"What sin had Old Luo committed to provoke such a demon?"
Xiao Ming sighed as well. The situation before them was truly difficult to handle.
They could neither advance nor retreat.
"Lord Lin, Lord Xiao, let us rescue the City Lord first."
Captain Ma said.
"Captain Ma, the two of us have known Old Luo for decades, and we are even related by marriage. We are more anxious than you, but we cannot act rashly now. Otherwise, not only will we fail to save Old Luo, we may end up throwing our own lives away."
Xiao Ming said to Captain Ma with some displeasure.
"My apologies. I was too rash!"
Captain Ma also realized his mistake. The two men before him were not people he could command as he pleased.
"Has Master Konglun been invited?"
Xiao Ming asked Captain Ma.
Master Konglun was the abbot of a temple near Yulin City. Rumor had it that his magical powers ran deep.
"He has been invited, but Master Konglun said he needs to make preparations."
The steward of the City Lord's Mansion said.
"Preparations for Old Luo's funeral, more like!"
Xiao Ming knew Master Konglun was making excuses. He was probably preparing to run away.
They knew a little about supernatural methods. Master Konglun was merely a fake monk who bluffed and postured, without any genuine divine abilities.
Normally, he went everywhere asking for incense money. But when the time came to actually rely on him, he vanished without a trace.
Hearing Xiao Ming's words, the people from the City Lord's Mansion and the City Guard all looked awkward. Yet they knew Xiao Ming meant no harm, so they did not dare say much.
"For now, we should first take a look at Old Luo's condition, then discuss what to do."
Seeing everyone fall silent, Xiao Ming spoke.
He did not argue with them over who should scout ahead. He grabbed a member of the Luo family and headed toward the ancestral hall. He wanted to see Luo Jingxing's condition for himself.
Though that Luo family member trembled like a leaf, he obediently led the way.
Several dozen meters from the ancestral hall, Xiao Ming stopped and watched the Cat-Faced Monster from afar.
Not only did the demon have the round face of a black cat, its eyes were dull and lifeless, like those of a corpse. Its entire body was covered in fur, and its hands had become like a cat's paws, capable of extending sharp claws.
The Cat Ghost watched Xiao Ming in iron armor from afar and did not make any rash moves. It seemed afraid of letting Luo Jingxing inside the Luo Family Ancestral Hall escape.
Xiao Ming sank his qi into his dantian and roared:
"Old Luo! Are you dead yet?"
Xiao Ming's voice carried tremendous force, reaching Luo Jingxing's ears within the ancestral hall.
One of Luo Jingxing's hands had been clawed open, black blood flowing from it. Yet his breathing remained steady as he sat upright before the tablets of his ancestors.
That shameless old Xiao was so unreliable that Luo Jingxing did not know what to say.
Still, he was rather moved.
Demonic ghosts were no trivial matter. Whenever they appeared, countless people died. Everyone else fled as far away as possible, yet his brothers had still come to save him. How could he not be moved?
"Not dead yet!"
Luo Jingxing answered in a deep voice.
"Good! Old Luo, how much longer can you hold on?"
Xiao Ming pressed.
Luo Jingxing glanced at the House-Protecting Talisman pasted in the corner of the ancestral hall. One corner of the talisman had already turned charred black. If the Cat Ghost attacked fiercely, the talisman likely would not last even the time it took to burn one stick of incense.
"Brother Xiao, go settle my family first. I am not in any hurry."
Luo Jingxing said calmly.
He had accepted his fate. Everything was the karmic consequence of the past, and now the time had come to repay it.
"Old Luo, Captain Ma has already settled your family properly. Just wait in peace. We'll discuss matters a little longer, then come save you."
Xiao Ming saw that the Cat Ghost was in a strange state. After speaking, he slipped away, lest he get dragged into this as well.
Retreating outside, Xiao Ming said to the others:
"Old Luo is doing quite well. He can hold on a while longer."
"Brother Ming, if we invite Mr. Li here, perhaps Old Luo can still be saved."
Lin Fangzheng said to Xiao Ming.
Li Xingxiao had read through the books of sages and possessed Vast Righteous Qi. Perhaps he could subdue the Cat Ghost.
"Will that work? Old Li can barely walk without stumbling himself!"
Xiao Ming deeply doubted it. Li Xingxiao was a frail scholar; it would already be impressive if the Vast Righteous Qi on him could protect himself.
"My lords, we must treat a dead horse as though it were alive. I will immediately send someone to invite Mr. Li."
Captain Ma said at once.
After another agonizing half hour or so, Captain Ma's subordinate brought back several things.
"Elder Li said he was not skilled in battle, so he wrote all of his Vast Righteous Qi onto these sheets of paper. If you wrap these papers around your weapons, my lords, perhaps they can help you slay the ghost."
The soldier presented a thick stack of paper, the ink still wet.
"This is our only option."
Lin Fangzheng sighed.
They had discussed matters for a long time just now. If they wished to save Luo Jingxing, they could only kill the Cat Ghost.
As for inviting a true master of the Dao, if they were lucky, one might arrive in two or three days. If they were unlucky, they might not see one even after a month.
By then, Old Luo's first seven days after death would have long passed.
They wrapped the papers around their respective weapons and immediately prepared to enter and kill the Cat Ghost.
Lin Chan had a quick mind. Seeing everyone facing a great enemy, he knew the situation was extremely dire.
Fortunately, he was young and possessed talents such as [Doubled Strength], [Quick Reflexes], and [Intimidation]. If things became critical, he would flee at once.
Though he might not be faster than the Cat Ghost, he would certainly be faster than everyone present.
If it truly came to that, he could only run faster, then go to Shu Mountain to study and return to avenge them all.
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario.
After putting on their helmets, the group headed toward the Luo Family Ancestral Hall.
The waning moon hung like a hook. Within the Luo residence, everyone stood ready in grim formation.
According to the plan, Lin Fangzheng and Xiao Ming would charge at the front with their sabers held crosswise. Lin Chan and several other armored warriors would close in and surround it, while Captain Ma commanded the archers to loose arrows at the right moment.
The arrows were wrapped with strips of cloth bearing intact writing, and the arrows themselves were specially chosen wolf-fang arrows.
"Loose!"
When Lin Fangzheng and Xiao Ming were still five body-lengths from the Cat Ghost, Captain Ma gave the order.
More than ten archers immediately loosed their arrows. The wolf-fang arrows swept over the armored soldiers' heads toward the Cat Ghost, striking after being fired yet arriving first. However, only a few landed on the Cat Ghost, while most were dodged.
Where the arrows struck the Cat Ghost, wisps of black qi rose from its body.
"It worked!"
Captain Ma was overjoyed, but this was not the time to fire again. He merely ordered the archers to keep preparing.
Before long, Captain Ma was disappointed.
This little damage did not truly injure the Cat Ghost. It only made it angrier.
Lin Fangzheng and Xiao Ming had already reached the Cat Ghost. Their two sabers, wrapped in white paper, slashed toward it.
The Cat Ghost flashed aside and landed upon the tips of their blades. It danced its claws and raked at Lin Fangzheng.
Lin Fangzheng immediately drew back his saber and raised his arm to block.
The claws scraped across the armored bracer, sending out dazzling sparks.
Fortunately, they did not tear the iron armor apart as though it were paper. This suit of armor could still hold for a while.
At that moment, the quick-reacting Lin Chan immediately stepped forward and slashed with his saber, coming to Lin Fangzheng's aid.
Before you continue