Su Heng purchased a residence in the Ninth Fang near Jingyang Fang. On one hand, it was necessary for his daily martial arts practice, while on the other, Su Heng wished to avoid the demonic scent on his body, which could attract unclean entities and harm his family.
This house was located less than two blocks from the Su Family's mansion.
If there was ever an emergency at home, Su Heng, with his current level of perception, could quickly and timely hurry back upon hearing any disturbances.
With the aid of Tai Sui meat, Su Heng's cultivation speed was astonishing.
In the past,
it would take five to six days for Su Heng to gain one attribute point.
But with Tai Sui meat and spending a fortune on various precious supplements, ingredients, and herbs, the efficiency of gaining attribute points increased to one per day.
The advancement of the Pure Yang Skill was rapid, and the degree of vein mutation also steadily improved.
Almost every morning, waking up and standing in the courtyard, looking up at the sun, Su Heng could distinctly feel the transformation occurring in his body; it was a metamorphosis from a fragile mortal into a fierce beast that devoured demons.
A few more days passed,
and the mage whom Grandfather Su had generously paid to come from Dinglin Temple completed a ritual at their home.
It must be said, those old monks seemed proficient during the ceremony, but in Su Heng's eyes, these monks were just ordinary people. As for whether the sutras and scrolls had any effect on suppressing demons, Su Heng could not conclude.
But since then,
there had actually been no more occurrences of people drowning in wells in Changqing County.
Everything returned to its usual tranquility, with people coming and going in Changqing County, and the hustle and bustle as busy as ever, but Su Heng did not believe the matter would end so simply.
On one hand,
Su Heng continued to collect martial arts and focus on cultivation.
On the other hand, Su Heng also investigated county records and gathered ancient rumors from the elders, summarizing them. These diverse sources of information came together, gradually unveiling a corner of a mysterious and chilling world before him.
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*
*
In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.
This evening, Su Heng sat in his study, flipping through thick, ancient books by the crimson light of the setting sun.
"In the eighty-ninth year of the Da Zhou, in Changqing County, there was an object like a hat that flew into people's homes at night, transforming into a large wolf and killing dozens."
"In the ninety-sixth year of the Da Zhou, Daoist Shouxuan of Baishong Mountain claimed he would ascend to enlightenment in three days, and hundreds of disciples attended the ceremony. Daoist Shouxuan's chest and abdomen were torn open, his organs ejected from his body, and over three hundred people present went mad, biting each other, with heavy casualties."
"In the one hundred sixteenth year of the Da Zhou, in Lianshan City, there were water ghosts with slender bodies and ape-like faces that could hide in the water. They were strong, fond of consuming human vitality, and the dead appeared drowned. Endless rain poured down for ten days, spreading plague, and people attacked each other, resulting in over a hundred thousand casualties."
"Water ghosts!"
Upon turning to the last page and seeing this brief record,
Su Heng's eyes widened as he felt a chill rise up his back.
The water ghosts described in this ancient book were almost identical to the well demon he had encountered before. Moreover, considering the unexplained drownings in Changqing County, it seemed he might also find the answer within this record.
"If this continues... then it's going to be heavy rains, a plague," Su Heng sighed deeply, closing the ancient book and massaging his slightly swollen temples.
According to the records in the book,
these so-called ghosts and monsters also have a growth process.
Initially, they are still physical beings, and even an ordinary person who has never cultivated could combat them with weapons and cause damage. But once they grow to a certain realm, awaken various innate divine abilities, and can command the wind and rain and hide within the creation, it will become very, very difficult to deal with them then.
Just like the current Su Heng,
If he were to fight a water ghost head-on, he was very confident he could kill it.
But the problem is, water ghosts can hide in water, and once they conceal themselves, and he can't find their tracks, Su Heng is out of options.
"Should I try to persuade the old man to move, to leave Changqing County?" Su Heng thought of this idea, but it wasn't feasible.
The Su Family had significant assets; moving wouldn't be easy.
Moreover, another important point, if they moved away from Changqing County, where should they move to? Based on the news he had gathered, the resurgence of demons and ghosts was happening throughout the entire Dazhou Dynasty. It was a changing era. In Changqing County, they encountered still-developing water ghosts, but moving elsewhere, they might encounter even more terrifying ghosts and monsters.
"And there's Su Li..." Su Heng thought of his sister who went out to study.
From the provincial city to Changqing County, spanning hundreds of kilometers, she might inevitably encounter some unclean beings on the road, and he didn't want to think deeper about whether she would run into any trouble. Su Heng's mind was a mess.
"The future, with all its uncertainties, really is too much," he watched the gradually dimming sunset outside the window and sighed deeply, his gaze becoming determined, "In an era of chaos and monsters, only strength can protect oneself, protect one's family..."
The gray and white attributes panel appeared before his eyes again.
[Height: 1.87 meters]
[Weight: 235 kg]
[Cultivation Technique: Pure Yang Skill, Level 6]
[Vein Mutation: 35%]
[Attribute Points: 20]
Compared to over half a month ago when he had just broken through in the Pure Yang Skill, Su Heng had gained twenty kilograms, but his height had only increased by two centimeters. Yet his figure didn't appear bloated at all; his physique was healthy and coordinated, with smooth and powerful muscle lines.
It was clear to see, this weight gain had been added to the density of his muscles and bones.
Apart from the Pure Yang Skill, Su Heng had collected two other internal cultivation techniques.
They were the Black Evil Technique and the Red Poison Technique.
The former was acquired by spending hundreds of Silver at a black market, while the latter was obtained from a fallen martial master living in seclusion within Changqing County. Compared to the Pure Yang Skill, these two techniques were more specialized and quite incomplete.
Su Heng had originally planned to try training in them, using his attribute points, but after seeing the collected data, he changed his mind.
"First, I'll cultivate the Pure Yang Skill to Great Perfection. Once there's no further progress, then I'll try the other two techniques." The Pure Yang Skill was balanced and peaceful, with the most complete heritage and the greatest potential. Unquestionably, Su Heng planned to make the Pure Yang Skill his primary cultivation method, while the other two techniques could serve as references and supplementary training.
With this thought in mind, Su Heng no longer hesitated.
"Pure Yang Skill, let's see where your limits lie!"
Accompanied by a long and heavy breath, the twenty attribute points he had accumulated over half a month disappeared in an instant.
The realms after the Pure Yang Skill initially blurred, jumping from Level 6 to Level 7, then changed again, finally stabilizing at Level 8. And when the Pure Yang Skill broke through to Level 8, a gray bracket appeared behind it, revealing a new term.