Where did this senior come from, actually using Innate Qi to subdue ghosts?

Chen Xu stood in Shengyu Workshop, listening to the melodious music and the sounds of a prosperous and peaceful celebration.

He stood beside a stall selling various ghosts and gods masks. The stall owner was chattering incessantly, "Esteemed sir, the masks here are all blessed by the monks of Yuanxin Temple in the Prefectural City. Wearing one will scare away all evil spirits, making it perfect for traveling at night. If you buy one, even when you travel to other places to study and take exams, you won't have to worry about not having a good item to use when traveling at night."

Who sells masks like this?

Chen Xu casually picked up a few masks, holding them in his hands and comparing them, seemingly listening attentively to the stall owner's boastful talk.

Yet, no one knew that his true attention was actually focused on the Lin Mansion three streets away.

A single Mud Pill Dao Soldier enabled him to hear the words of ghosts and gods.

He could hear sounds that ordinary mortals could not, and see things that ordinary mortals could not.

Things that ordinary mortals could not kill—

He didn't know if he could kill them. If he himself were at the Lin Mansion, killing ghosts with his Fire Control technique should not be a problem.

But the Mud Pill Dao Soldier seemed to only possess physical attack capabilities and was not versed in spells.

This was Chen Xu's first time using a Mud Pill Dao Soldier, and he was still somewhat unfamiliar with its operation.

He only felt a mysterious connection in the unseen, allowing him to control the Mud Pill Dao Soldier as freely as an extended limb, even though they were miles apart.

Through the Dao Soldier, he witnessed the entire process of Lin Yuan being counter-attacked by the malevolent spirit he had raised in his Soul Dropping Bell. Listening to the howling sounds of the black mist, he had never felt so profoundly that what goes around comes around, and retribution is inescapable.

Certain information revealed in Song Yan's words further validated Chen Xu's decision to act first.

Under the long corridor, Lin Yuan's body lay sprawled backward, a bloody hole between his eyebrows.

Several dark figures pounced on him, and strange teeth marks and blue shadows gradually appeared on his face and body.

His soul, not yet fully transformed into a ghost, seemed to have been screaming earlier, but the screams later grew faint.

Finally, under the Wind-Resisting Lantern, all sounds from Lin Yuan's residual soul disappeared. Only the dark figures were still pushing, fighting, and devouring each other.

"What are you doing?" a dark figure shrieked.

"I'm eating you, you smell so good..."

"Heh heh heh, I'm eating you too..."

Twisted and chaotic, a new round of struggle began.

The dark figures' pitch-black bodies gradually revealed eerie red glows, and everything seemed on the verge of losing control.

Theoretically, the Mud Pill Dao Soldier should have retreated successfully at this point.

As the saying goes, "After the deed is done, brush off your sleeves and leave, hiding your merits and fame."

Chen Xu could even destroy this Mud Pill Dao Soldier remotely, for example, by ordering it to jump into a small pond in the Lin Mansion's backyard. Everything would then be clean and clear, with no connection to him whatsoever.

But Chen Xu stood by the mask stall, listening to the stall owner's rambling: "Esteemed sir, these times are not peaceful. Just a few days ago, I heard there were water ghosts appearing in Pingshui Village. They specifically targeted young ladies and children passing by, because their auras are weaker and their souls lighter, making them easily lured by the water ghosts. As long as a passerby is mesmerized and jumps into the water, the water ghost can find someone to take their place and escape their suffering. Isn't that frightening? Those who are weak should not even go near the water. Alas, the common folk have a hard life, which leads to more ghosts. In short, it's never a bad idea to prepare more self-defense items. We were not born in a good era; living in these times, we can only protect ourselves more..."

The stall owner, having finally found someone willing to listen, truly spoke in a continuous stream, like a torrent of water, never stopping.

Chen Xu listened with one ear, but his brow twitched incessantly.

For some reason, he thought of what his teacher had asked him when he first entered school: "Why do you study?"

At that time, Chen Xu only wanted to change his fate of being trampled upon at the bottom of society through studying. Naturally, he had no lofty ideals.

He didn't use any high-sounding excuses to package himself, merely refining his words slightly, and replied, "Teacher, this student studies to control his own destiny."

Chen Xu still remembered the old teacher's surprised expression back then.

Now, he not only had to study but had also embarked on the path of cultivation.

Although still weak, he had at least set foot on the initial path of controlling his own destiny.

However, having embarked on this path, must he "do as he pleases, regardless of the floods that follow"?

No!

The Cauldron Scripture had not taught him so.

The God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll also stated that when cooking the myriad flavors of the world, the first requirement is a clear and unhindered mind.

Turning and leaving now would leave his mind unhindered.

Beside the mask stall, Chen Xu's brow twitched. In the unseen, the power of his Spirit surged and collided, and his Mud Pill Palace pulsed with breath.

He felt that his control over the Mud Pill Dao Soldier had further strengthened.

In his dantian, the Innate Qi suddenly surged upward.

Passing through the Zhongwan acupoint, then the Tiantu acupoint.

Chen Xu's heart suddenly moved with his will, and he consecutively added three points to his Essence, Vitality, and Spirit.

Using the surge in attributes at this moment, he finally grasped that strange thread in the darkness.

Beside the corridor of the Lin residence, the Wind-Resisting Lanterns still swayed in the wind.

Above Lin Yuan's corpse, the distorted shadowy figures devoured each other, on the verge of growing stronger, with malevolent and ghostly energy soaring into the sky.

Suddenly, the little figure with the spear, who had been silently watching from the side, leaped up at this moment.

The little figure leaped seven feet high, with a small body and a small spear.

Yet, this seemingly miniature spear suddenly burst forth like a green cloud emerging from a mountain, like a scorching sun erupting.

BOOM--

A flame, from whence it came was unknown, descended like heavenly fire at this very moment. The fire blazed fiercely, plunging into the expanding shadowy figure along with the little spear.

"Ah!"

The ghostly shriek was sharp and piercing.

But it was no match for the raging flames, soaring upwards.

Outside the Lin residence, in the streets and alleys.

The Young Daoist, who had finally managed to lead his stubborn donkey to the mansion, looked up at the flames within the residence, his mouth agape, utterly stunned.

"Wh-wh-what kind of magic is this?"

"Heavenly Venerate above, this is Innate Qi! In this mortal world today, is there still a master willing to use Innate Qi?"

"Which senior is subduing ghosts..."

The Young Daoist's eyes widened as he tried to discern something, when suddenly, a flash of demonic energy flickered from another side of the mansion.

The compass in the Daoist's hand immediately spun wildly, and the Daoist was even more shocked: "Not only are there ghosts in this mansion, but there are also demons? What kind of family is this? What unlucky souls reside in this entire mansion? Oh my..."

He quickly stuck a yellow talisman onto the donkey, flipped himself onto its back, and prepared to chase the demon.

"I'll block this demon for the senior. Perhaps the senior will see how young and clever I am and teach me some masterful techniques. Tsk..."

However, before the Daoist could revel in his thoughts, the compass in his hand, which had been spinning wildly just moments ago, suddenly fell silent.

The demonic energy... had vanished just like that?