Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique

This was the seventh appraisal, and among all the treasures, aside from the Jade Ruyi, it contained the heaviest Killing Intent.

There were a full fifteen strands.

Yet before Chen Shaojun, this treasure containing fifteen strands of Killing Intent was hardly any different from the ones he had appraised before.

The Divine Gaze Technique descended, his spiritual will arriving like the blazing might of Heaven.

In an instant, it wore away every last trace of Killing Intent within the treasure.

Spirit-Seeking appraisal, grading and ranking.

Mortal Grade, Upper Rank!

Reward: Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique.

"Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique?"

As Chen Shaojun received the information transmitted from the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, he quickly understood that this was a spell.

However, it differed from the Spirit Eye Technique he had obtained before.

This Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique belonged to the unorthodox paths of Daoist arts; it could even be called an evil art.

So long as one prepared the target's close-fitting clothing, hair, or blood beforehand, then used methods such as paper effigies or carved wooden figures and kept them on one's person, at a critical moment, one only needed to cast the spell in time.

Then, when one came under attack, the caster could transfer the attacks that landed upon him onto someone else.

In other words, if someone attacked him and that blow would kill him, then the person under the spell would bear that attack and die in his place...

"This Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique really is rather insidious."

Though Chen Shaojun had obtained this spell, he could not help sighing inwardly. It was both a tool for scheming against others and utterly immoral.

In the hands of someone with wicked intentions, it would definitely cause tremendous harm.

No wonder even the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror had classified it among the unorthodox Daoist arts.

However, Chen Shaojun had always believed that whether something was harmful depended on the person using it.

Used righteously, it was righteous; used wickedly, it was wicked.

The Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique might have a poor reputation outside.

But to Chen Shaojun at this moment, it was no less than a supreme true method.

Because he, who was soon to encounter ghosts, needed precisely this spell to preserve his life.

"Though the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique is profound, its sole drawback is that it requires advance preparation.

First, I need to find a person—or a living creature—to bear the 'misfortune' in my place."

Having received the spell through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, Chen Shaojun naturally understood that the target of the spell did not necessarily have to be human.

Cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys, even poultry, cats, and dogs could all serve as substitutes and bear attacks for him.

Unfortunately, his foundation was too shallow. In other words, he had no Daoist magical power.

Otherwise, even certain inanimate objects could serve as the target of the spell and "bear the misfortune" for him.

After a brief consideration, Chen Shaojun had a target.

The rear courtyard of the Lin Clan Pawnshop was where the pawnbroker's servants and apprentices ate and lived, so naturally, there was also a cafeteria.

And in that cafeteria, the person every apprentice and servant hated most was the kitchen's Liu the Second, Liu Two-Leg.

Relying on his kinship with the pawnshop's manager, he could be called a tyrant in the rear courtyard.

He might look somewhat thin and weak, but if anyone so much as glanced once too often at his lame leg, he would immediately hold a grudge. He would devise all manner of ways to make trouble for them; slapping servants and beating apprentices were common occurrences.

Moreover, his greatest specialty was borrowing money.

He called it borrowing, but he never returned it. Many apprentices had suffered losses and could only swallow their grievances whole.

Even Chen Shaojun's former self had been "borrowed from" twice...

However, Liu Two-Leg was not Chen Shaojun's target for casting the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique this time.

The man was hateful, but his crimes did not warrant death.

Unless necessary, Chen Shaojun would not commit murder.

His true target was a dog Liu Two-Leg kept.

It was a Big Black Dog, and an evil hound at that.

It was also one of the reasons Liu Two-Leg could run rampant through the rear courtyard, leaving people furious yet afraid to speak.

The Big Black Dog was powerfully built, like a calf. When it stood up, it was taller than a man, and once enraged, it bit nearly anyone it saw. The number of people in the pawnshop bitten by this vicious dog was no fewer than one could count on both hands.

Though Chen Shaojun was among the few fortunate ones who had never been bitten, he still kept respectfully far away from the vicious hound.

This time, Chen Shaojun intended to cast the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique on the Big Black Dog.

Leaving Appraisal Room Number Seven, Chen Shaojun headed straight for the rear courtyard.

At this time, the Big Black Dog was tied to a tree stump at the edge of the courtyard.

It lay there lazily, looking thoroughly content.

Chen Shaojun glanced around. It was now the hour of Shen, around three or four in the afternoon. Most apprentices and servants were still in the pawnshop, while those in the cafeteria had begun preparing dinner and none had come outside.

Such an opportunity was rare.

Chen Shaojun immediately approached without drawing attention to himself.

Ten meters, five meters, three meters...

When Chen Shaojun came within three meters of the Big Black Dog, it seemed to notice something and warily turned its head.

"Looks like I'll have to fight it head-on."

Chen Shaojun knew stealth would not work, so he lowered his body, drove hard with his feet, and shot forward.

"Roar!"

The Big Black Dog bared its fangs and sprang up in an instant, snapping at the arm Chen Shaojun was about to extend.

"What a beast."

Chen Shaojun quickly withdrew his hand and twisted aside, evading the vicious hound.

Yet a faint excitement stirred in his heart.

Over the past few days, he had continuously taken Essence-Nourishing Pills and Blood-Qi Pills. He had practiced martial arts and learned the Tiger Demon Body-Tempering Fist. He only felt his energy surging, his strength greatly increased, and a restless urge coursing through his entire body.

But when facing this vicious dog, he still felt a trace of nervousness deep down.

After all, this vicious hound's reputation preceded it, and his former self had indeed once lived under the terror it inspired.

However, when he saw the vicious dog pouncing back at him, its movements were swift and fierce, yet he somehow felt that it was nothing much?

"This dog seems a little slow?"

Chen Shaojun felt that the other party was slow enough for him to handle completely.

So, with a shift of his feet, he dodged the vicious hound's bite once more while raising his fist in the same motion. Like an iron hammer, it smashed down swiftly.

"Thud!"

A dull impact rang out.

The vicious hound's head was struck by Chen Shaojun's fist. Its body lurched, its legs went limp, and it was nearly pressed flat to the ground.

"Sure enough, the me of today is completely different."

Chen Shaojun was overjoyed.

Though he was not yet an official martial artist, his physique was already far from ordinary.

One punch carried no less than one or two hundred jin of force.

Though this vicious hound had a massive frame, it was ultimately just an ordinary large dog. Naturally, it could not withstand such force.

"Awwoo..."

The vicious hound howled miserably, hurriedly struggled to its feet, and tried to flee with its tail tucked between its legs.

That punch had nearly knocked it senseless.

It had also frightened it badly. Right now, it only wanted to get as far away from this person as possible.

"Heh, so you know fear too?

But don't be in such a hurry. Let me pluck a handful of dog hair first."

Chen Shaojun chuckled. Grabbing its head, he reached out and seized its back. With one pull, he yanked out a small tuft of dog hair.

And a patch of its fur was left bald...