Chapter 502: Chapter 441 Divine Demons and Ghosts, Mao Mountain Taoist
"Zibu Yu? Sanmao Divine System?"
Song Lin felt a surge of shock in his heart.
Could this be the world of the real-world Sanmao Heavenly Court?
Unexpectedly, Zibu Yu turned out to be based on the worldview of the Sanmao Heavenly Court.
But upon reflection, it made sense. Zibu Yu is entirely about supernatural tales, zombies, and ghostly phenomena, describing a world where humans and ghosts co-exist amidst the mortal realm’s filth.
Mao Mountain Taoists often deal with demons and ghosts, making such a world their ideal playground for showcasing their skills.
"The Sanmao Heavenly Court is one of the heavenly realms in the real world. If one were to obtain its legacy or critical intelligence, it might prove helpful in consolidating the Heaven and Earth Xuan Sect and dealing with demons..."
A sudden whirl of heaven and earth ensued.
Song Lin found himself transported into the story’s world.
Opening his eyes, he realized it was nighttime.
Misty cold air surrounded him, and a ghostly moon illuminated its eerie light.
Whoosh!
Mountain winds blew through, causing branches to rustle in whispers, and shadows of trees mirrored on the ground resembled demons baring claws and fangs.
Song Lin transformed, shedding his ornate Heavenly Master’s Taoist robe for the attire of a scholar.
He scanned his surroundings, confirming the heavy demonic aura enveloping the area.
But it probably wouldn’t be a serious threat to him.
The Pure Yang Primordial Spirit was the ultimate bane of demons and ghosts.
Since it was a physical crossing into this world, his Taoist Realm remained intact, and as someone at the Heavenly Master Level, he could hardly fear mere minor demons and ghosts.
Of course, a world’s power aligns with its scope of cultivation and realms. This implies this world houses Heavenly Master-level experts, or perhaps those beyond that level.
Song Lin decided to assess the situation first before delving deeper step by step into this world.
Following a winding path through the wilderness, Song Lin arrived at a small town.
The area was modest in size, visible in its entirety at a glance, likely serving as the market for nearby villages.
As it was late at night, all households had locked their doors tightly, leaving the streets eerily quiet, littered only with fallen leaves and shrouded in thick mist exuding intense yin energy.
Bang!
Suddenly, a sound broke the silence. Song Lin turned toward the noise, spotting a hopping zombie.
With a greenish face, sharp fangs, and a menacing appearance.
"Hmm? A wild zombie?"
Song Lin noticed dirt clinging to the zombie’s body, likely indicating where it emerged from.
According to Mao Mountain theories, upon taking form, a zombie’s first kill is typically its relatives. Drinking their blood supposedly completes its Divine Skill mastery.
The zombie still wore official robes from its previous life, suggesting it had held a prominent position.
Song Lin concealed his presence and discreetly followed the zombie.
He observed as the zombie entered a lavish mansion, effortlessly leaping over its three-meter-high walls.
On the other side, chaos erupted, with chickens squawking, dogs barking, and pigs squealing.
Song Lin caught up and peered inside, only to discover that the old dog, chickens, ducks, and pigs in the back courtyard had all turned into desiccated corpses with bloody hollow necks.
"Ghost!!"
"Zombie!"
The terrified servants in the courtyard screamed in horror at the sight, instantly fully awake and collapsing to the ground, even wetting their pants.
The commotion woke the entire household and drew the zombie’s attention.
The zombie stood still, its decaying purplish-brown skin emanating a foul odor. It deeply inhaled through its nose as if sniffing for something.
"Grandfather!"
Suddenly, an old man cried out, recognizing the zombie in front of him.
Despite the decay, the zombie’s features and clothing were still identifiable.
This exclamation startled the zombie.
It turned its head, exposing sharp fangs, and leaped several dozen meters, lunging toward the old man and his descendants.
The zombie’s speed was overwhelming, leaving everyone incapable of reacting. Just as Landlord Lin thought his end had come, a sudden golden light tore through the air.
Boom!
The zombie was pinned against the wall by a treasure sword, and the radiant gold light incinerated it to ash.
When everyone regained their senses, they saw a white-clad swordsman wiping his treasure sword.
"Thank you, brave hero!"
This was indeed a world plagued with rampant supernatural occurrences, so the scene was far from hard for them to accept.
"I am Lin Fu. May I know the illustrious name of the brave hero?"
The old man politely asked.
"My Taoist name is Donghua."
Song Lin stepped forward, gathering the zombie’s remains and wrapping them up in a torn cloth.
"These are your ancestor’s remains. Place them in the family’s ancestral shrine and offer incense daily. After a full moon, bury them anew."
Zombie bones were a valuable material, but Song Lin wasn’t interested in them. To prevent someone from misusing them for harm and avoid destroying them outright in front of the zombie’s descendants, he offered this solution.
"Thank you, Immortal."
Lin Fu hurriedly invited Song Lin to sit down, and Song Lin took the opportunity to inquire about the situation.
This world’s dynasty was called the Chen Dynasty, which had existed for over five centuries.
The current Emperor was incompetent, indulging in pleasures while imposing excessive taxes on the people, with rebellions proliferating across the land.
As the saying goes, "In chaotic times, monstrosities emerge." Ghostly incidents had significantly increased over the years.
"By the way, elder, do you know where Mao Mountain is?"
Song Lin asked.
"Mao Mountain? That... I’ve never heard of it."
Lin Fu, who had traveled far and wide, couldn’t recall hearing of such a place.
"Is there no Mao Mountain?"
The world’s information suggested it was part of the Heavenly Realm. The Heavenly Realm couldn’t possibly look like this. Could it be a Small Thousand World under the Sanmao Heavenly Court?
This was perplexing indeed.
Unable to gather the information he sought, Song Lin eventually stood up and left.
Before departing, Lin Fu gifted him three hundred taels as a token of gratitude.
Song Lin thought for a moment and decided to accept it.
He might stay in this world for a while.
He left under the starry night and arrived at a place called Dan Yang the next day.
This area was near the Chen Dynasty’s capital, Jinling, and was considered an exceptionally prosperous county government.
Even amidst the dynasty’s decline, the region’s flourishing nature remained undiminished.
As Song Lin strolled the streets, people passed to and fro around him.
He entered a broker shop.
An observant broker instantly came forward, bowing and smiling:
"What service may I provide, sir? Whether housing or vehicle rentals, wedding arrangements, funerals, or business documents, I can assist with all. My surname is Gou, but people call me Gou Cai. You can simply call me Gou Cai, sir."
"I wish to purchase a residence, one with a substantial area, including a lake and backyard, preferably in a secluded location."
Gou Cai’s eyes brightened, thinking he’d finally attracted a significant client: "Sir, I currently offer fifteen properties with prices ranging from one thousand taels to three hundred taels."
He excitedly fetched blueprints from the back.
Song Lin reviewed them briefly, noting that estates exceeding five acres were priced around a thousand taels.
However, one particular property was listed for only two hundred and fifty taels.
"Why is this?"
Gou Cai showed a troubled expression and explained, "That property is haunted. In the past five years, it’s changed hands twenty-five times. Buyers either died or went insane. Sir, I advise you not to take a risk trying to find a bargain."
It wasn’t that Gou Cai didn’t want to trick Song Lin; he had been beaten up by eight different buyers and now wished to avoid trouble.
"Haunted? That’s the one I want!"
Soon enough, Song Lin moved into the haunted hilltop mansion. The property, far removed from the bustling market, had excellent amenities, and its previous owner had left all furnishings untouched.
Could this place truly be haunted?
Night fell.
Creak!
The main door gently opened, and Song Lin awoke from meditation.
A red-dressed ghostly woman with a mesmerizing smile floated inside.
She drifted up to the ceiling beam, tying a noose, then beckoned to Song Lin.
A seductive power emanated from her.
Song Lin involuntarily moved toward the noose. The woman placed her neck inside the loop, then withdrew, gesturing for Song Lin to mimic her actions.
Song Lin placed his right hand inside the loop, but the ghost shook her head. He removed his right hand and put his left hand instead.
The ghost’s expression turned furious and said, "You’re doing it wrong."
Song Lin, with clarity in his gaze, smiled and replied, "You’re the one who erred, hence your fate today. I am not mistaken!"
The ghost froze, then wailed uncontrollably, her resentment dispersing instantly. She knelt before Song Lin, her figure gradually fading away.
Song Lin’s words awakened the ghost, allowing her soul to move on.
"What’s going on with this Yin Bureau? Why is it letting these things run loose?"
Afterward, Song Lin began cultivating spells at the mansion.
Ten days later.
Song Lin ventured out to the market.
The area was filled with refugees. He considered recruiting a few people to form a team to help him gather information.
"Eh?"
Song Lin stopped in front of a temple.
It comprised two adjoining structures—a Buddhist Temple and a Taoist Temple.
Song Lin detected an unusual aura emanating from the site.