Divine Level Witch Doctor

”So all of this guy’s skills as a Witch Priest came from this book.” Ying Ji marveled, her eyes fixed on the Sheepskin Book, glinting with curiosity and anticipation.

She had vied with the culprit both openly and in the shadows, fighting him to a stalemate. It seemed the Witch Priest knowledge recorded in the Sheepskin Book was truly extraordinary! ’If I can cross-reference and merge it with my family’s own inherited knowledge,’ she thought, ’it’s bound to elevate our traditions to a whole new level!’

At this thought, Ying Ji grew excited, but also troubled.

The problem was, she couldn’t understand the script, which was used in the Ancient Dian Kingdom’s Witch Priest rituals. No one in her family could decipher these bizarre, insect-like characters.

’I can only rely on Zhao Yuan…’ After a moment of hesitation, Ying Ji spoke up. ”Zhao Yuan, I have a request, though I’m not sure if you’ll agree.”

Zhao Yuan didn’t commit immediately. ”What is it? Why don’t you tell me first.”

Ying Ji said, ”I’d like to ask you to translate this Sheepskin Book for me. Of course, I won’t let you do it for free. You can take your pick of any Magical Artifact I have on me! Or, if you’re interested in a certain Magic that I know, I can teach it to you.”

Zhao Yuan smiled. ”Ha, and here I thought it was something serious. It’s just that? Alright, I’m in. I’ll translate the contents of the book for you.”

”That’s wonderful!” Ying Ji was overjoyed and said hurriedly, ”What would you like in exchange? Just name it! I’ll do everything in my power to get it for you!”

Zhao Yuan was about to say she didn’t have to give him anything, but he swallowed his words.

For one, if he didn’t accept any payment, Ying Ji would surely get the wrong idea and might even start to question his motives. Besides, she did have a few items that interested him.

After a moment of consideration, Zhao Yuan said, ”Alright, how about we trade for that Jade Gui of yours? The one that enhances Mental Power and helps the wearer communicate with Ghost Souls.”

He didn’t ask for any Magic because there was no need. He only had to see Ying Ji cast something once for the Information Leaf to display detailed instructions on its Cultivation and use—methods that might even be superior to hers. It was better to ask for a Magical Artifact.

He chose the Jade Gui over the Bone Blade and her other Magical Artifacts because he had seen a spell for Lower Yin Spirit Communication in the Sheepskin Book. He wasn’t sure if he would ever use it, but if he did, the Jade Gui would undoubtedly enhance its effects significantly.

”No problem!” Ying Ji agreed without a second thought.

’A single Magical Artifact for a Cultivation manual from an Ancient Dian Kingdom Witch Priest? This isn’t just a fair trade, it’s a huge bargain!’

They exchanged contact information on the spot, agreeing to trade the book and the Magical Artifact as soon as Zhao Yuan finished the translation.

After tucking the Sheepskin Book into his pocket, Zhao Yuan flipped through the diary.

It was the culprit’s diary.

In it, the culprit had meticulously detailed every time he raised Gu Insects and took a life. The tone of his writing showed immense satisfaction and pride in his vicious deeds. The diary was also filled with photographs, most of which depicted the horrific state of his victims after being attacked or infested by the Gu Insects.

It seemed the culprit wasn’t just vicious, but utterly depraved.

It was also in this diary that Zhao Yuan found the culprit’s own account of ambushing the police with Vampire Bees three years ago. Every line oozed with pride and smug satisfaction.

The most recent entries detailed how he had been using the Teng Mo to infest and harm people. At the end of one such entry, he had written: ”It won’t be long now before I become a Tongren. This is the first step toward becoming a Demon God—the most fundamental and crucial step! I must succeed. I *will* succeed!”

”Tongren? Demon God?” Zhao Yuan frowned and muttered in confusion, ”What is all this about?”

Seeing his reaction, Ying Ji let out a long sigh of relief. ’So there are things you don’t know, after all,’ she thought. ’I was starting to think you were some alien who knew everything.’

She explained, ”A Tongren is the result of a process where a person cultivates themselves into a type of Gu Insect. Even among the Witch Cultivators of the Evil Sects, very few would attempt this method of Cultivation. It’s an incredibly cruel process, both to others and to oneself, and few can endure it long enough to succeed. Failure turns the Cultivator into a monster that is neither human nor ghost, stripping them of their sanity and leaving them a mindless, walking corpse. But if they succeed, becoming a Tongren brings a massive, exponential increase in all-around power!”

”I see.” It dawned on Zhao Yuan. ”No wonder he used the Gu Attachment Technique to bind his Divine Sense to the Teng Mo. He was trying to speed up his Cultivation to become a Tongren! ’Is it really worth turning yourself into a monster for the sake of power?’”

Shaking his head, Zhao Yuan walked over to Lu Qing with the diary. ”We found this diary,” he said. ”It contains detailed accounts of the culprit’s crimes. It proves he’s not only the one behind the recent Teng Mo attacks, but also the person who killed your comrade three years ago!”

Lu Qing wiped the tears from her face. She took the diary, flipped through a few pages, and said, ”This diary will serve as crucial evidence. I need to call the station immediately and have them send someone to take over. I’m not in a fit state to continue with the case right now.”

Zhao Yuan patted her shoulder but didn’t offer any platitudes. For one, he didn’t know what to say. For another, he trusted that Lu Qing was strong enough to pull herself together.

Ying Ji and Hao Li came over, laying out the Magical Artifacts they had found. Hao Li said, ”Little Brother Zhao, there are four Magical Artifacts here, which works out perfectly to one for each of us, as is tradition. You contributed the most, so you get to choose first!”

Lu Qing hesitated. She started to say that these items were evidence and should be turned in, but she caught herself and swallowed the words.

’I’m not a stickler for the rules,’ she thought. ’Without Zhao Yuan and the others, we never would have solved this case so quickly. We might not have solved it at all. Besides, if these Magical Artifacts fall into the hands of ordinary people who don’t recognize their value, they’ll probably just be destroyed. What a waste. It’s better for them to be divided up.’

Zhao Yuan glanced at the four Magical Artifacts.

Hao Li began his enthusiastic sales pitch. ”Little Brother Zhao, let me tell you, all four of these Magical Artifacts are top-notch! This Bone Whistle lets you command any nearby insects to do your bidding. This Stone Token grants immunity to all poisons and keeps all ghosts at bay; it’s how the culprit managed to evade Ying Ji’s search. As for this Copper Knife, it’s imbued with a Curse Technique. When you’re fighting, your enemy can get hit by the curse without even knowing it, and their strength will plummet. And finally, this Bell can be rung to attract all the insects in the area…”