Information about the Substitute Doll

"Now that Lu Shoutao has come of age, his family naturally arranges his marriage."

"It was a marriage arranged by parents and matchmakers. Given the Lu family's status in Qingcheng County, suitors practically wore down their doorstep. In just over half a month, the Lu family arranged for Lu Shoutao to marry Qian Yaoyao, the daughter of the Qian family."

"Lu Shoutao and his wife were loving and happy, but in less than half a year, the young master Lu, under the instigation of Song Rui, the eldest son of the Song family, frequented brothels and became acquainted with a courtesan named Yu Yaonu."

"After a while, he actually redeemed Yu Yaonu from her servitude, paid a dowry, and married her into his family. Lu Shoutao favored his concubine over his wife, and the first wife, Qian Yaoyao, was tortured to death."

The head and chest were placed in the center of the hall, while the limbs were suspended in the four directions.

The Qian family reported the matter to the authorities. After an investigation, it was discovered that the jade-waisted maid was actually a butterfly demon, skilled in bewitching and manipulating magic.

"Honey official with golden wings, flower thief with jade waist."

"With such deep-seated hatred, how could the Qian family not take revenge? Yu Yaonu was beheaded, her body dismembered and suppressed."

Pei Si stared at Yu Yao Nu with a half-smile:

"Is this story familiar to you?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the black-haired ghost seemed to have his secret exposed.

Black hair stirred restlessly, and the mountain stream boiled.

A strange smile hung on the black-haired, eerie face.

Pei Si continued, "Did you also control the tidal wave of water ghosts at the Mohe Wharf?"

"They're supposed to be suppressed here, yet they can enslave the demons. Could it be that someone is colluding with them from the inside?"

Whoosh!

The white candle and green flames suddenly shot up, heading straight for the black-haired, ghostly head.

The mountain stream returned to tranquility.

"So you're from Qingcheng... Then I won't hide it from you anymore... I do have someone backing me! Someone you can't afford to offend!" The black-haired man's bloodshot eyes bulged out, his tone venomous.

"If you can help me find my remaining four limbs and throw them into Tiger Leap Ravine, I will break through the blockade and slaughter the Lu and Qian families!"

"The entire fortune of the Lu and Qian families is yours!"

Pei Si remained expressionless, glancing at the ghost-collecting and ghost-eating official beside him, and said coldly, "When Laozi first descended, the Three Officials witnessed it, and the Celestial Master made an oath with the hundred ghosts of the Sichuan Temple and General Tai Sui."

"If demons and monsters break their oaths and slaughter mortals, what crime should they be punished for?"

"Execute!" the ghost-collecting and ghost-eating official said coldly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of light appeared on his blade.

His head rolled off and fell into the ravine.

"cut!"

Pei Si said coldly.

The black hair stirred restlessly, but in an instant, it miraculously returned to its original state, except for the scorch marks that remained on it.

Heavenly warriors, treacherous cavalry, and officials who capture and devour ghosts.

The three officers and soldiers attacked together.

The next moment, as if the god of fire had descended to earth, scorching the sky and boiling the sea, the mountain stream erupted in chaos.

[Promotion Requirements: Increased materials required for advancing to Yin-Yang Register (White), and completing 28 instances of slaying evil spirits (2/28)]

Pei Si put away the "Soul-Suppressing Candle," cut off a lock of hair, and put it into his bag.

Stone Cave.

Just then, a tiger demon with piercing eyes and a white forehead peered out of the cave and saw the heavenly soldiers and generals chewing up their neighbor like candy.

The tiger demon with its piercing eyes and white forehead shrank its neck, its usual ferocity completely gone. It scratched the ground with its claws, and in no time, it dug a hole in the ground, inserting its head into the hole.

"boom!"

The Heavenly Warrior smashed the stone gate with a single punch.

Pei Si lightly pressed his fingers on his bamboo hat, looked at the self-deceiving tiger demon, and picked up the tiger demon's head with one hand.

Caught off guard, the tiger demon locked eyes with Pei Si.

"Summon all the evil spirits, and then introduce me to your neighbors."

…………

[Promotion Requirements: Increased materials required for advancing to Yin-Yang Register (White), and completing 28 instances of slaying evil spirits (22/28)]

A line of small ink-wash characters appears faintly.

Pei Si completely cleansed away all the demons and evil spirits in the Tiger Leap Gorge area.

Pei Si summoned the official in charge of the imperial carriage and conveyed the message to Senior Sister Mingyue.

Pei Si left behind a "Detective Hook" as a warning, then entered the stone cave and entered a meditative state to refine his qi and blood.

…………

Daqian Kingdom, Shu County, secret room.

The interior is luxuriously decorated, with crystal-clear jade paving the floor and incense money embedded in the jade layers. Priceless antiques are casually tossed on the ground.

The white candles were lit, emitting a green glow.

"Tsk."

"Who took my little pet away?"

…………

5:00 AM (卯时).

Pei Si drank the last small jar of Howling Monster's essence blood, feeling the surging blood and qi within his body, and then stopped.

[Promotion Requirements: Increased materials required for advancing to Yin-Yang Register (White) level, and 28 successful message transmissions (April 1th)]

"Qi Refiner Proficiency +1, Current Proficiency 13/100".

"The free clinic is tomorrow, and the conditions for treatment should be met. We still need six more rounds of exorcising evil spirits..."

Pei Si then dispatched a messenger to deliver a message to Senior Sister Mingyue, asking her to take on a few tasks for him at the External Affairs Office.

Fifteen minutes later.

The official in charge of the chariot and the red talisman brought back two letters.

The task was copied onto a letter.

[Task 1: A family surnamed Hu in Lingxi Town, Xingle County, mysteriously turned into minced meat. Suspecting it was the work of evil spirits, they entrusted a disciple of the Tianshi Cave to handle the matter. (Detailed address attached.)]

[Task Two: The Shi family in Qingcheng County has two patriarchs who look exactly alike, making it impossible to distinguish the real one from the fake. The matter has been entrusted to a disciple of the Celestial Master Cave. Attached: Detailed address.]

The other letter was signed Qingzhitang.

Pei Si removed the sealing wax seal.

"Pei Si personally wrote:"

Brother Si, there are two main things I want to tell you in this letter.

First, County Lieutenant Lu investigated the Zhang family. The head of the Zhang family fiercely resisted and fought a battle with the government. In full view of everyone, County Lieutenant Lu personally killed Zhang Xiao. However, a quarter of an hour later, the head of the Zhang family walked out of the ancestral hall again, seemingly possessing the ability to resurrect himself! County Lieutenant Lu was wounded, but finally killed Zhang Xiao.

Secondly, there seems to be some unusual activity in the neighboring Yang'an County. Some demonic beasts have gathered in the city of Yang'an. After you leave, sporadic demonic beasts have invaded the mountain villages around Qingcheng County. Although you are in Qingcheng Mountain, you still need to be on guard.

Finally, if you find any good mountain produce, don't forget your sister Zhi.

Signed: Xu Zhi of Qingzhitang.

"Resurrected in place of another?" Pei Si's eyes flashed, and a flash of inspiration struck him.

Could it be related to the substitute doll?! No wonder the Zhang family was so arrogant in Qingcheng County; they had mastered such methods!

Pei Si subconsciously thought of the substitute doll.

Paper dolls to save lives!

However, the book on Zhang family paper-making techniques that was obtained from Zhang Ji did not contain any records of it.

"Zhang Ji and Zhang Xin died in the winter fortress, and the Zhang family hasn't reacted. This must be because they don't hold high positions within the clan and have no access to such secrets!"

"Even if one had access to such confidential information, involving life and death, one would need an extremely high level of understanding of paper-crafting to be able to create it!"

"I was just reminding County Magistrate Lu to pay more attention to the paper beauty, but I never expected that his attention would be drawn to Zhang Xiao. It was truly an unexpected stroke of luck."

"Given the Red Lantern Goddess's temperament, the demons gathered in Yang'an County are probably gathered under her banner; otherwise, these demons would have already turned into red lanterns in the sky."

"Scattered demons are invading the village; could it be that she's also eyeing Qingcheng County?"

Pei Si sorted out his thoughts.

"Let's go back to Qingcheng County first. The method of substituting life might be in Lu Pinghai's hands. Let's negotiate with him first."

"Go and resolve the matter entrusted to the Shi family."

Pei Si calmed himself down, disguised himself, and put on a mask shaped like a giant turtle.

"Go find Lu Pinghai, and act under this identity."

Pei Si summoned the "Copper Bell," made a hand seal, and the bronze horse transformed into a skinny old donkey.

"Old donkey, let's go."