First Ghost Kill! Free Attribute Points Dropped!

Fan Wu had no interest in what he looked like in Constable Liu's eyes right now...

He was lowering his head, staring at the Blue-faced Water Ghost, lost in thought.

This ghost looked quite terrifying, but it did not seem particularly strong.

A moment ago, his blood had rushed to his head, and he had wanted to chop this ghost to death.

Then he had actually hacked it half to death.

That had caught Fan Wu somewhat by surprise.

Or was it...

That the True Martial Great Emperor was simply more formidable?

Fan Wu considered it for a moment. He did not immediately destroy the Blue-faced Water Ghost, instead taking out a paper packet of incense ash.

Back at Wang Lao Er's place, he had already confirmed that incense ash from offerings made to the True Martial Great Emperor's statue had some effect in warding off evil.

At the very least, it had brought Wang Lao Er, who had been possessed by evil, back to his senses.

Now that he had an opportunity that came once in a thousand years, Fan Wu wanted to test whether the incense ash worked on ghosts themselves.

He poked a hole in the yellow paper packet with his finger.

Grayish-white incense ash slowly scattered down onto the Blue-faced Water Ghost's ghostly body with his movement.

The moment the incense ash touched the Blue-faced Water Ghost...

The ash flared with a broad burst of crimson flame, like a cat spotting a mouse!

The Blue-faced Water Ghost, which had been lying on the shallow riverbank so weakly that it could only whimper, seemed to have suffered immense agony!

White-blue smoke began billowing from its body, accompanied by sizzling sounds of corrosion!

"Hiss—Aaaaaahhh!!!"

The Blue-faced Water Ghost's entire body convulsed violently, and another hair-raising, miserable shriek burst from its mouth.

It seemed that the incense ash from the monastery could affect ghosts themselves as well.

Its power looked considerable.

The Blue-faced Water Ghost's [Life] attribute was continuously dropping!

Life: 1

Life: 0

Once its [Life] attribute reached zero.

It stopped screaming.

Its soul scattered and vanished.

[You have successfully killed "the Water Ghost transformed from a brothel madam drowned in the river." Congratulations, you have obtained Free Attribute Points: 2!]

A line of text appeared before his eyes, confirming for Fan Wu that the Blue-faced Water Ghost had not been playing dead.

It was truly gone.

It seemed...

Killing ghosts was not difficult.

Once he came back to himself, Fan Wu reflected on what had just happened. He realized that when he had faced the Blue-faced Water Ghost at close range, he had not felt the slightest panic. He had even calmly carried out a series of actions.

Perhaps that was thanks to his naturally bold nature. Otherwise, he would not have initially thought of smashing the True Martial Great Emperor.

Nor would he have dared to borrow a treasured sword from the True Martial Great Emperor without understanding anything.

All in all, tonight's crisis had passed just like that.

His identity as a fake Daoist had not been exposed for the time being.

His Daoist Master Halo was still hanging behind his head.

The Blue-faced Water Ghost seemed to have left something behind, though. Fan Wu noticed something at his feet and slowly picked it up with the Demon-Slaying Sword. It was a battered pair of shackles.

The shackles had been soaked in water for years and were already severely decayed. Calling them riddled with holes would not have been an exaggeration.

"Hmm? This is..."

Fan Wu noticed a clue.

He saw that the shackles' surface was somewhat strange. Something seemed to have been carved onto them, clearly by someone's hand.

It looked a little like some kind of talismanic script, much like the writing found on certain talisman papers.

Damn it!!

If it really was a script exclusively used for talismans, did that not mean this Blue-faced Water Ghost might not have formed naturally?

This Water Ghost might not be as simple as he had imagined?

Although Fan Wu knew nothing about such matters, he had read too many novels in his previous life and instinctively connected it to all sorts of conspiracy theories.

At that thought.

Fan Wu could barely keep his expression under control. Sure enough, he had to get farther away from Prison Dragon County as quickly as possible.

Just then.

"Daoist Master! Daoist Master Fan!"

Constable Liu and the others' voices drew closer from afar.

Constable Liu came running over with a group of Runners, each holding either a long saber or a watchman's staff.

Constable Liu grinned broadly and raised a thumbs-up, his eyes full of admiration. "I knew it! Daoist Master Fan, having inherited the Old Heavenly Master's true teachings, dealing with such a petty ghost must have been effortless for you!"

The other Runners looked at Fan Wu much the same way Constable Liu did.

They had watched everything happen with their own eyes.

They had personally seen Fan Wu kill a ghost!

The evil ghost's agonized screams, along with Fan Wu's brutal methods, remained vividly etched in their minds even now!

"Daoist Master, this is... a pair of shackles?" Constable Liu noticed that something seemed to be hanging from the enormous, almost exaggerated sword in Fan Wu's hand.

As a Constable, he was very familiar with shackles and recognized them at once.

Fan Wu lightly tilted his sword, and the shackles fell at Constable Liu's feet. He said, "The shackles from the Water Ghost's feet. Take them back and give them to your County Magistrate as proof."

This was also a way of shifting the risk. As long as this thing was kept in the County Yamen, even if someone truly stood behind that Water Ghost...

They would not trace it back to Fan Wu.

At least not immediately.

Upon hearing this.

Constable Liu was delighted.

He did not mind that it had come from a ghost. He immediately picked it up and, in a somewhat ingratiating tone, cautiously said, "Daoist Master Fan, you acted tonight and rid Prison Dragon County of this scourge. The people of the county will surely be deeply grateful to you."

"A mere lift of the hand." Fan Wu's reply remained vague. Right now, he only wanted to return to the monastery, pack his things, and leave this damned place.

However, Constable Liu's next words made Fan Wu pause in the middle of turning away.

Constable Liu continued, "Once the County Magistrate learns of this tomorrow, he will surely hold a banquet to celebrate Daoist Master Fan's achievement. He will likely invite quite a few merchants and landlords as well. The County Magistrate may even richly reward you then."

"Cough, cough! When that time comes, Daoist Master, could you perhaps mention my efforts tonight before the County Magistrate? Consider it... consider it that I, Liu, owe you a favor!"

Constable Liu lowered his voice especially low. Only Fan Wu, with his sharp hearing, could make out what he was saying.

The ingratiating note in his voice was far too obvious.

He simply wanted Fan Wu to put in a good word for him before the County Magistrate.

Fan Wu did not answer him for the moment...

Because all of his attention...

Was on the word "reward."

Without much money, it would be absolutely impossible to flee from Prison Dragon County to Southern Commandery Prefecture and seek refuge with his sworn sister.

Eating required money.

Traveling required money.

Staying at inns required money.

Everything required money.

He could not take out the silver inside the True Martial Great Emperor's statue, and he did not have much personal savings either.

Though he could find a way to sell some things from the monastery, that would take even longer.

It was not within Fan Wu's consideration.

Then...

He had to get his hands on the Prison Dragon County Magistrate's reward.

But.

Would that not mean staying in this damned place for another day?

Fan Wu lowered his head and glanced at the Demon-Slaying Sword in his hand.

For some reason, his sense of security increased by several degrees.

Phew!

He would take the County Magistrate's silver and leave!

"I will."

Fan Wu glanced at Constable Liu. Having already made up his mind, he put away the Demon-Slaying Sword and said, "Tonight's matter has ended. This poor Daoist should return to the monastery as well. Take your men back too. The night is still not very peaceful."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Constable Liu understood at once and beamed. "Take care, Daoist Master!"

Fan Wu and the Runners from the County Yamen went their separate ways.

Seeing the faintly excited expressions on those Runners' faces, they were probably already thinking about how they would brag to others once they got back.

Fan Wu, meanwhile, headed straight for the monastery.

Late at night.

He returned to the monastery and walked inside.

The monastery his cheap master had left him was called Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery.

It was a monastery jointly funded and built by the landlords and wealthy men of Prison Dragon County who had been thoroughly fooled.

Ordinarily, some common people still came to Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery to burn incense and worship.

Perhaps for that very reason, the True Martial Great Emperor's statue in the monastery had gained a trace of divine power.

Fan Wu was in no hurry to return the Demon-Slaying Sword to the True Martial Great Emperor. He first set it aside temporarily in his quarters within the monastery, then removed his mud-stained clothes, revealing an exceptionally fine physique.

Every solid, powerful muscle fit together perfectly, radiating strength. At a glance, it was enough to make others shrink back in fear!

Fan Wu focused his entire mind on the Golden Finger.

After killing the Blue-faced Water Ghost tonight, he had obtained 2 Free Attribute Points.

He wanted to see what effect using those attribute points...

Would have.