Winter snow flies, new wine brews, peach talismans full of frost.

"The wine is out!"

With a shout from a worker, several people immediately gathered around. Old Liu, whose hair was half-black, scooped a little with a wooden ladle to taste, and instantly beamed with joy:

"Good, good, it's crisp and fragrant, everyone deserves a reward!"

The workers immediately cheered loudly in the snowy field.

Since learning the "Steaming Wine Skill," this old man had become obsessed with brewing wine. Although the stock was sufficient this year, the winter temperature was low, making it easy to control fermentation, just right to try new brewing.

The old man planned to elevate the "Heroic Blood" by next year, so the Iron Blood Manor became lively again.

In the secluded small courtyard behind the manor, Zhang Kui slowly exhaled a puff of yellow smoke and opened his eyes.

In his mind, the Guiding Skill had unexpectedly reached level nine.

Excitement flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes; after more than half a month, he finally achieved his goal by refining all the "Yellow Jade Pills."

What was more exciting was still ahead.

After consecutively taking out three half-demons in the Grain Avoidance Realm from the Demon Star Pavilion, he accumulated twenty-one skill points, enough to upgrade the Guiding Skill to perfection and learn level one of the Grain Avoidance Skill.

Without hesitation, Zhang Kui immediately spent ten points to upgrade the Guiding Skill to level ten.

Almost instantly, the True Qi and Mana within him began to increase linearly, making his whole Qi Veins smooth and unblocked, giving him an aura of smoothness.

In his mind, the interface icon of the Guiding Skill instantly transformed into a star rising higher and higher, reaching a darker conscious space, like a lone star in the night sky.

Immediately, a torrent of information surged out: meridians, acupoints, dantian, breathing methods... It was as if he practiced the Guiding Skill again from scratch, and all the various tricks were clear in his mind.

Even teaching disciples now wouldn't be a problem.

Zhang Kui was stunned for a long time.

So this was the ultimate form of the Celestial Gang and Earthly Fiends system.

No, it wasn't yet.

If all one hundred and eight stars in that dark conscious space were in place, what would the scene be like?

Zhang Kui's breathing was a little heavy, trying to calm his breath and mind, he used the remaining eleven points to start the Grain Avoidance Skill.

Almost instantly, Zhang Kui felt his whole body turned transparent and agile. With each breath, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi continuously entered his body, merging with his senses.

The Mana surged again, nearly stopping at three times the perfection of the Guiding Skill, and a great joy suddenly rose within him.

Zhang Kui stood up long and laughed heartily,

"No need to eat grains, inhale wind and drink dew, ride on clouds, command flying dragons, and roam beyond the four seas... Wonderful, wonderful!"

He pushed the door open and went out, feeling as if a layer of frosted glass was removed from between Heaven and Earth, making everything clearer and more agile, the falling snowflakes were crystal clear and exceedingly beautiful.

Fatty Tiger was sleeping soundly by the corridor, his ears moved and he lifted his head, his tiger eyes widened immediately.

"Dao... Daoist, how did you... you've reached the Grain Avoidance Realm!"

As he said, he jumped up thrillingly and ran over wagging, flattering words pouring like a tide.

"Daoist, you're so young, even demons aren't this fast, spread the word and it would scare people to death, I am indeed clever, Fatty Tiger!"

Zhang Kui scanned with the Cave Abyss Skill and smiled:

"You fool, why have you stored so much Stone Ganoderma without refining it, are you not afraid other bloodline cultivating demons will find out and swallow you whole?"

Fatty Tiger's face immediately looked bitter,

"Daoist, I, Fatty Tiger, only have ordinary bloodline, refining a little makes my whole body swell in pain. Treasure Medicine is good, but if rushed, I can't bear it."

Zhang Kui nodded in agreement,

"Indeed, slowly building a strong foundation is a broad and bright path."

Then, Zhang Kui narrowed his eyes slightly,

"What about that woman, has there been anything unusual recently?"

He was referring to the Shamanism Saintess Manzudia. Since she recovered from her injuries, she seemed reluctant to leave. Zhang Kui was busy refining pills and didn't pay attention; he just instructed Fatty Tiger to keep a close watch.

Fatty Tiger glanced left and right, and whispered:

"Daoist, that woman is strange. She often disguises herself and fools around in the Capital City, sometimes not returning for two or three days, could she secretly have a lover..."

Bang!

Zhang Kui flicked his forehead directly, "You fool, what nonsense are you spouting? I have nothing to do with her, it's just a Jianghu emergency, don't concern yourself."

Saying that, he shook the dust off his sleeves and walked out.

After Zhang Kui left, Fatty Tiger rubbed his head and snorted, muttering: "What's he pretending for, that woman is a beauty that causes trouble, even demons would feel ashamed, what Jianghu emergency, bah, clearly he's craving her body."

Saying that, he slumped back to the ground, licking his paws and closing his eyes, "Winter drowsiness, I'll sleep for a while longer..."

......

Zhang Kui arrived at the manor's courtyard, where Old Liu, who was directing the workers, quickly came over with a hearty smile,

"Master Kui, you seem to be in much better spirits."

Elderly Liu Mao'Er, though consuming the Yellow Jade Pill, had become a Jianghu expert, but ultimately couldn't achieve Enlightenment, could only vaguely perceive Zhang Kui's transformation.

Zhang Kui glanced at the sweating workers and smiled: "On such a cold snowy day, you still have the workers laboring, aren't you afraid it'll spread and make people laugh at us for being unkind?"

"Laugh at what..."

Liu Mao'Er said cheerfully: "Three days from now is New Year's Eve. After today's work, each will get a big red envelope and go home for the New Year, they're overjoyed."

"In three days it's New Year?"

Zhang Kui was slightly stunned, feeling a hint of wistfulness.

"Oh..."

Old Liu suddenly whispered, "Eunuch Yin has sent people over a few times, I've placed the items in the secret compartment."

Zhang Kui nodded and turned to his study, opening the secret compartment to retrieve some things.

Actually, there wasn't much, just intel on demons from various places and reports from the Astronomical Bureau.

Since Yin Bai intended to make connections, Zhang Kui didn't mind having an additional intelligence source.

Starting with the Capital City.

After the Imperial Palace's night feast incident, the palace immediately launched a massive manpower investigation.

Unexpectedly, this investigation uncovered many old cases, unjust souls in wells, decaying corpses under flowers in the Imperial Garden, the "Fox Maid" who secretly ate two palace maids...

The self-proclaimed wise Emperor Li Geng was infuriated.

Fortunately, they finally uncovered a half-demon lurking in the Imperial Kitchen. After its identity was revealed and it attempted to attack the Emperor, the State Preceptor casually turned it to ash.

Outside the palace, it wasn't so fortunate; after all, Haojing City is so large, no amount of manpower can cover it all.

Zhang Kui had no interest in these matters, focusing instead on the movements of the demon mansions across various regions.

"After the chaos in Qingzhou, it's basically calm, but someone in Shazhou saw the sky red in the direction of the Golden Light Cave, and two days later, a large piece of the deep mountains on the border of Ganzhou collapsed..."

"Ganzhou, Dead Man's Cave... could it be that the Stone Man Tomb and General's Tomb have acted again?"

"The ice river in Bozhou swelled, the dams broke, causing numerous casualties. Someone saw a huge shadow besieged by a hundred ghosts, and three days later, a gigantic turtle shell appeared on the shore..."

"A mirage appeared in the East Sea, temporarily closing the sea..."

Zhang Kui frowned deeply.

The Capital City, after all, is the Capital City, life is relatively peaceful, it's sometimes easy to forget how terrifying the world behind it is.

Zhang Kui unexpectedly recalled the fiery black shadow in the southwest mountains of Qingzhou, the ancient blood-stained altar Stone Man, Immortal Wu in the clouds, and the ominous Black Painting Boat…

The joy of the realm upgrade instantly vanished.

"Patience, it's not the right time yet..."

Zhang Kui gently shook his head.

However, there was still some good news, having consecutively eliminated three half-demons from the Demon Star Pavilion, earning about one thousand taels of Merit Silver, which can be exchanged for some herbs.

But now, having reached the Grain Avoidance Realm, to refine suitable pills, the Alchemy Skill definitely needs to be upgraded.

Skill points...

At this moment, Zhang Kui's expression shifted, he turned to look at the back courtyard and his figure instantly vanished.

In a clean room in the back courtyard, incense wafted. An old woman dressed in coarse cotton clothes was rubbing her face, soon revealing a seductive face.

"Still no clues?"

Zhang Kui walked in and sat down, asking.

Manzudia gently shook her head, "Only know a name, Hua Niang, in such a large Capital City, it's not so easy to find."

Zhang Kui's eyes shifted slightly,

"How much do you actually know about the Underworld?"

Manzudia didn't directly answer, but after a pause, a hint of mystery appeared at the corner of her eye,

"Do you know that those clay statues in the Night Temples spread across the land once housed Divine Spirits..."

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