Quirk Acting Up, Evil Spirits Causing Mayhem

The troubles caused by Ge Xian's "Evil Dragon Aspect" both inside and outside the county could not affect him for the time being.

At this very moment, in a small, humble room within his pagoda tree courtyard, a strange dragon race, appearing majestic, mighty, mysterious, and dangerous, was coiled up.

That's right, it was Ge Huolang's evil dragon body.

If the Ape Ghost tribe and the five evil cultivator Mountain Monks, who were currently clamoring to move their homes on Jade Emperor Mountain outside the county town, could see this scene, they would instantly understand why this evil dragon could make many low-level demons and evil cultivators within a hundred-mile radius outside the county town turn pale at the mere mention of its name.

There was no other reason than it was simply too ferocious.

First, one could see a half-human, half-dragon head. It still had a human face, but its forehead bore a pair of ferocious dragon horns like tree branches. A pair of mutated dragon eyes were half-open, half-closed, with divine indifference within them.

Below that was a long and sturdy torso coiled around, with dragon claws capable of easily crushing rocks, and scales that shimmered with the ethereal light of jade and metal, as if crafted by divine hands.

He did not move, and could not move.

Although he had revealed his evil dragon demon body, as long as he remained still and the dragon qi within him was tranquil, no one would know that a dragon was coiled here, even if separated by just a wooden door.

If he moved, it would be different.

It is often said that when true dragons appear, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning follow.

Ge Xian now possessed this might. In addition to this terrifying "Evil Dragon Aspect," he possessed a full six demon arts within him.

They were: Invisibility, Centipede Poison, Thunder Fiend, Levitation, Cloud Mist, and Mountain Split.

This was the result of diligent hunting over the past three days.

As Ge Xian examined himself, he also reviewed his gains:

"The latter three demon arts originated from a Cloud Dragon, a Flying Snake, and a Flood Dragon monster."

"The Flood Dragon monster had the most potent dragon qi. It was a female. In the past, when the world was stable, it dared not act rashly, hiding in the mountain belly and diligently cultivating. Recently, it came out to subdue mountain bandits, forcing them to call it 'Grandmother,' and captured passersby to feed it... After devouring it, my cultivation advanced greatly, and it also gave me a demon art called [Mountain Split]."

"It might sound ordinary, but its power is not to be underestimated. Small mountains now probably couldn't withstand a single charge from my Evil Dragon Manifestation."

"I am not yet a cultivator at the [Foundation Establishment Realm], but I should be able to fight ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. As for existences at the Dao Entry Realm, I fear few could contend with me in a fight."

"Of course, if I can fight, I won't fight conventionally. With the combination of my six demon arts, I can possess destructive power akin to divine abilities like Five Poisons Yin Thunder, Mysterious Yin Poison Fiend, and Centipede Poison Cloud Miasma. If that doesn't work, I can fly above, gain air supremacy, then release poisonous clouds to obscure vision and perception, spew Thunder Fiend from my mouth, and suddenly dive down to split mountains..."

Ge Xian muttered, suddenly feeling that his combat style was a bit shameless.

The low-level human cultivators and monstrous spirits in this world, after reaching the Dao Entry Realm, would usually lean towards the Dao Qi they cultivated, and their fighting methods would become similar. Only great demons and monsters above the Mortal Transformation Realm would break free from these constraints and become more cunning.

"Low-level demons and monsters" like Ge Xian were extremely rare. They were skilled in sneak attacks, could combine various skills, and occasionally did not hesitate to feign weakness to deceive others. It was no wonder that in just three days, he achieved such terrifying efficiency.

He had killed so much that the areas around Qiantang County turned pale at the mere mention of a dragon.

The reason was quite simple.

To practice cultivation is, in essence, a process of transformation, also known as the process of [Dao Transformation].

But Ge Xian!

His cultivation path is fundamentally different.

He can subdue and control the Demon Dao Qi that enters his body, so he doesn't need to cultivate just one type.

The reason he currently only has one Evil Dragon Aspect is that he hasn't found a suitable second powerful Dao Qi yet.

Of course, the conditions must also be met.

However, powerful as he is, Ge Xian has never actually seen a true dragon, nor has he ever fought any demon or cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

So, he can only estimate his ecological niche.

"Not counting the heretical god lineages like the Eternal Life Cult and the Pure Land Cult, nor the rebels and bandits who could erupt at any moment, there are still many forces in the surrounding territories that I absolutely cannot provoke."

"I can't afford to provoke the perverted couple in the county; I'm no match for the Gu-Eating Spirit Monster or the Heart Devouring Fox."

"I can't afford to provoke the unknown number of dragons at the bottom of the Qiantang River either. I didn't dare to get close when hunting, for fear of being captured as a 'wild dragon'."

"There's a [Yin Gui Mountain] over a hundred miles away, where the Ghost Clan resides. Judging from White Jade Old Daoist's diary and the rumors I've heard these past few days, the Ghost Clan usually possesses nearly unsolvable abilities, especially those from the sacred land of [Yin Mountain]. I'm no match for them either."

"Zhao Yuanjing, the 'Darughachi' in neighboring Renhe County, is a demon cultivator even more ferocious than Lu Hualong. He follows the [Greedy Spirit God], and rumors say his cultivation and Dao practice are both above Lu Hualong's. His backing is also incredibly strong, and he governs Renhe County even better than Qiantang County. I just don't know if he's also planning to sell things? I'm no match for him."

"Oh, there's another area that White Jade Old Daoist considered extremely dangerous: Sunset Mountain, which is already shrouded in demonic mist. Legend has it there's a Song Dynasty Daoist ruin, [Leifeng Pagoda]..."

Ge Xian was counting on his dragon fingers how many forces he couldn't afford to provoke.

Suddenly, something changed within his body.

His face, which was as cold and indifferent as a god's, instantly showed a look of helplessness.

He immediately reverted to human form and put on his clothes.

He unconsciously paced back and forth in the room a few times, then looked at a wooden box in the corner. It looked unremarkable, but it actually contained several dangerous items.

A [Jade Pig Dragon], which could be used to raise and refine corpses.

A manual titled Melon Cultivation Art, which was actually a collection of various bizarre and horrifying pill recipes.

A Flood Dragon Skin Drum that could bewitch people and hypnotize their souls.

The first two items were self-explanatory. The third wondrous item came from a female flood dragon that had lived for two hundred years. A gentle tap of the drum could make any living being within a hundred zhang, including humans, obey her will, granting or taking life at her whim—extremely evil.

Now, they had all become Ge Xian's collection.

His original plan was to finish assessing his cultivation progress and then spend the night studying Melon Cultivation Art, both to see the horrifying pill recipes and to examine the annotations left by previous holders, which were extremely interesting.

But at this moment, he knew it wouldn't do.

His peculiar habit... was acting up.

After three days of hunting, Ge Xian officially confirmed that he too had contracted a peculiar habit, one of collecting and hoarding treasures.

The good news was that it wasn't an "evil habit," nor was it severe.

In fact, it might even be a good thing.

Because Ge Xian discovered that this habit of collecting treasures seemed to have a mysterious connection with his other talent, [Supernatural Perception]. Whenever it actively manifested, his supernatural perception would be greatly enhanced, giving him an inspiration that was almost like a guide.

Just like that treasure called the [Soul Drum]. It wasn't originally on Grandmother Flood Dragon. It was only after Ge Xian killed her that his peculiar habit flared up, guiding him to Grandmother Flood Dragon's cave and allowing him to retrieve this wondrous item.

And at this moment, this connection appeared again.

"Hmm?"

"This time it's actually within Qiantang County? Is it some kind of wondrous item causing trouble, or a spirit monster running amok?"

"Earlier, the two ghosts Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou did mention that Qiantang County wasn't that safe, saying quite a few evil spirits and monsters would flow in... Is this happening now?"

Ge Xian didn't suppress his peculiar habit. While guessing, he casually slung a peddler's box over his shoulder as a disguise and prepared to go out.

Fortunately, it was just after nightfall. Although it was a bit strange, it wasn't too strange. Moreover, he had the Ghoul waist token on him. As long as he didn't reveal any flaws, he didn't have to worry about being troubled by the county residents or yamen runners within the county town.

Before setting off and opening the door, he looked seriously at a broom next to the wooden box.

He very solemnly called out "Sister Bai" and directly instructed:

"Sister Bai, guard the house well. If anything happens, open the box and beat the small drum inside. It should be able to resolve the situation."

"If the person who comes is too fierce, Sister Bai, don't move. Just pretend to be an ordinary broom. You shouldn't be troubled."

After speaking, Ge Xian turned and left, following the perception in his heart towards a certain direction within the city.

The next moment, amidst swirling mist, the Pretty Young Woman manifested. Looking at the young master's receding back and recalling his instructions, she couldn't help but clench her fist and look nervously at the wooden box containing the three treasures.

She involuntarily began to sweep, and during the process, she still kept glancing over, as if thieves or bandits might truly break in at any moment to steal the treasures.

She didn't know what kind of story she was weaving in her mind. Soon, her face turned red, and she fanned herself repeatedly, sighing:

"This young master, why has he assigned me such an important task? I'm just a broom."

"No... but following this master is much more exciting than following Grandpa Bai."

"Alas, now I understand why Grandpa Bai failed the imperial examinations for so many years. It wasn't that his knowledge was insufficient, but that he hadn't joined the [Myriad Laws Sect] and hadn't embarked on the path of cultivation."

"Pitiable, all his years of hard study were in vain."

Ge Xian could no longer hear his own Broom Spirit's sigh.

Now, he was walking quickly into the depths of an old alley called Yuanbao Alley, carrying his peddler's box. From within, chilling, frenzied laughter could be heard.

As he entered, he saw neighbors woken by the noise, rushing out to investigate. They let out terrified screams, though it wasn't clear what they had seen.

The scene immediately descended into chaos.

Ge Xian mingled with the crowd, pushing forward while straining his ears.

"Ah! Quick, quick, report to the authorities, there's been a murder!"

"Ugh... it's that Peng family man, he... he's gone mad."

"Hurry and report it! The head of the Peng family at the end of the alley has killed his wife and children. The house is flooded with blood, their intestines... their intestines are spilling out."

"How could this happen? The county magistrate explicitly forbids any acts of violence or murder. Those who disobey will be refined into Ghoul, tormented for eternity. Isn't that Peng family man afraid?"

"He's completely lost it. Killing his wife and children wasn't enough. He's using their blood to mix with mud in the house, making ingots, saying it's all real, that he's struck it rich, that he'll be a wealthy man and marry dozens of wives."

"Heavens, I remember now. This isn't the first time."

"Two days ago, a similar murder happened in the neighboring Niuyangsi Alley. It was a family surnamed Hu. The usually well-behaved young wife suddenly went mad, poisoned her entire family of seven... After killing them, she didn't run. She also cut open their bellies, smeared their blood on her face, and babbled madly about becoming beautiful, more beautiful than the current empress."

"Hiss!"

"Could it be... could it be evil spirits?"

"Make way, the Ghost Officers are here."

Following that last sentence.

The crowd parted like a wave, and two Ghost Officers, whom Ge Xian hadn't seen before, hurried over.

Though they weren't as formidable as Zhang Buzhu and Zhao Wuyou, they possessed some Ghost Technique and supernatural abilities.

With flickering ghostly shadows, the two entered the murder scene.

The crowd surged back, closing doors and pressing against the entrance of the Peng family's courtyard, including Ge Xian.

The neighbors all dared to come watch the commotion and the murder, watching while vomiting, but no one dared to step forward.

Ge Xian didn't step forward either, instead looking across at the unbearable, hellish scene inside the house.

As the neighbors had said, two corpses lay on the ground, one large and one small, a woman and a child. The larger one's abdomen was cut open, intestines and organs spilling everywhere. The perpetrator was a middle-aged man with a frenzied expression and bloodshot eyes. He had already thrown the cleaver aside.

He crouched there like a vengeful spirit, his hands constantly sifting through the blood and yellow mud, clumsily shaping them into "gold ingots" and arranging them nearby.

He pinched it, while cackling madly, "One hundred taels, two hundred taels, three hundred taels, four hundred taels... Hahaha, I'm rich."

"I want to pinch out ten thousand taels, a hundred thousand taels. I want to be the richest man in Qiantang, I want to marry many wives."

Ge Xian had killed Dragon Earthworms and Devouring Flood Dragon Monsters outside the county. What brutal scenes hadn't he witnessed?

But this scene before him was still a first.

The two Ghoul constables, however, cursed and acted. But instead of apprehending the man committing the act, they each opened a pair of Ghost Eyes and began scanning the room, the courtyard, and even the crowd.

"What the hell is this thing? We have to catch it this time, or the magistrate won't let us off if there's a third murder. We won't even be able to be ghosts."

"We didn't find it last time. That woman who killed her whole family didn't live through the night either. She inexplicably died at midnight, her soul so thin it was pathetic, more miserable than if we had absorbed it."

"A good ghost, daring to snatch our food."

"If all else fails, let's go ask Brother Zhang, Brother Ma. Our Ghost Techniques are mediocre. We can handle some useless evil spirits, but this kind of strange object... I'm afraid it'll be hard to find."

The curses of these two ghosts were not quiet at all.

But Ge Xian looked around. Everyone seemed to be deaf, unconcerned about being described as "Blood Food."

He sighed inwardly, then fully activated his senses. His gaze immediately swept towards an inconspicuous Gray Pottery Jar in the corner of the room.

It looked incomplete, most of its glaze peeled off, mottled and ancient. Its shape was bizarre and inexplicable, not at all like something for ordinary use. It was more like a funerary item, such as a Soul Bottle Spirit Jar, meant to accompany a coffin.

As Ge Xian looked at it, the jar seemed to "wake up" because it was being watched. The mottled glaze actually transformed into an eye-like shape and looked back at Ge Xian.

A roar erupted in his mind.

A realization, akin to "initiation," surfaced in his heart.

Even without touching it, he received the void's message:

"Sacrifice!"

"Sacrifice your beloved, and I shall grant you all your wishes."

"The more you sacrifice, the greater the wishes that can be fulfilled."