Chapter 220: Ambush and Attack, Visiting the Magistrate
The demon was terrified, his mind reeling.
—What was going on?!
How had this frail-looking scholar appeared beside him so suddenly?
And who was that powerful being in the next room, who had effortlessly dispelled his formation and forced him to reveal his true form?
Had his actions been seen through from the beginning? Had he been playing right into their hands?
Panicked, the demon’s face darkened, and he swatted Lin Tianlu’s hand away, preparing to flee.
This inn was too dangerous. If he stayed any longer, he might not survive!
He would retreat for now, regroup, and gather his—
“Huh?”
The demon stumbled, his shoulder suddenly lighter, almost falling to his knees.
He stared at his right arm, his face filled with confusion.
The arm he had just been using to attack… was gone, only a wisp of Yin energy dissipating into the air.
“Couldn’t you have just talked to us nicely?”
Lin Tianlu dusted off his sleeve, his expression exasperated. “You hurt yourself, and we haven’t even done anything yet.”
“H-how is this possible—”
The demon’s eyes widened in horror, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
He hadn’t even seen what had happened… No, had his arm simply vanished because he touched this man’s hand?
What kind of monster was this?!
“Don’t even think about running.”
A clear and ethereal voice echoed through the hallway.
The demon turned to see a beautiful woman with silver hair emerging from the next room, her movements graceful as she raised her hand, creating ripples of energy in the air.
Although her actions seemed effortless, to the demon, it was a death sentence. He was trapped, surrounded by an inescapable web of Yin techniques!
“Tell us who you are, what your purpose is, and the names of your accomplices.”
Mao Ruoyu’s voice was cold and sharp.
Although she hadn’t left the room, she had heard their conversation and knew what was happening.
“You—”
The demon’s face twisted in rage, realizing he had no escape. He prepared to fight to the death.
“Now, now, demon friend. Do you really want to resist?”
Lin Tianlu approached him, a playful smile on his face. “I think we can resolve this peacefully if we just talk.”
“Stay… back!” The demon roared, unleashing a torrent of Yin energy, a shadowy maw appearing, ready to devour Lin Tianlu whole.
But…
“Huh?”
The demon’s ferocious expression froze, his narrowed eyes widening in shock.
The light in his eyes faded, replaced by an abyss of terror and despair.
In an instant, an overwhelming force, like heavenly retribution, crushed his soul, his body dissolving into mist before he could even utter a word.
“Ah…”
Lin Tianlu was stunned, a strange expression on his face. “That works too?”
He hadn’t even attacked yet, and this demon had… scared himself to death?
“He was truly foolish, trying to resist.”
Hua Shuya sheathed her sword and walked into the hallway, her gaze fixed on the spot where the demon had vanished.
“It’s a shame we didn’t get to question him.” Lin Tianlu sighed.
If he had known the demon was so fragile, he would have just talked to him directly, instead of setting up this elaborate trap.
“I apologize for disturbing your rest, Ruoyu.”
“I had just fallen asleep. It’s nothing.” Mao Ruoyu smiled gently, smoothing her hair.
“Th-this—”
The constables stared at the scene, their minds reeling.
The terrifying demon, who had seemed so powerful just moments ago, had been annihilated effortlessly by this seemingly ordinary scholar.
What kind of power did he possess?!
Hu Siqi collapsed to the ground, her body trembling with relief and a lingering fear.
She had been so foolish, trying to rob such a powerful individual…
She was lucky to be alive!
“Officer, when you return to the county office, please inform your Magistrate Ma about this.”
Lin Tianlu turned to the constables, his voice calm. “Those demons and ghosts are not to be trifled with. If you intend to fight them, you can’t be careless or arrogant. You might fall into their traps.”
The middle-aged constable’s expression turned serious, and he regained his composure, bowing deeply. “Thank you for saving us, Master. If it weren’t for you, we would have all died here tonight.”
The other constables also bowed respectfully, their previous arrogance gone.
They had faced demons and ghosts before and knew how dangerous the situation had been, far beyond their abilities. Recalling the gruesome deaths they had witnessed, they couldn’t help but shudder.
Lin Tianlu smiled. “Now do you believe me, officers? That young lady hasn’t killed anyone. She’s just a petty thief. There’s no need for such harsh punishment.”
“We’ll keep that in mind, Sir.”
The middle-aged constable hesitated for a moment, then bowed again. “We were blind and ignorant, not recognizing your extraordinary power, Master. You’re practically a divine being. We’re truly humbled.
But we have a request… Please come with us to the county office. Magistrate Ma would be honored to meet you!”
Lin Tianlu chuckled. “Is Magistrate Ma not busy anymore?”
The constable’s face paled, and he said quickly, “He’s not busy! Not busy at all! Please forgive my earlier rudeness, Master! If I offended you in any way, please punish me as you see fit! I won’t resist!”
“There’s no need for such dramatics.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled and patted his shoulder. “I was just joking. You’re all too tense. Relax. We’re not monsters. There’s no need to be so formal.”
“Th-thank you for your generosity, Master.” The constable’s face was filled with gratitude.
“Since you’re all unharmed, take me to Magistrate Ma.”
Lin Tianlu turned to Hua Shuya and Mao Ruoyu, who had joined them. He smiled. “Why don’t you two rest here at the inn? It should be safe now. And please keep an eye on Yun Yue… She seems to be undergoing some kind of transformation.”
Mao Ruoyu nodded slightly. “We’ll take care of everything here, Sir. And we’ll repair the damage to the inn with Yin techniques, so no one will notice.”
Fortunately, the demon’s formation had also contained a sleep-inducing effect. Almost everyone in the inn, including the innkeeper and the guests, was still asleep. It had been meant to prevent them from interfering, but now it was preventing chaos and panic.
And with the Moon Shadow Breath and the newly learned Moon Shadow techniques, Mao Ruoyu’s control over Yin energy had increased significantly.
Even if there was chaos, she could easily restore order.
“Please come back soon, Senior.” Hua Shuya frowned slightly. “But is Miss Yun Yue really alright…?”
“Don’t worry.”
Lin Tianlu tapped his forehead. “I sense something. It’s not harmful. In fact, it’s beneficial. We just have to wait.”
He had sensed a change in Yun Yue before leaving the Lunar Valley.
It was as if she had formed a connection with the ethereal Mount Taiyi within him, their souls resonating, a faint stream of spiritual energy flowing into her body.
“Alright, then Madam and I will wait here.” Hua Shuya’s worry subsided.
After their trip to the Lunar Valley, she had a better understanding of Lin Tianlu’s true power. There was no need for her to worry about his safety.
“Th-then I…”
A weak and hesitant voice came from behind them.
They turned to see Hu Siqi, her face pale, her body trembling as she clung to a chair for support. “Can I go home now…?”
“No.”
Lin Tianlu smiled gently. “Even attempted theft is a crime, Miss. You have to go with these officers to the county office. You might not be executed, but you’ll still be punished.”
“…”
Hu Siqi’s legs almost gave way, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
But she forced a smile, chuckling nervously.
She was now even more terrified that if she dared to disobey, she would suffer the same fate as that demon, annihilated without a trace.
…
It was past the second watch, and the night was dark.
But the county office in Anshi County was brightly lit.
Lin Tianlu, escorted by the constables, looked around curiously.
It was late, yet the county office was still bustling with activity, constables coming and going, still busy with their work.
It seemed that the situation in Anshi County was still unstable.
“This way, Master.”
The middle-aged constable gestured respectfully. “I’ve already sent someone to inform him. Magistrate Ma is waiting for you in his study.”
“Alright.”
Lin Tianlu, followed by the trembling Hu Siqi, entered the county office and saw the grand and imposing main hall.
“Th-this—”
Seeing the various torture devices displayed in the hall, such as the tiger head guillotine and the tiger bench, Hu Siqi’s face paled, and she almost turned and ran.
She was a thief, why would she willingly enter a county office?!
The sight of those instruments of torture, imagining them being used on her, made her legs tremble.
But Lin Tianlu noticed her fear and patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Miss Siqi. You haven’t killed anyone. Even if you’ve stolen a few things, you’ll just spend a few months in jail. It’s better than living in constant fear, running and hiding.”
“I-I understand.” Hu Siqi took a few deep breaths.
“This way, Master Lin.”
The constable led them through the building.
…
They walked through a winding corridor, finally reaching the study.
Although the door and windows were closed, they could still see the flickering candlelight and a faint silhouette inside.
Creak
The door opened, and Lin Tianlu and Hu Siqi entered.
“Magistrate Ma, we’ve brought the woman you asked us to capture.”
The constable bowed respectfully. “And this is Master Lin, the man we mentioned earlier. He possesses extraordinary power, capable of destroying powerful demons with a single strike. He could be a great asset to Anshi County!”
“I’m aware. You can leave now.”
A deep, raspy voice came from behind a translucent screen. The figure inside remained motionless.
The constable hesitated for a moment, then bowed again and left the room.
After the door closed, the magistrate’s voice echoed again.
“I heard from the constable that you effortlessly destroyed a demon of the Evil Spirit Realm, Master Lin?”
“It was just a fluke.” Lin Tianlu bowed slightly, his voice calm and steady. “I wanted to capture him alive and question him. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned.”
“Truly… remarkable.”
A hand reached out from behind the screen, pulling it aside and revealing a hunched figure, an elderly man with a withered face, his hair and beard white, his eyes deep and ancient, as if they had witnessed countless lifetimes.
And…
Lin Tianlu’s eyes narrowed, sensing something strange.
A deep and bitter resentment emanated from this man, an aura of malice even stronger than that of the demon they had just encountered!
“Now that I’m looking at you closely, Master Lin, you truly are as impressive as the constable described, your appearance and aura quite extraordinary.”
Magistrate Ma’s voice was filled with a hint of admiration.
Lin Tianlu smiled faintly. “You’re also quite impressive, Magistrate Ma.”
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