On his Lifespan, there was a lonely single digit: one.
Xue Ling felt a pang of heartache; fortunately, his original body had an Elementary Cultivation Technique, otherwise he would have truly killed himself.
Killing a small fox Yao Beast gives five points, killing a large fox Yao Beast gives seven points.
Killing Yao Beasts adds points? What else can add points?
If points can be added, can Lifespan be added?
A Lifespan of only a few decades, one Cultivation Technique maxed out, and it's gone in a blink. How is that enough?
“Heh… who would have thought that I, a small Taoist Priest who started halfway, only capable of drawing talismans, burning paper, and swindling people with fortune-telling and physiognomy, could also slay Yao Beasts…”
“...Truly, Ancestral Master blesses me. Old Taoist Priest, I have finally made something of myself.”
He was an orphan, unaware of his birth date, and learned superficial skills from the Old Taoist Priest to make a living. He never had a proper, dignified opportunity.
Although he hadn't harmed anyone in his previous life, to fill his belly, he often engaged in deceptive practices, talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Now that he thought about it, everything in his previous life was like a fleeting cloud, like a muddled dream.
With his heart pounding in his chest, Xue Ling felt, for the first time, that he was truly and passionately alive.
“Not only do I want to live, I want to live to a ripe old age!”
Combining two lifetimes, this was the first time he had done something so significant. Xue Ling traveled through the night, under the stars and moon, feeling more energetic with every step.
As he walked, rustling sounds came from both sides of the official road!
Xue Ling stopped, highly alert. Could he be so unlucky that Yao Beasts were already coming for him?
“Who’s there? Come out!”
After a moment, a round head popped out of the grass.
“Lord Xue!”
It was Chun Rou.
Compared to her initial terror, her words now carried a hint of familiarity, but when she saw the fox Yao Beast's head on the cart, the little girl shrank back in fright.
“…”
She probably didn't hear his soliloquy, after all, others wouldn't know that this body had a new occupant. A sudden change in personality could easily arouse suspicion.
The original owner deserved to die, but he was innocent and couldn't be burned as a monster for nothing.
After thinking for a moment, he took off his outer garment to cover the fox Yao Beast’s eyes and, mimicking the original owner’s tone, shouted fiercely.
“Come out! What are you hiding for!”
“Lord Xue…” Chun Rou stood up tremblingly, and several other little sprouts also emerged from behind her.
“Curfew has already passed, are you squatting here waiting to feed the Yao Beasts! Hurry up and go!”
“No, no, it’s Er Niu. His knee is badly scraped, and he can’t walk.”
Xue Ling misheard, thinking it was Er Niu.
Upon closer inspection, it was the child who had almost been vivisected by the small fox Yao Beast earlier.
This Er Niu was not that Er Niu; true to his name, he was as wide as he was tall, weighing at least eighty or ninety jin—a truly big, chubby boy!
His knee was scraped bloody and raw, and he was pouting and tearing up, yet he didn't cry out, which was quite tough. The others were fine and unharmed.
“Get on the cart, I’ll pull you.”
The little sprouts, big and small, stood in a row, their eyes wide with shock.
Chun Rou, being a bit older, plucked up the courage to say, “There’s a Yao Beast on… on the cart.”
This wooden cart was for transporting corpses, so it wasn't very clean. If the wound got infected, it could be fatal.
Looking at the distance, they were still far from the city gate, not yet in a safe place.
If he left them here, the Yao Beasts would eat them, skin and bones, leaving no trace.
These troublesome brats.
Xue Ling scowled, “Get up yourself. I’ll carry you, and the rest of you pull the cart.”
“Lord Xue…”
Carrying one would be enough, but was he going to carry several?
“Shut up! If you chatter any more, you can fend for yourselves!”
Seven or eight little sprouts worked together, dragging and pulling, as the wooden cart wobbled forward.
Fortunately, it was summer; otherwise, these few would freeze to death halfway.
Carrying Er Niu, Xue Ling walked at the back, his expression grim.
The children secretly watched his expression, not daring to speak much, and walked forward with their heads down.
Xue Ling’s mind wasn’t idle. In these chaotic times, martial prowess was best. Just one Vajra Fist felt a bit thin; he needed to learn more from Detective Zhang.
Speaking of slaying Yao Beasts, the people from the Demon Suppression Division were even more formidable. If he could learn their skills, that would be great.
“Hmph!”
Xue Ling let out a heavy sigh, and Chun Rou and the others flinched in fright, working even harder.
Xue Ling saw it but had no intention of comforting them.
Rather than being revered for virtue, he could only inspire fear now.
The chubby boy was solid, and Xue Ling’s legs felt heavy as if filled with lead; he was utterly exhausted.
At cockcrow, they finally returned safely to the yamen.
There were few pedestrians on the road, and occasionally someone would spot Xue Ling from afar and hastily dodge away. The original owner was truly a character disliked by chickens, dogs, and feared by everyone.
Staggering, Xue Ling led the group back through the side door to the rear yamen. Otherwise, just the fox Yao Beast’s head alone could randomly scare two people to death.
Early in the morning, the yamen gates were still closed.
When no one answered his knocks, Xue Ling simply kicked the door open!
The servants and attendants who rushed over at the sound saw Xue Ling, covered in blood, and thought they had seen a demon climbing out of Hell.
A chorus of screams erupted.
A plump old man with white hair and a white beard came forward.
“Oh my! Lord Xue?”
“Lord Xue! Where are you hurt?”
“Where did all these children come from?”
He was the oldest among the original owner’s subordinates, acting almost like a half-steward, and very loyal to the original owner.
Xue Ling let out a sigh of relief. Finally, there was someone who knew how to get things done.
“Take them down, wash them, feed them, then come back and report.” Xue Ling bent his knees to put the little chubby boy down, his thighs secretly trembling.
Seeing the bloody fox Yao Beast’s head, everyone grew even more panicked, their legs shaking.
“Look at your lack of ambition! I killed it. Put it away properly.”
Everyone was stunned. This Xue Gou was greedy for life and afraid of death, a master at slacking off and being sly. They had never heard of him killing Yao Beasts!
Xue Ling was exhausted and impatient to waste more words. Mimicking the original owner’s fierce expression, he said, “What are you looking at? Haven’t you seen a dead fox before?”
Uncle Fu, fearing he would get angry and hurt someone, quickly smoothed things over, showering him with praise: “Seen it, seen it! It’s just that we’ve never seen one so big. Lord Xue is mighty!”
The others also chimed in, “Lord Xue is mighty!”
“Lord Xue, the County Magistrate sent word earlier, saying he wants to see you…”
What word? It was surely to ask for money. Xue Ling’s mind was currently only on points, Lifespan, Cultivation Techniques, and martial prowess.
With only a year left to live, he had no time to deal with these bloodsucking leeches.
However, the original owner enjoyed fawning over superiors; if there was no opportunity, he would create one to get close. Xue Ling couldn't refuse to go.
“I know what I’m doing. Go to work!” Forcing himself to say it, Xue Ling felt even more annoyed.
“In the past, he used to frequent brothels, at least it was women. Alas, now… alas, these poor children, sold into a den of wolves.”
Uncle Fu secretly shook his head, thinking these children were bought by Xue Ling. He didn’t dare to advise him and could only sigh like this at most.
The old servants, intimidated by his power, dared not speak either and could only take the children and push the cart away to get busy.
Fruits and pastries were laid out on the table, but Xue Ling was too exhausted and had long lost his appetite.
Once everyone had left, Xue Ling slumped his shoulders: “That chubby boy must have grown up on oil, so fat. I almost vomited blood from exhaustion…”
After complaining, he started rummaging through chests and cabinets for Cultivation Techniques, but after searching for a long time, he found nothing. There were quite a few erotic prints, though.
This dog-like fellow was too lustful, an empty shell trying to take on a big role!
Xue Ling, having found nothing, was dejected. He could only change into clean clothes and go to the front yamen for duty.
As the sun rose higher, several constables were bustling about, their footsteps hurried.
Rubbing his face, Xue Ling, mimicking the original owner’s swagger, tried to be friendly: “Yo, Brother Zhang, what’s happened that you’re in such a hurry?”
Detective Zhang had taught the original owner Vajra Fist, so being sweet-tongued wouldn’t hurt.
“It’s you, huh? Someone from above has arrived. There’s a big job, and you, you can’t slack off now!”
Xue Ling’s heart sank. Someone from above? People from the Demon Suppression Division? He hadn’t even cleaned up his dirty business yet!
Yet, he still spoke glibly: “Hey, it’s all yamen business. We brothers always do our best, no slacking, no slacking…”
“Alright, you young punk, you’re even more cunning than me. Lord Magistrate wants to talk to you. Go quickly!” Detective Zhang said, then hurried off again.
“Brother Zhang, slow down!”
As they brushed past each other, Xue Ling glimpsed that Detective Zhang was holding a requisition order. This meant he was going to the city’s western garrison to borrow troops!
Detective Zhang could ride a horse, so he was the fastest and could return the same day. He was in such a hurry, could they be acting tonight?
With his heart pounding, Xue Ling lowered his head, his eyes never idle for a second, carefully inspecting his surroundings.
The water and fire rods in the main hall had been put away, replaced by gleaming broad-backed sabers, roughly a hundred of them, along with many feathered arrows and shields.
There were weapons for both close combat and long-range defense. So many weapons, what formidable Yao Beast were they going to deal with?
Then, Xue Ling grew excited. Like sleep meeting a pillow, wasn't this his chance to earn points!
With points, powerful martial arts Cultivation Techniques, he could get ten or eight kinds. What Yao Beast couldn't he defeat!
With strong martial arts, would a happy future be far away?
Xue Ling, full of vigor, headed straight for the back hall.
Inside, the seat of honor was occupied by an unfamiliar burly man. The County Magistrate stood, bowing, reporting, with the old County Lieutenant accompanying him.
A quick glance showed the burly man in plain black short attire with a saber at his waist, precisely the uniform of the Demon Suppression Division.
The burly man was massive; the large armchair was almost collapsing under him. A ring-pommel curved saber hung at his waist, its hilt subtly blackened, a texture that surely came from years of being soaked in blood.
He arrived so quickly!
Damn it, those children! And the corpses in the small courtyard outside the city… he hadn’t dealt with them yet!
What to do?
Xue Ling stood with his hands clasped, cold sweat breaking out in layers on his back. He waited far off in the hall, wishing he had ears that extended forward.
The burly man from the Demon Suppression Division gave his orders, sentence by sentence, “...act, be careful...don’t let a single one escape.”
“Yes, yes, yes, I will certainly pass on the orders.” The County Magistrate was like a yes-man, agreeing to everything.
It seemed there was more than one Yao Beast, quite a few, in fact.
Good, it wasn't directed at him.
“Don’t cause trouble. We… don’t handle burials.”
“Yes, yes, yes, we have people for burials, we have people for burials.”
The burly man frowned, his gaze at the County Magistrate not quite right.
The County Magistrate wiped away cold sweat and quickly tried to make amends: “Although Qingyang County’s yamen is small, everything is equipped according to orders, we dare not be careless. Xue Ling, who is currently in the hall, is our yamen’s body collector.”