The Evil God Worshipped by the Xie Household

Xie Yu froze and looked at Xie An in surprise.

She clearly had not expected her sixteen-year-old younger brother to understand so much.

When Xie Yu first entered one of the Big Three and began learning the Spirit Preservation Method, she had believed she was worshipping a true deity... It was not until years later, when her skin was stripped away, that she finally understood.

"Why do you think that, Young Master Mingxi?"

Xie An could hardly tell her he had come from another world. "There's an old saying: to untie a bell, you need the one who tied it. Demons and specters are so terrifying that I wondered if only a specter could deal with another specter. Plenty of ruined temples outside the city worship all sorts of strange things."

Xie Yu nodded firmly. "You're very clever, Young Master Mingxi."

So it was true!

Xie An had only suspected it before. Now he had confirmation.

It was bitterly ironic.

Those evil beings had made their way from the countryside into the city, entered ancestral shrines and grand temples, and accepted people's incense offerings. Just like that, they had become the gods people spoke of.

Xie An collected himself. "Please tell me more about the Inner City Big Three, Elder Sister."

Xie Yu said, "Long ago, Qingwu County had only an inner city. Later, to preserve its purity, they built an outer city around it and drove large numbers of 'impure' residents there. Even the magistrate's office and the government offices were moved to the outer city.

"The Inner City Big Three are the Demon Suppression Bureau, which represents the imperial court; Returning Dragon Abbey, which represents the Daoist orders and local Yin Sects; and the Red Flower Society, which represents the local powers and old families. All three have their own ancestral shrines and deities. Returning Dragon Abbey is the best known. They worship the White Jade Goddess. Whenever a specter case arises anywhere in Qingwu County, it's usually the abbey's Daoists who perform the rites to settle it."

The White Jade Goddess?

Xie An suddenly remembered Uncle Shui mentioning the Xie Clan White Shrine at the Zhao Residence.

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

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

Xie Yu said, "The Demon Suppression Bureau worships the Headless General, and the Red Flower Society worships the Three-Flower Goddess. But those two have fewer members and rarely involve themselves in public affairs, so hardly anyone knows about them."

Judging by the county records, Returning Dragon Abbey's Daoists had resolved most specter cases. The Demon Suppression Bureau and the Red Flower Society were barely mentioned. Returning Dragon Abbey was probably the most influential of the three in Qingwu County.

Xie An gathered his thoughts. "You said I have to join one of the Big Three to learn the Spirit Preservation Method. How do I get in?"

Having lived two lives, Xie An did not find the idea of worshipping an evil being impossible to accept.

What mattered was gaining the power to protect himself.

For now, joining one of the Big Three seemed to be his only option.

He had the Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model, so talent was not the problem. What he lacked was an extraordinary martial art. With his family's wealth, securing a place among the Big Three should be possible, shouldn't it?

Xie Yu frowned. "The Big Three all rely on masters taking apprentices. They hold no public examinations. Places are assigned privately from within."

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

Xie Yu shook her head. "If it were that simple, your father would have secured one for you long ago."

Even money won't work? Is joining one of the Big Three really that hard?

Xie An refused to give up. "Since the Big Three worship evil gods, couldn't the Xie Household donate a hundred thousand taels for incense offerings?"

Xie Yu shook her head again. "The Big Three don't lack money, nor do they care about it. If your father could donate a hundred thousand heads... that might work."

Xie An said nothing.

Was that the end of his chance to join the Big Three?

Xie An picked up his teacup and took a hard gulp of hot tea. "What about worshipping and visualizing an evil being from a ruined temple in the countryside?"

"The Big Three have been established in Qingwu County for years. They've long since wiped out every rural evil being that dared to take up residence in a temple. Their hold on power depends on it."

Xie An's heart sank.

Then Xie Yu changed tack. "But..."

Everyone knew what came after "but" was the part that mattered.

Xie An immediately sat up straight. "Please, Elder Sister, tell me."

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

Xie An's face lit up. "How?"

Xie Yu continued, "I only know some of the details because I've been close to your father for many years. If you're determined to learn the Spirit Preservation Method, he has already made arrangements. But it's dangerous, and the survival of the Xie Residence is at stake. Once you take this step, you'll inherit its greatest secret. You'll also bear responsibility for its rise or fall, its honor or disgrace.

"It all depends on your resolve, Young Master Mingxi."

Xie An had an inkling of what she meant.

But that did not matter.

After what had happened at Li Family Village and the Zhao Residence, Xie An felt far too vulnerable. All he wanted was to learn how to deal with specters.

Xie An cupped his hands. "I'm a son of the Xie Household. Its blood runs through my veins. Of course I'll shoulder its honor and its fate. Please teach me the Spirit Preservation Method, Elder Sister."

Xie Yu nodded. "Since you've made up your mind, come with me."

Xie An followed Xie Yu out of the West Courtyard. They took a carriage through the gates of the Xie Residence, passed through seven or eight lanes, and turned into Qingping Lane.

It 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, funeral porter agencies, mortuaries, and even a troupe that performed plays for the dead.

At the end of Qingping Lane stood an imposing building with white walls and black roof tiles. A plaque above its entrance bore four characters: Xie Clan White Shrine.

Eight burly guards stood at the gate, sabers at their sides.

Xie An examined their Vital Breath and found that all eight were experts who had reached the fifth stage of Blood Tempering.

He vaguely recalled Uncle Shui suggesting at the Zhao Residence that Zhao Hu bring Liu Fu to the Xie Clan White Shrine to give birth.

So this was where his family's ancestral shrine stood.

Beyond the gates lay a vast courtyard without a single tree or blade of grass. Only a thirty-foot statue of a gentle, compassionate woman stood at its center. Her face had been left uncarved.

The shrine hall stood at the far end of the courtyard.

Candles filled the hall, and a red carpet ran down its center.

His father, dressed in the robes of a wealthy gentleman, knelt on a cushion at the end of the carpet and worshipped whatever stood before him with utter devotion.

Following Xie Yu into the hall, Xie An finally saw what his father was worshipping.

On a raised platform beyond the incense table stood a ten-foot statue. Red cloth covered it, concealing whatever lay beneath.

But bones and dried blood lay scattered near the bottom of the cloth, and a faint smell of blood drifted from it.

What chilled Xie An even more was the incense burner on the table. Three sticks burned inside it. Their smoke rose straight upward at first, then streamed into the red cloth.

Whatever was under that cloth was feeding on the incense offerings!

The Xie Household's ancestral shrine... worshipped an Evil God?!

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

At once, he saw a fathomless abyss... and a pair of scarlet eyes staring right back at him!