White Bone Demon Trail

Chapter 8 The God of No Form
An old woman dressed in a black robe walked into the thick fog with a cane, followed by seven or eight burly men carrying swords. When they saw the four skeletons wrapped in clothing in the forest, they couldn't help but show surprise.

One of the tall, thin men in a blue shirt couldn't help but ask, "Grandma Witch, these four people are indeed from our village. How did they turn into bones overnight?"

The old woman, whose face was full of wrinkles and whose cheeks were adorned with strange black patterns, frowned and said, “These four people were ordered by me to deliver the cholera scourge to Black Stone Village. Before they left, I cast a spell on them so that ordinary ghosts and monsters could not get close to them.”

Unexpectedly, they still fell victim to the evil spirits, and it seems that the backlash from this forbidden technique cost all four of them their lives.

However, the spirits in Yunze Mountain will likely give me some face when they see my sorcery and won't kill me.

Most of them are foreign spirits, unaware of the rules of Yunze Mountain, and kill indiscriminately.

"Then, Granny Witch, what do you think we should do with such a ferocious monster? If such a monster were to appear near our Wulong Village, I'm afraid there would be no peace." The tall, thin man touched the curved knife at his waist and said with a solemn expression.

"No rush. Let me go back and ask Lord Hui Shen how powerful this monster is. If it is weak, I will kill it myself. If it is an old demon, then I'm afraid Yunze Mountain will be in turmoil."

Granny Wu sighed, "Those people in Black Stone Village have been guided by a master, so let's not rush to deal with them. We should join forces with the people of Ancient Pine Village to stabilize Tiger King Village. That Tiger Mountain Lord has eaten a lot of monsters recently, and his cultivation has improved. I'm afraid he won't be able to resist attacking Lord Serpent God."

"Have the people from Xiaoqu Village send over more meat so the adults can recover from their injuries as soon as possible."

“Yes, Granny Witch!” the tall, thin man said solemnly. “I will send word to Xiaoqu Village immediately!”

……

On the southern slope of Yunze Mountain, a stream flows gently across a desolate stone bridge, occasionally fish and shrimp leap about, and several long-legged birds forage among the water plants.

Bai Wuxiang, dressed in a long robe, slowly stepped onto the stone bridge. He slightly raised his head to look at the clouds in the sky. The sky was filled with shimmering blue mist, and the fine clouds flowed like water. Only he could see such a beautiful scene.

This was not the sky as seen by ordinary people; in his eyes, it was the manifestation of the various energies within the hundreds of miles of Yunze Mountain.

Thanks to the fact that the young master of the Bai family had also studied history for many years, he was not entirely unfamiliar with this world. The vast Southern Zhao Kingdom had many famous mountains and rivers with martial arts sects or Taoist and Buddhist temples. He guessed that most of these places were inhabited by Taoist practitioners and had people living there, so they were not very suitable for him to hide and cultivate.

After all the calculations, it turns out that the Yunze Mountains in the Southern Zhao Kingdom are sparsely populated, teeming with bandits and thieves, and have no famous legends or legends about gods, and are mostly devoid of enlightened masters.

He was a spirit of an inanimate object that mortals feared, and if he encountered a master, he would most likely end up as a pile of bones.

That's why he wanted to settle down in Yunze Mountain. But settling down in this vast Yunze Mountain was no easy task. Many places in the mountain had powerful auras that made this lowly White Bone Demon dare not wander around recklessly, for fear of accidentally entering the cave of some great demon and being captured.

Bai Wuxiang sighed, touching the gorgeous robes he was wearing. A wisp of yin energy was wrapped around a strand of silk. This was the lingering yin energy of the vengeful ghost Chu Hongmei. Her soul had dissipated because she had lost her resentment, leaving only this last wisp of yin energy.

She was a woman with a tragic fate. This wisp of yin energy was not only her last remnant in the world, but also a way for Bai Wuxiang to remember her long-cherished wish.

The bandits of Wulongzhai are all filled with malice and have many lives on their hands. It is highly likely that they are involved with Xiaoqu Village.

However, Black Stone Stronghold was not as strong as Black Dragon Stronghold, yet it had a master who had established a powerful feng shui system, preventing him from approaching the stronghold. It seemed that Black Dragon Stronghold likely also possessed some formidable figures that he couldn't afford to provoke at the moment.

"Om~"

Just as Bai Wuxiang was standing on the stone bridge deep in thought, a soft wooden drum sounded, which immediately shook his soul and made him lose control of the human skin.

He looked surprised for a moment, then silently activated the Vengeful Spirit Pearl in his abdomen and asked, "Who is this master?"

At the same time, it summoned the black crows circling around it, trying to figure out what was going on.

But the next moment, twelve men dressed in yellow robes rushed out from all around, each wearing a fierce-looking mask and holding golden bells, gongs, and drums. They struck them simultaneously and roared angrily, like a charging army of iron-blooded soldiers, surrounding Bai Wuxiang.

A surge of intense human energy rushed towards him like a raging fire, shaking and shattering Bai Wuxiang's soul. The piercing sounds of gongs and drums seemed to penetrate his mind relentlessly.

Bai Wuxiang barely suppressed his body, which was on the verge of madness, and his will, which was almost completely broken. A white skeleton, as clear as jade, could be vaguely seen in his swaying body. His handsome face suddenly transformed into a skull, with ghostly blue flames emanating from his eyes. He let out a mournful roar at the surroundings.

"Woo~"

A strange sound accompanied by the release of demonic power from within him suddenly shattered the surrounding sounds of gongs and drums. The twelve people were startled back several steps by Bai Wuxiang's resentful roar, and the gongs and drums in their hands were all knocked away.

"Your Excellency possesses remarkable spiritual power."

A voice of praise rang out, and the twelve people stopped fighting at the same time, but still surrounded Bai Wuxiang. At the front stepped out a refined man dressed in a dark blue robe, with long hair adorned with a crown and a jade pendant at his waist, looking like a Taoist.

"Greetings, Junzi, from downstream."

Bai Wuxiang steadied himself, coldly looked at the mortal before him, and asked in a chilling tone, "Are you a demon hunter?"

There was no spiritual energy among this group of mortals, but the gongs and drums in their hands, their clothing, and the wooden fish in the hands of the refined man all gave him an extremely uncomfortable feeling.

"Hehe, not at all." The refined man who called himself You Junzi shook his head with a smile. "You must be some kind of spirit or monster, right? I am the second leader of Black Stone Village. I have come here today to ask for your help."

"Even demons and monsters are no match for the wickedness in people's hearts. I am no ordinary person, what do I have to talk to?" Bai Wuxiang's reason was affected by demonic power, and a thought arose in his mind: to kill all the living people in front of him!
However, he possessed the memories of two human lives, which endowed him with wisdom and spirit far exceeding that of ordinary spirits, suppressing the evil thoughts of the Vengeful Spirit Pearl.

"I've heard that you're looking for a geomantic map? This is quite important to our human race. But ordinary spirits and monsters don't know anything about it."

You Junzi smiled and stroked his long beard, then changed his tone and said, "I originally thought you were a demon sent from another country, but after a quick look, I can tell that you are intelligent and not an ordinary demon."

Therefore, we would like to request your assistance to Black Stone Village.

"In the eyes of you mortals, I am a demon. How dare you join forces with a demon?" Bai Wuxiang's mind stirred, and he looked at him with a half-smile.

"Not only can I provide you with a geomantic map of the entire 800-mile stretch of Yunze Mountain, but I can also build you a place with abundant Yin energy as your cave dwelling," You Junzi said with a smile, taking out a pale yellow brocade scroll from his wide sleeves.

"Oh?" Bai Wuxiang was surprised for a moment. He had only asked those two a few questions yesterday, yet this person in front of him had seen through his background and even guessed what he wanted to do. Even if this person wasn't a demon hunter, he must have a good understanding of the spirits and monsters in the world.

"Humans are cunning; how can you expect me to trust you?"

“I can first build a place to gather yin energy for you, and even have the people of Black Stone Village support you.” You Junzi waved his hand, and the twelve people beside him all understood and stepped back. He then boldly walked onto the stone bridge, only a zhang away from Bai Wuxiang.

Bai Wuxiang pondered for a moment, then replied, "You want me, a demon, to protect your Black Stone Village?"

"Indeed. You are no ordinary demon or spirit; your intelligence surpasses that of ordinary people."

You Junzi's smile deepened as he explained, "Yunze Mountain is an area of ​​eight hundred li, a desolate and treacherous place with thirty-six bandit strongholds. It is isolated from Shen and Jiang prefectures and sparsely populated. Even thirty years ago, when the Great Zhao Dynasty was powerful, the government had difficulty governing this area."

To survive, these villagers sought out mountain spirits and monsters, offering them sacrifices. Over the years, for decades or even centuries, these mountain people developed a far less fear of monsters and spirits than ordinary people in the secular world. These spirits accepted the offerings from mortals and would inform the mountain people when natural disasters struck, or provide protection during times of calamity or man-made catastrophe.

These mountain people would also drive away outside demon hunters and exorcists for the sake of mountain spirits and monsters.

However, most mountain spirits and wild monsters are of low intelligence and have difficulty controlling their evil desires; a spirit like yourself is truly rare.

After pondering for a long time, Bai Wuxiang asked, "I'm afraid the people in your Black Stone Village aren't the mountain dwellers of Yunze Mountain, are they?"

"Your wisdom is no less than that of an ancient demon. We, the Black Stone Village, are indeed not native to this mountain. We are a contingent of soldiers who were scattered after His Highness Prince Yi's defeat in his campaign against the rebels in Jiangzhou. After Prince Yi lost power, and fearing punishment from the court, we entered this Yunze Mountain to build our village. Now, eight years have passed. Although I have some knowledge of feng shui and numerology, I am ultimately just a mortal. Our Black Stone Village truly needs the protection of a 'mountain god'."

"We acted earlier only out of concern for your ferocity and fear that you might harm our lives; we had no other choice. Please do not take offense."

As he spoke, You Junzi held the geomantic map in both hands, then knelt down on both knees and said sincerely, "Please, Your Excellency, save my people! My Black Stone Village will forever worship you as the God of Yunze!"

Bai Wuxiang silently looked at the man kneeling at his feet. He was no longer human, but he knew how terrifying the human heart could be, so he had to be cautious.

He hesitated for a long time, considering the pros and cons, before finally speaking: "I am not a great demon who has cultivated for a long time, and my demonic power is limited. If your Black Stone Village sincerely worships me, I can only help when I have the power to do so."

If there truly are powerful demons or monsters, I am no match for them, nor can I protect you.

Hearing this, You Junzi was overjoyed. He bowed again and said, "We are already extremely grateful if you will protect the people of Black Stone Village. We dare not ask for more!"

Bai Wuxiang looked at the man beneath him. Although the aura of azure clouds on his body was extremely faint, there was a hint of dark yellow color brewing within his aura. If any evil demons or monsters truly harbored murderous intent towards him, they probably wouldn't be able to get close to him.

Such people are often wise and virtuous, with the merit of educating and benefiting the common people.

Although he was no longer human, he still felt a sense of goodwill towards such a wise man.

"Get up. I am but a dead spirit. You do not need to worship me from now on."

You Junzi was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Yes! From now on, the more than three hundred people in Black Stone Village will have to rely on your protection."

Bai Wuxiang shook his head and said, "It's just a matter of mutual benefit. I'm curious, where did you get all these skills in feng shui and numerology?"

You Junzi stood up, cupped his hands and said, "This skill of mine was passed down from my ancestors. My ancestors were feng shui masters, but later the family fell into decline. When Prince Yi was recruiting talented people, I was fortunate enough to be appreciated and employed by His Highness."

But the suppression of the rebellion in Jiangzhou ended in a major defeat, and His Highness Prince Yi died. I then followed this defeated army and settled in the Yunze Mountains, barely surviving.

Bai Wuxiang nodded, showing little interest in worldly affairs, and pressed on, "Then do you know what powerful spirits or monsters live in these mountains?"

"Please look at this map." You Junzi unfolded the brocade map in his hand and pointed to the terrain on it, saying, "Among the thirty-six villages in the entire Yunze Mountain, the smallest have fewer than a hundred people, and most of them are only a few hundred people living in villages. Among them, the brave and strong people in the villages are mostly protected by powerful spirits."

Among them, Tiger King Village is the most powerful, with over a thousand inhabitants. Legend has it that they worship a Tiger Mountain Lord who has cultivated for over a hundred years.

Of the remaining villages, the most powerful on the southern slopes are Gusong Village, Heishui Village, Wulong Village, and Cangyun Village. The largest village closest to our Heishi Village is Wulong Village, which enshrines a black python spirit that is said to be two hundred years old.

Their village has clashed with us many times in recent years. Fortunately, the Black Stone Village that I built using feng shui techniques has the effect of warding off evil spirits, so as long as we don't leave the village, there won't be any major problems.

However, in recent years, the forests and game around the village have become insufficient to support the villagers' livelihoods. If they stray too far from the village, they risk being captured by other villages.

The uncivilized barbarians of Wulong Village have always been cannibalistic; many people from our Black Stone Village have already been killed by them.

Bai Wuxiang frowned, but still spoke up: "As long as that black python demon doesn't come out in person, I have many ways to counter those mortal evil arts. I'm not good at observing the heavens and celestial phenomena, I only have some ability to read qi, which can cure common ailments of the muscles and bones. You don't need to ask me for anything else."

Furthermore, as you should have noticed, I do not require offerings of living animals. However, from now on, your villagers can only bury animals around my cave, and you must collect the remains of wild animals for me.

Can your Black Stone Village do that?

"Of course we can do it! Please rest assured, our Black Stone Village will do everything we can to meet your needs." You Junzi nodded hurriedly, secretly relieved that this person did not require human sacrifice.

After agreeing in one breath, he looked up and asked, "Um... how should we, the people of Black Stone Village, address you from now on?"

Bai Wuxiang smiled and glanced at him, seeing through his intentions. "You are different from the ignorant people in the mountains. You should have some idea about my background. Keep it to yourself, but it's best not to make it public."

As for how you address me, you may call me Wuxiang.

"Formless..."

Yu Junzi, understanding the unspoken message, bowed respectfully and said:
"The people of Black Stone Village respectfully welcome the God of No Form!"

(End of this chapter)