Chapter 67: “Not Just Cabbage”
A surge of vital energy shot forth, splitting the lake’s surface in an instant. A figure, ensnared by the energy’s force, was dragged up from the depths, only to be thrown heavily onto the shore.
It was a small fiend.
Like the two before it, it bore a wild, unkempt mane of ashen hair, now soaked and clinging to its skull. Its face was a twisted mask of malice, mouth stretched open to reveal a chaotic mess of jagged fangs. But unlike its predecessors, this one was smaller—scarcely taller than a mortal child.
The little fiend lifted its head, struggled briefly, then bared its fangs at the old man, letting loose a shrill hiss.
The elder, eyes narrowed, examined the creature before stepping forward. His right hand rose—
Smack!
A palm strike, imbued with vital energy, cracked across the fiend’s left cheek, sending its body staggering to the right.
Smack!
A second strike mirrored the first, snapping its head back to the left.
When the small fiend lifted its gaze again, the frenzied light in its eyes had dimmed. On each cheek bloomed a perfect imprint of the elder’s fingers.
The elder raised his hand once more. Instantly, the fiend cowered, curling into itself, hands clutching its head as it let out a fearful whimper.
“Hmph. A pack of Mountain Fiends? That’s a rare sight,” the elder muttered, scrutinizing the trembling creature before him. “Seems you’ve developed a sliver of intelligence. Your baleful aura is thick—you must have taken many lives. By all rights, I should cut you down where you stand.”
His fingers twitched, as though itching to form a sword seal. Yet, after a moment of contemplation, his hand relaxed.
“However… I happen to be refining a magic treasure. It requires a host of baleful energy to temper its core. You’ll do.”
A single finger pointed.
A golden light shot forth, piercing the fiend’s forehead. Its body convulsed violently, rolling across the ground as its bones cracked and shifted. Gray fur sprouted from its skin, its form stretching, contorting—
Until at last, it lay still.
A giant monkey, its fur thick and matted, sprawled lifelessly upon the earth.
The elder’s voice was devoid of warmth. “This treasure shall be housed within your spirit consciousness, drawing from your baleful aura each day. In ten years, it will be fully nourished—and you will have none left. Consider yourself lucky to have ten years more to live.”
He snorted. “That brat from next door keeps an old demon tortoise as a pet. I suppose I’m not losing face by keeping a fiendish ape.”
With a flick of his sleeve, the elder hoisted the beast onto his shoulder. His figure blurred into a streak of light—
And he was gone.
—
Minutes later, on the lake’s shore, a girl stirred. Her body shivered as she slowly regained consciousness.
Her eyes fluttered open, and for an instant, her mind was blank. Then—
“Monster! MONSTER!”
A scream tore from her lips.
Then she froze.
She looked around, bewildered.
Where… where am I?
—
As dawn approached, a sleek black sedan eased its way through the forest path.
When it reached the tree line, it came to a halt. The door opened, and Chu Ke Qing emerged, wrapped in a woolen coat. She gazed at the shadowed mountains, inhaling deeply as the cold air filled her lungs.
Her delicate face darkened. “The scent of baleful energy lingers here…” she murmured.
“Elder Zi,” her assistant called softly, hands respectfully cradling a wooden box.
Chu Ke Qing retrieved her white jade compass, balancing it lightly in her palm as she stepped toward the forest.
Just then, two police cars emerged from the winding path, gliding past her before vanishing down the road. Chu Ke Qing’s brows furrowed as she watched them disappear.
“The police were here,” she said, her voice laced with intrigue. “Something must have happened.”
Her assistant bowed. “I will inquire at once.”
With a nod, she turned back toward the mountain woods, raising one hand in a precise series of calculation seals. At the same time, her eyes flickered with the light of the Qi-Observing Technique.
Moments later, her breath caught.
She took a step forward—then another. Without hesitation, she strode into the trees.
“Elder Zi?” Her assistant started in alarm. “The forest is damp and cold, you should—”
Chu Ke Qing waved him off. “Make your inquiries. Then follow me.”
Without a care for the dew-drenched branches that soaked her pristine white coat, she vanished into the woods.
She had woken in the dead of night, shaken from sleep by a pulse of blood-stained Qi.
With her cultivation and Qi-Observing Technique, it had been easy to sense. Though most of it had already dissipated, the lingering resonance remained potent enough to pique her curiosity.
For a cultivator, how could such an event be ignored?
Even in the dim haze of pre-dawn, Chu Ke Qing moved with confidence. She walked for some time, guided by the faint traces of energy, until the trees parted before her—revealing a wild lake nestled in the hollow of the mountains.
“This place…” she murmured. “The baleful aura is even thicker here.”
Her fingers traced the smooth surface of her compass as she gazed at the water’s rippling expanse.
Sinister Yin Energy pooled within the depths.
Not an auspicious site.
A lake, resting within the hollow’s Yin-aligned leyline, naturally accumulated cold energy. Any drifting baleful Qi would eventually flow here, trapped beneath the surface. Left unchecked, such places inevitably birthed… unnatural occurrences.
She paced the shore, eyes scanning the ground. Tracks.
Someone had been here before her.
At the edge of the woods, a broken sapling caught her attention. The trunk had been torn apart, its splintered wood scattered about like shattered bone.
Her gaze sharpened. She took two measured steps forward.
There—a fallen tree. Split clean through.
Reaching out, she pressed her fingers to the fractured bark.
Vital energy surged from her fingertips, washing away the faint traces of baleful Qi still clinging to the wood.
For a brief moment, the reaction was violent—like fire meeting dry tinder.
A realization bloomed in her mind.
Her phone rang.
She pulled it from her pocket, answering without hesitation. “I’m at the wild lake in the mountain hollow. Come find me.”
Ending the call, she continued her search, footsteps light as a whisper.
—
Her assistant arrived shortly, this time driving the car up a narrow path to the lake’s edge.
As he stepped out, another figure emerged from the vehicle—a middle-aged man, clad in a black leather jacket.
Chu Ke Qing turned to face them, her expression unreadable.
Chu Ke Qing spotted the middle-aged man and offered a courteous smile. Walking forward with graceful ease, she spoke with measured politeness.
“Director Wu, what brings you here in person?”
“You flatter me, Miss Chu.” Director Wu clasped hands with her briefly, then smiled. “Your assistant called just as I happened to be nearby. When I heard you were here, I thought I might as well accompany your assistant over.”
Director Wu was the official administrator of this scenic area, and he and Chu Ke Qing had crossed paths before. Within this domain, several ancient temples and Taoist shrines stood, frequented by mystics and practitioners. Over the years, many ceremonies had been held to draw in tourists, leading to frequent dealings between the local authorities and figures like Chu Ke Qing—renowned in Jin Ling Prefecture’s mystical circles.
“You’re here at work so early?” she inquired.
He sighed and shook his head. “I wouldn’t go that far. Something happened in the dead of night, and I was summoned before dawn.”
The two were acquainted well enough that Director Wu spoke freely, treating the matter as casual conversation rather than classified business.
“Last night, the police received a distress call. A young woman claimed she was attacked within the scenic area. She had lost her phone and ran alone from the forest, finally reaching the road where a passing vehicle helped her contact the authorities. The police arrived and, following her description, searched the woods thoroughly… yet they found nothing.”
Chu Ke Qing’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Nothing at all?”
Director Wu smirked. “Strangest thing, really. The girl claimed she encountered some kind of monstrous being—a hairy beast, with a maw full of fangs, long limbs, and an unnatural gait. She swore that her dog—trying to protect her—fought against the creature and was slain.”
“She managed to escape, but somehow, she lost consciousness by the lake.” He gestured toward the body of water before them. “This very lake.”
“And what happened next?” she prompted.
“Well, the police searched the vicinity for hours. Found no creature, no traces of any such thing. Even our own park rangers combed through the forest.” He spread his hands. “Nothing. Just some damaged trees. The elders in our staff—those familiar with the woods—said it was likely a wild boar.”
“Wild boars?”
She recalled the broken tree trunks she had seen earlier. Smiling faintly, she asked, “And then?”
“We found the girl’s dog, or what was left of it.” Director Wu sighed. “Poor thing. Half its body had been gnawed away. Judging by the scene, it was indeed her dog—a husky. Given the evidence, our best guess is that the girl was sketching in the forest, lost track of time, and ran into a foraging wild boar. Her dog perished defending her, and in the terror of it all, she hallucinated some monstrous form.”
“Hallucination…” Chu Ke Qing chuckled softly but said no more. Instead, she murmured, “Yes, fear can distort the mind, leading it astray into illusion.”
“Exactly.” Director Wu nodded, sighing again. “That girl was both unfortunate and fortunate. A wild boar attack could have killed her, yet she escaped with only fright. Truly, her fate was merciful.”
He then turned his attention back to her. “And you, Miss Chu? Why are you here so early?”
She waved a hand dismissively. “Lately, my thoughts have been unsettled. I sought a place of quiet contemplation. With the temples and shrines here offering meditation retreats, I thought I might visit.”
Director Wu beamed. “If you wish to stay here for a time, we would be honored! A distinguished figure of Jin Ling Prefecture’s Daoist circles such as yourself is always welcome.”
Chu Ke Qing smiled, neither agreeing nor refusing. Carrying a Daoist title made her travels across the martial world more convenient, after all.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, she declined his invitation to visit the management office and instead had her assistant drive Director Wu back. She herself remained by the lake, strolling along the water’s edge, her thoughts aligning with her growing certainty—
Wild boars? Hardly.
Gray fur. A gaping, bloodstained maw. Elongated limbs. A form twisted toward the human, yet not.
A Mountain Fiend.
Her brows knit together. Such creatures were rare. And even if one existed, it should have avoided human settlements.
“Then the problem lies within the lake itself…” she murmured. “Has it been tainted by sinister Yin for too long?”
This wild lake had claimed lives for generations. Each year, daredevils and thrill-seekers ignored warnings, venturing in despite clear prohibitions. No matter how often authorities posted signs, issued warnings, or spread awareness—
Fools always sought their own misfortune.
Over time, how many had drowned here? How many restless spirits lingered, thickening the lake’s baleful aura?
Her thoughts churned as she walked along the treeline. Then, suddenly—
“Hmm?”
She halted.
The ground, layered with fallen leaves and broken twigs, bore the imprint of something heavy having passed. Yet, the trail led only so far before abruptly vanishing.
She was unaware—this very spot was where the creature that had pursued Chen Yan met its fate, severed into pieces by Gu Qing Yi’s blade, dissolving into a dark vapor.
Crouching, she ran her fingers over the disturbed earth, feeling for remnants unseen by mortal eyes. Then, her fingers stilled.
Between the curled edges of a dry leaf, she carefully plucked a small, burnt scrap of paper—barely half the size of a thumb.
Bringing it closer, she examined it under the morning light. Her breath caught.
A fragment of talisman paper.
It had been ignited, its spiritual force spent, yet the residual aura lingered.
Chu Ke Qing’s pulse quickened. Not only did she recognize it as talisman paper, but she knew precisely where it came from.
Not long ago, Luo Qing had fallen to retribution, struck down by Chen Yan. And the talismans Chen Yan had used… had been drawn upon paper just like this.
Such parchment was commonplace in the mystic world, a standard item among practitioners. But Chu Ke Qing had personally investigated the very store that sold this specific type.
“Was it Chen Yan himself who acted here? Did he slay the Mountain Fiend?”
Her eyes gleamed with realization.
Logically, there was room for doubt. Many used the same talisman paper. It could have been someone else.
But no.
Within the breadth of Jin Ling City, she refused to believe that any other talisman-wielding master—one skilled enough to vanquish a Mountain Fiend—could exist besides Chen Yan.
Masters of the Dao were not so easily found, after all.
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation