Let's Set a Small Goal First

The sun shone bright beneath the Old Locust Tree.

Yu Qi'an sat by the well, eating watermelon.

When Li Chu walked over, he saw that even the way his master ate watermelon had the air of an immortal. A roll of the sleeve, a spit of seeds—every motion exuded an indescribable aura.

"Hey, want a piece?" Yu Qi'an asked with a chuckle.

"Thank you, Master." Li Chu sat down as well.

Yu Qi'an looked at Li Chu and thought that even his disciple looked dashing and handsome while eating watermelon. A lean forward, a wipe of the mouth—he truly had the bearing Yu Qi'an himself had possessed in his youth.

He stroked his beard and smiled. "Why thank me? This fruit was all sent over yesterday by that Miss Li. She came looking for you. I'm the one benefiting from your good fortune."

"Miss Li?"

"Her name was rather obscure. I forgot it. She was a young lady with a very slender waist, long legs, a full chest and round hips, and an excellent figure."

Li Chu shook his head, unable to remember.

"Oh, she had a mole over her left breast," Yu Qi'an added.

"Hm?" Li Chu was even more puzzled.

"Oh, right. She also left behind fifty taels of silver."

"Li Xinyi." Li Chu immediately remembered. "She is a disciple of Facing Heaven Pavilion. We handled a weird case together before, and those fifty taels were the reward I was owed."

As he spoke, he blinked.

Did Li Xinyi have a mole over her left breast?

No, what puzzled him was why such a small matter as delivering money had been entrusted to Li Xinyi. In the past, Zhou Dafu would directly send a junior constable over.

And she should have returned to Hangzhou Prefecture long ago, shouldn't she?

Yu Qi'an said at just the right moment, "It seemed she had something else to discuss with you, but seeing you weren't here, she had no choice but to leave first."

"Oh." Li Chu nodded.

Yu Qi'an ate another piece of watermelon, wiped his mouth, then glanced up at Li Chu. "Aren't you going to find her and ask what it was about?"

"If it's important, she'll come again." Li Chu shrugged indifferently.

"Alas." Yu Qi'an looked at his disciple and let out a sigh of frustration at iron for failing to become steel.

"Master, there is something I wished to ask." After Yu Qi'an interrupted him, Li Chu had nearly forgotten why he had come.

"Oh? What is it?"

"I have a question. If there is a group of ghosts living peacefully in one place, and humans do not disturb them while they do not harm humans, can I still go and eliminate them?" Li Chu asked seriously.

"Isn't that what you've been doing all along?" Yu Qi'an asked in return.

Over the past year, Li Chu had been farming minor monsters to level up on Ten Li Slope. Yu Qi'an did not know his purpose, but he knew about the practice.

"But these ghosts have higher cultivation and have already gained intelligence. They are different from Lantern Monsters," Li Chu said.

Yu Qi'an thought for a moment before slowly replying, "Heh heh. We Cultivators who roam the martial world have always passed down a saying: demons can be taught, but devils are difficult to save."

Li Chu leaned forward, assuming the posture of a humble student seeking instruction.

"It means that among demons and monsters, these four kinds of Evil Things are actually different from one another."

"Demons are formed through the cultivation of all manner of living beings. They are an elevation of life itself. Demons are not inherently good or evil. Those who do good are good demons, and those who commit evil are bad demons. Good demons can be educated and guided. Like the little fox that comes to worship at the temple every day, we can coexist with it peacefully. Only bad demons need to be eradicated."

"Monsters are strange living creatures born of heaven and earth. In essence, they are no different from birds and beasts. Likewise, if they keep to themselves and behave properly, humans should not disturb them."

"Because they have their own Great Dao to walk."

"Their own Great Dao..." Li Chu murmured, seeming to ponder something.

"As for devils, they are formed when other living beings become demonized." Yu Qi'an's expression grew slightly solemn. "Once one enters devilhood, it is difficult to turn back. If they are allowed to survive in the Human Realm, they will surely bring about great bloodshed and slaughter. They must be eradicated."

"Ghosts are likewise transformed from the Yin Souls of other living beings. For various reasons, they did not set foot upon the Reincarnation Road and thus remained in the Human Realm. But no matter the reason, this is not the path they should walk. From the moment they are born, they have already strayed onto a crooked path. Therefore, no matter the circumstances, eliminating ghosts is equivalent to helping them return to the righteous path."

"For devils and ghosts, one need not ask whether they are righteous or evil. Encounter them, and eliminate them. This is precisely why eliminating ghosts is called deliverance. Deliverance can accumulate merit. Whether they possess intelligence or not, it cannot be considered killing a living being."

"So the standard for judging whether something should be killed is whether that living being walks the righteous path, correct?" Li Chu asked.

"You could say that." Yu Qi'an smiled and nodded.

Li Chu seemed to have gained some insight and nodded as well.

Watching Li Chu get up and leave, Yu Qi'an muttered at his departing back, "I wonder which ghosts are going to be so unlucky."

Night fell.

Liu Family Ghost Building.

The disturbance from last night seemed to have had no effect on this place at all. It still possessed the same peaceful yet eerie atmosphere.

But as a figure dressed in an Azure Daoist Robe slowly approached, the scene gained a touch of aesthetic beauty.

Recently, Li Chu had been thinking that the Lantern Monsters provided less and less Experience Points. It would be nice if he could find a new leveling spot that was slightly more advanced.

But he was unfamiliar with places farther away, and there might be trouble.

The appearance of Liu Family Ghost Building perfectly suited his needs.

Few people, many ghosts, and close to home.

Moreover, from what he had seen so far, the ghosts here seemed capable of appearing out of thin air. If that was the case, they might very well be endless.

It was practically prepared for him to level up.

His only concern was that these ghosts had originally lived here peacefully. If no one came seeking death, they would not slip out and harm people. If he came here to use them for leveling up, would that not be somewhat inhumane?

Yu Qi'an's words today had resolved that concern.

He was not leveling up. He was not killing these ghosts. He was delivering them, helping those who had wandered onto a crooked path return to the righteous path.

Like doctors who healed the sick and saved lives, or teachers who educated and nurtured people, it was a great and noble act.

I'm eliminating you for your own good.

Of course, treatment and study were both accompanied by a little pain.

But he promised it would hurt only once.

After it hurt once, they could begin a new life.

With such noble sentiments in his heart, Li Chu once again walked through the gates of Liu Family Ghost Building.

At that moment, the light of the righteous path shone upon the Ghost Building.

Following the order, he began knocking on doors from the first room. "Excuse me, is there a ghost inside?"

A string of squeaky, warbling cries came from within. It seemed there was.

Li Chu pushed open the door and entered. He saw a ghost dressed as an opera performer, wearing spring robes with flowing water sleeves. He could not tell whether it was male or female.

Upon seeing Li Chu enter, it sang in a shrill voice, "Pain, pain, pain—gently push your lover away; gradually hear the trembling voice, slightly startled as red surges forth~"

Listening to it, Li Chu felt that this opera ghost was a little improper.

But he still said very politely, "Hello. I've come to deliver you. It may hurt a little, so please endure it briefly. It will be over soon."

The opera ghost seemed to understand him and wanted to demonstrate its objection through action.

But Li Chu did not give it the chance.

Sshhk—

A streak of sword light flashed. The squeaky operatic tune still echoed through the room, but the Ghost Body had vanished into thin air.

Deliverance successful.

Li Chu felt himself become a little more noble.

Accordingly, he had taken another step closer to level seventy-two.

Walking out of the room and looking at the full four-story pavilion, Li Chu felt that he could first set a small goal.

He would reach Level One Hundred first.

Three hundred li northwest of Yuhang Town.

White Bone Mountain, Corpse Hiding Cave.

Two hoarse, muffled voices rang out once more.

This time, they were clearly tinged with panic.

"That Little Daoist Priest has returned! He is knocking on doors one room at a time to find ghosts, cutting them down one by one! In just one night, he emptied the entire Ghost Building!"

"What?! You have no way to deal with him at all?"

"If you saw the way he drew his sword, you would not say such foolish words."

"We have to do something! Otherwise, when Our King breaks the seal, you and I will both have to answer for it!"

The other voice fell silent again before sounding once more.

"I have been praying. Praying that he does not come again tomorrow."