Typically, Miao shamans use Gu curses for nothing more than extorting money and murder.
Upon receiving payment, the shaman would leave immediately, not lingering in one place, nor would they slaughter villagers.
"We don't know that either. The first ones to die were in Magistrate Yang's household."
"Now that Magistrate Yang and his family have met a tragic end, we have no information on how this incident began or transpired."
Shi Jian glanced at the assembled villagers and finally gave up on questioning them further.
He knew that these villagers possessed very little information, and further inquiries would be futile.
"Xuyan, let's go!"
Shi Jian called to Li Xuyan on the second floor, preparing to leave the inn and eliminate the Gu corpses outside Longquan Town.
If the Gu corpses were to bite people indiscriminately, Longquan Town would become a breeding ground for Gu.
Everyone would become nourishment for the Gu corpses, turning into mindless husks, at the mercy of the Miao shamans.
"Daoist Master, if you leave, what will become of us?"
Some villagers panicked as Shi Jian prepared to depart the inn.
"If I don't go and eliminate those Gu corpses outside, the entire Longquan Town will become a Gu breeding ground in the future."
"You all stay hidden here. Those Gu corpses are unlikely to come this way."
After giving a few instructions, Shi Jian left the inn with Li Xuyan and walked onto the streets of Longquan Town.
"Xuyan, use your Yin-Yang eyes to see where the remaining Gu corpses are."
The reason Shi Jian brought Li Xuyan along was precisely because the latter possessed Yin-Yang eyes, enabling him to locate the Gu corpses.
This was akin to having a walking radar nearby, a resource not to be wasted.
The next moment, Li Xuyan's eyes emitted a faint blue glow under the moonlight.
"There are Gu corpses over there."
Li Xuyan led Shi Jian towards the police station.
A few minutes later, after navigating through several streets, they arrived outside the police station.
At this moment, large numbers of Gu corpses had gathered both inside and outside the police station.
"You fiends, watch as this humble monk eradicates you!"
In the midst of the Gu corpses, a monk, wielding a Zen staff, was engaged in combat with dozens of them.
However, the sheer number of Gu corpses was overwhelming, and the monk was bitten on the arm by several of them.
Yet, a strange phenomenon occurred: as the Gu corpses bit into the monk's arm, their teeth actually chipped.
"Mere trifles, and you dare to show off before this humble monk? You clearly have no respect for me."
The monk removed his prayer beads, clasped his hands together, and recited an incantation. The surrounding Gu corpses were directly repelled by a golden light.
Some mutated Gu corpses slowly crawled out of the mouths of the corpses and, flapping their wings, flew towards the monk.
Before the mutated corpses could reach the monk, they were smashed into Gu insect paste by a sudden strike from the Zen staff.
"I didn't expect these wicked creatures to be able to fly. This humble monk underestimated you."
"Venerable Monk, those corpses have gotten up again."
The corpses that had been repelled by the golden light stood up together and charged towards the monk before them.
"Why do I feel like there are more of them the more I fight?"
Sensing something was amiss, the monk picked up his prayer beads and recited another incantation.
Upon finishing the incantation, the monk tossed his prayer beads towards the surrounding Gu corpses.
Some unfortunate Gu corpses were instantly blown into pieces by the prayer beads.
Seeing this, the monk chuckled mockingly, "You dare to use sorcery before this humble monk? You are overestimating yourselves."
The security team, hiding inside the police station, cautiously emerged and looked at the scattered limbs on the ground.
The monk, staff in hand, turned and approached the security team.
"Noble patrons, fear not. These fiends have been eliminated by this humble monk."
"Venerable Monk, they're coming again."
The security team, seeing more Gu corpses flooding in from outside, quickly retreated back into the police station.
"So many Gu corpses remaining. It seems this humble monk will need to spend a bit more time."
The monk turned around, his face expressionless as he looked at the Gu corpses outside.
After a few seconds, the monk's face turned pale.
"There are just too many of these Gu corpses!"
More than thirty Gu corpses lunged at the monk.
"Help! Help!"
Shi Jian, who had been watching from outside, rushed into the police station and, using the Tongtian Lu, drew three Zi Xiao Divine Thunder Talismans.
"Quickly, get out of the way! What are you waiting for?"
The monk pushed away the Gu corpses in front of him with his Zen staff and fled into the police station.
Seeing the monk escape, the Gu corpses turned and attacked Shi Jian, who was nearby.
"Go!"
Accompanied by several explosions of thunder and lightning, the Gu corpses inside the police station turned to dust.
Seeing the Gu corpses annihilated, the monk, staff in hand, ran out again.
More importantly, the monk's kasaya had been torn by the Gu corpses, revealing a large part of his upper body.
"Fiends, it's fortunate you died early, otherwise this humble monk would have sent you to the Western Paradise to meet the Buddha."
After speaking, the monk clasped his hands together and recited Buddhist scriptures on the spot.
"Amitabha, thank you, fellow daoist, for your timely assistance in pulling this humble monk from danger."
"May my blessings be boundless. Eradicating evil and wicked ways is our sect's duty. There is no need for thanks, fellow daoist."
Shi Jian and the monk exchanged pleasantries and then entered the police station together.
The security team had been utterly terrified by the Gu corpses outside and were in no condition to emerge.
Therefore, Shi Jian, his disciple, and the monk had no choice but to enter the police station to discuss the matter of the Gu curses.
As the three entered the building, dozens of guns were immediately aimed at Shi Jian, his disciple, and the monk.
"Lower your weapons! It's the Venerable Monk and the Daoist Master who have returned."
Ke Jing, seeing Shi Jian, his disciple, and the monk, immediately ordered the security team to drop their guns.
"Daoist Master, have you dealt with those monsters outside?"
"With this humble monk's intervention, do you think there could be failure?"
The monk put on an air of profound wisdom in front of everyone.
"That's not right. Venerable Monk, weren't you just fleeing from the Gu corpses earlier?"
"And look at your disheveled state."
Ke Jing showed no deference to the Venerable Monk, exposing his lie in front of everyone.
"A person of the cloth does not speak falsehoods. What fleeing? This humble monk was merely finding a safe place to seek the Buddha's descent to vanquish demons."
The security team behind Ke Jing almost burst into laughter upon hearing the monk's words.
Out of respect for the Venerable Monk's reputation, they managed to stifle their laughter.
"Then where is the Buddha?"
"Need you ask? He returned after vanquishing the demons."
"If you wish to see the Buddha, you can go to the Western Paradise."
After deceiving the security team, the monk walked to a table, placed his Zen staff down, and took a sip of tea.
"The Western Paradise? Then I would only be able to see the Buddha after I die."
Ke Jing, having realized the situation, approached Shi Jian and his disciple again.
"Heh heh, Daoist Master, do you have a way to deal with these specters all at once?"
Shi Jian ignored Ke Jing, walked to the opposite side of the monk with Li Xuyan, picked up his tea, and took a few sips.
"There is a way to deal with these Gu corpses and the corpse Gu all at once."
"The key lies in whether your security team is willing to cooperate with me."