An Old Woman by the Road

On the way back to Auntie's house, Qiusheng rode his bicycle, happily whistling as he went.

When he had brought up silver dollars at his master's home earlier, it was not because he truly wanted that little bit of money.

He had merely been joking around with his master. Though his master seemed to earn plenty by helping people ward off disasters and solve problems, those outside the trade had no idea how much it actually cost.

Never mind the cost of the materials used for drawing and making talismans; even all those strange tools, like black dog blood and rooster blood, had to be bought with his own money.

So although Qiusheng was short on money as well, he would never fall out with his master over it.

Turning these thoughts over in his mind, Qiusheng soon arrived at Auntie's house. After telling her that he was back, he hastily ate dinner and rushed into his room.

Once inside, he did not hurry to rest. Instead, he lit an oil lamp, opened the Lightning Bolt Fist manual in his hands, and carefully read through it.

The moment he finished reading the Lightning Bolt Fist, a system notification suddenly sounded beside his ear.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Daoist art: Lightning Bolt Fist."

"Hm?"

Qiusheng murmured in surprise and opened his attribute panel.

Character: Qiusheng (inner disciple of the Maoshan Sect).

Cultivation: Occultist (mid-stage).

Exorcism Points: 20.

Daoist Arts: Talisman Crafting+ (beginner), Shangqing Dongxuan Record (beginner), Maoshan Basic Martial Arts (intermediate), Palm Thunder (entry level), Lightning Bolt Fist+ (not yet initiated).

Lifespan: 60+.

Seeing Lightning Bolt Fist listed as not yet initiated under his Daoist Arts, Qiusheng immediately felt delighted.

It seemed that whenever he acquired a new Daoist art, the system would automatically record it. That pleased him greatly.

After thinking for a moment, Qiusheng casually tapped the plus sign behind Lightning Bolt Fist.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have consumed 10 Exorcism Points to raise Lightning Bolt Fist from not yet initiated to entry level."

Hearing the notification, a hint of joy appeared in Qiusheng's eyes. He then looked at his remaining ten Exorcism Points and ultimately decided not to allocate them any further.

"Phew!"

Letting out a long breath, Qiusheng sat cross-legged on the bed and began cultivating.

Before transmigrating, Qiusheng had no idea how the original owner had cultivated.

But now that it was him, he had probably left the original owner far behind in terms of diligence.

Through the sleepless night, he cultivated by meditating instead of sleeping. He silently circulated the Shangqing Dongxuan Record within his body, using his mana to draw in the sparse spiritual energy outside—so thin it was nearly nonexistent—and continuously strengthened the abundance of mana within himself.

Soon, the entire night had passed. Qiusheng opened his eyes, washed up at Auntie's house, then mounted his sturdy bicycle again and headed toward Uncle Nine's Public Mortuary.

Before leaving, he specifically told Auntie that he would be staying at Uncle Nine's place for several more days and probably would not be returning anytime soon.

After saying that, Qiusheng did not care whether Auntie agreed or not. He simply pedaled off on his bicycle.

As Qiusheng traveled toward Uncle Nine's Public Mortuary, he thought over his concerns and sighed.

He finally understood why the original owner had shown so little interest in Maoshan's sect-defining cultivation method and had instead favored martial arts and fist techniques.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was simply too thin. Even after raising the Shangqing Dongxuan Record to the beginner level, a whole night of bitter cultivation had only left him feeling refreshed despite not sleeping.

How could ordinary people possibly understand the hardship and helplessness within that?

Fortunately, the current Qiusheng had the Exorcism System at his side and could rely on its help to gradually improve his cultivation.

Otherwise, he would probably have been like the original owner, valuing martial skills while neglecting Daoist arts.

In the end, the decline of Daoist arts truly had been inevitable.

Burdened by his thoughts, Qiusheng kept his head lowered as he traveled toward the Public Mortuary. Suddenly, the figure of an old woman appeared before him.

The old woman looked to be in her sixties. Her silver hair was sparse, and she sat collapsed on the ground, clutching her lower leg.

Qiusheng frowned at the sight, a trace of vigilance gradually rising in his heart.

This road leading to the Public Mortuary was surrounded by wasteland. An old woman sitting collapsed on the ground in the early morning along such a desolate road—how could that not arouse suspicion?

Though doubts filled his heart, Qiusheng showed nothing on his face. He leaped from his bicycle, slowly walked over to the old woman, and asked,

"Grandma, what happened to you? Did you injure your leg in a fall?"

As Qiusheng spoke, he placed his right hand behind his back, forming a hand seal while silently reciting an incantation.

"Maoshan Heavenly Eye Technique: Open!"

As his Heavenly Eye opened, the old woman's true nature was immediately laid bare before him.

Heh, she really is a ghost. But she seems to be a newly dead one.

Muttering to himself, Qiusheng slowly circulated the mana within his body, prepared to blast the old woman's ghost into oblivion if she made any suspicious move.

"Young man, this old woman injured her leg. Can you take me home?"

The old woman looked up at Qiusheng, who had suddenly appeared before her, and pleaded as though she had found a lifeline.

"Grandma, where do you live?"

Seeing the old ghost asking for help, Qiusheng did not expose her identity right away. He merely smiled and asked.

"Young man, this old woman's home is right over there."

As she spoke, the old woman casually pointed. Qiusheng followed the direction of her finger and immediately saw a wooden house not far away.

But his heart stirred.

He traveled this road often.

Since when had there been a wooden house here? Why had he never known about it?

As he was puzzling over it, Qiusheng's eyelids suddenly twitched, and he immediately understood what that wooden house really was.

That place truly was a place of fate for Qiusheng.

Though his memories of that time had become rather blurry, Qiusheng could still confirm that when he had first transmigrated, he had awakened in that very spot.

But when he awoke there back then, there had been no wooden house beside him—only a freshly built grave.

He still remembered that when he had first awakened and seen where he was, he had nearly pissed himself in fright.

"Young man?"

The old woman spoke again. Qiusheng immediately came back to his senses, gathered his thoughts, and smiled at her.

"Oh, Grandma, I was thinking about something just now. Come, I'll help you home."