In the Taoist book, bundled with the "Transformation into Tiger Technique", there is also a legend about the Tiger God from the southwest of Red County Shenzhou.
Many of the local Miao Clan believed that after death, merging with a tiger could bring them back to life.
Consequently, for a long time, they maintained a funeral tradition: cremating the body wrapped in tiger skin, which could potentially transform the deceased into a tiger and grant them a new life in the form of this beast.
This tradition lasted for many years, and after a long period, some witches performing the rituals gradually learned this side door skill in their dreams.
Subsequently, it was documented by the southern left-handed Dharma Sect, the Xiangshan Sect, and became one of the famed "Seventy-Two Strange Skills of Xiangshan".
Depending on the depth of their cultivation, the "Transformation into Tiger Technique" had two divine abilities after being mastered.
The first form, "Fake Tiger": Praying over tiger fur, turning into a pseudo-tiger.
Setting up an altar and practicing, one could transform their own 108 hairs into 108 strands of tiger fur, each strand capable of transforming into a tiger, possessing the tiger's might but not its strength, sufficient however to intimidate wild beasts and scare off evil ghosts.
For those trekking in the wilderness or traversing waters alone, using this pseudo-tiger as a decoy, all dangers would avoid them, bringing great fortune!
The second form, "True Tiger Transformation": Gradually familiarizing with tigers, mimicking the third realm of Martial Arts "Spirit Communication Transformation", one could completely transform into a real ferocious tiger.
Moreover, it enabled the communication between life and death, possessing innate divine abilities to control Yin winds, enslave and command Chang Ghosts.
"That was close, if Wild Dog Taoist had mastered this magic, made up for his own inherent weakness and fear of ghosts, he might really have escaped,"
Seeing the description of the "Transformation into Tiger Technique", Wang Yuan felt a surge of exhilaration after his initial scare.
This magic could be used both in battle and in law, offering a full range of enhancements and greatly increasing combat power once mastered.
However, its precepts and taboos were also very strict.
Precept Taboo:
[First, the Eight Characters of one's birth must contain "Yin".]
[Second, one must consume no less than twenty kilos of meat each month, with a penalty reducing one's own flesh by one kilo for every kilo less eaten...
Note: The part of self-reduction is self-determined, painlessly extracted.]
[Third, after transforming into a tiger, one's appetite soars, and human infants become an almost irresistible temptation to the practitioner, but one must not eat humans! Must not eat humans! Must not eat humans!
If one consumes human flesh, they will immediately mutate into a fallen demon, and it is irreversible.]
[Fourth, every year during the Yin Month (January), on a Yin Day (every twelve days, without a specific schedule), and Yin Time (3 a.m. to 5 a.m), establish an altar facing the west towards the constellation Gastros, and offer chickens, ducks, fish, and swine.
For each item missing, a random organ such as heart, liver, spleen, or kidney from the practitioner's body shall replace it.]
Wang Yuan fell into deep contemplation.
"Among the three available Daoist skills, excluding the unworkable 'Human Face Painting Skill', the most potent definitely is the complete 'Gathering Beast and Taming Bird Skill'.
Once mastered, it allows not only summoning and commanding wild beasts and fierce birds but also tempering, enlightening, and transforming them, creating a range of powerful dueling capabilities.
Eagles and birds for surveillance in the sky, lions, wolves, tigers, and leopards surging on the ground, man-eating giant crocodiles in the water...
However, with only the 'Gathering Beasts Magic Skill', it's not only extremely dangerous but also lacking in potential without the possibility of Enlightenment.
But if combined with the 'Transformation into Tiger Technique', at least there's no worry about being arbitrarily retaliated against, and it would enrich the combat methods, killing several birds with one stone."
Thinking this, he also turned to the last page of the book, his eyes suddenly lighting up.
Note: Know that "one's fate and two fortunes rank above all, followed by Feng Shui, accumulating Yin Morality, and learning."
Sects have Venerable Gods to suppress Qi Fortune, but side doors only rely on oneself, hence the importance of 'life charts'.
If born with the Eight Characters 'Yin Character with Seal' or the 'White Tiger Holding Position', these two precious tiger-related life charts, or if born with the innate phenomenon 'Tiger Aspect', one can be immune to the fourth precept.
Partly immune to the third precept, the transformed tiger's appetite for humans diminishes, but consuming humans is still forbidden.
"Choose it! Must choose it!"
With no more hesitation, relying on his own 'White Tiger Holding Position' life chart, Wang Yuan now had to observe significantly fewer precepts, merely needing to ensure he ate plenty of meat in the future.
Mainly cultivate the 'Transformation into Tiger Technique', with the 'Gathering Beasts Magic Skill' as a supplement!
What followed was the scribbling of Wild Dog Taoist, even longer than the previous two:
"Why is Heavenly Destiny so unjust to me?
Not only do I lack an extraordinary appearance, an extraordinary family background, and extraordinary wealth, but even an extraordinary life chart is not mine!
Even with this 'Transformation into Tiger Technique' that I helped Uncle Ge obtain in advance, it can't fundamentally solve my problems.
He was one of the participants who brought down the Xiangshan Sect back in the day, and he surely possesses the 'Tame Bird Skill' that could supplement the 'Gathering Beast and Taming Bird Skill'!
He just suspects my devotion to the Holy Mother, fearing I'd change sects before receiving the talisman, no longer using 'Peach God Tao' as my path to Enlightenment.
Don't think I don't know, the stuff in the Owl God Tomb is likewise from the side door, and I'm not fooled by your intentions!"
The rage of Wild Dog Taoist within the lines seemed almost as if it was about to spill off the page.
"I didn't expect there to be an unexpected gain.
Was what Master Ge sought also related to cultivation? It's just not known whether it was a special Daoist Skill or a treasure.
Unfortunately, Wild Dog Taoist did not leave records about which Daoist Skill Master Ge cultivated. It would have been beneficial to know what Precept Taboos Master Ge had to adhere to."
Even though Wang Yuan had reached Wangren Town, he had already narrowly escaped the chain of deadly traps arranged by Wang Yunhu and Master Ge.
But he found in the Small Book of Life and Death that his Qi Fortune was still "-5, Sky Light, three flames flickering, ominous!"
There was no difference from before.
This immediately made him vigilant again, without becoming complacent.
Perhaps, just as Wild Dog Taoist had said, "As long as you are within the range of Beimang Mountain, you are bound to die sooner or later."
Wang and Ge were merely the pushers; his greatest crisis might still be the Owl God Tomb.
Perhaps when the bicentennial grand ritual came, just like the Elder Care Pavilion spread around Beimang Mountain, he would be swallowed by the Owl God Tomb in an instant!
Wang Yuan's eyes sparkled, and his eagerness to get into Daoist Skill grew stronger.
No matter how the situation developed, only genuine strength could offset the risk.
Allowing himself a chance to uncover the secret from fifteen years ago after temporarily escaping the mire and hopefully saving his own life.
Luckily,
After using devious tactics and successively killing Wang Cheng, two others, and Wild Dog Taoist, he had gained some confidence.
Not only did he acquire three Daoist Skills, but he also accrued a total of 367 points of Yin Morality.
With the existing 52 points, he had now exceeded four hundred points, greatly enhancing his ability to face risks.
The only surprise was that killing a Wild Dog Taoist even yielded more than his initial gains from killing Fish Face Monster and from the Corpse Account Scripture.
It inadvertently showed that this human Magician had committed far more evils than the Fish Face Monster!
"Monstrous humans" are more terrifying than those "human-shaped monsters."
Wang Yuan carefully put away the Taoist Book, ignited a fire to the Wild Dog Taoist and the group of dogs, drier than kindling, and completely destroyed their bodies and traces.
The noise of Ghost Street behind him continued, growing even more bustling as the night deepened.
Having gained a great advantage, Wang Yuan had no intention of thanking these "uncles and aunts."
"Although grandfather said to maintain a good relationship with the mountain residents, unfortunately, not all 'neighbors' living in 'Wangren Town' can communicate normally."
Unless one's Life Chart was peculiar, bearing great hatred, grievance, or vengeance, or had arranged corresponding Daoist Skills or Rituals during their lifetime.
Most people, after turning into ghosts upon death, had already become a completely different form of life from the living.
They seemed to live in the same world as the living, but the barriers were everywhere.
The saying "ghosts speak nonsensically" refers exactly to this principle.
Most Wandering Souls and Evil Ghost Spirits lacked complete awareness, moving only according to ingrained habits – actors continue to perform, drinkers keep drinking, chess players keep playing chess... until they dissipate.
Most of the beings on this night market street belonged to this category.
But the relative he planned to seek refuge with was different.
He once again took out the blood-red incense bag from his clothing and held it in his hand.
Wang Yuan tried to suppress the reflexive weakening of his legs, bolstered his spirits quietly, and prepared to head deeper into Wangren Town.
In a fading sprawl of lights, a giant Dragon Claw Locust tree, nearly thirty meters tall, had become visible.
Just then, a "yiyiyaya" sound of suona music drifted to his ears.
Looking around, he couldn't find the source of the sound anywhere, whether in the pitch-dark Beimang Mountain or the bustling street market.
But in a puddle left by the rain beneath Wang Yuan's feet, a festive procession gradually began to be reflected.
Four red-clothed servants carried a luxurious crimson sedan, surrounded by a bustling group playing music, as if it were a bridal procession.
They emerged from the depths of "Wangren Town" appearing slow but were actually fast and sprinted towards Wang Yuan's direction.
"Lift the sedan!"
As a chillingly eerie chant rang out, ripples suddenly swirled in the puddle, and the sedan's curtain flickered briefly.
And Wang Yuan, who had been standing at the edge of the puddle, had vanished without a trace.