Chapter 110: So Scary, So Dangerous

At the same time the Ji Pavilion was disturbed by the Gray Rats, the guest rooms in the second courtyard’s eastern wing also grew lively.

“Ah! Rats!”

“Where did all these rats come from!”

“What are you afraid of? Zap it!”

Ruan Ruan stood on the bed, watching the rats scurrying everywhere. Although her scalp tingled and her hair stood on end, she still formed the Lightning Summoning Seal, extending only her middle finger. “The Big Dipper descends upon the altar, the earth’s veins connect with thunder! Summon!”

‘Sizzle~ Bang~’

Amidst the stench of burnt fur, a Gray Rat climbing onto the bed instantly turned to ash.

Her action served as a reminder to her fellow disciples.

Given their current low Realm of Refining Qi and Controlling Qi, the Lightning Summoning Technique wasn’t very powerful and was quite useless when fighting enemies.

But… while it couldn’t electrocute people, electrocuting rats was practically heavenly thunder!

Didn’t they see? The egg-sized ball of thunder light that Junior Sister summoned instantly annihilated the rat!

This feeling of powerful impact was incredibly satisfying and addictive.

And so,

Inside the second courtyard’s eastern wing, crackling thunder and lightning filled the air.

“The Big Dipper descends upon the altar, the earth’s veins connect with thunder! Summon!”

‘Bang~’

“Summon!”

“Bang~”

Many young Daoist nuns shouted their battle cries.

Each one imagined herself as a transcendent master descending from the mountains, and those scurrying little rats were the most lewd, evil, ugly, and malicious demons in the world!

After ‘banging’ in the bedrooms, they weren’t satisfied, so they ran to the eastern wing to ‘bang,’ and after ‘banging’ in the eastern wing, they went to the front residence.

Subduing demons and defending the Dao—now was the time! Kill!

See? This is how human confidence is nurtured, little by little.

At the second quarter of the Hour of the Ox (2:30 AM), the entire princely manor became lively.

Diying Garden, on the roof of Halberd Hall.

Xu Jiuxi, clad in crimson robes, stood on the ridge of the roof, facing the night wind that billowed her sleeves.

“Did you see? He’s trapped in the Kan position!”

Reminded by Xu Jiuxi, Ding Suian focused his mind and gathered his Qi, pushing his eyesight to its limit. Several hundred steps away, a slightly larger Gray Rat was hiding under a flowering vine, looking around frantically.

“Is that Sect Master Hao?”

“Hmph~”

Xu Jiuxi sneered, “Of course he isn’t. But he is a disciple’s disciple of Sect Master Hao. If you can control him, you might find a way to approach Sect Master Hao.”

Ding Suian was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Headmaster Xu, is Sect Master Hao… a Rat Demon?”

Hearing this, Xu Jiuxi pursed her lips and smiled. “Don’t ask me. If you can kill him, you’ll know for yourself.”

“Understood. I’ll go catch that Gray Rat first.”

After saying this, Ding Suian bent his knees and lowered his waist, preparing to leap down.

But he was suddenly picked up by Xu Jiuxi and tucked into her arms. She tapped one foot, leaped over ten *zhang*, and seemed to have calculated the points of leverage along the way. When her body reached the wall, she tapped her toe again, springing forward several more *zhang*.

So, there really are people in this world who can fly!

Due to the position, Ding Suian, whose nose and mouth were blocked by “facial cleanser,” found it hard to breathe. After holding his breath for two seconds, he couldn’t help but gasp deeply.

Xu Jiuxi, who had been soaring like a Fairy on the wind, suddenly shuddered and nearly fell.

Immediately, she heard her angrily say, “Stop blowing air!”

“I was clearly inhaling!”

“~Just stop talking!”

Ding Suian struggled to adjust his posture, transforming the “facial cleanser” into a “brain cushion wave,” which finally resolved both of their predicaments.

A moment later, the two landed in the Kan position on the north side inside the princely manor.

When Xu Jiuxi landed, her legs were weak, and she nearly lost her footing.

Heh~ A master, really?

Look at me, though. Carried this far, not red-faced or panting.

The Gray Rat under the flowering vine saw the two descending from the sky and immediately fled.

Ding Suian sneered, “Halt! Where are you running, you *naizi*!”

Xu Jiuxi: “?”

“Uh… this rat!”

The Gray Rat was very timid, or rather, terrified of death and pain.

Ding Suian merely grabbed its tail and slammed it against the wall over thirty times before it couldn’t take it anymore.

It spoke human words: “Spare me, spare my life!”

Inside the princely manor, chaos erupted in both the front and back residences due to the sudden influx of rats late at night.

Zhisheng, the Daoist women of Xuanji Palace stationed in the front courtyard, and Chest Hair and others in Diying Garden were hunting rats all over the manor.

“I’ll leave this to you.”

Perhaps not wanting to be seen by others, Xu Jiuxi gave the instruction and leaped out of the princely manor.

Ding Suian, however, avoided contact with the others inside the manor, carrying the Gray Rat as he snuck back into the Halberd Hall in Diying Garden.

He bolted the door and held the Gray Rat in his hand up to the lamp for a look.

“Hey, wake up~”

This creature had blood drooling from its mouth, its four claws hung limp, and it looked dead.

“If you’re faking death, I’m going to roast you.”

Ding Suian moved the Gray Rat closer to the candlelight.

“Stop! This Seat wasn’t faking death, just unconscious!”

“Transform into a person and let me see.”

“You let go of This Seat first!”

Ding Suian loosened his two fingers, and the Gray Rat dropped onto the table.

Its small eyes darted around, checking the surroundings. Then it stood up on its hind legs, followed by a faint clicking sound.

The Gray Rat transformed back into a short, skinny young man.

“So it was you!”

Ding Suian had seen this person before.

Ever since Sect Master Hao arrived in City, this Green-Robed Cultivator had often been by his side.

Not only had Ding Suian seen him, but all the officials, great and small, in Lanyang Prefecture had seen him too!

It seems there’s some room for maneuver!

The Gray Rat saw him distracted, and his lips twitched slightly before he suddenly roared, “A gentleman is dignified and…”

Before the last two words could leave his mouth, Ding Suian had already smashed a fist into his face.

“Aow~”

With a miserable howl, the Gray Rat’s two slightly protruding front teeth fell out instantly.

“A gentleman is dignified and does not contend.” I’ve seen that before; The Third Place Scholar Li used it back at Jintai Temple.

It can make people fall into momentary confusion.

“Are you going to try that again?”

Ding Suian shook his fist. The Gray Rat, knocked to the ground by one punch, leaned against the wall, curled into a ball, and shook its head repeatedly.

“Put this on first.”

He casually grabbed a piece of clothing and threw it over. After the Gray Rat shakily put it on, Ding Suian squatted in front of him. “I ask, you answer. Hesitate once, and I break a rib!”

“Mhm, mhm, mhm~”

The Gray Rat, his mouth full of blood, nodded repeatedly.

“First question: Is Sect Master Hao a Rat Demon?”

“…”

‘Thud~’

‘Crack~’

“Ugh~ Hiss~”

The Gray Rat was suddenly hit hard in the ribs, his body convulsed into a ball, and he lay on the ground gasping for air.

After he recovered for five or six breaths, Ding Suian asked again, “Is Sect Master Hao a Rat Demon?”

“Yes! Yes!”

This time, the Gray Rat dared not hesitate.

“Does the State Religion have many demons?”

“I don’t know. Don’t hit me! I really don’t know! I was enlightened by the Old Ancestor, Cultivated into human form, and then brought into the State Religion. I truly don’t know about others.”

Ding Suian looked closely at the Gray Rat, judging the truthfulness of his words.

A moment later, he suddenly said, “I’ll teach you a method to save your life. How about it?”

“Wh-what method?”

“The State Religion cannot have demons. But Sect Master Hao *must* be a demon.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You and Sect Master Hao are a pair of Rat Demons. A few days ago, you two happened upon the Sect Master’s Carriage heading to City. You used a Demonic Technique to kill the true Sect Master Hao, and your Old Ancestor transformed to impersonate him.”

“Ah?”

“Did you remember that?”

“Remember what?”

‘Thud~’

“Hiss”

“Did you remember that?”

“I… I remembered.”

“Repeat it back to me.”

“I, my Old Ancestor and I are a pair of Rat Demons who have Cultivated for many years. A few days ago, we happened upon the Sect Master’s Carriage. The Old Ancestor coveted his prestige, so he used a Demonic Technique to kill him and transformed to take his place.”

“Hmm, not bad. A lot of people will be coming soon. You must say this word for word. You also need to perform a live demonstration for everyone—how to turn into a rat and then back into a person.”

Just then, Chest Hair knocked loudly on the door from outside. “Boss, are you alright?”

“Chest Hair, go inform the back residence and tell Zhao Yan to come over!”

“Got it!”

“Also, send people to invite Li Fengrao, the Prefect of City; Li Baicheng, the Commander of the Vermilion Bird Army; Daoist Master Immortal Master of Xuanji Palace; Daoist Immortal Master of Shouzhen Temple; and Zhisheng of Shangling Temple, to come here. Tell them I have uncovered a shocking conspiracy! So scary, so dangerous~”