Every cultivator from the Taoist Sect was affected by Dark Energy. Those practicing Peeping Cultivation possessed exceptionally strong Perception; this is the ordered change Dark Energy caused to their bodies, and this is the significance of the Taoist Sect.
As for the Knife Labor Ghosts, they too were subjected to Dark Energy’s impactful, destructive, and disordered alterations. These changes were not just physical but also perceptual.
What kind of effect would disordered changes have on the Perception of Knife Labor Ghosts? I pondered this for a long time and even experimented on myself yesterday.
Why do Knife Labor Ghosts always appear during thunderstorms? Everyone says it’s their habit, but where exactly does this habit come from?
It was only after I contracted the Knife Labor Ghost’s affliction that I truly understood. The Rabies Virus destroyed part of my nerves, causing an issue with my Perception and making me feel extremely thirsty.
But my vision was also affected by the Rabies Virus. I couldn’t tell which was a water jug, or even what water was.
Unable to see water, I had to endure extreme thirst. At that moment, the sound of thunder was very important to me.
Thunder means rain. When it rains, I can just open my mouth to drink the water. That is why Knife Labor Ghosts definitely appear during thunderstorms.
To them, the sound of thunder and rain is the sound of salvation. It excites them and gives them strong aggressiveness. This is the origin of their so-called habit.
As for where Knife Labor Ghosts are when it’s not raining, we still need to continue researching."
Li Banfeng exclaimed in admiration, "To be able to describe your research findings in such simple and clear terms, how much effort have you dedicated to the origins of the Taoist Sect?"
Cui Tiq smiled bitterly. "All roads lead to Puluo, but some are born in Puluo State. I must make up for my innate disadvantage through acquired efforts."
He took out two seeds and scattered them into the soil.
"These are crops with the traits of Peeping Cultivation. I bought them from a friend nearby."
These seeds clearly came from Zhang Wanlong. Cui Tiq was a connoisseur and knew who sold good things.
He dripped some medicinal liquid onto the seeds, and they grew rapidly. Two minutes later, a Morning Glory bloomed before them.
Cui Tiq pressed his ear to the flower’s bell and listened for a moment, then said to Li Banfeng, "There’s a Knife Labor Ghost below. Judging by its breathing and heartbeat, it should be sound asleep."
Li Banfeng asked, "Are you thinking of digging it out?"
"That would be too barbaric, like rudely flipping someone’s blanket off. Digging it out would make it very agitated, which would be detrimental to any subsequent communication." Cui Tiq faced the flower’s bell, vibrated his throat, and made a strange sound.
RUMBLE... RUMBLE... RUMBLE...
It was as if a mass of unidentified liquid was pushed to the back of his throat by a current of air, making Li Banfeng want to cough.
Cui Tiq explained, "I’m imitating the sound of thunder."
Li Banfeng felt it didn’t sound like thunder at all. Cui Tiq said, "To a Knife Labor Ghost’s hearing, this sound is exactly like thunder."
Li Banfeng frowned. "You talk as if you’re a Knife Labor Ghost yourself."
"I can be!" Cui Tiq’s forehead and cheeks swelled, and his facial features blurred.
He roared a few more times at the Morning Glory’s bell, and the soil on the ground stirred.
Li Banfeng quickly backed away, and Cui Tiq also maintained a certain distance.
After a while, a Knife Labor Ghost crawled out of the soil. It tilted its face towards the sky and opened its mouth.
She was trying to catch rainwater.
It was her. This Knife Labor Ghost was female; her characteristics were quite distinct.
After waiting a long time without catching any rainwater, thirst and disappointment made her look towards Cui Tiq.
Li Banfeng stood at a distance. He was very eager to know what method Cui Tiq would use to battle the Knife Labor Ghost.
If Cui Tiq could truly find a way to eliminate Knife Labor Ghosts, the threat of Knife Ghost Ridge would be greatly reduced, and Li Banfeng would have more options in dealing with it.
The swelling on Cui Tiq’s face had some effect; the Knife Labor Ghost opposite him didn’t rush to spray poison, seemingly mistaking him for one of its own kind.
Cui Tiq also didn’t rush to use any Technique. He took out a drawing from his bosom.
Strictly speaking, it probably wasn’t a drawing, but rather a geometric figure formed by arcs of varying lengths.
At first glance, it seemed like a still image, but the longer one stared, the more something seemed to move in the picture.
This was an illusion caused by guiding lines. In school, Li Banfeng had learned about such things.
He looked at the Knife Labor Ghost’s reaction.
The Knife Labor Ghost walked up to the picture and rubbed it continuously with its sausage-like arm.
After rubbing for a good while, the Knife Labor Ghost smacked its lips, wiped its mouth, and then returned into the soil.
Cui Tiq let out a long sigh of relief. The swelling on his face disappeared, and he returned to his normal appearance.
Li Banfeng was surprised. How had Cui Tiq subdued the Knife Labor Ghost?
Holding the drawing, Cui Tiq said, "If I told you now that I’m a Painting Cultivator, would you believe me?"
Cui Tiq put away the scroll and smiled. "I’m not a Painting Cultivator. I just drew some water for that Knife Labor Ghost earlier."
"Those things you drew were water?"
"In your eyes, definitely not. But in the eyes of a Knife Labor Ghost, that’s water. The visual system of Knife Labor Ghosts is impaired by the Rabies Virus; what they see is different from what we see."
Li Banfeng still didn’t understand. "Those lines you just drew look like water to a Knife Labor Ghost?
Haven’t they seen real water before? How could they mistake such lines for it?"