As he entered the doorway, an elder sat there, eyes closed in repose.
“Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor Ye Xiuchen requests entry to the Scripture Pavilion.”
“Hmm.”
The elder slowly opened his sparse eyes, a faint trace of blood-red light flashing within them.
At that instant.
Ye Xiuchen felt a prickle on his back as if an edge was pressed against him, causing all his hairs to stand on end.
It felt like a tiny boat adrift in a storm, swaying precariously, on the verge of perishing at any moment.
“Show your token.”
“Please, senior.”
“A newly promoted Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor?”
Ye Xiuchen nodded in affirmation.
“A newly promoted Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor may learn three cultivation techniques from the Body Refining realm free of charge. The specific ones are yours to choose. Further learning will require功勋 (gōng xūn - merit points). Do you understand?”
Ye Xiuchen bowed respectfully. “This junior understands.”
The elder handed the token to Ye Xiuchen, who received it with both hands.
“Go on, the Body Refining realm techniques are on the first floor. Don’t get lost,” the elder said lazily, closing his eyes as if already asleep.
Ye Xiuchen bowed again and proceeded towards the shelves where the Body Refining realm cultivation techniques were stored.
The Scripture Pavilion.
It was where the entire Demon Suppression Division stored its cultivation techniques.
To confront demons and malevolent spirits, one had to cultivate profound techniques to gain the capital to fight them.
The original Scripture Pavilion was freely accessible. However, as development progressed and the Demon Suppression Division gained more experts, the need for specialized techniques arose, leading to the requirement of功勋 (gōng xūn) to learn them. 功勋 (gōng xūn) were earned through missions, and Ye Xiuchen’s promotion to Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor was merely a low-level task.
The first floor of the Scripture Pavilion was vast.
When Ye Xiuchen arrived, many people were already present, browsing through the books.
No one noticed Ye Xiuchen; they were all using their limited time to find the martial arts they needed.
Ye Xiuchen had inquired beforehand; he was allowed to choose three techniques.
As for choosing the techniques, Ye Xiuchen already had a plan in mind.
《Huo Sha Gong》 (Fire Malevolence Technique), 《Shen Xing Bai Bian》 (Divine Steps Shifting), 《Shen Men Shi San Jian》 (Divine Gate Thirteen Swords), 《Liu He Dao》 (Six Harmonies Saber), 《Di Huo Gong》 (Earth Fire Technique)…
Various cultivation techniques were present, leaving Ye Xiuchen unsure of how to choose for a while. 138read.com
As someone who had experienced the information age, Ye Xiuchen knew exactly what he needed.
For Demon Suppressors, dealing with demons and malevolent spirits was commonplace. Techniques involving fire, yang, or lightning attributes would inflict bonus damage on such entities, so Ye Xiuchen was determined to choose those.
Ye Xiuchen’s gaze continuously scanned for what he needed. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as a《Huo Sha Gong》 (Fire Malevolence Technique) entered his sight.
Ye Xiuchen opened《Huo Sha Gong》. The techniques in the Scripture Pavilion only provided introductions and excerpts; the complete original texts were held by the pavilion administrator. As he flipped through the pages, Ye Xiuchen’s eyes grew brighter.
This《Huo Sha Gong》 (Fire Malevolence Technique), upon mastery, not only strengthened the body but also imbued attacks with fire malevolence, which would burn enemies and carry a certain toxicity.
Ye Xiuchen then selected a《Wu Hu Duan Men Dao》 (Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber) and a《Ji Yang Quan》 (Extreme Yang Fist).
After making his selections, he returned to the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion.
“Senior, I have finished my selection. Please take a look.” Ye Xiuchen respectfully placed the three manuals and his token on the table before the elder.
The elder opened his eyes, glanced at the techniques Ye Xiuchen had chosen, and asked, “Confirmed?”
“This junior confirms.”
The elder took Ye Xiuchen’s token and, with a flick of his finger, produced three jade slips. He handed them to Ye Xiuchen, saying, “When using, place them against your forehead to absorb. They can only be used by you, only once, and cannot be passed on to others. Discovery will result in immediate execution. Do you understand?” A severe killing intent emanated from his words.
Ye Xiuchen’s heart grew cold, and he quickly replied, “This junior understands.”
“Take them.”
Ye Xiuchen took the jade slips with both hands, bowed, and turned to leave.
Once outside the Scripture Pavilion’s bounds, Ye Xiuchen breathed a sigh of relief. The elder’s imposing presence was too overwhelming.
He hadn't expected even the Demon Suppression Division in Qingyuan City to have such a powerful expert. This illustrated the immense strength of the entire Great Qin Demon Suppression Division.
Ye Xiuchen touched the jade slips in his怀 (huái - embrace/pocket) and quickened his pace towards home.
In less than the time it takes for a cup of tea to brew, Ye Xiuchen had returned to his residence.
Ye Xiuchen did not open the main door; instead, he first checked the small mechanism he had set up. Finding it undisturbed, he realized that in this world of the supernatural, caution was paramount.
“Pant, pant…”
In the darkness of the night, a disheveled woman ran frantically through the dim streets. She wore a common business suit, but her high heels were long gone. Barefoot, she ran as if her soles felt no pain. Her face was contorted with terror, and she kept looking back as if something terrifying was chasing her.
“Tap, tap, tap, tap…” A series of footsteps sounded behind her, exceptionally clear in the silent street. Yet, under the dim streetlights, nothing could be seen.
Li Lan, an ordinary white-collar worker in a big city, was simply one of many overtime nights. Due to her circumstances, she could only afford to rent a place in an older district.
After finishing her overtime work, Li Lan was about to pack her things and leave the company. In the slightly dark corridor outside, she heard a series of footsteps. In the deserted company building, they were exceptionally distinct. Li Lan felt a bit scared and shouted, asking who was there. The footsteps immediately vanished.
Li Lan assumed it was someone else working late and paid it no mind. She was hungry and tired, wanting only to return to her warm little nest. She quickly packed her belongings and hurried out of the company. While waiting for the elevator, the previous footsteps reappeared. Li Lan wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but the sound seemed clearer than before.
Li Lan was getting angry. Who would be so bored late at night to play such a prank? She cursed them fiercely, and the footsteps disappeared again. Li Lan felt a sense of satisfaction and decided to curse them again in the company group chat tomorrow.
Ding. The elevator doors slowly opened. Li Lan stepped inside and pressed the button for the first floor. The elevator doors slowly closed. Just as they were about to fully close, Li Lan faintly heard those footsteps again.
Ding. Li Lan quickly exited the office building. This was a newly developed high-tech zone with incomplete infrastructure. Li Lan’s rented apartment was nearby, so she decided to walk home.
As she walked, Li Lan became somewhat frightened. She realized that amidst her own footsteps, there was another set of them. She quickly turned to look behind her, but there was nothing there. At this point, Li Lan’s scalp began to tingle, and her eyes grew panicked. She just wanted to get home quickly.
Her steps quickened. The hairs on Li Lan’s back stood on end. She could clearly hear the footsteps following her. She glanced back in a hurry, but still, there was nothing.
Li Lan was completely panicked and began to run faster. However, her high heels slipped, and she fell to the ground. She scrambled to her feet and ran forward unsteadily. As she increased her speed, the footsteps behind her also accelerated. When her speed slowed, the footsteps also slowed, as if a hunter was leisurely pursuing its prey.
Regardless of her speed, Li Lan could clearly feel the footsteps getting closer. She began to despair. A journey that usually took only ten minutes had her running for seven or eight minutes without reaching her destination, as if she hadn't moved at all.
Li Lan suddenly stopped, her terrified expression frozen on her face. Her eyes were bloodshot, revealing utter despair. Her body was unable to move!
“Help…”
The street returned to its dim and silent state…
Yuanjiang City.
The sun was always so bright, casting its rays upon the world.
“Ding-a-ling-ling-ling…”
The bell signaling the end of class instantly brought a burst of energy to the quiet campus.
“Ahhh, finally done!” Ye Xiuchen stretched, standing by the roadside on the main campus thoroughfare. His handsome face drew frequent glances from passing girls.
Ye Xiuchen, a third-year student at Yuanjiang City Experimental High School.
Ye Xiuchen was a transmigrator. Three years ago, Ye Xiuchen had fallen asleep and woken up in this world.
His original body's parents had died in a car accident, a normal traffic incident. The original Ye Xiuchen, who had been doted on by his parents since childhood, was so grief-stricken by their deaths that he passed away from shock.
Ye Xiuchen had been initially excited, only to discover that it was no different from his previous life; there were no supernatural powers.
The original body’s parents were wealthy, leaving him tens of millions in savings and a company worth hundreds of millions.
“Hello, excuse me, could I add your WeChat?” A junior, looking small and pure, approached him. Ye Xiuchen glanced at her, then at a few girls not far away who were looking in their direction. Ye Xiuchen understood instantly and softly replied, “No, thank you.”
He turned and walked away. Sounds of comfort began to erupt behind him. Ye Xiuchen was indifferent. He had experienced this too many times in the past two years. From initial delight to eventual numbness, he had become accustomed to it. After all, even from a male perspective, this body was undeniably handsome, with a fair and smooth face, sharp eyebrows, and a high-bridged nose.
Ye Xiuchen lived very cautiously. After all, arriving in a strange world, no one would adapt quickly. Caution was essential.
Ye Xiuchen walked to the parking lot outside the school and approached a motorcycle. He put on his helmet, lifted his leg, and mounted the bike. The roar of the engine attracted the attention of students around him. Twisting the throttle, he drove onto the main road.
He had just obtained his motorcycle license this year. Ye Xiuchen learned everything quickly now. He speculated it might be due to the fusion of two souls.
Ye Xiuchen rode his motorcycle to the entrance of a villa complex. The security guard saw Ye Xiuchen's motorcycle and opened the gate, smiling and saying, “Young Ye, school’s out.”
“Yes, Brother Wang.” Ye Xiuchen removed his helmet and replied, then asked, “Is it your shift today, Brother Wang?”
“It wasn’t originally, but a colleague had an emergency, so I’m covering for him.” Brother Wang smiled and asked, “Is today your graduation, Young Ye?”
“Yes, I just graduated today, and I’ve finished my college entrance exams too.”
“Ah, you’ve finished your exams. I remember seeing you for the first time when you were in junior high. In the blink of an eye, you’ve graduated. How were your college entrance exams?” Brother Wang sighed about the passage of time and then asked with a smile.
“The college entrance exams went quite well. Getting into Linjiang University shouldn't be a problem.”
“That’s great, you brat. Alright, hurry home. I still have to patrol, so I’ll be going.” Brother Wang praised Ye Xiuchen, waved goodbye, and went on his patrol with his baton.
Security guard Brother Wang was the first person Ye Xiuchen met in this world. Knowing that Ye Xiuchen was an orphan, he took good care of him, and thus, Ye Xiuchen had a good relationship with him.
His home was in the northeastern corner of the community, deep inside. Although it was a bit far, it was quiet.
He entered the villa using facial recognition. The motorcycle was parked in the yard. The villas were spaced far apart, ensuring good privacy.
The yard was spacious, with few flowers or trees, except for a small pavilion for cooling off. After parking the motorcycle and unlocking it with a password, he entered the villa. A large living room greeted him, decorated in a simple European style, with a large LCD TV and a sofa facing it.
Ye Xiuchen lived alone in the spacious, desolate villa. Despite living alone, he kept his rooms tidy and spotless.
He changed into slippers, placed his schoolbag on the sofa, and sat down himself.
This year’s college entrance exams, Ye Xiuchen believed, would at least get him into Linjiang University, a first-class university in the Tianxia Kingdom, if not a top national university.
He rose and walked to the second floor, which consisted of two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a study. Ye Xiuchen entered the study. A large floor-to-ceiling window offered a view of the wetland park behind and a lake in front. It was noon, and the lake surface sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.
He sat down at the desk and turned on the computer. After it booted up, he skillfully opened a forum website. This was a website Ye Xiuchen had discovered by chance. It contained discussions of supernatural phenomena that ordinary people rarely encountered, along with many talented individuals. Although Ye Xiuchen remained somewhat skeptical about the content, he found it more credible than other sources and decided to follow it.
After all, he had been raised with atheism. But with transmigration happening to him, if supernatural powers truly existed, Ye Xiuchen could easily accept it. There were few posts related to supernatural phenomena; most were foreign news. Once, he accidentally stumbled upon a paranormal post, but it was taken down before he could finish reading. This indicated the domestic attitude towards supernatural phenomena. Thinking of this, Ye Xiuchen couldn't help but sigh.
At that moment, a post appeared on his computer screen:
“Urgent Read!! All residents in a US residential area found mysteriously dead, all blood drained, turned into mummies!!”
The striking title immediately drew Ye Xiuchen’s attention, and his mouse moved to click on it. A picture of a mummy appeared on the screen. Ye Xiuchen was no longer surprised by such things.
Ye Xiuchen carefully examined the mummy photo. According to the post, this was the body of one of the victims at the crime scene. A typical foreign face, its mouth agape as if witnessing something extremely terrifying.
The post mentioned that forensic examinations revealed the bodies had been drained of bodily fluids in an extremely short period. Furthermore, the death toll exceeded a hundred, and they had almost all died simultaneously. This was incredible – hundreds of people turned into mummies, all their blood gone, dying almost at the same time…