Explosion I

Holding Lu Qingqing in his arms, Lu Sheng felt an extremely complicated mix of emotions.

Though he and this girl were siblings, they truly did not share much affection.

For one, Lu Qingqing had spent all year away practicing martial arts; for another, he was not the original Lu Sheng.

Still, at a time like this, as her elder brother, he had to show some grief.

Lu Sheng took Lu Qingqing and Zhuan Feng to inspect the small dungeon. Other than the corpses and three vacant-eyed fools, nothing else remained.

The two of them led the three fools out of the dungeon and saw Yan Kai and Duan Rongrong waiting outside. Yan Kai was sitting cross-legged in meditation, his complexion ruddy, with a trace of blood still at the corner of his mouth. Freshly spat black blood lay on the ground as well.

"It's nothing. Just stagnant blood."

Yan Kai said calmly.

"Miss Lu Qingqing was injured by Yin Qi. It is already a great blessing that she survived."

"I..."

Lu Sheng opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

He felt that he was in an extremely dangerous situation.

Just now, when he had carried Lu Qingqing out, he had suddenly realized something.

Wasn't the role he was playing now precisely that of those scions of great clans who served as background figures in ancient ghost stories?

The current situation was this.

Demons and ghosts lurked throughout Nine Links City, their whereabouts unknown.

His Lu Family could be caught up in the disaster again at any moment.

As an ordinary person, the only things he could rely on were the Modifier on his body and his martial arts.

He truly lacked any means of dealing with demons, ghosts, and such supernatural incidents.

A single demon ghost had already left him running himself ragged. If two came, that would be real trouble.

At that thought, the sorrow on Lu Sheng's face gradually turned grave.

"My younger sister has been reduced to this state entirely because of demons and ghosts. Might Daoist Priest tell me whether there is any method by which ordinary people like us can deal with them? Or perhaps, are there any places or people from whom we can seek help?"

On one hand, he was asking about other methods. On the other, he was probing to see whether there were other groups capable of dealing with demons, ghosts, and similar supernatural matters.

"About that... Daoist's knowledge is limited. Ordinary people find it exceptionally difficult to contend against ghosts; there is no doubt about that." Yan Kai considered his words, looked regretfully at Lu Qingqing, then continued.

"As for groups you can seek help from, Spirit Exorcists like us are one kind, but most of us come and go without fixed whereabouts. I suggest that Young Master Lu continue posting recruitment notices. Perhaps you might get lucky and find a few more Spirit Exorcists to help."

After hearing this, Lu Sheng pondered for a moment before asking again.

"May Daoist Priest take on disciples?"

He did not intend to become a disciple himself. Rather, he planned to place some of the Lu Family's children in Yan Kai's care. That way, they could gain some ability to protect themselves in this crisis-ridden age, while also building ties.

At the mention of taking disciples, Yan Kai immediately looked troubled.

"To be frank with you, Young Master, most Spirit Exorcists are born that way. It cannot be cultivated. If ordinary people practice the mental techniques we cultivate, it will instead harm them. That is why, to this day, Daoist has been searching for a second disciple capable of inheriting my teachings. Unfortunately..."

"Born that way?" A trace of disappointment appeared on Lu Sheng's face.

"That is right. The main reason Daoist can restrain ghosts lies in my own blood. After my blood is prepared through certain techniques, it can produce an effect that restrains ghosts. This is also the only means of restraining ghosts. Many Spirit Exorcists actually rely on their own blood."

Yan Kai did not conceal this point.

"Blood..." Lu Sheng finally understood.

Yan Kai had no reason to deceive him. Seeing Duan Rongrong at the side continuously nodding in agreement, it seemed Spirit Exorcists truly relied on blood to restrain ghosts.

"Is there truly no other way?" Lu Sheng let out a long sigh.

Seeing this, Yan Kai looked at Lu Qingqing in Lu Sheng's arms, and in the end, a trace of pity flashed through his eyes.

"A way... Daoist has none. Without the aptitude, it simply cannot be done. However, so many ordinary people still survive in this world and multiply in such vast numbers. There must be forces secretly protecting everyone and contending with ghosts. We Spirit Exorcists are one of them. If Young Master Lu is willing, investigate more carefully. You may perhaps find some clues."

Lu Sheng nodded.

"Alas, it can only be so. Then, might Daoist Priest sell me some items that can restrain ghosts?"

Yan Kai shook his head slightly.

"I am very sorry. It is not that I am unwilling, but items made from my own blood can only be used by me. They are completely useless in the hands of others. Otherwise, I would not have had Rong Rong hide herself."

Lu Sheng believed Yan Kai was not lying. Otherwise, he would not have so frankly revealed the matter of his blood. What if he encountered villains who drugged him, tied him up, and used him as a blood cow, draining his blood every day? Would that not be extremely dangerous? Sighing again, Lu Sheng held Lu Qingqing a little tighter, then left the Taoist Temple with Yan Kai and the others and mounted his horse.

"Since that is so, Daoist Priest, shall we return together?"

"No need. Daoist will remain here to investigate. Perhaps I can discover clues about the first demon ghost. There are quite a few demon ghosts in Nine Links City; we must find the original source. Otherwise, as time passes, that first demon ghost will grow stronger and stronger."

Yan Kai refused.

"In that case, if Daoist Priest needs anything, come to my Lu Family at any time. I, Lu Sheng, will certainly spare no effort to help! Also, the three of you must come to the Lu Family to collect your reward."

Holding the reins in one hand, Lu Sheng turned his horse around and led the fools and the guards swiftly back the way they had come.

"Oh, Young Master Sheng, you just killed a demon ghost, so quite a bit of its aura will remain on you. If there are other demon ghosts in the city nearby, they will certainly choose you as their first target, and it is even very possible that a Greater Demon may appear. You must be careful. If necessary, quickly have someone notify Daoist."

Yan Kai suddenly called out one last warning.

Lu Sheng's heart tightened upon hearing this.

"Thank you, Daoist Priest! Thank you, Miss Zhuan Feng."

He waved back at them.

The group rode back along the original route.

The mountain road was rugged, and their horses could not make up much speed. Yu Han followed at Lu Sheng's side, guarding him at all times.

The other guards had been frightened earlier, and their emotions had not fully settled. For a time, there were no other sounds in the group besides hoofbeats and breathing.

Lu Sheng was preoccupied with his thoughts.

"A Greater Demon! I nearly failed to handle even one demon ghost. Just from the name, that Greater Demon is definitely stronger than the thing from before."

A sense of urgency rose in him once more.

He had originally thought that he at least possessed a little ability to protect himself. Yet after Yan Kai's words, he realized he was still in an exceptionally dangerous position.

"The disturbances within Nine Links City are strange. Before, all the powers in the city were searching for some person, some object. Now so many demon ghosts have appeared. It is absolutely impossible that the two are unrelated."

Lu Sheng mulled it over.

"The only way I have to improve my strength now is to raise the Black Fiend Skill by another level. Other than that, I cannot find any path."

His brows drew tightly together.

The foolish Lu Qingqing in his arms saw him frown and quietly reached out to touch his brow, letting out a vacant giggle.

Lu Sheng pressed down Lu Qingqing's hand as he continued to think.

The situation he faced was very dangerous.

The Lu Family was large and prosperous, involved in many areas and with many businesses within the city. A tall tree catches the wind; if anything happened to the family, word would immediately spread throughout the city.

The matter of the midnight crying having been resolved would likely spread very soon.

"Since someone knows about demons and ghosts, what is the aim of those people from that level? Yan Kai and the other two arrived too coincidentally. Only a few days after the family posted notices, they answered the call and came to our door. Perhaps another force is making moves behind the scenes."

He believed Yan Kai's theory of blood aptitude. That power to exorcise ghosts had to be wielded with special blood. Perhaps that was also a necessary condition for stepping into a higher level.

Lu Sheng rode all the way back, thinking all the while.

Only when he entered the city and returned to Lu Estate did he calm down somewhat and dismount.

Yan Kai's words had left a faint heaviness in his heart.

No aptitude.

He was merely an ordinary person in Yan Kai's eyes.

Though, according to Yan Kai, an ordinary person reaching his level was already exceptionally impressive.

But Lu Sheng knew that a gap was a gap.

Aptitude had created a naturally enormous chasm between him and that level. It also determined that when facing ghosts in the future, he was destined to be at a disadvantage.

After dismounting, Lu Sheng saw Second Mother following behind his father, Lu Quan'an, step for step as they came out. When she saw Lu Qingqing in his arms, an expression of immense relief appeared on Second Mother's face.

Lu Sheng's heart darkened.

"Someone, take Miss back to her room first to bathe and rest."

He called loudly.

He summoned several sturdy maidservants to take Lu Qingqing from him.

Lu Sheng gave a few more orders, telling them to take the two fools inside as well, bathe them, and settle them in.

Lu Quan'an and Second Mother Liu Cuiyu both sensed that something was wrong. It was not simply because of the two unfamiliar fools.

More importantly, Lu Qingqing's eyes were vacant. When she saw them, she did not utter a word. She even yawned, as though she did not recognize them.

"Sheng? Th-this... this is??!!" Liu Cuiyu's face turned pale as she asked in a trembling voice.

"Let's talk inside."

Lu Sheng raised his hand, signaling for the guards behind him to disperse and rest. As for those who had not been frightened earlier, Yu Han would tally them.

The group entered the estate. Lu Sheng swiftly had the reward prepared, so they could pay Yan Kai and the others with silver notes at any time.

He then led Lu Quan'an and the rest of the family into the main hall of the inner courtyard.

After dismissing the maidservants and guards, Lu Sheng sat down and recounted, from beginning to end, how he had found Lu Qingqing.

The moment he finished, Second Mother Liu Cuiyu rolled her eyes back and went limp, losing consciousness.

"Second Mother!" Lu Sheng hurriedly rushed over to support her. Fifth Mother and the others also hurried over to press the spot beneath her nose.

"Qingqing..." Lu Quan'an seemed to have aged several years in an instant. He sat listlessly in his seat, completely motionless.

"Really... there's no cure?"

At last, he looked at Lu Sheng with a shred of hope.

"We can beg Yan Kai Daoist Priest. Perhaps he..."

Lu Sheng closed his eyes, his expression dark, and slowly shook his head.

"I already asked."

He said hoarsely.

"If you ask me, perhaps it's better for Second Sister to be like this. At least she won't go out stirring up trouble all day..."

Fifth Mother's daughter, Lu Yingying, muttered softly from the side.

The others did not hear it, but Lu Sheng's martial arts had sharpened his five senses. His ears and eyes were keen, and he heard every word clearly.

He raised his head and glared sternly at Lu Yingying.

Her body jolted in fright, and she did not dare speak again.