Mortal Eyes and Flesh

On Wangqing Mountain.

Several people were walking forward, carefully examining their surroundings as they searched for the beast that had injured people.

Some distance away from them, several other teams were also searching everywhere for the wild beast.

If someone had looked down from the sky just then, they would have seen a team of people at regular intervals across the mountain.

The sight really did make it hard not to laugh.

Fang Zelin saw this from a little farther away and could not help pressing a hand to his forehead.

Judging by the players' enthusiasm, wouldn't these fellows be even more excited if they were told there was a female ghost on the mountain?

He had no idea what sort of penalty required them to wait half a month before they could come back after dying here.

At this thought, Fang Zelin shook his head.

Looking around, he still found no trace of the beast.

Just as Fang Zelin was wondering where on earth the beast was, he suddenly heard a commotion up ahead.

"All of you, please listen to me. It isn't safe here. You must leave as soon as possible!"

Looking at the people before him, Zhang Weichu suddenly felt rather weary.

Did none of these fellows care about their lives?

The beast in this mountain was very likely a demon, yet they dared linger here searching for it. Had they really never died before?

The players looked at Zhang Weichu standing before them. Seeing him holding an umbrella beneath the blazing sun, they found him very strange.

Why was a grown man carrying an oil-paper umbrella for no apparent reason?

And now he was telling them to leave. How could they possibly leave?

If they left, wouldn't they miss out on thirty taels of silver?

Perhaps this fellow wanted to pocket all the silver himself.

That was what many of the players were thinking.

Seeing that these people still refused to heed his advice, Zhang Weichu frowned.

The underworld official beside him shook his head at the sight and said to Zhang Weichu, "These people are bent on seeking death. Why bother persuading them?"

His words reminded Zhang Weichu of what Fang Zelin had said before.

If not for Fang Zelin's words, how could he have become an underworld official, let alone enjoyed the incense offerings of the mortal world?

Just as he was about to speak, Zhang Weichu caught sight of Fang Zelin ahead, and delight immediately rose in his heart.

No longer bothering to persuade the people on the mountain, he hurried toward Fang Zelin in long strides.

"Mr. Fang!"

Coming up to Fang Zelin, Zhang Weichu immediately cupped his fists in greeting.

Fang Zelin nodded at Zhang Weichu, then felt a little puzzled. What was an underworld official doing here?

Before Fang Zelin could speak, something suddenly occurred to Zhang Weichu as he looked at him, and he asked with delight written across his face.

"Mr. Fang, have you come into the mountains for that vile beast that injured more than thirty people?"

Fang Zelin nodded. "Yes."

Zhang Weichu was immediately delighted. Looking more closely at Fang Zelin, he sensed that something about him had changed, and his eyes widened at once.

"Mr. Fang, have you comprehended that book on Qi Refining?"

"Yes. I do owe you thanks for that."

At the mention of this, Fang Zelin's expression immediately grew much more serious. Without that book on Qi Refining, he truly would have had no way to obtain a path to immortal cultivation.

Although he had probably only just crossed the threshold, that was already enough for Fang Zelin.

A smile appeared on Zhang Weichu's face at his reply. The judge had previously said that possessing the book did not mean one could step onto the path of immortal cultivation simply by comprehending it.

His words had revealed how difficult immortal cultivation was.

Yet this could also serve as proof that Fang Zelin was an immortal's disciple. Otherwise, how could it have been so easy?

Only one night had passed, and he had already comprehended the book and crossed the threshold of Qi Refining?

Even a martial arts prodigy could not gain insight into Qi Force in a single night!

"You're too kind, Mr. Fang. If anyone should offer thanks, it ought to be me."

Zhang Weichu spoke earnestly. Since Fang Zelin had come for the vile beast on this mountain, he thought, the creature injuring people here must indeed be a demon.

With Mr. Fang taking action, there was no need for him to get in the way here.

It now occurred to him that they had been unable to find the vile beast because it presumably knew the two of them were here and had kept hiding out of sight.

"In that case, the two of us will no longer remain here and delay your work, sir."

With that, Zhang Weichu bowed to Fang Zelin, then beckoned to his colleague and turned to leave.

His colleague was immediately puzzled by Zhang Weichu's behavior.

Once they had walked a little farther away, he asked with a baffled expression.

"Weichu, what was that about?"

That creature was very likely a demon. How were the two of them supposed to account for returning like this?

Moreover, Zhang Weichu's words just now seemed to suggest that he was leaving this matter to the man called Fang Zelin.

"Ah, Brother Lin, there's something you don't know. That gentleman is an immortal's disciple who has descended the mountain to temper himself. Since he has come here now, he must have heard about the demon injuring people and come to deal with it."

By now, Zhang Weichu was utterly certain that the creature on this mountain was a beast that had become a demon, and that Fang Zelin had come for it.

Since Fang Zelin was an immortal's successor, what difficulty could there be in dealing with a single demon?

"An immortal's successor? How can you be so certain, Brother Zhang? I saw nothing extraordinary about him."

His colleague looked astonished at his words.

"With our mortal eyes and flesh, how could we glimpse his extraordinary qualities?"

Zhang Weichu shook his head. "Do you know how I became an underworld deity and received incense offerings?"

The underworld official beside him shook his head repeatedly. He truly knew very little about this. He only knew that the man had apparently been a water ghost before. For him to have obtained the position of an underworld deity was indeed inconceivable.

"It was all thanks to a single remark from Mr. Fang. With just one remark, he allowed me to obtain this position as an underworld deity."

At this, Zhang Weichu's face filled with emotion.

His colleague's eyes grew round as saucers at his words. A single remark had granted him the position of an underworld deity? Could it really be that incredible?

How was this any different from someone making a scholar a provincial graduate with a single remark?

Or rather, it was even more difficult!

After all, within the dynasty, it could still be done with the help of someone whose hands and eyes reached the heavens.

But such things held no sway in the Underworld Bureau!

Meanwhile, the milu deer that had been secretly watching the two underworld officials from afar also widened its eyes, its body trembling involuntarily.

An immortal's disciple, whose single remark could make someone an underworld deity?

Was this man so terrifying?

"If that's the case, we ought to assist the gentleman from the sidelines and help him capture the demon!"

After thinking for a moment, his colleague suddenly spoke.

If the man truly possessed such extraordinary abilities, wasn't this an opportunity to befriend him?

Zhang Weichu immediately understood his intentions, but shook his head repeatedly.

"No. That demon still hasn't shown itself. Presumably, it knows we're here. If we don't leave, it certainly won't appear, and we would end up ruining the gentleman's business."

"If we hamper him like that, we will likely earn his displeasure."