Cultivation Starts from Killing Pigs

Zhang Kui still remembers that mural at Ji Temple.

The mutated Drought Fiend with three heads and six arms, the Black Dragon stirring up rivers and seas, though not a 'Disaster Beast' like the Locust Demon, it was also causing havoc everywhere it went.

These two demons had their skins peeled and bones dismantled, crafted into devices for suppression, but eventually they mutated into Demonic Artifacts.

The two State Preceptors wielded the National Guardian Divine Artifacts and personally came forth, smashing the dragon bone stage, but the Drought Fiend's statue managed to escape with its head.

Who would have thought it would come here now?

"Hmph, just a head daring to cause trouble!"

Zhang Kui had no idea why the thing had come for him, but since it fled upon encountering him, its powers evidently diminished, it was a good opportunity to eliminate it.

Moonlight was like frost, and the cool breeze blew gently.

Zhang Kui stood on the wall, his pupils slightly glowing.

Under the vision granted by the Tongyou Skill, a lingering evil aura shrouded the Drought Fiend statue on an old pagoda tree in the distance.

Utilizing this remaining evil aura, Zhang Kui immediately performed the Moon-taking Technique, moonlight as smooth as water gradually revealing an image:

In the dark dense forest, a figure moved nimbly on all fours, traversing between the trees with an eerie posture.

Though it was clearly the body of an old silverback ape, it bore the head of the Drought Fiend's statue, with faces of joy, anger, and lust constantly shifting.

Head swap?

It even possesses such abilities...

Zhang Kui's expression subtly changed, and he immediately switched spells to check the image terrain.

"Fool, don't run around!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than black smoke dispersed as Zhang Kui vanished, swiftly pursuing underground with the Nether Soil Stone Coffin.

Watching Zhang Kui disappear, Fatty Tiger shook its head and jumped back into the courtyard, looking irritated, "Seriously, does he think I, Fatty Tiger, am not as good as a coffin?"

Zhang Kui, naturally, didn't know that Fatty Tiger was complaining. Controlling the Nether Soil Stone Coffin, he sped through the mountains rapidly retreating above ground, soon catching sight of the Drought Fiend statue's shadow.

Clang!

The sword rang out like a dragon's roar.

Zhang Kui suddenly leapt from the ground, Lu Li Sword shot out a beam of golden light, instantly shattering branches along its path.

He hadn't forgotten how tough this Drought Fiend statue was, striking directly at the old ape's body.

The Drought Fiend statue twisted in midair like a kite with a gentle turn, changing its face to one of anger and suddenly opened its fanged mouth.

"Ho—ya!"

With a dry and ear-piercing sound, waves visible to the naked eye shot out, and the air seemed to ripple.

"Such a loud voice!"

Zhang Kui smirked coldly, his figure dodged to the side as if pulled, simultaneously causing the Lu Li Sword to split into three, elegantly circling to pierce the target.

Blood sprayed, the Drought Fiend statue moved quickly, avoiding two of the swords, but not the third, which tore a hand and half a shoulder into blood mist.

Simultaneously, Zhang Kui's toes lightly pressed, and he ascended into the air.

The world instantly changed colors, the bright moon nowhere to be seen, black parasols obscuring the sky, countless twisted black shadows above and below.

He measured the distance, instantly using the 'Longevity' domain space to trap the Drought Fiend statue within.

But much to Zhang Kui's annoyance, it couldn't be trapped at all.

This thing, though damaged, was still a Demonic Artifact, punching a hole and slipping out.

Before Zhang Kui could act, the Drought Fiend statue quickly changed to a smiling face, making an eerie "Hehehe" sound.

Blood fog splattered as the headless old ape body crashed to the ground, and the Drought Fiend statue head had vanished.

Gazing at the old ape's corpse, Zhang Kui frowned. No wonder it could escape from the State Preceptors, this Demonic Artifact was endowed with so many bizarre secret skills.

However, the old ape's corpse still bore residual evil aura, and Zhang Kui once again employed the Moon-taking Technique to investigate before disappearing into black smoke...

...

Bright Moon River, with gentle ripples, shone with sparkling water.

On a pebble riverbank, after a swirl of black smoke, Zhang Kui with a darkened face glanced around, his eyes glinting with anger.

This Drought Fiend statue, with just a head remaining, could still slip away so quickly. Chasing it down, Zhang Kui realized he didn't know where he had run to, filled with frustration.

The river before him was quite wide, though not part of the North-South Canal water network, but rather burst out from the mountains of Lanzhou.

Could it have dived into the water?

Zhang Kui frowned, just about to enter the water, when he suddenly looked up to the distance, then, without thinking, disappeared with a puff of black smoke, guiding the Nether Soil Stone Coffin into the underground.

On the river surface,

The sound of a long, ancient conch horn echoed.

Suddenly a gale arose, waves and billows surged.

Amidst it all, it seemed as if tens of thousands of people were wailing...

Shortly thereafter, an enormous entity emerged.

A giant raft, each log three to four meters thick and over a hundred meters long, covered in water weeds and shells.

Upon the raft was a five to six-meter-tall stone seat.

A colossal toad, over four meters in height, sat atop it, dressed in a decayed official's robe, cheek in hand as if in deep slumber, exuding a metallic luster like dark iron.

Around the toad were swarms of water demons and yaksha, some beating gongs, others blowing horns.

It was lively and chaotic.

What was terrifying was beneath the raft, countless water ghosts surged forward like a swarm of ants, faces pale, features twisted, emitting painful screams.

Zhang Kui's pupils shrank beneath the ground.

The toad demon seemed ordinary, yet its threat was only slightly less than General Hou's from the General's Tomb.

Another Mahayana Realm demon!

And it appeared to be practicing Moon Worship Skill, having a human form while retaining the demon's appearance.

Without a doubt,

it's the Lanjiang Water Mansion's Demon King patrolling the river.

Zhang Kui couldn't help but silently curse his luck.

Stumbling upon an evil Forbidden Land didn't matter; he'd seen plenty of Stone Man Tombs, General's Tombs, and Jingjiang Water Mansions.

But if the Drought Fiend divine statue escaped tonight, finding it again would be exceedingly difficult.

Unless his realm was higher and he learned those mysterious Star Skills and Shefu Skill to perform calculations and deductions.

The old demon patrolled the river, coming and going quickly.

Soon, the river surface returned to tranquility.

After a cloud of black smoke, Zhang Kui reappeared, eyes glimmering with eerie light, surveying the surroundings, then frowned and shook his head slightly.

The passage of demons scattered Yin Qi over the river, making the air chaotic, making it impossible to locate...

...

At first light, the ground was covered in grass damp with dew.

Captain Yuan Kong of the Astronomical Bureau in Lanzhou led a group of black-clothed Profound Guards on horseback, stopping outside the old courtyard gate.

Just as he was about to knock, Zhang Kui came out fully dressed, striding forward, "Captain Yuan, I have urgent matters to discuss with you."

Two State Preceptors from Bozhou dismantling the demonic artifact was no secret; it was in the Astronomical Bureau's official reports, and Zhang Kui did not conceal it, recounting the events of last night.

Yuan Kong listened, his scalp tingling,

"How did that ghostly thing end up in Lanzhou?"

He couldn't help but lament internally, this True Man Zhang, though fierce-looking and emanating intense Evil Qi, had earned Yuan Kong's respect over a few days of interaction.

Yet even he had no solution, so how could True Man Yang, who secluded himself to avoid the disaster, handle it?

"Do not worry."

Zhang Kui patted his shoulder, "Deploy scouts over these few days for a thorough search, if there's news, notify me immediately!"

Yuan Kong rejoiced, "Thank you, True Man Zhang!"

Then, he hesitated briefly, cupped his hands in salute, and said:

"True Man Zhang, the temple where I grew up is just up the mountain, I've been busy all year and haven't visited, may I let someone else accompany you first, and I'll follow shortly?"

Zhang Kui noticed Yuan Kong's intent, laughed heartily, "Not forgetting one's roots is good, go ahead, be careful on the way."

Watching Zhang Kui and the group swiftly depart, Yuan Kong immediately turned and headed up the mountain.

The mountain path was arduous, shrouded in mist and pine trees.

After winding around for a long time, a deep mountain ancient temple appeared, chanting continuously echoing.

Yuan Kong breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appeared on his face.

Shifang Temple is a practice sect in Lanzhou; naturally, the Buddhist Family also possesses Demon-Subduing Divine Power, which Yuan Kong painstakingly practiced since childhood, achieving his current position as Captain of the Astronomical Bureau.

The little novice monk at the door was overjoyed,

"Master, brother Yuan Kong is back!"

This conversation lasted most of the day, and as the evening sunset lingered in the mountain, Yuan Kong rose to bid farewell and depart.

The elderly head monk smiled, advising:

"The world is full of misfortunes, though you are worldly, you are also a secular disciple of Shifang Temple, always maintain compassion in all matters."

"I diligently follow the master's teachings."

Yuan Kong respectfully saluted, then turned and left.

The little novice monk smiled as he closed the temple door.

But shortly thereafter, the door suddenly banged, and the little novice monk quickly ran to open it, "Brother, have you forgotten something..."

The little novice monk was stunned,

A strange smiling face floated in midair…

...

After dawn, Shifang Temple was dead silent.

Upon the blood and flesh mountain formed by a dozen monks, the eyes of the Drought Fiend statue emitted a red light, gradually being enveloped by the corpse mountain.

Soon, the body's blood rapidly dried and hardened, forming a waxy shell, with faint chanting sounds emerging from within, the tone peculiar, unlike Central State's language.

Simultaneously, the ground began visibly drying and cracking, as if exposed to months of scorching sun.

And underground, locust eggs became unusually active…