American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

"You all know what happened next," the boy said, shrugging.

"Although it had lost much of its intelligence, the vengeful spirit still faithfully followed the curse rituals, affecting Christine's mind and body time and time again. At this point, the evil spirit had become one with the curse, and it would not stop until it killed the victim."

Christine and her fiancée, listening nearby, felt a chill run down their spines. Clay Dalton, driving the car, glanced at his fiancée and asked, "So how did you deal with that evil spirit? To be honest, I still don't understand..."

Zhu Mingyao smiled and said, "During the day, I discovered that there is a source that is continuously providing power to this curse. We went to Mrs. Gainos's original house and her granddaughter's house, but we didn't find anything strange. So there is only one place left where the source of the curse is most likely to be hiding."

“That’s the cemetery where Mrs. Gainos is buried,” Christine said knowingly.

“That’s right. Now that we’ve basically confirmed that the source of the curse is in the graveyard, we can imagine how it exists. The most likely possibility is either a vengeful spirit or a corpse monster.”

"Although the Beech Cemetery is located in a remote area, it is not some desolate wilderness. If a corpse turned into a monster and crawled out of the grave, it would have made the news long ago. Only a spirit that is difficult for ordinary people to see is the most reasonable explanation. When I arrived at the entrance of the cemetery, I used magic to investigate and confirmed this."

Zhu Mingyao clenched his fist and pounded his left palm, saying:

"This is where things get a bit tricky. Ghosts and vengeful spirits, being spirits, can hide in any nook or cranny. If they don't show up, we don't have a good solution. I don't know any large-scale search spells right now."

Destroying the vengeful spirit's corpse might force it to reveal itself, but that could easily get you called in by the police.

"So, based on the laws governing the curse, I secretly cast a protective spell on Christine—the victim was already very close to the source of the curse, and as the source of the curse, the spirit was highly likely to launch an attack herself."

"My guess was right. After we entered the cemetery, that thing used illusion magic to separate us so it could attack the victim. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to set traps around Lady Gainus's grave and wait for her to come to her."

"Wraiths and other evil spirits, when there is a body present, will instinctively return to their own remains to recuperate after being severely injured. After it was injured by the exorcism spell I cast on Christine, it fled to its own grave, where I caught it on the spot and destroyed it in one fell swoop!"

"Now that the vengeful spirit that was the source has disappeared, the curse has also been lifted. I also examined Lady Gainus's body and found this evil witch eye. Based on these clues, the truth of the whole matter can be roughly deduced."

After hearing the whole story, the two remained silent for a long time. After a while, Christine murmured, "So this was just a coincidence, but it almost cost two lives."

"Yes, a few casual curses almost harmed others and cost me my life. So we should be mindful of our words and try to be more open-minded!" the boy said with a sigh.

A full moon shone through the thin clouds in the sky, casting a soft, gentle light, while cars on the ground gradually drove back to Zhang's Antique Shop.

"We don't know how to thank you. We can pay more..." Christine and the other woman said, twisting their fingers and looking embarrassed.

“No need, two thousand gold coins is enough. Although I am just an auditor, I still have to call Professor Charlie Dalton my teacher. Since Clay is his relative, let’s just charge a symbolic fee for this exorcism.”

After a pause, Zhu Mingyao continued to Christine, "And I know that Clay, as an assistant professor, is still in his internship and his salary isn't very high. The fact that he was willing to spend 10,000 gold coins and go on this adventure with you shows that he really cares about you. Cherish him."

Prices in Los Angeles are not low, and most federal residents have a habit of spending money in advance. This 10,000 gold coins would probably be enough for the engaged couple in front of him to save up for a year or two by being frugal. The young man wasn't short of money for the time being, so he decided to go all the way and do a good deed.

Christine and the other girl looked at each other and laughed, their eyes filled with love and sweetness.

The three waved goodbye, and just as the boy was about to enter, he suddenly turned around, winked, and called out:

"Gentlemen, I know that after a thrilling adventure, a passionate private conversation can greatly relieve stress, but out of professional ethics, I must remind you that Miss Christine has not fully recovered and is not in a good position to conceive in the near future..."

So, Mr. Clay, remember to take precautions later!

Watching the two figures, who had been leaning against each other, stumble and scramble into their car to escape as if their backsides were on fire, Zhu Mingyao smiled happily, turned around, and went inside.

Back home, Zhu Mingyao immediately found an unused foot basin, poured in half a bottle of dish soap and water, and threw in the prosthetic eye wrapped in a plastic bag. He planned to soak it for two days before dealing with the artifact, otherwise he couldn't bear the psychological impact.

The boy trotted upstairs, climbed into bed, and snuggled under the covers, taking stock of his gains from the trip.

Although he only received two thousand gold coins from Christine, it was just a bonus. If it weren't for the principle of Zilu receiving the ox, he wouldn't really care whether he received money or not.

The reward points for slaying the evil spirit and saving Christine weren't that many.

The prosthetic eye that helps in casting curses is the real gain from this trip.

Even a less-than-orthodox magical artifact can be quite valuable.

Wow, I've already got 1500 favorites! Another solid step towards receiving welfare.

Chapter 44 Identification

"The material is smoky quartz..."

In the basement, the boy sat at the table with two wads of cotton stuffed in his nose. He looked closely at the old-fashioned prosthetic eye held in the long silver tweezers in his hand, through a magnifying glass.

The prosthetic eye was less than an inch in size, irregularly round, and made of translucent tea-gray crystals. Clusters of flocculent black dots formed the shape of a pupil. Under Zhu Mingyao's aura-gazing technique, it emitted an ominous gray-black spiritual light.

"Such a strong aura of resentment." Zhu Mingyao frowned, put down the tweezers in his hand, and let his prosthetic eye fall on the small white porcelain dish in front of him, making a crisp and subtle sound.

Zhang Shouzhong was born into a collateral branch of the Maoshan sect of the Shangqing dynasty. He had a legitimate lineage and had spent decades in the Eastern Federation, where he witnessed many foreign cultivation techniques. He was quite knowledgeable.

Having received his teachings and orthodox spiritual education for so long, Zhu Mingyao's magical abilities, though still shallow, were quite good, far surpassing those of folk sorcerers and wandering magicians.

The material of this prosthetic eye is not particularly precious. Smoky quartz has the property of absorbing negative energy. Using its properties to make an item to assist in the casting of black magic is a common idea, and the crafting method is nothing special.

The resentment within is so abundant that it has condensed into a malevolent aura. Even if it doesn't kill instantly, it is enough to serve as a source of magic for killing and harming people. It cannot be accumulated in ten or eight years.

It makes sense, since the power of resentment originates from emotions and belongs to the seven emotions and six desires in a broad sense, which corresponds to the human spirit. It is reasonable that the curse released by the prosthetic eye could torment the victim Christine to the point of mental exhaustion and hallucinations.

Considering its form is close to the style of the early 19th century, it is estimated that it has a history of at least more than 100 years. It is probably due to the blessing and purification by its successive owners that it has accumulated such abundant negative energy.

Although this item is not of a high grade, it would be enough to be considered a small family heirloom in the hands of an ordinary sorcerer or witch. It's just unclear how it ended up in the hands of an ordinary person like Lady Gainus.

Perhaps she had a real witch in her ancestry?

However, none of this mattered to Zhu Mingyao. What he needed to consider now was how to use and dispose of this trophy.

According to those who have studied unorthodox and sinister magical artifacts, they should continue to strengthen the malevolent power within them, either by raising a few fierce spirits and evil ghosts within them, or by using them as materials to inlay on things like Yin-gathering banners or soul-slaying swords, thus adding more power to the artifacts.

However, the young man couldn't play around like that. Not to mention that he had now been recognized by the sect leader and was a disciple of a prestigious and righteous sect. From his own heart, he didn't like to get involved in things that were both dangerous and troublesome.

I'll ask Bai Ziyuan to put it on consignment at the Hualian Chamber of Commerce to see if any like-minded people are interested in it.

In keeping with the spirit of diligence and thrift, Zhu Mingyao rummaged through a cabinet in the corner and found a wide-mouthed glass bottle. He tore off a wad of cotton to line the bottom and carefully put the prosthetic eye inside.

Besides its value as a magical artifact, the artificial eye has been imbued with witchcraft power for a century, and its properties have undergone subtle changes. It may be used as a substitute for certain spellcasting materials. It is also an antique with some years of history, and there is no guarantee that someone with unique interests would be willing to collect it. Regardless of his past or present life, Zhu Mingyao has never had the habit of wasting things.

It would be great if we could exchange it for some rare metals like cold iron.

The boy thought to himself as he pulled the cotton ball out of his nostril.

Although his current sword energy is sharp, it is ultimately illusory and without foundation. If he could forge a sword pellet as a vessel, its power would be greatly enhanced.

His physical attributes weren't particularly strong among the superhumans, but having a sword pellet by his side could effectively compensate for his weaknesses and reduce danger in close combat.

Practitioners follow their own methods and paths, and their emphasis on cultivating the three elements of a person also differs. Shangqing Maoshan belongs to the talisman school and mainly cultivates the divine element, making them typical magic masters.

Although if one cultivates the true methods of the Xuanmen Sect to a certain level in the future, the three elements of essence, qi, and spirit will harmonize with each other and there will be no obvious shortcomings, it is still beneficial for practitioners to maintain the simultaneous progress of the three elements until then.

Being too mentally strong and physically weak, or vice versa, can be inconvenient, especially in modern society where various gunpowder weapons are prevalent. Even superhumans can easily be shot down without a strong and agile body.

The newly revised "Shangqing Huangting Neijing Jing" is indeed a superior method that is wonderful in both form and spirit and advances the three elements simultaneously. However, since the level cannot be raised for the time being, it is still necessary to prepare more methods as trump cards when the enemy gets close.

"This trip was quite fruitful, but it was a bit too much trouble."

It was almost dinnertime, and Zhu Mingyao was too lazy to go out again, so he simply went into the kitchen and made himself a bowl of extra-deluxe chicken noodle soup, eating it while thinking about it.

Having tasted the sweetness of rapid growth in cultivation, Zhu Mingyao had no desire to slowly cultivate his spirit and energy through meditation and ascetic practices. This is what is meant by "it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality."

Especially since he possessed the [Shangqing Huangting Neijing Jing], a Daoist scripture with numerous branches of supernatural powers that consumed a great deal of vital energy, Zhu Mingyao doubted he could have persevered if he hadn't had some external advantages.

No wonder the sect leader imparted such superior immortal techniques upon their first meeting. The young man thought he had a protagonist's halo and was favored by a master. Now that he thinks about it, it was probably because the prerequisites for cultivation were too strict and consumed too much vital energy. He wasn't afraid of the secrets being leaked at all.

Without the system's assistance, it would probably take seven or eight years just to complete the Five Organs Chapter. This is only because the Five Elements can nourish each other through mutual generation, saving a large part of the effort.

If an ordinary disciple were to practice, each skill would require at least two or three years of arduous study, not to mention finding time to study other skills.

The Shangqing Huangting Neijing Jing contains twenty-four inner landscape deities, and it is unknown when one will be able to fully cultivate them.

Once all twenty-four gods have been mastered, one must reach a certain level before attempting to integrate them, which will take an unknown amount of time.

In the eyes of the sect leader and Zhang Shouzhong, it was quite normal to spend a lifetime cultivating such a profound immortal technique.

However, for fellow transmigrators who were already used to seeing those who could become kings in three years, ascend to immortality in five years, and become emperors in ten years in online novels from their previous lives, this speed was a bit too slow, which made them really anxious.

Faced with this situation, only by bringing in the system can they preserve their "cultivation genius" persona.

After slurping the last noodle into his mouth, Zhu Mingyao licked his lips and decided to call Bai Ziyuan later. When the old man left, he said he would give a few ghost generals to the merchant guild in exchange for some useful materials and equipment, and he would pick them up tomorrow.

To do a good job, you must first have the right tools. If you want to go out and fight monsters and do quests, you should be fully armed first.

My paronychia is so painful, I've only managed to write a few hundred words in three days 〒_〒

Chapter 45 Diverse Realm Divisions

The following morning, the Los Angeles branch of the Chinese American Chamber of Commerce.

“Your master called from overseas yesterday, worried that you might pick up some bad habits while you’re alone here without anyone to supervise you. He asked me to keep a close eye on you. Don’t think that just because your elders aren’t around, you can become wild!”

Lai Hengli, dressed in a gray cloth robe, was giving a slightly stern lecture to the boy in front of him.

"No, no," Zhu Mingyao replied, shrinking his shoulders.

Since we've come all this way to the Chamber of Commerce, we can't just take the gifts and leave. We should naturally pay our respects to our elders as well, otherwise it would be too impolite.

"...Please wait, I'll go with Brother Bai."

Knowing that Lai Henry was currently dealing with the controversy surrounding the attack and wrangling with the authorities about the compensation and aftermath of the last joint operation, Zhu Mingyao felt embarrassed to stay any longer. After sitting for a while, he got up to say goodbye and followed Bai Ziyuan to collect the things that had been prepared for him.

Recalling his feelings in the office just now, Zhu Mingyao couldn't help but ask:

"Elder Lai's aura of pressure is getting stronger and stronger. When he sits there, the occasional wisp of his aura is like towering mountains and mighty rivers. He may have already broken through to the Dancheng realm."

"Oh, really? I didn't feel anything."

Uncle Lai broke through to the Golden Core stage two years ago. In ancient times, that level of cultivation would have earned him the title of "True Person" from the imperial court.

Bai Ziyuan replied nonchalantly, "It's probably because you two don't meet often enough. I see you often, so I don't have that feeling you're describing."

Zhu Mingyao glanced back at Lai Hengli's office.

"You already made a breakthrough two years ago? Have you made further progress since then?"

He wasn't surprised that Bai Ziyuan was completely unaware.

After changing his main Taoist practice, although the wonders of the Shangqing Huangting Neijing Jing were not yet fully revealed due to his shallow cultivation, his spiritual perception had become much more sensitive, perhaps even surpassing Bai Ziyuan's.

However, Lai Hengli had already reached the Golden Core Realm, but he was simply ignorant and out of touch with reality.

Zhang Shouzhong was an old-fashioned practitioner who usually only associated with fellow practitioners in Hualian and almost never left Luocheng.

When Zhu Mingyao transmigrated, he was still young. For the past few years, he had been going back and forth between school and home. As for the affairs of the supernatural circle, Zhang Shouzhong probably felt that he was still too early to graduate, so he only gave a brief explanation of the common knowledge and did not go into details.

As a result, even now, Zhu Mingyao is still not very clear about what powerful experts exist within the Federation.

Even with the Hualian Chamber of Commerce, which he was most familiar with, he only knew roughly who the members were; he didn't really know their individual cultivation levels.

There are many schools of extraordinary cultivation in this world, and the ways to classify cultivation levels are naturally diverse, and even within the same large system, they may not be able to be unified.