Slaying the Yin-Ecdysis Corpse Demon, Gaining the Divine Power Yang Ecdysis

"Refining corpses and shedding skin, is that it? You're far too slow. Let me give you a hand."

As Xu Jin spoke, the pure yang power in his palm surged wildly into the corpse demon's chest.

The Yin-Ecdysis corpse demon let out a shriek so piercing it grated on the ears. Sha Qi churned madly around its body as it tried to strike back and shed the force.

But Xu Jin's pure yang power was the natural bane of yin evil. Every wisp of Sha Qi that collided with his astral energy instantly evaporated into white mist, unable to create even the slightest obstruction.

Xu Jin had no intention of holding back.

He knew perfectly well that this corpse demon was in the midst of its shedding phase. It was still manageable now, but once it completed its shedding and transformed into a great water-baleful demon, the people along the entire canal would suffer.

The danger was right before him. He could not leave behind even the slightest future trouble.

The phantom Golden Crow behind him grew increasingly solid, its pure yang flames illuminating the entire burial chamber.

Under the scorching of pure yang astral energy, the corpse demon's body shattered inch by inch. First, its flesh and skin turned to ash; then its bones melted away; at last, even its soul was refined clean by yang fire.

Only a jet-black, gleaming yin-baleful demon crystal remained, floating above the charred ashes.

Once the dust had settled, Wang Lei emerged from behind a stone pillar. He looked at the ashes on the ground and the demon crystal, then at Xu Jin's cold, hard profile, silently clicking his tongue in amazement.

A thousand-year corpse demon had not even had room to fight back. It had been refined until nothing remained but a crystal and ashes.

Brother Xu's title of Molten-Gold Yama truly wasn't watered down in the slightest.

Xu Jin had just raised his hand to draw the demon crystal into his grasp when the best possible news sounded in his mind.

[Slain Yin-Ecdysis Corpse Demon]

[Obtained Demon Fragments ×30]

[Divine Power Unlocked: Yang Ecdysis]

[Using Swallow the Sun, Refine the Form as the foundation, swallow a wisp of dawn sunlight into the belly and condense it into a crimson pellet. It does not travel through the dantian, but reverses through the large intestine and hides within the rear aperture. When faced with a fatal calamity, the rear aperture opens on its own, and the pellet slips out to die in one's stead, while the true body instantly escapes a hundred li away.]

He inwardly complained, How did a perfectly good Swallow the Sun, Refine the Form end up so underworldly? And with such a heavy-taste launch position—who even invented this?

The skill looked a little disgusting, but it was undeniably useful. It was a life-saving treasure.

The two of them then carefully searched the main burial chamber from top to bottom.

The stone platform was completely empty. There was not even a trace of the rumored pill-cauldron inheritance.

They only found several scattered low-grade demon crystals and a few rust-covered ancient Han-era cultivation manuals inside a hidden compartment in the corner.

There was also half a damaged stone slab covered in pill-cauldron inscriptions. Its patterns matched the half they had previously seized from the Canal Gang, yet the two pieces still could not form a complete image.

Wang Lei put the slab into his storage pouch, then raised his head and sighed. "So the pill-cauldron inheritance that those Canal Gang bastards had been coveting all this time wasn't even in the main burial chamber. They really died for nothing."

Xu Jin kicked at the dry bones by his feet, his tone calm. "It's most likely in a deeper secret chamber, or someone took it long ago."

The two did not linger in the tomb. They headed straight back to the patrol station at Green-Mud Ferry.

They had barely sat down to rest when Wang Lei came over carrying case files, paper, and ink. He spread out the paper and began sorting through the timeline of events.

"Brother Xu, we need to straighten out the Canal Gang matter in advance. You killed four cultivators in one go, including He Cang, a grandmaster. Sooner or later, the provincial authorities will send inspectors to question us."

His brush traced lines across the paper. "We'll state the facts, but the wording has to be arranged according to the Great Yin Law on Demon-Evil Disposal—"

"We were investigating the Sunk Tomb water-baleful case. The Canal Gang illegally occupied an ancient site and obstructed law enforcement. He Chong struck an officer first, while He Cang, as a grandmaster, secretly attempted murder. We acted in lawful self-defense throughout and killed them."

"The Yin-Ecdysis corpse demon was the source of the water-baleful menace and was eliminated in accordance with the law as well. Every action was official law enforcement, with not half a coin's worth of relation to private grudges."

Xu Jin took a sip of tea and nodded faintly. "Handle the write-up as you see fit."

He knew that Wang Lei was providing a compliance safety net from within the system.

The truth was that he had taken the initiative to slaughter the Canal Gang to the last man, but in the case files, it had to become impartial law enforcement and defensive counterattack.

After all, the Demon Suppression Bureau was an imperial institution. It had rules to follow. Killing was permitted, but it had to be done with proper cause.

Sure enough, the following afternoon, inspection officers from the provincial Demon Suppression Bureau arrived at Green-Mud Ferry.

Two officers with solemn expressions carried their case files into the station and, following procedure, questioned them point by point about the destruction of the Canal Gang and the killing of the corpse demon.

Xu Jin sat opposite them, calm throughout. Every answer he gave fell precisely within the provisions of the Great Yin Law on Demon-Evil Disposal. He spoke only of official procedures and listed only the other side's crimes, without the slightest personal emotion, much less admitting to any excessive conduct.

The two officers frowned to themselves as they listened.

They had heard of Molten-Gold Yama and knew that he was ruthless. This time, he had slain a grandmaster and killed a Tongyi cultivator in one sweep—it looked no matter how one saw it like excessive bloodshed.

Yet faced with the case files and chain of evidence Wang Lei had organized, the time, place, cause, and effect all fit together seamlessly. Every step conformed to legal procedure, and they could not find the slightest flaw in institutional terms.

The questioning lasted an hour. In the end, the two officers closed the case files and formally announced, "Patrol Officer Xu fulfilled his duties in accordance with the law and rendered outstanding merit. He slew the source of the water-baleful menace and cleared a local calamity. The provincial authorities shall record one Class C merit and award fifty taels of silver. Further investigation of the Sunk Tomb will remain the responsibility of you two. Report promptly should anything unusual occur."

With that, the two rose and took their leave.

Only after they had gone did Wang Lei let out a breath and say with a smile, "See? I told you there wouldn't be a problem. This round was perfectly compliant—there isn't a single fault to pick at."

Xu Jin glanced at him, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly. "The case files were organized well enough."

Over the next few days, Green-Mud Ferry was exceptionally peaceful.

River Spirit Temple and the River Merchants Guild delivered lavish gifts and supplies as agreed, their attitudes impeccably respectful;

Zhou Biao of Reed-Blossom Stronghold personally came to apologize, leaving behind a hundred-year water spirit ganoderma and silver. He did not even dare raise his head, afraid that Xu Jin would settle accounts after autumn.

The three local powers behaved themselves, without stirring up the slightest trouble.

Yet the calmer things were, the more Xu Jin felt that something was wrong.

According to the clues he had uncovered, the Canal Gang had always been connected to the Profound Yin Hall. He Cang's grandmaster-level force had fallen at Green-Mud Ferry; the Profound Yin Hall could not possibly have no reaction at all.

Then there was the disappearance of Zhou Zheng, the former patrol inspector. To this day, the only explanation was that he had been driven away by the Canal Gang. No one had seen him alive, nor had anyone found his corpse. The doubts were overwhelming.

And there was that half-slab bearing pill-cauldron inscriptions. They had explored the main burial chamber, yet there was not even a shadow of the pill-cauldron inheritance.

This peace was more like the stillness before a storm.

The Profound Yin Hall, the Corpse Tuo Sect, the secret of the pill cauldron—all of it lay submerged beneath the water's surface, waiting to surge up at who knew what moment.

That evening, an offering master surnamed Zhao from the River Merchants Guild came personally to call. His expression was somewhat cautious. "Patrol Officer Xu, there's something I'd like to give you a heads-up about."

"A group of river treasure-seekers asked me to pass along a message. They have a high-priced commission and would like to ask you to handle it. The reward is a hundred-year water-aspect cold marrow jade, along with a rare damaged scroll of ancient cultivation runes—both scarce cultivation resources."

Xu Jin raised his eyes. "River treasure-seekers?"

He had read accounts of such people in records of strange tales in his previous life. They roamed rivers, lakes, and underwater depths in search of submerged ancient ruins and treasures. They acted in secret, possessed considerable wealth, and walked a wild path between good and evil.

"Precisely." Offering Master Zhao nodded. "They said the commission concerns the pill-cauldron secret chamber deep within the Sunk Tomb. They also said... it has some connection with the Profound Yin Hall. They want to meet you at the downstream ferry at midnight tonight. Whether you accept or not, they ask for a definite answer."

Xu Jin's thoughts turned rapidly.

The pill-cauldron secret chamber and the Profound Yin Hall happened to strike directly at the two doubts presently before him.

The reward was unusually generous, and there was no telling what scheme lay behind it. But if he did not go, this lead would be cut off.

After pondering for a moment, he looked up at Offering Master Zhao. "Understood. Tell them I'll be there at midnight."

Offering Master Zhao hurriedly agreed, bowed, and withdrew.

Night gradually deepened, and fine ripples of light shimmered across the canal's surface.

Xu Jin changed into a fitted martial outfit and headed alone toward the downstream ferry.