Chapter 106: The Sudden Shift in the Situation

Zhou Bai carried the wooden bucket and headed out of the horse farm. Since his upcoming actions involved his natal relic, he did not want others to know he possessed a second one, so he found an excuse to send Priest Hou back to the yamen. The latter was more than happy to leave, as he always felt that whenever he stayed by Zhou Bai’s side, he would encounter all manner of ghosts and monsters.

Zhou Bai certainly would not return to Hangzhou. If he used Huang to lure out the Heavenly Dog in such a densely populated area, it would inevitably cause a massive disturbance, and furthermore, it would be difficult to move freely. He wandered around the outskirts of the city until he finally found an unoccupied wooden hut and went inside. Similar structures were common in the outskirts, left abandoned for long periods and generally used by traveling merchants as temporary shelters. Since the gates of Hangzhou were locked tightly at night, merchants would make do with these huts for a night, as they at least provided protection from the wind and rain. However, with Hangzhou currently allowing only entry and no exit, the number of merchants had dwindled significantly.

The interior of the hut was dilapidated, lacking even a bed. The floor was covered in weeds, and there were no windows for ventilation, but it had the advantage of being completely enclosed, preventing even a sliver of light from penetrating. After locking the door, Zhou Bai released Huang from the bucket. The dog stumbled into a corner, shivering uncontrollably. It was not entirely cowed by Zhou Bai’s presence, but rather, the demonic energy Zhou Bai had inadvertently radiated contained a trace of dragon essence. Even ordinary minor demons could not withstand such pressure, let alone a common animal. This was a crude application of Zhou Bai’s own demonic energy; compared to his yin energy, his demonic energy was far inferior in both quality and quantity.

Because the Relic Method was a high-level discipline, and he possessed a significant number of demonic supernatural powers, his demonic energy was progressing rapidly. Even if he intended to advance steadily, it would not be long before he reached the bottleneck of his Demonic True Form, at which point he would have to face the Heavenly Tribulation once again. He felt a sense of anticipation regarding his True Form. Generally, one’s True Form was closely linked to their supernatural powers, and as a rule, demonic powers could be traced back to a specific demonic beast. For instance, the "Bulging Belly" power traced back to a demonic beast known as the Thunder-Drum Toad.

However, Zhou Bai’s situation was unique; no second person like him could be found in the entire history of the Ministry of the Underworld Canon. Upon careful consideration, his True Form would likely stem from his "Strength of a Tied Chicken" power. Thus, it was highly probable that his True Form was related to some sort of avian creature. Zhou Bai could not say he was fond of the idea, though if it granted him the ability to fly, that would be acceptable—what he feared most was becoming a flightless ground-dwelling chicken. But these were concerns for another day; even with his rapid progress, it would take at least several months to reach the level of mastering his True Form.

Zhou Bai prepared for a moment, first dissolving the Yellow Pill in a wooden basin with water. Fortunately, his storage belt was filled with all sorts of miscellaneous tools; although he rarely used them in daily life, they proved useful now and then. He then knocked Huang unconscious and submerged him in the medicinal water created by the Yellow Pill. After all, Huang was merely a stray dog, and even though the medicinal power of the Yellow Pill was relatively mild, he was still unable to bear its potency, and blood began to seep from his nose and mouth.

Zhou Bai quickly summoned Salty Fish. After not seeing it for a few days, it had changed again; stimulated by the Heavenly Tribulation, its body, which had previously reached its limit, had begun a new cycle of growth. Most of the charred, dead skin had already shed, leaving only small remnants around the edges, which was merely a matter of time. By comparison, the Ghost Tree was slower, likely requiring another half-month to fully recover.

Once outside, Salty Fish grew restless, its two-meter-long body stretching out within the wooden hut and causing a chaotic mess. Zhou Bai used his consciousness to soothe it, then instructed Salty Fish to use its own demonic energy to help Huang channel the medicinal power through his body. Salty Fish was somewhat reluctant, as the task was strenuous and thankless, but cowed by Zhou Bai’s command, it obediently complied. It unleashed its water-manipulation power, and streams of water swirled around Huang’s body, seeping directly into his pores. Salty Fish’s demonic energy was blended into the water, and it controlled the flow with precision, ensuring Huang’s body would not collapse under the sudden strain.

Zhou Bai was somewhat surprised by this display from Salty Fish; he had not expected it to be capable of such control. It seemed he had underestimated it. Under Salty Fish’s influence, Huang gradually underwent changes. His patchy, thinning fur fell away, as did the canine teeth in his mouth. In Zhou Bai’s Yin-Yang Eyes, a faint trace of demonic energy began to manifest on Huang, though it flickered as if it might vanish at any moment. Huang was merely an ordinary stray, but the moment his demonic potential was ignited, his body began to revert toward the bloodline of one of his ancestors.

The physical transformation ceased after only a few breaths. Huang remained Huang; he had not turned into some ancient mythical beast. However, he now stood slightly over a meter tall. Devoid of fur, his muscular physique was clearly defined, and his broken legs had fully recovered, showing no trace of their previous injury. Huang seemed quite excited by his transformation, panting with his tongue lolling out as he leaped from the basin. This tiny spark of demonic energy seemed to have stimulated his limited intelligence; he immediately turned into a fawning sycophant, shaking his head and wagging his tail at Zhou Bai.

Salty Fish cast a look of disdain at the dog and voluntarily transformed into a ray of spiritual light, retreating into Zhou Bai’s dantian; it was far more comfortable in its own little pond. Huang’s current appearance was even less appealing than when he was a stray; hairless and with taut, rippling muscles, one could see the blood vessels pulsing beneath his skin, making him look no different from a ghoul. Zhou Bai, showing his distaste, led him toward the outside of the wooden hut. Although he had expended quite a bit of his demonic energy, his primary combat strength still lay in his Ghostly True Form, so he did not mind facing the Heavenly Dog directly. The shorter the time, the fewer the variables.

Huang still harbored a fear of the moonlight, but he had no choice in the matter. Zhou Bai placed him under the moonlight while he himself gripped his butcher’s blade, standing in formation and ready to strike at the shadow at any moment. Although Huang was intended only to lure out the Heavenly Dog’s true form, he had consumed so much of the Yellow Pill that Zhou Bai felt it best to keep the dog alive if possible.

Yet, as time ticked by, there was still no reaction. Just as he began to feel puzzled, a deafening roar erupted from the direction of Hangzhou. He cursed under his breath and turned to look toward the source of the sound. Through the city walls, he saw a ghost-like creature, five or six meters tall, standing atop a rooftop and howling at the heavens. Except for being slightly smaller, it looked exactly like the Heavenly Dog from Tang Yin’s painting, and within its twisted, monstrous human-like mouth, it was clutching several struggling people.

Zhou Bai kicked Huang into the hut and shut the door to prevent him from escaping and causing trouble, before rushing off in the direction where the Heavenly Dog had appeared.