Chapter Nine, The Boundless Observation of the Mind, The Shadow of the Desolate Mansion

The lotus moves very quickly, and after catching up, Zhang Kui complained:

How is it that we have met again

Even for demons, without reaching a certain level of cultivation, flying is impossible. However, this woman seems weightless, occasionally using leverage to float several zhang away, and often stopping to wait.

Lotus, as if struck by lightning, "Master..."

The woman waved her hand, and a forest path covered with fallen leaves appeared, into which she walked directly

Unfortunately, Lian remained silent with a cold expression, and the two descended the mountain one after the other

This is strange

As I passed by a field, the smoke suddenly shifted direction, circling around a mound of earth that marked a grave.

Are you going to kill me

Having spoken, he vanished into thin air

With a gentle breath from her ruby lips, the sandalwood instantly ignited, the smoke coalescing and lingering, swirling around the lotus pod before drifting away into the distance

Two people, one in front and the other behind, left the city and traveled for the duration of a joss stick, arriving at a bamboo grove on a nearby mountain top

Eventually, the two arrived at an abandoned manor in the outskirts, and the smoke finally ceased.

No wonder they have set their sights on Yu Wenchang and Ling Yancheng

Ling Yancheng looked confused and shook her head

You will all meet a terrible end, beasts. One day, I will kill all of you!

The woman gazed thoughtfully at Zhang Kui's silhouette, and then as if recalling something, her expression slightly changed, transforming into a white shadow that swiftly darted away.

Zhang Kui furrowed his brow and stroked his chin, "Yu Wenchang, and you, a local scholar, and a courtesan from the capital, completely unrelated, why are both of you targeted by the demon? What is the purpose of this demonic magic?"

Never seen before

The two individuals then closely followed behind

Ling Yancheng was not possessed for long, much lighter than Yu Wenchang. After drinking a bowl of talisman water, he immediately regained his senses

This is called "The Method of Observing the Infinite Mind". Please follow me, Daoist priest.

The moonlight casts its reflection, shimmering on the waves.

"Daoist, Miss Ling has also been possessed."

Zhang Kui nodded, "Have you ever encountered any evil spirits?"

Washing in the clear ripples without being seductive

"Good baby!" Zhang Kui couldn't help but praise.

It is no wonder that this kind of sorcery is extremely covert; ordinary people might mistake it for madness. If it were not for Yu Gaishan's earnest concern for his son, it is likely that no one would have discovered it at all

Just as he was lost in thought, a faint voice suddenly reached his ears

The woman shook her head and said, "I practice alone, and I do not enjoy interacting with others"

In fact, Zhang Kui had already noticed when the other party first appeared at the Golden Wind Tower

As he spoke, a stick of sandalwood suddenly appeared in his hand

That is not the case

While he was leisurely wandering about, a white firework suddenly shot up into the sky from a distance

Zhang Kui laughed heartily and followed behind

What happened

A delicate lotus flower as fine as jade

The lotus, with its appearance of purity and detachment, instead provoked him to playfully tease it a little

Hello, we have all arrived, why not make an appearance

If he has this thing, wouldn't it be easy to catch monsters in the future

Lian's face showed clear signs of astonishment, her cheeks slightly flushed, and a hint of anger appeared in her eyes. "Fellow cultivator, please do not jest. I am wholeheartedly focused on my cultivation and have no such intentions. Capturing the evil spirits is of utmost importance."

The woman paused, a hint of reminiscence appearing in her eyes, "My name is Lian, this is the place where I transformed."

Zhang Kui pondered, "What is the purpose of this 'Infinite Observation of the Mind Method'?"

The courtesan has completely lost her usual aloofness, her eyes red, her face contorted as she continuously curses

Lotus returns to the path: "For oneself, one should often reflect on one's own faults and eliminate inner demons; for others, it can cultivate inner demons. The more resilient and refined one's mind, the higher the quality of the inner demons."

Seven hundred years ago, the master practiced here, and I spent my days listening to teachings and basking in the light, which gave rise to a spark of spiritual awareness. Later, I became a disciple, and the "Infinite Observation of the Mind Method" was precisely created by my master

Then, I take my leave

Zhang Kui has managed to discern some nuances; this substance seems capable of clouding the mind, amplifying the malevolent thoughts within one's heart infinitely

This pond is the spiritual eye of this mountain. After Master achieved Nirvana, I returned after two hundred years of descending the mountain and discovered that the lotus pod from back then had transformed into a spiritual object. Its lotus seeds are of no use to me, but they can extend the lifespan of ordinary people. Thus, I casually bestowed them, leading to the present 'Qionghua Gathering'

A glimmer of astonishment flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes as he inexplicably recalled this phrase. He then laughed heartily and cupped his hands, saying, "I am Zhang Kui, a mere pretender to the Tao, aged 38, and still unmarried."

The two individuals continued onward, and more and more victims were discovered; some had already been buried, some had turned to bones exposed in the wilderness, while others were on the brink of death

Zhang Kui smiled and said, "Would you be willing to become a Dao partner?"

I am currently investigating a malevolent creature that employs dark sorcery to harm others, taking on the guise of a scholar in a black robe

Beautiful female demons are rare, and those who are completely free of any trace of bloodshed are even rarer; I am not one to spoil the mood

The woman's gaze was complex, "You will know if you follow me."

Just after jumping down from the roof, Zhang Kui saw Chen Wushuang anxiously waiting at the door

Zhang Kui chuckled softly

Forget it, take your time to look it up

"If you are unwilling, then so be it. Why are you running away, woman? How are we supposed to find that guy?"

Lian spoke while removing the thin veil from her face

The quantity was so great that even Zhang Kui was somewhat astonished

The woman furrowed her brow and asked, "Then why are you following me?"

Zhang Kui stroked his chin

Zhang Kui is currently walking through the night market, occasionally buying a couple of skewers of grilled meat that look appealing, drinking and eating while aimlessly wandering around

At this moment, there was already a block of ice on Lian's face

Zhang Kui frowned, "What does this mean?"

Lian Xiumei frowned and said, "What do you mean, fellow Daoist?"

What of humans, and what of demons

Indeed, the woman just now was on the rooftop, seemingly lost in thought while gazing at the moon

After walking for more than twenty meters, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a quaint little temple with three rooms. In front of the courtyard was a small pond covered with lotus leaves

The thoroughly transformed female fairy may possess a higher level of cultivation than the tail-revealing seductress.

When Zhang Kui exposed her identity, the woman remained calm, gazing peacefully at the distant river

What if this demon is a manifestation of mud

The woman asked softly

Zhang Kuimei furrowed his brow, and amidst the astonished exclamations of the surrounding townsfolk, he leaped onto the rooftop in a swift motion and shot off in a straight line

The woman's expression remained calm

Has something happened at Jinfeng Building

Zhang Kui felt a surge of frustration and decided that next time he would activate the Leap Rock skill, lest he suffer too much loss

Zhang Kui's eyes flickered; after giving a brief instruction to a few people, he leaped out of the window.

Take me to have a look

Under the leadership of Chen Wushuang, the two headed towards the back courtyard. Upon entering, they immediately saw that porcelain was shattered all over the ground, and Ling Yancheng was bound to a chair with ribbons

Although this female demon used a concealment spell, she could not escape Zhang Kui's Yin-Yang Eye of the Spirit-Connecting Technique, which revealed her true form.

The bamboo forest was set up with a formation technique, known as the ghost wall. At this moment, as Zhang Kui activated his spirit communication technique, he could already see the space becoming increasingly blurred and clear, as if it were separated by frosted glass.

A flash of anger crossed Lian's face as she reached out to take the lotus pod from earlier. "When I came last time, the entire pond was still filled with spiritual energy. That evil creature must have come into contact with this object. I possess something that can trace it for a hundred miles."

Lotus fell silent for a moment, "After the heart demon is cultivated, the host's entire essence, energy, and soul will also depart accordingly"

Her eyes were slightly red, "Thank you, Daoist, for your rescue"

Having spoken, he turned and left

After speaking, it transformed into a white shadow and floated away into the distance, with Zhang Kui closely following behind

He is not a guardian of the human race, and facing a graceful beauty who has done nothing, he truly cannot summon any intent to kill, especially since he may not even be able to defeat her

Zhang Kui's smile gradually faded

Zhang Kui laughed heartily and said

A weary sigh echoed

Zhang Kui squinted his eyes and noticed that a dark shadow was also lurking at the opponent's heart, faintly revealing the sinister face of Ling Yanchen.

Zhang Kui stared at her for a while

Zhang Kui's gaze sharpened as he followed behind

What about that monster

The reason for letting the other party go is quite simple

He has always been straightforward in expressing his thoughts, just as he was in his previous life, and even more so in this life.

So it is like this

I have a fondness for melodies, and I am pleased to see their fruition. Every year during the season of the fragrant flowers, I return to gather them. After hearing your words, I suddenly came back to check, only to find that the pond's water has lost its spirit.

Lian gazed at a verdant lotus pod in the center of the pond

That is Liu Mao'er’s signal

A scholar in a black robe slowly emerged from the darkness, his pale face melting like mud, and then the appearance of an old monk followed.

Zhang Kui fixed his gaze on the main house, let out a cold laugh, and drew a large sword from behind him

Zhang Kui shook his head, these two individuals are either outstanding in their studies or proficient in music, both are exceptional among people

The master does not take pleasure in killing, let alone the methods he has created. I will assist you in capturing this demon...

Zhang Kui glanced at the lotus pond

The house here is old, the courtyard is overgrown with weeds, and under the moonlight, it is eerily quiet, with not even the sound of insects chirping. One can only sense a vague presence inside, as if something happened, hidden in the darkness