24: Chapter 24: The Seventy-two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends (Please vote and read on)

Jiazi Ward.

It seemed a bit restless today.

When Chen Yuan walked in, he saw neighbors gathered together, talking about something.

Chen Yuan thought they were discussing the turmoil in Yunlu County.

He didn't pay it much mind at first.

However, when everyone saw him, someone gestured, and the others, seeing this, quieted down.

Then, with suspicion or caution, they glanced at him before turning their heads away.

Chen Yuan frowned.

He pretended nothing was amiss and walked past these people.

As he turned the corner of the alley, his ears twitched, and he heard some whispers.

“It seems to be this person!”

“He moved here half a year ago. He’s never seen during the day and usually comes back in the early morning. He doesn’t interact with anyone. Do you think it could be him?”

“Damn it! I don’t care who it is, but if I find out who stole my family’s rice, I will never let him off!”

“Yeah, it’s too immoral. In this year of disaster and famine, which family is wealthy? They’re definitely going to starve now.”

“Son of a bitch, I just got a few catties of grain from the rice shop yesterday! What an animal!”

“…”

Angry curses, complaints, and sighs all flooded into Chen Yuan’s ears!

It almost made his Dao Heart unstable.

Black lines appeared on his forehead.

Were these people suspecting him of being a thief?

Stealing their rice?

He seemed to be a victim too!

Thinking of this, his resentment towards the rice thief grew deep.

Alright, alright, don't let him catch him!

He quickly arrived at the door of his small courtyard.

Suddenly, he remembered that there were two little fellows who should be in his house.

He opened the door.

What he saw almost made him stumble.

What did he see?

In the rockery by the fish pond, a small mountain of rice and flour was prominently displayed.

On top of it, a Little Squirrel was lying on its belly, sleeping soundly.

At this moment, the case was solved.

“You dog!”

He laughed in anger.

He almost forgot that there was a habitual thief in his house.

It was simply inviting a wolf into the house.

It even ruined his reputation.

No matter how the outside world spread rumors about how mighty and fierce he, the Patrolling Mountain Commandant, was, now he, the “rice-stealing suspect,” had to personally clear his name.

His figure moved, transforming into an afterimage, and he rushed straight towards the rockery.

The sound of the door opening had startled the golden-furred Squirrel awake.

Seeing Chen Yuan pounce on it, the Little Squirrel squeaked and tried to run!

“Whoosh!”

A hand directly grabbed its thick scruff, instantly immobilizing it.

Chen Yuan bared his white teeth, his face dark.

“Little fellow, you’ve made stealing a habit, haven’t you? Today, I’ll teach you a lesson!”

Saying that, he extended one hand towards the bamboo forest, and a slender branch flew into his hand.

He carried the scoundrel and walked into the inner room.

Then he placed it in the corner.

Holding the branch, he lifted its front paws.

“Stand still for me!”

The golden-flowered Squirrel could only stand upright against the wall on its hind legs.

However, its two paws ruffled its fur, where a wound was hidden, and then its paws pointed at the rice outside and then at its wound.

It cried pitifully, “Chirp chirp!”

It seemed to be saying that it was injured.

Saying that, its two paws pushed away the bamboo stick in front of it.

Chen Yuan saw this “evil-doing” little fellow feigning pitifulness and said angrily,

“Stick out your paws!”

The golden-flowered Squirrel pulled its paws back and curled into a ball.

At this moment, a white fox poked its head out of the window.

The Little Squirrel chirped twice at the white fox.

The white fox, however, was so scared that it immediately retracted its head.

At this point, Chen Yuan directly reached out, grabbed one of the little creature’s furry paws, and then brought the bamboo stick down.

“I, your elder, have always been fair in rewards and punishments. If you do something wrong, you must be punished.”

“Slap, slap!”

“Tonight, you will return all the stolen rice.”

“And…”

A half-smile played on his face as he extended his hand and, with a spatial pull, grabbed the white fox hiding behind the window.

“Did you two little rascals steal the rice from my house?”

As soon as these words came out, the two little fellows shook their heads repeatedly.

At this, Chen Yuan understood.

He had to say, these two little fellows were really bold.

“I’ll punish the two of you to clean this courtyard, inside and out, no matter what method you use.”

“Otherwise…”

Chen Yuan tapped the two fellows on their heads.

After speaking, he went into the inner room.

With a flick of his sleeve, he closed the door.

The two little demons looked at each other, chattering for a long time.

Finally, they hung their heads dejectedly.

Obediently following Chen Yuan’s instructions.

One could see the white fox jumping around, using its white tail as a feather duster to brush away dust.

And the golden-flowered Squirrel’s belly swelled, and it took a big breath.

Dust and broken leaves turned into a small whirlwind and were sucked into its mouth.

However, this stuff choked its throat.

The Little Squirrel coughed, its belly deflated, and a cloud of dust billowed, then it bumped around the room like a balloon with a “thump, thump,”.

Finally, it plopped down on the ground.

At this moment, inside the room, Chen Yuan saw this scene through the window and smiled helplessly.

What a treasure.

Then he composed himself, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began to enter meditation.

Having just broken through to Body Profound, he hadn’t had time to comprehend its mysteries.

He gathered the scattered thoughts in his mind, kept his spiritual platform clear, and then began to study the “Seventy-two Earthly Fiends” imparted by the tiger talisman.

As time passed, about two hours went by.

Chen Yuan awoke from his meditation, his eyes calm.

He took a deep breath, sighing in his heart.

This method was extraordinary.

This method had seventy-two fundamental diagrams, corresponding to seventy-two Divine Abilities.

According to his past life memories, it was an extraordinary immortal art.

“The Family Sayings of Confucius, Chapter on the Five Emperors” states:

“Heaven has the Five Elements: water, fire, metal, wood, and earth, which, by dividing their seasons, nurture and create all things.” This is what is meant by “a year has three hundred and sixty days, and each of the Five Elements presides over seventy-two days. Nurturing growth and development, the work of a year, all things dare not fail to be completed.”

This is the fundamental evolution of the Five Elements of all things into Divine Abilities, secretly conforming to the Great Dao of the Five Elements of nature.

Seventy-two kinds of Divine Abilities, seventy-two kinds of transformations.

Endless creation, infinite wondrous uses!

He could foresee that if this thing were to fall into the outside world, it would surely cause a storm of blood.

And according to his initial reading, he found that from this Realm onwards, the human body was a Treasure Trove containing infinite potential.

Cultivation was about excavating the human body’s secret Treasure Trove, and then condensing the true meaning of Divine Abilities.

If one were to advance further, to a higher level, it would be to use this true meaning to activate the Qi of heaven and earth, comprehending and questioning the Dao, and obtaining the Dao Fruit of Divine Abilities.

Simply put, in this Realm, one could enter a higher Realm by cultivating a single Divine Ability.

But it was extremely difficult!

The more the human body’s secret Treasure Trove was developed, the deeper the resonance with heaven and earth, and naturally, the deeper one’s understanding of the Dao of heaven and earth.

The greater the chance of further advancement!

And Chen Yuan held the seventy-two Divine Ability methods in his hand.

Each Divine Ability was extraordinary.

If…

His state of mind couldn't help but ripple, and his eyes became fervent.

Time waits for no one.

The next step was to excavate the human body’s secret Treasure Trove.

His heart stirred.

The Mud Pill vibrated violently.

A piece of information instantly surfaced in his mind!

“Luck points: 13!”