Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 293 - 290: Bookkeeper Ding: I’m Not Human Anymore

Chapter 293: Chapter 290: Bookkeeper Ding: I’m Not Human Anymore

"’Heaven Righteous Dharma Dao’ requires all clans of the Naiman Five Departments to obey,"

"At the Spring Festival ritual in ’Orilana’ at the end of February, they are to jointly perform a blood sacrifice for ’Aoxin,’ the Dual Body God who governs plague, death, reincarnation, and fertility."

"Using the timing and geographical advantage, they planned to create an unprecedentedly massive plague!"

Wang Yuan had never expected that, having just entered the Desert North, he was still over four thousand Li away from the great lake known as the "North Sea."

He would so unexpectedly hear such a shocking piece of news.

No wonder the "Heaven Righteous Dharma Dao" had mobilized all the demons and deceitful monsters under its fold to create a Heaven and Earth Net.

They were closely guarding against cultivators coming from the direction of Great Yan.

It seems that during this period, all foreign magicians on the grasslands would be mercilessly eradicated, including the disciples from the other dozen or so sects.

Although Wang had some insight, feeling suddenly that Sister Ruan had conveniently used him as a tool, he still had to attend to the matter, acting out of his own inclination.

According to the basic patterns of the Little Ice Age, great floods and droughts alternate.

Last year, the entire north suffered a great flood, and this year it is very likely to turn into a severe drought.

In that year of drought, not only might there be a total crop failure, but locust plagues and epidemics could also take their turns to strike.

Moreover, after a long bitter winter, who knows how many corpses buried in the ground would become the source of the plague once the warm spring arrived.

Furthermore, as the Dragon Qi Prohibition continues to weaken, and the restraining power on Daoist skills becomes increasingly feeble, sects like "Heaven Righteous Dharma Dao" are just about ready to fuel the flames artificially.

At this moment,

Noticing the rustling sounds resonating nearby again, those contaminated natural spirits, demons, and ghosts seemed still relentless in their pursuit of him.

He didn’t have much time to hesitate any further.

"Prioritize based on importance and urgency.

The first thing to do, resolve the identity issue. The second, investigate the news about the Spring Festival and the plague.

The third is to find the ’North Sea, infiltrate Luofeng Mountain, complete the Gatekeeper’s rites, and truly ascend as a [Yellow Seal Mage].’"

Having thought this, Wang Yuan opened his mouth and spat out a shining [Divine Tao Talisman].

It was inscribed: "Imperial Decree: Appoint the Tiger Spirit ’Old Master’ as the Mountain Lord and Earth God within five hundred Li of Bai Naqia Mountain!"

"In the Naiman Five Departments, those demons and deceitful immortals are the nobility. Even the most orthodox of cultivators, the Shamans, are nothing but shepherding dogs herding lambs in their stead.

To traverse freely in the Desert North, the best identity is not as a disciple who needs to worship the gods of ’Heaven Righteous Dharma Dao’, but as a divinity itself!

So, this time, I am not going to be human.

The only pity is that this Divine Tao Talisman is one that can only fix to a specific location."

Wang Yuan took out the [Small Book of Life and Death], preparing to reincarnate himself into the Beast Dao, but suddenly a shrill scream of panic reached his ears.

"Save us!"

"God, any God, please save us!"

"..."

Outside in the woods at this moment,

watching that enormous monster step out from the biting wind and snow, the Shaman Saihan, who had lost the protection of his own divinity, voiced his grief and indignation:

"Bone Bundle God! Our ancestor spirit of the Helan Department was killed by your brother Lu Ming God, and all our cattle and sheep were stolen by you ’Bone Bundle Lu Ming Department

Why do you still want to force us to death?"

pshh—!

Emitting a puff of white breath from its nostrils, the giant black Grey Deer covered in black scales, much bigger than a felt tent, opened its mouth revealing a full set of sharp teeth,

dripping salvia from the corners of its mouth, and gave out a murky chuckle:

"Naiman proverb: the victor should not be eaten, the loser can be eaten! You surely don’t think this refers to wolves and sheep, right?

Under the sky governed by the Cang God, it’s the survival of the fittest, natural selection at its finest. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s yourselves for being too weak.

While Lu Ming is chasing that intruder, I’ll sample a taste of you first."

The invisible wind instantly bound Saihan just as the Grey Deer Demon was about to swallow him to satisfy its hunger.

But a voice also arose from behind him:

"Ah, following the Great Fate’s advice really does bring good fortune.

I happened to encounter a Grey Deer!

The books say such demons serve as divine envoys for the [Grey Deer Taoist Venerable], evolved from ordinary Deer Demons through a practice called [Grey Deer Transformation], with divine nature towards ’Drive Death Life Extension.’

Just perfect, my [Changgeng] also has a similar power."

"Although only at [Yin God] level, compared to the likes of ’Old Master’ that are mostly static local Mountain Gods and Earth Gods, such a wandering divine envoy seems more suitable

So, I will not be polite."

"You are..."

The Grey Deer Demon named Bone Bundle was startled, about to turn around when the scene before its eyes suddenly changed.

Unlike just now when dealing with the Mountain God "Old Master," where it had the other’s Dharma Domain and Ghost Realm to contend against,

the Grey Deer fell powerlessly into a solemn and majestic hall, hanging above which was the sign [Yama Hall] prominently displayed.

Seated above was the true King Yan in a black Crown Robe!

In places where the true King Yan presides, it is genuinely Yama Hall, thus bolstering the power of the Ghost Realm.

"Yama Hall? Am I... dead?"

As its memories were obscured, the Grey Deer, in its dazed state, had much of its Taoist ability sapped by the Ghost Realm.

Before it could react,

Smack!

An order token fell.

Then, King Yanluo bellowed:

"Guards, send this vile creature down to the ’Heart Punishment Hell’. Let the Dog Head Chopper be ready!"

"As commanded, Great King!"

In an instant, Grey Deer felt the ground vanish beneath its feet, dropping to the second layer of the Ghost Realm. The pressure increased, shrinking its body size by half.

Although Wang Yuan had not yet officially broken through as a Yellow Seal Mage,

the ’Ghost Realm・Yama Hall’ had activated the second layer, ’Heart Punishment Hell’, right after he ascended to the divine position of King Yanluo.

Well-dressed but venom-hearted, ashamed of misusing this human skin.

When a ghost commits an offense and arrives at this prison, Yin Soldiers behead it and rip out its heart to feed to the snakes, also known as the ’Intestine Pulling Heart Carving Hell’.

There’s no need to describe the tragic scenes in this hell, but what draws the most attention are the three golden, shimmering choppers.

One of them is the Dog Head Chopper, and the other two... are also Dog Head Choppers.

Moreover, the Dog Head’s image is exactly like Old Black, the large black dog under Wang Yuan’s command; terrifying yet somehow inexplicably comic.

Crack—!

Before Bone Bundle could cry out in a dizzied whirl, a Yin Soldier had already pressed it onto the Dog Head Chopper. With a flash of cold light, a head as big as a fighting sparrow thunderously hit the ground.

The Dog Head Chopper ended up beheading the foe along with its Yin Spirit on the spot.

A Red Imperial Decree and an Innate Divine Ability also simultaneously fell upon Wang Yuan.

"Indeed, it’s the ’Divine Ability・Grey Deer Transformation’, perfect for my use. With the Dao skills matched, there are no longer any flaws."

The Great Fate helped Wang Yuan unlock the privileges of the Guanlan Pavilion, and as a newcomer, he already qualified to browse most of the public collection there.

The Guanlan Pavilion is strictly tiered.

The more profound and abundant the knowledge, the more dangerous it becomes. If not necessary, it’s best not to know even the revered names of some powerful Spirits and Heavenly Officials.

Perhaps merely mentioning them unconsciously could attract attention, bringing misfortune.

He, a Yin Spirit at his limit, was merely stepping into the region of the Yin Spirits.

He spent a total of two days in Peng Xuan Grotto Heaven.

Releasing the Five Senses and his Taoist friend Huang Wu, they collectively reviewed the intelligence on the five departments of the Desert North Naiman and the sparse introductions of Dushuo Mountain.

Though they delved into a lot of weird knowledge, sharing the reading among several people reduced the risks considerably.

The records about "Grey Deer" were also among these.

The orthodox magicians of Great Yan strictly adhered to precepts to prevent mutating into demons or even Weird beings.

But it was different for the Naiman five departments; they deemed life and death lightly and held faith heavily, believing that mutating into demons was a process of nearing divine spirits, even deliberately breaking precepts to achieve demonhood.

In their eyes, some precepts were not just rules, but closer to a sacrilegious ritual towards godliness.

The Innate Divine Ability that Bone Bundle painstakingly cultivated had thus easily fallen into Wang Yuan’s hands.

...

A moment later, when Wang Yuan walked out of the Ghost Realm, he had transformed into a stout Naiman youth with antlers growing on his head.

"Now I am ’Record Keeper Ding: Grey Deer Spirit Bone Bundle’."

Even with the corresponding talisman order, transforming into a specific character was a bit costly.

Luckily, the Yin Morality from stopping the Turbid River’s diversion had plenty left after being converted into the Merit Golden Wheel."

Snap!

With a casual snap of his fingers,

the members of the ’Helan’ department whose memories had been remodeled by Huang Wu in the Dream Realm woke up and began to worship Wang Yuan saying:

"Divine Lord!"

"Hmm."

In the past, Wang Yuan’s "vests" always acted solo, often needing to handle misdeeds personally.

Now, however, using the convenient pattern of ’Shamanism,’ he shifted from retail to wholesale.

Starting with subduing this ’Helan’ department, it was as if he had set up a convincingly real "bank" on their land.

The five departments of the Naiman thought they were venerating the Grey God through "Grey Deer," but in reality, they were unwittingly fattening up Wang Yuan alone.

Boss Wang’s successful expansion of international business was certainly a joyous occasion!

As Wang Yuan fully merged into the big family of demons and ghosts, the scent of an outsider disappeared, and the whispers that had been around him finally vanished.

He leisurely sat on a felt mat, took out a big chunk of prime venison, and with swift slices cut it into thin strips that fell into the iron pot.

He also cleaned and added two treasures that were considered precious to married men.

Before long, the pot was brimming with a rich aroma, allowing him to finally enjoy a hot meal that day.

By the time Bone Bundle’s brother, the Deer Spirit Lu Ming, who was responsible for pursuing Wang Yuan, arrived,

he saw his "elder brother" greeting him warmly:

"Lu Ming? Have you eaten? Come on, have some meat to warm up!"

"Is it Big Brother? Your cooking skills have improved again! Is it human meat? How can it smell so delicious?"

The Grey Deer Spirit, raised by the elder brother since childhood, detected the strong scent of its brother in the soup and took a sip that brought tears to its eyes.

It felt as if they had returned to the days when the two brothers relied on each other for survival.

Wang Yuan, just like a real elder brother, patted its shoulder:

"Silly kid, eat more. You can eat with peace of mind only when it’s from your own family!"