Chapter 133: Preparing to Stir Things Up (Combined)

In an instant, countless sword auras floating in mid-air above the terrace were revealed simultaneously, then descended upon Zhou Bai all at once like a dense, fine drizzle.

The sword auras struck Zhou Bai's body. Even though the Demonic Path True Form possessed extremely thick skin, continuous wounds began to appear. Moreover, these sword auras were like attached maggots, boring into his body from the wounds, causing his ghostly qi to stir restlessly against his will.

He had no choice but to fully manifest his Demonic Path True Form. A giant tyrannosaur standing slightly over ten meters tall appeared, directly crushing the teahouse into ruins.

Dust billowed into the air. After about a dozen breaths of time, Zhou Bai's figure walked out slowly from the debris. Jiang Cheng and Song Fang had both been shielded by him, so neither suffered any major injuries.

Zhang Tie was somewhat frightened—not by the collapse of the teahouse, but by the sudden shock of seeing the tyrannosaur true form. Once that primordial aura emanated outward, it evoked a faint sense of terror deep within his heart.

Further away, Wu Yifang wore a wry smile on his face. Originally, he had only wanted to let his disciple witness the strength of Song Fang, one of the more prominent younger generations of the Underworld Canon Bureau, but he had not expected the other individual to be completely uninferior.

Furthermore, from the looks of it, Zhou Bai's surrounding demonic qi had only just reached the threshold of the True Form, yet he had already unleashed a portion of his potential, promising a boundless future.

This made Wu Yifang suspect that he was simply growing too old. Now, he only hoped that after experiencing this gap in power, it would not deal too heavy a blow to his disciples.

Zhang Tie hurriedly helped his junior sister steady herself, and Song Fang also recovered. After all, they were merely superficial injuries without any severe damage.

Once he calmed down, Song Fang immediately thought of befriending Zhou Bai and Song Fang: "The losses of the teahouse will naturally be compensated by me. Why don't the two of you come to our estate for a gathering?"

Song Fang refused cleanly and decisively: "No need. After fighting Brother Bai, I realized how greatly lacking I still am. Staying here is just a waste of time, so I plan to leave Songdu."

Having said that, he was thoroughly prompt. With a slight nod toward Zhou Bai, he turned and walked away, seeming so hurried that he was unwilling to wait even a single minute.

Zhou Bai was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile. Zhang Tie, standing to the side, was mentally prepared and explained, "That is simply the nature of the Lesser Immeasurable Sword. Most of the year is spent slaying demons and monsters across the Nine Provinces, which is why such a vast, rain-like sword technique is forged."

"Indeed. If I didn't still have some matters to attend to in Songdu, I would also find staying here somewhat uninteresting." Zhou Bai nodded. Practitioners of the Underworld Canon Bureau had no need for meditation and Qi refinement; if they harbored any ambitions, they would naturally focus their primary energy on tempering themselves.

Zhang Tie felt great envy toward these free-spirited wanderers of the Underworld Canon Bureau, yet if he were forced to brave the wind and rain for three meals a day, he truly could not bear it.

"Do you mind if I call you Senior Brother?"

Zhou Bai was momentarily startled, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to such overfamiliarity, but he still nodded in agreement. After all, he would soon need to search for his second-life avatar, and it might prove convenient if he required assistance from others later on.

"I'll escort my junior sister back first. If Senior Brother Bai has any business, you can come find us at the county government office in the inner city."

Zhou Bai agreed, only to hear the other party continue: "However, Senior Brother Bai must exercise utmost caution. A demon or monster has recently appeared in Songdu, and many young children have gone missing over the past few days."

"Young children? In what manner does the demon manifest?" Zhou Bai recorded this information in his mind; he certainly wouldn't mind picking up some extra points along the way if the opportunity arose.

Jiang Cheng had merely consumed too much demonic qi and regained consciousness after resting for a short while. She could not help but supplement: "It remains unknown for now, but according to the families of those children, they vanished almost in the blink of an eye."

"Alright, I understand. If anything comes up, I'll contact you."

Zhou Bai did not chat with the two of them for long before leaving. The collapsed teahouse was drawing an increasing number of onlookers, and this was truly not an ideal spot for idle conversation.

After he departed, Wu Yifang emerged from the shadows. Seeing their master arrive, Zhang Tie and Jiang Cheng hurriedly went up to him.

"Master, the commotion caused this time was indeed rather large."

"It's fine. Do you know the identity of this Bailong?" Old Wu frowned. Previously, standing at a distance, he had not paid attention to this young man, but upon drawing closer just now, he realized he could not fathom the depth of the youth's cultivation, which was genuinely surprising.

With a puzzled look, Zhang Tie asked, "I'm not sure. He was brought by Song Fang. What is it, Master? Is there something strange about him?"

"Never mind. Let the losses this time be charged to me."

Wu Yifang waved his hand. The person standing behind Song Fang was someone even he could not afford to offend, and as for this abruptly appearing Bailong, he naturally had no desire to probe too deeply.

However, the timing of Zhou Bai and Song Fang's arrival was indeed rather too coincidental; almost on the heels of a demon's appearance, the two of them had arrived.

"Right, where is that brat Jiang Xing?"

"I'm not quite sure either. Junior Sister, did you see him?" Zhang Tie asked, shaking his head. Ever since he was so effortlessly defeated by Song Fang, Jiang Xing had vanished.

Jiang Cheng had been staring blankly, still immersed in the previous duel between the two. It took several calls before she snapped back to her senses.

"Ah? I don't know either. He seemed to have headed toward the outer city district, though heaven knows what he was up to."

"Forget it, let him be." Wu Yifang sighed, having completely given up on managing this disciple of his.

By this time, Zhou Bai had already reached the third city district. He had a lingering feeling that someone was secretly observing him, and their cultivation level was far superior to his—most likely a True Soul realm cultivator.

It was not until he left the second city district that this sensation vanished entirely. It seemed that person was Zhang Tie and the others' master, and was presumably not targeting him deliberately.

Zhou Bai stood by the farmland for a long time, continuously recalling the memories regarding Liaowu's second-life avatar.

In truth, when this monk lived his second life, he chose not to become a human, but instead transformed into a cicada.

Presently, Buddhist cultivators in the Nine Provinces were few in number. Most were like the monk Sanhuo, cultivating only the teachings rather than attaining the fruition realm.

As for Liaokong, aside from the fortuitous encounter he obtained in the White Lotus Cult, he had also forged a unique path of his own. It was merely that his innate talent was limited, preventing him from ever stepping into the fifth life.

Even so, Liaowu could still be considered a genius among Buddhist cultivators. One could tell simply from the avatar he chose for his second life: the autumn cicada is a creature deeply imbued with Zen philosophy.

The nymphs live underground, using their mouthparts to absorb the roots of plants for survival. They typically spend anywhere from five to ten years in the earth, and there is a certain regularity to be followed—this duration is invariably a prime number.

When the cicada is about to emerge, it crawls out from the soil, climbs up a tree trunk, and waits quietly.

The entire process takes only about an hour, yet it is exceedingly painful, as it must shed its shell from its own living body.

Upon transforming into an adult, the cicada's lifespan is roughly two months. Once the cycle of life is complete, it dies.

Liaowu's second-life avatar repeatedly underwent this exact process, using it to comprehend the essence of Zen and step into his third life.

From this, it could be seen that Liaowu's earlier lives had still followed the righteous path and required immense daring.

If the cicada of the second life failed to break through, it would turn to dust within ten years. Only by stepping into the third life could this cicada avatar of Liaowu continue to live indefinitely.

For Zhou Bai, Buddhist cultivation was still far too grueling and unrewarding. In fact, back when spiritual energy was still abundant, there were countless individuals who attained the Arhat fruition realm within a few decades.

He had no intention of progressing life by life either. If one genuinely had to rely on several centuries merely to attain a fruition realm above an Arhat, a Buddhist cultivator might as well not cultivate at all.

Because of this, the fortuitous encounter belonging to Liaowu was of paramount importance.

From the memories acquired after slaying the first life, Zhou Bai knew that the cicada of the second life was right here in Songdu. Moreover, with early summer just beginning, the nymphs could emerge from the earth at any moment.

It could be within these very few days, yet Zhou Bai still had some leisure time to attend to his own matters.

When he had just left the city district, he had already gathered information: in both the outermost fourth city district and the inner city district, there were commercial firms used for storing goods.

With True Soul realm experts present in the inner city district, Zhou Bai did not dare to release the Ghost Tree, but doing so cautiously in the fourth city district should pose no problem.

To be safe, he deliberately changed his entire outfit, altering even his appearance and aura with disguise techniques. Even if someone discovered him, it would have nothing to do with his identity as Bailong.

Zhou Bai quickly located the commercial firm, situated not far from the city gate. It occupied a fairly large area and counted as a rather imposing structure within the fourth city district.

The plaque hanging above the entrance clearly bore four large characters: "Dragon Gate Escort Agency." Though styled as an escort agency, it functioned in reality as a commercial firm; after all, in these turbulent times, escorting goods was far too perilous, and no one had practiced it for years.

Just as he was about to step inside, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure standing at the entrance, craning his neck and looking around—it was none other than Jiang Xing.

Zhou Bai observed the fellow with keen interest. The aura on Jiang Xing was extremely unstable, a clear sign of violent emotional fluctuations.

After lingering for a brief moment, Jiang Xing turned and walked into the commercial firm.

Initially, Zhou Bai had not cared about him at all, but such furtive behavior genuinely aroused his curiosity, so he immediately followed him inside.

Entertained by a shop assistant, Zhou Bai walked toward the inner rooms. Claiming he wanted to store some items, he was promptly led into a small chamber.

However, the commercial firm clearly lacked the reinforcement of talismans; the cabinets were made entirely of iron and required two separate keys to open.

The shop assistant quickly excused himself, leaving Zhou Bai alone in the room. He activated his Yin-Yang Eyes to scan the surroundings.

Without wasting time, he summoned the Ghost Tree, letting it search for martial arts manuals to copy on its own.

Meanwhile, Zhou Bai concentrated his attention on Jiang Xing, who had entered the firm alongside him.

Although they were separated by several rooms, he easily located the man. Furthermore, he had the Ghost Tree extend a portion of its roots through the corner cracks in the wall, allowing Zhou Bai to perceive what was happening within through their connection.

Jiang Xing was trembling all over, experiencing a mixture of excitement and terror. He retrieved a box from an iron cabinet; its surface was densely covered with numerous spiritual talismans.

"You forced me... you forced me into this. So what if you're Song Fang? Sooner or later, I'll make you pay the price."

He muttered incessantly, his eyes bloodshot and filled with red veins, as he tremblingly placed the box on the floor.

Next, Jiang Xing opened it, revealing a jade bottle roughly the size of a human head.

Zhou Bai paused for a moment. The bottle was filled to the brim with a yellowish liquid, and floating inside was a fruit resembling a human fetus.

Why did he say it resembled a fruit? Because Zhou Bai retained a deep impression of this object—it was precisely the bizarre fruit that had been absorbed by the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Fundamental Vow Sutra inside the deep pit.

With a greedy expression, Jiang Xing pressed his face against the bottle, fixing his eyes intently on the fetal fruit within.

Seeming to sense the presence of a living human, the fetal fruit in the liquid bubbled slightly before suddenly snapping its eyes open.

Startled, Jiang Xing slipped and dropped the bottle onto the floor, scrambling on all fours toward the corner of the wall.

Not to mention him, even Zhou Bai was somewhat surprised. Then, the fetal fruit inside the bottle began to struggle, emitting a piercing, weeping cry.

Seeing this, Jiang Xing leaped up from the ground in a single bound, lunged forward, scooped up the jade bottle, and cradled it gently in his arms to soothe it.

Only then did the cries of the fetal fruit inside subside, and it returned to a dormant state.

"There, there, good child, don't make a fuss. Make sure you don't attract outsiders."

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door—it was the shop assistant from the commercial firm, who had heard the strange noises coming from the room.

Jiang Xing let out a weird chuckle, produced a spiritual talisman to seal the room shut, and then uncorked the jade bottle. Instantly, an odd fragrance wafted outward.

Just as Zhou Bai was considering whether or not to make a move, Jiang Xing's next action made his hair stand on end.

The man actually took the fetal fruit out of the bottle. The exact moment it made contact with the air, the atmosphere froze.

The Ghost Tree halted its movements. With a solemn expression, Zhou Bai noticed the sound of bells ringing in the air, and the chime grew increasingly closer as time passed.

Jiang Xing's face contorted hideously. Right there in the room, he transformed into his Ghost Bear True Form, opened his bloody maw, and swallowed the fetal fruit in a single gulp.

The sound of the bells abruptly ceased. Bone spurs began to sprout on the Ghost Bear True Form, its pelt grew increasingly thick, and the rotting patches on its body vanished entirely.

Exhausted by the process, Jiang Xing lapsed into unconsciousness, yet his innate divine ability was undergoing ceaseless metamorphosis. This fruit seemed to share a similar effect with the Yin Jade, capable of aiding the divine ability in ascending.

Signaling the Ghost Tree to continue copying the martial arts manuals, Zhou Bai stepped out of the room.

In the corridor outside, the shop assistants had all collapsed unconscious, though fortunately none of them were in mortal danger.

He strode up to the door of Jiang Xing's room, used the roots of the Ghost Tree to peel away the spiritual talismans pasted on the back of the door, and stepped inside.

The unusual commotion here would inevitably draw the attention of the True Soul realm expert in the inner city. Zhou Bai had no time to waste; he instantly transformed into his White Bone True Form.

Pressing his finger against the center of Jiang Xing's brow, regardless of the potential consequences it might inflict upon the man, he rapidly scanned the memories regarding that fruit.

The fruit was known as the Ghost Child Fruit, related to a malevolent entity called the Ghost Mother. When consumed by a cultivator who had awakened Ghost Path divine abilities, it could cause those abilities to undergo a metamorphosis—much like the Yin Jade.

Every year or so, the Ghost Mother would give birth to a Ghost Child Fruit, after which she would pay it no further heed, while the fruit would slowly take shape as an evil ghost known as a Ghost Infant.

Once the Ghost Infant fully formed, the Ghost Mother would return to seek it out. The one Zhou Bai had encountered earlier at the deep pit was likely just recently born, whereas the one Jiang Xing possessed had already existed for quite some time.

The missing children causing such an uproar throughout Songdu were most likely connected to this incoming Ghost Mother.