Yin Mountain County.
After He Fenghua's group arrived, they rested briefly before the Yellow-rank Demon Hunters were assigned to patrol their respective areas to familiarize themselves with the environment.
Gu Qingfeng took Wang Fatty and Xu Daizi directly to Black Water Village.
On the road, Gu Qingfeng rode his horse at the front, with Wang Fatty and Xu Daizi following closely behind on their own horses.
Wang Fatty watched Gu Qingfeng riding ahead, the weapons at his waist jingling and clanking, feeling bewildered in his heart.
"Lord Gu, aren't you tired carrying four weapons?"
Without turning his head, Gu Qingfeng replied, "Aren't you weighed down wearing two sets of armor?"
"Uh..."
Wang Fatty was left speechless, but continued making small talk: "My Lord, we're almost at the outskirts of Black Water Village. Why don't we just circle around the area and head back to report?"
"Enough nonsense. If you don't want to go, you can head back first."
That single sentence silenced Wang Fatty. Though he wasn't one to care about face, deserting a mission was something he couldn't bring himself to do.
Especially fleeing before even encountering any demons - after that, he might as well quit the Demon Suppression Bureau altogether.
He could only steel himself and continue following Gu Qingfeng.
About two hours later, as dusk approached, the light grew dim. Shadows flickered in the surrounding forest, tree leaves swaying in the gentle breeze, as if monsters lurked in the darkness.
Wang Fatty was visibly tense, sweat beading on his forehead despite wearing two layers of armor.
Finally, after passing through the forest, Black Water Village appeared before them.
Unlike the desolate and eerie scene they had imagined, from a distance, the village houses were neatly arranged, with wisps of cooking smoke rising from their roofs. Children could be seen playing in the fields.
The faint sounds of crowing roosters and barking dogs could be heard.
It was a perfectly idyllic and harmonious scene, like a paradise removed from the world.
Gu Qingfeng stared wide-eyed for a good while before saying, "Are there really demons in Black Water Village?"
Wang Fatty also relaxed slightly: "Perhaps the Earth-rank Demon Hunter was right, and the demon moves around to commit its crimes?"
"Let's go take a look first," Gu Qingfeng strode forward leading the way.
The children playing in the fields cast curious glances their way.
After entering Black Water Village, they soon encountered scattered villagers who looked at Gu Qingfeng's group with reverent gazes.
Because they recognized the official uniform Gu Qingfeng wore.
Gu Qingfeng casually asked a villager: "Where can I find your village chief?"
"Sir, you're looking for the village chief? Please wait a moment, I'll go call him for you."
With that, the villager ran off.
Shortly after, an elderly man walking with difficulty and leaning on a cane slowly approached.
"This humble one is Hu Liang, paying respects to the three officials from the Demon Suppression Bureau."
"No need for formalities, elder. I am Yellow-rank Demon Hunter Gu Qingfeng from the Demon Suppression Bureau. From now on, I will be handling all demon-related matters in your Black Water Village."
Gu Qingfeng showed his badge and official documents to confirm his identity.
Village Chief Hu Liang grew even more respectful: "Lord Gu, you've become a Yellow-rank Demon Hunter at such a young age - truly an outstanding youth. Having such a pillar protecting our Black Water Village is truly our village's fortune."
Gu Qingfeng didn't engage in excessive pleasantries, but directly shifted the topic to the demon situation.
Hu Liang naturally told everything he knew as they walked through the village talking.
After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Gu Qingfeng finally understood the whole story.
It went like this: a month ago, children suddenly started disappearing from Black Water Village. At first, people didn't pay much attention, assuming wild animals had taken them.
But in the following days, more children went missing from the village, some even disappearing from inside their homes. Witnesses claimed they saw a black wind sweep through, making it impossible to keep their eyes open, and when they could see again, the children were gone.
The village chief had traveled far and wide in his youth and had seen demon techniques before. He immediately determined it was the work of demons and quickly reported it to the Yellow-rank Demon Hunter responsible for Black Water Village. After investigating, the Yellow-rank Demon Hunter reported it to Lord Yang, a Mysterious-rank Demon Hunter.
Then came the story of Lord Yang's team being completely wiped out.
According to the village chief, Lord Yang had tracked the demon's trail and determined it was in the Dead Bone Forest behind Black Water Village. He went in, and then died.
Later, when the Earth-rank Demon Hunter came, he searched the Dead Bone Forest for days but returned empty-handed. Not only did he fail to find the demon, but he couldn't even find Lord Yang and his team's bodies.
Strangely though, after Lord Yang's team was wiped out, children stopped disappearing from the village. It seemed as if the demon had truly moved on, just as the Earth-rank Demon Hunter had suggested.
After understanding the course of events, Gu Qingfeng sent Village Chief Hu Liang home for dinner, as he wanted to check out the Dead Bone Forest. Such a place heavy with yin energy wasn't suitable for the elderly to visit.
By now, Wang Fatty had completely relaxed after hearing the village chief's account, even removing one layer of his armor.
"That's wonderful, Lord Gu! There hasn't been any demon activity for many days. It seems the demon really has left. Why don't we head back to report?"
"Shut up. If you want to leave, go by yourself. I'm staying in Black Water Village tonight," Gu Qingfeng said irritably.
For Gu Qingfeng, he wasn't afraid of encountering demons - what he feared most was not finding them.
Demons preferred to act at night, so he decided to stay for one night.
Seeing Gu Qingfeng's anger, Wang Fatty dared not say more.
He still held some reverence for this superior who was only at the fourth level of Qi Gathering.
Because he knew of Gu Qingfeng's battle achievements - defeating those half a step into the Internal Energy realm.
Such strength was far beyond what a mediocre eighth level Qi Gathering practitioner like himself could compare to.
The three wandered through the village, heading toward Dead Bone Forest.
Gu Qingfeng carefully scanned every corner of the village but couldn't spot anything unusual.
"Candied haws! Cheap and delicious candied haws!"
Suddenly, a vendor's call caught Gu Qingfeng's attention.
The vendor stood with his back to the setting sun, his whole body illuminated by the dim light, making his features unclear.
Not far from him, in a corner by the wall, several five or six-year-old children were running and playing.
Gulp.
A swallowing sound came from beside Gu Qingfeng - it was Wang Fatty.
The large, round candied haws coated in sugar looked truly appetizing, appearing golden in the sunset's glow.
"My Lord, would you like one?"
Gu Qingfeng was also tempted and nodded.
Wang Fatty then looked at Xu Daizi: "How about you?"
"The books say that eating sugar..."
"Alright, alright, forget I asked."
Then Wang Fatty walked toward the candied haw vendor.
The vendor seemed to be preparing to pack up and head home for dinner. Being too far away, he hadn't noticed Gu Qingfeng's group, and was busy packing up his stall before turning to leave.
Wang Fatty's hunger got the better of him - he wouldn't be satisfied until he got some candied haws today. He called out while running: "Hey! Wait up, candied haw vendor!"
Whether the vendor was hard of hearing or not, he didn't turn around, instead turning into a small alley.
Though Wang Fatty was fat, he was genuinely at the eighth level of Body Tempering. With one burst of energy, he reached the alley's entrance.
At this moment, the vendor's figure had just turned into the alley, with Wang Fatty following almost immediately behind.
Gu Qingfeng shook his head helplessly: "I didn't expect this fatty to run so fast when food is invol..."
Before Gu Qingfeng could finish speaking, suddenly! A piercing scream came from Wang Fatty in the alley!
Ahhhh!!!
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…
