"Are you cultivating at Xuanqing Temple, Master?"
Song Chengan looked at the dark-skinned monk before him, whose complexion had recovered somewhat, and spoke.
The monk pressed his palms together. "This humble monk is indeed cultivating at Xuanqing Temple."
As he spoke, the monk's eyes darted about, and he did not dare meet Song Chengan's gaze.
If Song Chengan kept questioning him, he would be able to expose his true colors.
This was a con man roaming the jianghu.
But after thinking it over, Song Chengan did not press further.
Everyone was just trying to make a living.
There was no need to smash another man's rice bowl and make an enemy for no reason.
He was merely a con man. Ignoring him would suffice.
"Tell me about that Monster."
Seeing that Song Chengan was not going to continue questioning him, the monk let out a breath of relief and hurriedly said, "Today, the Old Village Chief entrusted me with eliminating that Monster."
"My luck was good. I found that Monster's lair."
"Only, I hate that my skills were insufficient. In the end, I was wounded by that Monster."
Song Chengan was somewhat surprised.
This monk had actually managed to find the Monster's lair.
Then again, since he had escaped alive, he presumably possessed some unknown means.
"Take me there."
"Immortal Master..."
Song Chengan waved a hand, stopping the Old Village Chief and the others who were about to follow.
"You are all mortals of flesh and blood. Following me would be useless. Wait at home."
With that, Song Chengan followed the monk out of the village.
"Immortal Master, it is in that river."
Song Chengan raised his eyes and looked over.
It was a great river.
It was called the Tong Sheng River.
This river was the largest in the Chen Kingdom, known as the mother river of the Chen Kingdom. It ran through the entire Chen Kingdom, but no one knew where its source lay.
Because its source was not within the Chen Kingdom.
Song Chengan looked up.
It was a place called Black Luo Bay.
The river water was pitch-black, and no one knew how many zhang deep it was.
Song Chengan found himself in a difficult position for a moment.
If it were a Monster on land, he could rely on the Spirit Invocation technique.
He could invite mountain spirits and wild monsters to possess him and borrow the power of ghosts and gods. He would at least be able to fight it.
But a Monster in the water...
That was somewhat troublesome for him.
"Immortal Master, I disturbed this Monster today, and it is furious. Tonight, it will surely come ashore and kill people in the village to vent its rage."
"We only need to lie in ambush along the road."
"That makes sense."
No sooner said than done.
Song Chengan and the monk found a spot in the grass and hid themselves.
"Immortal Master, sprinkle this on yourself."
"What is this?"
The monk handed over a pouch, and Song Chengan accepted it in confusion.
"This Monster has a keen sense of smell and can easily detect the scent of living people."
"This is Monster-Catching Incense."
"Smear it on your body, and it will not be able to smell you."
"The smell is rather strange."
Song Chengan spoke as he sprinkled it over himself.
"It is made from cow dung and Chinese sumac pollen, along with other fragrances."
"?"
The rest of the time went without saying.
The two hid quietly in the grass.
Whenever they grew hungry, they took out some dry rations and gnawed on them.
"The moon is very round tonight."
Song Chengan raised his head toward the sky.
A bright moon hung high overhead.
"Immortal Master, it is here!"
At that moment.
The monk spoke in a low voice.
Song Chengan focused his eyes and looked.
Under the moon.
A figure had appeared at the riverbank at some unknown time.
After cultivating, Song Chengan's eyesight had improved. Beneath the moonlight, he saw the Monster clearly.
The Monster had a blue face and fangs.
Its eyes glowed green. Naked from head to toe, its entire body was covered in blue scales.
The moment it appeared.
A fishy stench drifted through the air.
Song Chengan made a gesture for silence.
Then he gently picked up the Iron Staff.
The Monster was too close to the Tongsheng River. If he attacked rashly, it would surely turn and flee into the river.
Song Chengan steadied his mind and calmed his breath.
This was a hundred taels of silver. He had to hold his nerve.
"Monster, die!"
When the Monster had moved far enough away from the river.
Song Chengan circulated the Heavenly Radiance Dao Qi within him with all his strength and struck the Monster with the Iron Staff.
Bang!
Caught off guard, the Monster was struck across the back by Song Chengan's staff.
It howled miserably and was immediately sent flying.
"Just as I thought, it cannot withstand a single blow!"
Song Chengan looked closely and saw that the scales where he had struck the Monster had shattered, blood streaming from the wound.
Seeing the effect of that strike, Song Chengan immediately felt reassured.
This Monster had presumably only recently gained sentience. It was more than capable of dealing with ordinary people, but against a cultivator, it was nothing but a weak chick.
There was no need even for Spirit Invocation.
Having learned the Monster's strength, Song Chengan became even more ferocious.
He launched a series of attacks at the Monster!
The Monster blocked left and right, but before long, Song Chengan had beaten it into grievous injury!
"Immortal Master, it is going to run!"
At that moment.
The monk cried out urgently.
The Monster transformed into a cloud of green smoke and rushed toward the river.
Song Chengan only had time to strike the black smoke with the Iron Staff.
But it felt as though he had struck cotton, soft and yielding, with no force landing behind the blow.
By the time Song Chengan reacted, the Monster had already reached the river.
Half of the Monster's body emerged from the river as it cursed loudly.
"Where did these two beasts come from, ambushing your king!"
"It must have been that old bastard who invited cultivators here. Go tell that old bastard that once your king recovers from his wounds, I will slaughter everyone in Zhao Family Village!"
Song Chengan's expression changed upon hearing this.
He had come to eliminate the Monster for the hundred taels of silver from Zhao Family Village. Even if he failed to receive the silver, it did not matter.
But if his failure to eliminate the Monster instead brought disaster upon Zhao Family Village, that would be his sin.
"Spirit Invocation!"
Thinking of this.
Song Chengan no longer held back.
Spirit Invocation.
It could invite mountain spirits and wild monsters!
Naturally, it could also invite demons and monsters from the river.
So long as they were demon spirits and ghosts who had cultivated righteous fruition, Song Chengan could invite them all!
Of course, the prerequisite was that they were willing to answer his invitation.
"Disciple Song Chengan, Rogue Cultivator of Spirit Mound, respectfully invites All Paths of Victory to slay demons and eliminate monsters!"
A gust of wind blew past, but no ghosts or gods appeared.
"Hahaha, that is hilarious!"
Hearing Song Chengan use Spirit Invocation, the Monster immediately rolled about laughing in the river.
"I was wondering where this busybody had come from. So you are a Rogue Cultivator."
"When others use Spirit Invocation, they invite deceased elders of their sects, mountains and waters' gods invested by their ancestors, wild spirits and monsters bound by contracts, spiritual beings acknowledged as godkin or taken as master and disciple!"
"You, a Rogue Cultivator."
"Could it be that your ancestors produced some Mountain God Lord, Water God Lady, or City God Sovereign?"
"And you still dare invoke spirits?"
"Just wait to invite monks and the people of Zhao Family Village to perform rites for your passage!"
"Disciple Song Chengan, Rogue Cultivator of Spirit Mound, respectfully invites All Paths of Sage to slay demons and eliminate monsters!"
Song Chengan gritted his teeth!
That Daoist text had not written any of this!
He had thought that as long as he used the technique, ghosts and monsters would surely come to help him!
There was no response!
"Disciple Song Chengan, Rogue Cultivator of Spirit Mound, respectfully invites All Paths of Victory to slay demons and eliminate monsters!"
Song Chengan invoked them again.
If it did not work, he would simply remain here at Zhao Family Village forever.
Song Chengan hardened his heart. In any case, he could not allow this Monster to harm anyone.
"Disciple Song Chengan, Rogue Cultivator of Spirit Mound, respectfully invites All Paths of Victory to slay demons and eliminate monsters!"
He shouted again.
"Idiot."
"If they do not come after three invitations, asking again is merely disturbing their cultivation!"
"Just wait for death!" The Monster laughed smugly.
Yet at that moment, a strange wind suddenly rose from the river.
Then a surge of power poured into Song Chengan's body.
In an instant, it was as though a god had possessed Song Chengan!
He burst into loud laughter.
Then he took a single step forward.
He walked atop the river as though treading level ground!
"Impossible!"
The fish Monster's eyes widened.
"There have long been no cultivating ghosts or monsters in this area. How could anyone answer your invitation!"
It immediately realized that this killing god had come to kill it.
"Spare me!"
It cried out and turned to dive toward the riverbed.
But how could Song Chengan give it the chance?
He chased after it directly.
He did not know what god he had invited, but its divine powers were vast. Not only had it greatly increased his strength, it also allowed him to walk upon water as if on level ground and breathe freely underwater.
"Immortal Master!"
"Immortal Master!"
Yu Changfu stood anxiously on the shore.
He had not expected the Immortal Master to be so bold as to actually chase into the Tongsheng River.
And he had been gone for half an hour already.
The river water churned without cease; no one knew whether the Immortal Master was dead or alive.
Just as he was beside himself with anxiety,
a figure emerged from the river.
One hand dragged an Iron Staff.
The other gripped Big Fish by the gills.
"Immortal Master!"
Yu Changfu hurriedly jumped into the river and dragged Song Chengan ashore.
"You actually didn't run!" Song Chengan panted heavily.
"I underestimated the Monster in the water. In the water and on land, it truly was like two different people."
"Go..."
"Call the Old Village Chief over!"
Before you continue