One hundred miles away from Mount Mao.
A bolt of thunder was moving at high speed across the tree crowns among the mountain forest, covering dozens of meters in the blink of an eye, rustling the leaves down at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Feeling the lightning-fast speed, Zhong Bai could not help but praise that the Thunder Escape Technique was truly useful!
Full of high praise, but soon Zhong Bai stopped in an open space.
Although the Thunder Escape Technique was good, the True Essence consumed by it was by no means little, and using it for travel for a long time was still somewhat extravagant for someone at the peak of the third-layer Qi Refining stage like Zhong Bai.
His cyan Taoist robe was worn rather loosely, and as the mountain wind carrying a hint of coolness brushed past the bangs between Zhong Bai's brows, the depths of his heart gradually turned bone-chillingly cold.
Old folks, Zhong Bai has left Zhong Family Village for five years. Back then, Zhong Bai swore before your graves to take revenge for you both. Now, Zhong Bai has returned!
Taking a deep breath to hide his killing intent, Zhong Bai looked gloomily in the direction of Zhong Family Village.
In three more days, I will be home. Wolf Demon, are you ready?
With that said, Zhong Bai continued forward against the direction of the blowing wind...
Three days later, Zhong Family Village.
Standing at the village entrance, Zhong Bai looked at the uninhabited village in a daze. The Zhong Family Village in his memory had not declined like this even after suffering the Wolf Demon's intrusion.
Could it be that something else happened to Zhong Family Village after I left?
Puzzled and filled with doubt, Zhong Bai entered the village with a nervous heart.
Everything seen along the way consisted of dilapidated thatched cottages, decayed logs, and collapsed mud walls.
Everything spoke of the desolation and decline of this place.
The closer he got to his parents' graves, the gloomier Zhong Bai's heart became, until he reached the center of the village.
Accompanied by an aged and feeble inquiry, Zhong Bai immediately frowned.
"You are... the Zhong family boy?"
Hearing that the emaciated old man before him actually recognized him, Zhong Bai could not help looking closely.
"Old Village Chief!"
Hearing Zhong Bai's reply, the already extremely feeble Old Village Chief of Zhong Family Village immediately burst into tears.
"It really is you! The Zhong family boy!
But... you left the village five years ago, why have you returned now?
If it is only to pay respects to the two Zhong family members, then hurry up and leave early after paying your respects.
The village now is no longer that former Zhong Family Village. If you stay, it's dangerous!"
What the Old Village Chief said was full of true feeling. Although the gaze he cast at Zhong Bai was turbid and weak, it warmed the depths of Zhong Bai's heart.
Zhong Bai knew that someone as kind as the Old Village Chief would never shoot at random; Zhong Family Village most likely underwent changes he could not imagine.
"Old Village Chief, Zhong Bai has indeed come to pay respects to his parents, but besides that, Zhong Bai is also here to avenge the villagers who died in Zhong Family Village five years ago!
That Wolf Demon of West Mountain, it's time for it to pay the price!"
Zhong Bai's gaze carried monstrous hatred, and upon hearing this, the Old Village Chief coughed incessantly.
No matter how weak he was, he had to stop this few remaining survivors of Zhong Family Village before him.
"Child, don't act recklessly. Ever since Zhong Family Village suffered a great disaster five years ago, the surviving villagers moved away with their whole families.
Only an old man like me was reluctant to leave the place where generations have lived, and willingly stayed behind to wait for death.
You are still young, and the old man knows you are born sturdy and powerful, but after all, that is a demon, not something ordinary people can deal with. You had better pay your respects early and leave the village!"
The Old Village Chief wanted to continue persuading, but Zhong Bai calmly shook his head.
"Old Village Chief, there is no need for further persuasion. Zhong Bai became a disciple of Mount Mao five years ago precisely to avenge his parents one day. Now that I have returned having mastered my arts, how could I have any reason to fear?
My methods are by no means weaker than that Wolf Demon!"
With that, strands of purple thunder surged out from within Zhong Bai's body and landed all around, the crackling noise leaving the Old Village Chief speechless for a moment.
Pardon him, it turned out he was a bit ignorant and worrying blindly...
"Cough, cough, to think that you, the Zhong family boy, were actually able to become a disciple of Mount Mao. Since that is the case, this old man will no longer try to persuade you. Whether the grudge of Zhong Family Village can be avenged depends entirely on you!"
Having said this, the Old Village Chief seemed to have exhausted all his strength, his entire body lying on a somewhat decayed chair, no longer speaking, only staring fixedly at Zhong Bai with eager eyes.
He was too tired and already had not long to live. He originally thought he would leave with regret and pain, but met the returning Zhong Bai at the very last moment.
Revenge was in sight, and he had to hold on!
Zhong Bai also sensed that the Old Village Chief before him was reaching the end of his oil and lamp, and knew it was his return that let the Old Village Chief see hope, causing him to perk up.
Perhaps there really was a so-called fate in the dark that made the Old Village Chief persist for a full five years and finally wait for Zhong Bai.
As night fell, Zhong Bai came to the Old Village Chief's home after paying respects at the graves of the two Zhong elders.
The Old Village Chief walked haltingly, looking like a flash before death. While he still had the demeanor of his twilight years at noon, at this moment his face was glowing as he looked excitedly at Zhong Bai.
"Quick, quick, quick, Zhong Bai, eat something to fill your stomach. The old man doesn't have much left here, and my family wealth over the years has all been used to invite mages up the mountain to subdue demons, so you mustn't mind."
Hearing this, Zhong Bai sighed softly.
The Old Village Chief had also been a spirited old man five years ago, but overnight, his son, daughter-in-law, wife, and grandson were all bitten to death by the Wolf Demon.
Zhong Bai could well understand why the Old Village Chief had not left Zhong Family Village for five years.
Perhaps the Old Village Chief's heart had already died five years ago, and the five years he survived were merely sustained by the obsession to avenge his family.
"Old Village Chief, Zhong Bai doesn't mind. Old Village Chief, rest assured, Zhong Bai will definitely slay that Wolf Demon!
The grievance of Zhong Family Village can be avenged!"
Hearing this, old tears streamed down...
Late at night.
Zhong Bai walked around the village alone. Aside from slaying that Wolf Demon, coming to Zhong Family Village this time, Zhong Bai also wanted to see if there were any wandering spirits in Zhong Family Village that needed crossing.
After all, the people of Zhong Family Village died with grievances, and after turning into ghosts, they might not be willing to go to the underworld for reincarnation.
Sure enough, when Zhong Bai activated his Dharma Eye, he truly discovered many familiar figures.
Throughout the entire Zhong Family Village, over a hundred wandering souls hovered above the village, faintly showing a tendency to turn into Vengeful Ghosts.
"Sigh, the fellow villagers are unwilling after all, and you can't blame them. An unprovoked disaster—who could swallow this grievance!"
Zhong Bai shook his head, then began to sit cross-legged in the center of the village.
As Zhong Bai circulated his True Essence and chanted the Rebirth Incantation, the dull gazes of the wandering souls in the void gradually cleared up. Along with each wandering soul being crossed, Zhong Bai's previously exhausted Exorcism Points also grew rapidly.
Half an hour later, Zhong Bai opened his eyes and looked up into the void. Not bad, half of the wandering souls had accepted the crossing, but nearly half of the wandering souls were still unwilling to enter reincarnation just like that.
They were all fellow villagers, and Zhong Bai truly couldn't bear to forcefully cross them using thunder.
"Forget it, once that Wolf Demon is slain, presumably the villagers will be willing to enter reincarnation."
Shaking his head, Zhong Bai stood up. The Exorcism Points just obtained were already quite a lot—a full 570 points! Having left the territory of Mount Mao, Zhong Bai could finally add points to the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art without any restraint!
"Hah!
570 Exorcism Points added to the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art, breaking through to the fourth-layer Qi Refining stage is almost effortless, and even the fifth-layer Qi Refining stage might not be out of reach!
Once my cultivation realm breaks through, I can head up the mountain to find that Wolf Demon..."
Slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air, Zhong Bai decided to strike while the iron was hot, found an open space, and began adding points to cultivate!
Before you continue