Liaozhai: Immortality Begins with Becoming Yan Chixia's Apprentice

Chapter 50 Fighting the Blood Demon

The matter in Guobei County has finally been completely resolved.

Standing on the hillside outside the city, Zhou Ning looked back at the outline of the county town in the morning mist, and a feeling he couldn't quite describe welled up in his heart.

Zhu Erdan's calamity, Lu Pan's obsession, the shadow of Black Mountain...

Everything he had experienced these past few days was like a series of whetstones, constantly sharpening his Daoist heart.

"The human heart is a den of demons, even more so than evil spirits."

Master's words echoed in my ears once again.

Zhou Ning took a deep breath, turned around, and strode north.

The roads in the north are becoming increasingly difficult to travel.

The further north you go, the sparser the population becomes, and the more barren the land becomes.

The distance between villages is getting wider and wider; sometimes you can walk all day without seeing a single person.

Occasionally, you might encounter a few traveling merchants, all of whom are in a hurry and have solemn expressions.

"Sir, is there anywhere to stay up ahead?"

Zhou Ning stopped a merchant driving a donkey cart and asked.

The merchant looked him up and down, then shook his head and said:

"If you go another thirty li north, there's a place called 'Huangsha Town' where you can rest. But I advise you not to travel before dark."

Why?

The businessman lowered his voice:

"That area has been rather unsettled lately. I've heard there are monsters lurking around, preying on travelers at night. A few days ago, a caravan of over a dozen people was traveling at night, and none of them returned."

Zhou Ning frowned slightly: "Isn't the government doing anything about it?"

"Manage? With what means? I heard it's a monster." The merchant smiled wryly.

"The men we sent all perished inside. Now no one dares to walk at night; they lock their doors and windows as soon as it gets dark."

Zhou Ning thanked the merchant and continued on his way.

He quickened his pace and arrived in Huangsha Town before dark.

Huangsha Town is a small town with only a few dozen households. The houses are low and the streets are narrow.

At the entrance of the town stands a stone tablet with the three characters "Huangsha Town" engraved on it, but the characters have been blurred by wind and sand.

The town was deserted, with few pedestrians on the streets.

Several elderly people were sitting in the doorway basking in the sun. When they saw Zhou Ning, a stranger, they all cast wary glances at him.

Zhou Ning found an inn to stay in.

The innkeeper was an elderly man in his fifties, surnamed Ma. He had a kind face, but there was a hint of weariness in his eyes.

"Sir, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?"

"Checking in." Zhou Ning took out a small piece of silver and placed it on the counter.

"I'd like another hot meal to be delivered to my room."

Manager Ma nodded and instructed his assistant to take Zhou Ning to his room.

The room wasn't big, but it was fairly clean.

Zhou Ning put down his luggage, sat on the edge of the bed, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Before long, the waiter brought the food.

A bowl of rice, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a bowl of vegetable soup—simple yet steaming hot.

Zhou Ning had just finished eating and was about to rest when he suddenly heard an argument coming from downstairs.

He walked to the top of the stairs and looked down.

Before long, a middle-aged man dressed in a gray Taoist robe was seen standing in front of the counter, arguing with Manager Ma.

"I told you, I'm really not a liar. I'm a Taoist priest from Qingfeng Temple, here to help you exorcise demons."

The middle-aged man's face turned red.

Shopkeeper Ma shook his head: "Taoist Master, it's not that I don't believe you. Several Taoist priests came before, all claiming they could exorcise demons, but what happened? They all got themselves killed. Our small business can't afford such losses."

The middle-aged man became anxious:

"Then what do you suggest we do? We can't just watch the monsters continue to harm people, can we?"

Manager Ma sighed, "We've already contacted the Demon Suppression Bureau. Let's wait for them to send someone over before we talk about it."

The middle-aged man sneered, "The Demon Suppression Division? If they were effective, the demons would have been eliminated long ago."

He flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.

Zhou Ning suddenly spoke up, "Taoist priest, please wait."

The middle-aged man looked up, saw Zhou Ning, and sized him up: "You are...?"

Zhou Ning descended the stairs, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Zhou Ning, also a cultivator. May I ask your esteemed name, Elder?"

The middle-aged man returned the greeting: "This humble Taoist priest is from Qingfeng Temple, and my surname is Lin."

Zhou Ning's heart skipped a beat.

Qingfeng Temple?

Isn't that the Taoist temple of Master Lin from Guobei County?

"Master Lin, do you know Master Lin from Guobei County?" Zhou Ning asked.

The middle-aged man was taken aback: "That's my senior brother. You know him?"

Zhou Ning nodded: "I once met your senior brother. He was injured and is recuperating."

The middle-aged man's expression changed: "Senior brother is injured? Who did this?"

"The people of Montenegro."

Zhou Ning continued, "Your senior brother was injured by the Black Mountain people while investigating the missing person case."

A flash of anger crossed the middle-aged man's eyes:

"Black Mountain...it's them again."

He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

Zhou Ning's eyes flickered as he asked, "Master Lin, are the demons in Huangsha Town also from Black Mountain?"

The middle-aged man shook his head: "I'm not sure. But based on my observations these past few days, that monster behaves strangely, unlike ordinary spirits. It specifically appears at night, attacking lone travelers and sucking their blood. I suspect it might be a blood demon raised by Black Mountain."

"Blood Demon?"

Zhou Ning frowned.

The middle-aged man nodded and said, "The Blood Demon is an evil creature that feeds on human blood, can change its form, and is extremely difficult to deal with."

"It hides in the shadows during the day and comes out at night. Ordinary talismans and spells are not very effective against it."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "I've been tracking it for several days and have figured out its activity patterns."

"It should appear near the ruined temple outside town tonight. I plan to go and meet it."

Zhou Ning thought for a moment and said, "If you don't mind, I'd be happy to go with you, wouldn't that be alright?"

The middle-aged man glanced at him, a hint of suspicion in his eyes, and asked, "What is your cultivation level?"

Zhou Ning said, "He should be at the peak of the Qi Refining stage."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man nodded, finding it feasible, at least it wouldn't hold him back, and said, "That's enough. But be careful, the blood demon is very fast, don't let it get close."

After discussing their plan, the two returned to their respective rooms to prepare.

Night falls.

The moon was obscured by thick clouds, and the world was pitch black.

Zhou Ning and Master Lin quietly left the inn and made their way towards the dilapidated temple outside the town.

The dilapidated temple is located on a wasteland on the east side of the town. It has been in disrepair for many years, and half of its roof has collapsed.

The open space in front of the temple was overgrown with weeds, some as tall as half a person.

The two hid in the bushes, holding their breath, waiting for the Blood Demon to appear.

It was just past midnight.

A gust of cold wind blew by, and the grass rustled.

Zhou Ning gripped the Qingfeng Sword tightly, channeling his inner energy into it, causing the sword to glow with a faint blue light.

A dark figure darted out of the darkness and landed on the open ground in front of the dilapidated temple.

It was a humanoid monster, covered in black scales, with ghostly green flames burning in its eyes and two sharp fangs protruding from its mouth.

Its hands have long fingernails, like sharp daggers.

Blood Demon!

It looked around, seemingly searching for prey.

Master Lin leaped out of the bushes, flicked his whisk, and a silvery-white light shot towards the Blood Demon.

The Blood Demon dodged the light with a flash and pounced on Master Lin at the same time.

Zhou Ning followed closely behind, wielding his Qingfeng sword and unleashing a streak of azure sword energy.

The sword energy struck the blood demon's back, sending sparks flying.

The Blood Demon let out a roar, turned around, and pounced on Zhou Ning.

Its speed was astonishing; it arrived in front of Zhou Ning in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Ning had no time to dodge, so he had to hold the Qingfeng sword horizontally in front of him to withstand the attack.

"Bang!"

The blood demon's claws struck the sword, producing a muffled thud.

Zhou Ning was forced back several steps, his hands and feet going numb.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Master Lin waved his whisk, and a silver-white light struck the Blood Demon's back.

The blood demon screamed as a charred wound appeared on its scales, emitting wisps of black smoke.

Enraged, it let out a deafening roar, and thick black mist billowed from its body.

Within the black mist, its form began to swell, growing larger and more ferocious.

"Oh no, it's transforming!" Master Lin's expression changed drastically.

"Retreat now!"