As dusk settled, the two of us, a snake, and Huang San, who was being carried like an "Emperor Emeritus" in a dragon palanquin borne by over a dozen weasels, began our journey towards North Mountain.
They say a cunning rabbit has three burrows, but I never expected this old weasel, Huang San, to be so sly as to hide his lair near North Mountain. I couldn't figure out if he was guarding against the Hu family or some other enemy.
He wouldn't say when asked, only that there was a Black Fiend near his den, one that had recently transformed from a White Fiend. He claimed now was the perfect time to capture it.
I had originally planned to take advantage of the strong sunlight in the afternoon and capture it then. This would have saved a lot of trouble and significantly reduced the danger. However, Zhang Dabiao refused.
His reasoning was that a Black Fiend that had killed over twenty people would have its malevolent aura clearly visible to any discerning eye. While dealing with it during the day would be easier, it would also significantly diminish its ferocity, potentially leading to flaws if captured.
There was no proper road leading to North Mountain, only a winding path. This path was created by villagers who had lost family members in the North Mountain mining town, leaving it behind during the Qingming Festival to pay their respects. Su Dan Novel Network.
As soon as we entered the North Mountain territory, the chirping of insects diminished considerably. Even the moonlight that had just risen seemed dimmer than elsewhere, as if we had crossed into another world with a single step.
Huang San led the way. His small ears, which were almost as large as a donkey's, were constantly twitching, listening to the surrounding sounds, and his small eyes were fixed on the noises around us.
"Huang San, are you going home or acting like a thief? You seem a bit unreliable."
The road had been silent until my sudden outburst, which almost made Huang San fall off the weasels. He steadied himself and quickly whispered, "Oh, my young master Song, can you please not speak so loudly? If you attract the restless spirits, our lives might be forfeit here."
"Restless spirits? What do you mean? Do they come out collectively?"
Although I hadn't witnessed a mass uprising of spirits, my memory of being chased by them across the mountain was exceptionally vivid. Having experienced it once, I had no desire to repeat it.
"It's the fourteenth day of the lunar month!"
I took out my phone and checked. It was indeed the fourteenth day of the lunar month. No wonder the moon had risen in the east as soon as the sun had set.
"Brother Zhang, keep this in your pocket." I took out a Sun-Concealing Talisman from my bag, which could mask yang energy, and handed it to him.
Zhang Dabiao didn't hesitate. He quickly tucked the talisman into his pocket and asked with a hint of annoyance why I hadn't produced such a useful item earlier, as he had been walking in fear all this way.
I scratched my head and explained that I had forgotten. I had originally intended to use it when dealing with the Black Fiend. Zhang Dabiao, angered, raised his hand as if to hit me, but then reconsidered.
Because of my earlier shout, the previously quiet surroundings suddenly felt colder, and some rustling sounds emerged.
Normally, we wouldn't have paid attention, but in the dead silence, the sudden rustling made us all tense up.
The Black Fiend itself wasn't terrifying; Zhang Dabiao and I could handle it. We were afraid of provoking a mass uprising of spirits, where thousands upon thousands of restless spirits and vengeful ghosts would charge at you. Even a Celestial Master would have to temporarily retreat, as a multitude of ants can indeed bite an elephant to death.
"Scaredy-cat..." Bai Ling'er muttered softly, and her form instantly vanished from sight.
A moment later, Bai Ling'er reappeared, looking smug. "There's nothing around, just two little sand rats out on a date."
Seeing her tongue flicking in and out, I shivered and whispered, "You didn't eat them, did you?" I received a huge eye-roll and a rap on the head in response.
Zhang Dabiao shook his head and sighed, seemingly exasperated by the foolish question I had asked.
By the time we reached Huang San's den, we had encountered three waves of spirits. Thanks to the Sun-Concealing Talisman, they merely glanced at us before ignoring us and continuing to absorb yin energy.
"We're finally here!"
Huang San's den was located east of the entrance to the North Mountain mining town, about two to three li from the mass grave, nestled among a pile of rocks.
"See that raised mound of earth?" Huang San stood on the highest rock, peering eastward.
Following his gaze, we faintly saw a mound like a small mountain, bare and smooth like a large steamed bun. On top of it sat a figure with its mouth wide open, gazing at the starry sky. A cloud of black energy was entering and exiting its mouth, causing the moonlight around it to flicker. It was clear that it was cultivating by absorbing the power of the moon.
My head immediately began to ache. I flicked Huang San's head with my finger and angrily asked, "Is this the Black Fiend you were talking about?"
Huang San, almost knocked off the rock pile by my flick, looked at me indignantly. "Just talk, why are you hitting me?" Seeing me raise my hand again, he quickly explained, "We've been neighbors for decades, and this creature has always been a Black Fiend and hasn't evolved. I swear."
Hearing this, I lowered my hand. Wild spirits rarely swore, and when they did, it meant they were telling the truth, as lying would incur the punishment of the Heavenly Dao.
However, the Black Fiend before me didn't seem like an ordinary one. Ordinary Black Fiends, besides killing and devouring blood, did not know how to cultivate by absorbing lunar energy. Only those that had awakened their intelligence understood this.
For example, spirits and vengeful ghosts acted purely on instinct and did not actively cultivate their spiritual bodies. Only those who reached the level of Ghost Generals awakened their intelligence and began to cultivate.
If we were to consider the strength of Fiends, the one sitting on the mound absorbing lunar energy was not a Black Fiend, but rather a Blood Fiend, like Zhang Dabiao's father.
I voiced my concerns.
After circling in the air, Bai Ling'er stated that this creature was not a Blood Fiend at all. If it were a true Blood Fiend, it would have already rushed over to kill us. She believed it had awakened its intelligence through some special method, allowing it to cultivate by absorbing lunar energy. She instructed us to wait there while she went to test it.
Before I could agree, Bai Ling'er had already transformed into a white streak of light and appeared before the shadowy figure. A roar followed.
ROAR—
Bai Ling'er's appearance was seen as a provocation by the Black Fiend. After a roar, its body flew into the air, its two black claws like scythes slashing towards the intruder.
"Oh, quite responsive!" Bai Ling'er easily dodged the claw attack. With a flash of white light, a club the size of a baseball bat appeared at her tail, and with a 'bang' like hitting a baseball, she smashed the Black Fiend into the mound.
It's done? I rubbed my eyes. Was it really that simple?
Suddenly, a black streak of light shot up from the mound, trapping Bai Ling'er in mid-air. Simultaneously, the Black Fiend reappeared before her.
"%￥#@#..." A jumble of unintelligible words came from the Black Fiend.
We couldn't understand a single word, but it made Zhang Dabiao and me widen our eyes in disbelief. This Black Fiend was from the Land of the Rising Sun.