The flames spread throughout and around the cloth shop were formed from yin energy. Though they could not harm flesh, they could burn the soul. Ordinary people could not set foot here at all.
Yet the scholar before him...
The green-faced man furrowed his brows slightly.
Could it be that he possessed awe-inspiring righteousness, making him unafraid of evil influences and thus able to step into the sea of fire?
Looking closely, the scholar did indeed have an upright bearing and extraordinary features, with the air of a handsome and talented man.
The white-robed scholar wore a mild expression. He clasped his hands and smiled.
"You started this fire?"
"..."
The green-faced man remained silent, but killing intent suddenly surged in his eyes.
"Even if you possess great talent, the moment you dared to trespass here, your allotted fate was already exhausted!"
He immediately swept out his sleeve. The surrounding waves of heat surged under his control and swept over all at once, instantly swallowing the scholar's figure completely.
The flames were no longer meant merely to intimidate. Instead, they seethed with a chilling killing intent. Even weapons would melt away the moment they touched them, let alone the flesh of an ordinary mortal. One would be burned to charcoal in the blink of an eye.
"The troublesome one is gone. Next... it'll be your turn, you ignorant 'thief.'" The green-faced man shifted his gaze toward the cloth shop surrounded by roaring flames.
But when he focused his eyes, he saw that another ethereal figure within the sea of fire had already vanished, leaving behind only a faint trace of yin energy.
The green-faced man froze for a moment, then bellowed furiously, "Damn it! You actually took advantage of this chance to sneak away.
"You won't escape. You dared to steal my 'food,' so I'll turn Changling County upside down and dig three feet into the ground if I have to. I will drag you out and burn you to nothing, so you can experience the agony of the underworld's punishments!"
He angrily swept out his sleeve and berated the empty air, seemingly preparing to turn and leave.
"Hey—"
A cold voice suddenly rang out, making the green-faced man's expression change. He hurriedly turned around.
The white-robed scholar, who should have been burned to death by the raging flames, actually walked out of the fire completely unharmed.
"You burned the cloth shop to this state, and now you think you can just walk away?"
Lin Tianlu casually brushed the sparks from his clothes, his gaze indifferent.
"You—"
The green-faced man stared in astonishment. "You didn't die?!"
Why had this pale-faced scholar, who looked too weak to truss a chicken, remained unharmed after being engulfed in flames?
"They were merely some boring illusions meant to scare people. Did you really think they could burn someone to death?"
Lin Tianlu's flippant words left the green-faced man immensely bewildered.
When had the evil spirit's flames he wielded become such a third-rate illusion that they could not even burn the skin of a mere scholar?
No—
There was nothing wrong with his flames. Rather, this scholar had... something hidden within him!
"Interesting!"
At that thought, the green-faced man's mouth split into an intrigued smile, and his form shot forward like a phantom.
Since the yin fire was ineffective, he would simply shatter the scholar's flesh!
Yet the moment his foot landed, he froze halfway through, stuck in a twisted stance with his five fingers together and thrust forward, unable to move.
"Hm?"
His expression darkened slightly. Rotating his eyes, he swept a vicious gaze like a blade beyond the sea of fire. "You mere ghost sorcerers actually dare to stop me?!"
Among the crowd outside the fire.
Mao Ruoyu was clenching her fingers into a seal and struggling to intervene when a thunderous roar suddenly exploded in her mind. Her face instantly turned deathly pale. She staggered back two steps, horrified.
This, this is an evil spirit!
Why was there such a terrifying existence in a little place like Changling County?!
As she reeled in shock, ghostly energy filled the surroundings and transformed into a freezing wind that swept past.
Though flames soared inside and outside the cloth shop, everyone who gathered around began to shiver. It was as if wronged souls and vengeful ghosts were howling and shrieking by their ears. Terrified, they could not even think of putting out the fire or rescuing anyone. They retreated and fled one after another, afraid of becoming entangled with such filthy things.
"Stupid scholar... This evil spirit can't be restrained by a scholar's righteous aura! Hurry and run!"
Mao Ruoyu gritted her teeth and held on, sweat pouring down like rain.
But when the roar exploded in her mind again, she finally could not bear the burden. Her spell was forcibly repelled, and she cried out before collapsing onto the ground.
"—Scholar!"
There seemed to be a familiar voice outside the sea of fire?
Lin Tianlu felt slightly puzzled, but he did not pay much attention to it. Instead, he stared strangely at the male ghost in the distance.
The ghost had been charging toward him menacingly, apparently intending to take his life, but had suddenly stopped in place in an utterly comical posture.
It looked like the starting stance for a hundred-meter sprint.
And besides—
"Why are your arms and legs moving on the same side?"
Lin Tianlu stroked his chin, his expression peculiar.
"Ha!"
At that moment, the green-faced man suddenly shouted. His strength burst forth, his black hair flying wildly. As if breaking free of some restraint, he spread his arms and thrust out his chest, sending yin wind and scorching flames surging together.
Lin Tianlu frowned.
What kind of frightening performance art was this?
Chest-expanding exercises?
The green-faced man's muscles and bones crackled all over. He suddenly let out a feral laugh. "Hand over your life!"
In a daze, his figure quietly vanished.
Lin Tianlu let out a soft sound of surprise. He saw only a flicker of black before a fist shadow, carrying a vicious force, slammed into his chest.
—Boom!!
A dull, thunderous impact resounded.
The man laughed coldly again and again.
This scholar could withstand the evil fire, so he probably had some kind of treasure that warded off evil and drove away flames.
But with his deep foundation, this punch alone was enough to shatter all the scholar's internal organs, muscles, and bones, leaving behind only a sack of flesh and killing him on the spot!
"Let me see what exactly you're carrying that lets you withstand the evil spirit's flames."
He withdrew his hand and—
The green-faced man froze. He lowered his head and looked at his empty shoulder.
Where's my hand?
"Just so we're clear, I don't handle compensation for staged accidents on my end."
Lin Tianlu's rather speechless voice quickly brought him back to his senses. "You were the one who attacked me out of nowhere. I haven't even retaliated yet."
"You, you—"
The green-faced man's expression turned utterly horrified. Clutching his shoulder, he hurriedly retreated.
What kind of scholar is this?!
What scholar had a chest harder than refined iron or a divine weapon?!
Lin Tianlu brushed the charred imprint of the fist from his chest and muttered to himself.
"Weaker than expected?"
Seeing the fear filling the other man's face, Lin Tianlu's slight tension eased considerably.
He had thought this was a fierce ghost stronger than the female ghost in the mountains. Judging by the ferocity of the flames, its magical power should have been extraordinary.
But who would have thought that after throwing a punch, the ghost would instead shatter its own arm...
Lin Tianlu nearly stared himself silly.
Anyone who did not know better would think this was some kind of scam-accident gang. The acting was truly astonishing.
"But you harbored the intent to harm people and suddenly launched a lethal attack over a disagreement. You absolutely cannot be spared."
Lin Tianlu drew a deep breath and focused his gaze. The view around him once more transformed into a wondrous scroll. Countless points of light swirled around, illuminating the outline of the green-faced man.
More than a hundred streams of blood-colored light flowed and surged within his body. The sounds of weeping and wailing echoed by Lin Tianlu's ears, as though women and children were begging for release from within.
"W-wait a moment—"
This ghost deserves death.
Lin Tianlu immediately flicked his finger.
Pop—
Before the green-faced man could beg for mercy, his eyes widened. His face filled with terror as he toppled backward, looking up at the sky.
"It... can't... be—"
A hole had suddenly appeared in the center of his brow, piercing straight through.
Wisps of gray energy slowly drifted from the opening, and his form gradually dimmed.
"I... Li Dong... how could I..."
Before he could finish speaking, his figure completely dispersed into green smoke. The flames filling the surroundings gradually died out along with him.
Seeing the gray energy swirling overhead, Lin Tianlu took out the jade pendant from his robes as if sensing something.
The gray energy was quickly drawn in. It rushed into the jade pendant and vanished without a trace.
Lin Tianlu tossed the jade pendant lightly and laughed helplessly.
"Is this changing the batteries in a flashlight?"
His expression grew slightly more solemn as he stared at the place where the ghost had disappeared.
"How could a fierce ghost appear in this town and county, where yang energy is so abundant? It seems my idea was indeed too unrealistic."
Who knew where this third-rate ghost had found the nerve to cause trouble so recklessly in the county town? If someone with even a little knowledge of exorcising evil happened to pass by, they could have destroyed it with ease.
"But...
"There are more wandering souls and fierce ghosts in this world than I imagined."
Lin Tianlu let out a soft sigh and clasped his hands toward the distance.
"Those who suffered and met with harm, please rest in peace."
Some time later, the raging fire inside and outside the cloth shop had mostly died down.
The residents who had originally fled in terror were now slowly returning. All of them stared in astonishment at this inexplicable scene.
Before they could figure out what had happened, they saw a white-robed scholar slowly walk out of the cloth shop, carrying two unconscious men.
"Is there a doctor? These two are still breathing!"
"There... there is a doctor!"
"Quick, come save them!"
For a time, Changling County was thrown into chaos in the dead of night.
Many people hurriedly took the unconscious cloth-shop owner and his attendant, then ran to a cool spot to treat them. An elderly man among them wore a look of surprise and repeatedly clasped his hands toward Lin Tianlu. "May I ask, sir, what happened just now...?"
"The fire inside the cloth shop was extremely strange. Though the flames were fierce, they did not scorch or hurt me, so I gritted my teeth and rushed inside to rescue them." Lin Tianlu returned the greeting with a smile. "When I looked back just now, the fire had already gone out almost completely. There is no longer any danger."
"How strange! How strange indeed!"
The surrounding neighbors sighed and exclaimed in amazement.
Seeing everyone begin chattering among themselves, Lin Tianlu quietly slipped away from the crowd while he had the chance.
He had not come for fame. Now that he had successfully eliminated the ghost and saved two people, he was fully satisfied.
"Hm?"
But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar figure staggering up from the ground, looking somewhat dazed.
"Madam?" Lin Tianlu asked, surprised.
"Hm?"
The bewildered Mao Ruoyu also turned and saw Lin Tianlu. She stared blankly for a moment.
Then the already pallid color drained from her face. Her pupils contracted as if she had seen some terrifying monster. Clutching her chest, she repeatedly drew in sharp breaths.
Before she could catch her breath, she let out a choked sound and fainted, collapsing onto the ground.
Lin Tianlu: "???"
Before you continue