Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 77 Misunderstanding, Recruitment (710 words added upon release)

The Demon Suppression Bureau, Shuiyue Tower.

Du Bingyan returned to the house, removed her armor, and let her black hair down, instantly becoming more charming.

She looked at herself in the bronze mirror, so different from before, and her eyebrows furrowed.

"The White Lotus Sect... Black Spider, can conceal its aura, so much so that even the Earth Hound and the Breath-Seeking Gu cannot detect it?"

She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white, her eyes filled with fear and unease.

Could the one who took my virginity be a heretic from the White Lotus Sect?

A moment later, she took out a piece of silk cloth with white spots on it. These were the things that belonged to that person that she had forced out of her body by activating her internal energy that day.

That was also her greatest asset in finding that person.

Next, she released the Breath-Seeking Gu and blew a bone whistle. The Breath-Seeking Gu moved at the sound, first circling the silk cloth a few times, and then...

It stopped on Du Bingyan!

"Even the Breath-Searching Gu can't be found; it really has concealed its presence..."

Her mind went completely blank for a moment, her body trembled, and her lips turned deathly pale.

That person was indeed a heretic from the White Lotus Sect!
He had been defiled by the demons of the White Lotus Sect!

After a long while, Du Bingyan opened her mouth and spat out a mouthful of foul blood. She was much weaker, but the coldness between her brows was icy and piercing.

He exuded a strong, chilling aura, like ancient ice, keeping strangers at bay.

She put away the Soul-Seeking Gu, put her armor back on, and transformed back into a valiant and heroic female general.

This time, however, her bright eyes held only the purest killing intent.

White Lotus Sect, even if I, Du Bingyan, am shattered to pieces, I will fight you to the death...

Fight until death!
-
"Snapped!"

The food box in his hand fell onto the threshold, but Old He seemed oblivious, staring at Liu Sheng, who was breathing heavily inside the house, with a look of utter disbelief.

It must be because I'm old and my eyesight is failing me, otherwise how could it have taken less than two hours...

Someone even mastered the "Green Snake Skill" to the bone and muscle level!

Ten steps away, in the center of the room, stood a nine-foot-tall figure.

He was somewhat thin, his skin and flesh appearing as if they had been forged through countless trials, covering his skeleton like scales, bound together by numerous blue veins, layer upon layer.

Dark blue snake scales grew on its forehead, cheeks, the back of its hands, and other body surfaces; its eyes became golden vertical pupils; its tongue was blood-red and forked, emitting a soft breathing sound.

It is sinister but not poisonous, demonic but not treacherous, with a pure aura that is immediately recognizable as not being a heretical or evil sect.

This is the body's mutated form after the "Green Snake Strength" has been condensed within the body, which is enough to prove that the opponent has mastered the "Green Snake Skill" to an extremely profound level.

"hiss~"

In an instant, a cold wind arose, as if a giant green-scaled python was rushing towards them, filling the air with a foul stench and exuding a menacing aura.

But the next moment, all the strange phenomena vanished like bubbles.

Only one person remained, his clothes tattered and torn; it was none other than—

Liu Sheng!

"So this is the Green Serpent Sword Manual. It is indeed powerful, especially in my hands. Its power is no less than that of the Crimson Fiend Tiger Technique."

He smacked his lips, then looked up to see Old He looking at him with a "deep affection" on his face.

Convex!
That old geezer is insane!

Liu Sheng shivered and glanced at the Green Serpent Sword hanging on the wall.

He had only studied the manual and gained some understanding, so he decided to give it a try.

As a result, one directly enters a state similar to "sudden enlightenment".

A flood of insights about the Green Snake Skill welled up in my mind...

Every sentence, every word, and every picture in the manual seemed to come alive, drilling into his mind and disassembling and recombining with the "Green Snake Sword Technique" to become a new and more powerful technique.

It eventually merged into his body and became a part of him.

It was none other than the "Green Snake Sword Manual" that Old He had been longing for!
When he came to his senses, the "dark red" veins connecting his muscles, bones, and skin had expanded considerably from their original size.

It penetrates more deeply, extends further, and covers a wider area, allowing him to switch freely between the mutated forms of the Green Snake and the Black Tiger at any time.

However, he had mastered the "Azure Serpent Sword Manual" to the Bone and Tendon Realm, and with a thought, he could condense a wisp of "Azure Serpent Force" within his body.

After all, possessing the "Snake Form" makes practicing snake-style martial arts twice as effective with half the effort, allowing one to progress rapidly, as if divinely aided.

Just like when he was practicing the Crimson Fiend Tiger Technique and the Black Tiger Wind-Splitting Blade.

"Brother Liu, you... have comprehended the Green Serpent Sword Manual?"

Old He stepped forward and stared at him expectantly.

"Want to learn? I'll teach you."

Liu Sheng smiled, showing no intention of keeping anything to himself.

He currently possesses nearly ten martial arts manuals, far more than he could ever learn. Apart from the "Black Tiger Zen Scripture," he has not taken the others seriously.

Moreover, the "Green Snake Sword Manual" originally belonged to the He family, so it's perfectly normal for him to return it.

In particular, he was thinking of getting both Old He and his grandson to work for him, so how could he not "benefit" them?

Old He hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously:
"I'm old and frail, I'm afraid I can't learn it well. But my granddaughter is far more talented than me, if she could..."

"Let Yue'e practice with us. My grandmother and her daughter Yu Niang are all counting on her for protection."

Liu Sheng waved his hand and made an agreement with Old He that he would teach martial arts for an hour every evening after dinner.

Then they talked about recruiting people.

"I have successfully completed my mission. Of my old comrades, six are still alive and capable of helping, though they are all in similar situations to me..."

Old He stretched out his right hand, which was bald except for half of his palm, and looked uneasy.

"As long as you can work and escape, that's enough. You don't need to hunt down monsters."

Liu Sheng nodded. He had too many secrets of his own and was strong enough to fight without needing anyone else's help. What he lacked was some logistical support to clean up the battlefield.

Since there was no other time to choose, he simply had Lao He invite everyone to the restaurant for a meal.

Old He was not lying to him. These old men and women were all over forty or fifty years old, and they were either blind or had missing hands or feet. None of them were intact.

But as soon as a few people sat down, the entire lobby on the first floor instantly fell silent.

Evil spirit!

A veteran of a hundred battles.

These four words flashed through Liu Sheng's mind, and he gave Old He an approving look.

The meal was a great pleasure for both the host and the guests.

The few remaining soldiers from the Demon Suppression Division had long been accustomed to the coldness and warmth of human nature, and they were somewhat apprehensive when they arrived.

After all, a sixteen-year-old demon-hunting warrior was unprecedented since the establishment of the Shanyang County branch.

Such outstanding individuals are likely arrogant and haughty.

Unexpectedly, Liu Sheng acted in a friendly and down-to-earth manner, which immediately put their minds at ease.

Through this meal, Liu Sheng also gained a general understanding of these people.

They are all people with families, but none of them are doing well. They all have skills, but they are physically disabled and cannot compare to hunters with all four limbs intact.

But being his assistant is enough.

So he and the others agreed on the terms and gave each of them one hundred taels of silver as a settlement allowance to settle down, prepare weapons, armor, and transportation.

After all that spending, his wealth shrank by several hundred taels of silver.

Sure enough, money doesn't last long; I have to find a way to earn some more.

After the banquet, Liu Sheng and Old He returned home and spent an hour or so teaching each other martial arts.

They passed on the "Green Snake Sword Manual" to their grandfather and grandson, as well as to Yu Niang and her daughter.

When the night was deep and quiet, and Yu Niang was fast asleep beside him, Liu Sheng quietly got out of bed, transformed into a blue sparrow, and headed straight for Yongning Ward.

When he left the Xu family mansion today, he noticed that someone was secretly watching him.

The city appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging beneath. We must investigate thoroughly to prevent future troubles.

(End of this chapter)