Chapter 114: To Each Their Own Way of Living

Zhou Bai took out two more fruits of supernatural power, ground them into fine powder, and fed them to the two men.

Wang Yuanfang and Lin Chong’s bodies reacted almost immediately; one turned pale, the other green. It seemed that each fruit of supernatural power had a different taste, but all were equally foul. Zhou Bai felt fortunate that he did not have to taste them himself. As they trembled, a faint, ghostly chill began to emanate from their bodies.

The ghost-path supernatural powers chosen for the two were complementary. Lin Chong possessed "Ghost Armor," which, when activated, covered his body in a layer of thick, external bone plating, providing astonishing defensive capabilities. However, the downside was that he could not move easily once the power was active, nor could he control it with ease, though it made him a qualified meat shield. Wang Yuanfang’s power was "Ghost Fog," which could release a cloud of corrosive mist with decent destructive power. Its potential, however, was certainly not as high as the powers of the others, whose abilities had more profound effects on their physical forms. Zhou Bai had chosen a slightly inferior power for Wang Yuanfang primarily because he felt the man was inherently reckless and his cultivation was progressing too quickly, which might lead to his true form spiraling out of control.

After settling the three of them and ensuring his mental imprints were securely placed to prevent any mishaps, Zhou Bai left the yamen.

He wandered through the streets until he found Wen Meng at a teahouse, listening to music. It was mid-afternoon, and the teahouse was quiet. With his bamboo hat pulled low, no one recognized him. A waiter led Zhou Bai to Wen Meng’s private booth. Old Man Wen was holding a birdcage, looking relaxed, though his temples were gray and his frame had grown significantly thinner. Zhou Bai recognized this as a lingering consequence of forcing himself to practice Taoist techniques—the depletion of essence to fuel his energy without proper replenishment.

When Wen Meng saw him, a sharp light flashed in his eyes. He spoke impatiently, "Zhou Bai, has your closed-door training ended? The discussion regarding your promotion to the official post should be on the agenda by now, right?"

Zhou Bai helped himself to a teacup, poured a cup, and downed it in one gulp. "Senior Wen, there is no rush regarding the promotion."

Wen Meng looked pained and immediately snatched the teapot away. "Hey, hey, hey! Do you have any idea how expensive this pot of Qing'er leaves is? If you don't know how to drink tea, don't drink it."

"Are you really worried about such a small amount of money at your age?"

"It’s not about the money. This tea is rare; you wouldn't understand."

Zhou Bai curled his lip and signaled the waiter to bring a pot of ordinary tea. "I need to discuss something with you. I have to make a trip to Xuzhou in a few days. Let’s put the Hangdu Garrison post on hold until I return."

Wen Meng’s expression shifted, and his face darkened. "Are you joking? Although Xuzhou has been pacified and the people from the Underworld Ministry are gradually withdrawing, the number of demons and monsters there far exceeds what we have here..."

Zhou Bai patted the back of his hand. "Rest assured, I have my plans. Some things cannot be delayed. I need to go to Xuzhou to slay three people. I spent these past few days of training sharpening my blade; I’ll go and return quickly. It won’t take much time."

Wen Meng remained silent for a moment before saying, "Can’t you wait? It would be better to go after you’ve officially secured the Hangdu Garrison post."

"I can't wait. By my calculations, the time is just about right." Zhou Bai shook his head. Based on his knowledge of Buddhist scriptures, Liaowu’s first incarnation would gradually regain his memories and recover his strength within three months. Now was the best time to kill him.

"I cannot dissuade you then. Xuzhou is still semi-isolated, and you cannot use a Cloud Whale to get there; you must travel on your own. Given the time it takes to go back and forth, the Hangdu Garrison post may become uncertain."

Zhou Bai couldn't help but ask, "There are variables, yes, but isn't the Hangdu Garrison post a sinecure?"

"It’s hard to say, hard to say. Originally, there were few demons and monsters in the south, so those with ambition in the Underworld Ministry wouldn't come here. But things are different now. This place is near Xuzhou, and after the events that have transpired, it certainly won't be peaceful in the coming years." Wen Meng sighed and continued, "Since the contribution points for serving here are high, and Hangdu is far more prosperous than the bitter, cold north, there will surely be many people vying for this garrison position."

Zhou Bai felt a dull ache in his head. He had originally thought the Hangdu Garrison post was a throwaway role he had already secured, but it seemed unstable after all. However, the remaining three incarnations of Liaowu had to be eliminated; if he waited until their memories were fully restored, they would become a grave disaster for him.

He caught the implication in Wen Meng’s words. "You mean many people are competing? Is there a chance someone might suddenly snatch the position away?"

Wen Meng nodded slightly. "You are, after all, a person of Wang Zhen’s. They will show you that much respect; at the very least, they will leave you an opportunity to compete."

"That’s fine, as long as there is an opportunity. Let’s talk about it when I return." For Zhou Bai, time was the most precious commodity; he couldn't afford to waste it waiting around here.

Wen Meng had no choice but to agree. Fearing that Zhou Bai’s methods might be too immature, he pondered and said, "Very well. With your strength, average true forms are no match for you, but you lack assistants. That Daoist Hou is unreliable, and Bai Wanming is currently in an妖 (demon) form, which makes things inconvenient. How about I explain the situation to Wang Zhen and ask her for some people?"

Zhou Bai smiled and replied, "That won't be necessary. Do you remember the three people we recruited into the Underworld Ministry? After facing the Heavenly Dog, they had ghost energy enter their bodies, and all of them awakened innate ghost-path supernatural powers."

"God damn it..." Wen Meng couldn't help but curse. He had always felt that Zhou Bai had incredible luck, turning danger into safety time and again. It seemed that this luck not only benefited him but also rubbed off on those around him.

"I’ll leave the trouble of training those three to you and Old Hou."

"That’s a minor matter. In that case, it seems no one will be able to snatch the Hangdu Garrison position away from you. However, you must prepare yourself—once you return, conflict with others will be inevitable."

Zhou Bai grinned. With his current repertoire of powers, as long as no true spirits appeared, there was no reason for him to be bullied by anyone. It would be the perfect time to test the methods of those people.

Mentioning this, he asked tentatively, "Senior Wen, you see, accidents are inevitable when dealing with ghosts and monsters. Isn't that how many people in the Underworld Ministry awaken their strange supernatural powers?"

Wen Meng said with a sense of melancholy, "Indeed. Whether it is a blessing or a curse is hard to say."

"Senior Wen, if you were to re-awaken your supernatural powers, that would seem quite good, wouldn't it?"

Wen Meng shook his head with a bitter smile, but soon looked at peace. "Once you have awakened a strange supernatural power, you cannot awaken another. Besides, even if I stepped into the true form now, I wouldn't live many more years. I don't want to live in fear of losing control again."

Seeing him say this, Zhou Bai extinguished the thought of helping Wen Meng re-awaken a supernatural power. As for Wang Lei, he was even less likely to let him get involved in the disputes of the Underworld Ministry. Moreover, Wang Lei’s martial arts school had already opened, and he was currently busy recruiting disciples.