With virtue

The pages trembled slightly. In the illustration, the ghostly eyes of the Soul-Stealing Demon General, radiating a dark red, cold light, were staring mercilessly at the demonic monk in front of him, who was draped in a cassock.

"This is it, this is it!" Yuanmeng's breathing became rapid. He was no longer calm at all. His pupils dilated slightly, reflecting the dark red ghost eyes of the ghost general on the page.

He involuntarily stretched his neck forward, making it very long, and his fingers moved quickly across the rosary beads, one after another, faster and faster, until the sound of the beads colliding became a continuous, crisp sound.

He was certain.

That visualization is real.

The methods of observation contained within it are also true.

The overwhelming aura and imposing presence, the Zen-like tranquility emanating from the white bones, cannot be faked by any counterfeit.

He had practiced the arts of water and fire for decades and had seen countless magical artifacts and scriptures, both real and fake, but he had never seen anything like this in his life. This was a treasure that no ordinary person could come into contact with! Even in Anguo Temple back then, there probably weren't many visualization diagrams of this caliber.

He immediately immersed himself in it! He used all his abilities to take as many glances as possible!

He was so engrossed in watching.

Once engrossed, one forgets the time.

However, the methods of observing the white bones on this site are so profound and subtle that they cannot be comprehended in a short time. He felt that he had only just grasped a clue, had only just touched a faint glimmer of light, and was about to follow that glimmer of light to explore deeper...

With a "snap," the book closed.

The voice was light and airy, but it sounded like a thunderclap to Yuanmeng's ears.

He shuddered violently, instinctively taking two steps forward and shouting, "No!"

His eyes darted around, as if he could still grasp the afterimage of that portrait.

A quarter of an hour was too short, so short that he only had time to catch a glimpse of it, but even that glimpse was enough to shake his soul and make him lose control.

"You..." Yuanmeng's throat was dry, and her Adam's apple bobbed several times before she managed to continue, "Where did you get this visualization diagram?"

He regretted asking the question as soon as it left his mouth; it was such an embarrassing statement.

But now it doesn't matter anymore; his behavior just now has fully revealed his need for Dharma observation.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to put on that gentle smile again, but this time, the eagerness and greed hidden beneath that smile were no longer an act.

This visualization is so profound and exquisite—last night Zhao Yunshu was so engrossed in it that he closed his eyes for the entire night, yet he only managed to grasp about seventy or eighty percent of the method for enslaving a hundred ghosts.

How much can one truly understand by simply glancing at a dream like this?

"Master, if you are willing to leave this visualization diagram behind, name your price, and this humble monk will not hesitate. If you want anything else—whatever it is, this humble monk can provide it for you. Ding kiln properties, Buddhist ritual implements, just ask for them."

"Staying here is definitely not an option. You know what kind of treasure this is. You're already incredibly lucky to be able to see it and learn the basics of the observation method. Now, go and raise the money," Zhao Yunshu said.

"...Alright, then this humble monk will go and raise the money first. The Taoist priest, please wait here." The monk gritted his teeth, turned around, and left.

The monk had already made up his mind.

He doesn't care if they don't sell it, but he absolutely must get his hands on that visualization diagram.

This trip, besides raising money to dazzle the young Taoist priest, more importantly, also required him to use his family's savings—

We must kill this Taoist priest.

We must kill him and seize the visualization diagram!

He had already laid out serpents all around, so that if any of the serpents in a certain direction encountered trouble, he would sense it and pursue them relentlessly!

As long as the young Taoist priest dares to go down the mountain, no matter which direction he goes, the viper will notice immediately, and he will be able to sense and track him instantly, ensuring that no one escapes. Whether it's luring the tiger away from the mountain or using a feint attack, he has already made thorough preparations.

However, we should really think twice about the skills of that young Taoist priest.

He is no ordinary creature, capable of defeating a powerful snake. Ordinary methods will likely be insufficient to subdue him; only the most powerful techniques will suffice.

Yuanmeng subconsciously reached out and touched something in her arms, quickened her pace, and a cold smile appeared on her lips.

He had plenty of wealth. His master had tormented him for over a decade, and before he died, he had stabbed him in the back. All his savings were with him. Once he returned and made some preparations, it would be enough to kill that little Taoist priest several times over.

Thinking of this, the monk quickly left, his footsteps heavier than usual on the gravel, each step making the stones crunch.

On the other side, Zhao Yunshu also took something out of his pocket, a bag of black ash.

go?

Leaving is the worst option. This monk must have made preparations for this trip. If he wanders around recklessly, he might fall into a trap. This cave is the only safe place.

But simply staying here would only mean waiting to die, so Zhao Yunshu had already made plans in mind and was prepared when he came.

He wasn't completely unprepared...

----------

The journey to fulfill the dream took nearly half an hour.

When he returned, there was no trace of his earlier loss of composure on his face, and the hostility in his eyes had been completely wiped away.

Now, he came up with a solemn air, carrying a vermilion lacquered tray with several heavy ingots of red gold stacked on it, gleaming dazzlingly in the sunlight.

Beside the gold was another letter, with the words "Secret Transmission of Water and Fire Method" written in neat small regular script on the cover, as if it were an exchange for the visualization diagram.

This Taoist priest is quite interesting; he actually stayed on the mountaintop and didn't leave. It seems he has something to rely on.

Very well, then let each of us rely on our own abilities.

He stopped about twenty steps from the cave, held the tray high with both hands, and said loudly, "Daoist Master, this humble monk has raised one hundred taels of gold, and also a scroll of water and fire magic passed down by my master. I wish to exchange it with you for a look. May I ask if you would come out and examine it?"

At this moment, Zhao Yunshu stepped forward and said to the monk, "Master, don't worry, I'm coming right away!"

Seeing him approach, Yuanmeng felt reassured.

Since that's the case—he didn't even waste a single word with the young Taoist priest, and immediately unleashed his killing move!

But then he pulled a metal can out of his pocket!

This iron pot was made by a monk from Southeast Asia. Inside are the internal organs of a child born at an inauspicious time. It is a black magic item made using the method of refining little ghosts.

Commanding its minions allows them to tear out people's hearts and livers from a distance!

A plume of black smoke emerged from the iron can, transforming into a dark blue-green ghost child with empty eyes, which silently lunged at Zhao Yunshu.

The pounce was incredibly fast, like a black lightning bolt; an ordinary person at that distance wouldn't have time to react at all.

However, the ghost child passing through Zhao Yunshu's body was as if passing through a thin mist.

The image of "Zhao Yunshu" vanished like a bubble the moment the ghost child passed through it, leaving only a few wisps of faint blue smoke behind.

Emptyed out?

Wait, what's going on?

His vision blurred, and he discovered that the place where the Taoist priest had been was now empty.

The monk had also fought against people using magic, and he reacted in an instant!

It's a smokescreen, a smokescreen!!

This Taoist priest knows illusion magic!

So, where is the Taoist's true form now?

He quickly looked around, making hand seals, trying to lure the little ghost back.

But that little devil was indeed venomous, so he had to be careful to avoid being attacked in return.

Just then, they saw the Taoist priest lying in a ditch nearby, with his head sticking out.

The next moment, he smelled sulfur!

The smell was very faint, and should have been difficult to distinguish from the distinctive coal and coke smell of the kiln, but it was still noticeable at that moment.

What is that?

He was still in a daze.

But then, a loud bang!

It was like being struck by lightning!

A deafening roar followed, and flames shot skyward!

Suddenly, the ground beneath Yuanmeng's feet exploded, the mountains shook, rocks shot into the sky, and dust surged like a dragon, suffocating the world and leaving only black and white in stark contrast!

After the noise subsided, Monk Yuanmeng was no longer there.

Zhao Yunshu poked his head out of the ditch, patted the gravel off his hair, and coughed twice, choking on the pebbles.

Immediately afterwards, he squinted and looked toward the center of the explosion. He saw that a crater about ten feet wide had been blown out where Yuanmeng had just stood. The smoke in the crater had not yet dissipated, and rubble was still falling down.

The tray was distorted and twisted by the explosion, broken into two pieces and stuck in the ground. Fragments of the magnificent cassock hung from the branches, still emitting wisps of smoke.

Where's your butt? Your butt's up in the tree!

Several severed limbs were scattered on the ground, along with half a hand that was unbelievably white.

Without a doubt, it was just gunpowder!

It's not surprising that the young Taoist priest carried gunpowder with him, after all, he had already used it once when facing the ghost general!

It's just that the ghost general is very capable, and gunpowder can't harm him.

"Damn it, we still didn't bring enough gunpowder." Zhao Yunshu climbed out of the ditch and muttered to himself, "But then again, this monk is really tough. An ordinary person would have been crushed to dust long ago."

But at that moment, a ghostly spirit appeared from the side!

That monk's spirit is still haunting us! We didn't even manage to kill him completely!

"You Taoist priest! How dare you—you! Such bizarre and ingenious skills! What kind of Taoist are you—!"

He rushed forward before he could finish speaking.

But then Zhao Yunshu smashed his hammer into his own viscera.

"ha!"

A thunderous sound!

The thunderous sound, coupled with the fact that it was broad daylight, made it impossible for the spirits to withstand it; they instantly turned to ashes.

Zhao Yun spat.

What? You look down on gunpowder?

Gunpowder comes from a proper alchemical furnace!

We Taoists are born to play with gunpowder!

(Bonus chapter complete!)

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