Greed in the human heart is like Mount Everest.
With the matter beyond saving, Zhong Bai did not dwell on it. High noon had arrived, and he needed to act quickly.
Under the erosion of the midday Yang Energy, even with a parasol shading the top of the coffin, Zhong Bai feared the fat meal at his mouth might fly away if he was not careful.
"Old Family Head Yang, offend me!"
As soon as Zhong Bai finished these words, True Essence churned within his body, and wisps of thunder power surged from his dantian to cover his palms.
The crackling sound of thunder and the dazzling Thunder Light immediately stunned the people present.
This was intentional on Zhong Bai's part.
After today, his name would likely spread throughout Jiuquan Town, and once his reputation was established, Exorcism Points would naturally come smoothly.
Beside them, Old Family Head Yang, who was still somewhat puzzled, did not understand what the offense meant until Zhong Bai unleashed the thunder in his palm toward his grandfather's coffin.
In an instant, a shrill corpse howl came from inside the coffin, accompanied by violent shaking of the coffin itself.
Yet in just a brief moment, the thunder completely turned the body of Old Family Head Yang's grandfather into ashes.
Slew 1 Black Zombie, obtained 200 Exorcism Points
Simple and easy, 200 Exorcism Points credited.
Although Zhong Bai was joyful inside, his expression remained impassive.
No matter what, he had turned the man's grandfather to ash with thunder right in front of the primary party.
As for Old Family Head Yang at this moment, he had no mind to pay attention to that; his gaze was entirely captured by Zhong Bai's display of thunder.
"Immortal methods, immortal methods indeed!"
After a long while, Old Family Head Yang finally calmed his mood, his aged face growing a bit more profound.
"Taoist Qianhe has truly opened this old man's eyes. I have never seen such immortal methods in all my life!"
To Old Family Head Yang's flattery, Zhong Bai smiled faintly. "Old Family Head Yang exaggerates. The poor priest is employing these methods to deal with Old Family Head Yang's departed kin, yet I still worry that Old Family Head Yang might grow angry on that account."
"Hahaha, the old man must refute the Taoist's words somewhat. It is true that this is my grandfather, but when a person dies, the lamp goes out. Guarding a corpse and waiting for a Corpse Transformation, this old man considers himself not that foolish.
Since the Taoist can resolve such a latent danger for the Yang Family today, this old man is too grateful to have time for it, so how could any resentment grow in my heart!"
With that, Old Family Head Yang pointed toward the other coffins of his grand-uncle, father, and the rest. "I ask the Taoist to continue displaying immortal methods to deliver my other relatives.
Presumably, if they knew their corpses would one day turn into monsters, they would also understand the old man's decision today..."
To this, Zhong Bai offered no comment.
"Right and evil stand apart; Old Family Head Yang need not stand on ceremony."
With that said, he continued the previous steps as strands of thunder poured into the coffins.
As the unwilling corpse howls gradually dissipated, a full seven Black Zombies were thus easily slain by Zhong Bai!
Slew 6 Black Zombies, obtained 1,200 Exorcism Points
Current Exorcism Points: 1,400 points
Having finished everything, Zhong Bai looked at the bright numbers on the Exorcism Panel, and to say he was not excited would be false. Meanwhile, seeing the latent threat to the Yang Family snuffed out, Old Family Head Yang felt a secret sense of relief in his heart as well.
Both men felt they had gotten the better end of the deal.
On the way back to the town, the old man and the youth chatted back and forth without stop...
Returning to the small courtyard.
Chunhua and Xiahe, the two maidservants, came up to greet Zhong Bai at the very first moment.
"The master has returned!"
Xiahe welcomed him sweetly first, while Chunhua flushed and began speaking to herself with a helpless expression.
"Master, just look at that Furious Rooster you brought back. Chunhua has wanted to mention this to the master these past few days: for some reason, the Furious Rooster simply refuses to eat grains and instead has a special fondness for eating meat.
These past few days, it has already secretly stolen the fresh meat kept in the kitchen several times.
Chunhua is of shallow experience and truly has never heard of anyone's chicken refusing grains and loving meat.
Master, give us a word, should this chicken be fed with fresh meat from now on?"
Hmm?
As soon as Zhong Bai heard Chunhua say this, his brow furrowed immediately. The Furious Rooster was stealing fresh meat?
Zhong Bai's gaze shifted toward the Furious Rooster, which was lounging and dozing cozily in a cool spot.
As if sensing its master's displeased gaze, the Furious Rooster felt its whole body grow cold.
The moment it opened its eyes, it met Zhong Bai's expressionless stare.
Rising, it trotted over and rubbed affectionately against Zhong Bai's trouser leg, all in one smooth motion.
Yet...
This did not change Zhong Bai's expression.
"The poor priest did not take you in to cultivate you into a demon. Grains are rich in Yang Energy, while fresh meat will cause the pure Yang energy within your body to gradually weaken.
The poor priest does not mind you swallowing demon beast Demon Cores, as that can make you grow rapidly.
But ordinary meat is not something you can consume. This is the first time, and it is the last."
The Furious Rooster clearly understood Zhong Bai's meaning, lowering its head in silence.
Seeing the matter resolved, Chunhua simply stopped dwelling on it.
After the evening meal.
Zhong Bai sat cross-legged on a cattail mat.
The harvested 1,400 Exorcism Points gave Zhong Bai the confidence to challenge the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art.
"The poor priest does not believe it. With a full 1,400 Exorcism Points this time, let me see just how much you can swallow, Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art!"
As his voice fell, Zhong Bai began his cultivation.
Consumed 1,400 Exorcism Points, exchanged for 1,400 days of cultivation time in the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art. Day 1, you began your cultivation full of confidence, aiming this time to bring the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art to perfection. Day 256, more than half a year passed, and you felt a realization within your heart that the perfection of the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art is a crucial step for a mortal chrysalis to transform into a butterfly. Day 479, your physical strength had already reached eight thousand catties in a single arm, and you could feel yourself drawing ever closer to perfection. Day 724, your single-arm strength reached nine thousand catties; the closer you got to the ten-thousand-catty strength of the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art's perfection, the more clearly you understood the difficulty involved. Day 1245, your single-arm strength had reached ten thousand catties, leaving only a step away from the perfection of the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art. Day 1248, you attained sudden enlightenment; the so-called perfection of the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art was merely the beginning of the physical body breaking through the limits of a mortal frame. Day 1400, after breaking through to the perfection of the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art, your Qi and blood surged full into a martial aura, both arms possessed ten thousand catties of strength, and ordinary fiends and demons could no longer approach your body or harm you by even a hair! This cultivation session has ended!
Along with the exhaustion of the Exorcism Points, the Qi and blood inside Zhong Bai's body surged rapidly at that moment. His entire person was like a boiled lobster with scarlet skin, his tendons and bones writhing and strengthening without stop, until the overflowing Qi and blood leaked outward to condense into a martial aura around his entire body.
Zhong Bai opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them—that was joy and excitement.
"So the perfection of the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art is terrifying to this degree!"
As Zhong Bai spoke, he sensed the changes within his body. At this moment, he was like a walking mini-sun, his reservoir of Qi and blood so profound that martial artists associating with him would fall far, far short.
"Now that the physical body has been strengthened, the Exorcism Points obtained next can be added to the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art."
Slowly expelling the final breath of turbid air from his body, from this moment on, Zhong Bai was spotless and undefiled.
Mount Mao.
Inside the Law Enforcement Hall.
It had been nearly a month since Zhong Bai descended the mountain.
True Immortal Qianyuan always felt something was off, unable to calm his mind to cultivate as he did in days past. The Second Elder, Liu Gang, beside him found this situation somewhat amusing.
"Chief Senior Brother, Disciple-nephew Zhong Bai has only been down the mountain for a month, yet Chief Senior Brother is already somewhat restless. There is actually no need for that.
The news that came yesterday says that the Yang Family of Jiuquan Town gives vigorous support to Disciple-nephew Zhong Bai's stationing in Jiuquan Town, and they have even arranged two maidservants to wait on Disciple-nephew Zhong Bai.
To put it bluntly, Disciple-nephew Zhong Bai is living much more comfortably down the mountain than he would on it.
Chief Senior Brother, as his master, you seem to be worrying needlessly."
True Immortal Qianyuan twitched the corner of his mouth. Naturally, he was clear on Zhong Bai's recent situation, but it was precisely because he was clear that he worried all the more.
What if Zhong Bai was seduced by beauty, captivated by money, or entangled by worldly power...
Even though he knew well that these were things Zhong Bai needed to experience for himself, True Immortal Qianyuan simply could not set his mind at ease regarding him.
Before you continue