Demons Were Originally Guardian Gods

The slaughter of dragon-type monsters and demons continued.

Ge Xian had reason to suspect that when Yelü Yuyan went mad, Lu Hualong covered for her behind the scenes, ensuring that those bloody and brutal scenes were not witnessed by ordinary citizens and county residents.

Of course, it wasn't because that scoundrel cared for the people like his own children.

He probably felt that if the county residents saw those scenes, their souls would be damaged, making them harder to control and sell.

As for Ge Xian, the "instigator," he was observing intently at this moment.

If this were a normal world with heavenly principles or divine retribution, Ge Xian would likely feel deep guilt for causing such a disaster and would be trying to find a way to remedy it.

But this world was very different. After observing for a long time, Ge Xian confirmed one thing: none of the numerous dragon-type monsters and demons drawn here could be considered benevolent.

Whether by observing traces or by sensing them, Ge Xian was certain that they had all eaten people.

And very recently, too.

The most obvious was a strange flood dragon that flew out of a well in Taimiao Alley. The rest of its body had almost fully transformed into a flood dragon, only its head remained human. It appeared to be a burly man with a face full of flesh and a dense, thick beard. As it soared through the clouds, it used its dragon claws to tear at a human leg, blood splattering everywhere, a truly brutal sight.

Now that Ge Xian had some experience, he immediately made a guess.

"This fiend must have been human originally. I don't know what opportunity it encountered to gain flesh, cultivation methods, and hide in the depths of that well to cultivate. It used the incense aura to suppress its fractured soul, coming out at midnight to capture county residents to satisfy its gluttonous desires."

"Looking at its demon body, only its head hasn't completed its transformation. Once it also mutates into a flood dragon, it will have completely stabilized its Foundation Establishment Realm and can begin preparing to impact the Mortal Transformation Realm."

"Among the dragon-type demons attacking Willow Oriole Alley, this fiend ranks in the top five. It is far more powerful than those low-level spirits or demons in the Dao Entry Realm."

"Unfortunately, even if it truly began to impact the Mortal Transformation Realm, it would not be a match for a [Heart Devouring Fox]. It is destined to perish this time."

Ge Xian's thoughts were a prophecy.

Driven by greed, this strange flood dragon pounced towards Willow Oriole Alley.

Upon entering the alley, it was struck by the materialized Dao Qi of the demon fox and suddenly woke up, turning to flee.

Unfortunately, in the next moment, it was dragged in by a giant fox paw. The sound of brutal tearing began, but this time, the one having its thigh gnawed was the strange flood dragon itself.

The other demons met the same fate.

In less than half an incense stick's time, Willow Oriole Alley, a place many dissolute men in Qiantang County called the [Soul-Shattering Cave], a [Fox Whore Den], was littered with corpses.

However, Ge Huolang clearly observed that the perverse couple, Lu Hualong and Yelü Yuyan, were prepared. While the slaughter raged above, below, fox prostitutes, ox slaves, ghouls, and other demonic beings pushed carts and carried winnowing baskets, continuously collecting the corpses and throwing them into a huge pool that had been built somewhere in the depths of the alley.

The pool was not only filled with viscous blood but also bred some kind of eel-like ferocious demonic insects, all covered in dragon scales, with no eyeballs, covered in slime, and possessing gaping maws.

They were dense and unsettling.

As the corpses were dumped into the pool, they swarmed forward, burrowing into the bodies through countless bloody holes, devouring them completely in the blink of an eye.

Beside the pool, Lu Hualong stood, still in his county magistrate uniform.

He gazed greedily at the eel-like, snake-like fiends, his saliva nearly dripping.

"County Magistrate Lu, truly knows how to manage his household."

"Knowing he couldn't stop his 'crazy wife' from going mad, he actually built a Corpse Dissolving Pool overnight, disposing of bodies while nurturing and feeding some kind of dragon-attribute Gu."

"Is it to offer sacrifices to the Gu-Eating Spirit God, to gain more powerful strength and flesh/blood for future Cultivation Methods?"

"But with you two doing this, will the dragons in the Qiantang River outside the city be willing?"

"Hmm? They've indeed come..."

As the thought arose, Ge Xian suddenly turned his head towards the outside of Qiantang County.

Beneath the dark sky, from the depths of the ceaselessly surging Qiantang River, a terrifying Dragon's Roar suddenly sounded. It was incredibly precise, transmitting from afar and echoing through the heavens.

As if to give face to the Yelü Family, none of the county residents could hear a single sound.

Those who had already entered the Dao could clearly hear every word, and could also feel an extremely terrifying, life-and-species-level pressure emerging from the depths of their bloodlines.

"Gu-eating demon, Heart Devouring Fox."

"You and your wife sent someone to my Dragon Palace during the day to borrow the Dragon Bone Flute, claiming you wanted to capture an ugly Dragon Girl who had blasphemed your wife. On the account of Prime Minister Yelü, I lent it to you."

"Now, after blowing it for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, all dragon-attribute demons within a hundred-mile radius have arrived. Whether you two have achieved your desires or not, the treasure must be returned."

"Blow it any longer, and my children will become restless and come searching. This is enough."

This roar, clearly from an old dragon, fell.

Instantly, the horn call that had sent the dragon-attribute demons and fiends into a frenzy ceased.

The treasure, called the Dragon Bone Flute, rolled on the spot and transformed into a mottled bone dragon about nine inches long, flying towards the Qiantang River.

Without the treasure for restraint, even though Yelü Yuyan was extremely unwilling, she had no choice but to stop her slaughter.

But she did not immediately resume human form. Instead, in her demon fox form, she jumped up and down in a frenzy. Regardless of whether the old dragon could hear, she shrieked and angrily roared:

"Damn you, Old Ghost Qu! You're so stingy! If Yelü Tianzheng hadn't helped you back then, how could you have become the Qiantang River God?"

"Hmph, be careful in the future. Don't let me catch your weakness..."

What followed was Yelü Yuyan's impotent rage. Ge Xian dared not look any further and quickly descended from the rooftop, returning to his room.

This time, he saw a familiar sight.

The oil lamp's glow flickered, illuminating the room. The previously messy and filthy room had become clean and tidy. The flesh, dirty water, impurities, fragments of the water vat, etc., were all gone.

Beside the bed, the pretty young woman stood, her head tilted slightly as she looked over.

Clearly, she was waiting for praise.

Ge Xian was naturally filled with awe. This world was truly strange and wondrous, with its demon dynasties and all sorts of spirits and creatures possessing divine abilities, like this Broom Spirit.

She was also a rare creature in this chaotic, broken world, one that had never harmed anyone.

This made Ge Huolang feel fortunate that he hadn't harvested her energy the day he was reborn into this world.

At this moment, he praised the pretty young woman with utmost sincerity:

"Sister Bai is truly amazing."

"It seems that from now on, whether Ge Huolang is cultivating at home or traveling outside, he will need Sister Bai to accompany him."

Compared to demons and evil gods who constantly cultivated and grew stronger but had many vicious habits, spirits like the Broom Spirit were much simpler.

She was overjoyed to hear the praise, her smile radiant.

For the past two days, Ge Xian, reborn into this world, had been mentally tense and preoccupied with many thoughts. He rarely had moments of relaxation and rest. He temporarily forgot the worries in his heart and chatted happily with Sister Bai, this spirit.

Even though the Broom Spirit knew very little, and could only show a dazed, cute expression and respond with something like, "I'm just a broom," when asked slightly deeper questions.

Even so, Ge Xian didn't mind.

Unfortunately, her appearance also consumed energy, and after a short while, she returned to her soul dwelling to rest.

Ge Xian, meanwhile, cultivated the Dragon Transformation Chapter while contemplating the situation he had to deal with next.

He knew deeply that he was in a dangerous situation. Qiantang County, and all the county residents including himself, could still be sold off by Lu Hualong at any moment. Moreover, Yelü Yuyan didn't seem like someone who would give up easily. The [Dragon Bone Flute] they had invited this time didn't succeed; who knew what other insidious tricks she would come up with next time.

What was worse, he couldn't leave. His trip to Jiudao Village during the day was enough to make him realize the dangers of the wilderness.

For now, he could only continue to explore and, at the same time, use various methods to strengthen himself.

Fortunately, unlike most of the ignorant county residents, he knew some of the truth, and there was a path of cultivation ahead. He ultimately had the strength to struggle.

The next day, at the city gate, the propaganda team gathered again, with no one missing.

All the peddlers and merchants showed little fear on their faces, as they had all received rewards yesterday.

Ge Xian was included. Besides money and food, they were also given a few pounds of pork. In this era, this was clearly a generous reward.

Especially when the Two Ghoul Generals said that the more refugees and barbarians they brought back, the more generous the rewards would be. For a time, everyone's spirits were high.

So, the two ghosts took the opportunity to say that this time they would be going to two locations, not just one, and it would require a full day's journey.

Compared to yesterday, today was much smoother.

Because Ge Xian no longer had to worry about exposure, he could openly use his super-sensory abilities.

Besides helping the team avoid inexplicable disasters like the [Meng Po Wind], [Heart-Burning Fire], and [Bottomless Pit], he could also assist the guards in hunting.

That's right!

Hunting.

The wilderness, though filled with countless dangers, also offered many benefits.

Even low-tier spirits like the Chunwei Ghost Jackal had their uses.

Ge Xian was helpless. He was completely treated as a "radar" by the guard team, hunting spirits and monsters everywhere as they advanced, collecting various strange items, flesh and blood imbued with Dao Qi, or materials for refining treasures.

Of course, Ge Xian also got a share of the benefits.

At the insistence of the two ghosts, he, Ge Huolang, even had priority selection rights.

The corpses of the spirits and monsters were all drained by the two ghosts, Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou.

Clearly, this was how they cultivated as ghoul.

The more blood food they consumed, the stronger their Evil Ghost Dharma Images became.

They didn't need flesh and blood containing Dao Qi, nor did they need advanced cultivation methods. It was simple and fast, and they didn't seem to have any unbearable bad habits.

But when Xu Bai Lian, the Wang Family Eldest Daughter-in-law, the Gong Family Second Shopkeeper, Song Zhengxing, and other rogue cultivators looked at them, there was no envy in their eyes.

The reason was easy to guess. No matter how powerful the two ghosts became, they would be forever trapped by Lu Hualong, with no hope of release.

Perhaps because they had become familiar and let down their guard, Ge Xian managed to pry another secret related to them, the ghoul, and Lu Hualong himself from their conversations along the way.

"Lu Hualong was born into a prominent family. He was a prodigy in his youth, fond of chivalry, and attracted many young knights to join him. Gongsun Xing, who was whipped earlier, was one of them. Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou were also members of the so-called 'Young Knights'."

"Later, this scoundrel married into the Yelü Family and became a [Gu-Devouring Spirit Monster]. He simply ate all his childhood companions and refined them into ghoul."

"Those who submitted, like Zhang, Zhao, and the other few young knights, benefited and became great generals under Lu Hualong."

"Those who refused, like Gongsun Xing, were eternally punished."

"In a sense, these people have completely fulfilled their brotherhood of living and dying together."

"Of course, it only benefited Lu Hualong alone."

As Ge Xian was speculating, they reached the first destination.

Thirty miles outside the city was Nantai Town, with a population of over several thousand. Because there were some silk industries in the town, it was relatively prosperous.

Even though it's now a time of chaos, this town shows no signs of decline. So, when the propaganda team arrived, they hit a wall.

No matter how eloquently the peddlers praised the city of Qiantang, how benevolent Lu Hualong was, or how generous the provisions were, only the poorer, harder-off residents of the town were tempted.

The majority remained unmoved.

Ge Xian was part of the team. He was good-looking and had strong performing skills, drawing the largest crowd. Yet, still, few were tempted.

Seeing this, he didn't feel particularly pleased. He knew clearly that if this town had survived the chaotic times and wasn't targeted by demons like "Jiudao Village," it must have some backing.

His gaze shifted, landing on the most prominent spot in the town.

There stood a rather luxurious palace-temple. Above its plaque, four ancient seal script characters were extremely striking.

Three Goddess Temple!

In Ge Xian's perception, there were clearly three powerful Dao Qi within the temple.

Upon closer examination, none of them were benevolent. The cold, bloodthirsty aura was impossible to conceal.

"So that's how it is!"

"The residents of Nantai Town worship demons and spirits as gods, offering them diligent sacrifices, and have gained the protection of those three powerful demon-gods."

"Or rather, this town has already been claimed by the three demons as their territory. The thousands of residents are their stored blood food. Any mountain spirits, wild monsters, or evil spirits that dare to offend will be considered their enemies."

"But the demons have huge appetites. What do the residents of Nantai Town offer to satisfy them?"

"However, no matter what, the escort team has arrived. Even if they appear to be claimed, won't the two Ghoul Generals and a host of evil cultivators still try to seize them?"

As expected, before these thoughts had even finished forming.

Two arrogant laughs immediately echoed through the town. It was still Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou. The two ghosts were also quite intelligent. In a few glances, they understood the problem. Thus, they strode towards the temple, and the accompanying evil cultivators also laughed, following them into the temple.

The townspeople, who had been smiling and joking moments before, felt a sense of foreboding. They dared not forcefully stop them, so they could only have the town mayor step forward to greet them.

Inside the temple, there were three clay statues of goddesses.

At first glance, they were quite impressive.

The one in the center was a beautiful woman, lightly made up with a rosy complexion, her eyes like silver stars. To her left was a young beauty with green clouds piled in her hair and skin like white snow. To her right was an old woman with hair as white as silver and skin like an old pine tree.

As everyone was observing, the town mayor blocked the way and respectfully introduced:

"Reporting to the esteemed officials, this is the temple of the three goddesses: Hongyan, Green Scale, and Silver Hair."

"With the protection of the Three Goddesses, our Nantai Town has been able to... these past few years..."

Before the old mayor could finish speaking, he saw the two ghosts, without even revealing their true forms.

Each struck the divine altar with a palm.

Amidst a thunderous roar, the stone platform collapsed, immediately revealing piles of various corpses and withered bones like small mountains beneath, with scattered limbs. Some were ancient, reduced to white bone, while others were fresh, still bearing flesh and blood. There was even a half-severed human body; the victim hadn't died completely and occasionally let out mournful cries.

When this scene unfolded, all the townspeople cried out in alarm. However, it wasn't a cry of surprise, but an instinctive reaction after an ugly deed, a wicked act, had been exposed.

Ge Xian saw clearly that many townspeople, now parents themselves, covered their children's eyes while casting angry glares at Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou, as if blaming them for destroying the divine altar.

At this point, Ge Xian finally understood why Nantai Town had been feeding three demons.

A chill ran through his heart, and he said incredulously:

"The entire town's residents, thousands of people, worship demons as gods."

"They capture passing travelers as blood sacrifices, seeking their protection."

ps: Many of the doubts you may have while reading will be resolved as the story progresses. Please be patient. If it's truly a bug, feel free to criticize me.