Chapter 34: The Appearance of the Big-Headed Imp

Upon returning to his residence, Jiang Fan did not immediately attempt to refine the spirit stones and the Human Blood Preservation Pill to breakthrough in his cultivation.

"I cannot attempt to reach the third level of Qi Refining here! The commotion I caused when breaking through to the second level was not insignificant, and I expect the breakthrough to the third level will be even greater. If someone happens to pass by, or if there are spies sent by Old Demon Xu lurking in the shadows, my cultivation level will undoubtedly be exposed."

One must always be prepared against others. Jiang Fan was certainly no fool; he already knew that Old Demon Xu was not alone in the Wild Wolf Gang. He must have had many informants and underlings, otherwise, news of Jiang Fan's actions on Nanping Street during the day would not have reached Old Demon Xu's ears so quickly.

"I will go to the deserted woods behind the mountain; it is quiet there and suitable for a breakthrough." Jiang Fan carefully scanned his surroundings. While he found nothing, he did not let his guard down. After arriving at the back of the mountain, he suddenly ducked into a patch of woods and immediately hid himself.

Shortly after concealing himself, Jiang Fan’s eyes widened in shock. Under the pale moonlight, a cold gust of wind blew, coalescing into a phantasmagoric figure floating in the void. It was a giant-headed doll. Its complexion was deathly pale, not at all like that of a living person. Its head was disproportionately large, as was its mouth, which revealed rows of sharp, jagged teeth that appeared truly gruesome.

"What... what kind of monster is this?" Jiang Fan was horrified. He had always felt as if something was tailing him in the dark, yet he had never been able to detect it. Only now did he realize that his pursuer was not human at all.

The cold, ghastly giant-headed ghost doll looked around the spot where Jiang Fan had vanished, as if searching for him. A moment later, the terrifying creature turned its gaze toward the direction where Jiang Fan was hiding and grinned.

"Found you... I've found you... Hee hee hee..." The giant-headed ghost doll’s voice was childish, yet in the dead of night, it sounded bone-chillingly eerie.

Jiang Fan’s scalp tingled, and goosebumps broke out all over his body. He had not expected that in this bizarre world of cultivation, such legendary, unclean things actually existed.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Jiang Fan instinctively bolted toward the depths of the forest, desperate to avoid the ghost doll.

"Big brother, where are you going? Wait for me... wait for me... come and play with me..." The childish voice drifted from behind, and the figure floated steadily through the night air toward him.

"Damn it, is this never-ending? I’d like to see what you, this giant-headed little ghost, can actually do to me!" After running for a considerable distance and realizing he could not shake off the flying creature, a fierce glint flashed in Jiang Fan’s eyes. He stopped, turned around, and stared coldly at the ghost doll hovering ten feet away.

The creature looked incredibly malevolent, and Jiang Fan couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine, but he knew he had to find a solution, or this thing would not leave him be.

"You freak, why are you following me? Aren't you afraid I'll destroy you?" Jiang Fan asked coldly, his eyes filled with menace.

"Master... Master told me to follow you, big brother! If you hadn't suddenly vanished, making me lose your trail, I wouldn't have revealed myself! Big brother, please don't scare me. I... I have no malice toward you, it's just... just that Master ordered me to follow you," the doll replied, looking fearful as it witnessed Jiang Fan’s aggressive stance.

"Speak, who is your master? Is it Immortal Xu?" Jiang Fan demanded sharply.

"Bi... big brother, Master... Master gave strict orders that I cannot reveal his identity! Otherwise... otherwise he will torture me. I... I'm scared." The doll replied with naive terror, its eyes filled with panic. "I beg you, big brother, just... just pretend you never saw me, okay? I'm afraid... afraid Master will punish me! Can't I just turn invisible again?"

Seeing Jiang Fan’s fierce expression, the doll was terrified, yet it dared not name its master.

"Invisible? So you really can turn invisible!" Jiang Fan’s gaze remained icy. "Tell me, how long have you been following me? And how have you been doing it? If you dare lie to me, I’ll kill you right now!"

As he spoke, Jiang Fan manifested a Green Wood Seal, ready to strike the creature down. Upon seeing the seal, the ghost doll was filled with dread and hurriedly stammered, "I... I was only sent by Master to track you tonight! I dare not lie to you, big brother; your spell can truly hurt me."

"Tonight? It seems you don't know much. If that's the case, I might spare you, but... it won't be that easy." Jiang Fan pondered for a moment, observing the doll closely. He sensed it wasn't lying and felt a slight sense of relief.

"Bi... big brother, what... what do you want Xiao An to do? As long as you don't go against Master, Xiao An will agree to anything. Just please, don't let Master know I revealed myself... otherwise... otherwise he will torture me mercilessly! Big brother, I beg you." Xiao An looked so pitiful that Jiang Fan couldn't help but feel a flicker of compassion.

After a moment of thought, Jiang Fan said, "I will give you a chance. I ask, you answer. If you dare to hide anything from me, I will crush you with this Green Wood Seal!"

"Big brother... you say it. As long as you don't ask about Master's identity or reveal that I showed myself, I will tell you everything I know," the doll whimpered.

"Very well! Answer my questions properly, and I will let you go as if nothing happened." Jiang Fan said coldly, "First question: what is your master's goal in having you track me?"

Jiang Fan felt it was essential to understand the ghost's purpose to plan accordingly.

"Big brother, Master said your cultivation has reached the peak of the second level of Qi Refining and you will soon break through to the third... Master wants me to supervise you, to observe if you are truly cultivating, and then... once you break through to the third level, I must report it immediately!" Xiao An answered honestly.

"Oh? Does that mean the three senior brothers and sisters who reached the peak of the second level before me were also being tracked by you?" Jiang Fan couldn't help but ask.

"Big brother, you are so smart! But they never discovered me, so I just kept tracking them in the shadows without revealing myself," Xiao An said innocently.

"So that's how it is!" Jiang Fan realized the truth. Old Demon Xu truly had many tricks up his sleeve, and this ghost doll was exceptionally cunning. If he hadn't suspected something was amiss, he might not have forced the creature into a panic, causing it to reveal itself. If he hadn't discovered Xiao An, his every move would have been reported back to Old Demon Xu.

"Second question: you should know about the Seven-Day Heart-Eating Powder and its antidote, right?" Jiang Fan asked coldly.

If he could discover the antidote to the Seven-Day Heart-Eating Powder, once he obtained and consumed it, he would no longer have to fear Old Demon Xu.