Chapter Six: Astonishing News at the Teahouse

There was both joy and worry, but at least one thing was certain: once martial skills advanced, they would directly transform into a divine power. Divine powers were undoubtedly far more useful than martial skills; it was as if one had been born with an extra arm, entirely under Zhou Bai's control.

So as long as he accumulated enough points for his “Flesh-Eating Technique,” it too could become a divine power. He just didn’t know what form it would take—most likely something more supportive in nature.

But accumulating points was still a distant prospect. For now, Zhou Bai could only hope that Wang Lei would catch more wild beasts.

With that thought, he immediately prepared to leave for Old Li’s place—a single wild boar could greatly speed up his progress.

However, as Zhou Bai reached the door, he paused. He vaguely recalled that after activating his Yin-Yang Eyes, there were still a few little ghosts lurking in the shadows of that alley.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and cautiously approached his tiny window, pressing his eyes close.

With his naked eye, the outside appeared empty. The wind swept leaves across the ground, chasing them to and fro.

He hesitated, then gritted his teeth and activated the Yin-Yang Eyes. The whites of his eyes expanded, and his pupils shrank to the size of sesame seeds.

The world before him shifted into shades of black and white, as if he’d stepped across the threshold into another realm.

Zhou Bai carefully glanced toward the corner of shadow in the alley. The place was too enclosed, sunlight rarely touched it year-round.

His expression froze. He quickly withdrew his head and his breathing grew heavy. Returning to his bed, not caring about the damp sheets, he lay down and murmured to himself.

“There really are little ghosts…”

In the crevice at the base of the wall, Zhou Bai could clearly see—with his Yin-Yang Eyes—four little ghosts crouched in the darkness, all staring greedily toward the butcher’s shop, muttering in their ghostly tongue.

If that were all, it wouldn’t have made Zhou Bai so tense.

The first time he’d activated the Yin-Yang Eyes, he’d distinctly counted five little ghosts. Now, after just a day, there was one fewer.

But this didn’t put Zhou Bai at ease. The four remaining ghosts had changed noticeably in just a day.

They’d grown from the height of an average person’s knee by at least a head. Their emaciated bodies were now covered with denser boils, pus dripping from their skin onto the ground.

Zhou Bai also noticed what was causing these changes. While the ghosts watched the butcher’s shop with greedy eyes, they also eyed each other.

The little ghosts were fighting and devouring one another. Each time one disappeared, the survivors grew stronger and more unruly.

“So, when there’s only one left, will it set its sights on me?”

Zhou Bai’s muscles tensed involuntarily—a primal warning of mortal danger.

He knew he couldn’t just sit and wait for death. The pain in his head had subsided, so he decided to go out at once.

After leaving the butcher’s shop, Zhou Bai quickened his pace, his eyes darting to the shadows in the corner.

For now, these little ghosts couldn’t threaten him, especially in broad daylight—they could only cower in sunless shadows.

Though nervous, Zhou Bai left the alley without incident. Out on the street, the sparse crowd eased his anxiety somewhat.

Standing at the mouth of the alley, he hesitated. There was a Buddhist temple on an unnamed hill outside the southern part of the city, its incense was strong—perhaps they knew how to deal with ghosts. To the north, there was the Clear Breeze Monastery; the abbot was a proper Daoist priest, though he was rarely at the temple. Still, it was worth a try.

“Brother Bai, are you feeling better?”

A tea house attendant happened to come out and spotted Zhou Bai at once.

“Much better, Xiao Wu,” Zhou Bai replied after a brief pause.

Xiao Wu smiled happily and gestured for him to come in. “Brother Bai, why not come in for some tea? We just got a fresh batch of the finest Dragon Well.”

Zhou Bai was about to refuse, but the tea house was always bustling and Xiao Wu, being a staff member, was well informed.

“All right then, Xiao Wu, pour me a cup of Dragon Well. I actually have something I want to ask you about.”

Xiao Wu immediately led him upstairs. “No problem, Brother Bai, ask away—I won’t hold anything back.”

The tea house was old-fashioned, with the singers yet to arrive. But Hangdu’s people had a habit of morning tea, so the place was already quite full.

Zhou Bai chose a seat by the window. After the harrowing events of the last few days, he subconsciously sought out the sunlight.

Soon, Xiao Wu brought over a cup of tea, filled it for him, and then brought a few small dishes.

Zhou Bai took a sip. The tea was slightly bitter at first, but before it even reached his throat, a sweet aftertaste blossomed, followed by a wave of fragrance—it was indeed excellent tea.

He didn’t rush to ask about the temples, but first inquired, “I hear Hangdu hasn’t been very peaceful lately?”

Xiao Wu glanced around, making sure none of the other patrons were paying attention, and then lowered his voice. “It’s true, things have been uneasy. Ever since the Zhang family was wiped out, yesterday…”

“Another family died.”

Zhou Bai’s eyelid twitched. He took another sip of tea to calm himself, but this time it tasted flat and bland.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Wu continued, “Another wealthy family, grain merchants—thirteen dead this time, even the guard dog wasn’t spared. These villains must be utterly heartless.”

“Where was this family?”

“Also by the Clear River, just like Zhang’s residence. People are terrified—many of the wealthy dare not live there anymore.” Xiao Wu’s tone contained a hint of schadenfreude; after all, those born to hardship often reveled in the misfortunes of the rich.

“East or west of the river?”

“Same as the Zhangs—west bank, by Willow Embankment. I’d bet the culprit is lurking somewhere nearby.”

Zhou Bai knew things couldn’t be so simple. This wasn’t some ordinary villain’s doing—to silently slaughter an entire household was beyond human means.

“Xiao Wu, keep an ear out for more news like this. If anything else happens, let me know—my butcher’s shop is right next to the tea house, after all.”

With that, he placed some silver on the table. “This is for the tea—the rest is yours.”

Xiao Wu’s face lit up as he took the silver. “Don’t worry, Brother Bai. Nothing escapes my notice in this neighborhood.”