“Tomorrow, after another day on the road, we should arrive at Yu Town.”
Lu Ping’an took out a bundle of wanted posters and examined them briefly.
Over the years, he had traveled abroad but had not ventured into mountainous battles nor explored ancient cave mansions.
Simply traveling at his own pace, whenever he heard of demons causing trouble somewhere, he would go and take a look.
Along the way, he picked up various bounties to eliminate evildoers, parasitic cultivators, and the like.
After more than two years, he had traveled thousands of miles to reach Qingyun Market.
According to his plan, his next trip was to Jiuxiao Immortal City.
However, the Iron Feather Eagle provided by his family had been slain by a Robber Cultivator along the way, forcing him to abandon the idea of going to Jiuxiao Immortal City.
After all, this trip had also exposed him to the various dangers of the Cultivation World.
It was not as simple as the time he and Qin Yi traveled in the secular Cultivation World.
“Little An, it’s time to eat.”
At this moment, Lu Ping’an took out a wooden carving and spoke out loud.
A Yin Wind stirred, and a pale-faced, handsome, insubstantial boy around five or six years old appeared from the black wooden carving.
This was a Ghost Slave.
Lu Ping’an had obtained it when he took on a bounty and slew a parasitic cultivator.
It was not really considered a gain.
Simply put, after he slew the parasitic cultivator, he saw this little ghost looking dazed.
Thinking about the pitiful lives people had before being turned into Ghost Slaves,
especially since the other party had been transformed at such a young age, he decided not to kill it but rather set it free.
But the little ghost would not leave, seemingly clinging to him.
Faced with this situation, Lu Ping’an was helpless.
Knowing that the ghost would not survive if set free, he decided to keep it with him.
Since the little ghost could not speak, he named it Little An, using “An” from his own name, Ping’an.
Little An shyly and obediently looked at Lu Ping’an.
“Eat up, I’m starting my meal too.”
Lu Ping’an eyed the Little An in front of him, pretended to pat its head with his palm, then voraciously ate the demon beast meat he was holding.
Upon hearing this, Little An moved closer, hugged Lu Ping’an’s neck, and gently drew his Yang Energy.
There were many methods for feeding ghosts in the Cultivation World.
But Lu Ping’an did not understand those methods nor would he learn such destructive and unethical techniques.
Thus, knowing that the little ghost survived by drawing Yang Energy, he used his own Qi and Spiritual Power to nourish Little An.
His Martial Path was exceptional, and because he practiced the Hundred Refinements Treasure Body Art, his Qi blood was healthy, and it didn’t affect him to have Little An draw a little;
he could recover after just a sleep.
Over the year of nourishing him, Little An had changed from its original dazed state, gaining a bit of spirituality;
it could understand everything Lu Ping’an said.
Even when spending the night outdoors, it could help keep watch or scout the surroundings for any Spirit Grass, Spiritual Medicine, or spiritual treasures.
After absorbing a couple of mouthfuls of Qi blood to maintain its form, Little An quietly lay on Lu Ping’an’s shoulder, watching him feast without showing any fierce or ghostly aura.
“Little An.”
Just then, Lu Ping’an seemed to hear a noise and spoke towards Little An.
Having been together so long, no extra words were needed;
Little An understood what he meant.
It immediately transformed into a Yin Wind and returned into the wooden carving in Lu Ping’an’s hand.
This carving was an expensive purchase by Lu Ping’an, costing thirty-three Spirit Stones at a gathering of loose cultivators.
Carved from the heart of a century-old sophora tree, it could house souls.
Though it pained him for a long time, Little An seemed to like the carving very much.
In a moment.
“Creak!”
The door of the dilapidated temple was pushed open.
A woman dressed in an emerald palace gown with a voluptuous and slender figure entered, holding a baby.
“Young hero.”
Seeing Lu Ping’an by the fire, the woman quickly bowed in greeting, “My name is Qi, on my way back home to visit relatives when I encountered thugs along the way. Thankfully, I escaped here with the help of my family’s guards. I wonder if you could lend a hand and help us, mother and son.”
“If you could lend a hand, I, I will certainly remember your great kindness.”
Her charming face, rushed expression, doe-eyed look seeming to emanate tenderness with her large expanse of pale skin at the shoulders and the neckline revealing a fair bit of skin proved to be quite enticing.
Lu Ping’an, upon hearing this, looked deeply at the woman and the child she held, and spoke, “Madam, you may rest here for now. Should there truly be villains, I will do my utmost to ensure your safety.”
“Thank you, young hero!”
The woman immediately expressed her gratitude and came over, taking a seat by Lu Ping’an’s fire quite naturally.
A strong scent wafted through the air, causing Lu Ping’an to slightly shift backward and focus his gaze on the roasted meat in his hand.
Because he was much taller than she, from this angle he could instantly see the fair skin inside her neckline.
“I wonder how your martial skills are, young hero, that group of thugs are extremely skilled and vicious…”
The woman continued speaking.
“Not bad.”
Lu Ping’an said in a low voice, handing over a piece of dry food to her.
“Thank you, young hero.”
The woman thanked him, accepting the dry food but not eating.
Instead, she kept initiating conversation with Lu Ping’an, seemingly very uneasy, using this method to find some relief.
“Bang!!!”
Just then, the temple door was suddenly kicked open with great force.
Outside, under the night sky, suddenly appeared over a dozen tall and agile figures dressed in black nightclothes, wielding fine steel knives.
Their faces were covered, only their eyes visible.
“We’ve found them here, attack!”
The men in black, upon seeing the woman and Lu Ping’an inside the temple, immediately spoke out coldly.
“It’s not too late to leave now.”