Chapter Three: Endless Troubles

Chen Jiu knew well that having exposed the possession of the monstrous spirit, there was now no turning back; the situation had become one of mutual destruction. Since he could still manipulate the female corpse, he decided to let the “yellow-furred beast” taste his power first.

He sensed that the purple fox’s soul harbored an extremely potent demonic energy, perhaps enough to defeat the yellow-faced brute. With the talisman’s suppression gone, the corpse—under Chen Jiu’s command—leapt out into the courtyard to confront the yellow-faced man.

Just then, a dark cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the sunlight and plunging the surroundings into gloom.

“It’s risen from the dead!”

“Heavens, a ghost!”

“We’re doomed, absolutely doomed…”

The members of the Li household crowded together in terror, trembling as they watched the female corpse.

“If it weren’t for my daughter-in-law’s funeral today, and the absence of a skilled exorcist in my home, how could I have suffered such calamity?” Master Li was on the verge of tears. Watching Chen Jiu emerge from the mourning hall, a chill flashed through his eyes. “If only that brute could perish alongside the priest, that would be ideal!”

A mere lowly priest—if he died, so be it. At worst, Master Li would donate more incense money to the Temple of Mysteries.

At that moment, Chen Jiu was linked with the purple fox’s soul within the female corpse. At his mental command, the corpse soared up and rushed toward the yellow-faced man to attack.

Her crimson funeral robes billowed in the wind, and her hands stretched out, aiming to seize the man’s throat.

But the brute would not surrender so easily. He stepped back, his body retreating, and the corpse’s strike missed its mark.

“Ha, I didn’t expect you to deliver yourself to me. You’ve spared me the trouble,” the yellow-faced man sneered, then threw a punch at the corpse’s head.

Chen Jiu’s expression shifted, and he deftly guided the corpse to evade the deadly strike.

The brute missed, his face darkening in frustration, and he lunged to grab the corpse’s neck.

Chen Jiu’s thoughts raced. He observed that the “yellow-furred beast” possessed brute strength but lacked the agility of the corpse.

In the blink of an eye, the female corpse leapt high, soaring into the air.

The brute’s face twisted in fury. The next moment, he fixed his gaze on Chen Jiu, who stood outside the mourning hall with unwavering eyes.

“Is this your doing?”

Without another glance at the airborne corpse, he stepped toward Chen Jiu, vanishing from sight in an instant.

Chen Jiu’s gaze sharpened—just as the brute advanced to kill him, he issued a command to the corpse:

“Bind him!”

As the yellow-faced man appeared before Chen Jiu, sneering, the corpse materialized behind him, her seemingly delicate arms locking around his two arms with a death grip.

The brute’s expression changed drastically. He shook his arms violently, trying to break free.

Yet the corpse, despite her frail appearance, possessed an uncanny strength that surprised the brute.

No matter how he struggled, she remained motionless.

Chen Jiu let out a cold laugh—an opportunity not to be missed.

He pulled out the talisman for exorcising evil, and, in a flash, pressed it onto the brute’s body.

A sizzle erupted.

White smoke billowed from the brute’s body.

“Aaaaaah!”

His face contorted in agony, the talisman inflicting immense harm.

“Damn you! I’ll kill you!” The man, in a desperate burst of strength, broke free from the corpse’s grip and struck at Chen Jiu with a powerful palm.

A gust of wind surged forth; Chen Jiu’s eyes glinted as he braced himself, seized a peachwood sword nearby, and thrust it into the brute’s heart.

The sword wasn’t sharp, but it pierced the brute’s heart effortlessly, white smoke curling from the wound.

With this blow, the brute’s face froze in disbelief.

He toppled backward, eyes wide open.

“You… you killed me… the Withered Tree Demon won’t let you off…”

As his words faded, Chen Jiu heard a muffled sound from deep within the brute’s body.

Perhaps the sound of his heart bursting.

Chen Jiu’s “Heavenly Eye,” hidden beneath his hair, quickly activated “Nether Sight.”

He saw the yellow-furred beast, now lifeless—slain by the sword—its true form slowly emerging.

The yellow-faced man himself must have died days ago…

At last, it was over.

Chen Jiu gazed at the beast lying atop the brute’s chest, but found little joy.

From its words, it seemed he had provoked some “Withered Tree Demon.”

He sighed, head pounding.

Can’t trouble find me after I’ve had time to grow stronger?

Master Li, seeing Chen Jiu kill the brute with a single sword thrust, relaxed visibly.

“Priest, your powers are truly unfathomable! Please deal with the female corpse as well!” Master Li shouted, forgetting how harshly he had criticized Chen Jiu moments before.

Chen Jiu came back to himself, glanced at the corpse, and withdrew the “Heavenly Eye.”

The moment he severed the link, the dark clouds overhead dispersed, and the chill winds faded.

The corpse began to sway as if about to collapse.

Chen Jiu hurriedly tore the talisman from the brute’s body, preparing to affix it to the corpse’s forehead.

But as the talisman was about to touch, a violet light shot from the corpse’s abdomen and, to Chen Jiu’s astonishment, darted beyond the tall blue walls and vanished.

The fox’s soul had been feigning death!

Chen Jiu was speechless—he had been outwitted.

In an instant, he understood the whole affair.

Perhaps the yellow-furred beast had come for the purple fox, but now, having killed the beast and let the fox’s soul escape, the so-called “Withered Tree Demon” would surely come seeking him.

Chen Jiu sighed deeply and embraced the corpse.

Yet a foul, rotten stench invaded his nostrils, growing stronger by the moment.

Within mere seconds, the corpse began to decay.

Suppressing his revulsion, Chen Jiu placed her back into the coffin.

Master Li and his household hurried into the mourning hall, still shaken.

Seeing their frightened faces, Chen Jiu bowed with a Daoist salute. “Please rest assured, benefactor Li. The priest has resolved the matter.”

Master Li’s plump face gathered into a smile. “Ah, priest, you are truly a master of the Dao, your powers boundless… Earlier, I was blind to your abilities, I hope you won’t take it to heart…”

He then slipped a small pouch into Chen Jiu’s hand, grinning.

Chen Jiu felt the weight of the pouch and couldn’t help but find it amusing—after all those harsh words, now he was so generous.

But his face remained gentle. “No harm done.”

To refuse money would be to court his master’s wrath!

After receiving praise from all the household, Chen Jiu began the ritual, for that was his true duty.

…

By the time Chen Jiu left the Li residence, dusk had fallen.

He gazed at the red clouds on the distant horizon, feeling somewhat dazed…

Clearly, learning the arts of self-preservation was now an urgent priority!