“Humph, you think you can escape?”
Shangguan Yunzhu let out a cold snort, her killing intent palpable as she flicked her finger.
“DEPARTING FIRE: INCINERATION!”
A blazing flying sword, its entire body crimson as if forged from molten lava, struck first despite being launched later.
It transformed into a dazzling Red Streamer, instantly piercing through the evil spirit that was fleeing in panic.
“Aow — “
The evil spirit let out an even more shrill and miserable howl, as if it had been thrown into a furnace. The crimson departing fire erupted from the inside out, hungrily licking at its filthy spiritual body.
Its illusory form twisted and struggled violently within the flames, as thick black smoke billowed and a foul stench filled the air.
“Skin… give me a skin. It hurts, it hurts so much…” The cries of endless agony echoed and faded in the narrow street.
Finally, as the red flames completely consumed it, it turned into one last wisp of pungent black smoke and dissipated into the cold night wind.
The other two thugs witnessed this scene, and a deep terror appeared in their eyes. They quickly wailed out, “You… don’t come any closer! Help! Murder!”
“Quick, run! Go find the officials and have these killers arrested!”
They wanted to call for help, hoping that Lu Qiancha and the other two would not dare to commit a crime in broad daylight before everyone’s eyes.
However, the surrounding pedestrians had long been scared away by them. Now that the passersby saw how ruthless this group was, it was even more impossible for anyone to stand up for these ruffians.
Gantang’s reaction was lightning-fast. The moment the remaining two thugs turned to flee, she pointed her fingers like a sword and gave a sharp cry, “Go!”
*Clang! Clang!*
Two streaks of clear Swordlight, like soul-chasing bolts of cold lightning, accurately swept past the back of the two thugs’ knees.
*Thud, thud!*
The two fell to the ground instantly like puppets with their strings cut. Not a single drop of blood seeped from their severed legs.
They could only claw fruitlessly at the cold ground with their hands, letting out shrill, desperate wails. “Help! Help! Have mercy, hero! Brother, brother, save me!”
Their distorted faces turned toward a passing vendor, their eyes filled with the pleading look of drowning men.
The old vendor, carrying a shoulder pole, had originally only wanted to stay far away from this place of trouble.
Now, pinned to the spot by this horrific sight and those direct, pleading gazes, he was scared out of his wits.
Forcing himself to muster the last of his courage, his voice trembled as he shouted at Lu Qiancha’s group, “You… you bandits, stop! The government officials will be here soon. In broad daylight, do not commit more crimes!”
Lu Qiancha’s expression remained calm and indifferent. He took the bottle of pure black wither potion in his hand and poured it precisely onto the two incapacitated thugs.
*Sizzle — *
The ear-grating sound of corrosion accompanied by even more shrill, inhuman howls rang out again.
Black smoke rose, and their skin dissolved, revealing two twisted, black evil spirits struggling to break free from their final restraints.
Lu Qiancha did not even look at the evil spirits being pinned to the ground by Shangguan Yunzhu’s small swords of departing fire, suffering as their souls were scorched.
Instead, he put away the Demonic Sword, a harmless smile appearing on his face as if he were a friendly neighbor, and walked toward the shivering old vendor with a leisurely pace.
“Old man,” his voice was as gentle as a boy next door, his gaze falling on the steaming date cakes on the shoulder pole, “these date cakes look quite good. Why don’t you give me a piece to taste? If it’s sweet enough, I’ll buy more.”
“You… you, you…” The vendor was scared out of his mind, his teeth chattering as he backed away, nearly knocking over his pole.
“They’re… they’re not for sale. Just take them, Young Master, take them all. I only beg you not to take this old man’s life.”
He was desperate to push the entire load onto the other person.
“Oh, why would you say that, old man?” Lu Qiancha feigned surprise, his smile still bright and even tinged with a bit of grievance.
“I am a Disciple of the Tianyuan Sect, acting on orders to eliminate demons and protect the peace of this land. How could I possibly take a life?”
He stepped aside and kindly pointed toward the narrow street, which was now exceptionally clean — only two clumps of black spiritual energy remained there, twisting and screaming in the departing fire, their skins long since turned to nothing.
“Look, in the clear light of day, the street is perfectly clean. Where do you see any people being harmed?”
As he spoke, Lu Qiancha reached out and lightly patted the vendor’s cold, sweat-soaked back like an old friend.
Actually, Lu Qiancha had intended to pat him on the shoulder, but he was not tall enough.
This pat caused the vendor’s entire body to shake violently.
His legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed, wailing with a sob, “Young Master, have mercy! Have mercy! My old eyes are blurry; I didn’t see anything, I didn’t hear anything. I still have an eight-year-old grandson to raise at home. Please, Young Master, show mercy, show mercy!”
“Hmm?” The smile on Lu Qiancha’s face vanished instantly. He furrowed his brows, feigning anger, and his voice turned cold.
“Old man, if you continue to speak such nonsense and slander the reputation of my Tianyuan Sect, I might have to treat you as a demon who confuses the hearts of men and eliminate you as well.”
He looked around and said in a resolute tone, “Open your eyes and see for yourself. This street is clean and tidy. Where are the shadows of any people?”
As if to prove his words, the two evil spirits in the alleyway pinned by Shangguan Yunzhu’s departing fire swords let out even more agonizing wails, “Save me, brother, save me — !”
“It hurts so much… skin, give me a skin. Brother, hurry and lend me your skin!”
Those spiteful shrieks stabbed fiercely into the vendor’s ears.
Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and his back was instantly soaked. In his heart, he had already cursed the ancestors of those three idiot companions to the eighteenth generation.
‘You damned idiots, shut up already. Don’t drag me down with you if you want to die.’
The vendor shuddered violently, and a look of realization, looking more painful than a sob, instantly squeezed onto his face. He bowed repeatedly to Lu Qiancha.
“Oh, dear, Young Master, please forgive me. This old man must have been having a fit of madness just now; my eyes played tricks on me. I saw it wrong!”
He pointed at the spot where the skin had dissolved, his voice rising high, filled with lingering fear. “Yes, yes, the Young Master has keen eyes. How could those be people?”
“They were clearly two or three bags of foul skin, without blood or bone. If those aren’t demons, what are they? Your divine power has carried out justice for Heaven. This old man is deeply grateful.”
“Oh? You finally see clearly?” Lu Qiancha spoke with a half-smile, his clear blue eyes seemingly able to pierce through the heart, locking onto the vendor’s dodging gaze.
“I see clearly, absolutely clearly.” The vendor straightened his hunched back and slapped his chest, swearing an oath.
“Even though it’s dark, my heart is bright and my eyes are sharp. I certainly won’t see it wrong again.”
“That’s good then.” Lu Qiancha nodded slightly, the half-smile still fixed on his face.
He pointed at his feet.
“I heard this area is the territory of the White Tiger Hall? You should probably take a detour in the future, old man. If you run into some unreasonable villains, you’ll truly be in a place where no one can hear your cries.”
“Of course, of course. Thank you for the advice, Young Master. I will keep it in mind.”
The vendor, as if receiving a great pardon, hurriedly pulled out a box of date cakes from his pole and almost tremblingly stuffed it into Lu Qiancha’s arms, as if it weren’t a pastry but an offering to buy his life.
He didn’t even bother to steady his pole. Dragging his trembling feet, he stumbled and staggered away from the street he would never forget, as if a vengeful ghost were chasing him.
As soon as he turned the corner, the heart-wrenching wails of the evil spirits in the alleyway suddenly weakened. After a few more steps, they fell into total silence, as if they had never existed.
The vendor leaned against a cold wall, gasping for breath, his heart racing so hard it almost burst. He subconsciously touched his own face to confirm the skin was intact.
Only then, with lingering fear, did he curse in a low voice, “Those damned ruffians, who told them to provoke such a bringer of death?”
“We painted skins who sing, sell goods, and tell jokes are just wearing human skins to earn a living. If a real fight breaks out, we aren’t even enough to fill the gaps between their teeth.”
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling relieved. ‘Fortunately, this skin is thick enough. If that bringer of death had seen through me, my soul would have been scattered today.’
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