Late Night Pursuit, Manor's Shocking Change

In the dead of night, the streets were naturally quiet and serene.

Tap--

But a slender figure was speeding through the street, leaping into the air and jumping onto the wall of a courtyard.

"What fast footwork!"

Not far behind, Hua Shuya was in hot pursuit.

Her expression was solemn as she watched the dark figure decisively dart into a manor, gritting her teeth.

About half an hour ago, she had received a secret report from the authorities stating that a fierce bandit who had been committing crimes for a long time had reappeared and was about to attack women in the county.

Without any delay, she immediately set off according to the location provided in the intelligence, finally spotting the bandit.

However, she hadn't expected that this person seemed to possess not only good lightness skills, but she hadn't caught up in a short time. Instead, she watched helplessly as the bandit fled into a residence.

Without hesitation, she leaped into the manor along with the dark figure. She knew that if she hesitated any longer, the women in this manor would likely suffer undeserved disaster.

She swept her gaze coldly, seeing the dark figure breaking through a window and entering a room!

"Stop!"

Hua Shuya cried out sharply, immediately drawing her sword and chasing after him: "If you dare to harm civilians again, your crime will be compounded!"

While using the threat to distract him, she forcefully pushed open the room door, flashed inside, and was about to unleash her full strength to save the person, but her movements suddenly stopped.

The dark figure had already disappeared without a trace, and there was no movement from within the room; it was eerily quiet.

"Could he be deliberately concealing his presence?"

Hua Shuya's thoughts stirred.

Since the other party intended to hide, she might as well first disperse all the residents of the manor to avoid them being affected when the fight started later.

She immediately stepped forward quickly, intending to wake the sleeping woman in the bed.

"Young Lady, hurry and get up--"

But as soon as she spoke, her expression suddenly changed drastically. She quickly flashed to the bedside and lifted the gauze curtain.

Immediately, a face that was already bloody and blurred appeared before her eyes!

"This... he's already met with foul play?!"

Hua Shuya's face changed greatly, and she quickly checked for breathing.

Let alone breathing, even her body was ice-cold, as if she had been dead for a long time.

"Wait a moment."

Her brows suddenly furrowed tightly: "This woman has clearly been dead for some time, and this face... it looks like the skin has been peeled off?"

A faint sound of footsteps came from behind. The young woman quickly turned her head and saw the dark figure flash past the door.

Hua Shuya's expression turned grim. She quickly rushed out of the room and shouted loudly: "Everyone inside, wake up quickly! A bandit has broken into the house!"

At the same time, she used her full lightness skill, suddenly closing the distance with the dark figure, and rushed into another room, almost a step behind.

As soon as she pushed the door open and rushed in, Hua Shuya was shocked by the scene before her.

A woman in a white dress was hanging from the beam by a silk ribbon, gently swaying in the wind. In the moonlight, a similarly bloody and blurred terrifying face was revealed, her neck twisted and deformed from strangulation, already dead.

"How, how could this be?!"

Was this tragedy in the manor truly related to that dark figure?

And--

Hua Shuya hurriedly withdrew from the room and looked around the manor.

Her shout just now contained a trace of internal energy, which was extremely loud and clear to ordinary people, capable of waking them up even in their sleep.

But now...

There was not a single sound from the entire manor, which was extremely strange!

"Did a shocking murder occur in this manor long ago, or is it... the work of evil spirits?"

In the past, she never believed in such ghost stories, but since her trip to Taiyi Mountain, she had already known that there were indeed demons and monsters in this world. While the murders in this manor might have been man-made, they could also have been caused by evil spirits, similar to the strange events at Cheng Manor a few days ago.

Hua Shuya looked intently and saw the dark figure darting towards the main hall along the corridor.

After a moment of thought, she quickly clenched the hilt of her sword at her waist and pursued.

But as soon as she prepared for battle, she was surprised to find a woman in a black dress standing in the main hall. Judging by her voluptuous figure, she seemed to be a woman from this manor?

Or was this person the true identity of the bandit she had been chasing all along?

"Madam, could you please say something to me."

Hua Shuya asked tentatively, while also feeling vigilant, slowly drawing her long sword.

"Young Lady, do you know... about the incident at Li Manor?"

The gentle female voice that suddenly sounded made Hua Shuya's eyes widen slightly.

But she quickly regained her composure and said in a deep voice: "I learned of it by chance. I heard that the concubine in Li Manor died mysteriously, and it was rumored that Li Manor had specifically invited many Taoist priests to perform exorcisms. But in the end, it was confirmed that the concubine had accidentally ingested poison, which led to her death."

"Young Lady, you only know one part of the story, not the other." A gentle, melodious laugh echoed softly. "Steward Li married two Madams and had three concubines. Although the family appeared harmonious on the surface, behind the scenes, they were scheming against each other, filled with suspicion and jealousy."

Hua Shuya's expression was calm as she said, "Madam means that the concubine was killed by other women?"

"Of course not. What courage would they have to commit such a murderous act?"

The woman in the black dress chuckled softly, "But they are truly despicable. To win Steward Li's favor, they've done countless shameful things.

This tactic was indeed effective. Steward Li was completely infatuated with them, spending his days and nights reveling in their company, forgetting all else. The concubine, on the other hand, was gradually forgotten, treated like a servant in the manor, constantly subjected to cold sneers and insults, ordered around at will."

"You tell me, what right do those lowly women have to mock that poor concubine? What status do they have to commit such disgraceful acts? Simply because their looks are prettier? Simply because of faces that will decay and age in a few decades?!"

Hua Shuya's steps faltered slightly, and she narrowed her eyes. "This is the Li family's private affair. As an outsider, I naturally have no right to comment."

"...So, the concubine came to a realization."

The woman in the black dress sneered, "Since Steward Li is captivated by beautiful faces, then she might as well take their appearances for herself.

No, not just the few lowly women in this manor, but also the women in the county town and the villages, none of them are exempt."

"I cannot agree with this course of action."

Sword Intent flared in Hua Shuya's eyes. "Madam... are you that deceased concubine?"

"Young Lady, you are mistaken."

The woman in the black dress smiled gently. "I am the primary wife of this Li Manor. However—"

She suddenly turned around, revealing a face already rotten, and grinned menacingly, "Young Lady, you are the next target!"

Without a word, the young woman drew her sword and swept it horizontally.

The woman in the black dress chuckled sinisterly and raised her hand to block the sword. Her seemingly slender wrist was as hard as rock, and sparks flew as the blade scraped against it.

"You can't escape from here, Hua Shuya!"

"Hmph!"

Hua Shuya rotated her fair wrist, and a sharp, fierce glint suddenly flashed, severing the woman's arm and then decapitating her with a single strike!

"How—"

The severed head rolled to the ground, exclaiming in shock. Before it could react, Hua Shuya unleashed her profound sword stance. The sword light flashed, and in just a moment, her stiff body was pinned to the great hall's wall.

Her sword tip turned, and wisps of yin energy immediately drifted up from the woman's body. The struggling form quickly went limp, completely still.

Only then did Hua Shuya pull out her long sword, exhaling a deep breath in silence.

After these past few days of cultivation, her sword techniques and even her realm had improved. She had almost reached the point of Qing Ling internal energy, and now she could inflict fatal damage on these demonic entities.

But—

A chill spread through her heart as she glanced back.

A bewitching and alluring woman quietly appeared. Her voluptuous body was draped only in light gauze and golden silk, her skin fully revealed. She licked her fingers with a half-smile, "Interesting. I didn't expect a mortal martial artist to be able to wear down our yin energy. It was worth my while to meticulously set this trap and lure you here."

This woman was, without a doubt, a ghost.

Hua Shuya's pretty face turned cold, her expression resolute. She cast aside all extraneous thoughts and silently assumed her sword stance once more.

She believed in the results of her cultivation and was unwilling to let down Lin Tianlu's careful nurturing and guidance during this time.

Now that this evil spirit had appeared, she had no retreat, nor did she wish to retreat.

"There's... nothing to be afraid of anymore."

This battle would surely end with the beheading of this troublesome ghost!

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