Purge demons and kill monsters?"

"It's not peaceful outside, I want to bring the villagers living in the villages back to Youju Town."

Xie Wan laughed instantly, paced to Zhao Chan's side, and whispered: "Aren't you worried that you are too clever for your own good? Perhaps they are better off outside the town."

Zhao Chan said sincerely: "I went out and took a look. Demons are rampant outside, and the village is not as safe as Youju Town."

"Are you referring to Wang Huan sitting here?"

"Yes."

"If I quietly tell you that Wang Huan is actually a small character like a small shrimp, what would you choose?"

Zhao Chan sighed as if there was nothing: "Do your best and listen to fate."

"Ha, do your best and listen to fate? This doesn't sound like what you said. Who taught you?"

"The teacher at the private school."

"Okay, I have told you what I should say. Just let go and do it. No matter what the result is, I will protect your life," Xie Wan waved her hand boldly, signaling that Zhao Chan could go.

He did not move his steps.

As if to verify the guess in his heart.

The young man asked: "Sister Wan'er and Teacher A Ping are..."

"Disciples of the Xuanwei Sect. A Ping is my senior brother, but I look down on a hypocrite like him," Xie Wan lifted Zhao Chan's chin with her middle finger, and couldn't help but think that she was used to handsome men, but the young man's appearance still made her feel fascinated. It was strange that such a dashing young man could be born in a small mountain place.

"Teacher A Ping is a hypocrite?"

"Don't call him teacher, it's simply tarnishing the word 'teacher'."

"Okay," Zhao Chan's thoughts turned rapidly.

Xie Wan took back her hand and said gently: "Little Toad, touch your conscience, how have I treated you all these years?"

"Sister Wan'er has always been very good to me."

"Come back to the Xuanwei Sect with me. You won't understand the strength of the Xuanwei Sect now, but you only need to understand one thing: I will never harm you.

After you become a disciple of the Xuanwei Sect, I will fight for countless cultivation resources for you—heavenly materials, earthly treasures, pills, spirit caves, and even cultivation partners suitable for you, all of which are ten or a hundred times more than what you get in the Demon Slaying Division!

With your talent, within ten years, you will be famous among many Mountain Sects. With the Xuanwei Sect as your backing, your future will be limitless!

Once famous in the world, Little Toad, you will become an immortal in the eyes of others!"

Zhao Chan listened, and until Xie Wan finished speaking, he seemed to be silently weighing the pros and cons.

Xie Wan was happy to see Zhao Chan thinking.

No rush.

Wait slowly for his answer.

After a long while.

Zhao Chan said solemnly: "I believe Sister Wan'er, can you give me two days?"

"Today is August 12th. Tell me your choice before August 15th."

"Why before August 15th?" Zhao Chan asked puzzled.

"This is irrelevant to you. Still the same sentence, I will protect your life."

"I have remembered it. If Sister Wan'er has nothing else to do, I will go to the Demon Slaying Division."

Xie Wan said sincerely: "Yes, Zhao Chan, I really care about you, far more than anyone else cares about you."

"Thank you, Sister Wan'er."

Passing through Taoli Lane, he turned his head to look at Xie Wan who was still standing on Caiyan Street, and did not look for Chen Xianggu.

Wang Huan was not in the Demon Slaying Division; he found him near the private school.

"Brother Wang, are the villagers of Xiaoshi Village settled?"

"There is a piece of empty houses outside Zhecao Alley and Xiao Hua Xiang. I brought them there," he said.

Zhao Chan knew those houses. They had been vacant for many years. Originally, a large clan lived there, but later a scholar in the clan became a high official, so they moved away.

He mentioned what Xie Wan had just said.

Wang Huan asked quietly: "You didn't hear it wrong? It really is August 15th?"

"Didn't hear it wrong, it is August 15th."

"August 15th is the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Perhaps something big will happen."

Wang Huan hummed: "I will ask Xie Wan myself."

"Brother Wang, wait."

"What?"

"Sister Wan'er is different."

Wang Huan asked suspiciously: "What do you mean?"

Zhao Chan said his feelings when facing Xie Wan: "She seems to have suddenly become a very powerful cultivator, a cultivator more powerful than us!"

Since the young man in front of him could achieve the cultivation of the Upper Grade Body Refining Realm in just a few days, Wang Huan was willing to trust his judgment.

Wang Huan stomped his feet and sighed: "There are demons outside, and this group of ambitious cultivators inside. What should we do!"

Truly helpless.

Zhao Chan said: "Brother Wang, I want to move the villagers of the few villages outside into Youju Town."

"You..."

Zhao Chan talked about the number of demons he killed: "Taking advantage of the temporary peace around, bringing them to Youju Town to be protected by Brother Wang is the strategy to protect the border and the people. Otherwise, the villagers will soon be eaten up by demons."

"Damn demons!" Wang Huan gritted his teeth in hatred, "What should we do on August 15th?"

"After bringing the villagers back, I will rush to the Yang County Demon Slaying Division for help and will definitely return before August 15th."

"Sigh, it's hard on you."

Zhao Chan took the time to visit the private school teacher.

The teacher was sitting alone in the lecture hall, flipping through books.

"Zhao Chan? Why are you here?"

"Brother Wang happened to be nearby, and I had something to find him for. So I stopped by to visit the teacher," he bowed.

The teacher stood up and returned the bow meticulously.

"Have you eaten?"

Zhao Chan shook his head.

The teacher walked to the back kitchen: "Wait, there is still food in the pot."

He walked to a desk and sat down calmly, not refusing like he did with Xie Wan.

"It's good that you came in time, the food is still steaming," the teacher served it to him at the desk.

Zhao Chan thanked him: "The teacher's kindness of a meal, the student will never forget."

"Have you read the 'Qionglin'?"

Eating the still-warm food, he replied vaguely: "Not yet."

"Also, you became a Demon Slayer, busy all day, no time to review your homework. However, Zhao Chan, reading is a lifelong thing. After you are free in the future, you must study the teachings of the sages from time to time."

"The student will keep it in mind."

"Eat, don't talk while eating, don't talk while sleeping."

The private school teacher watched Zhao Chan wolfing down the food, his face kind. If this student focused on books, he might be able to cultivate a scholar!

After eating, the teacher pointed to the wine gourd and scolded with a smile: "Is it sent by the drunkard Zhou from the wine shop?"

"Yes."

"Drinking wine and tea, sleeping under willows and flowers, drunkard Zhou is truly a filthy thing!"

"Is it not appropriate?"

"Not appropriate? It's very appropriate, it happens to suit you. I won't keep you, go and get busy."

Zhao Chan bowed: "The student has not known the teacher's name all these years."

"Ha, if you didn't mention it, I would have forgotten my own name. My surname is Pan."

"Teacher, the student says goodbye."

Pan teacher watched the young man run quickly toward the outside of Youju Town, and he didn't move for a long time.

Besides Shanniu Village and Xiaoshi Village, there were three other villages outside Youju Town, namely Wangshui Village, Xiaowang Village, and Dawang Village.

Xiaowang Village and Dawang Village were separated by only one stream, and the villagers were all surnamed Wang.

Zhao Chan went to Xiaowang Village.

The two villages suffered from a demonic infestation, with more than thirty people killed or injured, and finally, after the villagers fought back, they drove away the demons.

Zhao Chan occasionally passed by Xiaowang Village when gathering lacquer in previous years, not to mention there were four or five lacquer gatherers in the village who were familiar with him.

He first found the two lacquer gatherers who survived, told them his current identity, and explained the stakes clearly. The lacquer gatherer agreed to help contact the villagers.

The commoners were not stupid. They understood that at this time, the Demon Slayer was still willing to come over, truly for the sake of their lives. One by one, they didn't dare to waste time, only brought food, and rushed to Youju Town under Zhao Chan's leadership.

The two villages had more than 160 households.

Wang Huan waited outside the town, took them over from Zhao Chan, and immediately arranged a place for them to stay.

Wangshui Village was twenty-seven miles away from Youju Town, the farthest village.

When Zhao Chan stood at the entrance of the village, panting.

There was no one in the village.

His mood instantly became extremely heavy.

Searching from house to house.

He didn't find a single living person.

Blood, broken bones, and shattered internal organs were all over the ground.

On the east side of Wangshui Village, a full eight demons were entrenched.

When Zhao Chan found them, they were swallowing flesh and blood.

They turned their heads in unison to stare at the young man holding the peach branch.

This time, it wasn't the demons rushing toward him, but Zhao Chan rushing toward the demons with boiling killing intent.

The eight demons were far less powerful than the eagle-headed, leopard-bodied demon.

With Zhao Chan's current strength, plus the sharpness of the peach branch that was almost unbreakable, in half a quarter of an hour, he slaughtered all eight demons.

Wangshui Village was not as lucky as Xiaoshi Village, with 41 households of villagers dying under the claws of demons.

Zhao Chan didn't dare to waste any more time and rushed to Erniu Mountain, heading to Yang County for help via the mountain road.

"Make a deal?"

The Mountain Ghost sat cross-legged on the hillside near Shanniu Village, looking at A Ping who stood on the top of the mountain with his hands behind his back.

Beside it was the Jingguan of human heads, and behind it was a large pot with a small fire burning underneath. The boiling water in the pot was rolling, and the human heads with hair removed were floating up and down. Various spices were floating on the surface of the water, and the fragrance was pungent.

To the left of the large pot was a wok, placed on a stove made of yellow soil, containing blood tofu made of human blood and seasonal vegetables, poured with some spring water, just half-covering the "ingredients."

To the right of the large pot was a stew pot, half-covered with a lid, vaguely visible bones stained with meat, the color of the soup was white, and there was no lack of many spices.

A Ping turned a blind eye to this.

He had already seen more tragic scenes a hundred times.

To him, below the cultivator, everyone was an ant.

Of course, to outsiders, he said that he hated the demons that harmed all living beings and that he wanted to do everything possible to protect the commoners.

"I have no deal to make with demons," A Ping sneered.

"That old flood dragon is looking for you, right?"

"So what if it is?"

"It is waiting for me in the mountains. If you don't make this deal, I will ignore this matter and let you two fight until both sides are hurt."

A Ping mocked: "The old flood dragon is not my opponent."

"Arrogant!" The Mountain Ghost stood up, picked up a piece of firewood, put it into the stove made of yellow soil, and stirred with a spatula, "The old flood dragon has the cultivation of the Upper Grade Knowing Fate Realm. Your injuries have not healed, how can you be its opponent?"

After a while.

A Ping asked: "What is the deal?"

"You are standing too far away, come over and talk." The Mountain Ghost stared at the heat.

A Ping leaped to its side in a few steps, narrowing his eyes: "You are not a Mountain Ghost?"

"Ha, joke, if I am not a Mountain Ghost, then who am I."

"You are Xiaoshui Zhenren."

"..." The Mountain Ghost put down the spatula and turned to look at him: "How did you know?"

"I heard that Xiaoshui Zhenren's lifespan is coming to an end, and he has not appeared for a long time. I guess he must have snatched the body of a Mountain Ghost and used side-door methods to extend his lifespan."

"Haha... the Xuanwei Sect is not all fools," it laughed.

"Should I call you Xiaoshui Zhenren, or Mountain Ghost?"

"Xiaoshui Zhenren. The word Mountain Ghost is too low for my status. Alright, can we talk about the deal now?"

A Ping nodded: "Say it, let me listen."

"Pan Xi is not dead, and he is hiding near Youju Town." The blood tofu was stir-fried, and Xiaoshui Zhenren said while pouring the vegetables into a very clean plate.

A Ping was shocked: "Impossible, he..."

"Now that things have come to this, I understand."

"Understand what? Tell me quickly!" he asked anxiously.

Xiaoshui Zhenren served the vegetables to the dining table and pointed at A Ping: "Look, you are anxious again. Don't be anxious, let's talk about the deal first."

A Ping suppressed his surging emotions and nodded.

"Since the Hundred Treasure Zhen Pan Xi spent a lot of effort to spread the rumor of his death, he must have a big plan. You and that old flood dragon join forces to kill him. Afterward, you two split Pan Xi's treasures fifty-fifty." Xiaoshui Zhenren ran to the stewed bone soup, scooped a spoonful of soup, tasted it, and grabbed some salt and sprinkled it in.

A Ping frowned and asked: "The Hundred Treasure Zhen's treasures are split between us, what do you want?"

"Don't worry about this matter, I will definitely not compete with you." He lifted the lid, scooped the bone soup into a basin, and placed it on the dining table.

Immediately after, he scooped up the cooked human heads and used the pot lid as tableware to place the human heads.

"Come, taste the taste of human heads. I have prepared the sauce. Let's talk while eating. Oh, why are you standing there like a fool? Isn't snatching the Hundred Treasure Zhen Pan Xi's treasures the purpose of your coming here?" ===== CHAPTER 34 =====