Mountain Imp Tyrant

Mountain Imp Tyrant

"Demon Slaying Squad?" Lin Le's hand paused as thoughts turned in his mind. Then he replied, "What demon are you slaying?"

"A Mountain Imp," the man said. "Before the imperial aura has gathered, this demon has repeatedly come down the mountain to seize young women, carrying them up the mountain to violate them and even devour them. This time, it even abducted Steward Lu's daughter."

"Steward Lu has put up a reward of one thousand taels of silver, solely for this demon's death. Any spiritual materials on its body will be counted separately."

"One thousand taels of silver—that's quite a lot." Lin Le nodded slightly. "But for the people of an entire town to join forces, has it undergone Form Transformation, or reached the Qi Refining Realm?"

"It should have undergone Form Transformation," the man said.

"Fine, I'll take this job." Lin Le clapped his hands. "When do we gather? Or is there an assessment first?"

"No need." The man patted his chest. "Tomorrow at the Hour of the Dragon, gather at the eastern entrance of town. Just give them my name, Wang Zhen!"

"Alright," Lin Le said. "It's settled, then."

"I'll be waiting for you tomorrow, little brother!" Wang Zhen left with a forthright expression.

The breakfast stall owner also watched Wang Zhen's retreating figure with a broad smile, even though he had yet to pay for his breakfast.

A petty thief and sneak.

Lin Le set down his bowl, a trace of mockery appearing in his eyes.

"Sir, I'd like to ask you something." Lin Le beckoned to the stall owner.

"Yes, young hero? What would you like to ask?" The stall owner immediately trotted over and said ingratiatingly.

"What happened to Liu Manor?" Lin Le pointed at the abandoned residence in the distance. "Why is there a female ghost there?"

"A female ghost?!" The stall owner was startled. "Young hero, you saw her?"

"Yes. I stayed at her home last night. That female ghost wanted to consume my vital essence, so I sent her on her way while I was at it." Lin Le spoke lightly.

Yet the stall owner's gaze toward Lin Le gained another layer of awe. He flattered him, "Young hero, your abilities truly reach the heavens. You can even lay a female ghost to rest."

"First, tell me why the female ghost came into being." Lin Le tapped the tabletop with a finger. "Ghosts don't just form for no reason."

"You want to seek justice for her?" The stall owner looked at Lin Le as though he found it unbelievable.

Lin Le asked in return, "Why not?"

The stall owner's expression struggled. In the end, he glanced around, lowered his head, and whispered a few words into Lin Le's ear before immediately drawing back. "This old man only knows that much."

"I understand. Bring more food." Lin Le nodded slightly.

It was a very clichéd story. The Liu family had a daughter as lovely as a flower and beautiful as jade. A local tyrant wanted to marry her, but the Liu family couple refused. So the tyrant gathered men, violated the Liu family's daughter, killed the heads of the Liu family while he was at it, and seized the entire household's property.

But later, ghosts began appearing here. The tyrant abandoned this residence and went elsewhere to enjoy himself.

There was only one suspicious point. Why had that tyrant not sent men to destroy the female ghost?

The female ghost was troublesome, but a few first- or second-limit Martial Masters igniting their blood qi would have been enough to destroy her.

Had he deliberately left her there?

Thoughts turned in Lin Le's mind. He turned and returned to Liu Manor. Ordinary ghosts could not stray too far from their corpses.

After knocking on the well nine times, an enormous snake head emerged. "What is it?"

"Did you know there was a ghost here?" Lin Le asked.

The great snake turned its head. "Didn't know. I only felt that this household had heavy yin energy and figured no one lived here, so I brought you here. But where's the ghost? How come I didn't sense her?"

"I laid her to rest." Lin Le shrugged. "Can you help me find that ghost's remains?"

"Oh." The great snake nodded, then seemed to think of something. "Hey, it's already pretty good that I don't order around a little fellow like you. How come I'm listening to your orders more and more?"

"Isn't that what it means for the capable to bear more burdens?" Lin Le said. "If I look for it myself, who knows how long it'll take. It'd be bad if that delayed me from finding food for you."

"Fair enough." The great snake nodded reluctantly and exhaled a breath. A section of floor was dug open, the soil automatically parted, and a skeleton was revealed.

The great snake took a look. "Mm, refining Yin Soldiers. No wonder the yin energy here is so heavy."

"Yin Soldiers." Lin Le pondered the term and immediately understood its meaning: using ghosts as soldiers.

"What are you looking for her remains for?" the great snake asked curiously. "Didn't you lay her to rest?"

"To find a reason." Lin Le's expression remained calm.

A reason to slaughter an entire household.

The next day, Lin Le appeared at the eastern gate of town. Small clusters of people were already waiting there.

Lin Le swept his gaze over them. Most were dressed as hunters, and judging from their steps, they were largely first- and second-limit Martial Masters who had practiced only rudimentary martial arts.

Lin Le walked over with his spear. When someone saw him arrive, he stepped in front of him. "Brother, are you here to join the Demon Slaying Squad too?"

"Yes. Wang Zhen recommended me," Lin Le said.

"Oh, Wang Zhen." The man nodded in realization, though a hint of ridicule entered his eyes. "What limit Martial Master are you?"

"Third-limit," Lin Le said without changing expression.

"Third-limit!" The man was startled, and an even stronger trace of jealousy appeared in his eyes. He was nearly thirty and had only just entered the second limit, while this young man, who looked barely twenty, was already third-limit. Becoming a cultivator was practically a certainty for him.

But when he thought of the purpose of this trip, the man set aside his jealousy. He was merely meat meant for the chopping block. What was there to envy?

"In that case, go to the first team." The man pointed toward a group.

Lin Le followed his finger. Everyone in that team was dressed as a hunter, and from his senses, they were all second-limit Martial Masters.

Heh, they're even sorting the vegetables into groups.

Lin Le walked toward the team. A warmhearted-looking middle-aged man was the first to greet him. "Little brother, were you assigned to the first team too?"

"Mm." Lin Le nodded coldly.

Yet the middle-aged man was quite familiar by nature. "My name is Hong Tu, from Hong Family Village. Little brother, where are you from?"

"Bailian County," Lin Le replied.

"A city man, no wonder you reached the second limit at such a young age." Hong Tu spoke in surprise. He had clearly noticed what everyone here had in common.

"I'm third-limit." Lin Le glanced at him.

"Third-limit!" Hong Tu cried out. The others could not help turning their eyes toward Lin Le as well. Seeing his disguised appearance of around twenty years old, they could not help revealing traces of surprise and envy.

In a small town like Qinghu Town, a twenty-year-old third-limit Martial Master could be called a genius. It meant that he was certain to become a cultivator, a local wealthy landowner, and be respectfully addressed as Steward.

Wang Zhen, who had just arrived, was also surprised. He had thought Lin Le was at most second-limit. He had not expected him to be third-limit.

That made him somewhat worried. Reaching the third limit at such a young age, Lin Le was likely a core member of some power in the city.

If Lin Le died, Wang Zhen feared he would be in some trouble.

But after looking at the people around him, Wang Zhen hardened his heart. Dead was dead. It was not as though he would be the one to kill him; when the time came, he could just blame it on the Mountain Imp.

Besides, he did not dare gamble on Lin Le's intentions. If Lin Le shouted out everything he had heard and exposed the Demon Slaying Squad's dirty secret, Wang Zhen would be the first to die.

Sooner or later, death was still death. Then he would choose to die later!