Immortality Begins with Krypton Life

Chapter 228 Secret Manual Contains Strange ThingsChen Mu nodded, but his gaze drifted unintentionally to a shelf in the corner piled with miscellaneous items. The shelf appeared to have been neglected for a long time, covered in dust, and cluttered with old files, damaged weapon parts, and a few books with curled edges.

One of the books was grey and dusty, its pages yellowed and its binding crude. The cover bore three characters written in clerical script: ”ten thousand demon catalog”.

The moment Chen Mu’s eyes landed on this book, his chest grew slightly warm.

It was no illusion; the ancient demon seal he kept close to his body actually transmitted an extremely faint warmth, as if touched or attracted by something.

Chen Mu’s pupils constricted.

The demon seal was a treasure obtained from Jiang Xiong. It could influence the Luck of the Yao Race and help him resist the pressure of the official seal. The origin of this object was mysterious, and Jiang Xiong had been vague, only saying it was an ancient relic. Unless he actively activated it, the demon seal remained dormant and had never shown such an anomaly.

This book... was not simple.

Chen Mu bent down and reached out to pull it from the shelf.

It felt quite heavy in his hand. The pages were made of some kind of rough, thick paper, and the edges had been eaten away by insects in a few places. When he opened the title page, the paper was yellowed, but the ink was still clear.

”When heaven and earth first opened, the clear and the turbid separated. The clear became spirit, and the turbid became Yao. Yao are born from the turbid Qi, sinister baleful energy, and resentment of heaven and earth. They may take the form of beasts, take on human appearance, or condense into void bodies. Their types are numerous, and their natures vary. I now record what I have seen and heard, examine their origins, distinguish their strengths and weaknesses, to present to those who come after.”

The signature was ”Daoist Qingya”.

Flipping further, it contained handwritten small regular script, recording the name, appearance, characteristics, habits, weaknesses, and habitats of each type of Yao, and some even had sketches drawn with simple strokes.

He quickly flipped through a few pages.

”Mountain Demon, shaped like an ape, with a single foot, good at confusing the human mind, fears fire, fears the sound of metal clashing...”

”Water Python, shaped like a giant python, deep blue throughout, lives in deep pools and marshes, can spit poisonous miasma, its gall can cure a hundred poisons...”

”Painted Skin Ghost, walks attached to human skin, rests by day and comes out by night, good at transforming, fears the blood of a virgin boy, black dog blood, and the ultimate Yang Protective Aura...”

The records were quite detailed, especially regarding the weaknesses of the Yao, many of which coincided with Chen Mu’s own experiences or things he had heard.

Chen Mu pondered for a moment and decided to exchange for this book and take it away.

He could feel that as he flipped through it, the warmth from the demon seal in his chest was slowly increasing, as if there was some power hidden in this book that originated from the same source as the demon seal or could trigger it. He immediately decided to take the book with him.

Moreover, he had not been in this world for long. Although he had experienced several Yao scourges, most of his knowledge about the Yao Race as a whole came from the fragmented memories of the original owner, gossip from colleagues, and snippets of information in mission files.

The System could help him plunder Lifespan and improve his Cultivation Technique, but it would not teach him the common knowledge of this world. Even if this ”ten thousand demon catalog” had no special function, it was exactly what he urgently needed.

”Administrator Zhao, how can this item be exchanged?”

Chen Mu walked to the counter with the book. Zhao Jin was about to lower his head to organize the ledgers. Upon hearing this, he looked up and saw the ”ten thousand demon catalog” in Chen Mu’s hand. He was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

”Little friend, are you sure you want to exchange for this? This ’ten thousand demon catalog’ was left here by a wandering Daoist decades ago. He claimed it was a compilation of everything he had seen and heard in his life. Minister Lu flipped through it back then and felt that while the content was extensive, it was mostly folklore and personal anecdotes. Some records were even absurd. Compared to the official ’Demon Appraisal Illustrated Record’ of the Demon Suppression Division, it was not systematic or authoritative, so he just tossed it aside.”

As he spoke, he shook his head.

”Later, only the new brothers would occasionally flip through it, treating it as a curious read. When actually going on missions to deal with Yao, who doesn’t read the proper files issued by the division? This book... is really just material for propping up a table leg.”

Shen Suning also leaned in to take a look and said softly, ”The content is indeed quite mixed. There are some records I have never heard of either. However, as Administrator Zhao said, the Demon Suppression Division has more authoritative classics. This book is indeed...”

Before she could finish, Chen Mu had already closed the book and looked at Zhao Jin with a calm expression.

”How many merit points are required?”

Seeing his determined attitude, Zhao Jin did not try to persuade him further and waved his hand.

”This item was never an official collection of the division, and it’s just gathering dust there. If Little Friend Chen is interested, just take it; no merit points are needed.”

”No, I must follow the rules.”

Seeing his persistence, Zhao Jin thought for a moment and casually noted it down in the ledger.

”One copy of ’ten thousand demon catalog’, exchanged for... one merit point.”

One merit point, which was almost like giving it away for free.

Chen Mu said no more and carefully tucked the ”ten thousand demon catalog” into his bosom. The moment the book touched his body, the demon seal transmitted another clear wave of warmth.

This book was definitely not simple.

Chen Mu cupped his hands in a salute to Zhao Jin.

”Many thanks.”

After leaving the Demon Archive Division, Shen Suning followed by Chen Mu’s side, her gaze occasionally glancing at the old book in his bosom.

Administrator Zhao had made it clear that the book was just a dust-gathering trinket and not a proper classic, yet Chen Mu had exchanged one merit point for it.

Although it was almost free, the behavior itself was strange.

”Chen Mu, is that book... special in any way?”

Shen Suning finally couldn’t help but ask softly.

Chen Mu didn’t stop walking, just glanced at her sideways.

”Flip through it and see.”

He only replied with four words, and that was the end of it.

Shen Suning choked slightly. Sometimes this person could be infuriatingly terse. She recalled Chen Mu’s decisiveness in slaying the dragon in Youxu Valley, remembered his calmness when facing the Male Dragon’s dying questioning, and then looked at his current man-of-few-words demeanor, suddenly finding it somewhat funny, yet also somewhat helpless.

”You...”

She sighed softly and stopped asking. Everyone had their own secrets, especially in a place like the Demon Suppression Division. After thinking for a moment, she still reminded him, ”If it really is something important, keep it well when you go back, and don’t show it to others easily.”

”Mm.”

Chen Mu replied. This time it was sincere. Shen Suning’s thoughtfulness and sense of boundaries made him feel quite at ease interacting with her.

When they returned to the C-grade barracks, Lu Dachuan was being supported by Ling Xiaoning, struggling to move his right leg, which was wrapped tightly in bandages. He was baring his teeth and drawing in sharp breaths. Feng Qing was sitting on his bunk, holding a soft cloth, wiping a few newly collected arrows. The frequency was so diligent that it always made Ling Xiaoning think that wiping arrows was his method of Cultivation.

Seeing the two return, Lu Dachuan immediately shouted, ”You’re finally back! Brother Chen, what good things did you exchange for? Let your big brother have a look!”

Chen Mu shook his head. ”I only exchanged for a book.”

Lu Dachuan was stunned, then realized.

”A book? Oh, right, you’ve saved up quite a few merit points this time. It’s time to exchange for a good Cultivation Technique. Which blade technique is it? Or an Internal Skill Mind-Cultivation Technique?”

Chen Mu walked to his bunk and sat down, taking the ”ten thousand demon catalog” from his bosom.

”It’s not a Cultivation Technique, it’s this.”

Lu Dachuan stretched his neck to peek at the grey, curled-edge cover, and after hearing the title of the book, an expression of exasperation appeared on his face.

” ’ten thousand demon catalog’? I say, Brother Chen, you spent your merit points just to exchange for this thing? I’ve seen this book before. I don’t know which corner it was dug out of. Everything written inside is about ghosts and gods and rumors. It’s ridiculous even to read as a story.”

”If you really want to understand Yao, isn’t the ’Demon Appraisal Illustrated Record’ issued by the division more reliable than this? If not, buy me a pot of wine, and I’ll tell you stories for three days and three nights. Wouldn’t that be more interesting than this ghostly thing?”