Zhou Yan knew that, aside from a rare few who retained the intelligence they'd had in life, most ghosts were consumed by resentment. Their minds were clouded by it, and they were fiercely vindictive.
He'd thwarted the Water Ghost's plan to kill someone and find a replacement, so there was a good chance it would come after him for revenge.
Still, Zhou Yan hadn't expected the Water Ghost to be so impatient. It had come for revenge that very night.
Fortunately, he'd prepared in advance and seized the opportunity to deal the Water Ghost a heavy blow.
That was because the blood essence he'd refined was Profound Yin Essence Blood, which had limited effect on ghosts and other yin-aligned creatures.
Had he refined yang-aligned blood essence, that single strike might have killed the Water Ghost outright.
"Ah..."
The Water Ghost struggled desperately, seemingly trying to escape from the Peach Wood Sword.
But Zhou Yan wasn't about to give it the chance. He drove the Peach Wood Sword into the wall, then took out a bamboo tube filled with Boy Urine and splashed it over the Water Ghost, drenching it completely.
Boy Urine was even more harmful to ghosts than to Zombies. As soon as the contents of the bamboo tube hit it, the Water Ghost began to melt as if it were being corroded.
In the end, only a pool of black water remained on the ground, giving off a foul stench.
Seeing that the Water Ghost had been dealt with, Zhou Yan couldn't help muttering, "That Boy Urine really packs a punch."
Though he had a Zombie at his disposal, he was still short on other means.
In particular, using Magic Power from his blood essence to fight evil spirits would deplete his Profound Yin Essence Blood, and it would take time to recover.
But using this old-fashioned method didn't cost him any blood or energy, and it worked even better.
It might not have been pleasant to look at, but as far as Zhou Yan was concerned, all that mattered for now was that his methods worked. He could worry about his pride and bearing once his cultivation improved.
Three years of living at the bottom had made him more steady-tempered, and less concerned about saving face.
He'd become a rickshaw puller, worked like a dog every day, and nearly collapsed several times. What was there to be proud of?
Zhou Yan cleaned up the floor and then went back to sleep.
The more his body's blood and energy were depleted, the more he needed to sleep so he could recover faster.
Several days later, Ma Yan suddenly came to the new house.
"You subdued the Water Ghost in the river?"
As soon as he arrived, he asked the question outright.
Zhou Yan was taken aback. "How did you find out?"
"It's all over town now. They're saying you saved Old Qi's only son, San Kuazi, and even dealt with the Water Ghost." Hearing Zhou Yan confirm it, Ma Yan relaxed a little and smiled.
Zhou Yan thought it over, then suddenly laughed.
"That San Kuazi is pretty sharp. Looks like he'd make a good informant!"
Curious, Ma Yan quickly asked why.
Zhou Yan explained what had happened, then said, "San Kuazi probably got the details about me from Third Brother and Little Sister, then deliberately spread the story. Otherwise, if several days had passed before it got around, that means San Kuazi hadn't planned to spread it earlier.
"That kid would make a good informant..."
He sighed again.
An eleven- or twelve-year-old with that kind of foresight and cunning was truly no ordinary child.
Compared with the children of later generations, who grew up pampered, the children of this era were tempered by poverty and hardship from a young age. Every one of them grew up fast.
Ma Yan was also surprised by what he heard.
"From the way you put it, this San Kuazi really is a talent."
Zhou Yan nodded slightly, thought for a moment, then asked, "How are things at San Kuazi's home?"
"Old Qi got hurt when something fell on him a few days ago. Luckily, it wasn't serious and he wasn't left disabled, though he had to take quite a bit of medicine. His injuries haven't even healed, and he's already rushed back to work. He could collapse at any moment." Ma Yan's expression was calm.
There was a little pity and regret in his voice, but not much.
After all, in these chaotic times, everyone struggled to keep their own family afloat. They had little time to worry about others, and, more importantly, lacked the means to help.
Zhou Yan thought about it, then said, "What do you think about bringing San Kuazi into our service?"
Ma Yan immediately objected. "What use is a little kid? I know you're kindhearted, but you fought for everything you have now with your life. You can't be so softhearted.
"There are so many poor families in the world. How many can you save?"
Zhou Yan paused. He knew Ma Yan was right.
More importantly, if he helped San Kuazi's family, other families might hear about it and come knocking. Would he help them or not?
San Kuazi's family was pitiful, but they were still managing to hang on.
There were plenty of other families already on the verge of losing everything and everyone.
He sighed and said nothing more.
In the end, the memories of his previous life had affected him too much, sometimes making it hard for him not to soften.
Ma Yan was a good counterbalance to that side of him.
Seeing Zhou Yan's expression, Ma Yan knew he'd let the idea go, but he still seemed uneasy.
He quickly changed the subject. "All right, let's talk business."
"I heard that the Dong Family on Little East Gate Street has a ghost problem. The First Madam was killed by a vengeful ghost, the Second Concubine is bedridden, and a maid has died too. The Dong Family is now hiring masters to deal with the ghost. Should we get involved?"
Zhou Yan first asked a different question. "How much money do I have left?"
"Of the hundred silver dollars, there are less than twenty left. At the current rate, they'll last about half a month..." Ma Yan thought it over before replying.
Zhou Yan needed to replenish a lot of blood and energy for his daily cultivation.
So, besides the cost of his daily meals, he also had to buy plenty of meat and medicinal herbs to replenish himself.
Twenty silver dollars for half a month was already a tight budget.
And Zhou Yan knew that the hundred silver dollars alone couldn't possibly have lasted this long.
Ma Yan had probably been putting in quite a bit of his own money on the side.
Zhou Yan smiled bitterly and looked at Ma Yan. "How much is the Dong Family offering?"
"Fifty silver dollars." Ma Yan held up one hand.
Zhou Yan clenched his teeth slightly and couldn't help scoffing. "That Dong Family is damn stingy. A vengeful ghost has already entered their home, and they're only offering fifty silver dollars? Aren't they afraid of damaging their family's reputation?"
Then he added, "The Li Family's just as bad."
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