As the saying goes, "Without the butcher Zhang, one can still eat pigs with fur."
The famously notorious Butcher Zhang of Yutang County had died, and the townsfolk secretly chuckled, engaging in gossip.
"How could he die just like that?"
"I heard he was emptied out by a Fox Spirit..."
"Serves him right! It's karma."
"But to be honest, that fool had quite the luck with women. If it were me, haha, I'd have my fun for a couple of days before going to find a Daoist..."
"Pah, look at you, skinny as a stick. Which Fox Spirit would be so blind as to choose you..."
Of course, they didn't dare to say such scandalous things openly.
While alive, Butcher Zhang bullied the market, often shortchanging people, and had over twenty underlings, each one with broad shoulders and a fierce look.
Seems like the pigs with fur would still need to be eaten...
...
Yutang County, located in the southern part of Qingjiang State of the Qian Dynasty, is known for its "simple" folk and abundant produce, just one county away from the hydraulic artery of the North-South Grand Canal.
At this moment, within a large courtyard in West City, a tall spirit hall had been set up, with paper wreaths and paper figures filling the courtyard.
A dozen monks and Daoists were chanting scriptures for salvation, while over twenty strong men, clothed in mourning attire, were wailing at the altar, their muscles bulging, exuding masculine energy.
"Brother, oh, what a tragic way to die!"
"Oh my brother, have a safe journey..."
"It breaks my heart, brother..."
The courtyard gate was wide open, and across the street, under a willow tree, a group of loafers peered in curiously.
"Hey, it's quite lively, with all the monks and Daoists gathered."
"You don't know, but when Official Zhang was alive, he loved spectacle. These fools would storm onto the street, grabbing any monk or Daoist they could find without any sense of propriety."
A hooligan with a dogskin plaster on his forehead sneered, "Heh heh, who cares about propriety."
"Official Zhang was a lawless guy while alive. I heard a Daoist once went to catch demons for him. Can you guess what he said?"
"What did he say?"
Curiosity gleamed on the faces around him.
The hooligan struck a boastful pose,
"Pah, the demons in my house—I'll play with them as I please until I'm satisfied. It's none of your business, Daoist!"
"Hahaha..."
The group of hooligans roared with laughter.
"That fool really was a lustful demon..."
Bam!
Just as they laughed, a slaughtering knife spun rapidly through the air, embedding deeply into the willow tree.
A burly man stormed out of the courtyard, yelling hoarsely,
"What are you useless bunch laughing at? Watch if I don't twist your heads off!"
The hooligans were startled and scattered in all directions. Two of them, slow to flee, were caught by the burly man and beaten until they cried out for their fathers and mothers.
In front of the altar, a burly man sobbed with tears and snot running down his face, suddenly pointing at another burly man and shouting:
"Niu Er, it's all your fault, you idiot!"
"I always sensed there was something wrong with that woman, but you egged him on, saying that Big Brother was a living dragon and that demons would all submit below him. In the end, Big Brother lost his life!"
"Pah! To think you dare to speak..."
Another burly man, eyes red with anger,
"If you hadn't struck first, we wouldn't have beaten that Daoist half to death, and people would have come when we invited them!"
"It's all your fault!"
"Your fault!"
As they spoke, the two suddenly lunged at each other, punching and kicking, noses bleeding, and teeth flying.
Some of the other men tried to intervene, some cursed, and some simply joined the fray.
The chanting monks and Daoists watched, terrified, daring not to speak, resorting to closing their eyes and chanting scriptures loudly.
For a moment, chaos reigned in the courtyard.
Amidst the noise, one burly man suddenly turned his head towards the coffin, a look of astonishment on his face, and shouted,
"Stop it, listen up!"
The fighting men, with bruised and swollen faces, all turned simultaneously, staring fixedly at the coffin.
Bam!
The coffin made a noise.
The men flinched.
Bam!
Another thud.
Frightened, the men all backed away.
One man swallowed nervously,
"Could it be a resurrection..."
They couldn't be blamed for being scared. Just last winter, the Landlord Chen's body rose from the spirit hall, with a face ashen blue and strength beyond measure, biting three people to death in the courtyard.
It had later run into the street, chasing people, and the government officials' swords were useless until Big Brother took out the fabled slaughtering knife, slicing its head off with a single blow.
If their Big Brother were to rise as well,
how fearsome would that be...
Bam!
Again, another thud.
"Quick, quick, get the fire oil! If Big Brother rises, the whole county will perish!"
"Wait!"
A man's face fluctuated between emotions,
"I've heard of people waking up two days after death. Do you think Big Brother might not be dead..."
The men exchanged looks, all hesitating.
Faced with this, the monks and Daoists in the courtyard were equally frightened, grabbing scripture banners and wooden fish, attempting to flee.
"Where do you think you're going? Come back here!"
Niu Er grabbed a Daoist by the back of his robe, his face full of threatening muscles, "You, go take a look!"
The Daoist turned pale with fear,
"This... this humble Daoist only knows how to chant scriptures, not how to subdue demons."
"Pah, you're the demon!"
Niu Er snorted coldly, "Just take a look to see if my big brother is still alive. Don't worry, there's a bunch of brothers here protecting you."
The group of big men immediately pounded their chests like drums,
"Don't worry, we've got your back!"
The Daoist looked bitter as he shivered his way towards the coffin.
The big men started retreating in unison.
The Daoist heard the sound, turned his head, and started to cry,
"Don't run so far away!"
The big men pounded their chests in the courtyard,
"Don't worry, we're just going to get some gear."
The Daoist turned his head back with a sorrowful face.
These unsavory fellows were all unreasonable sorts, today he'd probably have to face death.
Oh well, maybe this calamity was meant for this humble Daoist.
If only I'd known, I wouldn't have come for a meal...
The Daoist, with a resolve to die, walked towards the coffin.
Butcher Zhang was over two meters tall, so this coffin was also larger than usual. Moreover, it was placed high, so the Daoist had to stand on tiptoe to see.
Clinging onto the coffin board, the Daoist swallowed hard and secretly peeked inside, immediately frightened to death.
Lying in the coffin was a strong big man, whose muscles almost tore through his shroud, with a leopard head, round eyes, and a full beard.
More importantly, the man lay there trembling all over, his face flushed red, and his fierce eyes glaring at him menacingly, suddenly opening his huge mouth.
"Ha, pah!"
The Daoist was so frightened by the concentrated phlegm hitting his forehead that he fainted.
Zhang Kui suddenly sat up from the coffin,
"What the hell, I almost suffocated to death!"
"Oh, brother!"
A crowd of big men surrounded him, wailing...
...
"Butcher Zhang came back to life after dying!"
This news spread like wildfire throughout Yutang County, leaving everyone clicking their tongues in wonder.
Meanwhile, Zhang Kui was lying in a grand chair in the courtyard, sunbathing, watching a group of big men joyfully dismantling the mourning hall.
In his past life, he was a reckless second-generation demolisher, his job was butchering, and he had a quick temper, squashing unfairness as he saw it.
While cycling back from the outskirts, he saw a group snatching a necklace and swung his bike to knock them down. While receiving thanks from a beauty, he was stabbed from behind...
Transmigration, something he'd seen plenty of in online novels in his past life. But while others got the bodies of handsome men, he became a brute.
Upon waking, he received Butcher Zhang's memories.
His predecessor was also named Zhang Kui, although he looked old, he was just over twenty with innate anomalies and immense strength, stronger than O'Neal when he came of age.
In chaotic times, he'd definitely be a fierce general, akin to Zhang Fei or Fan Kui.
Unfortunately, the Qian Dynasty was long at peace, governed by civil servants, dismissive of martial artists. Zhang Kui disliked pandering, gathered brothers, and engaged in butchering, notorious as the Yutang County bully.
Yet Zhang Kui was concerned with another matter.
This world was not harmonious; it was rumored that amidst the deep mountains and rivers, there were Sword Immortals flying across and Great Demons haunting desolate lands.
An Evil Ghost or Demon harming people was not unusual, even the Astronomical Bureau of the Court managed and suppressed local evil spirits.
His predecessor had met his end at the hands of a Fox Spirit.
Perhaps due to being enchanted by some Demon Skill, his memories were vague, only recalling a pair of mesmerizing eyes, whispering "Darling, drink your medicine," while also calling "Official, I want..."
Zhang Kui grimaced, no wonder he felt his waist was empty and cold in this sweltering weather.
But he didn't fear at all,
because a menu appeared in his mind:
"Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends 108 Transformations"
This thing was a street stall secret manual he bought, along with "Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms," "Nine Yang Divine Skill," and others when he returned from cycling.
Zhang Kui obviously knew it was fake, but was curious about Sun Wukong's 72 Transformations and the Old Pig's Thirty-Six Celestial Gang Transformations, so he spent ten bucks to buy it.
Flipping through a few pages hastily, he found it dizzying.
Even the most basic Guiding Skill was written in an excessively intricate, mystical manner, let alone other Magic Techniques that required Yin Yang Five Elements in concert with Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, leaving one's head spinning.
Now, it became straightforward.
The Thirty-Six Celestial Gang Transformations, the "Magic" of heaven and earth, each name formidable, such as Inversion of Yin and Yang, Shifting Stars and Changing Dipper, Pushing Mountains and Filling Seas... even the Seven Swords of the Nail Head.
Unfortunately, this thing turned completely dark, with a price tag requiring an Immortal Body.
The Earthly Demon 72 Transformations, the "Skills" of Yin Yang Five Elements, containing Tongyou, God-Exorcising, Invisibility, Body Fixation... a hodgepodge of everything.
One Magic one Skill collectively called Magic,
infinitely changing until the Great Path.
As for the method of use, it was simple: these spells turned into small squares, like game skills, each requiring a skill point to unlock.
He now had an initial skill.
Guiding Skill (Level 1): Passive Skill
Skill Description: Regulate breathing to enhance 5% of body strength and slowly recover injuries, restore 2 mana points per second.
Guiding Skill is Taoism's basic Magic Technique. Zhang Kui had practiced it in his past life, but even with prolonged persistence, he achieved nothing remarkable.
And now, he was unknowingly using diaphragmatic breathing, steady and long, with a warm flow circulating within, warming his cold waist.
The screen displayed a mana gauge, now at its full 20 points.
Zhang Kui looked at his fan-like big hands, suddenly gripped, crackling with explosive sounds.
His predecessor was inherently strong, capable of lifting a 400-pound stone roller, and the Guiding Skill seemed upgradeable. At this rate, wouldn't he become a human Fierce Beast?
Along with the Eight Extremes Fist diligently practiced in the past life...
One word: Fierce!
Two words: Mighty Fierce!
Zhang Kui couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Just then, a big man rushed in panicked, "Big brother, it's not good! Our pig farm's 'Grand Marshal' went crazy, not only killing all the sows but also running into the street!"
Zhang Kui, hearing this, jumped up in a flash, leopard-eyes wide open, "The audacity! Quick, get me my slaughtering knife!"