The Rise of the Witch

Outside the hall, the wind and rain raged, with lightning and thunder, but inside, the atmosphere was filled with the warmth of everyday life.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the cook cleared away the dishes and utensils, took them outside to the eaves, and washed them in the rain.

A thug was wiping the floor, seemingly preparing it for the night.

Another martial artist was boiling water to make tea; how charming!

Xing Yang was chatting with the lady... mainly because the lady was subtly trying to find out Xing Yang's background, while Xing Yang just gave casual replies.

"May I ask where you are from, young man? You're so young, are your family members really comfortable with you joining the Demon Suppression Division to risk your life?"

"I can't remember exactly. When I was little, I was carried away by a tiger demon. I survived by sheer luck and settled in Fangxiong Town, Danyang, Qingzhou. I was lucky enough to become a demon-suppressing guard... May I ask what you do, Madam?"

The lady chuckled lightly and said, "We're just an ordinary restaurant owner. How did you manage to escape from such a dangerous situation, young man?"

"I was lucky to be rescued... Turns out you run an inn, no wonder this brother's cooking is so good! May I ask where your restaurant is located? I'll definitely visit you more often if I have the chance."

The lady chuckled and said, "That's wonderful! With General Lang of the Demon Suppression Division here, those street thugs won't dare cause trouble for the restaurant! I just wonder which Demon Suppression Division you work for, young man?"

"It's in Chaoge."

"We're also planning to open a restaurant in Chaoge!"

"Really? What a coincidence!"

"Yes, what a coincidence!"

"hehe……"

After drinking another cup of tea, the cook came in carrying clean pots and pans, looking somewhat solemn, and gave the lady a meaningful look.

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The lady understood, raised her hand to cover her mouth, and made a yawning gesture.

Xing Yang immediately understood, put down his teacup, thanked the other party for the hospitality again, and then retreated to his campfire.

"Everyone, pack up and get some sleep! We have to travel early tomorrow morning."

The lady left a remark, then swayed her supple waist and lay back down on the Fragrant Concubine's couch. The gauze curtains concealed her alluring beauty, but added a touch of reverie.

After the other three finished tidying up, they sat down around the Fragrant Concubine's couch to meditate. They did not practice cultivation but remained vigilant.

……

As night deepened, the hall became quiet, save for the crackling sound of flames burning through the wood.

"Clang... Clang... Clang..."

A mournful sound of a pipa suddenly rang out in the empty hall.

The three people around the Fragrant Concubine's Terrace opened their eyes immediately, their gazes scanning the surroundings intently before finally settling on Xing Yang, who was standing by the campfire not far away.

Then they saw Xing Yang, dressed in white armor, lying on the ground, fast asleep.

The group was speechless. Wasn't this Demon Suppressor Lang here to slay demons and monsters? How could he sleep so soundly in a place like this? How did he survive to this age?

Under the cool moonlight after the rain, the overgrown courtyard was deserted and no one could be seen.

The sound of the pipa, however, lingered incessantly, echoing sadly throughout the courtyard. It was unclear which direction it came from, but it mingled with the tinkling of water dripping from the eaves, creating a rather pleasant sound. However, in this situation, who had the mind to care whether it sounded good or bad?

The clanging sounds echoed incessantly, a long, drawn-out lament, as if someone had a heart full of unspoken sorrows.

Amidst the mournful sound of the pipa, a woman's soft sigh rang out. The plucking of the strings continued, and the woman's voice echoed softly in the courtyard, as if she were singing something. It was unclear, but one could feel the melancholy conveyed in her tone.

Xing Yang finally opened his eyes, sat up, and then didn't move again, but listened intently.

At the same time, her fingers tapped unconsciously, matching the sound of the pipa, the melody, and the rhythm.

Compared to the fast-paced music of my previous life, this singing style, combined with the pipa, is more able to highlight emotions and express inner feelings.

Emotions, heartfelt voices, originate from the spirit!

Rather than performing, it's more like using the melancholic spiritual fluctuations in the melody to evoke the true spirit!

Whether it's one's own or the enemy's...

Xingyang's shamanic spirit was naturally unmoved by a few strings of a zither or a few clear songs, but this method gave him a sense of spiritual connection.

It seems like he can do that too.

It wasn't through strings, nor through singing, but rather...

Suddenly struck by a flash of inspiration, Xing Yang let out a muffled hum: "Hmph!"

This "humph" was like a great bell, sweeping away all gloom and evil spirits, shaking people's true spirits and leaving their minds blank.

The sound of the pipa disappeared, the singing disappeared, and the night was deathly silent, as if all sounds had been completely suppressed by that one "humph".

It was as if this entire world had been brought to a standstill by this life's "humph," and everything had come to an abrupt end.

Even the three people in front of the Fragrant Concubine's bed were stunned, their eyes were fixed, their minds were blank, and their thoughts were frozen by the shock.

Xing Yang didn't care about them either, and immediately followed with a loud "Ha!"

If the "hum" was a muffled sound, then this "ha" was a thunderclap, as awe-inspiring as the might of heaven, shaking the entire hall.

"Ring ring ring!" A crisp, urgent ringing sound rang out.

Inside the Fragrant Concubine's couch, the lady hurriedly sat up, rapidly shaking a delicate bell in her hand, creating invisible ripples that firmly protected the true spirits of the three people.

"Thump!" A body suddenly fell from the roof and landed headfirst in the yard, completely unconscious.

The pipa slipped from her hands, hit the ground, and snapped with a "whoosh."

It was a woman dressed in black, lying there motionless.

Her true spirit was shattered by Xing Yang's two "humphs" and "hahs"!

In the novel *Investiture of the Gods*, there are two men, Zheng Lun and Chen Qi, known as the "Hum and Ha Generals." One of them possesses the supernatural power of snuff, and his humming is like a bell, which can intimidate the soul. The other has yellow gas in his belly, and when he opens his mouth to exhale, his soul will scatter.

Xing Yang has now mastered this skill by sheer luck. After a little thought, he realized that he could actually summarize a method of cultivation!

If I find someone to teach me, I might even be able to train my own two henchmen.

Thinking to himself, Xing Yang got up and walked to the door. He lifted his foot and flicked the door open, flipping the woman over so that she was face up and her face was exposed.

Although she was exceptionally beautiful, she maintained a resentful expression until her death, which made her face look rather gloomy and disrupted the harmony of her features.

It looks pretty ugly, kind of weird.

Is this the ghost cultivator?

Unfortunately, he was looking forward to seeing all the ghost cultivator's methods, but in a moment of impulsiveness, he decided to try them out and ended up killing himself.

As Xing Yang turned around with regret, he saw the lady beside the Fragrant Concubine's couch putting away the bell, her expression wary.

The three men stood in her way, their eyes filled with fear, yet they refused to back down an inch.

Xing Yang was stunned for a moment.

Did he consider these three people when he tested his methods?

The answer is no! Not at all!

They had just treated him to a meal, and then, on a whim, he didn't care about their lives at all... The Xing Yang of his past life would never have done such a thing!

Suddenly, Xing Yang understood Wa Xin's fear of the War Witch. He was the War Witch, and he acted without restraint or regard for consequences!

In the end, he was still influenced by the war shaman's spirit!

After a long pause, Xing Yang said awkwardly, "I'm sorry! It was my oversight. Are you all alright, brothers?"

The three men looked at each other, feeling frustrated. In the end, they were too weak. They couldn't even withstand a couple of "humphs" from the other person. If it weren't for the lady's protection, they would have been like the female corpse at the door, their true spirits shattered.

The lady flipped her delicate hand, putting away the bell, and said, "My lord, what a skillful move!"

They used to call him "little brother," but now he's called "adult"?

Xing Yang thought for a moment and asked, "Want to learn? I can teach you."

Consider it compensation.

Even the lady was stunned.

Are you just going to teach me these trump cards like that?

Xing Yang ignored the warnings and immediately went over to explain in detail.