Refining the True from the False: Becoming a God Starting with Devouring a True Dragon

Because the magistrate was furious, he openly dismissed most of the constables from the three shifts and six departments.

They no longer ascend the hall, and they no longer need any formalities.

They all became street patrol officers and flooded the streets.

It's not an exaggeration to say that there's a yamen runner every five steps.

The petty thefts that used to plague the streets vanished overnight. The once arrogant and unreasonable people started hiding in the corners of the streets, but some government officials took their place.

I'd grab a steamed bun from a passerby stall, or a pot of tea from a tea shop, always looking for a bargain.

However, this situation was quickly stopped by several brisk taxi drivers.

He even apologized.

Those corrupt bailiffs only dared to mutter a few curses behind their backs after the other bailiffs had gone far away.

Wang Qi saw all of this; the way those people behaved was somewhat similar to his master, Zhang Yuan.

Regardless of whether they are upright or not, they are quite law-abiding.

Moreover, they act swiftly and decisively.

Wang Qi withdrew his gaze and continued to ponder his grand undertaking as an "exorcist".

……

"Fire Ash Grass? Never heard of it... Officer, could you please describe your symptoms first..."

……

"Fire Ash Grass... I don't know."

"If you want to dispel the cold, we have ginseng here; it's cheap and effective..."

"..."

"Oh, fire ash grass, right? We don't sell it in our pharmacy. But I do know what it is."

Wang Qi wandered the streets, visiting seven or eight pharmacies before finally finding one that knew what it was.

He listened patiently to what the elderly doctor in front of him had to say.

"This thing grows near the lair of the Hidden Fire Bull Demon. Ordinary bull demons in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains will transform by eating these fire ash grasses in order to grow into the Hidden Fire Bull Demon."

"How do you know that?" Wang Qi asked. "As far as I know, medical clinics these days don't go into the mountains to collect herbs anymore. They all grow their own medicinal herbs in the countryside."

This was all information he had gathered from the pharmacies and clinics he visited earlier.

The old doctor sighed, "There's nothing we can do. The mountain demons are too powerful. Our own herbalists suffer too much damage every time we go into the mountains, and we still can't find any good herbs."

"You can hire someone... but they don't want to come. No matter how much you offer, it won't work."

"If they don't see medicine for a long time, some of the masters at the clinic simply stop letting their apprentices learn."

"Later on, some martial artists risked their lives to go into the mountains to steal some flowers and herbs from the demon's den. As a result, no one in the city recognized the herbs, and they could not be sold for more than ten days or even months. This caused the herbs to wither and die, and they could not fetch a good price."

"Unless it's a particularly famous one, no one is willing to pick the others anymore."

"These two things went back and forth, and slowly they eventually died out."

"The pharmacist traditions of several counties here are on the verge of destruction."

The old doctor's words were full of pessimism and regret.

Then, in a mocking tone, he said, "The rest of me... are all half-baked."

"Perhaps those bustling places far from the border would be better."

The old doctor was very kind and chatty; once he started talking, he would go on and on. "My grandfather used to be a hunter, and he often went into the mountains. I often heard him tell these stories when I was a child..."

In a short while, the conversation ranged from the lineage of pharmacists and the development of medical clinics to the current situation of hunters...

"In another forty or fifty years, we will all be extinct like the hunters."

"How can a pharmacist treat and save lives if he has no medicine?"

"Even a clever housewife can't cook without rice."

Wang Qi chimed in, "The demons are powerful; there's nothing we can do. But things will get better."

He felt a sense of shared sorrow, like a rabbit mourning the death of a fox.

Just like the declining Stone Tiger Martial Arts School, its lineage was almost completely cut off because it could not kill the tiger demon, leaving only Stone Tiger.

The Ten Thousand Demon Mountain is like a taboo, unless the military organizes a winter hunt or something similar.

otherwise,

Normally, you would hardly even hear the term "Ten Thousand Demon Mountain".

Perhaps in a few decades, some martial arts traditions will disappear from this border region, just like the hunter and pharmacist traditions told by the old doctor.

That night, I heard Uncle Ge say after he got drunk...

That Master Huang has his sights set on the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain, and he wants to reclaim the lost territory.

Wang Qi initially thought these words were a joke, but now he had a different feeling.

Perhaps that military leader had already noticed this silent decline.

ear,

The old doctor's voice continued, "If you want to find this 'fire ash grass,' you can go to the butcher's street in the sewer alley. Look for the wild beef stalls; they might have some in their stomachs."

"Sometimes I go to the sewers to rummage through the stomachs of wild monsters and steal some treasures."

"These demons are all very clever. The flowers, plants, gold, jade, and other things they like to eat... must all be good things."

"Never mind, let's go together anyway, it's about time to close anyway."

"I'll go find some bargains too."

Wang Qi helped the old doctor up.

immediately,

The two then slowly walked to Niudu Hutong in Xiashui Lane.

In the snow-covered irrigation ditch, piles of cow offal could be faintly seen.

"Doctor Kong, here to pick out another baby boob!"

Several butchers greeted each other with smiles as they chopped meat.

"Ah, you guys go ahead with your work~"

"I can do it myself."

"Oh, what a handsome young man. Is he your grandson?" the butcher said with a smile.

"Just a young friend, nothing more."

The old doctor had a big smile on his face and was clearly quite talkative.

The butchers along the way all recognized the old doctor.

He greets everyone he meets.

With Wang Qi's help, the old doctor began searching.

He had just squatted down for a short while when

The old doctor was pleasantly surprised and took out a clump of frozen grass, handing it to Wang Qi. "You're lucky, kid. I found it on my first try."

"Hey, this grass is still warm, it must be ash grass."

Wang Qi quickly took it.

The mucus on the cow's stomach also coats the "little cow's treasure," gathering it into a grass ball.

Although the appearance has changed, the feeling when you hold it is exactly the same as your own ash grass sachet.

Wang Qi was overjoyed.

Perhaps it's the dragon energy within me that's bringing me good fortune again.

You won in a single draw!

As he spoke, the old doctor raised his hand again, clutching two 'gray stone pieces' in his hand.

"Look, this kind... is stone grass. It looks just like a stone, and it feels hard to the touch."

"Grind it into powder and swallow it raw; it will temporarily stop your diarrhea."

"What are you going to eat in the wild? Eating a packet of rock grass powder could save your life."

The old doctor explained to Wang Qi as he took out his medicine.

Despite his gray hair, the old doctor is still quite agile.

the third time,

Wang Qi took over, replacing the old doctor's arm.

An old man and a young boy were here, gutting cows and sheep...

It takes an hour to dig one out.

Seeing that it was getting late, Wang Qi reluctantly got up.

"Sir, I have other matters to attend to, so I'll have to stay and keep you company for now."

Wang Qi stood up, clasped his hands in farewell to the old doctor.

"Alright, young man, let's go."

The old doctor waved to Wang Qi, "Whenever you want to learn about these herbs, come find me at the pharmacy."

He watched Wang Qi turn and leave, stroking his beard with admiration.

"Is this handsome young man another apprentice you've chosen?"

A butcher stepped forward and asked.

"No, he's just a buyer." The old doctor waved his hand and muttered, "I only helped him because he has a bit of my youthful charm."

Wang Qi bought a clump of fire ash grass for 500 coins.

The price isn't expensive.

The problem is that fire ash grass is hard to find; after an hour of digging, you only get this little clump.

……

Chunshui Pavilion has the "Golden and Silver Sisters," who are listed as the top five courtesans in Heihe by some busybodies, ensuring that Chunshui Pavilion has always been among the top three in this industry.

Countless guests come every day hoping to catch a glimpse of her beauty.

The only drawback is that the girl, Yin Chun, had said in her early years that she already had someone she loved.

It is said that the man was quite powerful.

Several men who tried to force themselves on her have long since disappeared.

Because of this person,

Yin Chun is still a virgin who only sings and does not sell her body.

now,

Yin Chun sat in front of the bronze mirror, selecting from a dazzling array of hairpins.

behind,

A maid whispered, "Miss, another one has arrived who claims to be able to exorcise evil spirits."

"Who recommended him?"

Yin Chun's voice was cold and clear.

"There's a guy in the fast shift named Lu Shun. His family owns a tailor shop and a porcelain shop. He's a regular customer of our establishment," the maid said.

"Didn't I tell you? Young Master doesn't like meeting outsiders."

"Don't bother with people who don't seem to have any real skills."

Yin Chun was somewhat dissatisfied.

The maid said somewhat nervously, "But the person he recommended is very famous. You even personally recruited him before, Miss."

"Who?"

"The Great Python King Qi".

"Oh?" Yin Chun was slightly surprised and turned to look at the maid. "The Great Python King Qi can also exorcise evil spirits?"

The maid shook her head. "I've never heard of it either."

Where is he now?

Yin Chun asked.

"It's downstairs."

"What did the giant python king Qi bring with him?" Yin Chun asked again.

"It's the uniform of the soap-making squad, with a knife slung over his shoulder, a peach wood sword on his back, and a bundle on his back... He smells quite nice."

"She's quite different from the people we knew before."

Yin Chun hesitated for a moment.

"Let him give it a try. Go and invite him up."