After Old Huang left, Zhang Kui wandered idly around Black Water City.
Taoist Yunxu didn't stop him, but he did have Wang Hu send a few tails to follow him all the way.
Zhang Kui had already noticed some clues.
This Wang Hu mentioned having a "master," but this person had yet to show up, and Taoist Yunxu seemed to be merely a Guest Minister.
Is this so-called "master" the evil spirit in the hall, or someone else entirely?
It seems the waters of the White Cloud Temple run very deep...
Thinking about this, Zhang Kui ignored the tails behind him and wandered around like a tourist, eating and exploring, while mentally mapping out the city's layout.
At the same time, Zhang Kui noticed something amiss.
Although Black Water City was bustling, there was little sound of laughter, and the expressions of people on the street seemed gloomy, prone to fighting over trivial matters.
Is the local way of life so fierce?
No!
Zhang Kui glanced at the pervasive evil Qi filling the city.
When humans and ghosts coexist, disaster is inevitable!
People thrive in the sun, ghosts prefer the dark; hence the Resentful Ghosts usually reside in cemeteries or damp, dark, desolate places.
But now these ghosts have become too powerful, occupying the Taoist Temple and stealing the divine seat, maintaining a facade of order while suppressing the human spirit.
If his guess was correct, the local populace would be prone to illness and significantly shortened lifespans.
What an upside-down world where yin and yang are reversed, and gods and ghosts are indistinguishable!
Zhang Kui sneered silently, looking at the sunset glow, and turned to head toward the White Cloud Temple.
Upon entering, he was pulled aside by Taoist Yunxiao for a banquet.
The people had become familiar, and during the banquet, Taoist Yunxiao began extolling their villainous reputations.
"Zen Master Miaoshan's Great Joyful Zen is famous in Jianghu, and the Hundred-Headed Prayer Beads made from fetal skulls are a formidable Magical Treasure..."
"Qing Gu needs no introduction; even the people from the Astronomical Bureau shiver at the name 'Devouring Heart'..."
As they talked, the three of them collectively turned toward Zhang Kui.
Zhang Kui laughed heartily,
"I don't bother with fancy stuff; I only care about money and treasures. No matter if it's righteous or evil, I'll kill without hesitation!"
Taoist Yunxu stroked his beard,
"And what if... it were the current emperor?"
"The emperor?"
Zhang Kui sneered, "Then the price must go up!"
The old Taoist laughed heartily,
"Taoist Friend Heishan is truly straightforward..."
Halfway through the banquet, Taoist Yunxu clapped his hands to summon several songstresses and handsome young men, all beautiful and well-trained.
Qing Gu wasted no time, taking two handsome men with her and leaving. The fat monk graciously said,
"Taoist Friend Heishan, you pick first!"
Zhang Kui glanced disdainfully, then turned to Taoist Yunxu, "I have particular tastes; do you have any Banshees or female ghosts?"
Taoist Yunxiao looked embarrassed.
The fat monk laughed heartily, grabbing two songstresses and winking,
"Taoist Friend Heishan is truly deeply cultivated..."
After returning to his room, Zhang Kui's face immediately darkened. He turned and sat cross-legged on the couch to start meditating.
This group of Demons had been testing him all along, clearly suspicious of his unknown background.
As for himself, he could barely contain his killing intent.
He came from a civilized world, where many may cheat and deceive, but murder is an unforgivable crime.
But in this world, evil spirits run rampant, humans are not as good as ghosts, and this group of Demons is truly mad, unforgiving.
Zhang Kui opened the Earth Demon 72 Techniques panel.
Could it be,
that I must indeed prove my path through killing,
and carve out a bright future?
Outside the window, the distant temple lanterns swayed, as dark as a crouching beast, ghostly under the bright moon.
A swirl of black Qi suddenly rose, an obscure, chilling intent enveloping the entire Black Water City like a god.
Zhang Kui withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes.
Kill!
However,
being in a Demon Cave now, he must act cautiously.
Zhang Kui sighed, beginning to observe the panel.
By exterminating the "Ghost Opera Troupe" and the Black Corpse Demon Path, he had almost saved up enough for two skill points.
The next step had two choices.
One is to upgrade the Demon-slaying Skill to level two.
Gang Evil is sharp, but opponents were getting stronger, not to mention the lurking great ghost in the hall whose Divine Powers were unpredictable.
The other is to unlock two powerful auxiliary skills.
Zhang Kui had already made a choice: Clone Skill, Body Fixing Skill, and Invisibility Skill.
These are all very practical skills; who doesn't admire Sun Wukong for using Body Fixing Skills or sneaking into the Demon Cave with Invisibility, or plucking a hair to multiply himself.
But each of these skills has its drawbacks.
For instance, the Body Fixing Skill has a higher failure rate against stronger opponents. Similarly, Invisibility is more easily detected by those with higher strength than oneself.
Each upgrade in the Clone Skill allows the creation of one clone, which, though having half the combat power of the original, is fragile and easily defeated.
How should I choose?
Zhang Kui furrowed his brows; perhaps there was another way...
...
For several days following, Taoist Yunxu hosted grand feasts, constantly pulling Zhang Kui to eat and drink, but whenever other topics arose, he would always change the subject.
Until a week later…
"Hahaha..."
Amidst the banquet, Taoist Yunxu, as if transformed, clapped and said, "Taoist Friend Heishan, your reputation precedes you! I didn't expect that incident in Yongyang Town was your doing, leveling thirteen villages in one night, ruthless enough!"
Finally, it came to this…
Zhang Kui's main problem was being new to the Jianghu without solid backing, so to stay undercover, he had the old weasel send a message to Wu Siyuan to concoct some cold cases and temporarily attach them to his name.
As expected, these days were spent investigating his background.
"Have you laughed enough? What does checking up on Zhang imply? If you don't speak up today..."
Zhang Kui glared at Taoist Yunxu with a shadowed expression.
"I don't mind killing someone for free!"
"Taoist Friend Heishan, don't be angry..."
The plump monk Miaoshan on the side smiled and persuaded:
"After all, since we will be companions in the future, it's good to know each other's backgrounds. Both Qing Gu and I have done the same."
Taoist Yunxu chuckled, then turned and accepted a long, ancient, ornate box from a servant.
Opening it, a greatsword lay inside, with both hilt and scabbard made of bronze, engraved with ancient and profound patterns.
The blade of this greatsword was wider than the palm of an adult, and in a past life, perhaps no one could wield it; only in movies or animations might such a weapon appear.
"This is a token of my apology."
Seeing Zhang Kui's attention captivated, Taoist Yunxu said with a smile.
Zhang Kui took the greatsword and gently drew it out.
Clang!
A cold gleam appeared instantly before his eyes, and the biting killing intent made the hair on his hands stand on end.
"What a sword!"
Zhang Kui couldn't help but exclaim.
Taoist Yunxu stroked his beard and said with a smile:
"The sword is named Lu Li, a treasure of Chu Lou, a renowned general of the Ancient Wan Kingdom. The sword's momentum is as heavy as a thousand pounds, accompanied by Cold Evil, swallowing the air of ten thousand miles like a tiger. It suits a hero like Taoist Friend Heishan perfectly."
Clang!
Zhang Kui drew it out entirely, the cold gleam shone brightly, entwining with Blood Evil, forming a sword flower with a casual flick.
Whoosh—
Sounds of tearing cloth rang out, and a deep trench instantly appeared on the wall three meters across.
"Sword Qi!"
Taoist Yunxu almost pulled out his own beard.
The Martial Path and sorcery are completely different routes; he initially thought Zhang Kui was only relying on the power of an Ancient Artifact, but never expected his True Qi cultivation to be so daunting.
The plump monk and Qing Gu also had their pupils contract, feeling on edge, naturally lifting their wine cups.
"Hahaha!"
Zhang Kui laughed heartily, with a clang, returning the sword to its scabbard.
The previous greatsword was merely made by an ordinary blacksmith, only able to handle Gang Evil entwined, and shatter after a few True Qi infusions, but this sword suits him perfectly.
"Taoist Friend Heishan, are you satisfied?"
Taoist Yunxu asked with a smile.
Zhang Kui instantly changed his expression,
"Not enough!"
Pff… the plump monk Miaoshan spat out a mouthful of wine.
He glanced at Zhang Kui, finding it somewhat unbelievable.
Everyone came seeking fortune, and although this was a mere mundane treasure, you arrived last and without contributing, were curried favor like this, yet still unsatisfied?
This person, how can he be greedier than me…
Seeing everyone's expressions, Zhang Kui shrugged, "Let's be honest, this sword was broken by the great monk, and your promise to compensate, investigating my background you also said you would compensate."
"How can one thing compensate twice?"
"I'm a straightforward guy, unacceptable!"
Taoist Yunxu's mouth twitched, but thinking of the forthcoming tasks, he forced a smile.
"So, what does Taoist Friend Heishan want..."
Zhang Kui laughed heartily,
"Not difficult for you, help me find a place heavy with Evil Qi, the harsher the better, since you're a local big shot."
This was the plan he came up with.
When the Demon-slaying Skill levels to two, it consumes two skill points at once but can increase the power by improving the quality of Evil Qi.
His Blood Evil originated from refining the ancestral slaughtering knife, with much room for improvement, allowing him to save skill points to learn the Body Fixing Skill.
"Oh, that's easily done..."
Taoist Yunxu breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes rolled, revealing a hint of joy.
"I happen to know a place, filled with century-old Yin Evil, and it's related to our big task at hand."
"Just don't know if Taoist Friend Heishan dares to go!"