Chapter 128: A Soul’s Depths, A World-Shaking Secret?
Wisps of the fragmented soul dissipated, two children faintly visible within them, waving their hands in gratitude.
Lin Tianlu smiled and bowed in return. As the souls faded into the night sky, his smile disappeared.
“—The world is truly a harsh place.”
He struck out with his palm, and the flickering Netherworld passage collapsed.
…
Yang Chanzhen stared, her eyes wide with shock.
She had witnessed everything clearly.
She hadn’t expected Qiu Fei, the Lingluo woman, to be so effortlessly defeated and destroyed.
And Lin Tianlu… he was far more powerful than she had imagined.
“No wonder he was able to escape the Netherworld unharmed. There’s probably no one else in this world with such cultivation.”
She sighed inwardly, glancing at Mao Ruoyu beside her. “You… you’re not the Azure Fox demon that Qiu Fei spoke of. You’re the woman who was dragged into the Netherworld?”
“Indeed,”
Mao Ruoyu nodded slightly. “Some things happened, and I’ve changed.”
Although her hair and aura were completely different now, her facial features still held a resemblance to her previous self.
“That Lingluo woman died without knowing the truth. How ironic.”
Yang Chanzhen glanced at the fox in Mao Ruoyu’s arms and sighed softly. With Shang Han’s help, she slowly stood up.
“—Miss Yang, how are your injuries?”
A calm voice suddenly rang out.
Yang Chanzhen froze and looked up, her eyes as still as a lake.
“Thanks to your help, Sir, my injuries are much better.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Lin Tianlu walked towards them, his gaze fixed on Yang Chanzhen. “We’re alone now. Let’s have a chat.”
Yang Chanzhen’s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but recall the Lingluo woman’s gruesome demise.
But after taking a deep breath, she calmed down.
“Ask whatever you wish, Mr. Lin. I’ll answer truthfully.”
“When did you become a ghost?”
Yang Chanzhen blinked her beautiful eyes and said softly, “I died in an accident when I was twelve. My soul was taken in by Wen Mountain and taught their techniques.”
Lin Tianlu’s gaze sharpened.
“Have you… ever taken a human life?”
Yang Chanzhen’s pupils constricted.
Because she saw the ethereal mountain silhouette appearing behind him again. Just a glance at it felt like a divine pressure crushing her, her soul trembling, a feeling of submission rising within her.
She bit her lip, her slender legs trembling slightly.
It was her instinct as a ghost, a primal fear emanating from her soul, as if sensing her impending fate.
Perhaps, if she admitted it…
He would strike her down.
“…”
After a moment of silence, Yang Chanzhen sighed softly. “I have taken a human life.”
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow. “Why would you admit it so readily?”
“I don’t like to lie.”
She lowered her eyes and murmured, “If you want to punish me, Sir, I’ll accept it.”
Seeing her lack of resistance, her calm and composed demeanor, even Lin Tianlu, who had been prepared for this, was surprised.
This woman was different from others.
“Miss Yang, you have a faint aura of bloodlust, but your heart isn’t filled with killing intent.” Lin Tianlu’s tone softened. “Would you mind telling me about your past?”
Yang Chanzhen’s heart skipped a beat, and she curtsied. “When I first left Wen Mountain, I was still naive and inexperienced. I encountered a group of bandits who tried to harm me. In a moment of fear, I killed them all.
But since then, I haven’t had any desire to kill, and I haven’t harmed anyone without reason. I only take a life if it’s absolutely necessary, if they are truly evil and deserve punishment.”
Lin Tianlu’s gaze was intense as he studied her.
“…”
Yang Chanzhen’s face paled, and her breathing quickened.
His gaze seemed to pierce through her clothes, her ethereal form, reaching the depths of her soul, like a hand grasping her vulnerable essence, squeezing and twisting it.
But she didn’t flinch or avoid his gaze. She met his eyes, her body trembling slightly, but her resolve unwavering.
Lin Tianlu smiled gently. “You possess a high level of cultivation, Miss Yang, and your heart is pure. I hope you’ll use your power for good and do what’s right.”
“I understand, Sir.”
Yang Chanzhen bowed respectfully, her hands clasped before her.
When she looked up, Lin Tianlu and Mao Ruoyu were already walking away.
She clutched her unhealed shoulder, stumbling back, almost collapsing to the ground.
That incredible pressure had almost paralyzed her, leaving her unable to resist, unable to even think of defying him.
But the strangest thing was…
A sense of familiarity had stirred within her heart.
Looking at his face, sensing his aura, she felt no resentment, only a faint warmth.
“Master Lin… Lin Tianlu…”
Yang Chanzhen murmured his name, her eyes flickering.
After a moment of silence, she shook her head, dismissing the strange feeling, and looked at the ruined courtyard behind her.
The ghosts and ghost practitioners who had fled hadn’t returned.
But as the Azure Lady of Wen Mountain, she possessed unique abilities. Her purple eyes could see through illusions, and she could faintly perceive…
“A corner of the Netherworld… has been destroyed.”
It was as if her entire understanding of the world had been shattered. Yang Chanzhen felt a wave of dizziness.
But she could only sigh softly, keeping this world-shaking secret to herself.
That Master Lin clearly wasn’t interested in fame or recognition. Spreading this news would only displease him.
…
A while later…
“What happened?!”
Many ghosts and ghost practitioners, sensing the dissipation of the Yin energy and miasma, hurried back to the courtyard, only to find it in ruins. The Azure Lady of Wen Mountain stood amidst the debris.
“The Netherworld is closed. There’s no need to be afraid anymore.”
Yang Chanzhen glanced at the direction Lin Tianlu had disappeared, then turned to leave.
“Azure Lady, please wait!”
Ye Xiao, the leader of the Crimson Feather disciples, stepped forward and bowed hastily. “The Lingluo woman, Qiu Fei, her aura has completely vanished. Could it be—”
“She did something she shouldn’t have. She set her sights on someone she shouldn’t have.”
Yang Chanzhen left without looking back. “If you want this Path of the Netherworld to proceed smoothly, restrain your desires and focus on your duties.”
The demons and ghosts exchanged uneasy glances.
That arrogant Lingluo woman… had she truly been eliminated so easily?!
“Please leave now, everyone.”
Shang Yan, his face pale, appeared, clutching his chest. “That Lingluo woman tried to open the Netherworld, turning Jianggai County into a living hell, dragging all of you into her scheme.
But she has been slain by a powerful master. Let this be a warning to all of you. Do not harbor any evil intentions during the Path of the Netherworld.”
“Who killed the Lingluo woman?”
A middle-aged man asked in a deep voice, his hands clasped behind his back.
“A transcendent master, of course.”
“Since when did Jianggai County have such a powerful master?”
“His origins and intentions are unknown.” Shang Yan bowed slightly. “That’s all I can say.”
The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes. “Could it be a Luo Xing Soultaker?”
Shang Yan chuckled. “I wouldn’t dare to speculate.”
“If this man is truly so powerful, capable of effortlessly slaying the Lingluo woman, how can you guarantee that the Path of the Netherworld will proceed smoothly, Master Shang?” Another person asked anxiously. “What if something else happens during these next two days—”
“That’s up to you to decide.”
Shang Yan coughed and bowed. “I’m injured and need to rest. Please excuse me.”
With that, he turned into a wisp of smoke and vanished.
The remaining demons, ghosts, and ghost practitioners were left in stunned silence.
Only Ye Xiao and his companions, along with the pale-faced scholar who had returned after fleeing earlier, exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a mixture of shock and awe.
Had they just witnessed… a world-shaking secret?!
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