As everyone chatted, Lusheng also introduced Zheng Xiangu to Chen Jiaorong, but Chen Jiaorong clearly didn't care much for the Zheng family.

To him, the son of a rural landlord from a fringe small town didn't even qualify to enter his circle, let alone someone like Zheng Xiangu. Even Lusheng probably wouldn't be on his mind if not for his sister always praising and mentioning him in his ears. Of course things were different now since Lusheng saved his life. Afterwards, he asked around quite a bit and heard from many that they saw flames from that flower boat visible from over ten miles away.

Learning the inside story made him break out in cold sweats on the spot. Even now he still didn't dare board any boats, left with psychological shadows.

Upon knowing the other's status, Zheng Xiangu obviously revealed an enthusiastic attitude wanting to curry favor and get close. This made Zheng Yuer and Lusheng rather unable to continue watching but they also understood that was just his personality. In his own words, knowing when to yield and when to resist separated real men.

As they talked, Lusheng gradually turned to mostly listening, only occasionally responding a few times. Everyone understood his temperament so they didn't mind.

While listening, Lusheng's sight casually roved through the crowds when his eyes abruptly fixed in place. He saw a shriveled old beggar curled up in the corner.

This beggar seemed a bit different from normal. Despite the current summer heat, they were at East Mountain Academy below the East Mountain. Always damp and cold here even when summer arrived with frigid ground and heavy moisture.

Yet this beggar was unlike the others. He had placed a tattered cotton coat beside him but only wore a ragged thin shirt on himself. Sitting on such icy ground yet not wearing that coat right next to him.

Moreover, Lusheng's sharp sight saw dense beads of sweat on this beggar's forehead. He was mumbling something incessantly but the words were indiscernible, eyes blankly staring.

As Lusheng closely watched this beggar, he suddenly had an odd sensation, as if... as if this beggar greatly resembled himself.

"With his age likely sixty-seventy while body and looks completely different from me, how could I have this feeling of similarity?" Lusheng grew puzzled. Noticing Chen Jiaorong take interest in conversing with Zheng Yuer, he slowly walked towards that old beggar.

Acting the moment he decided was always his style, never dragging things out.

Arriving before the beggar, Lusheng's shadow blocked off over half his body. "Elder, it's so cold here yet you wear so little. Aren't you hot?"

That old beggar raised his head giving him a muddy glance.

"Hot... Hot... Not hot? Hot? Not hot? Hot...?" He started mumbling. Apparently his mind was somewhat unsound.

Lusheng frowned and shook his head, about to leave.

"You met ghosts!!" The old beggar's voice suddenly grew loud. "Yin-Laden Body... Yin-Laden Body... I'm also Yin-Laden Body. Met too many ghosts, even got possessed... You and I the same... the same... Ha.... Hahaha...." He devolved into foolish laughter as he spoke.

"Yin-Laden Body?" Lusheng froze up, halting his steps as he sized up the old beggar.

It was obvious this man's apparel and dressing standards were once pretty decent. Not extravagantly wealthy but at least middle class. So how did he decline to this extent?

"What is a Yin-Laden Body?" Lusheng asked heavily. His interest was slightly piqued now.

This old beggar paused for a moment. His mouth again started mumbling all kinds of nonsense. It took quite a while before the murkiness in his eyes receded a little, seemingly regaining some lucidity. He looked Lusheng up and down and said haltingly amidst stutters.

"You and I... both Yin-Laden Bodies... As kids got possessed by ghosts... Meet too many, become this physique... Die... Attract ghosts... Will die..."

Lusheng couldn't comprehend his babbling but looking at this beggar, he inexplicably felt extreme resemblance between them. Not resemblance in appearance or looks but rather an intrinsic sensation of sameness.

Could this be what this beggar called physique? Yin-Laden Body physique?

He started pondering inwardly.

"Hehehe..." That old beggar again broke into foolish laughter as he pointed at Lusheng. "Yin-Laden... Attracts ghosts... Yin-Laden..." He repeated these two words continuously.

Lusheng watched him frowning. He asked several more questions to no avail. The old beggar just kept repeating 'Yin-Laden' without another word.

Dang...!

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The exam grounds opened for candidates to enter.

Lusheng had no choice but to turn and head towards the academy gates.

The exam officially began.

The imperial exam tested for three sections continuously. Spending eating, sleeping, even toilet needs all inside for the entire duration without permission to go out. By the time Lusheng finished and left, over a day passed to the afternoon of the second day.

Groups of candidates exited the academy gates looking mentally and physically exhausted, faces filled with hardship and bitterness. Clearly the topics were very difficult this time.

Yet Lusheng still seemed perfectly spirited. As a consummate expert in both inner force and external technique, such meager consumption naturally didn't impact him one bit.

The moment he emerged, his gaze swept towards where that beggar originally sat. Indeed no longer present.

"Yin-Laden Body..." This term kept echoing in his mind. "If it's like what that beggar said, so-called Yin-Laden Bodies are people who frequently meet ghosts and the more they meet, they form this physique... Then I really do have such a constitution."

After careful consideration, seems like he truly needed to ask about this.

"What kind of people have the highest chance of frequently meeting ghosts?" Lusheng pondered for a bit and quickly thought of a location.

By now, Zheng Xiangu and the rest also came out, bitter frowns and grief all over like they just suffered tremendous pain and bitterness. Apparently the topics were very difficult this time.

It was the same for Chen Jiaorong. He walked out knitting his brows with Chen Yunxi by his side. Seeing Lusheng, Chen Yunxi revealed a somewhat strange expression, bashfully hiding behind her elder brother as if shy.

Lusheng rubbed his brows that got burned off. He rather hoped Chen Yunxi could directly give up on him for his scorched lack of hair.

Next was Song Zhenguo emerging. Lusheng first exchanged a few words with the Chen siblings before seeing them off. Then he met up with Zheng Yuer plus Song Zhenguo to find a restaurant in the city for dinner.

After the meal into early evening, Lusheng directly split off from everyone to head towards a location outside the city near the mountain.

To the mountain city's left spanned a continuous undulating giant mountain range called Deer Antler Mountain for its shape resembling deer antler.

Below Deer Antler Mountain was the largest graveyard around the entire city, Wanfeng Graveyard.

Lusheng rushed over to Wanfeng Graveyard right after dusk. At the front gates he found the guard keeping watch over the gravesite.

The guard was an old man with a lame leg. His clothes were tidy but tattered. His face always revealed hints of faint bluish color, unclear whether from lack of sunlight or other reasons.

"Yin-Laden Body?" Hearing Lusheng's inquiry, the old man shook the wine bladder in his hand. He looked Lusheng up and down, weighing the large copper coins that just traded hands.

"Did young sir meet some unclean thing? There is this saying but normal people don't call it Yin-Laden Body. We call people who frequently meet ghosts like this Yang Baozi."

"Yang Baozi?" Lusheng repeated with tightly knitted brows. "There's actually this kind of circumstance?"

The old man clicked his tongue looking at Lusheng as if witnessing something incredible.

"Of course. To be frank, I've lived and seen countless people in my years but Yin-Laden Bodies were still rather common. Yet none lived past a few years before dying."

"Young Master must be freshly turned into a Yang Baozi. Not long since the change and met some unclean thing recently right?"

Lusheng was astonished. He didn't expect this guard to actually understand quite a bit. Nodding, "Yes. I did meet some unclean thing recently. Not long ago either. I wonder if there might be any troubles from becoming a Yang Baozi?"

"Don't know. Just hearsay that Yang Baozi greatly attract ghosts so they don't live long. But take it simply as hearsay, no need to mind it. Just keep living as you would," the old man waved his hand. "Go find a daoist priest or ritual master to conduct some rites, dispel evil. Probably useful."

Hire ritual masters? Lusheng shook his head inwardly. He did visit alleged ritual masters at nearby temples but they were all swindlers with no actual skills.

If those kinds of masters could even catch ghosts, his single slap ought to directly put hordes of monsters to death.

"May I ask if Elder has any other solutions?" Lusheng asked with a frown. He wanted to see what paths ordinary people without his martial prowess could take to protect themselves.

That guard chuckled a couple times, looking at Lusheng somewhat eerily. "Solutions... I do have a way out to point you to in return for Young Master's generous payment."

"What way out?"

The old man smiled and took a gulp of inferior wine, breathing out pungent fumes. "This Mountain City has some underground associations. Got a nephew who entered one called Crimson Whale Society. Unfortunately conflict happened later and he died. But the way in was left behind."

Having said this, his face brimmed with anticipation clearly waiting for Lusheng's expression.

Lusheng spent quite some time in this Mountain City yet this was his first hearing about underground associations. But upon the name Crimson Whale Society, his heart shuddered once. Wasn't this the same Crimson Whale Society Duanmu Wan mentioned?

Duanmu Wan was mysterious beyond measure. Since she stated Crimson Whale Society's skills were topmost around here, likely no mistake. What he lacked right now wasn't martial methods but sufficiently formidable techniques. Ordinary internal and external cultivation provided scarce help to him by this point.

Reaching his current level, only finding stronger cultivation ways would do. Best if able to replace the Black Evil Skill so he could constantly improve his state without reliance on gloomy qi, directly elevating might.

After all the Black Evil Skill only had so many boundaries. As for gloomy qi... Seemed like over absorption carried side effects too.

"But Elder, I've been at Mountain City for a while without hearing this Crimson Whale Society's name. You aren't deceiving me right?" Lusheng retorted.

The old man sinisterly smiled, "They're the criminal underworld! What does underworld signify? Invisible to the common eye. This Mountain City's big and small gambling dens, brothels, black and devil's market, every street, every district bears their shadow! Young Master clearly isn't lacking money, maybe you never paid attention before. But it's different for common folk. Theft, robbery, loan sharking, protection fees, homicide, fraud... All kinds of messy business involves them."

Hearing this, Lusheng instantly understood. So this Crimson Whale Society was actually the criminal underground organization. The mafia. Just more covert.

He pondered briefly before taking out another piece or two of silver, considering it as thanks.

"Young Master is enlightened!" The old man beamed with joy. "That Crimson Whale Society has no shortage of experts. Rumor is they're the tremendous force backing Mountain City's authorities to govern security and order. There's definitely people inside who can solve Young Master's physique problems."

Lusheng didn't care for that. What he thought of was stronger martial arts. If able to mix into Crimson Whale Society, perhaps he could obtain techniques surpassing even the Black Evil Skill.