This Daoist Master Fan Is Way Too Brutal!

At this moment.

Fan Wu and his group had already arrived at their destination.

"Boss... don't you think this place feels a little creepy? I... I keep feeling a chill on the back of my neck."

One Runner gripped his patrol staff tightly in one hand while nervously rubbing the back of his neck with the other. "Is it really appropriate for us to come to a place like this in the middle of the night?!"

"Who was the one acting like he'd swallowed chicken blood just now? What, you don't trust Daoist Master Fan? Or you don't trust the late Old Heavenly Master?" Constable Liu shot him a glare. "Both Daoist Master Fan and the Old Heavenly Master are honored guests of our County Magistrate!"

"Even the County Magistrate trusts them completely, yet a mere Runner like you doesn't? They have real skills—they can kill ghosts! They aren't some nobodies with their heads stuck on display poles!"

Then Constable Liu turned his gaze toward the distance ahead.

There was a river there. It was not particularly wide, but its waters ran deep and swift, the roar of splashing water especially loud.

This was where Wang Lao Er had been...

Dragged into the river last night.

"Daoist Master, this is where Wang Lao Er fell into the water last night," Constable Liu said honestly. "Not far across the river is where you performed a ritual to suppress that filthy thing a few days ago. That thing must have broken through your spell and escaped."

Fan Wu knew this place.

Because he could even vaguely make out a familiar crude ritual altar across the river.

A few days ago, strange incidents had occurred here, so the nearby villagers had reported it to the authorities.

The County Magistrate had found him just as he was preparing to flee.

And asked him to set up an altar and perform a ritual.

He had no choice but to go.

This place had also been haunted last night. This time... the people from the County Yamen had invited him over again. It was probably still the Prison Dragon County Magistrate's idea.

And judging from Constable Liu's words...

The man did not suspect that Fan Wu was a fake Daoist.

That was entirely thanks to Fan Wu's swindler master, who had operated in the area for years and made the locals deeply believe that master and disciple knew Daoist arts.

So much so that now that the ghost in the river was causing trouble again, these people merely assumed Fan Wu had shown mercy before and spared the ghost.

They did not suspect in the slightest whether he truly knew any Daoist arts.

It seemed...

They needed an anti-fraud app.

"Quick, quick, quick! You two, search over there! Don't run so fast—if you shake your lanterns out, what the hell are you going to search with?"

Constable Liu shouted as he directed them. "You two go over there. Draw your blades. Don't wait until that thing appears before you start fumbling around in panic!"

"You two, come with me. Let's check over there and help the Daoist Master find that filthy thing!"

Before Fan Wu could make a move, the County Yamen Runners had already set out together.

Some carried lanterns, stepping onto the muddy bank and craning their heads to peer into the water.

Some of the bolder ones even stepped into the river.

The icy water made them shiver, but when they thought of the Old Heavenly Master's disciple standing behind them—the famed Daoist Master Fan of Prison Dragon County—

There was nothing to fear!

They were killing ghosts! Some of the younger County Yamen Runners were even a little excited.

It was their first time doing something like this!

When they went drinking and visiting the pleasure quarters afterward, would they not have something to boast about—I killed a ghost alongside Daoist Master Fan!

Watching the overly enthusiastic group of Runners, Fan Wu did not know what to say.

Suddenly.

He heard Constable Liu calling to him. "Daoist Master Fan! Come over here and take a look! We found something!"

Helplessly.

Fan Wu could only head over.

By then, he had silently taken the Demon-Slaying Sword off his back and gripped it in his hand... He had now pinned nearly all his hopes on this sword.

Fan Wu asked, "What did you find?"

Constable Liu used his saber to lift up an absurdly long strand of black hair and said excitedly, "Daoist Master, look. I found this by the river. This hair looks strange at first glance!"

"Didn't Wang Lao Er vomit up a pile of bizarre, disgusting hair? Maybe the two are connected! Daoist Master, don't you think I'm right?"

He knew it might be connected to an evil ghost, yet he still dared to pick it up with his saber?

Did Constable Liu really think Fan Wu could kill ghosts?

And more importantly... with these County Yamen Runners conducting such a carpet search, if they really found the ghost...

Wouldn't that be disastrous?

"...Perhaps they really are connected." Meeting Constable Liu's expectant gaze, Fan Wu forced out a smile and casually bluffed, "Before leaving, this poor Daoist cast a divination. If we cannot find traces of the evil ghost by the Hour of the Pig, then tonight will not be suitable for killing ghosts."

"Only one incense stick's time remains until the Hour of the Pig. If we still find nothing after one incense stick burns out, there will be a bloody calamity tonight."

Constable Liu's hand jerked in shock.

The black hair hanging from his saber nearly fell into the water.

He sucked in a cold breath. "For something this serious, Daoist Master, why didn't you say so earlier?"

Because I just made it up.

Fan Wu replied, "There was no helping it. At the time, the secrets of Heaven could not be revealed."

Constable Liu did not doubt him. He hurriedly nodded. "Then we'll search for one more incense stick's time. Once it burns out, we'll head back."

He rushed off to search elsewhere for clues.

Unfortunately, no matter how many clues he found, they would be useless. Once that incense stick burned out, Fan Wu would return to the Daoist temple no matter what.

Even if he could not take the silver from the True Martial Great Emperor statue, he would still take the private savings he had accumulated.

Then he would leave this damned place overnight!

Fan Wu had just begun plotting his escape route in his mind when, all of a sudden, an extremely ominous premonition struck him!

Hm?!

Alarm bells rang wildly in Fan Wu's heart!!

Beneath the rushing river, something seemed to be moving at high speed!

The next instant.

Seven steps away from Fan Wu, a ghostly figure burst from the water!

Water sprayed several yards into the air.

And with it came... a thick, fishy stench.

Fan Wu's heart tightened. He only had time for a fleeting glance.

The ghostly figure was a Blue-faced Water Ghost, naked without even a scrap of clothing, its face horrifying!

He could vaguely see a ragged shackle around the evil ghost's ankle.

Even from several meters away, Fan Wu could feel an aggressive chill rushing toward him!

Blood-red text appeared alongside it.

[Water Ghost transformed from a pleasure-house madam who was drowned in the river—Life: 234—Strength: 5—Skills: Hair Manipulation, Yin Energy Infiltration]

A real ghost...

Had appeared!

The commotion here also drew the Runners' attention. When they saw a Blue-faced Water Ghost burst from the river, their eyes went wide with shock!

One Runner shouted in horror, "G-Ghost! A ghost! The ghost came out!! There really is a ghost!!!"

"Daoist Master! A ghost! The ghost came out!!!!"

Fan Wu was not blind. He had noticed something was wrong before those Runners did.

But he had not expected the Blue-faced Water Ghost to be so fast.

He had barely seen its attribute panel before the Blue-faced Water Ghost attacked.

He could have left after just one more incense stick's time, yet it would not even grant him that!

And...

With so many people present, this Water Ghost had immediately targeted him.

What grudge was this?

What hatred?

In that split second, countless thoughts flashed through Fan Wu's mind. Almost instinctively, he raised the Demon-Slaying Sword in his hand and held it before himself.

At the same time, the countless strands of hair behind the Blue-faced Water Ghost's head swept wildly toward him.

They moved so fast it was unimaginable!

At that moment, the Demon-Slaying Sword clenched tightly in Fan Wu's hand suddenly trembled slightly. The sky-filling black hair that was about to touch Fan Wu seemed to have encountered its natural nemesis!

It actually recoiled even faster!

A flash of astonishment and confusion immediately appeared on that blue ghostly face.

Even it seemed unable to understand what had happened.

Fan Wu, however, instantly came to a realization.

It seemed the Demon-Slaying Sword from the True Martial Great Emperor statue really was useful against demons and ghosts!

Damn it!!!

Fan Wu knew he had no choice but to fight this time.

Whether it was to preserve the life-saving halo of being the disciple of a "lofty enlightened master," to avoid being haunted by this thing while making his escape, or simply for his own life right now—

He had to roll up his sleeves and get to work!

Anger rose from his heart.

Evil sprang from the edge of his courage.

Fan Wu seized that instant of opportunity.

One hand shot out and grabbed a bundle of the recoiling black hair tightly, the muscles in his forearm tensing!

Veins bulged!!

He yanked backward!!

The Blue-faced Water Ghost, whose [Strength] attribute was only a little higher than his, was caught completely off guard and forcibly dragged toward Fan Wu.

The seven-step distance between them shrank to four steps!

Fan Wu swiftly raised the Northern Black Chi Gun Horn Demon-Slaying Valiant Sword with his other hand. The exaggerated sword, a full 1.9 meters long, displayed its advantage at that moment. Its sharp edge swept in a half-moon arc, and several inches of its tip began at the Blue-faced Water Ghost's skull before cleaving downward!

It felt like a hot knife cutting through butter!

The Demon-Slaying Sword split the Blue-faced Water Ghost cleanly in two from top to bottom!

"Screeeaaahhh!!!" A shriek of agony from the depths of its soul erupted from both halves of the Blue-faced Water Ghost's body, like demonic sound boring into the ears and making eardrums ring.

That strike had already split it in half, yet it had not scattered into ashes?!

[Water Ghost transformed from a pleasure-house madam who was drowned in the river—Life: 117—Strength: 3—Skills: Hair Manipulation, Yin Energy Infiltration]

What was this? Its [Life] had dropped from 234 to 117? Its [Strength] had also fallen from 5 to 3?

Had cutting it in half reduced it to half health?

Had it weakened it?

Fan Wu understood.

He immediately dragged one half of the Blue-faced Water Ghost over by its hair, planted one foot on half of its horrifying blue face, and stomped that half ghostly face until it warped. Fan Wu even ground his foot down several times, only stopping after he realized the Blue-faced Water Ghost's life value was not decreasing.

Under the terrified gaze of the Blue-faced Water Ghost's other half, the Demon-Slaying Sword in Fan Wu's hand swung down once more, carrying the same force as though he were chopping a slab of pork.

The second strike!

Fell!

"Screeeaaahhh!!!!"

The Blue-faced Water Ghost beneath his foot let out another piercing shriek. But before long, that miserable cry turned into weak, barely audible whimpers.

It had completely collapsed, lying limply in the water.

Its ghostly spirit flickered in and out of sight like a candle flame in the wind, as if it could scatter into ashes at any moment.

[Life: 2]

This was the Blue-faced Water Ghost's remaining [Life] attribute. It was so weak that if Fan Wu gave it one more strike...

It would directly scatter into ashes!

Meanwhile, Constable Liu and the others in the distance had long been dumbfounded! What was happening before their eyes seemed... somewhat different from the ghost-exorcising scenes they had imagined!

Shouldn't he be performing a ritual?

Shouldn't he be chanting incantations?

Where was the peachwood sword?

Where were the talismans?

"B-Boss, I remember that when the County Magistrate invited Daoist Master Fan to suppress that filthy thing a few days ago, Daoist Master Fan seemed to make a huge show of it and performed several rituals! Why... why does he not even need to perform a ritual now?"

Watching Fan Wu mercilessly ravage the evil ghost in the distance, one Runner could not help shrinking his neck. He swallowed hard and asked in a low voice.

Constable Liu said gravely, "Can't you see it? The Daoist Master merely held back against this evil ghost before. Now that it has come out to commit evil again, it has clearly crossed the Daoist Master's bottom line. This time, the Daoist Master does not intend to suppress it—he intends to destroy it!"

Of course, this was merely Constable Liu's own analysis. He believed that was the truth of the matter.

But even he had not expected this Daoist Master Fan to be so fierce.

He had actually grabbed that evil ghost and dragged it back with his bare hand, then chopped it several times until it screamed without end.

Until it was on the verge of having its soul scattered!

The evil ghost's incomparably miserable screams made even Constable Liu feel a little unable to bear it after hearing them...

Constable Liu swallowed hard.

Ghosts really were terrifying.

But Daoist Master Fan...

Was even more terrifying than ghosts!

And far more brutal!!