bookbashuk Chapter 51 His Heroic Reputation Spreads Far and Wide
Chapter 51 His Heroic Reputation Spreads Far and Wide
Zhou Ning did not retreat. Instead, he rushed forward, condensed his righteous energy at the tip of his sword, and unleashed the first move of the Demon-Slaying Sword Technique, "Demon-Breaking Slash".
Immediately, a dazzling cyan sword aura slashed out and struck the Blood Demon's chest heavily.
"boom!"
The Blood Demon was struck by the mighty sword energy and staggered backward. In an instant, a gash appeared on the hard scales on its chest, and black blood gushed out.
But it did not fall; instead, it became even more ferocious, opening its terrifying, blood-red maw and suddenly biting at Zhou Ning.
Zhou Ning's expression changed slightly. He dodged to the side, pulled out an "evil-repelling talisman" from his waist, and stuck it on the blood demon's forehead.
"disease!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the talisman lit up with a golden light, and the blood demon let out a miserable scream as its whole body burst into golden flames.
It struggled and tumbled in the inextinguishable flames, eventually turning into a pile of ashes.
Zhou Ning, covered in sweat and panting heavily, sheathed his sword.
The middle-aged Taoist priest Lin stepped forward, looking at the pile of ashes with eyes full of admiration.
"Young Master Zhou, impressive skills."
Zhou Ning shook his head with a wry smile and said, "You flatter me, Daoist Master. If you hadn't injured it first with your magic, I wouldn't have been able to succeed so easily."
Master Lin smiled, took out a pill from his robes, and handed it to Zhou Ning:
"This is a Qi-restoring pill; it can help you recover your internal energy."
Zhou Ning took the pill, swallowed it, and sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing.
The internal energy within him slowly recovered, and the feeling of fatigue gradually subsided.
Master Lin sat down beside him and sighed:
"The people of Black Mountain are getting more and more arrogant. They even dare to raise something like a Blood Demon."
Zhou Ning asked, "Master Lin, how much do you know about Black Mountain?"
Master Lin was silent for a moment, then said:
"Not much. All we know is that behind them is a powerful figure called the 'Black Mountain Demon,' whose magical power is boundless. Their influence extends throughout the world, capturing monsters and ordinary people everywhere, using their essence and blood to refine elixirs."
He paused, then continued, "My senior brother was injured because he was investigating the Black Mountain matter."
Zhou Ning nodded: "I'm very sorry about what happened to your senior brother."
Master Lin shook his head: "It's not your fault. If anyone's to blame, it's the people of Black Mountain for being too ruthless."
He stood up and dusted off his robes:
"Young Master Zhou, where are you going next?"
Zhou Ning said, "The North. Black Mountain's lair is there."
Master Lin was taken aback and said in surprise, "You're going to Black Mountain? That's too dangerous."
Zhou Ning said, "I know, but I have to go."
Master Lin remained silent for a moment, then took out a jade talisman from his sleeve, handed it to Zhou Ning, and said:
"This is the communication jade talisman of my Qingfeng Temple. If you encounter any trouble in the North, you can use it to contact me. Although my cultivation level is not high, I have a few friends in the North who might be able to help."
Zhou Ning accepted the jade talisman and solemnly said, "Thank you, Daoist Lin."
The two returned to town together.
The next morning, Zhou Ning bid farewell to Master Lin and continued his journey north.
As he walked down the street, he kept replaying the experiences of the past few days in his mind.
Zhu Erdan, Judge Lu, Blood Demon, Taoist Master Lin...
Every person and every event made his Daoist heart more clear.
He understood that the path of cultivation was not just about meditation, practicing qi cultivation, and slaying demons.
Furthermore, one must temper one's character in the mortal world, distinguish right from wrong, and uphold one's true nature in the face of life and death.
And this is precisely what Master meant by "Dao Heart".
Zhou Ning gripped his Qingfeng sword tightly, quickened his pace, and headed north.
After the battle of Huangsha Town, Zhou Ning's reputation began to spread in the nearby cultivation circles.
First came the corpse transformation in Baihe Village, then the mountain demon in Heifeng Village, followed by the fox demon in Guobei County and Lu Pan's head swap, and finally the blood demon in Huangsha Town.
The parties involved and witnesses of these events spread Zhou Ning's deeds far and wide, embellishing the story and gradually shaping him into a promising young swordsman with profound Taoist skills.
"Have you heard? The disciple of Immortal Yan of Qingyun Mountain is young but can slay demons and monsters. Even a Foundation Establishment stage demon general is no match for him."
"He's more than just a demon general. I've heard he also knows thunder magic; a single bolt of lightning can turn the demons of Black Mountain to ashes."
"Tsk tsk, the younger generation is truly formidable."
Zhou Ning naturally didn't hear these rumors.
He was focused on getting to the north as soon as possible to find out the details of the Black Mountain Demon.
On this day, he arrived at a small town called "Luoxia Town" and planned to rest and replenish his dry food.
As soon as he entered the town, he saw a group of people gathered in front of the notice board, pointing and talking.
Zhou Ning went closer and saw a red paper posted on the notice board, which read:
"The Zhang family in this town is haunted. The crying sounds are incessant at midnight, and the family is terrified."
If any expert can exorcise this evil spirit, I am willing to offer one hundred taels of silver as a reward.
The contact person is Master Zhang, who lives in a large house at the west end of town.
Zhou Ning glanced at it but paid it no mind and turned to look for an inn.
However, as soon as he entered the inn, the innkeeper recognized him.
"You...you are Young Master Zhou?" The shopkeeper's eyes widened, his face filled with surprise.
Zhou Ning was taken aback: "You know me?"
The shopkeeper quickly replied, "Oh dear, who doesn't know the name of Young Master Zhou these days?"
"Your deeds of beheading the Corpse King in Baihe Village, fighting Lu Pan in Guobei County, and eliminating the Blood Demon in Huangsha Town have long been known."
"Come, come, please have a seat. The hotel will cover all your room and meals for today."
Zhou Ning smiled wryly: "Shopkeeper, you're too kind. I'm just an ordinary cultivator, I don't deserve such treatment."
The shopkeeper shook his head: "Young Master Zhou is too modest. We have all heard about your deeds. You are a hero who rid the people of evil, and we ordinary folks respect people like you the most."
Without saying a word, he pulled Zhou Ning to sit down and ordered the waiter to serve tea and dishes.
Zhou Ning could not refuse, so he had no choice but to sit down.
Before long, a middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe and with a prosperous face hurriedly entered the inn and headed straight for Zhou Ning.
"Are you Mr. Zhou?" the middle-aged man asked breathlessly.
Zhou Ning stood up: "That's me. And you are...?"
The middle-aged man quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "My name is Zhang Fugui, the wealthy Zhang from the west end of town. Young Master Zhou, please save my whole family."
Zhou Ning recalled the notice on the bulletin board: "Is your house haunted?"
Master Zhang nodded, his eyes reddening.
"It's been going on for half a month now. Every night, there are cries coming from the courtyard, so mournful and terrifying that it terrifies everyone. I've invited several Taoist priests, but it's no use. One of them said that the ghost is too fierce and he doesn't dare to mess with it."
He paused, then continued:
"Young Master Zhou, I've heard that your Taoist magic is profound. Please help me. The reward is negotiable; if one hundred taels isn't enough, two hundred taels will do."
Zhou Ning waved his hand: "Master Zhang, the money is negotiable. First, tell me, what is the origin of that ghost?"
Master Zhang sighed and recounted the whole story in detail.
It turns out that Master Zhang's house was passed down from his ancestors.
It is said that a person is buried under the house. She was Zhang Yuanwai's great-grandfather's concubine. She was beaten to death for violating the family rules and was buried in the courtyard.
"That happened decades ago," said Master Zhang.
"Nothing had ever happened before. But in the last two weeks, it suddenly started acting up. Every night, I can hear a woman crying, saying things like 'Give me back my life'..."
Zhou Ning frowned: "How did your great-grandfather's concubine die?"
Master Zhang lowered his head, not daring to look at him:
"She was... she was beaten to death by my great-grandfather. He said she was unfaithful, so..."
Zhou Ning understood.
It's yet another story of a vengeful spirit seeking revenge.