My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

The demon corpse floated on the waves, its stench gradually dissipating.

The turbid river seemed to have shed a century-old burden, and even the sound of its flow seemed a little lighter.

However, the atmosphere on the riverbank was not entirely relaxed.

Hundreds of eyes were filled with boundless awe and gratitude for the figure in the green robe.

Gradually, they turned towards the back of the crowd—to see several pale-faced, stiff figures trying to shrink back.

Chen Maocai, Chen Dahu, Chen Erbao, and two other relatives who followed them in bullying the villagers.

Ye Qingfeng's gaze also drifted indifferently over there.

He didn't speak immediately, but just watched them quietly.

That gaze was calm and serene, yet it chilled the Chen family to the bone more than any sharp blade.

The villagers' gazes followed Ye Qingfeng, filled with anger, suspicion, and years of suppressed hatred.

Like a pot of oil gradually boiling, the sizzling sound began to focus on the Chen family.

"Master Daoist! Immortal!"

Li Laoshuan was the first to react. He released his daughter Xiaolian, staggered to Ye Qingfeng, pointed at Chen Maocai, and spoke in a hoarse and indignant voice.

"It's...it's Chen Maocai! He...he must be colluding with that monster! That lottery player!"

Furthermore, before each sacrificial ceremony, their family members never go to dangerous places near the river! Please, Immortal Master, investigate and do justice for us!

"Yes! The Chen family definitely knows!"

"Their family has never been selected in the lottery!"

"My dad just expressed a doubt, and the next day the ship inexplicably started leaking!"

The crowd was furious, and the shouts grew louder and louder. Some people even picked up stones from the ground.

The last trace of color drained from Chen Maocai's face. He forced himself to stand up straight, still trying to maintain that pitiful dignity, his lips trembling.

"Nonsense! That was the Dragon King's... no, it was the demon's choice! What does it have to do with me! You... you're framing me!"

"Is that so?" Ye Qingfeng finally spoke, his voice not loud, but instantly suppressing all the noise.

He walked slowly forward, and the villagers automatically parted to make way for him.

He walked a few steps in front of Chen Maocai and stopped, his gaze not fixed on him, but rather as if he were looking at some distant and filthy place.

"In the century-long ritual, there has never been a single 'accident' that the Chen family's close branch was chosen."

A ferocious and gluttonous monster dwells in the river, yet it alone "protects" your Chen family's boats and nets, ensuring their safety and abundant catch.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over an inconspicuous black bone ornament with twisted water patterns hanging from Chen Dahu's waist.

And Chen Erbao's hand, which he subconsciously tucked into his sleeve—there, perhaps, he was holding the bone whistle used to "startle" the demon.

"Not to mention, the faint, foul stench that clings to you, which is of the same origin as that demon, cannot be washed away even after years of time."

Ye Qingfeng's words were not just made up; at this moment, in his eyes, the group of people exuded a sinister aura.

This evil aura originated from the same source as that of the toad spirit.

"The demons are foolish and dull-witted. Without human guidance, how could they know to use lotteries to select people and to let the benefits flow slowly and steadily? Without human assistance, how could you possibly remain unscathed and reap the rewards without lifting a finger?"

Every word was like a heavy hammer blow, striking Chen Maocai's heart and also the villagers' reason, which had been tempered by anger.

Chen Dahu stubbornly tried to argue, but Chen Maocai grabbed him tightly.

Chen Erbao's eyes flickered, his face ashen.

"Taoist Master! Kill them! Avenge our dead daughters!"

"Kill these heartless beasts!"

The villagers roared and were about to surge forward.

Ye Qingfeng raised one hand and made a feigned press.

A gentle yet irresistible invisible aura quietly permeated the air, and the restless crowd involuntarily quieted down.

But the anger in his eyes still burned.

"It is my duty to exterminate evil spirits."

Ye Qingfeng looked at Chen Maocai and his son, his eyes devoid of any expression.

"However, human sins are governed by laws and principles, and are subject to the cycle of karma. I am not one to carry out punishments."

Ye Qingfeng has many methods for killing people.

However! Ye Qingfeng felt that letting them die like that was far too lenient.

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope appeared in the eyes of Chen Maocai and his son, but Ye Qingfeng continued.

The voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a solemn, judgmental tone:

"However, you collude with demons, falsely claim to be gods, deceive the villagers, and harm living beings to enrich yourselves."

Such acts have incurred the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of both gods and men. The demon has been vanquished; how can you, as accomplices, escape full responsibility?

His gaze was sharp as he swept over the terrified faces of the Chen family members, and he spoke slowly.

"I will not take your lives directly. But there is cause and effect in the universe. The sins you have committed will be punished by the heavens above and the earth below."

He paused, and a faint golden light suddenly appeared on his fingertips.

He hovered in mid-air, making a feint towards Chen Maocai and his son, as well as their key accomplices.

"You assist demons and covet the benefits of blood offerings. Your bodies and minds have long been tainted by that filthy demonic energy without your knowledge."

Today the demon is slain, but this connection has backfired on you. From now on, your backs will feel like they are carrying heavy stones, and you will gradually become hunched over like toads; your skin will be covered with festering sores that will ooze pus, just like the filth on the demon's body.

This is not a ritual performed by this humble monk, but rather the outward manifestation of your sins and the karmic retribution for your own defilement of body and mind.

Wealth and glory are accompanied by this wretched illness; in the still of the night, one should hear the lamentations of wronged souls. Until the sins are atoned, or death brings an end to the cycle of rebirth.

Ye Qingfeng's words were like a cold, scathing judgment.

After he finished speaking, Chen Maocai and his son were taken aback.

Immediately, an indescribable itch surged up from deep within my spine and spread instantly to my entire back.

"Ouch...it's so itchy!" Chen Dahu couldn't resist any longer and scratched it with his hand.

Chen Maocai, standing beside him, also had a furrowed brow, feeling as if countless ants were crawling and gnawing at his skin, causing a numb and itchy sensation that went straight to his heart.

No longer caring about appearances, the group twisted their bodies in front of everyone, scratching themselves frantically through their clothes.

However, the itching not only did not subside, but intensified, gradually transforming into a heavy, downward-pulling, strange pressure.

Chen Maocai suddenly felt his back stiffen, as if a cold, heavy object had suddenly pressed down on him, and his shoulders involuntarily slumped forward.

His son cried out "Ouch!" as if his back had been bent by an invisible force.

The once straight spine now emitted a faint, teeth-grinding "clucking" sound, involuntarily hunching over a bit.

"Father... my back..." Young Master Chen's voice was filled with terror.

He managed to lift his head, only to see that his father and the others were all becoming awkward and distorted.

As if it were truly carrying heavy stones on its back, its body was becoming bloated and leaning forward at a slow but clearly discernible pace, vaguely resembling a toad crouching.

An even more terrifying change then occurred on the skin and flesh.

The clothes were quickly soaked through by the unidentified dampness from the spot where the intense itching was scratched.

Young Master Chen first felt something sticky and cool on his fingertips, and he trembled as he raised his hand to his eyes.