Chapter 63: A Sentence of Life and Death, Slaying the Crimson Demon
A sigh escaped Yan Yi’s lips, as if releasing the burden she had carried for centuries.
The obsession that had haunted her for a hundred years had finally been lifted.
“…”
Lin Tianlu turned to look at her, his gaze calm.
“The battle is over. Are you ready to face your punishment?”
“Of course—”
Yan Yi raised her head and smiled serenely. “My wish has been fulfilled. I’ve lingered in this world for five hundred years. I have no further attachments.”
She wouldn’t plead for mercy.
She knew the sins she had committed over the centuries. Even though she hadn’t caused as much bloodshed as other ghosts, her crimes were still unforgivable.
Lin Tianlu was well aware of this.
Although the blood-red aura around her was faint, it still indicated that she had taken lives.
No matter how many or how few, she had to bear the consequences of her actions. There was no escape.
“The male form I created to avoid trouble has now become a shroud, allowing me to die with dignity. What an ironic twist of fate.”
Yan Yi took a deep breath. “Please, Sir, allow me to die in this form.”
“As you wish.”
Lin Tianlu saw her acceptance of death and, after a moment of silence, said,
“But I have a few questions for you.”
“Ask whatever you wish, Sir.” Yan Yi closed her eyes and said softly, “You are the victor, the one who freed me from my torment. I’ll answer truthfully.”
“You seem to be connected to that ghost practitioner earlier. Are you part of some organization, or…”
“Have you heard of the ‘Luo Xing,’ Sir?”
Lin Tianlu remained silent.
“It’s understandable if you haven’t. The ‘Luo Xing’ rarely reveals itself, and there’s very little information about them in the outside world.” Yan Yi chuckled softly. “The Luo Xing is a vast organization, controlling the ‘Human Soul Repository’ and governing many provinces and counties. Changling County is just one of them.”
Governing counties?
Lin Tianlu was surprised.
Was this ‘Luo Xing’ somehow connected to the government?
“Don’t be troubled, Sir. On the surface, the government maintains order, but the ‘Luo Xing’ operates in the shadows, handling matters related to… demons, ghosts, and other supernatural beings.”
“You’re a member of the Luo Xing, and yet you’re revealing this information to me?”
“A dying ghost speaks the truth?”
Yan Yi shook her head with a wry smile. “I have no attachments to the Luo Xing. It was just a phase in my long life. I became a Soultaker for the mutual benefits. Now that my wish has been fulfilled, why would I keep their secrets from my benefactor?”
She took out a token from her pocket and placed it on the ground beside her.
Lin Tianlu glanced at it and immediately recognized it.
The symbol on the token was almost identical to the one he had found at the Cheng residence.
“It seems you’re aware of this token, Sir.”
Yan Yi said calmly, “Cheng Xinyin from the Cheng family had connections to the ‘Luo Xing.’ She was considered one of their official representatives in Changling County, recognized and authorized to pass down their techniques and create ghost practitioners.”
Rumble!
A loud boom echoed through the air, and Lin Tianlu felt the ground beneath his feet trembling. A strange, murky aura began to spread around them.
His eyes narrowed, and even Yan Yi, kneeling on the ground, looked up in surprise.
Then, she chuckled as if realizing something. “Sir, do you know why the Luo Xing is able to control so many provinces and counties?”
“Why?”
“Because of the ‘Human Soul Repository’.”
“It’s divided into the Human Key and the Soul Repository. The Soul Repository is buried deep within the earth veins and rivers of each town and county, collecting the souls and life force of mortals. Over hundreds and thousands of years, it transforms into a Crimson Beast, the foundation of the Luo Xing’s power, a guardian beast that protects their destiny. Its power is unimaginable, like a natural disaster, unstoppable.
And the ‘Soultakers’ hold the Human Key. They are chosen for their exceptional strength and cultivation. Their duty is to collect the soul power and Yin energy from the Soul Repository and distribute it to the official members, a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
“Are you saying…”
“Now that I, a ‘Soultaker,’ am about to die, the Human Key is damaged. The Crimson Beast, a manifestation of the Soul Repository, will sense it.”
Yan Yi sighed, looking up at the sky, a relieved smile on her face. “End my life, Sir, before the Crimson Beast arrives. Destroy the Human Key. With the Human Soul Repository disrupted, it will be much more difficult for the Luo Xing to control Changling.”
“—Very well.”
Lin Tianlu gathered spiritual energy in his palm, his expression serious.
“In your next life, remember to be a good person.”
“You’re asking a lot, Sir, expecting a ghost to turn good.”
Yan Yi smiled gently. “But I’ll remember your words, my benefactor.
I believe that with your power, Sir… you can slay the Crimson Beast and bring true peace to Changling County.”
“Rest in peace.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Tianlu struck out with his palm.
Boom!
A burst of spiritual light, and Yan Yi’s body turned to ash.
A massive cloud of gray mist erupted from the ashes.
Rumble!
A violent explosion came from behind them.
Lin Tianlu’s expression froze, and he turned around.
The full moon was now hidden behind dark, heavy clouds. A murky aura filled the air, a foul stench that made him gag.
Thunder roared, and bolts of lightning, like writhing dragons, struck the Ningguan River, creating a dazzling display of electricity.
Suddenly, the river parted, the water receding as a colossal creature emerged, its massive body slowly rising from the depths. It placed its hands on the riverbanks, its monstrous head resembling that of a beast. “Roar—!!”
Its earth-shattering roar echoed through the air, shaking the entire Changling County!
Its mountainous body was shrouded in a swirling black mist, crimson lightning crackling around it. An aura of doom and destruction, tangible and menacing, emanated from it, like a harbinger of disaster.
Its massive shadow fell upon the land, the red lightning illuminating Lin Tianlu’s face, his expression grave.
He raised his hand to shield himself from the splashing water, his eyes narrowing.
This world truly harbored such terrifying monsters.
Its aura alone was far more powerful than Yan Yi’s. This was a being that transcended the mortal realm!
The Crimson Beast opened its eyes slightly and inhaled deeply. A powerful force swept across the riverbank, drawing in the scattered Yin energy and souls towards its gaping maw.
Thump!
But its head suddenly jerked back as if struck by an invisible force. The wind and waves subsided.
“—Who told you to eat that?”
Lin Tianlu flicked his sleeve, releasing a wave of spiritual energy.
The Yin energy was drawn towards the jade pendant in his pocket. It trembled excitedly, its surface shimmering with light.
“Roar—!!”
The Crimson Beast roared in fury, slamming its fists onto the ground. The impact shook the earth, creating cracks that spread across the landscape, sending waves crashing through the river!
“Is this the guardian of the Luo Xing’s destiny?”
Lin Tianlu scoffed.
“A mindless beast, truly pathetic.”
He ignored the creature’s roar and closed his eyes.
He had been in this world for over a month, his heart experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions, but now, he felt a sense of peace.
Even facing this terrifying monster, he remained calm and composed.
Perhaps this was the trial he needed to truly transcend mortality…
Lin Tianlu opened his eyes and looked up at the sky, seeing purple-black lightning flickering within the dark clouds.
“If you truly desire a fight…
Then come!”
Rumble—!!
A bolt of lightning tore through the black mist, a divine punishment descending from the heavens, striking the ground with a deafening roar!
The Crimson Beast, about to attack, was thrown back by the force of the blast.
A look of surprise appeared on its monstrous face. It roared, its massive body, shrouded in black mist, suddenly engulfed in crimson flames. A scorching heat swept through the air, clashing with the Yin energy, creating a swirling vortex of darkness.
It swung its massive arms, summoning thunder and fire, a torrent of flames pouring towards Lin Tianlu, the intense heat incinerating the riverbank, transforming the area into a fiery inferno!
But a sword beam flashed, cleaving the Crimson Demon’s flames in two, extinguishing them.
“…”
The purple-black lightning faded, leaving only a simple wooden sword, spinning as it plunged into the scorched earth, its soft hum echoing in the air.
Lin Tianlu felt a surge of righteous energy coursing through him. He walked over, drew the sword, and raised it, pointing the blade towards the Crimson Beast.
“I will slay this demon…
And bring peace to the people of Changling!”
His eyes shone with an unprecedented light, a divine radiance.
Without hesitation…
He struck!
—Clang!
A profound sword beam sliced through the Crimson Beast’s massive body, its momentum cleaving the river in two.
The powerful sword intent even split the dark clouds in the sky, revealing the moon.
The air cleared, and a gentle moonlight bathed the silent Changling County.
The murky aura dissipated, and a refreshing autumn breeze swept through the town.
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