Speaking of which, Little Fox was a little jealous too.
For demons to send their Yin Spirits out of their bodies, they first had to refine the transverse bone in their throats.
How could they compare to the convenience of being born human?
Su Che looked in all directions. Viewed through the eyes of a Yin Spirit, heaven and earth presented an entirely different scene.
Above the night curtain, green qi writhed like horned dragons, winding through the air and stretching around Shanyin County. It was precisely the result of demon qi shooting into the skies and affecting the heavens.
In the direction of Guobei, dark qi had condensed into a canopy, like the imperial parasol carried when an emperor traveled, pressing down over the heavens. Even the Moonlight Essence scattered by the Lunar Essence was mostly drawn toward that canopy and fell upon it.
Within the dark qi, specks of silver light flickered. From afar, they resembled naturally formed talismans. It was likely the result of the Yin-Yang Dharma King's divine powers.
The means of a Fourth Grade master to alter heaven and earth were truly astonishing.
Within the county office, a vast surge of blood qi radiated from the main hall like a great sun. Upon careful sensing, it felt as if he were standing inside a furnace, and an inexplicable irritability rose in his heart.
That should have been the result of Shi Chibao's blood qi spreading outward.
Su Che had heard that when a great army passed through, ghosts and gods scattered. When military hearts were united, their qi surged into the sky, their momentum flowing forth like the Yangtze River. How could an ordinary Yin Spirit possibly withstand it?
"Miss Qing, thank you for guarding me."
Qingqiu stretched lazily.
"I won't say much more. That Shi Chibao is in the county office, and he makes me feel uncomfortable all over. Su Che, my true body has already left the mountains and is resting in the old City God Temple. If you need me, come to the old City God Temple."
"Alright. There should be more high-ranking court officials arriving later. Don't worry, Miss Qing. If anyone asks, just say that you've already reached an agreement with me and are serving as my informant."
Once the court sent people over, no matter how matters ended, the necessary actions would have to be taken.
The demons around Shanyin would inevitably be called out one by one. That Dujue City built deep in the mountains would likely be unable to survive either.
It would be somewhat inconvenient for Qingqiu to remain in the city at such a time.
So Su Che had to think of a way for her to get away.
"You're overthinking it. Why would the Great Liang Court become enemies with us Cloud Foxes? When Great Liang's founding ancestor seized the realm, Cloud-Deep Unknown Place made a genuine contribution."
Qingqiu looked utterly unconcerned.
"But I won't stay in the city and offend their eyes. Still, do you remember Liu Yidao, Master Liu? We agreed to meet someone at the City God Temple tomorrow."
"I definitely won't break the appointment."
Su Che spoke from the heart. Though their first meeting had been a twist of fate, Little Fox had truly helped him quite a lot.
Qingqiu nodded. The paper figure floated up, riding the wind toward the City God Temple.
After seeing off this ally, Su Che's Yin Spirit turned and slipped back into the room.
Bathed in the fragrance, his Yin Spirit felt as if it had soaked in warm water after sweating profusely from exercise, comfort overflowing from the depths of his soul.
The Azure Emperor's Wine Goblet still sat on the table. Within it, Moonlight Essence had condensed into syrup, shaped like countless olives, with ten thousand threads of golden light gathered within.
"Tonight, I cultivated three Mystic Talismans. But there is still the Azure Emperor's Goblet in the room. That supreme treasure can condense Moonlight Essence and produce Emperor's Nectar. I wonder how many Mystic Talismans I can cultivate in a single night with Emperor's Nectar condensed by the Azure Emperor's Goblet."
Su Che's Yin Spirit returned to his body. He opened his eyes and reached out a hand. A strand of black qi sprang forth with a thought, as thick as a thumb and wrapped in layer upon layer of yin qi.
"Good. Soul-Binding Chain."
This black qi was a divine ability born from the Mystic Talisman, specially meant to seize yin souls and vicious ghosts. Su Che's cultivation was insufficient, so he could only manifest it as a strand of black qi. Only when he condensed it until it became tangible in the future would it count as true accomplishment.
Still, this method was enough to deal with a few useless evil ghosts. Yet when it struck the Azure Emperor's Goblet, it did not budge in the slightest.
A divine artifact forged by the Azure Emperor himself—how could it be compared to those "antiques" from the ancient Zhou?
Su Che got out of bed, raised the wine goblet, and poured Emperor's Nectar over his head.
The overflowing Moonlight Essence carried a cool chill deep into his sea of consciousness.
The secret art within the Secret Register of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue operated at full force, and the three Mystic Talismans began to turn.
The secret register specifically stated that one absolutely could not miss the Gengshen Day when cultivating this method. On Gengshen Day, the Lunar Essence bestowed its blessings, and Moonlight Essence carried a unique spiritual charm. Cultivating on this one day could equal the bitter labor of ten days or even a month.
With the Azure Emperor's Wine Goblet in hand, every day was Gengshen Day—more delightful than welcoming a new bride every night.
The three Mystic Talismans gathered together and absorbed every drop of Emperor's Nectar overflowing from the Azure Emperor's Wine Goblet.
Su Che closed his eyes and concentrated, visualizing the Celestial Marshal of the Northern Pole as he refined all the essence contained within the moonlight.
When they dispersed again, seven Mystic Talismans had formed in his sea of consciousness.
"Once I condense thirty-six Mystic Talismans, I can transform into a ghost god and engage in Night Roaming, entering the Eighth Grade realm of the Daoist School."
Su Che was briefly dazed. He had entered cultivation through the sword, yet the Daoist path had turned out to be faster.
In the end, cultivators spoke of dharma, wealth, companions, and land. The first, "dharma," referred to "karmic affinity with the dharma."
Only because Yulizi had shown him the way had he attained such cultivation.
With the Azure Emperor's Goblet, he could cultivate seven Mystic Talismans in one day. After three or four days of work, he would be able to condense twenty-one Mystic Talismans. At that point, he could naturally enter Yulizi's school and become an inner disciple.
"Azure Heaven is dead. Yellow Heaven shall rise."
Su Che sighed softly. Unfortunately, he had no yellow cloth at hand. Otherwise, he could have dressed as the Great Worthy and Virtuous Teacher to suit the occasion.
He took the spirit-binding rope gifted by the Yellow Heaven Sect and hid it in his sleeve. Su Che straightened his clothes once more, then took out the official uniform and official boots from the wardrobe.
That Captain Shi had likely watched the excitement all night.
In the county office's main hall, six Imperial Demon Hunters dressed in Kylin Robes stood with hands on their swords.
Shi Chibao sat high in the main seat, holding a teacup in his left hand and drinking stale tea as he frowned at the documents in his hand.
Damn your mother. With Shanyin and Guobei in this state, how am I supposed to account for it if the imperial commissioner sees it?
The more Old Shi thought about it, the more miserable he felt, as though a cat were clawing at his heart.
"This subordinate, Su Che, County Commandant of Shanyin, pays respects to my lord."
"Rise, rise. We're all family here. What are you bowing for?"
Shi Chibao looked at Su Che standing below the hall and forced a smile onto his face.
"You lot have no eyes. Hurry and bring County Commandant Su a seat."
A chair was brought over. Su Che did not stand on ceremony and sat down directly.
"We're all family. Lord Su has looked after me quite well too. County Commandant Su, just treat this place as your own home."
Shi Chibao recalled how he had once brought gifts to visit Lord Su, only to have neither his gifts nor himself retained.
"The imperial commissioner sent by the court this time is Feng Buxing, Grand Eunuch Feng of the Imperial Stud Directorate, along with Circuit Inspector Lin Jiansheng of the Censorate, Lord Lin. Grand Eunuch Feng commands one hundred armored cavalry as the public display. As for Circuit Inspector Lin, he is still following their rules and conducting a covert inspection in plain clothes."
"Yu Ze, Vice Censor-in-Chief of this prefecture's Circuit Censorate, will also personally station himself in Shanyin." Shi Chibao let out a long sigh. "With such a grand formation, little brother, you've only just taken office, so the matters here in Shanyin naturally have nothing to do with you. But your elder brother here has landed squarely in a pile of mud."
"My lord has labored for the country, for the public good, and for the court. Anyone with eyes has seen it. Please rest assured, my lord. This subordinate will certainly put in a good word for you with Eunuch Feng."
"With that word from you, brother, I can rest easy." Shi Chibao looked at Su Che.
The Imperial Demon Hunters formed their own branch. As long as Eunuch Feng said nothing, even if the sky were pierced through, it would not reach him, Shi Chibao.
"I had originally intended to let you rest quietly and wait until Grand Eunuch Feng arrived before we handled matters patiently. But there is one issue that is truly troublesome. I've thought it over and over, and no one but you can handle it."
Shi Chibao appeared to be at his wits' end.
"Please speak, my lord."
"A great bandit who broke into the Censorate at night seems to be on the move around Ci Prefecture. I suspect local traitors are colluding with him, along with some scoundrels colluding with the Demon Kings in the surrounding area. I ask that you make a list—put down those whose households should be confiscated and clans exterminated."
Shi Chibao looked earnestly at Su Che. "This matter can be as great or as small as one makes it. Brother, please consider it carefully."