MMLZ CH4
“Ding! Killed female ghost. Gained 100 merit points.”
At that moment, a notification sound rang in Xu Yan’s mind, snapping him back to reality.
So his golden finger (cheat ability) really was related to ghost hunting and demon catching.
“Master, what’s wrong?”
Xu Yan pulled his hand back, puzzled—his master kept staring at the wound on his hand. Was there something wrong with it?
But that female ghost was way too weak. Just touching him had her acting like she was electrocuted, and then she was taken down almost effortlessly.
“Don’t move.”
Uncle Jiu pulled out a purple talisman and stuck it to Xu Yan’s wound. Xu Yan had no choice but to let him do his thing.
Sizzle—
Unexpectedly, as soon as the purple talisman touched his wound, a few sparks crackled out, and Uncle Jiu even trembled slightly—clearly shocked.
What kind of talisman is this? It actually gives off electricity!
“Just as I thought! Just as I thought!”
What stunned Xu Yan even more was that Uncle Jiu suddenly started laughing with joy, completely unfazed by the electric shocks from the talisman.
The ghost had been surprisingly weak. Aside from the waiting, it had lasted less than a minute before being destroyed. After that, everything went smoothly.
With the ghost gone, the villagers calmed down and began burying the victims. Of course, Uncle Jiu had them stick talismans inside the coffins to prevent future problems, as improper handling of corpses killed by ghosts could cause trouble.
The payment was decent too—three silver dollars.
Normally, Uncle Jiu would be pleased with such a reward, but today he didn’t care about the money at all. He pulled Xu Yan along and left in a hurry.
What was going on?
Although Xu Yan hadn’t known him long, he understood that Uncle Jiu was the kind of person who rarely smiled—let alone smiled so happily like today. Along the journey, Xu Yan noticed that his master had already smiled several times, which made him uneasy.
At dawn, the two returned to the mortuary house. Just as they arrived, Wen Cai was getting up, so they didn’t even need to knock.
Uncle Jiu dragged Xu Yan straight to the ancestral hall. Standing before the ancestral master’s memorial, he picked up a small knife from the table, sending a chill down Xu Yan’s spine. He had a bad feeling.
“Master… what are you doing?”
Wen Cai, clueless and yawning, asked with a sleepy face.
“Don’t talk.”
Uncle Jiu glared at him, and Wen Cai instantly sobered up—unsure what he’d done wrong.
Xu Yan, one of the main characters in this situation, was even more confused.
After offering incense and sincerely bowing before the ancestor, Uncle Jiu picked up a bowl, poured water in it, and said to Xu Yan:
“For this, I need a drop of your blood. Don’t worry.”
With a flash of the knife, Xu Yan felt a sting on his finger. Blood dripped into the bowl.
“That’s enough.”
Uncle Jiu let go of his hand, letting him bandage the wound. He picked up a bagua mirror, closed his eyes, and chanted incantations Xu Yan didn’t understand, then placed the mirror over the bowl.
Sizzle—
The moment the mirror touched the bowl, a purple light flashed inside it, accompanied by a sizzling sound, as if electricity surged through the bowl. Uncle Jiu beamed with excitement.
“Just as I thought, just as I thought!”
He then stuck the earlier purple talisman onto the bagua mirror. Once the purple light faded, Uncle Jiu carefully stored the talisman and set the mirror aside.
What shocked everyone was—Xu Yan’s blood had vanished from the bowl!
“Ahem, don’t be afraid.”
After a while, Uncle Jiu realized he was overreacting. He coughed and replaced his expression with a stern face. Turning to Xu Yan, he said:
“Just now, I was testing your constitution. I didn’t expect you to have a natural Thunder Spirit Body, which explains why the female ghost reacted like she was hit with a Purple Thunder Talisman when she touched your blood.”
Purple Thunder Talisman? Was that the purple one from earlier?
“Constitution? Like a spiritual root?”
This sounded like something out of a cultivation novel. Uncle Jiu paused, then said, “You could see it that way.”
“Like I told you last night, the world’s spiritual energy is growing sparse, making cultivation harder. But there are some rare exceptions—like you.”
“Those with the Thunder Spirit Body are naturally suited for cultivation. If they have the right techniques and body-tempering methods, their progress is extremely fast, and they innately suppress evil beings like ghosts and demons.”
“Your senior uncle, for example, didn’t have a Thunder Spirit Body, but his physique matched well with our school’s Lightning Fist of Roaring Thunder, so he became very powerful. Ordinary ghosts disintegrated with a single touch. Unfortunately, he was too bloodthirsty.”
Now Xu Yan finally understood. He had a rare Thunder Spirit Body, suitable for certain cultivation techniques and martial arts like the Lightning Fist, and his growth would be much faster than average!
He’d be especially powerful against ghosts, monsters, zombies, etc.
“So… if I learn that Lightning Fist of Roaring Thunder, I can become as strong as my senior uncle?”
Uncle Jiu’s senior brother—Shi Jian—was known as Thunderclap. Though he had a twisted heart, his power was legendary. In one movie, he appeared and used the Lightning Fist to summon thunder, reducing ghosts to ashes.
“Yes.”
Uncle Jiu nodded, then corrected him: “Actually, you’ll be even stronger, because your senior uncle could only learn the Lightning Fist, but not our sect’s unique cultivation techniques.”
“Then Xu Yan is going to skyrocket!”
Wen Cai exclaimed.
Uncle Jiu’s face darkened. “Don’t talk nonsense. Go clean the place. Always dreaming useless dreams.”
“Oh…”
Wen Cai shut up after being scolded and went to do chores.
Sigh…
Uncle Jiu sighed—he didn’t have much hope for that disciple anymore. All he could do was help him accumulate virtue and hope he’d have a better life next time. As for cultivation, he had no expectations.
“Xu Yan, are you truly willing to join our Maoshan Sect?”
Uncle Jiu’s gaze turned serious.
Though all three—Qiusheng, Wen Cai, and Xu Yan—were technically his disciples, they were more like outer sect disciples in a novel, who could leave at any time.
“I am willing.”
Xu Yan was curious—if he really practiced the matching technique and the Lightning Fist, just how strong could he become? Could he surpass his master?
“Good. Offer incense to the ancestral master and bow sincerely.”
The proper rituals had to be done. Afterward, Uncle Jiu led Xu Yan into his private room and opened a hidden compartment, revealing a small box. Inside were some basic manuals.
“From today on, I will teach you theLightning Thunder Fist and the Thunder Art. You must practice seriously. No wavering. No breaking sect rules. And do not follow the path of your senior uncle.”
“I will remember. Please rest assured, Master.”