Starting as a stray dog, I embarked on a journey of cultivation.

As soon as he finished speaking, the noisy hall fell into complete silence.

The first to regain her senses was Liu. Her panic and grief vanished instantly, replaced by joy. She eagerly asked, "Are you really back?"

"It's absolutely true. If you don't believe me, go back and see for yourself." The man's tone was firm, and his expression was calm, showing no sign of lying.

Seeing this, Liu loosened her grip on He Dazhuang's sleeve, looking somewhat embarrassed, and hastily apologized: "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you in my haste. I will definitely come to apologize another day."

Before she could finish speaking, she became anxious and hurried away.

When the villagers who had gathered learned that it was just a misunderstanding, they all sighed and dispersed to go home.

The bustling village entrance instantly became deserted, leaving He Dazhuang standing there, unable to recover for a long time, his heart filled with endless doubt and fear.

Zhang Daming is clearly dead, how could he possibly return safely?

Was the person who came back really Zhang Da, alive and well?

Could it be that the fatal blow back then failed to take his life completely?

The idea had barely surfaced when He Dazhuang immediately dismissed it.

Absolutely impossible! Even if the knife wound miraculously spared his life, there was no chance of survival after he tumbled down that steep, rocky slope and fell off the cliff.

But the facts are undeniable, and others are certain that Zhang Da has already returned home.

After racking his brains to no avail, He Dazhuang, unable to figure out the mystery, felt a sense of panic. He dared not linger any longer, hoisted the heavy bear skin onto his shoulder, and hurried home.

In the shadows not far away, Gou An, who was lying prone on the ground, also felt a deep sense of doubt.

He saw everything clearly. Zhang Da was obviously dead and there was no survivor. How could he suddenly come back to life and return to the village safely?

Driven by intense curiosity, Gou An took advantage of the deep night and followed the lingering scent of Liu Shi, quietly pursuing her to find out the truth behind this strange incident.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring village, Liu rushed all the way back to her own courtyard in a short while.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, she saw her husband, Zhang Da, standing quietly in the yard.

"Husband, why are you so late? You scared me to death!" Liu rushed forward, her face full of concern.

Zhang Da's face was stiff and pale, with an indescribable strangeness in his expression. He forced a stiff smile and said in a low voice, "There was an accident on the way, which delayed us for a long time."

By the dim light of the lantern, Liu could see his bloodless face and became even more worried: "Why is your face so frighteningly pale?"

"I was rushing all the way here, I'm exhausted," Zhang Da said casually, offering a perfunctory explanation.

Only then did Liu realize something was wrong: "Where's your hunting bow? And why didn't Black Panther come back with you?"

"They were all lost in the mountains." Zhang Da raised his hand and gently patted her shoulder, his tone tinged with lingering fear: "We encountered a tiger on the way, and it's a miracle I survived."

"It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright! Being alive is the most important thing!"

Liu nodded quickly, not daring to ask any more questions. She helped Zhang Da into the house to rest and then closed the door tightly behind her.

As night deepened, all was quiet.

In rural villages, there is no entertainment at night. As soon as it gets dark, every household turns off their lights and goes to bed, and the whole village falls into silence.

In the past, the village dogs would bark sporadically at night, adding a touch of color to the darkness.

But tonight, for some reason, the entire village was deathly silent, eerily quiet, and filled with a chilling sense of oppression.

In the darkness, Gou An moved like a ghost, perfectly concealing his presence in the shadows. With a light touch of his toes, he silently moved between the village courtyards.

Before long, he accurately located Zhang's mansion by following the scent, his nostrils twitching slightly as he carefully sniffed.

There was indeed a lingering trace of Zhang Da's presence in the courtyard, but this presence was mixed with a very faint, almost imperceptible stench of decay—the smell of a corpse falling apart.

In addition, a faint, sinister demonic aura lingered.

Gou An understood instantly.

It turns out we've encountered a fellow demon.

No wonder Zhang Daneng came back to life; it wasn't a lucky escape, but rather that he was possessed by a demon and his soul was resurrected.

Just then, a piercing scream suddenly came from inside the tightly closed room; it was Liu's voice.

The scream only lasted for a moment before abruptly stopping, leaving no sound whatsoever.

Without needing to think further, Gou An already knew that Liu had met a tragic end.

His curiosity grew even stronger; what exactly did this lurking monster intend to do?

If he had been a mortal in his previous life, he would have been terrified and fled in panic at such a bizarre scene.

But now that he himself is a demon, his nature has changed completely, and he is unusually calm and composed in the face of this situation.

Moreover, his injuries are not yet healed, and if he could obtain a demon core now, it would greatly accelerate his recovery.

Gou An licked his lips slightly, a hint of something unusual flashing in his eyes, and a sense of greed quietly arose in his heart.

He did not rush into the courtyard, but found a secluded dark spot to lie in wait quietly.

This demon possessing the corpse could not possibly be solely for the purpose of harming Liu; it must have other motives.

Sure enough, after the faint chewing sounds inside the room gradually faded away, the tightly closed door was slowly pushed open from the inside.

A figure walked out of the room with stiff steps and a sluggish gait. His limbs moved rigidly and twisted, like a walking corpse, and his appearance was indescribably sinister and terrifying.

Under the cool moonlight, Gou An focused his attention and looked closely, his gaze suddenly freezing.

It wasn't Zhang Da who walked out, but Liu, who was supposed to die!

Gou An frowned slightly, a look of surprise on his face.

At this moment, Liu was completely lifeless, devoid of any trace of human vitality. The wisp of cold, demonic energy had completely shifted and firmly attached itself to her body.

Gou An remained hidden, concealing his presence, and quietly observed.

Liu stood at the doorway, looking around stiffly for a moment, then turned around and slowly walked into the depths of the village.

Gou An followed closely behind, always hiding in the darkness, never revealing a trace.

Liu wandered slowly through the quiet village, eventually stopping in front of a farmhouse.

The courtyard gate was ajar and not locked.

She raised her hand and gently pushed the gate open, then walked straight toward the thatched hut inside.

Boom boom boom!

Stiff, withered fingers knocked on the door, sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet night.

"Who is it? Knocking on the door in the middle of the night!" A rough male voice quickly came from inside the house.

"It's me!" Liu's voice became dry and hoarse, lacking the sharpness she had when arguing with He Dazhuang.

The man inside recognized Liu's voice and immediately opened the door, holding a lit candle in his hand.

This man had a fat head and big ears, and a coarse appearance. At this moment, he was only wearing a pair of shorts, shirtless, and looking sleepy.

Upon seeing Liu standing outside the door, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he asked in a flippant tone, "Sister Liu? What are you doing at my house so late?"

Liu didn't respond. Without a word, she stepped forward, wrapped her arms around the man's neck, and whispered in his ear, her voice both suggestive and chilling: "I...want..."

A single whispered sentence instantly made the burly man's face flush red and his mind flutter.

Before he could react, Liu took the initiative to move closer and entwine with him.

The burly man, already aroused, immediately embraced her, and the two of them entangled as they rushed into the house, whereupon the door was tightly shut from the inside.

Gou An, hidden in the shadows, watched quietly. Before long, the creaking and groaning of the bed boards could be heard from inside the room, especially clear in the quiet of the night.

"This monster certainly knows how to play all sorts of tricks."

Gou An was greatly shocked, truly unable to understand the monster's actions.

A moment later, the noise inside the house suddenly stopped.

Gou An sniffed lightly, and a faint smell of blood quietly spread out.

Without a doubt, the burly man inside the house had followed in Liu's footsteps and met a tragic end.