Chapter 3: Evil Spirit

A month later.

Zhao Yu stood on the open ground next to the Spirit Fields, executing the Light Body Phantom Step. His movements were agile, like a phantom; with a leap, he soared three zhang into the air and landed lightly on a large tree. With a flick of his wrist, a Flying Dagger shot out, embedding itself into another large tree ten zhang away.

"I finally have some ability to protect myself!"

Zhao Yu leaped down from the tree with ease, and as he concentrated, a series of information appeared before him.

"Martial Talent: Quite Outstanding (45/100)."

"Tenth Level of the Earth Elemental Skill (15/100)."

"Qinggong: Phantom Step (Expert level 19/100)."

"Flying Daggers (Expert level 27/100)."

"Clear Stream Sword Technique (Expert level 9/100)."

"First Level of the Earth Elemental Skill (98/100)."

Zhao Yu's Martial Cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. With the fourfold blessings of Qi Blood Pills, his outstanding Martial Talent, the Spirit Vein, and Spirit Rice, it took him only a month and a half to reach the level of a Martial Arts Grandmaster. However, his proficiency in the Earth Elemental Skill had only increased by three points.

"What splendid Flying Daggers! Zhao, I had no idea your Martial Talent was so remarkable. No wonder you're practicing martial arts!"

An approving voice came from beside him. Zhao Yu followed the sound and saw that it was his neighbor, Old Liu.

Wiping sweat with a towel, Zhao Yu smiled and said, "Old Liu, weren't you supposed to go back to see your grandson today?"

Old Liu grinned, revealing a steely determination in his eyes, "Old Wu found a demon beast den in the Canglong Mountains. There are many treasures nearby that demon beast den. He's planning to form a team to explore it. I've agreed to join his team!"

Old Liu's mentioned Old Wu was a cultivator in the Middle Stage of the Qi Refinement Real, at the fourth level. Old Wu often teamed up with others to hunt weaker demon beasts and gather Spiritual Medicines around the outskirts of the Canglong Mountains, and he was well-regarded.

In the Qi Refinement Realm, levels one to three are the Early Stages, levels four to six the Middle Stage, levels seven to nine the Late Stages, and the tenth level represents the Great Circle of Qi Refinement, the point at which one may begin to aim for Foundation Establishment.

Zhao Yu frowned slightly and asked, "Old Liu, you are well aware of the dangers in the Canglong Mountains. You never used to go there, so why are you going this time?"

"My precious grandson is just one Spirit Pill away from breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement, which will qualify him to join the Cangling Sect. I would risk even this old life for the sake of his future!"

Old Liu grinned, showing his large yellow teeth, "Zhao, with Old Wu leading us, the danger shouldn't be too great this time! It's a great opportunity! Do you want to join us? I trust your character!"

Zhao Yu decisively replied, "Old Liu, I plan to stay here and tend to the fields! The Canglong Mountains are too dangerous!"

"You! The path of Cultivation is all about contending with fate! Without contention, you will never obtain Cultivation Resources! This is something a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator once said."

Old Liu looked deeply into Zhao Yu's eyes, shook his head slightly, and said, "Never mind! To each their own! I'm off then! While I'm away, help me look after my fields, will you?"

Zhao Yu answered, "I'll do my best!"

Old Liu set off resolutely, leaving the Market behind.

"Martial arts practice can't sustain me much longer! I need to find a way to get more Spirit Stones!"

In one month's time, Zhao Yu had cultivated the Earth Elemental Skill to the Tenth Level. However, he had completely consumed his supply of Spirit Rice, and he even spent three Spirit Stones to buy thirty jin of Spirit Rice from the grain shop. Now, he had only four Spirit Stones left.

The very next day, Zhao Yu took all his Secret Manuals to set up a stall in the Market's street vendor area, but he did not make a single sale all day; the cultivators didn't even glance at his manuals.

After three days of fruitless vending, Zhao Yu was forced to return home to continue cultivating his fields and practicing martial arts. He could only consume one jin of Spirit Rice a day and was unable to further enhance his Martial Talent.

Half a month later, at dusk, by the side of the Spirit Fields.

A flash of sword light briefly appeared, as a bug gnawing on the leaves of the spirit rice was cleaved in two by Zhao Yu's swift strike, which he then grabbed in his hand.

"I haven't had meat in so long! I really crave it!"

Zhao Yu stuffed the bug into his mouth and bit down; a sensation like that of biting into fresh shrimp and the sweetness of its juices filled his taste buds.

The bugs were a major pest to the Spirit Fields, as a single one could devour an entire mu of Spirit Fields if left unchecked. For this reason, the Spirit Fields needed constant guarding or else would yield nothing.

"Old Liu, you're back! How was it, the haul was good this time, wasn't it?"

Zhao Yu suddenly turned his head and greeted Old Liu, who was approaching from afar.

Having become a Martial Arts Grandmaster, Zhao Yu's perception had become much sharper. He immediately noticed that Old Liu's complexion was very pale, his eyes bloodshot, and his breath considerably weaker.

Old Liu, still grinning, responded, "This haul was not bad at all! I got my hands on a hundred-year-old Red Heart Grass. Now, my precious grandson has a chance to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement!"

Zhao Yu congratulated him, "Congratulations!"

A hundred-year-old Red Heart Grass was the main ingredient needed for refining Red Heart Pills, which could significantly enhance the Cultivation Level of those in the late stages of Qi Refinement. One such grass was worth over a hundred Spirit Stones, more than enough to purchase a Spirit Pill capable of breaking through the fourth level of Qi Refinement.

Old Liu continued smiling warmly, his yellow teeth on full display, "Come on, Zhao, to my place! I'm in a great mood today, I'll cook up some good dishes for you! We hunted a demon beast, and I got twenty jin of its meat! Let's celebrate properly!"

"Maybe next time, Old Liu! I'm planning to relax at the Hundred Flowers Building! Let's get together another time. I'll take my leave first!"

With a radiant smile on his face, Zhao Yu turned and strode toward the market. However, as he turned, the smile vanished, replaced by a solemn expression. He glanced at the Evil Spirit Warding Charm in his hand to see it was slowly starting to burn.

A chill ran through Zhao Yu, "Evil Spirit!! How could I encounter such a thing!! Old Liu is probably done for! If it weren't for this charm, I wouldn't have detected anything wrong with him at all!!"

Evil spirits are exceedingly peculiar, and unless one constantly uses the "Spirit Eye Technique," it's very difficult to detect anything unusual about them. However, talismans of exorcism have the power to both warn against and resist evil spirits. Thus, Zhao Yu almost always carried talismans of exorcism with him.

The smile on Old Liu's face, who stood behind Zhao Yu, vanished in an instant, and he stood motionless, his expression blank. His body began to tremble violently, and his blood-shot eyes each performed a disturbing 360-degree spin before he, hunching over, started running toward Zhao Yu's direction.

Zhao Yu immediately deployed "Light Body Phantom Step," moving at a speed akin to a galloping horse, almost like a phantom, as he raced towards the direction of the market.

Old Liu chased him for a while, but the gap between them grew wider and wider until only Zhao Yu's silhouette could be seen.

Zhao Yu sped all the way to the market where the Cangling Sect Law Enforcement Team's headquarters was located.

"Fellow Daoist, my name is Zhao Yu, a spirit farmer from the Cangling Sect. I have spotted traces of an evil spirit and have come to report," he said as soon as he entered the headquarters, greeting a young man wearing a black uniform with black short hair, who looked quite handsome.

"Traces of an evil spirit! Follow me,"

The Cangling Sect disciple's eyes flashed with seriousness as he promptly settled Zhao Yu in a reception room inside the headquarters before leaving.

Evil spirits are terrifying creatures that can grow continuously. Some weaker evil spirits can be dispelled by an early Qi Refining stage cultivator with just a few talismans of exorcism. However, if such weak evil spirits keep growing, they could even threaten the lives of cultivators at the Great Circle of Qi Refining level after some time.

"Where exactly is the evil spirit?"

A cold voice suddenly came from the side. Turning towards the sound, Zhao Yu saw a stunningly beautiful woman with a tall figure, wearing black clothes that outlined her full breasts, her skin clear as jade, with willow-leaf eyebrows, almond eyes, a delicate nose, and cherry lips, looking supremely beautiful and awe-inspiringly majestic as she walked over.

The Cangling Sect disciple who brought Zhao Yu to the reception room said with a smile, "This is our Law Enforcement Team Captain, Sister Su Bingyun! Oh, and my name is Wang Xin."

Such a beautiful woman, overshadowing beauties from all over the world even without makeup, this is a cultivator! What's most enviable is that she's looking not even twenty and is already a cultivator at the Great Circle of Qi Refining with hopes for Foundation Establishment!

Zhao Yu gazed deeply at Su Bingyun, feeling a bit of envy.

In the market, only a cultivator at the Great Circle of Qi Refining could secure the position of Law Enforcement Team Captain of the Cangling Sect; above the captain was the leader of the Law Enforcement Team, and that leader was a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, one of the strongest in the market!

"Fairy Su, I suspect that my neighbor, Old Liu, has been afflicted by an evil spirit!"

Zhao Yu quickly explained the situation in detail to Su Bingyun.

With decisive and swift action, Su Bingyun led a team of twelve Cangling Sect law enforcement officers to the vicinity of Old Liu's wooden house.

"There definitely is an evil spirit!"

As soon as Su Bingyun arrived in front of Old Liu's wooden house, the talisman of exorcism in her hand began to slowly burn.

Clearing his throat, Zhao Yu said, "Cough, Fairy Su, may I leave now? I only have one talisman of exorcism left!"

Due to the bizarre and extraordinary nature of evil spirits, without a talisman of exorcism, even the afflicted individual would find it hard to realize their possession. That's why even a poor spirit farmer like Zhao Yu would buy a few for protection.

"Wait over there!"

Su Bingyun casually handed ten talismans of exorcism to Zhao Yu and pointed to the side.

"Thank you, Fairy!"

Zhao Yu's eyes lit up as he took the talismans and ran off into the distance.

"Coward!"

"Pauper!"

"After all, he's just a spirit farmer!"

"....."

A hint of contempt flashed in the eyes of the Cangling Sect law enforcement disciples as they exchanged a few remarks.

After ascending to the status of Martial Arts Grandmaster, Zhao Yu's senses were sharp, and he overheard those comments, but he didn't take them to heart at all.

In the Cultivation World, sect disciples look down on loose cultivators, and among them, spirit farmers are at the bottom of the hierarchy. If Zhao Yu took all of that to heart, he wouldn't be able to survive.

"Take action!"

With a fierce shout from Su Bingyun, a Cangling Sect disciple kicked open the wooden door to Old Liu's home.

Old Liu sat silently in the dark center of the wooden house, motionless, which was highly unsettling.

The twelve Cangling Sect law enforcement disciples waved their hands, and the talismans of exorcism flew out towards Old Liu.

As the talismans flew, they burned continuously, emitting a faint white glow.

Huge amounts of black qi burst forth from Old Liu's body, and with a scream, he suddenly swelled up, transforming into a three-meter-tall monster with bulging eyes, a frothing mouth, and muscular, sinewy limbs.

The twelve talismans of exorcism landed on Old Liu, burning fiercely.

Old Liu immediately screamed in agony, with thick black qi oozing from his body.

Su Bingyun took out a bronze antique mirror magic artifact and activated her mana. The spiritual patterns on the mirror flashed, and a three-foot-long red Fire Crow flew out, pouncing on Old Liu.

Old Liu was instantly engulfed in flames, screaming miserably. The black qi rose and finally burned to ash within the fire.