When the books, radiating a strong aura of righteousness, were placed on the table by Shen Lang, the man and woman standing outside the pavilion immediately took a step forward.
Their eyes silently fixed on Shen Lang, killing intent already surging from them, appearing ready to attack at any moment.
Inside the pavilion, the young woman cast a deep glance at the books on the table. Then, with a languid expression, she looked at the scholar before her and asked, "How do you intend to verify?"
Although situated within the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, she was not entirely unaware of the recent events in the city. In fact, being a ghost herself, she was even more sensitive to the demonic energies within the county town, perceiving some of the underlying secrets without doing anything.
"The Sage said, 'Treat all things in the world with sincerity, and you will receive sincerity in return.'" Shen Lang spoke softly. The book before him flipped open without wind, and characters leaped out. These characters seemed to have a life of their own, emerging from the book and arranging themselves cheerfully on the stone table, forming the very words the scholar had just spoken. They then suddenly dissipated, transforming into a pure surge of righteousness that swirled around the four of them.
"I have no connection whatsoever to the current events in the city. I have not participated, nor have I had any dealings with them."
As the words fell from her lips, a chill flickered in her eyes, and she narrowed them slightly, staring at Shen Lang, appearing ready to attack at any moment.
"My apologies. The situation is rather critical, and I had no choice but to proceed in this manner." Shen Lang offered an apologetic expression, but his tone was calm, lacking much sincerity.
The young woman’s expression turned slightly angry, but then she smiled enchantingly again, her killing intent vanishing as if it had never been present. She smiled at them and asked, "Now, can we discuss the terms of our transaction?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Lang glanced at his companions. Seeing their subtle nods, he relayed the terms they had previously discussed. In exchange for a Bone-Regenerating Pill, they required the young woman's assistance, at least to deal with one enemy with a cultivation of the second realm.
"So, a life of the second realm can be exchanged for a Bone-Regenerating Pill?" Her eyes glinted with undisguised desire. The young woman was determined to obtain this pill, willing to pay a heavy price or bear great risk. This was because such a pill was of immense importance to skeleton ghosts. Upon consuming it, they could regenerate flesh and blood, not only gaining an extra life but also laying a foundation for their Great Dao.
Among skeleton ghosts, even those fortunate enough to embark on the path of cultivation, reaching the second realm was already a rarity. To cultivate to the peak of this realm was exceedingly difficult. Even she, a unique variant known as a "Crimson Pink Skeleton," had spent hundreds of years, possessed ample cultivation resources, and survived numerous attacks from righteous cultivators, to have a slim chance of achieving the third realm. As for the scenery beyond that, it was no longer within her reach.
However, if she could consume a Bone-Regenerating Pill and reshape her flesh and blood, it would be akin to transitioning from death to life, from a dying state to a living one. It would not be without obstacles to reach the third realm, but at least there would be great hope. If fate allowed, it might even be possible to condense a White Bone Ghost Core and become a ghost king ruling a region, with a cultivation not inferior to human Great Cultivators.
"If you have the ability, it's not impossible." Ji Yuan snorted coldly, flipping his palm to reveal a small white jade bottle. He shook it, producing a clinking sound from within, indicating at least five or six pills. In fact, if a batch were successfully refined, it could yield six Bone-Regenerating Pills.
Seeing this, the young woman's eyes flared with greed, and she almost lunged to snatch it, barely restraining her wicked impulses. It wasn't that she wouldn't have taken it directly; for such sinister ghosts, seizing by force was as simple as eating and drinking. However, she feared that if she acted, they might immediately destroy the bottle of pills, thus causing her to miss the opportunity to reach the pinnacle of the Great Dao.
"The letter might not have been clear enough. For ordinary skeleton ghosts, one Bone-Regenerating Pill is sufficient. But if they have embarked on the path of cultivation, two are needed." Ji Yuan said calmly as he opened the seal of the jade bottle. "As for second-realm skeleton ghosts, roughly three are needed. And as a Crimson Pink Skeleton, you would require at least six." The jade bottle in his hand contained precisely six Bone-Regenerating Pills.
Upon hearing this, the young woman sneered, "From what I know, there are only four demonic and evil energies of the second realm in the city. Even if I killed them all, it would only yield four Bone-Regenerating Pills." Did they truly think she, a true form of a skeleton, lacked a brain? In that case, it would be equivalent to one person confronting the master manipulator behind this grand scheme. Even with her Crimson Pink Skeleton heritage and power far exceeding cultivators of the same realm, she could not possibly accomplish such a feat. Moreover, everyone knew that the mastermind must have hidden other means and likely held several trump cards.
Ji Yuan shrugged in response, casually putting away the jade bottle. He then said with a casual air, "Let alone four Bone-Regenerating Pills, even just one would bring you immense benefits." Even consuming a single pill would be enough to cause her bones to sprout flesh and blood. Though not much, it would at least provide a foundation for her Great Dao. Over the long passage of time and with countless rare heavenly materials, this flesh and blood could continue to grow, eventually approaching perfection. However, doing so would mean the cost of crossing that final hurdle would far exceed several Bone-Regenerating Pills. Yet, no matter how great the cost, it would pale in comparison to the hope of reaching the pinnacle of the Great Dao. After all, once flesh and blood grew, though her true form would remain a Crimson Pink Skeleton, she would no longer be an inanimate object or a ghost. In a sense, she would be 'returning to life,' able to live another lifetime and fulfill her unfulfilled regrets.
The young woman was naturally aware of all this. After confirming that the jade bottle in Ji Yuan's hand indeed contained the Bone-Regenerating Pills, she fell into contemplation. Although she had not directly interacted with the demons and evil spirits in the city, she believed her own power was sufficient to battle and defeat all of them, save for the deity in the City God’s temple. To kill them on the spot would require some sacrifice. Without harming her fundamental being, she could at most bear the cost of killing two. Any more would place her in danger. No one could guarantee that the person she was making a deal with wouldn't decide to hunt demons and vanquish evil after she was severely injured. Or, her actions might provoke the anger of the mastermind, leading them to target her. While the Bone-Regenerating Pills were tempting, these matters had to be considered.
After a moment of thought, the young woman made her decision. "I want two Bone-Regenerating Pills, but I will only help you kill the second-realm entity in the county yamen." Seeing their frowns, she added, "Don't rush to refuse. In exchange, I will be present every time you engage with other second-realm entities, and I will help you suppress them without harming my fundamental being." In this way, it was equivalent to trading one Bone-Regenerating Pill for the life of a second-realm demon and the young woman's unlimited assistance during their battles with other demons. Thinking about it, this seemed like a very profitable transaction.
"But you must give me one Bone-Regenerating Pill in advance!" the young woman added as the three of them pondered. This immediately put the three, who were about to finalize the deal, in a difficult position. They were clearly worried that after receiving the benefits, she might quietly withdraw or even betray them. After all, as a ghost, beguiling people was almost instinctual, and keeping promises was virtually non-existent for them.
"Agreed, but you must sign a contract with me." Shen Lang agreed after a moment of thought. Then, with a few murmured words, characters leaped from the book, forming a simple contract in mid-air. Although the contract was simple, it had no loopholes. It was condensed with the power of righteousness, and there was an inherent judgment from heaven and earth to determine if a signatory had violated its terms. The young woman examined it carefully. Upon confirming it was in order, she lightly nodded. The instant she agreed to the contract, all the characters dissipated, transforming into two streams of righteousness that entered their foreheads. From then on, they seemed to share a peculiar connection with heaven and earth, their every action subject to a subtle gaze that would judge whether they had breached the contract's terms.
When all anomalies subsided, the young woman rubbed her forehead with her slender finger. This was the first time she had encountered the power of righteousness, and she had not been harmed by this righteous energy. A strange feeling arose within her. "Since we are now allies, you may call me Hong Zhu." The young woman smiled. "That was my name in life—Su Hong Zhu." Her smile bloomed like a hundred flowers, drawing onlookers to appreciate the beautiful sight.
"Tone it down!" Ji Yuan snorted coldly, completely unaffected. He took out a pill and tossed it over, while also warning her not to misuse her charm. Otherwise, he would take action to deal with Su Hong Zhu, the source of trouble, first.