Chapter 223: The Ju Xuan Advisor, The Lofty Mirror of Justice
As they stepped out of the county office, the constables stared at the street in stunned silence.
The cries and screams had vanished, replaced by an eerie quiet.
The dozen or so demons and ghosts that had gathered were gone, leaving behind only traces of ash and the remnants of their destructive Yin energy, a stark reminder of their presence just moments ago.
“…Unbelievable.”
Several constables murmured, their faces pale, their minds still reeling.
They had never imagined that the terrifying battle they had been dreading would end so abruptly, so anticlimactically.
And it was all thanks to…
…this seemingly ordinary scholar.
“Officers, those murderous demons and ghosts have been eliminated. Now, we just have to deal with these ghost practitioners who were aiding them.”
Lin Tianlu smiled and tugged at the belts he was holding.
Several men and women lay scattered on the ground at his feet, their ages varying, their faces bruised and swollen, groaning in pain. They had clearly been thoroughly beaten.
The belts he held were their own, used to bind them.
“Magistrate Ma will decide how to punish them.”
“Thank you for your assistance, Master Lin. I won’t forget your kindness.”
The magistrate bowed deeply. “And I won’t be lenient with these criminals. I’ll bring justice to their victims.”
“Thank you, Master!” The constables also bowed, their faces filled with gratitude and relief.
The crisis in Anshi County had been resolved, even if it wasn’t by their own hands.
Lin Tianlu handed the belts to a constable, then turned to Magistrate Ma. “But you made a slight oversight, Magistrate.”
“Hmm?”
The magistrate’s expression turned serious.
“Could it be that those demons and ghosts—”
“It was a trap. There’s a mastermind behind this, someone who can conceal their presence and control those demons and ghosts.”
Lin Tianlu smiled enigmatically and glanced at the wall across from the county office. “Now that those demons are gone, he should be making his appearance soon.”
The moonlight was bright, like scattered stardust.
The gentle autumn breeze seemed to freeze, only the shimmering light remaining.
The constables’ bodies stiffened, their expressions frozen, their hearts filled with a nameless dread.
What… what kind of monster was coming?
“—I never thought someone would interfere with my plans.”
A cold and menacing voice echoed through the air.
A handsome man, holding a folding fan, materialized on the wall, his figure like a wisp of smoke. He had the refined aura of a nobleman, but also a terrifying presence that made the constables lower their heads, their faces covered in cold sweat.
“For mere constables and a scholar to defy me… you’ll pay for your insolence.”
He traced the edge of his fan with his finger, a sinister smile on his lips, his eyes gleaming with a chilling light. “Especially you, scholar. You dare to stand before me without bowing? You have some nerve.”
A wave of oppressive Yin energy washed over them, cracking the ground beneath their feet.
“So you’re the one causing trouble in this county.”
But Lin Tianlu remained calm and unfazed by the pressure, a smile on his face. “Judging by your aura, you must be someone important.”
“To withstand 30% of my power without flinching… you’re quite arrogant.”
The man, who called himself Fan Qi, sneered and waved his fan dismissively. “But I am Venerable Qi, an advisor to Prince Pei, and a member of the Luo Xing. Either title is enough to make you kneel before me. If you don’t want to die a painful death, beg for mercy now. Perhaps I’ll spare you for your defiance.”
His words made Magistrate Hua’s face pale.
He had only become a demon half a month ago and knew little about the Luo Xing.
But Prince Pei… as a former government official, he knew him well.
“Prince Pei? The Luo Xing?”
Lin Tianlu pondered for a moment. “I’ve heard of Prince Pei, a powerful nobleman. As for the Luo Xing… we’re ‘old friends.’ Your mention brings back memories.”
Fan Qi’s eyes narrowed. “You, scholar—”
“Master Lin, Prince Pei is incredibly powerful. Although his influence in Xima Prefecture is limited, his resources are far beyond ours.”
Magistrate Hua lowered his voice, his tone urgent. “It’s said that his Ju Xuan Estate is filled with talented individuals, and those who hold the title of ‘Venerable’ are far above me in rank. Ordinary people should kneel before them.”
“I see.”
Lin Tianlu nodded, understanding the situation.
Fan Qi overheard their conversation and sneered.
“You’re quite knowledgeable for a mere magistrate. You haven’t disappointed me. If you pledge your loyalty to the Ju Xuan Estate, I might spare your life. I can put in a good word for you with the prince. You might even get promoted.”
“I have no desire for promotion.”
Magistrate Hua took a deep breath and bowed respectfully. “I’m just curious, Venerable Qi, why would you come to such a small and insignificant town? And why did you say those things earlier?”
Fan Qi’s sneer widened. “Can’t you see?”
Magistrate Hua’s expression remained calm as he bowed again. “Please enlighten me, Venerable One.”
“Just look around. The chaos in Anshi County… was orchestrated by me.”
He smiled cruelly, closing his fan and tapping it against his palm. “Prince Pei’s son is visiting Xima Prefecture. As an advisor of the Ju Xuan Estate, I naturally have to prepare a suitable gift. The Luo Xing members stationed here are quite weak. They followed my instructions without question…
And it seems they’ve done a good job. The entire town is in chaos, the Yin energy swirling, ripe for the taking. With proper manipulation, I can use the Human Soul Repository to create something truly valuable.”
Magistrate Hua clenched his fists, his voice low and menacing. “You caused so much suffering and death… just for a gift to the prince?”
“Tch, that’s why I dislike coming to these backwater towns. Not only are the mortals foolish and ignorant, but even those with education and official positions are equally stupid, like uncivilized apes, spouting naive nonsense.”
Fan Qi’s smile vanished, replaced by a cold and arrogant indifference.
“Even without the prince’s visit, it’s my right as a member of the Luo Xing to collect my ‘dues.’ And you, a mere mortal, dare to question me?”
He raised his hand and pressed down. “Kneel!”
Hum—!
A wave of oppressive energy descended upon them.
The constables’ eyes bulged, their bodies creaking under the immense pressure. Magistrate Hua, already weakened, collapsed to his knees.
“You should exercise more, Magistrate. You shouldn’t be so easily brought to your knees.”
A mocking laugh echoed through the air as the pressure suddenly vanished.
The constables, confused and disoriented, checked their bodies, wondering if they were injured or hallucinating.
Magistrate Hua blinked, then turned to see Lin Tianlu standing beside him, a gentle smile on his face, his hand supporting his arm.
“Master Lin…”
“Step back, Magistrate, and take these officers with you. You might get hurt. And I wouldn’t want you to get any dust or debris in your eyes.”
Lin Tianlu smiled and patted the shoulders of the other constables. “Officers, take the magistrate back inside. It’s late, and it’s not good to have so many people standing outside. It might cause unnecessary panic.”
“…Huh?”
The constables were stunned.
But they were experienced fighters, and they quickly regained their composure, helping the magistrate back into the county office, their eyes wary, watching Fan Qi for any sudden movements.
But they didn’t realize that Fan Qi was equally surprised.
“—What’s going on?”
Something was wrong.
Seeing the constables retreat, Fan Qi wasn’t worried. With his cultivation, he could easily destroy the entire county office with a wave of his hand, burying everyone inside.
But what truly puzzled him was…
His Yin technique had been effortlessly dispelled.
It wasn’t a powerful technique, just a simple intimidation tactic, but even Evil Spirits would kneel before him. Yet this scholar had neutralized it so easily.
“You… you were hiding your true strength?”
Fan Qi’s voice lowered, his tone menacing.
He had observed the battle in front of the county office earlier.
Although those demons and ghosts weren’t particularly powerful, their strength was more than enough to deal with those constables. And even if this scholar could defeat them, his cultivation shouldn’t be much higher than the Crimson Demon realm… at least, that was what he had assumed.
After all, the difference between realms was vast, especially between the Evil Spirit and Crimson Demon realms, a seemingly insurmountable gap.
He knew most of the Crimson Demons in the Fengchen Kingdom, and he had never seen this scholar before.
If he had known, he wouldn’t have revealed himself so readily.
“I thought the Luo Xing had stopped operating in Xima Prefecture.”
Lin Tianlu slowly closed the gate of the county office and turned around, a faint smile on his face. “I didn’t expect to encounter another one so soon.”
“What do you mean?”
“A while ago, I met a Soultaker during a Path of the Netherworld ritual. Yu Hanyi, I believe. He seemed to be a prince? We made an agreement. The Luo Xing wouldn’t cause any more trouble in my territory.”
Lin Tianlu’s smile faded. “But it seems he can’t control all his subordinates.”
Fan Qi was confused. “What are you—”
His expression suddenly froze.
“A prince… Are you talking about Prince Yu?!”
“I believe so.”
“…”
Fan Qi was speechless, his mind reeling.
After a moment of silence, he forced a smile and bowed slightly. “I never expected to meet the renowned Master Lin Tianlu. I apologize for my lack of respect. I haven’t—”
“Enough with the pleasantries.”
Lin Tianlu waved his hand dismissively, his smile fading. “Why don’t you tell me how many innocent lives you’ve taken in this town?”
“…”
Fan Qi’s smile vanished, his eyes flickering. “Master Lin, do you really want to make an enemy of me? I admit I was blind and ignorant, not recognizing your true identity. I apologize. And I won’t cause any more trouble in Anshi County. Let’s just forget about this and—”
“Do you see that plaque above the county office?”
Lin Tianlu interrupted him, pointing at the golden plaque hanging above the entrance. “Do you recognize those words?”
Fan Qi glanced at the plaque, his face darkening.
‘Justice Prevails’
“Even if you’re more powerful than the heavens, those vengeful spirits clinging to you… they won’t let you escape.” Lin Tianlu’s gaze was cold and piercing. “Are you ready to face judgment?”
“I…”
Fan Qi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Then, with a flash of light, he vanished, splitting into dozens of blurry afterimages that scattered in all directions, trying to escape!
“Farewell, Master Lin!”
Ghostly figures appeared, their wails and screams echoing through the air, a swirling wind obscuring their escape.
“…”
Lin Tianlu sighed softly and raised his hand, the heavy plaque above the county office flying towards him, landing firmly in his grasp.
“You despicable wretch… you deserve to die!”
He spun around and hurled the plaque, the heavy wooden board, seven feet long, soaring through the air like a meteor.
It tore through the air, shattering the Yin energy and the ghostly illusions, until it struck its target, a single, desperate scream echoing through the night.
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