Chapter Four, The Five Communication Deities

Lord Muramasa, I am the demon-slaying mage Li Daoxuan. The bat demon has already been slain by me. In the cold of the deep night, I find myself hungry. May I request some food?

Muramasa family

In the early years of the Zhenguan era, the world had just emerged from turmoil, with industries in decline and prices exceedingly high. After Li Daoxuan's arrival, most of the money he earned from exorcising demons was spent on purchasing yellow paper and vermilion, leaving him with little opportunity to enjoy a full meal.

Li Daoxuan carefully stored the gold and silver, and immediately felt much more confident. He was not afraid of being wanted by the authorities. Although this world was also the Tang Dynasty, it was different from the historical Tang Dynasty, as many demons and monsters roamed freely.

Some families persecuted by the bat demons, with tears in their eyes, relentlessly hacked at the corpses of the bat demons with machetes

Even the moon seems to have dimmed a little

Truly, he is the wealthy landlord of Xiaosha Village

Summoning the wind and calling the rain, turning beans into soldiers, moving mountains and filling the seas, entering the depths and emerging from the darkness... These are indeed the ideals of a Taoist.

A small figure rushed out, excitedly shouting: "Brother Daoist, you are not dead!"

This person is not only highly skilled but also exceptionally handsome

Li Daoxuan took a step forward, intending to escape from here, but after just a few steps, he stopped again

Did the bat demon die

The meal was not lavish, consisting only of a few steamed buns, a bowl of thin porridge with some wild vegetables floating in it, and perhaps the most extravagant item was the plate of dried mutton, a treasured collection of the old village.

However, a clear and bright voice soon rang out, putting his mind at ease

This humble old man could not bear to let the demon-slaying hero eat so poorly, so he took out the dried meat he had prepared for the New Year from the cellar and gave it all to Li Daoxuan

We also reported it to the authorities, but the previous county magistrate met a tragic end along with his family due to his intention to demolish the Wutong Temple. After that, no one dared to resist. The new county magistrate even had the Wutong Temple renovated for them

The old village chief shuddered and quickly covered his granddaughter's mouth, preventing her from speaking

The Five Spirits refer to five types of monsters that have been cultivated into spirits and are worshipped in folk beliefs. These are generally animals that roam at night, and they can cause significant harm to the livestock and fields of farmers. Therefore, people both detest them and feel compelled to offer sacrifices, praying for them to spare their lives

The figure standing outside the door may not be a living person

Meanwhile, Li Daoxuan was eating his meal heartily

The old village chief did not rise, but instead pleaded with Li Daoxuan, saying: "Daoist Li, you possess great powers; I implore you to eradicate evil thoroughly and help us!"

The demon elixir is formed by monsters absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, making it extremely precious. Some pharmacies even offer a high price of one or two demon elixirs for one hundred taels of gold.

The old village chief shook his head and said, "Fortunately, three years ago, a passing Taoist took away three of the Five Spirits. It is a pity, however, that for some unknown reason, he spared the remaining two and left gracefully."

Li Daoxuan was very satisfied with this spell of shrinking the earth and moving through it. It was capable of both offense and escape, with a strong ability to preserve life, making it very suitable for him

Li Daoxuan questioned, "Isn't this bat demon already dead?"

Li Daoxuan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that only one remained at https://www.hetushu.com; if there had been four, he would have had to flee immediately

Li Daoxuan feasted heartily, as if the wind were sweeping away the remnants of clouds, resembling a starving ghost.

For someone like Wang Caizhu, who colludes with demons and monsters, their death is inconsequential, and the authorities generally do not intervene further

However, this substance cannot be consumed directly; it needs to be refined into a pill to eliminate the demonic power

I have long since realized that although the young Taoist priest is still in his youth, he is clearly a capable individual

A trace of astonishment appeared in the old village chief's eyes, but more than that, there was doubt

Li Daoxuan revealed a gentle smile, kicked the bat demon, and said: "Muramasa, do not be afraid, this fellow has already been struck dead by my heavenly thunder"

The little granddaughter chewed on the jerky, blinking in confusion, and at the suggestion of those around her, she also knelt down towards Li Daoxuan

... ...

So aside from the bat demon, is there still one Wutong God left

Wutong Shen, despite having a divine name, is in fact a great evil, belonging to the category of wicked deities and lewd rituals

This is the common people of the early Zhenguan period; if this were not the home of the village chief, perhaps even the dried meat would not be available

Li Daoxuan stood there in a daze

Run! We must escape quickly

Li Daoxuan fell silent for a long time, and after a gentle sigh, he finally made his choice

The old villager was holding his granddaughter, and both of them were feeling a bit drowsy, almost falling asleep. At that moment, a knock on the door sounded.

Although the art of talismans is commendable, it consumes a great deal of yellow paper and cinnabar, and it is also prone to failure in execution. How can it compare to the elegance and convenience of spells?

She thought that Li Daoxuan despised her for licking the - picture - book, and with a sobbing tone, she said: "Brother Daoist, Aye is not dirty, Aye rinses her mouth with willow branches every morning..."

Li Daoxuan's eyes revealed a look of surprise, as it truly was a spell

Li Daoxuan furrowed his brows and quickly reached out to support the old village chief, saying: "There is no need for this. Exorcising demons and subduing evil spirits is the duty of us cultivators. Moreover, it is merely a small bat demon; you need not be so concerned!"

At this thought, Li Daoxuan suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his back. He looked up at the night sky and felt as if a ferocious beast, thirsting for human blood, was lurking within the depths of that darkness

Li Daoxuan had a premonition that the monster who called itself the Green Emperor was far more terrifying than this bat demon

... ...

Twenty taels of gold, equivalent to two hundred taels of silver, would be sufficient for a household to live comfortably for a lifetime, even considering the relatively high prices in the early years of the Zhenguan era

The bat demon is dead

Li Daoxuan was taken aback and said, "So, what you mean is that there are four more monsters like this bat demon?"

However, the old village chief and several elderly villagers approached, followed by many villagers, all gazing at Li Daoxuan with a sense of reverence

What kind of master is a Taoist who cannot perform spells

Li Daoxuan handed her several pieces, and she immediately broke into a radiant smile, her big eyes squinting into crescent shapes, as she licked the jerky like a precious treasure, fearing that she would finish it with just one bite

After Li Daoxuan had eaten his fill, he left one or two silver coins on the table and prepared to leave quietly

However, a thought suddenly emerged, sending a chill down his spine

However, he did not begin his cultivation with the establishment of a foundation and the engraving of books, but instead went to the kitchen to find a kitchen knife, and then cut open the abdomen of the bat demon, from which he found the demon core the size of a mung bean amidst the dark blood and flesh

Indeed, he calls himself the Green Emperor, and he particularly favors promiscuous individuals | Wives and daughters, the young women within a radius of several dozen miles, many of those with decent looks have been harmed by him

A piece of jerky is indeed a delicacy that many people yearn for

His magical power has only recovered to fifty percent, and there are not many talismans left. What can he use to subdue the demons

Muramasa's little granddaughter looked at the dim-eyed old man, then glanced at Li Daoxuan, who was preparing to leave. Her small mind could not comprehend what had happened, nor why the atmosphere had suddenly become so heavy

To escape or to stay

She held in her hands the half-licked jerky, and although reluctant, she still said: "Brother Daoist, I... I only licked a little bit, the rest is all for you. Could you please help A-Weng?"

Huh? How come I remember you telling me before that the old monk looked the most formidable?

Daoist Li may not be aware that this Bat God... the Bat Demon is actually the Wutong God from the Chaos Stone Mountain, located thirty miles outside the village. They suddenly appeared in the third year of the Wude era, which was seven years ago, bringing disaster to the countryside

Li Daoxuan put it away carefully, and then searched the deceased Wang Caizhu's body again, only to find a mere few taels of silver

Muramasa's little granddaughter looked at the jerky on the table and swallowed her saliva

The old village chief and the elders approached Li Daoxuan and then knelt down before him; not only they, but the villagers behind them also followed suit and knelt down.

A moment later

He let his granddaughter continue to hide under the blanket, and walked slowly to the front door. After hesitating for a moment, he gently opened the door

Many people are still discussing in low voices

He turned his head to look at the villagers who were still kneeling. If he were to escape, would the monster claiming to be the Green Emperor vent his anger on them

Under the moonlight, a gigantic bat demon stood there, with a green face and sharp fangs, instilling a sense of dread in those who beheld it

It is said that there exists a unique connection among the Five通神. If one of them were to slay the Bat Demon, would the demon, who calls himself the Azure Emperor, already be aware and come seeking revenge?

The old village chief's gaze trembled, and he saw that the corpse of the bat demon was covered in charred blackness, having long since fallen silent

She saw the terrifying corpse of the bat demon being trampled underfoot by Li Daoxuan, and in her large eyes, there was a mix of fear and excitement, which ultimately transformed into admiration

The small village of Shazhuang, which had always fallen into silence at night, has now become lively, with people running about, cheering, and shouting in excitement, almost as if it were the New Year

Ahem, I suddenly remembered that there are still some matters I need to attend to, so I shall take my leave now

The entire Xiaosha Village was stirred, with countless villagers rising in the middle of the night to witness the bat demon that had caused havoc and committed numerous atrocities for many years

The old village chief felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and a look of terror appeared in his eyes. Trembling, he reached out to close the door, but in the next moment, the terrifying bat demon collapsed with a loud thud, revealing the handsome Taoist priest behind it

... ...

Li Daoxuan, unwilling to give up, searched the bedroom once more. This time, he indeed made considerable gains, finding a total of thirty taels of silver and two gold ingots, each weighing ten taels, gleaming with a golden luster that was quite appealing.