After consuming the Jade Liquid, Zhou Wuji's lifespan reached 170 years.
As his cultivation level continued to improve, he was able to gradually recover from the damage he suffered from repeatedly using the Rejuvenation Spirit Technique.
Suddenly losing a year of life, he could only be injured by Life-Burning Red Lantern.
Zhou Wuji recalled the entire battle. When the Red Lantern Law Domain was deployed, he felt drowsy and exhausted. It must have been at that time that his life force was damaged by the Life-Burning Red Lantern.
To verify his thoughts, Zhou Wuji held the lamp post and waited for a while. The lifespan in the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment was also calculated in seconds.
The result is that lifespan decreases gradually and normally, without any acceleration.
Clearly, the Life-Burning Red Lantern is merely a Law Treasure; only by unleashing the Red Lantern Law Domain can it ignite a person's life force.
Law Treasure that is not controlled by anyone is not inherently harmful.
Zhou Wuji put the Life-Burning Red Lantern into the Five Spirit Pouch. This Law Treasure is actually quite powerful, with a wide coverage area, capable of killing people invisibly.
The fact that it has been passed down for thousands of years without being damaged proves that the Law Treasure itself is of extremely high quality, and it may even have originally been some kind of Divine Artifact.
He'll study this carefully when he gets back. In the hands of evil spirits, this Law Treasure can only harm people, but in his hands, it can punish evil, promote good, and slay demons! Looking down at the pit, it had been blasted several times larger by the evil spirits' Law Power. The wooden house next to it had collapsed, and gushing mud, sand, and gravel were scattered everywhere.
Zhou Wuji thought about the form of the Life-Burning Red Lantern and the fact that the evil spirit appeared to be a woman. He felt that this evil spirit was not alone, and that there might be a large group of evil spirits hiding underground...
Chuyang is actually very safe. This large city has a population of millions. Although ordinary people do not have the powerful Qi and Blood of martial artists, the vast vitality gathered together is enough to suppress any evil spirits.
Within the city, there are various powerful martial artists and cultivators, as well as government officials who maintain order and systematically gather the power of the people, forming what is known as "official aura."
Let alone evil spirits and Yin Spirit, even powerful Qi and Blood Demon Beast would be swiftly killed if they entered the city.
However, such large cities are extremely rare. If evil spirits were to spread everywhere, the countryside would be destroyed.
Without farmers cultivating the land, the nation is on the verge of collapse.
Zhou Wuji couldn't help but laugh when he thought of this; wasn't this the fundamental reason why Daoism and Buddhism were valued?
If it weren't for these demons and monsters, why would the imperial court support them? Do they have money to burn?!
There's no need to worry too much; just focus on doing your own thing.
Before leaving, Zhou Wuji still activated the Big Dipper Star Eye to look deep underground, but the earth's energy was so dense that he couldn't see anything, nor could he sense any evil spirits or Spiritual Qi.
Yan Baoying stood at the bow of the boat, silently observing. She had just seen a dark red light flickering deep in the woods, and her heart had been in her throat.
In no time, the dark red light dissipated, but Zhou Wuji remained motionless.
She really wanted to go inside and take a look, but her father had warned her that the evil spirits inside were very powerful, and that encountering them could be fatal.
Yan Baoying had been involved in gang affairs since she was a child. She knew that the world was dangerous and that sometimes a moment of carelessness could lead to death.
Powerful evil spirits can take lives silently, so even though she was worried about Zhou Wuji, she didn't dare to risk going in.
If even Zhou Wuji can't handle it, her going in will only be suicide.
She understood the reasoning, but she still couldn't resist going in. If Zhou Wuji needed help, her presence might be able to turn the tide.
Just as Yan Baoying was hesitating, she saw Azure Shadow drift out of the woods like Flowing Clouds; it was Zhou Wuji.
Overjoyed, she quickly leaped ashore and greeted Zhou Wuji with concern, asking, " True Person Wuai, Master?"
"It's alright," Zhou Wuji replied. Yan Baoying seemed very concerned, asking about his safety before even asking about the evil spirits, which made him feel quite good.
This woman is intelligent; she knows how to do things and how to talk.
Seeing Zhou Wuji's eyes sparkling like stars, his spirit full of energy, and his composed and carefree demeanor, Yan Baoying knew that Zhou Wuji was indeed alright. Only then did she cautiously ask, " True Person, that evil thing?"
"It's all over. Everything should be fine now."
Zhou Wuji spoke lightly, without going into details.
Yan Baoying was overjoyed. Her charming and alluring face was full of admiration and respect, and her Peach Blossom sparkled. " The True Person's divine power is boundless. He can annihilate evil beings with a flick of his finger."
"On behalf of the people of White Forest and the Great River Association, I thank you for your True Person intervention..."
As Yan Baoying spoke, she gracefully bowed, and Zhou Wuji gently helped her up. "We're all good friends, Miss Yan, you're being too polite. Besides, this is simply our duty as cultivators."
" White Forest's actions affect the livelihoods of thousands; we will forever remember this immense kindness..."
While Yan Baoying's words were somewhat exaggerated, they were also heartfelt.
White Forest's position is very important, and this section is under her father's jurisdiction.
If the issue remains unresolved for an extended period, it will incur dissatisfaction from both superiors and subordinates, severely damaging her father's prestige.
"The evil spirit killed people with a lamp, so why is there blood all over the ground?" Zhou Wuji asked.
"When the evil spirit appeared and people died, the gang members wanted to lead everyone to leave. Some people were unwilling, and as a result, a Sixth Rank martial artist suddenly went mad, drew his sword and killed many people, and finally committed suicide." Yan Baoying felt somewhat ashamed when she talked about this, and her voice became much lower.
This is a family scandal; it shouldn't be aired in public.
However, since Zhou Wuji had already asked, she wanted to clarify things to avoid Zhou Wuji.
Zhou Wuji remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he felt something was amiss.
He asked, "Is it daytime?"
"Yes, it's daytime."
Yan Baoying's charming face showed a somewhat unpleasant expression. With such a big incident, they could only try their best to cover it up.
To appease the hundreds of people in White Forest, a large sum of money would inevitably have to be spent.
"Is there a cultivator leading the team?" Zhou Wuji asked.
"Yes, there is. There's a Sixth Rank Rogue Cultivator named Chen Ye. He used to be from the Taiyi Sect, but I don't know what mistake he made that led to his expulsion," Yan Baoying replied.
Even among the great Daoist and Buddhist sects, there are always people who leave for various reasons, and these cultivators are very popular in martial arts gangs.
Making a living on the river always involves various dangers. The Great River Association a large gang, and it must have its own cultivators. Some secret matters must be entrusted to its own cultivators.
Zhou Wuji said, "There's something wrong with this Chen Ye. You should investigate him thoroughly."
Seeing that Zhou Wuji was speaking seriously, Yan Baoying quickly nodded in agreement.
It was getting late, and the river was swift and flowing upstream, so the group had no choice but to stay overnight in White Forest.
Zhou Wuji didn't want to squeeze into the cabin with the other men.
He summoned the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed from the shore.
The starlight shone brightly, transforming into a magnificent black horse, which greatly surprised Yan Baoying.
Qian Lao Wu and the others stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with astonishment.
The Flying Star Armored Horse Technique isn't considered a high-level Law Technique, and very few people have truly mastered it. Even fewer cultivators would use it in public.
Even the well-informed Yan Baoying was seeing this kind of Law Technique for the first time.
The key is that the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed is both magnificent and full of spirit. Its black fur is smooth as satin, its long mane flutters in the wind, and its big eyes are bright and shining, making it unforgettable at first sight.
Zhou Wuji adjusted his sideburns and gracefully mounted his horse. He looked at Yan Baoying, who was somewhat surprised, and said, "This horse is extremely fast. It can reach Chuyang in an hour. Would Miss Yan like to come along?" Yan Baoying was looking to get closer to Zhou Wuji, so how could she miss such a precious opportunity?
She nodded quickly. "Please, True Person, give me a ride."
Zhou Wuji reached out and pulled Yan Baoying onto the horse, and Yan Baoying, being very sensible, grabbed Zhou Wuji's waist.
The Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed reared up and let out a long neigh, causing Yan Baoying, who was sitting behind, to quickly hug Zhou Wuji tightly, her body naturally pressed against Zhou Wuji's.
Feeling the warm, soft scent behind him, Zhou Wuji smiled and spurred his horse into the Chu River.
A magnificent black horse gallops against the rolling waves, its powerful stride and long tail billowing high behind it.
A crescent moon hangs in the sky, its light shimmering and splashing alongside the galloping black horse.
On the speedboat, Qian Lao Wu and Water Snake She stared blankly as the figure of the two riders on horseback sped away, disappearing without a trace in just a few breaths.
The Water Snake clicked its tongue in amazement. "This True Person truly, truly amazing..."
He hadn't read many books and couldn't think of any way to praise him.
"Even gods are nothing special!" Qian Lao Wu exclaimed sincerely. He had always thought that cultivators were weak and incompetent, only good at killing shady ghosts, and had no respect for the might of powerful martial artists.
Tonight, however, I've truly seen something extraordinary. The truly skilled cultivators are like immortals, filling me with immense envy... Qian Lao Wu couldn't help but say, "If we're already like this, Miss must be completely captivated!"
Water Snake glanced at Qian Lao Wu: "Miss's affairs are none of your business. Don't talk nonsense, or you'll regret it if it gets back to her!"
Qian Lao Wu was startled. Yan Baoying looked alluring and seductive, but her methods were truly formidable; he couldn't afford to offend her...
At this moment, Yan Baoying was already infatuated and had no mind to think about her few crude subordinates.
The black horse galloped quickly, and with each leap, she clung even closer to Zhou Wuji, rubbing against him until her whole body felt hot and weak.
Zhou Wuji pretended not to know anything and galloped wildly all the way. When he arrived outside Chuyang City, the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed exerted its strength, using all four hooves to gain momentum on the city wall, and forcefully charged up the several-zhang-high city wall...
When the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed jumped into the backyard of the pharmacy, Yan Baoying dismounted with flushed cheeks and her Peach Blossom eyes sparkling with spring waves. Her abundant Qi and Blood also made her red lips glisten.
Zhou Wuji had to admit that Yan Baoying in this state was less affected and more alluring.
Regardless of her inner thoughts, Yan Baoying quickly calmed down and had someone arrange a guest room for Zhou Wuji to rest.
Back in her room, Yan Baoying couldn't fall asleep for a long time, until the sky outside the window began to lighten, and then she finally drifted off to sleep.
As soon as it was light, Yan Baoying hurriedly arranged for the pharmacy manager to collect medicinal herbs. If any were not available, she would obtain them from other pharmacies, making sure that all the herbs on the list were gathered by the afternoon.
She greeted Zhou Wuji and then hurriedly went to a large mansion in the south of the city. This was her father's residence, where he also kept several concubines. Her mother had passed away early, and Yan Zhen had treated her well; without her mother, she was always at a disadvantage.
It was precisely because of her awkward situation at home that she diligently practiced martial arts and finally achieved some success, which allowed her to establish herself in her family.
Yan Zhen was having breakfast, attended to by a group of maids and accompanied by his two young sons, exuding an air of wealth and luxury.
This Third Rank martial artist was quite handsome, dressed in luxurious clothes, and sat there with an air of authority and great dignity.
Seeing Yan Baoying arrive, Yan Zhen smiled and said, "Ying'er, you've come so early, is there something you need?"
"Father, the evil spirit in White Forest has been dealt with by True Person Hongde."
Yan Baoying briefly recounted the events, concluding with Zhou Wuji's warning.
"The evil spirit was dealt with in less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea! That's amazing!"
Yan Zhen had been to White Forest and witnessed the power of evil spirits, so he couldn't help but show surprise upon hearing this.
Looking at her daughter's calm demeanor, it's probably not an exaggeration.
He couldn't help but exclaim, "I've heard that Zhou Wuji is only twenty-five years old, yet he possesses such Divine Ability. It's truly remarkable!"
Yan Zhen pondered for a moment and then said, "This person has a bright future. Now that you've established a connection, be good to him and make sure all expenses are covered by the company account..."