36: Talisman inheritance

At this moment, Lu Ming’s original position, the elegant young man, had already disappeared.

Instead, a demonic shadow appeared, completely enveloped in a crimson blood mist.

Green flames flickered in the demonic shadow’s eyes, and black electrical arcs occasionally danced around its body. It exhaled blood mist with each breath, appearing eerily inexplicable and radiating a chilling Yin Qi.

“De… Demonic Cultivator!”

Chen Yumei tremblingly pointed at Lu Ming, stammering.

She never expected Lu Ming’s true identity to be a Demonic Cultivator!

And this was clearly not Qi Refining Fourth Layer; it was Late-Stage Qi Refinement!

Chen Yumei was terrified, wondering what kind of monster she had let in.

She forced a smile.

“Fellow Daoist Lu… Lu Ming, I…”

Just as Chen Yumei was about to say something, her body stiffened abruptly, and an indescribable, extreme sense of weakness swept over her.

Her expression changed drastically, and she circulated her magical power, attempting to suppress it.

But a terrifying black hole seemed to have appeared inside her body, frantically devouring everything: her flesh, bones, and vitality.

Accompanying this was the burning pain of her Soul, and the intense pain of lightning invading her Dantian.

She felt her internal organs burning, excruciating pain coming from her limbs, her Sea of Consciousness drying up, and her magical power fading.

“Ah!!!”

Chen Yumei’s scream, filled with terror and extreme pain, echoed within the courtyard.

But it was firmly blocked by the Formation she had activated.

What was happening to her?

“Is this a curse or a Demonic Path Spell?”

Chen Yumei had no idea. She only knew that if this continued, she would truly die.

She had to find a way to suppress this abnormality; only then would she have a chance to survive.

And Lu Ming must have been overconfident not to have attacked her while she was weak.

“Hmph, as long as I recover and escape, I will reveal to everyone that he is a Demonic Cultivator!”

Chen Yumei struggled to calm her inner fear and panic, contemplating a countermeasure.

“Medicinal Pill… Yes! Take Medicinal Pills!”

However, she looked down at her waist and was instantly dumbfounded.

Where was her Storage Pouch?

She looked up and noticed Lu Ming toying with a familiar small pouch in his hand.

That was her Storage Pouch!

“You!”

“Evil demon! You evil demon!”

Her last hope was gone. She completely lost her composure, roaring at Lu Ming with a distorted face.

“Still have the strength to shout, huh…”

Lu Ming spoke faintly.

The next moment, the blood mist around him intensified several times, as if it had been ignited and began to burn.

Chen Yumei could no longer support herself and fell to her knees on the ground.

Her delicate face visibly shriveled, her cheekbones protruding, and her cheeks sunken.

Her hair, once as smooth as silk, began to wither and fall out.

It was as if she had aged countless years in a short amount of time.

Ah!!

Chen Yumei could only watch helplessly as she began to age, decay, and her vitality was continuously drained.

The feeling of death was not terrifying; the feeling of waiting for death was the most terrifying.

She shed tears of pain, regretting why she had brought this evil demon in.

She had thought of resisting, but these strange methods gave her no chance; she couldn't even cast Spells normally.

Gradually, her eyes began to lose focus. She thought of Feng Ping, whom she had killed.

Perhaps this was retribution…

Lu Ming looked at Chen Yumei, who had lost her breath, and retracted all his Spells and secret arts.

Compared to Chen Yumei’s pile of withered bones, Lu Ming looked as if he had consumed a panacea, his complexion rosy, and his Aura subtly growing.

“Sigh, why is the style of my cultivation becoming increasingly strange?”

Lu Ming felt that he was such an upright person, yet every time he cast a Spell, it was filled with chilling Yin Qi, completely inconsistent with his image.

However, he fell into contemplation as he looked at Chen Yumei’s bones.

He hadn't been overconfident in attending this banquet; from the very beginning, he knew there was only Chen Yumei in the small courtyard.

Because Feng Ping’s name on the golden book had already disappeared when he noticed it.

That’s why he readily accepted Chen Yumei’s invitation.

And with Chen Yumei being only at Qi Refining Fifth Layer, he didn't need to be overly cautious.

Moreover, the most important thing was that he was worried that if he killed Chen Yumei from a distance, he wouldn't be able to loot her!

What if that woman activated the Formation? Wouldn't he have wasted his efforts?

He had also conveniently taken her Storage Pouch before entering, so he wasn't worried about Chen Yumei having any hidden tricks.

Then he proceeded with a close-range observation and experiment.

Without further thought, Lu Ming flicked out a tiny green spark, which consumed Chen Yumei’s bones.

“What a pity…”

Chen Yumei was indeed good-looking, with a full figure and a pretty face, like a ripe peach.

But when Lu Ming thought of her being sucked dry and becoming a pile of withered bones, he felt a bit nauseous.

He weighed the Storage Pouch in his hand and nodded in satisfaction.

He searched the room but did not find Fellow Daoist Feng’s body, which was a slight regret.

The Three Yin Nether Fire had one less meal.

He didn't plan to return home and immediately began to inspect the Storage Pouch.

Quickly erasing the magical power imprint, Lu Ming sat on a stone stool and poured its contents onto the stone table.

“I wonder what I’ll get,” Lu Ming was quite expectant.

Soon, the inventory was complete.

Over three hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones, two Medium Grade Magical Artifacts, several Medicinal Pills, Talismans, and Spirit Medicines, three Jade Slips, and one token.

It was clear that the contents of Chen Yumei’s Storage Pouch were mostly for two people, and there were quite a few men’s items.

“Most likely Feng Ping’s.”

As for why Feng Ping died, Lu Ming didn't care.

“It’s alright.”

Lu Ming wasn't disappointed. He picked up a black token from the table. This black token shimmered with a faint light, its Qi resonating with the grand Formation of the entire small courtyard.

This was the Formation control token for this small courtyard.

“With this token, this small courtyard is mine.”

Lu Ming saw the lease; it could be used for a long time, so he didn't have to worry about the courtyard being reclaimed.

With this token, Lu Ming also gained a hiding place, which was why he came in person.

Putting this token into his Storage Pouch, Lu Ming looked at the other items.

The two Medium Grade Magical Artifacts were decent: a ghost claw Magical Artifact and a veil Magical Artifact.

The ghost claw Magical Artifact didn't look like something Chen Yumei would use; it was probably from Feng Ping.

Lu Ming had inspected it with his spiritual sense. Its function was somewhat similar to a bone-piercing nail, possessing certain Spell-breaking properties, and having some effect on shields and Restrictions.

However, its effect was not as direct as a bone-piercing nail, and it was only a Medium Grade Magical Artifact.

Lu Ming didn't have much use for it. He could sell it and the veil Magical Artifact for Spirit Stones when the opportunity arose.

He looked at two of the Jade Slips, both recording Spells.

First-tier Spells: “Water Arrow Spell” and “Clear Wind Blade.”

There was nothing unique about them, but he could practice them; having more skills never hurt.

He took out the last Jade Slip. He hadn't paid much attention to it initially, but then his spiritual sense probed into it.

The next second, Lu Ming’s eyes widened.

“Talismans Legacy!?”

This was actually a Talismans Legacy, and it contained quite a variety of types.

Dozens of First-tier Low Grade Talismans, over ten Medium Grade Talismans, and even two High Grade Talismans.

Ice Blade Talisman, Water Shield Talisman.

“I’m rich.”

Lu Ming’s eyes gleamed.

He never expected such a harvest. Where did Chen Yumei get this?

“Could it be the shriveled old man!?”

Lu Ming thought of his former neighbor, the shriveled old Talisman Master, whom he hadn't seen since and hadn't thought much of.

It seemed the shriveled old man had died at the hands of these two.

However, this had benefited him.

Putting everything else aside, the value of this Talismans Legacy alone was unimaginable.

It was no longer a matter of measuring its price with Spirit Stones.

Among the four arts of cultivation, any Legacy, even a First-tier one, would be regarded as a treasure by Cultivators.

And those High Grade Legacies rarely circulated outside, being monopolized by various great families and Sects.

“Good people live peaceful lives.”

Lu Ming silently gave a thumbs-up to the few people involved.