Demonic Creatures Were Once Guardian Gods

The slaughter of the Dragon Kin Monsters continued.

Ge Xian had good reason to suspect that when Yelü Yuyan went mad, Lu Hualong covered for her behind the scenes, keeping those bloody, brutal scenes from the eyes of ordinary people and the county's residents.

Of course, it wasn't because that bastard was particularly kindhearted or loved the people like his own children.

He probably figured that if the county's residents saw those scenes, they'd be traumatized and become difficult to keep and sell.

And Ge Xian, the "instigator" himself, was watching intently.

If this had been a normal world of Immortal Gods, where the laws of heaven and justice existed—or where there was such a thing as divine punishment—Ge Xian would likely have felt deeply guilty for bringing about such a calamity. At this moment, he ought to have been racking his brains for a way to set things right.

But this world was, after all, quite different. After watching for a long while, Ge Xian confirmed one thing: not one of the many Dragon Kin Monsters and Demonic Creatures drawn here could be called benevolent.

Whether he examined the traces they left behind or sensed them directly, he was certain they had all eaten people.

And very recently, too.

The most obvious example was a Strange Flood Dragon that had flown out of a well in Taimiao Alley. Almost all of its body had already transformed into a flood dragon, but its head was still human. It looked like a burly man with a face full of coarse flesh and a thick, tangled beard. As it soared through the clouds, it tore at a human leg in its flood-dragon claws, spraying blood everywhere. The sight was utterly savage.

Ge Xian had seen enough by now to make a guess at once.

"That beast must have been human once. Somehow, it got its hands on flesh and blood and a cultivation method, then hid deep in that well to cultivate, using the incense offerings to suppress the splitting of its soul. At midnight, it would come out to hunt the county's residents and indulge its vicious habit of gluttony."

"Looking at its Demon Body, only its head remains untransformed. Once that, too, turns into a flood dragon, its Foundation Establishment Realm will be fully stabilized, and it can start preparing to break through to the Mortal Transformation Realm."

"Among the Dragon-kin Demonic Creatures charging toward Willow Oriole Alley, this beast is among the top five. It's far stronger than those third-rate monsters or Demonic Creatures in the Dao Entry Realm."

"Unfortunately, even if it really does begin breaking through to the Mortal Transformation Realm, it still won't be a match for a Heart Devouring Fox. It's bound to die this time."

Ge Xian's thought was a prophecy.

Driven by greed, the Strange Flood Dragon charged into Willow Oriole Alley.

Once it entered the alley, a surge of the Demon Fox's tangible Dao Qi struck it, and it abruptly came to its senses. It turned to flee.

Unfortunately, in the very next moment, a gigantic fox paw dragged it inside. A cruel tearing sound rang out. This time, it was the Strange Flood Dragon itself whose thigh was being gnawed.

The other Demonic Creatures met the same fate.

In less than half an incense stick's time, the Fox Whore Den in Willow Oriole Alley—called the Soul-Shattering Cave by many of Qiantang County's debauched men—was strewn with corpses.

But Ge Huolang saw everything clearly. Lu Hualong and Yelü Yuyan, that Perverted Couple, had prepared well in advance. As the slaughter raged above, Fox Whores, Ox Slaves, and other monsters below pushed carts and carried winnowing baskets, constantly gathering up the corpses and tossing them into a huge pool built at some point in the depths of the alley.

The pool was full of viscous blood. It was also home to countless vicious, eel-shaped Gu-eating creatures. They had no eyeballs, were coated in slime, had gaping maws, and were covered from head to tail in Dragon Scales.

They were packed together so thickly that the sight unsettled the soul.

As each corpse tumbled into the pool, they swarmed over it, boring hole after hole through the flesh and devouring it in the blink of an eye.

Standing beside the pool was Lu Hualong, still dressed in his county magistrate's official robes.

He stared greedily at those eel-like monsters, almost drooling.

"County Magistrate Lu really knows how to make the most of things."

"He knew he couldn't stop his 'madcap wife' from going on a rampage, so he simply built a Corpse Dissolving Pool overnight. That way, he could destroy the bodies while nourishing and feeding some kind of Dragon-kin gu worms."

"Was he planning to sacrifice them to that [Gu-Eating Spirit God] in exchange for greater power and the next cultivation method and flesh?"

"But if you two carry on like this, will the Dragon Clan in the Qiantang River outside the city really put up with it?"

"Hmm? Here they come, just as I thought..."

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Ge Xian abruptly turned to look beyond Qiantang County.

Beneath the black night sky, in the surging waters of the Qiantang River, a terrifying Dragon's Roar suddenly rang out. It came from a precise location and carried all the way to them, resounding across the heavens.

Perhaps to spare the Yelü Family some face, the county's residents couldn't hear a thing.

Those who had entered the Dao could hear every word clearly. They could also feel a terrifying pressure welling up from deep within their blood—a pressure that struck at the very level of their species.

"Gu-Eating Spirit Monster, Heart Devouring Fox."

"You two sent someone to my Dragon Palace this morning to borrow the [Dragon Bone Flute], saying you wanted to capture an ugly Dragon Girl who had offended your wife. I granted your request for the sake of old Chancellor Yelü."

"You've been blowing it for half an incense stick now. Every Dragon-kin Demonic Creature within a hundred li that was going to come has already arrived. Whether or not you got what you wanted, you must return the treasure."

"If you keep blowing it any longer, my children will get restless and come looking for it. That's enough."

The roar, clearly coming from an old dragon, faded away.

In an instant, the horn that had sent the Dragon-kin Demonic Creatures and monsters into a frenzy fell silent.

The treasure called the [Dragon Bone Flute] rolled over on the spot, transformed into a Mottled Bone Dragon about nine inches long, and flew toward the Qiantang River.

Without the treasure that had drawn them here, Yelü Yuyan had no choice but to stop the slaughter, however unwilling she was.

But she didn't immediately return to human form. Instead, in her Demon Fox shape, she stamped her feet and went berserk where she stood. Whether or not the old dragon could hear her, she shrieked furiously:

"Damn you, Old Ghost Qu! So stingy! If that old Turtle Yelü Tianzheng hadn't helped you back then, would you have become the Qiantang River God?"

"Hmph! You'd better watch yourself from now on. Don't let me catch you with your foot in your mouth..."

What followed was Yelü Yuyan's impotent rage. Ge Xian didn't dare keep watching. He hurried down from the roof and returned to his room.

Once again, he was met with a familiar sight.

The lamplight flickered. The room, which had been a filthy mess, was now clean and tidy. There was no trace of blood, dirty water, debris, or the broken water vat.

The pretty young wife stood by the bed, her chin slightly raised as she looked over at him.

Clearly, she was waiting to be praised.

Ge Xian naturally marveled at her. This world truly was strange: it had a dynasty ruled by Demonic Creatures, as well as all kinds of extraordinary monsters and spirits, like this Broom Spirit.

In this collapsing, chaotic world, she was a rare monster who had never harmed anyone.

Ge Huolang couldn't help feeling lucky that he hadn't used Cai Bu on her the day he was reborn.

Now, he praised the pretty young wife with utmost sincerity:

"Sister Bai, you're amazing."

"It looks like from now on, whether I'm cultivating at home or traveling abroad, I won't be able to do without you by my side, Sister Bai."

Compared to the Demonic Creatures and evil gods, who grew more powerful through constant cultivation but had all manner of vicious habits, monsters like the Broom Spirit were much simpler.

A little praise was enough to make her happy. She beamed with delight.

Over the past two days, Ge Xian had been reborn into this world with his nerves taut and his mind full of worries. He'd had precious little time to relax and rest. For once, he set aside his troubles and chatted happily with Sister Bai, the monster.

Even though the Broom Spirit knew very little, whenever he asked anything too complicated, she could only give him a blank, adorable look and reply, "I'm just a broom, you know."

Even so, Ge Xian didn't mind.

Unfortunately, coming out had taken a toll on her, and before long she returned to her Soul Residence to rest.

Ge Xian cultivated the Dragon Transformation Chapter while thinking through the challenges he would face next.

He knew he was trapped in a dangerous place. Qiantang County and all its residents, himself included, could still be bundled up and sold off by Lu Hualong at any moment. And Yelü Yuyan didn't seem like the sort to let things go. This time, the [Dragon Bone Flute] she'd borrowed hadn't helped her achieve her goal. Who knew what dirty trick she'd try next?

Yet he couldn't leave, either. His trip to Jiudao Village by day had shown him just how dangerous the wilderness was.

For now, all he could do was keep exploring and use every means at his disposal to strengthen himself.

Fortunately, unlike most of the county's residents, who were clueless, he knew some of the truth. And there was a Cultivation Path ahead of him. At least he had the power to struggle.

The next day, the Propaganda Team gathered again at the city gate, with every member present.

The peddlers and traveling merchants didn't look very frightened. They had all received rewards the day before.

Ge Xian was among them. In addition to money and provisions, they had each been given several jin of pork. In these times, that was clearly a generous reward.

The Two Ghoul Generals had also said that the more displaced people and wild folk they brought back, the greater their rewards would be. Everyone's spirits soared.

So the Two Ghosts announced that this time they'd be going to not one place, but two, and would surely have to travel for the entire day.

Compared to yesterday, things went much more smoothly today.

Ge Xian no longer had to worry about exposing himself and could use his heightened senses openly.

Besides helping the team avoid strange calamities like the [Meng Po Wind], [Heart-Burning Fire], and [Bottomless Pit], he could also help the Guard Team hunt.

That was right!

They were hunting.

The wilderness was full of dangers, but it also offered many benefits.

Even third-rate monsters like the Chunwei Ghost Jackal had something to offer.

Ge Xian couldn't help feeling helpless. The Guard Team had turned him into a "radar," sending him out in front as they hunted monsters and Demonic Creatures along the way, collecting all kinds of strange treasures, flesh infused with Dao Qi, and materials for refining treasures.

Of course, Ge Xian got his share of the spoils, too.

In fact, at the Two Ghosts' insistence, Ge Huolang even got first pick.

As for the corpses of monsters and Demonic Creatures, Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou sucked them dry.

Clearly, this was how they cultivated as vengeful ghosts.

The more Blood Food they ate, the stronger their Evil Ghost Dharma Images became.

They didn't need flesh infused with Dao Qi or advanced cultivation methods. Their way was simple and quick, and they didn't seem to have any unbearable vicious habits.

Yet when Xu Bai Lian, the Wang Family Eldest Daughter-in-law, the Gong Family Second Shopkeeper, Song Zhengxing, and the other Evil Cultivators looked over, none of them seemed envious.

The reason was easy to guess: no matter how powerful the Two Ghosts became, they would remain under Lu Hualong's control for their entire lives, with no hope of ever breaking free.

Perhaps now that they'd grown familiar with one another and let their guard down, Ge Xian gleaned another secret from their conversation along the way—one that involved the vengeful ghosts and Lu Hualong himself.

"Lu Hualong was born into a prominent family and was already a prodigy as a child. He loved defending the weak and attracted many young heroes to follow him. Gongsun Xing, the one who was whipped earlier, was one of them. Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou were two more members of those so-called 'young heroes.'"

"Later, the bastard married into the Yelü Family and became a [Gu-Eating Spirit Monster]. Then he went and ate all his childhood companions, turning them into vengeful ghosts."

"Those who submitted, like Zhang, Zhao, and a few of the other young heroes, benefited from it and became generals under Lu Hualong."

"Those who refused to submit, like Gongsun Xing, were tortured for all eternity."

"In a sense, they'd truly fulfilled their brotherly oath to live and die together."

"Of course, they'd fulfilled it for Lu Hualong alone."

As Ge Xian speculated, they arrived at their first destination.

Thirty li outside the city lay Nantai Town, home to several thousand people. With its silk industry, the town was fairly prosperous.

Even in these chaotic times, the town showed no signs of decline. So when the Propaganda Team arrived, they immediately hit a wall.

No matter how eloquently the peddlers spoke, no matter how wonderful they made Qiantang County sound, how benevolent Lu Hualong was, or how generous the provisions and money would be, only a few poor townsfolk whose lives had grown harder were tempted.

Most remained unmoved.

Ge Xian was among the team. He was handsome, and his storytelling was good, so his crowd was the largest. Yet even so, very few were tempted.

He wasn't happy about it. He knew that if the town had managed to survive the chaos without being targeted by Demonic Creatures like Jiudao Village had, it must have something to rely on.

His gaze shifted to the most conspicuous place in town.

There stood a rather lavish temple, its plaque bearing four striking characters in ancient seal script.

Three Goddess Temple!

Ge Xian sensed three powerful streams of Dao Qi inside the temple.

On closer examination, none of the three were benevolent. Their cold, bloodthirsty auras were impossible to conceal.

"So that's how it is!"

"The people of Nantai Town worship monsters and Demonic Creatures as gods, offering them sacrifices with such devotion that they've earned the protection of three Demonic Creatures with powerful auras."

"Or perhaps the town has already been claimed as their territory, and its several thousand residents are their stockpiled Blood Food. Any other mountain spirits, wild monsters, evil spirits, or abominations that dare intrude are making enemies of them."

"But Demonic Creatures have enormous appetites. What do the people of Nantai Town sacrifice to keep them fed?"

"Still, now that the Guard Team is here, even if this place looks like it belongs to someone else, would the Two Ghoul Generals and the Evil Cultivators really refrain from taking it by force?"

Sure enough, he'd barely finished thinking when two loud, brazen laughs rang out from the town.

They were Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou again. The Two Ghosts were no fools; it took them only a few glances to spot the problem. They strode straight toward the temple, and the Evil Cultivators laughed as well, following close behind.

The townsfolk, who had been chatting and laughing moments earlier, sensed something was wrong. They didn't dare to stop the intruders by force, so all they could do was send the mayor forward to greet them.

Inside the temple stood three statues of goddesses.

At a glance, they were quite extraordinary.

The one in the middle was a beautiful mature woman, with a lightly made-up face and eyes like silver stars. To the left stood a young beauty with green hair piled high and skin as white as snow. To the right was an old woman with silver hair and skin like an ancient pine.

As everyone looked them over, the mayor stepped forward to block their way and introduced the goddesses respectfully:

"Honored sirs, this is the temple of the three goddesses, Hongyan, Green Scale, and Silver Hair."

"With the Three Goddesses' protection, our Nantai Town has been able to..."

The old mayor hadn't finished speaking when the Two Ghosts struck, without even revealing their True Forms.

They each swung a palm down onto the altar.

With a thunderous crash, the stone platform collapsed, revealing a mound of corpses and bones beneath it: severed limbs and broken bodies. Some were old and reduced to white bones; others were fresh, still bloody flesh. There was even half a human body, its victim not yet dead and still letting out groans from time to time.

When the scene was revealed, the townsfolk all cried out in alarm. But they weren't shrieking in shock. It was the instinctive response of people whose shameful, evil deeds had been exposed.

Ge Xian saw it clearly. Many of the townsfolk who were parents shielded their children's eyes with one hand, while glaring angrily at Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou with the other, as if blaming them for destroying the gods' altar.

At last, Ge Xian understood how the three Demonic Creatures had been kept fed.

A chill crept into his heart. He could hardly believe it.

"The entire town—several thousand people—worships Demonic Creatures as gods."

"They capture passing travelers and offer them as Blood Food in sacrifice, all to secure their protection."