Chapter 68: A Maiden’s Blush, A Midnight Pursuit
At the inn…
Knock, knock…
Hua Shuya opened the door. “Senior, did you find any information?”
“Quite a bit.”
Lin Tianlu smiled, holding up a wooden box. “I also brought back some food and drinks for you.”
Hua Shuya’s eyes widened, and she said eagerly, “You’ve gone through so much trouble, Senior. You even went out of your way to…”
“There’s no need to be so formal, Miss Shuya.”
Hearing those words, the girl froze, her face flushing crimson.
Miss… Shuya…?
Her shoulders slumped as if she had lost all her strength. She took the box from him, speechless.
She glanced at him shyly, then mumbled,
“Senior… would you like to come inside for a while?”
“There’s no need for that.”
Lin Tianlu patted her shoulder gently. “Get some rest tonight, Miss Hua. We’ll be leaving early tomorrow. And if you hear any knocking at your door tonight, don’t open it. It might be dangerous.”
“…Understood.”
She watched him return to his room, closing the door reluctantly.
Her heart was filled with a mixture of happiness and disappointment.
But looking at the warm pastries and meat dishes in the box, a sweet feeling spread through her. She smiled happily.
“Senior is always so thoughtful.”
…
As midnight approached, Ganchang Village was silent.
Lin Tianlu wasn’t asleep yet. He was lounging by the window, reading a cheap novel he had bought from a street vendor.
“This protagonist doesn’t even spare tree spirits…”
Lin Tianlu chuckled, his expression turning strange as he read a rather explicit passage.
These ancient scholars might seem refined and well-mannered, but their writing… knew no bounds.
Although the story was quite heartwarming and romantic, it was still a bit much.
Thud—
A faint sound came from outside the window.
Lin Tianlu looked out and saw a figure leaping across the rooftops, clearly a skilled martial artist.
He chuckled softly.
“Now I understand why those martial arts heroes in novels are always running around on rooftops at night.”
Most towns had curfews, and during strict periods, those caught breaking them could even be punished with a beating. No skilled martial artist would want to stop and apologize to the authorities while chasing an enemy.
It would be too embarrassing.
Of course, whether they would actually be caught was another matter.
He closed the novel and jumped out the window.
Since he had nothing better to do, he might as well follow and observe. If there were truly demons or ghosts lurking in the village, he could see how others dealt with them.
After all, he had only seen Hua Shuya fighting ghosts. He didn’t know how strong other martial artists were, or if they had any special tools or techniques to deal with ghosts.
It wouldn’t hurt to learn more.
…
Under the cover of darkness…
Two burly men with rugged faces were running across the rooftops.
“Brother Mei, are you sure about the information you gathered this morning?”
“Of course! Guo Sheng, would I lie to you?”
Mei Hong’an kept his body low as he dashed across the rooftops, heading towards a remote area of Ganchang Village.
Guo Sheng, following closely behind him, seemed a bit hesitant, but he still gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
As they approached a dilapidated mansion, seemingly abandoned for years, his expression turned serious.
“Are you sure it’s a villain hiding in that mansion, and not some kind of demon or ghost?”
“Hmph! Those rumors are just to scare people. There are no such things as demons and ghosts. Only fools believe in them!”
Mei Hong’an sneered. “You’ve lived for over thirty years. Have you ever encountered a real ghost?”
“This… I haven’t. And no one I know has ever mentioned anything supernatural. I only learned about what’s happening in Ganchang Village after receiving the bounty notice.”
“There you go.”
Mei Hong’an shook the gleaming blade in his hand, his voice deep. “Those so-called supernatural events are just tricks by someone pretending to be a ghost. That villain chose this remote village because the villagers are ignorant and easily fooled.
With my ‘Sun-Circling Blade’ and your ‘Jade Clarity Sword,’ we’ll surely be able to expose the culprit and bring him to justice. Once we capture him, we’ll parade him through the streets tomorrow, to show the villagers the truth. They won’t be deceived by those rumors anymore.”
“But I heard that some officers and martial artists…”
“I investigated those cases. Their martial arts skills were mediocre. The strongest among them was just a young man with a few years of training. Their cultivation can’t be that high. As long as we’re careful, we’ll be fine.”
Mei Hong’an touched the bamboo tube at his waist. “Besides, I’ve already informed the authorities. If we encounter a powerful enemy, we’ll signal them, and they’ll surround the place. He won’t be able to escape!”
“You’re quite thorough, Brother Mei.”
As they whispered to each other, they reached the wall of the dilapidated mansion. They hid behind a tree and peered into the courtyard, but they didn’t see any signs of life.
“The mansion is empty. Could those villains have already left… Hmm?”
But Guo Sheng’s eyes widened as he noticed something.
A shadowy figure flashed through the dark corridor of the mansion, disappearing into a nearby room.
“This mansion has been abandoned for years. Why would there be someone inside… There really is a villain hiding here, trying to deceive those innocent villagers!”
“Despicable!”
Mei Hong’an hissed, his blood boiling with anger. He gripped his blade tightly and jumped into the courtyard.
He didn’t shout or try to alert the figure inside. Instead, he charged towards the room, his movements swift and decisive.
His steps were heavy and steady. With a shout, he swung his blade at the shadowy figure.
—And missed.
Mei Hong’an froze, his momentum carrying him forward. He stumbled, his expression confused.
He quickly scanned the room, but the shadowy figure was gone.
“H-how is this possible?!”
Where had it gone?
How could it have vanished so suddenly?
Could it be that the villain hiding here was even more skilled than him, his movements incredibly fast?
“Hehehehehe—”
A low, chilling laughter echoed through the room.
Although Mei Hong’an hadn’t considered the possibility of supernatural beings before, a wave of fear washed over him, sending shivers down his spine. He felt his bones turning to ice.
“…Come out, you coward! Show yourself!”
He forced a brave face, swinging his blade wildly, filling the room with the sound of metal slicing through the air. He was both trying to defend himself and trying to boost his courage.
He had practiced martial arts for almost twenty years, his internal energy potent and fiery. Although he was only half a step away from the Pure Yang realm, his powerful blade techniques still filled the room with a fierce energy.
At the same time, he discreetly tapped the bamboo tube at his waist, trying to ignite the signal flare.
Something was wrong here. He needed to call for reinforcements…
But the sparks fizzled out, making his face pale.
Was it a fake?!
No, there was a chilling wind blowing through the room. Something was definitely amiss!
“Brother Mei.”
“Hmm?!”
A familiar voice startled him, and he turned around, his heart leaping with hope. “Guo Sheng! This place is strange. Let’s retreat… Eh?”
His voice trailed off as his eyes widened in horror.
Because his companion, Guo Sheng, who had just entered the room…
Was standing in the corner, his face covered in blood, his eyes staring at him with a sinister intensity.
As their eyes met, Guo Sheng’s lips curled into a chilling smile. “Brother Mei, come here. I have something to show you.”
“—Aaaaaaaaah!”
Mei Hong’an’s face turned pale, and he screamed, scrambling out of the room in terror.
He crashed into a shadowy figure standing outside the door.
His pupils constricted, his heart pounding. He instinctively swung his blade with all his might!
Clang!
A sharp sound, and his blade snapped in two, the broken half flying across the room and embedding itself in the ceiling beam.
“Do I have such a villainous face that you would attack me on sight, Sir?”
A strange voice rang out.
Mei Hong’an was terrified. He stumbled back, gasping for breath, staring at the… fair-skinned scholar standing before him.
“You… you evil ghost!!”
Seeing his fearful reaction, Lin Tianlu pointed at himself with a puzzled expression. “When did I become a ghost?”
“No scholar can break a steel blade with their bare hands!”
“Uh…”
Lin Tianlu was speechless for a moment. He held up two fingers in a peace sign.
“It’s just my hobby. I practice Diamond Finger Kung Fu in my spare time. You could call me the Golden Touch. Do you believe me?”
“I don’t believe you!”
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