The Locust Tree Becomes a Spirit

Zhou Yan sat inside the carriage, eyes closed and mind focused, deaf to the world outside.

Last night, he had first dealt with a drunkard and then spent the rest of the time on the Yakshas Meditation Method, leaving him without a proper rest.

Although a night or two of lost sleep was of little consequence to a practitioner, Zhou Yan was cautious by nature. With another evil entity to deal with, he seized the opportunity to rest and recover his energy.

Sometimes, the slightest difference can lead to entirely different outcomes.

He did not know how much time had passed, but when Zhou Yan heard someone speak outside, the carriage had already come to a stop.

"Master Zhou, we have arrived. Please, step out."

The middle-aged butler spoke as he slowly pulled back the curtain.

Zhou Yan stepped down from the carriage and saw a massive estate that occupied nearly half the street. Two imposing stone lions stood at the entrance, and the plaque above the main gate bore the characters "Yue Mansion" in a bold, sweeping calligraphy that was clearly the work of a master.

Yue Mansion?!

Zhou Yan pondered to himself.

No matter how he racked his brain, he could not recall any high-ranking official in Shen City with the surname Yue who possessed such a lavish estate.

This suggested that the status of the family far exceeded his imagination.

"Master Zhou, please, come in."

The middle-aged butler gestured.

Zhou Yan nodded slightly. Though surprised, he felt no stage fright and walked into the estate with a calm expression.

His composure slightly startled the butler.

The feng shui of this estate was excellent, designed under the guidance of a master, and it exuded an oppressive aura.

Even ordinary wealthy merchants, let alone officials, usually felt a sense of unease upon their first visit.

Yet, Zhou Yan, a commoner, was able to remain so composed; it was truly unexpected.

The butler did not show his thoughts, however, and respectfully led Zhou Yan into the estate, through several corridors, and directly to the backyard.

As Zhou Yan followed, his brows began to furrow.

He had been inside the estate for quite some time, yet he had seen very few traces of the inhabitants.

"Master Zhou, this is a secondary residence of my master. It is only used occasionally, and he is not here most of the time," the butler said, seemingly reading Zhou Yan's mind.

"Oh, I see."

Zhou Yan's footsteps paused for a moment, his expression remaining calm.

Yet, deep inside, a great wave of emotion stirred.

He knew that in chaotic times, when the common people lived hand-to-mouth, the gap between the rich and the poor only widened.

But he had not expected such a massive estate to be merely a secondary residence; it was truly staggering.

This meant the Yue family was not simple, and he needed to be careful.

Led by the butler, they finally arrived at a garden.

To Zhou Yan, it looked more like a small forest, covering several hundred square meters. It was filled with various flowers, trees, and even different birds and beasts, forming a veritable ecological park.

Even though Zhou Yan considered himself well-traveled, he couldn't help but swallow hard at the sight of such a place within a private residence.

Well, he was a modern man, but he was also a bumpkin.

Most importantly, this was just a secondary residence.

Zhou Yan, who prided himself on being steady and cautious, felt a sudden, intense surge of resentment toward the wealthy.

"Master Zhou, this forest has been restless lately, and strange phenomena have appeared, so we asked you to come and take a look," the butler said.

Zhou Yan composed himself and stepped forward with a slight nod.

He muttered a silent incantation and cast the Dharma Eye Curse.

Soon, his vision shifted; everything he looked at became gray and hazy, as if veiled by a shroud.

Within this haze, a distinct trail of yin energy emerged.

Zhou Yan quickly stepped forward to inspect it and found a massive locust tree over ten meters tall, thick enough that it would take five or six men to wrap their arms around it.

This locust tree is at least several hundred years old. No wonder it has become a spirit, he thought to himself.

It was almost certain that the strange occurrences were caused by the locust tree becoming a spirit.

Zhou Yan reached out and touched the tree, immediately feeling a chilling, yin coldness invade his body.

His expression changed, and he quickly pulled his hand back.

However, his hand already showed clear signs of frostbite.

"Master Zhou, what is it?"

Seeing Zhou Yan retreat suddenly with a drastic change in his expression, the butler asked in alarm.

Zhou Yan shook his hand, the surging blood and qi within his body quickly soothing the condition of his palm.

"It's nothing. I've already identified the cause; that locust tree has become a spirit."

The middle-aged steward looked toward the massive locust tree upon hearing this, a look of astonishment appearing on his face. "How could such a huge locust tree be here? We've never noticed it before."

Among noble and prominent families, there is quite a bit of knowledge regarding demons, ghosts, and monsters.

Because of this, they are always extremely cautious.

Whether it is the poultry and dogs raised in the household or the flowers and trees planted, everything is slaughtered or felled after a certain amount of time, all to prevent the emergence of demonic entities.

That is why the middle-aged steward was so surprised by the appearance of such a massive locust tree.

"It's not strange. This locust tree must have become a spirit long ago, so it knows how to seek advantages and avoid harm. Furthermore, this grove is quite large, and anyone who entered to prune it was affected by a Veiling Technique. Plus, the locust tree can shift its position, which is why it was never discovered..."

Zhou Yan had suffered a minor setback, but it was not without its gains.

He discovered that the locust tree's root system had gradually taken control of most of the ground beneath this grove; felling it would definitely not be easy.

Moreover, the locust tree had already sensed the danger; even he, a cultivator, had nearly been injured.

For ordinary people to attempt to fell it would be utterly impossible.

The middle-aged steward still sent a few young, strong men from the estate to chop it down, but as soon as they approached, they were frozen by the yin energy.

Even when they managed to get close, a single swing of the axe failed to cause any damage to the tree, instead sparking upon impact.

It was as if the axe were striking a steel pillar rather than a tree.

At this, the middle-aged steward completely believed what Zhou Yan had said, realizing that felling the locust tree would not be so simple.

"Master Mage, what should we do now?" the middle-aged steward asked with a respectful expression.

Zhou Yan looked at the locust tree and said calmly, "Wait until nightfall; the locust tree spirit will surely appear. When that time comes, I will strike to slay the spirit, and once the locust tree loses its supernatural power, felling it will be an easy task."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged steward hurriedly replied, "We shall follow your instructions, Master Mage."