721. The Grand Examination

"Cursed entity?"

The young scholar strode away to an unoccupied spot. Staring at the small knife in his hand, he muttered, "I didn't expect... such things to be active even outside the provincial capital."

The next moment, he grabbed his own face and slowly tore it open.

A layer of human skin, clothes and all, was peeled away, revealing a face as flawless as carved jade. It was none other than Xu Changqing!

"This identity was hard-won. I can't damage it..."

As he murmured to himself, a bluish-black tentacle emerged from his back, seized the black knife, and instantly plunged back into his body.

His muscles rippled as though they were chewing.

A satisfied expression appeared on his face, like one who had just finished a meal.

"At your current level, your Dharma Aspect has long since reached completion. You needn't worry about impurities when devouring cursed entities; it will merely strengthen your power..."

Sulu said, "But you're near a city now, and something like this has happened. The Demon Suppression Bureau will likely arrive soon. Be careful to conceal your identity..."

"I remember."

Xu Changqing draped the human skin over himself and quickly turned back into an ordinary-looking scholar before arriving outside Spirit Province City.

As one of the provincial capitals of the Great Luo Nine Provinces, its city walls were exceptionally imposing. The gates stood more than four zhang high, nearly five, and seemed to contain the power of talismans. The soldiers patrolling nearby were all sharp and capable, with officers from the Demon Suppression Bureau mixed among them.

Xu Changqing produced his travel permit. At this moment, he was Fang Yan, an examinee from Red Cloud Prefecture who had come to take the provincial examination.

The gate guards checked his permit and let him through without issue.