Mist

The instant the voice rang out, the Zhang Mu before Ling Yun suddenly wore a bizarre smile.

Its hands turned jet-black, and then claws sprang out one after another, viciously stabbing toward Ling Yun's heart!

Yet just as it thought it was about to succeed, eagerly awaiting the spray of blood, a palm suddenly reached out from the side and firmly clamped around its wrist.

It looked like an ordinary human hand, yet it was like an iron hoop. No matter how it howled and roared, it could not advance even an inch.

Under the moonlight, Ling Yun stared indifferently at the increasingly frozen smile on "Zhang Mu's" face and said in a faint voice:

"Senior Brother Zhang, you still haven't told me what exactly you discovered."

As soon as the words fell, Ling Yun's hand abruptly tightened.

Crack!

Accompanied by a crisp sound of breaking bone, "Zhang Mu's" wrist was instantly twisted into a grotesque spiral.

Yet it seemed completely incapable of feeling pain. Seeing that it could not break free from Ling Yun's restraint, it suddenly split its mouth wide open, revealing rows of sharp black teeth as it fiercely bit down at him.

What answered it, however, was a fist the size of a casserole, carrying a terrifying burst of compressed air as it smashed heavily into its face.

Boom!

Splurt!

With a dull thud, "Zhang Mu's" head exploded like it had been struck by a heavy hammer. Red, white... all sorts of indescribable things splattered in every direction.

Watching the corpse collapse backward limply, Ling Yun shook his hand in disgust.

He had not expected this thing to be so fragile. He had instinctively used a little too much strength.

Before he could step forward to inspect it closely, a violent stench of rot wafted out.

The "Zhang Mu" before him was already developing patches of livor mortis all over its body, as though it had been dead for a long time. Dense masses of maggots wriggled endlessly within them.

Faced with such a disgusting sight, Ling Yun decisively gave up on the idea of examining it up close.

He then opened the panel and saw that his Modification Points had not increased either.

That was hardly surprising. After all, compared with the bizarre creature he had encountered last time, this thing was on a completely different level.

Just then, Ling Yun seemed to recall something and suddenly turned to look to the side.

"I say, Senior Brother Zhang, what are you still standing over there for? Aren't you coming over for a chat?"

Zhang Mu had long since been dumbstruck.

He had watched "himself" get blown apart by a single punch. With Ling Yun's "ferocious face" constantly waving at him from the darkness, how could he dare approach?

He swallowed nervously and forced out a dry laugh. "Th-this... there's no need for me to come over... If there's anything, just say it directly."

Seeing this fellow dawdling and refusing to come over, Ling Yun grew somewhat impatient and strode straight toward him.

Watching Ling Yun gradually approach from the darkness, Zhang Mu's heart began pounding wildly. He felt as though he were facing a bloodthirsty beast wearing human skin!

He wanted to turn and flee, but he feared being hammered to pieces on the spot.

Just as he hesitated, darkness suddenly fell before his eyes.

Trembling, he raised his head and saw a cold-eyed, vicious-looking face already looming before him!

Looking at Zhang Mu's pale face and the cold sweat pouring down it, Ling Yun narrowed his eyes and asked suspiciously, "Why are you so scared? Don't tell me you're a fake too?"

As he spoke, he slowly raised his fist, as if about to bring it down.

Zhang Mu was instantly scared out of his wits and darted backward.

"Junior Brother Ling, wait! I'm not one of those monsters!"

Seeing the terror written across his face, Ling Yun slowly lowered his fist and provisionally accepted that he was genuine.

He then looked Zhang Mu up and down and repeated the question he had asked the impostor earlier. "Why are you here? Where are Niu Da and the others?"

Zhang Mu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, inwardly rejoicing that he had escaped with his life. Just now, he had truly felt killing intent from Ling Yun!

Though he did not know why Ling Yun was so powerful, he had no desire to court death by asking. He obediently recounted all the information he knew.

What Ling Yun had not expected, however, was that the two Zhang Mus had given completely different answers.

According to the Zhang Mu before him, he and Wang Ziyuan had originally been assigned to keep watch during the first half of the night. But for some reason, an inexplicable drowsiness had suddenly overtaken him. When he woke again, he found that he was no longer in the Ancestral Hall, but lying in an open space within the Deng Family estate.

After wandering around in circles, he had eventually encountered Ling Yun.

"You mean that every time you try to leave the Deng Family estate, quite a few monsters like that one show up and attack you?" Ling Yun asked flatly.

Zhang Mu hurriedly nodded. As if to make himself more credible, he even pulled open his lapels to reveal wounds of varying sizes beneath.

Several of those wounds were deep enough to expose bone. It was truly remarkable that this fellow had managed to hold on until now.

"Junior Brother Ling, shouldn't we find somewhere to hide first?"

"Once dawn comes tomorrow, we can return to the martial arts hall for reinforcements and come back for revenge." Seeing that Ling Yun remained silent for a long time, Zhang Mu cautiously offered his suggestion.

Ling Yun neither agreed nor disagreed. Stroking his chin, he sank into thought.

Though the situation was indeed somewhat complicated, it was not enough to frighten him away like this.

Besides, judging by the current situation, leaving would likely not be as simple as imagined.

"Back to the Ancestral Hall!" After pondering for a moment, Ling Yun finally made his decision.

He had a feeling that, as the source of everything, that place would hold the answers he wanted.

"The Ancestral Hall?" Zhang Mu's face immediately twisted in misery. He truly did not want to return to that eerie place.

But seeing Ling Yun's gaze gradually turn dangerous, Zhang Mu's expression hardened, and he immediately declared that there was no problem.

Watching Zhang Mu stride ahead of him, Ling Yun quietly relaxed the fingers gripping the hilt of his blade.

Soon, the two returned to the Ancestral Hall, one after the other.

Everything there was exactly as it had been when Ling Yun left earlier.

Ling Yun swept his gaze around, finally settling on the pitch-black coffin.

If there truly was anything abnormal in this room, it would most likely be there.

He then turned his gaze toward Zhang Mu. The meaning was obvious without words.

Zhang Mu looked at Ling Yun, then at the coffin radiating an ominous aura in the distance. His face was full of refusal.

But circumstances were stronger than men. Under Ling Yun's "kindly" gaze, Zhang Mu walked forward with the look of a man who wanted to cry but had no tears.

"Ancestors, bless me..." Staring at the coffin before him, Zhang Mu muttered under his breath as he gritted his teeth and shoved hard!

With a boom, the heavy wooden lid was pushed over onto the ground. Though terrified beyond measure, Zhang Mu still instinctively glanced into the coffin.

But when he saw what was inside, Zhang Mu instantly let out a scream and staggered backward in horror.

Ling Yun had no mood to pay attention to him. He merely looked at the sight before him, his expression darkening.

Inside the opened coffin lay a corpse.

Most crucially, whether in clothing or appearance, that corpse was almost exactly identical to him!