The Evil God Worshipped by the Xie Household

Xie Yu froze for a moment, staring at Xie An in surprise.

She had clearly never expected her sixteen-year-old younger brother to possess such profound insight.

Back when Xie Yu had entered one of the three great powers to first study the Spirit Preservation Method, she had always believed that the being she knelt before was a true deity... until many years later, when her human skin was stripped away, that she finally awoke from the dream.

"Why does Young Master Mingxi think so?"

Naturally, Xie An would not say that he was a transmigrator. He merely said, "An old proverb says, 'He who tied the bell must untie it.' I figured that since demons, devils, and evil entities are so terrifying, perhaps only ghosts and specters can deal with ghosts and specters themselves. Quite a few ruined temples outside the city enshrine all sorts of strange things."

Xie Yu nodded heavily. "Young Master Mingxi is very clever."

So it was true!

Xie An had only been guessing before, but now he had confirmation.

Thinking about it, it was truly ironic.

Those evil entities had crept step by step from the countryside into the city, entered ancestral halls and grand temples, accepted the incense offerings of the people, and with a single shake of the body transformed into the gods spoken of by all.

Xie An collected himself. "Please tell me in detail about the three great powers of the inner city, Sister."

Xie Yu said, "Long ago, Qingwu County had only an inner city. Later, to ensure the purity of the inner city, an outer city was expanded around it. Large numbers of impure citizens were driven into the outer city as well. Even the yamen and government offices were forced out there.

"The three great powers of the inner city are the Demon Suppression Bureau, which represents the imperial court; the Returning Dragon Abbey, which represents the Daoist sects and local underworld sects; and the Red Flower Society, which represents the local strongmen and old clans. All three have their own ancestral shrines and gods they worship. The most widely known among them is the Returning Dragon Abbey, which worships the White Jade Goddess. Whenever evil entity cases arise inside or outside Qingwu County, most are settled by the Returning Dragon Abbey's Daoist priests through rituals and sacrifices."

The White Jade Goddess?

Xie An immediately recalled Uncle Shui mentioning the "Xie White Goddess Shrine" at the Zhao Residence.

Could the Xie White Goddess Shrine be connected to the White Jade Goddess worshipped by the Returning Dragon Abbey?

"Then what gods do the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Red Flower Society worship?"

Xie Yu said, "The Demon Suppression Bureau worships the Headless General, while the Red Flower Society worships the Three-Flower Goddess. However, there are few people in those two great powers, and they usually dislike drawing attention. Very few people know much about them."

Judging from what was recorded in the county annals, most evil entities had been dealt with by the Daoist priests of the Returning Dragon Abbey. There was scarcely any mention of the Demon Suppression Bureau or the Red Flower Society. It seemed the Returning Dragon Abbey held the greatest influence in Qingwu County.

Xie An came back to himself. "Sister said that to cultivate the Spirit Preservation Method, one must enter one of the three great powers. How can one enter them?"

Having lived two lives, Xie An had always felt that worshipping evil entities was not entirely unacceptable.

The main thing was to gain the means to protect himself.

Given the current situation, entering one of the three great powers seemed to be the only solution.

He had the Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model. He did not lack talent; what he lacked were extraordinary martial arts. His family was quite wealthy in this life. Obtaining a place in one of the three great powers should not be a problem, right?

Xie Yu frowned. "The three great powers all use masters to take on disciples. They do not hold public examinations. Places are decided privately within their own circles."

Xie An said, "Could the Xie Residence's wealth buy me a place?"

Xie Yu shook her head. "If it were that simple, your father would have long since secured a place for Young Master Mingxi."

Even money would not work? Was entering one of the three great powers really this difficult?

Xie An was somewhat unwilling to give up. "Since the three great powers worship evil gods, couldn't the Xie Household donate a hundred thousand taels as incense money?"

Xie Yu still shook her head. "The three great powers do not lack money, nor do they care about it. If your father could donate a hundred thousand human heads... that might work."

Xie An said, "..."

Had this path into the three great powers been cut off just like that?

Xie An lifted his teacup and viciously gulped down some hot tea. "Would worshipping and visualizing an evil entity in a remote ruined temple work?"

"The three great powers have been rooted in Qingwu County for many years. They have long since wiped out all countryside evil entities that dared enter temples. After all, this concerns the ruling status of the three great powers."

Xie An felt deeply disappointed.

Just then, Xie Yu suddenly changed the subject. "But..."

Everyone knew that what came after "but" was the heart of the matter.

Xie An immediately sat up straight. "Please speak plainly, Sister."

Xie Yu said, "Others have no way, but the Xie Household does."

Xie An was overjoyed. "What way?"

Xie Yu continued, "I only learned certain inside details after being close with your father for many years. If Young Master Mingxi is truly determined to learn the Spirit Preservation Method, your father has already made arrangements. But this matter is dangerous, and it concerns the survival of the Xie Residence. Once Young Master Mingxi takes this step, it means taking over the Xie Residence's greatest secret. It also means that you will bear the rise and fall, glory and disgrace of the entire Xie Residence.

"Everything depends on Young Master Mingxi's resolve."

Xie An vaguely realized something.

But that was not important.

After what had happened at Li Family Village and the Zhao Residence, Xie An truly felt far too unsafe. With all his heart, he wanted to learn methods to deal with ghosts and specters.

Xie An directly cupped his hands. "I am a son of the Xie Household, with Xie blood flowing through my veins. I should naturally shoulder the Xie Residence's glory, disgrace, rise, and fall. Please teach me the Spirit Preservation Method, Sister."

Xie Yu nodded. "Since Young Master Mingxi has made up his mind, then follow me."

Xie An followed Xie Yu out of the West Courtyard, rode in a carriage through the gates of the Xie Residence, passed through seven or eight alleys, then turned into Qingping Lane.

This was Xie An's first time in Qingping Lane. The place was secluded, and funeral shops lined both sides of the street.

There were coffin shops, paper effigy shops, bier houses, mortuary rooms, and troupes that performed ghost operas.

At the end of Qingping Lane stood an extraordinarily imposing building of white walls and black tiles. A plaque hung above its gate, bearing four large characters: Xie White Goddess Shrine.

Eight burly guards carrying sabers stood at the entrance.

Xie An observed the Vital Breath of the eight guards and discovered that they were all Blood Tempering experts who had opened five gates.

Xie An vaguely remembered that, back at the Zhao Residence, Uncle Shui had suggested that Zhao Hu take Liu Fu to the Xie White Goddess Shrine to give birth.

So the Xie Household's ancestral shrine was here.

Once they entered the gates of the shrine, they found a vast courtyard within, without a single blade of grass or tree planted there. Only a three-zhang-tall statue of a gentle, compassionate woman stood in the center of the courtyard, though no face had been carved upon it.

At the far end of the courtyard was the shrine's main hall.

The hall was filled with lit candles, and a red carpet had been laid down the center.

Their father, dressed in the robes of a wealthy gentleman, was currently kneeling on a cushion at the end of the red carpet, worshipping devoutly toward the front.

Following Xie Yu into the shrine's main hall, Xie An finally saw clearly what his father was worshipping.

Atop the raised platform beyond the incense table stood a three-meter-tall statue. It was covered by a sheet of red cloth, making it impossible to tell what lay beneath.

Yet beneath one corner of the red cloth lay scattered bones and dried bloodstains, with a faint scent of blood wafting through the air.

What chilled Xie An even more was this—the incense burner on the table held three burning sticks of incense. At first, the smoke rose straight upward, but in the end, it all burrowed beneath the red cloth.

The thing beneath the red cloth was actually feeding on incense offerings!

The thing worshipped in my Xie Household's ancestral shrine... is actually an evil god!?

Xie An quietly activated Spirit Sight and took a look with Qi-Gazing.

Then he immediately saw a bottomless abyss... and a pair of scarlet eyes staring back at him!