Watching the Night Sky

Speaking of which, Little Fox was a little jealous.

For monsters to send out their yin souls, they first had to refine away the transverse bone in their throats.

How could they possess the convenience of a human body?

Su Che looked in every direction. Viewing heaven and earth through the perspective of his yin soul revealed an entirely different scene.

Above the night curtain, azure vapor twisted like flood dragons, winding across the surroundings of Shanyin County. It was precisely the result of demonic aura soaring into the heavens and affecting the sky.

In the direction of Guobei, dark vapor condensed into a canopy, like the ceremonial parasol used when an emperor traveled, pressing down over the heavens. Even the moonlight cast by the moon was mostly drawn in by that canopy and fell upon it.

Within the dark vapor, specks of silver light flickered. From afar, they resembled talismans naturally formed by heaven and earth. It was presumably the work of the Yin-Yang Dharma King's supernatural arts.

The methods of a fourth-rank master, capable of altering heaven and earth, were truly astonishing.

Within the county yamen, a vast surge of blood qi also radiated from the main hall like a great sun. On careful sensing, it felt as though one stood inside a furnace, and an inexplicable agitation rose in one's heart.

That should have been the result of Shi Chibao's dispersed blood qi.

Su Che had heard that when a great army passed through, ghosts and gods scattered. Presumably, when military morale was united and its qi rushed to the heavens, its momentum spilling forth like the great rivers and the Yangtze, how could an ordinary yin soul withstand it?

"Miss Qing, thank you for guarding me."

Qingqiu stretched lazily.

"I won't say much more. That Shi Chibao is inside the county yamen, and I feel uncomfortable all over. Su Che, my true body has already left the mountain and is resting in the old City God Temple. If you want to find me, come to the old City God Temple."

"Fine. 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 scout."

Once the court sent people, no matter how things ended, the necessary actions would be taken.

The monsters around Shanyin would inevitably be called out one by one. That Lone City built deep in the mountains likely would not survive either.

It would be rather inconvenient for Qingqiu to remain in the city at this time.

Thus, Su Che wanted to think of a way for her to get away.

"You're overthinking it. Why would the Great Liang Dynasty court become enemies with us cloud foxes? When the Great Liang founder seized the realm, Cloud-Deep Unknown Place made a proper contribution."

Qingqiu looked utterly unconcerned.

"But I won't stay in the city and offend their eyes. Still, do you remember Master Liu Yidao? We made an appointment to meet someone at the City God Temple tomorrow."

"I definitely won't break the appointment."

Su Che spoke from the bottom of his heart. Though their acquaintance had been a strange twist of fate, Little Fox had truly helped him quite a bit.

Qingqiu nodded. The paper figure drifted up, riding the wind toward the City God Temple.

After seeing off this ally, Su Che's yin soul turned and slipped back into the room.

Bathed in the fragrance, his yin soul felt as though it had soaked in warm water after sweating profusely from exercise, comfort flowing out from the depths of his soul.

The Azure Emperor Wine Cup still sat on the table. Within it, moonlight had condensed like nectar, shaped like countless olives, with ten thousand strands of golden silk gathered within.

"Tonight, I cultivated three talismans. But the Azure Emperor Cup is still here. That supreme treasure can condense moonlight and produce Emperor's Nectar. I wonder how many talismans I can cultivate in one night using the Emperor's Nectar condensed by the Azure Emperor Cup."

Su Che's yin soul returned to his body, and he opened his eyes. Reaching out, he willed a strand of black qi into being. It was as thick as a thumb and wrapped in layers of yin qi.

"Good. Soul-Binding Rope."

This black qi was a supernatural ability produced by his talisman, specifically meant to seize yin souls and vicious ghosts. Su Che's cultivation was still insufficient, so he could only manifest it as a strand of black qi. Only when he condensed it until it became substantial in the future would it count as complete.

Yet this method was already enough to deal with a few worthless evil ghosts. But when it struck the Azure Emperor Cup, it did not so much as quiver.

How could a divine artifact personally fashioned by the Azure Emperor compare to those "ancient relics" from the previous dynasty?

Su Che rose from the bed, lifted the wine cup, and poured Emperor's Nectar over his head.

The overflowing moonlight carried a coolness that went straight into the depths of his sea of consciousness.

The secret art within the Secret Talisman of the Heaven of Zhuo Jue Yin was unleashed at full force, and the three talismans began to turn at once.

The secret talisman specifically stated that one must never miss a Gengshen Day when cultivating this technique. On Gengshen Day, the moon bestowed virtue, and its light carried a unique spiritual resonance. Cultivation on that one day could surpass the bitter labor of ten days or even a month.

With the Azure Emperor Wine Cup in hand, every day was a Gengshen Day—better than welcoming a new bride every night.

The three talismans condensed together and absorbed every drop of Emperor's Nectar overflowing from the Azure Emperor Wine Cup.

Su Che closed his eyes and focused his mind, visualizing the Northern Pole Heavenly Canopy and refining all of the moon-infused essence.

When he dispersed it again, seven talismans had formed in his sea of consciousness.

"Once I condense thirty-six talismans, I can transform into a ghostly god and roam the night, entering the eighth rank of the Daoist path."

Su Che was briefly dazed. He had entered cultivation through the sword path, yet the Daoist path had ended up progressing faster.

In the end, cultivators spoke of Dharma, wealth, companions, and land. The first, "Dharma," referred to "affinity with the Dharma."

Only because Yu Lizi had pointed out the way had he attained his present cultivation.

With the treasure that was the Azure Emperor Cup, he could cultivate seven talismans in a single day. In three or four days, he could naturally condense twenty-one talismans. At that time, he could enter Yu Lizi's school and become an inner disciple.

"The blue heavens are dead; the yellow heavens shall rise."

Su Che let out a faint sigh. Unfortunately, he had no yellow cloth at hand, or he could have dressed up as the Great Worthy and matched the occasion.

He took the Spirit-Binding Rope presented by the Yellow Heaven Sect and hid it in his sleeve. Then Su Che straightened his clothing again and took out his official robes and boots from the wardrobe.

That Commander Shi had likely watched the excitement for an entire night.

Inside the county yamen's main hall, six Imperial Demon Hunters in qilin 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, he frowned at the dossier in his hand.

Fuck your mother. If the imperial envoy sees the state of Shanyin and Guobei, how am I supposed to account for this?

The more Old Shi thought about it, the more it felt as though cats were clawing at his heart.

"This subordinate, Su Che, County Commandant of Shanyin, pays respects to my lord."

"Rise, rise. We're all our own people here. Why stand on ceremony?"

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che standing below the hall and forced a smile onto his face.

"You blind lot, 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 our own people. Lord Su has also shown me much consideration. County Commandant Su, just treat this place as your own home."

Shi Chibao recalled how he had once brought gifts to visit that Lord Su, only to have neither the gifts nor himself kept.

"The imperial envoys sent by the court this time are Feng Buxing, Grand Eunuch Feng of the Imperial Stud Directorate, and Lin Jiansheng, Lord Lin, the Nightwalker Censor from the Censorate. Grand Eunuch Feng openly leads one hundred armored riders, while Lord Lin, the Nightwalker Censor, will still follow their usual rules and conduct an incognito inspection."

"Yu Ze, Vice Censor-in-Chief of this prefecture's Censorate, will also personally station himself in Shanyin." Shi Chibao gave a long sigh. "With such a huge display, little brother, you've only just taken office, so the affairs of Shanyin naturally have nothing to do with you. As for your elder brother here, I've landed squarely in a mud pit."

"My lord has worked hard for the nation, for the public, and for the court. Anyone with eyes can see 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 faction. So long as Eunuch Feng said nothing, even if the heavens were pierced through, no one could touch him, Shi Chibao, a Commandant.

"Originally, I thought you could simply rest and recuperate until Grand Eunuch Feng arrived, then we could handle matters patiently. But there is one matter that is truly troublesome. I've thought it over and over, and no one but you can handle it."

Shi Chibao seemed utterly at a loss.

"Please speak, my lord."

"A great bandit who broke into the Censorate at night seems to be wandering around Ci Prefecture. I suspect there must be traitorous accomplices here who are in league with him, as well as traitors colluding with the surrounding demon kings. I ask you, brother, to make a list. Put down all those who deserve their households confiscated and their clans exterminated."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che with earnest gravity. "This sort of matter can be as large or as small as one makes it. Brother, please consider it carefully."