“Master, save me!!”
Suddenly, Wang Rong also spotted Shui Miao and frantically screamed in panic.
“She’s really Wang Rong!”
Shui Miao’s heart trembled. Immediately, he activated his Soul Devouring Force, transforming it into several streams of energy that surged toward the ghostly wedding procession. In an instant, the ghost procession was thrown into chaos, their wails piercing the air. Shui Miao rushed straight to the bridal sedan, pulled open the curtain, and saw Wang Rong bound tightly inside, already reduced to tears.
“Daring to steal the mountain god’s wife! You’ve got guts, kid! Just wait for what’s coming to you!”
A horned ghost shouted at Shui Miao before transforming into a wisp of demonic energy and diving underground, attempting to escape through earth magic. But Shui Miao’s Soul Devouring Force enveloped it instantly, turning it into nothingness.
Seeing this, the other ghosts fell to their knees, begging the immortal for mercy.
Shui Miao untied Wang Rong, who immediately buried her face into his chest, sobbing: “Master, I’ve waited for you so long!”
Wang Rong had never had much money and worked at a small town restaurant, enduring bullying and misfortune. She was eventually fired, went days without food, and was even lured into suicide by monsters. In a moment of desperation, she jumped into the river. Right after her death, a group of ghosts captured her and forced her into the bridal sedan.
In a moment of clarity, Wang Rong convinced the ghosts she agreed to marry the mountain god, but requested one final wish: to visit her master once more. Only after meeting her master would she willingly become the mountain god’s bride.
Thus, the ghost procession had brought Wang Rong here, coincidentally encountering Shui Miao.
After calming Wang Rong, Shui Miao sternly questioned the ghosts, uncovering the truth.
Instantly, Shui Miao used his Soul Devouring Force to destroy the ghosts and absorbed their memories.
Then, carrying Wang Rong’s soul, Shui Miao hurried to the riverside overnight and found her body.
Since Shui Miao had even healed a crow woman before, reviving Wang Rong was no problem.
Under the power of the Primordial Force of Natural Dao, Wang Rong not only revived but also appeared younger and more beautiful.
Before dawn, Shui Miao sealed Wang Rong inside the Holy Yuan Ring and headed toward the Mountain God Temple.
The temple was merely a small house, a few square meters in size, housing three statues of mountain gods. Before them stood an offering table with a stone incense burner. Judging from the ashes inside, the temple had seen considerable worship. Through spiritual perception, Shui Miao detected numerous evil spirits gathered not far beneath the mountain. He deduced they were the mountain spirits responsible for the disturbances.
“Bang!”
Shui Miao kicked fiercely at the stone statues, smashing all three mountain god statues. He then grabbed the stone incense burner from the table and smashed it onto the ground. From the ghosts’ memories, Shui Miao knew these three mountain gods were not real deities but rather mountain spirits from three nearby mountains who had attained some power and gathered here, causing harm and mischief.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no fear of them.
His actions alarmed the monsters, who quickly gathered, transforming into human forms to surround Shui Miao.
“You little brat! You dare destroy our temple—you’re asking for death!”
“Aaarrgghh! I’m so mad! I’ll drink his blood and eat his flesh!”
“Who the hell are you, kid?”
There were over thirty mountain spirits in total.
Among them, three ancient tree monsters were the strongest. They were the three brothers who had impersonated the mountain gods.
Shui Miao turned his head, glancing disdainfully at the monsters before coldly speaking: “I have a disciple named Wang Rong. You should know her, right?”
“Wang Rong? You mean that girl with the pure Yin body?”
“Oh! Now I understand. No wonder our men haven’t returned yet. They must have fallen victim to this little punk!”
“You cheeky brat! You’ve really got the guts to ruin our plans and then come here to stir up trouble! You’ve really pissed me off today! Boys, kill him!”
“Master, save me!!”
Suddenly, Wang Rong also spotted Shui Miao and immediately let out a frantic, desperate scream.
“It really is Wang Rong!”
Shui Miao’s heart jolted. He quickly channeled his Spirit Devouring power, transforming it into several streams of energy that rushed toward the ghostly wedding procession. In an instant, the procession was thrown into chaos, with ghosts wailing in agony. Shui Miao had already dashed to the front of the bridal sedan, pulled aside the curtain, and saw Wang Rong tied up, her face drenched in tears.
“How dare you interfere with the Mountain Deity’s bride! Boy, you’ll pay for this!”
A horned specter hurled a series of menacing threats at Shui Miao, then morphed into a sinister demonic aura and plunged into the earth, attempting to flee using the earth evasion technique. However, Shui Miao’s Spirit Devouring energy swiftly enveloped it, annihilating it into oblivion.
Seeing this, the other ghosts dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.
Shui Miao untied Wang Rong, and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing, “Master, I’ve waited so long for you! It’s been so hard!”
Wang Rong, with little money to her name, had been working at a small-town restaurant, enduring not only bullying but also falling victim to mountain spirits and monsters. Misfortune seemed to follow her everywhere. After being fired by her boss, she went days without food. In a moment of despair, manipulated by evil spirits, she impulsively jumped into a river. But no sooner had she died than a horde of ghosts captured her and forced her into the bridal sedan.
Thinking quickly, Wang Rong pretended to agree to marry the Mountain Deity but claimed she had one last wish—to see her master. She promised that once she saw him, she would willingly marry the deity.
And so, the ghosts brought her here, where they coincidentally encountered Shui Miao.
After calming Wang Rong, Shui Miao sternly questioned the ghosts and learned the truth.
Without hesitation, he used his Spirit Devouring power to destroy the ghosts and absorbed their memories.
Then, Shui Miao took Wang Rong’s soul and rushed to the riverbank, where he found her body.
If he could save Crow Girl, reviving Wang Rong was naturally within his power.
Under the influence of the natural essence, Wang Rong not only came back to life but also became younger and more beautiful.
Before daybreak, Shui Miao placed Wang Rong into the Sacred Ring and hurried to the Mountain Deity Temple.
The temple was nothing more than a small shack of three or four square meters, housing three statues of mountain deities. In front stood an altar table with a stone incense burner. Judging by the ashes, the temple had seen plenty of worshipers. Through his spiritual sense, Shui Miao detected a gathering of evil spirits not far beneath the mountain—undoubtedly the very mountain spirits and ghosts causing trouble.
*Bam!*
Shui Miao kicked out fiercely at the stone statues, shattering all three. He then lifted the incense burner and smashed it violently onto the ground. Having absorbed the ghosts’ memories, he knew these so-called deities were not real mountain gods but three mountain spirits from nearby peaks who had gained some power, gathered here, and wreaked havoc.
So, Shui Miao feared them not at all.
His actions alerted the monsters, who swarmed over, taking human form and surrounding him.
“You reckless fool! How dare you destroy our temple? You’re asking for death!”
“Grrr… I’m furious! I’ll drink his blood and feast on his flesh!”
“Who exactly are you, you brat?”
There were over thirty mountain spirits and ghosts.
Among them, three ancient tree demons were the most powerful—the three spirit brothers impersonating the mountain deities.
Shui Miao turned around, glanced disdainfully at the spirits, and coldly stated, “I have a disciple named Wang Rong. You should know her, right?”
“Wang Rong! That girl with the pure Yin body?”
“Ah! Now I understand—no wonder our men haven’t returned. They must have fallen to this guy’s tricks!”
“You fool! You’ve got some nerve! Ruining our plans and even daring to cause trouble here? Today, you’ve really crossed us! Minions, kill him!”
The three spirits weren’t complete fools; they sent their underlings first to test Shui Miao’s strength.
These lackeys were nothing but ordinary ghosts and minor spirits.
Shui Miao regarded them with utter contempt.
As they charged at him, Shui Miao ignored them entirely and directly enveloped the three spirit leaders with his Spirit Devouring power. The minions who reached him, upon touching his aura, instantly turned into scattered, disorderly tree roots on the ground. The ghosts transformed into harmless, ordinary souls, and the three self-proclaimed mountain deities reverted into massive tree stumps!
How could this be?
Even Shui Miao was taken aback by this outcome.
With a furrowed brow, he whispered to himself, “Could it be the natural essence at play? Has the natural essence driven them back to their primordial state?”
They remained motionless, and Shui Miao felt this must be a symptom of lost memory.
“Human nature is inherently good at birth.”
It appeared that the same principle applied to spirits and ghosts—their primordial essence was inherently pure and benevolent. Shui Miao contemplated: the ghostly wedding procession he had previously obliterated hadn’t undergone such a transformation. Was it because they lacked purity? That seemed somewhat implausible. Why would the three great monsters be granted an opportunity for a fresh start, while the lesser spirits were not?
Wait…
Regarding the natural essence, Shui Miao suddenly thought that perhaps the truly evil, irredeemable beings were those who served others blindly—devoid of goodness, following orders without question, committing any atrocity without hesitation. That might be why they were eradicated. The more powerful spirits, on the other hand, might have survived precisely because they only gave orders without dirtying their hands, retaining some fear in their hearts?
Speculating on the laws of the natural essence, Shui Miao gleaned some insights.
Gazing at the clueless tree stumps and ghosts, their memories reset to a primordial state, destined to confront unknown futures, Shui Miao pondered: from a certain perspective, complete annihilation might have been a form of liberation. Starting anew was akin to enduring the agonies of samsara—whether it would be a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.
“Do you all still recognize me?” After a moment of silence, Shui Miao summoned both Wang Rong and Shen Yan from the Sacred Ring. Pointing at Wang Rong, he asked the tree stumps, roots, and ghosts, “Do you recognize her?”
The tree stumps, roots, and ghosts showed no reaction whatsoever!
Wang Rong and Shen Yan were utterly baffled, wondering if their master had lost his mind, talking to tree stumps.
Frowning, Shui Miao reached out and touched one of the tree stumps. It instantly turned to dust, scattering across the ground.
As if discovering something, Shui Miao quickly said, “Wang Rong, Shen Yan, quickly—touch these tree stumps and see!”
Wang Rong and Shen Yan exchanged glances, then went over and touched the tree stumps. The result was the same—they all turned to dust… Shui Miao then touched the roots and ghosts, and they all dissipated!
“I get it now!” Shui Miao cried out, her eyes wide with sudden realization and profound shock. “For wicked humans, malevolent ghosts, and evil spirits, the natural essence is their ultimate end! Their transformation into roots and stumps wasn’t a second chance—it was because their cultivation was relatively strong, and what was left was just their primordial form, a hollow shell! In other words, the power of the natural essence is the ultimate end for all that is evil!”
These minions were nothing more than ordinary ghosts and spirits.
Shui Miao looked down upon them.
“Master, save me!!”
Suddenly, Wang Rong also spotted Shui Miao and immediately let out a desperate, hysterical scream.
“It really is Wang Rong!”
Shui Miao’s heart jolted. He quickly channeled his Spirit Devouring power, transforming it into several streams of energy that shot toward the ghostly wedding procession. In an instant, the procession was thrown into chaos, with ghosts wailing in agony. Shui Miao had already rushed to the front of the sedan chair, lifted the curtain, and saw Wang Rong tied up, her face drenched in tears.
“How dare you! How dare you snatch the Mountain God’s bride! Boy, you’ll pay for this!”
A horned ghost bellowed a series of menacing threats at Shui Miao, then morphed into a sinister aura and plunged into the earth, attempting to flee using the earth遁术 (earth escape technique). However, Shui Miao’s Spirit Devouring power swiftly enveloped it, reducing it to utter nothingness.
Seeing this, the other ghosts dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.
Shui Miao untied Wang Rong, and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing, “Master, I’ve waited so long for you! It’s been so hard!”
Wang Rong had little money and worked at a small-town restaurant, enduring not only bullying but also being targeted by mountain spirits and monsters. Misfortune seemed to follow her everywhere. After being fired by her boss, she went days without food. In a moment of despair, manipulated by monsters, she impulsively jumped into a river. But as soon as she died, a group of ghosts captured her and forced her into the wedding sedan.
Thinking quickly, Wang Rong agreed to marry the Mountain God but claimed she had one last wish: to see her master. She promised that once she saw him, she would willingly marry the Mountain God.
And so, the ghosts brought her here, where they coincidentally encountered Shui Miao.
After calming Wang Rong, Shui Miao sternly questioned the ghosts and learned the truth.
Immediately, he used his Spirit Devouring power to destroy the ghosts and absorbed their memories.
Then, Shui Miao took Wang Rong’s soul and rushed to the riverbank, where he found her body.
If he could save Crow Girl, reviving Wang Rong was naturally within his abilities.
Under the influence of the natural essence power, Wang Rong not only came back to life but also became younger and more beautiful.
Before dawn, Shui Miao placed Wang Rong into the Sacred Yuan Ring and hurried to the Mountain God Temple.
The temple was a small hut, about three or four square meters, housing three statues of mountain gods. In front of them was an altar with a stone incense burner. Judging by the ashes, the temple had seen plenty of worshipers. Through his spiritual sense, Shui Miao detected numerous evil spirits gathered not far beneath the mountain—undoubtedly the troublemaking mountain spirits and ghosts.
“Bang!”
Shui Miao kicked out fiercely at the stone statues, shattering all three. He then lifted the incense burner and smashed it onto the ground. From the ghosts’ memories, he knew these so-called mountain gods were actually three mountain spirits from nearby peaks who had gained some power, gathered here, and wreaked havoc.
So, Shui Miao had no fear of them.
His actions alerted the monsters, who swarmed over, taking human form and surrounding him.
“You reckless fool! How dare you destroy our temple! You’re asking for death!”
“Grrr… I’m furious! I’ll drink his blood and eat his flesh!”
“Who exactly are you, you brat?”
There were over thirty mountain spirits and ghosts.
Among them, three ancient tree spirits were the most powerful—the three spirit brothers impersonating the mountain gods.
Shui Miao turned around, glanced disdainfully at the spirits, and coldly said, “I have a disciple named Wang Rong. You should know her, right?”
“Wang Rong! That girl with the pure Yin body?”
“Oh! I see now—no wonder our men haven’t returned. They must have fallen to this guy’s tricks!”
“You fool! You’ve got some nerve! Ruining our plans and even daring to cause trouble here? Today, you’ve really crossed us! Minions, kill him!”
The three spirits weren’t complete fools. They sent their underlings first to test Shui Miao’s strength.
These lackeys were nothing but ordinary ghosts and minor spirits.
Shui Miao regarded them with contempt.
As they charged at him, Shui Miao ignored them and directly enveloped the three spirit leaders with his Spirit Devouring power. The spirits who reached him instantly turned into disorganized tree roots scattered on the ground, while the ghosts became harmless ordinary souls. The three self-proclaimed mountain gods transformed into large tree stumps!
How could this be?
Even Shui Miao was taken aback by this outcome.
With a furrowed brow, he muttered to himself, “Could it be the influence of the natural essence power? Did it compel them to revert to their primordial state?”
They remained motionless, and Shui Miao suspected this was a sign of lost memory.
Human nature is inherently good at birth.
It seemed the same held true for spirits and ghosts. Shui Miao pondered—the wedding ghost team he had destroyed earlier didn’t undergo this transformation. Was it because they weren’t pure-hearted enough? That seemed far-fetched. Why would the three powerful spirits get a chance to start over while the minor ghosts and spirits didn’t?
Wait…
Regarding the natural essence power, Shui Miao suddenly realized that truly irredeemable evil individuals might indeed be those who serve others blindly—devoid of goodness, following orders without question, committing any atrocity without hesitation. That could be why they were eradicated. The more powerful spirits, on the other hand, might have survived because they only gave orders without directly committing evil, perhaps still harboring some fear?
Speculating on the laws of the natural essence, Shui Miao gleaned some insights.
Gazing at the clueless tree stumps and souls, their memories wiped clean, destined to confront unknown trials, Shui Miao pondered whether instant annihilation might indeed be a form of liberation. To begin anew was akin to enduring the agonies of reincarnation—whether it was a blessing or a curse remained shrouded in uncertainty.
“Do any of you still recognize me?” After a moment of silence, Shui Miao moved Wang Rong and Shen Yan out of the Sacred Yuan Ring. Pointing at Wang Rong, he asked the tree stumps, roots, and souls, “Do you recognize her?”
The tree stumps, roots, and souls showed no reaction!
Wang Rong and Shen Yan were baffled, wondering if their master had lost his mind, talking to tree stumps.
Frowning, Shui Miao reached out and touched a tree stump. It instantly turned to dust, scattering across the ground.
As if discovering something, Shui Miao quickly said, “Wang Rong, Shen Yan, quickly—touch these tree stumps and see!”
Wang Rong and Shen Yan exchanged glances, then touched the tree stumps. The result was the same—they all turned to dust. Shui Miao then touched the roots and souls, and they all dissipated!
“I understand now!” Shui Miao exclaimed, utterly astonished. “For evil humans, ghosts, and spirits, the natural essence power is their final end! They turned into roots and stumps not because they were given a second chance, but because their cultivation was decent enough to leave behind their true forms—empty shells and remnants! In other words, the power of the natural essence is the ultimate end of all evil!”
How could this happen?
Even Shui Miao was shocked at this outcome.
Frowning, Shui Miao murmured to himself, “Could it be the Primordial Force of Natural Dao at work? Has it reverted them to their original forms?”
Seeing them motionless, Shui Miao suspected they had lost their memories.
Man’s nature at birth is good.
“Master, save me!!”
Suddenly, Wang Rong also spotted Shui Miao and immediately let out a frantic, desperate scream.
“It really is Wang Rong!”
Shui Miao’s heart jolted. Without hesitation, he channeled his Spirit Devouring power into several pulses of energy that shot toward the ghostly wedding procession, throwing the entire group into chaos. As the spirits wailed in agony, Shui Miao rushed to the sedan chair and pulled back the curtain. There was Wang Rong, bound and drenched in tears.
“How dare you interfere with the Mountain Deity’s bride! Just you wait, boy!”
A horned spirit bellowed a series of menacing threats at Shui Miao before morphing into a swirling cloud of demonic energy and plunging into the earth, attempting to flee using earth遁术. However, Shui Miao’s Spirit Devouring power swiftly enveloped it, obliterating it into nothingness.
Seeing this, the other spirits dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.
Shui Miao untied Wang Rong, and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing, “Master, I’ve waited so long for you! It’s been so hard!”
Wang Rong, with little money to her name, had been working at a small-town restaurant, enduring not only bullying but also being targeted by mountain spirits. Misfortune seemed to follow her everywhere. After being fired by her boss, she went days without food. In a moment of despair, manipulated by evil spirits, she impulsively jumped into a river. But as soon as she died, a horde of ghosts captured her and forced her into the wedding sedan.
Thinking quickly, Wang Rong agreed to marry the Mountain Deity but claimed she had one last wish: to see her master. She promised that once she saw him, she would willingly marry the deity.
So, the spirits brought her here, where they coincidentally encountered Shui Miao.
After calming Wang Rong, Shui Miao sternly questioned the spirits and learned the truth.
Immediately, he used his Spirit Devouring power to destroy the ghosts and absorbed their memories.
That very night, Shui Miao took Wang Rong’s soul to the riverbank and found her body.
If he could even save Crow Girl, reviving Wang Rong was naturally within his power.
Under the influence of the primal force of the Natural Path, Wang Rong not only came back to life but also became younger and more beautiful.
Before dawn, Shui Miao placed Wang Rong into the Sacred Ring and hurried to the Mountain Deity Temple.
The temple was nothing more than a small shack of about three to four square meters, housing three statues of mountain deities. In front stood an altar table with a stone incense burner. Judging by the ash inside, the temple received a steady stream of worshippers. Through his spiritual sense, Shui Miao detected numerous evil spirits gathering not far beneath the mountain—undoubtedly the very mountain spirits causing trouble.
“Bang!”
Shui Miao kicked out fiercely at the stone statues, shattering all three. He then lifted the incense burner and smashed it violently onto the ground. Having absorbed the ghosts’ memories, he knew these so-called deities were not real mountain gods but three mountain spirits from nearby peaks who had gained some power, gathered here, and committed evil deeds.
So, Shui Miao feared them not at all.
His actions alerted the spirits, who swarmed over, taking human form and surrounding him.
“You reckless fool! How dare you destroy our temple? You must have a death wish!”
“Grrr… I’m furious! I’ll drink his blood and feast on his flesh!”
“Who exactly are you, you brat?”
There were over thirty mountain spirits and ghosts.
Among them, three ancient tree demons were the most powerful—the three spirit brothers impersonating the mountain deities.
Shui Miao turned around, glanced disdainfully at the spirits, and coldly said, “I have a disciple named Wang Rong. You should know her, right?”
“Wang Rong! That girl with the pure Yin body?”
“Ah! Now I understand! No wonder our men haven’t returned—they must have fallen to this guy!”
“You fool! You’ve got some nerve! Ruining our plans and even daring to cause trouble here? Today, you’ve really crossed us! Minions, kill him!”
The three spirits weren’t complete fools; they sent their underlings first to test Shui Miao’s strength.
These minions were nothing but ordinary ghosts and minor spirits.
Shui Miao regarded them with utter contempt.
As they charged at him, Shui Miao ignored them entirely and directly enveloped the three spirit leaders with his Spirit Devouring power. The minions who reached him, upon touching his aura, instantly turned into disorganized tree roots scattered on the ground, while the ghosts transformed into harmless, ordinary souls. The three spirits who called themselves mountain deities turned into massive tree stumps!
How could this be?
Even Shui Miao was taken aback by this outcome.
With a furrowed brow, he whispered to himself, “Could it be the primal force of the Natural Path in action? Has it reverted them to their original state?”
They remained motionless, and Shui Miao felt this must be a symptom of lost memory.
Human nature is inherently good at birth.
It seemed the same held true for spirits and demons at their core. As Shui Miao pondered, he recalled the wedding ghost team he had destroyed earlier—they hadn’t transformed like this. Was it because their hearts weren’t pure enough? That seemed a bit far-fetched. Why did the three great spirits get a chance to start over while the minor ghosts and spirits did not?
Wait…
Regarding the primal force of the Natural Path, Shui Miao suddenly thought that truly evil, irredeemable beings might indeed be those who serve others blindly. They lack any kindness, only obey orders, and dare to commit any atrocity, which is why they are eradicated. These more powerful spirits, on the other hand, might have been spared because they only gave commands without personally committing evil, perhaps even retaining some fear?
Speculating on the laws of the Natural Path, Shui Miao gleaned some insights.
Gazing at the oblivious tree stumps and spirits, their memories wiped clean, unaware of the fate that lay ahead, Shui Miao suddenly pondered: from a certain perspective, immediate extinction might indeed be a form of liberation. To start anew was akin to enduring the torment of reincarnation—whether it was a blessing or a curse, it remained a mystery!
“Do any of you still recognize me?” After a moment of silence, Shui Miao moved Wang Rong and Shen Yan out of the Sacred Ring. Pointing at Wang Rong, he asked the tree stumps, roots, and spirits, “Do you recognize her?”
The tree stumps, roots, and spirits showed no reaction at all!
Wang Rong and Shen Yan were utterly bewildered, wondering if their master had lost his mind, talking to tree stumps.
Frowning, Shui Miao reached out and touched one of the tree stumps. Instantly, it turned into powder, scattering across the ground.
As if discovering something, Shui Miao quickly said, “Wang Rong, Shen Yan, quickly—touch these tree stumps and see!”
Wang Rong and Shen Yan exchanged a glance, then went over and touched the tree stumps. The result was the same: they all turned to powder… Shui Miao then touched the roots and spirits, and they all dissipated!
“I understand now!” Shui Miao exclaimed, suddenly enlightened and profoundly shaken. “For wicked humans, ghosts, and malevolent spirits, the primal force of the Natural Path is their ultimate demise! Their transformation into roots and tree stumps wasn’t a chance for rebirth—it was because their cultivation was somewhat refined, and what appeared was merely their original form, a hollow shell! In other words, the power of the Natural Path is the终结 force that annihilates all evil!”
Wait…
“Master, save me!!”
Suddenly, Wang Rong also spotted Shui Miao and immediately let out a frantic, desperate scream.
“It really is Wang Rong!”
Shui Miao’s heart jolted. Without hesitation, he channeled his Spirit-Devouring Power into several streams of energy, rushing toward the ghostly wedding procession. The impact threw the procession into chaos, with ghosts wailing in agony. In an instant, Shui Miao dashed to the sedan chair, pulled back the curtain, and saw Wang Rong tied up, her face drenched in tears.
“How dare you interfere with the Mountain Deity’s bride! Just you wait, boy!”
A horned ghost bellowed several threats at Shui Miao before morphing into a malevolent aura and plunging into the ground, attempting to flee using the earth evasion technique. However, Shui Miao’s Spirit-Devouring Power swiftly enveloped it, obliterating it into nothingness.
Seeing this, the other ghosts dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.
Shui Miao untied Wang Rong, and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing, “Master, I’ve waited for you for so long! It’s been so hard!”
Wang Rong, with little money to her name, had been working at a small-town restaurant, enduring not only bullying but also falling victim to mountain spirits and monsters. Misfortune seemed to follow her everywhere. After being fired by her boss, she went days without food. In a moment of despair, manipulated by evil spirits, she impulsively jumped into a river. But no sooner had she died than a horde of ghosts seized her and forced her into the wedding sedan.
Thinking quickly, Wang Rong pretended to agree to marry the Mountain Deity but claimed she had one last wish—to see her master. She promised that once she saw him, she would willingly marry the deity.
And so, the ghosts brought her here, where she coincidentally encountered Shui Miao.
After calming Wang Rong, Shui Miao sternly questioned the ghosts, uncovering the truth.
Without hesitation, he used his Spirit-Devouring Power to destroy the ghosts and absorb their memories.
Then, carrying Wang Rong’s soul, Shui Miao rushed to the riverbank overnight and found her body.
If he could even save Crow Girl, reviving Wang Rong was naturally within his power.
Under the influence of the Primordial Power of the Natural Dao, Wang Rong not only came back to life but also became younger and more beautiful.
Before daybreak, Shui Miao stored Wang Rong in the Sacred Yuan Ring and hurried to the Mountain Deity Temple.
The temple was nothing more than a small shack of three or four square meters, housing three statues of mountain deities. In front stood an altar table with a stone incense burner. Judging by the ashes, the temple had quite a bustling worship scene. With a sweep of his divine sense, Shui Miao detected numerous evil spirits gathered not far beneath the mountain—undoubtedly the very mountain spirits and ghosts causing trouble.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Shui Miao kicked fiercely at the stone statues, shattering all three of them. He then lifted the incense burner from the altar and smashed it violently onto the ground. From the ghosts’ memories, he knew these so-called mountain deities were not real deities but three mountain spirits from nearby peaks who had gained some power, gathered here, and committed evil deeds.
So, Shui Miao feared them not at all.
His actions alerted the monsters, who swarmed over, taking human form and surrounding him.
“You reckless fool! How dare you destroy our temple? You’re seeking death!”
“Grrr… I’m furious! I’ll drink his blood and eat his flesh!”
“Who exactly are you, you brat?”
There were over thirty mountain spirits and ghosts.
Among them, three ancient tree spirits were the most powerful—the three spirit brothers impersonating the mountain deities.
Shui Miao turned around, glanced disdainfully at the spirits, and coldly said, “I have a disciple named Wang Rong. You should know her, right?”
“Wang Rong! That girl with the pure Yin body?”
“Ah! I see now—no wonder our men haven’t returned. They must have fallen to this guy’s tricks!”
“You fool! You’ve got some nerve! Ruining our plans and even daring to cause trouble here? Today, you’ve really crossed us! Minions, kill him!”
The three spirits weren’t complete fools; they sent their underlings first to test Shui Miao’s strength.
These lackeys were nothing but ordinary ghosts and minor spirits.
Shui Miao regarded them with utter contempt.
As they charged at him, Shui Miao ignored them entirely, directly channeling his Spirit-Devouring Power to envelop the three spirit leaders. The minions who reached him, upon touching his aura, instantly turned into scattered, disorderly tree roots on the ground. The ghosts transformed into harmless, ordinary souls, and the three self-proclaimed mountain deities reverted into massive tree stumps!
How did this happen?
Even Shui Miao was taken aback by this outcome.
With a furrowed brow, he whispered to himself, “Could it be the Primordial Power of the Natural Dao in action? Has it compelled them to revert to their primordial state?”
They remained motionless, and Shui Miao felt this must be a symptom of lost memory.
Human nature is inherently good at birth.
It seems the same holds true for spirits and ghosts—their original nature is pure and benign. As Shui Miao pondered, he recalled the wedding ghost team he had destroyed earlier. They hadn’t transformed like this. Was it because their hearts weren’t pure enough? That seemed a bit far-fetched. Why would the three great spirits get a chance to start over, while the minor ghosts and spirits did not?
Wait…
Regarding the Primordial Power of the Natural Dao, Shui Miao suddenly thought that truly evil, irredeemable beings might indeed be those who serve others blindly—without a trace of goodness in their hearts, obeying orders without question, daring to commit any evil. That could be why they were eradicated. Meanwhile, these more powerful spirits might have survived precisely because they only gave orders without personally committing evil, perhaps even retaining some fear in their hearts?
Speculating on the laws of the Natural Dao, Shui Miao gleaned some insights.
Gazing at the clueless tree stumps and ghosts, their memories reset to a primordial state, destined to confront unknown futures, Shui Miao pondered: from a certain perspective, instant extinction might have been a form of liberation. Now, starting anew was akin to enduring the torment of samsara. Whether this was a blessing or a curse remained a mystery!
“Do you all still recognize me?” After a moment of silence, Shui Miao also summoned Wang Rong and Shen Yan from the Sacred Yuan Ring. Pointing at Wang Rong, he asked the tree stumps, roots, and ghosts, “Do you recognize her?”
The tree stumps, roots, and ghosts showed no reaction whatsoever!
Wang Rong and Shen Yan were utterly baffled, wondering if their master had lost his mind, talking to tree stumps.
With a furrowed brow, Shui Miao extended her hand and gently touched one of the tree stumps. In an instant, it crumbled into fine dust, dispersing across the ground.
As if discovering something, Shui Miao quickly said, “Wang Rong, Shen Yan, quickly—touch these tree stumps and try!”
Wang Rong and Shen Yan exchanged glances, then approached and touched the tree stumps. The outcome was identical—they all crumbled into dust. Shui Miao then reached out to touch the roots and the ghosts, and they all vanished into thin air!
“I understand now!” Shui Miao exclaimed, suddenly enlightened and deeply shocked. “For evil humans, evil ghosts, and wicked spirits, the Primordial Power of the Natural Dao is their ultimate end! Their transformation into roots and stumps wasn’t a chance to start over—it was because their cultivation was relatively strong, revealing only their true forms, empty shells and remnants! In other words, the power of the Natural Dao is the ultimate end of all evil!”
Speculating on the rules of the Natural Dao, Shui Miao began to grasp some insights.
Looking at the mindless tree stumps and ghosts, returned to their primordial states, facing unknown fates, Shui Miao pondered further: from a certain perspective, immediate annihilation might actually be liberation. Their rebirth was akin to enduring the torment of reincarnation—whether it was a blessing or a curse remained uncertain.
“Do you still recognize me?” After a moment of silence, Shui Miao summoned Wang Rong and Shen Yan from the Holy Yuan Ring, pointing at Wang Rong and asking the tree stumps and ghosts, “Do you recognize her?”
The tree stumps, roots, and ghosts showed no reaction whatsoever.
Wang Rong and Shen Yan were utterly confused, wondering if their master had gone mad, talking to tree stumps.
Frowning, Shui Miao stepped forward and touched a stump. Instantly, it turned into dust scattered on the ground.
As if realizing something, Shui Miao quickly said, “Wang Rong, Shen Yan, come and touch these stumps yourselves!”
Wang Rong and Shen Yan exchanged glances before touching the stump. The result was the same—it turned into dust. Shui Miao then touched the roots and ghosts, and they all disintegrated!
“Master, save me!!”
Suddenly, Wang Rong also spotted Shui Miao and immediately let out a frantic, desperate scream.
“It really is Wang Rong!”
Shui Miao’s heart jolted. Without hesitation, he channeled his Spirit Devouring power into several streams of energy that surged toward the ghostly wedding procession, throwing it into complete disarray. As the spirits wailed in agony, Shui Miao rushed to the sedan chair, pulled aside the curtain, and found Wang Rong bound and weeping uncontrollably.
“How dare you interfere with the Mountain Deity’s bride! Just you wait, boy!”
A horned spirit hurled a few menacing threats at Shui Miao before morphing into a tendril of demonic energy and plunging into the earth, attempting to flee using earth遁术. However, Shui Miao’s Spirit Devouring power swiftly enveloped it, obliterating it into nothingness.
Seeing this, the other spirits dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.
Shui Miao untied Wang Rong, and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing, “Master, I’ve waited so long for you! It’s been so hard!”
Wang Rong, with little money to her name, had been working at a small-town restaurant, enduring not only bullying but also being targeted by mountain spirits and monsters. Misfortune seemed to follow her everywhere. After being fired by her boss, she went days without food. In a moment of despair, manipulated by evil spirits, she impulsively jumped into a river. But as soon as she died, a horde of ghosts captured her and forced her into the wedding sedan.
Thinking quickly, Wang Rong pretended to agree to marry the Mountain Deity but claimed she had one last wish: to see her master. She promised that once she saw him, she would willingly marry the deity.
And so, the spirits brought her here, where they coincidentally encountered Shui Miao.
After calming Wang Rong, Shui Miao sternly questioned the spirits and learned the truth.
Without hesitation, he used his Spirit Devouring power to destroy the ghosts and absorbed their memories.
Then, carrying Wang Rong’s soul, Shui Miao hurried to the riverbank overnight and found her body.
If he could even save Crow Girl, reviving Wang Rong was naturally within his power.
Under the influence of the primal force of the Natural Path, Wang Rong not only came back to life but also became younger and more beautiful.
Before daybreak, Shui Miao placed Wang Rong into the Holy Ring and rushed to the Mountain Deity Temple.
The temple was nothing more than a small shack of three or four square meters, housing three statues of mountain deities. In front stood an altar table with a stone incense burner. Judging by the ashes, the temple had seen plenty of worshipers. Through his spiritual sense, Shui Miao detected numerous evil spirits gathered not far beneath the mountain—undoubtedly the very mountain demons causing trouble.
*Bam!*
Shui Miao kicked out fiercely, shattering all three deity statues, then lifted the incense burner and smashed it violently onto the ground. Having absorbed the ghosts’ memories, he knew these so-called deities were actually three mountain spirits from nearby peaks who had gained some power, gathered here, and committed evil deeds.
So, Shui Miao feared them not at all.
His actions alerted the demons, who swarmed over, taking human form and surrounding him.
“You reckless fool! How dare you destroy our temple? You’re asking for death!”
“Grrr… I’m furious! I’ll drink his blood and feast on his flesh!”
“Who exactly are you, you brat?”
There were over thirty mountain spirits and ghosts.
Among them, three ancient tree demons were the most powerful—the three spirit brothers impersonating the mountain deities.
Shui Miao turned and glanced disdainfully at the spirits before speaking coldly, “I have a disciple named Wang Rong. You should know her, right?”
“Wang Rong! That girl with the pure Yin body?”
“Ah! Now I understand—no wonder our men haven’t returned. They must have fallen to this guy’s tricks!”
“You fool! You’ve got some nerve! Ruining our plans and even daring to cause trouble here? You’ve really crossed us today! Minions, tear him apart!”
The three spirits weren’t complete fools; they sent their underlings first to test Shui Miao’s strength.
These lackeys were nothing but ordinary ghosts and minor spirits.
Shui Miao regarded them with utter contempt.
As they charged at him, Shui Miao ignored them entirely, directing his Spirit Devouring power to envelop the three spirit leaders. The minions who reached him instantly turned into scattered, disorderly tree roots upon touching his aura, while the ghosts transformed into harmless, ordinary souls. The three spirits who had claimed to be mountain deities turned into massive tree stumps!
How could this be?
Even Shui Miao was taken aback by this outcome.
With a furrowed brow, he whispered to himself, “Could this be the fundamental energy of the Natural Path in action? Has it reverted them to their primordial state?”
They remained motionless, and Shui Miao felt certain this was a sign of lost memory.
Human nature is inherently good at birth.
It appeared that the same principle applied to spirits and demons—their original nature was pure and benevolent. Shui Miao contemplated: the ghostly wedding procession he had previously destroyed hadn’t undergone such a transformation. Was it because they lacked purity and goodness? That seemed somewhat implausible. Why would the three powerful spirits be granted an opportunity to begin anew, while the lesser ghosts and demons were not?
Wait…
Regarding the primal force of the Natural Path, Shui Miao suddenly realized that truly irredeemable evil individuals might indeed be those who serve others blindly— devoid of goodness, following orders without question, committing any atrocity without hesitation. That could be why they were eradicated. Meanwhile, these more powerful spirits might have survived precisely because they only gave orders without dirtying their hands, retaining some fear and restraint?
Speculating on the principles of the Natural Path, Shui Miao gleaned some insights.
Staring at the oblivious tree stumps and souls, their memories reset to their primal state, unaware of the fate that awaited them, Shui Miao pondered: from a certain perspective, instant annihilation might have been a mercy. Starting anew was akin to enduring the agonies of reincarnation—whether it was a blessing or a curse remained uncertain.
“Do you all still recognize me?” After a moment of silence, Shui Miao summoned both Wang Rong and Shen Yan from the Holy Ring. Pointing at Wang Rong, he asked the stumps, roots, and souls, “Do you recognize her?”
The stumps, roots, and souls showed no reaction whatsoever!
Wang Rong and Shen Yan were utterly baffled, wondering if their master had lost his mind, talking to tree stumps.
Frowning, Shui Miao reached out and touched one of the stumps. Instantly, it crumbled into dust, scattering across the ground.
As if discovering something, Shui Miao quickly said, “Wang Rong, Shen Yan, quickly—touch these stumps and see what happens!”
Exchanging a puzzled glance, Wang Rong and Shen Yan approached and touched the stumps. The result was the same—they all turned to dust… Shui Miao then touched the roots and souls, and they too dissipated completely!
“I understand now!” Shui Miao exclaimed, struck by profound realization and shock. “For evil humans, ghosts, and demons, the primal force of the Natural Path is their ultimate end! Their transformation into roots and stumps wasn’t a second chance—it was because their cultivation was substantial enough to reveal their true forms, now empty shells and remnants! In other words, the power of the Natural Path is the终结 force of all evil!”
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