NOVEL NEXT Chapter 213: Three Fires of a New Official
"Boom——"
A sudden clap of thunder resounded over the ground, smoke filled the air, and centered around the Straw Spirit Paperman, the graves within half an acre were blasted open, with some nearby Ghost Soldiers turning to dust before they could react amidst the smoke.
The Ghost King Mausoleum had never been this lively!
In the depths of the Ghost King Mausoleum, the great form suddenly sat up inside a thick, four-layered coffin.
"How comes the sound of thunder in my lonely city?"
Just now, the earth-shaking explosion almost made King of Calamities think he was back to the days of constant dread facing thunder disasters.
Could it be that a Ghost General has broken through five hundred years of cultivation, attracting a thunder disaster?
It can't be! Although not explicitly stated in the ghost city, whenever someone undergoes disaster tribulation, they flee far away. Who would be so blind to hide in the ghost city during a tribulation?
For the first time in over two years, the King of Calamities emerged from seclusion.
Below, scouts reported that strange thunder descended thirty miles south of the Ghost King Mausoleum. That thunder was of Supreme Yang, explosively fierce, causing varying degrees of collapse in the graves within a radius of several miles. Many Ghost Soldiers were left homeless, only able to wander above ground...
"Where is Ghost Portal General?"
All Ghost Generals and Ghost Soldiers remained silent, not daring to speak.
On the throne above, the Ghost King, wearing a crown and draped in an ochre-yellow Dragon Robe, asked again:
"Where is Ghost Portal General?!"
Four Ghost Soldiers below cautiously brought forth a coffin lid to the front of the hall.
At a glance, the King of Calamities saw that the Ghost General who had been at the center of the iron firecannon explosion had been reduced to a patchwork of charred bones.
Moreover, a strange smell of smoke lingered on those bones.
Just as all the ghosts thought the Ghost General was dead, the skull perched on the pile of bones atop the coffin lid suddenly opened its jaw and spoke in a human voice:
"Forgive me, my King. I fell into the enemy's trap and failed to protect the mausoleum..."
"Who did this?"
"I don't know. The ones attacking the mausoleum were twelve Papermen. I don't know who controls them. I only saw one Paperman ignite a black pill. That black pill was of Supreme Yang, innately restraining us. Its sound was like Celestial Thunder, and I was defeated by this pill in just one round!"
The King of Calamities remained silent for a moment, then spoke: "From now on, you all need to increase your vigilance, patrol day and night. If anyone suspicious approaches, you must stop them and not let them get within half a step of the city."
After speaking, the Ghost King ordered a servant to bring a jar of incense to the disassembled Ghost General.
The servant inverted the jar, and as the white powder sprinkled over the pile of bones, they miraculously returned to their original positions, 'reviving' the Ghost General!
"My King's benevolence! I shall ensure the security of the city and will not allow any villain to intrude next time!"
...
Funeral Shop.
Having lit fireworks at a neighbor's house, Xu Qing turned and ran home.
The power of the iron firecannon surprised him, but it also made him aware of its limitations.
Gunpowder, with its Supreme Yang nature, is naturally restraining to ghosts, and sulfurs and nitrates are common items. The herbal classic lists them as medicines, stating they can remove sores, kill bugs, banish filth, and detoxify. The word 'banish filth' alone indicates the properties of gunpowder.
The iron firecannon, being concentrated gunpowder, is a weapon of mass destruction to sinister beings.
But its shortcomings are also obvious. After all, this is merely a mundane object. To Cultivators who haven't undergone thunder disasters, it's an extremely powerful weapon. However, to those with advanced cultivation, who aren't afraid of Yang Fire, the iron firecannon isn't a fatal threat.
Moreover, such things are ultimately lifeless, neither flexible nor stealthy. When engaged in combat, such indiscriminate tools are hard to use effectively.
However, Xu Qing did not give up on learning. Li Er foolishly kept to himself, only to be set straight by a brilliant prank from a local talent.
Xu Qing, being a fully evolved zombie proficient in all aspects, wouldn't make such a beginner's mistake.
In the mortuary, Xu Qing kept up with the times, gathering the strengths of all, and after spending most of the day, finally tinkered out a uniquely styled iron firecannon.
This firecannon, also made of iron pills, was enhanced with fireworks effects from Liuxian County. The exterior was wrapped in a colorful flower-patterned cloth, resembling a lion dance embroidered ball.
As Xu Qing came out holding the embroidered ball, it instantly caught Xuan Yu's attention.
Cats have always had a soft spot for spherical objects.
Xu Qing saw Xuan Yu approaching, wanting to trade a walnut for his flower ball, and without hesitation, he refused.
This is not a toy!
Curiosity is innate in cats. If it accidentally blew up the shop, it would be a small matter; if their friendship blew up, that would be grave.
"This isn't a flower ball. It's my crafted Exorcism Pill, specifically designed to counter evil spirits..."
The Exorcism Pill, which treats external wounds and harmonizes internal alchemy. It remains motionless until awakened, and when it does, it's astonishingly powerful, perfectly embodying the alchemical mystery of "stillness within motion, life hidden in death."
This pill, when disassembled and applied externally, not only treats malignant sores but also stops bleeding and kills insects, aligning with the "Supreme Yang against Yin" principle, truly an essential medicine for traveling the Jianghu and for home exploration.
...
The next morning, Xu Qing returned from Shuimen Bridge Villa with a brand new embroidered ball, far more exquisite than the fabric-covered iron Exorcism Pill he held.
This greatly delighted the little cat. The Wang family girl, who came to deliver incense candles, saw this and remarked with some sentiment, "Sir treats Xuan Yu so well, even buying it such a beautiful embroidered ball. Things like this are usually only prepared for weddings by noble families' daughters when they throw embroidered balls to choose their ideal spouse..."