Dream Encounter with a God

Jiang Kun's eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air.

It hurt so much!

An intense feeling of drowning.

That crushing weight, like a mountain pressing down!

And the sensation of countless gentle water currents tearing at the roaming zombie beneath the whirlpool at the bottom of the water!

It was terrifying!

The profound terror of life and death!

This terror almost plunged Jiang Kun's consciousness into a daze.

Thump, thump, thump--

Until a crisp, clear, unhurried footsteps sounded by his ear.

A tall, slender shadow blocked his form.

Jiang Kun finally reacted.

Immediately, the daze in his eyes was replaced by extreme panic.

"You... Who exactly are you!"

Lu Jun didn't answer him, only speaking softly.

"Old senior, do you think young people should be arrogant now..."

"To slay demons and eradicate evil cults, it requires us law seekers to have fire in our hearts, to have passion, to harbor arrogance, so that we can fight them to the end and cleanse the world of all demons!"

Then, Lu Jun chuckled, as if mocking himself, a dim light flickering in his eyes under the moonlight.

"What's the point of telling you all this?"

"You're going to die soon anyway."

Jiang Kun's expression instantly turned to horror.

"No!"

"You can't do this!"

"You're a Demon Slayer Envoy!"

"I'm a Law Seeker! You can't kill me! You should hand me over to the Demon Slaying Division for judgment, not execute me here!"

Jiang Kun cried out in despair.

"I forgot to tell you, old senior."

"I haven't joined the Demon Slaying Division. At most, I'm a rogue cultivator now. The Demon Slaying Division's rules don't bind me."

"Besides, even if I were, you obstructed a Demon Slayer Envoy from slaying cult demons. You deserve to die without mercy! Both by sentiment and reason, you should be on your way."

"Old senior, please remember..."

Lu Jun raised his saber, his figure and face cast in a more somber light by the moonlight, though his eyes remained so bright they dared not be met directly.

"The killer shall be known!"

"My name is Lu Jun!"

"Remember this name. In the future, countless demons and evil cults will die because of me!"

"You need to open your eyes and watch from below."

"Watch how the many demons and monsters of this world revere me as they would a god!"

Lu Jun swung his saber, its blade catching the unique cold glint of the moonlight.

"Watch me bring an end to this era overrun by demons and monsters!"

"No!!!!"

"Ah!!!"

Jiang Kun's terrified screams were shrill and tragic.

But the screams quickly ceased.

The saber flashed.

Only the sound of a head rolling on the ground remained.

The entire jungle and wilderness returned to silence, just as before.

But only the full moon in the sky knew what had happened here.

The next day, Li Mansion.

Lu Jun was awakened by a startled cry.

"Daughter! You're well!"

"Quick, go call the esteemed members of the Demon Slaying Division!"

The voice, of course, belonged to the overjoyed Master Li.

Lu Jun finished dressing and tidying his long hair before slowly walking out of the room.

Li Tuo, Fang Yilin, and Old Man Yun had also arrived at the Li family's young lady's room much earlier.

Lu Jun didn't enter the room. He simply leaned against the doorframe, gazing at the young girl on the bed through the sheer white gauze.

The young girl no longer had the tragic, hoarse cries of pain from before.

However, her face was still bloodless, pale, and her cheeks were sunken.

Serene, delicate, frail, and pitiable.

This was Lu Jun's impression of her now.

"How strange, how is this possible? There isn't the slightest trace of demonic energy within her." Old Man Yun circulated his True Qi around Li Lingya, occasionally clicking his tongue, appearing quite puzzled.

"My lords, Ling Nu is... fine now..." Master Li asked tentatively.

"Daddy, you've asked that so many times!" Li Lingya said playfully. That's right, the Li family's young lady's full name was Li Lingya. Master Li always calling her Ling Nu was actually her nickname.

The term 'Nu' was probably similar to the customs of the Tang Dynasty in his previous life, a term of endearment for children, roughly meaning 'darling.'

Master Li chuckled sheepishly.

"She's fine. Her stomach has shrunk, and the ghost fetus is gone," Old Man Yun answered patiently. "Just eat more afterward and recuperate with medicinal meals."

Old Man Yun meticulously explained the details of her subsequent recovery.

"Mhm, mhm, mhm." Master Li kowtowed profusely.

After finishing all this, Old Man Yun looked at Li Lingya again and said, "What exactly happened to you last night? Can you tell us in detail?"

"Yes, my lord..." Li Lingya replied shyly and cautiously.

"Yesterday, at night, it was like any other day. In the first half of the night, I was plagued by nightmares. I kept seeing a terrifying child, with a ferocious face and covered in darkness, asking me for food... I was very scared at the time..."

"But in the latter half of the night, it changed, and I wasn't scared anymore..."

"Hmm? What dream..."

A blush flashed across Li Lingya's face:

"I dreamt of a deity..."

"I couldn't see his appearance, but he must have been very handsome and well-dressed. He stepped on clouds and came before me, telling me not to worry, not to be afraid, and that he would protect me..."

Following that, Li Lingya gently raised her head, her eyes filled with reverence and determination:

"He said he would cleanse all the demons in the world..."

As Li Lingya looked up, she almost subconsciously glanced towards the doorway.

Through the white gauze curtain, she saw the young man standing at the entrance.

The young man was handsome, with a chiseled face, a slender build, and skin as fair and pure as moonlight. He was wearing a white robe adorned with flowing clouds that fit his form perfectly.

At that moment, the young man looked up at her, the corner of his lips curling into a smile. Sunlight bathed him, making him almost dazzling, yet so beautiful that she couldn't look away.

Li Lingya's face flushed slightly, and she smiled shyly back at the young man.

By noon.

Master Li hosted a grand banquet to entertain Lu Jun and the other three.

After lunch.

Lu Jun and the other three departed.

Master Li dared not detain them, fearing he might delay the important matters of the esteemed Demon Slaying Envoys.

As the four walked on the road, they chatted continuously.

"Golden Robe, this is truly bizarre! That ghost fetus was clearly linked to the Li family's young lady's life, yet after one night, the ghost fetus is gone!" Li Tuo exclaimed.

"Indeed, Golden Robe. This matter is so strange. Why don't we stay a few more days to uncover the truth? It would give us a method to deal with the Great Black Cult in the future!" Fang Yilin also chimed in.

"Haha, there's no need for that. As long as the outcome is good, there's no need to delve too deeply..." Old Man Yun chuckled.

Li Tuo turned to Lu Jun, who had been silent, and asked, "Hey, Lu Jun, what do you think the truth is?"

Lu Jun smiled and said, "Perhaps, as the Li family's young lady said, there really are deities..."

"Tch... boring." Li Tuo pouted.

Lu Jun smiled, then his horse picked up speed, and he rode alongside Old Man Yun, saying earnestly, "Senior Yun, I wish to join the Demon Slaying Division."

"Hahaha, good, good, good!" Old Man Yun was overjoyed. He had finally managed to rope the person in.

Old Man Yun agreed readily.

Watching the four figures recede into the distance.

"If I ever have the chance to repay your kindness in this lifetime, I, Li, would die without regret..." Master Li thought silently as he watched the four figures depart.

Immediately after, thinking of his daughter, who had finally recovered, a loving smile reappeared on his face.

"Go check on Ling Nu."

Li Lingya was painting in the courtyard.

She hadn't seen sunlight in a long time. As the sunlight shone on her body, Li Lingya felt a warmth spread through her, an indescribable comfort.

"What is Ling Nu painting..." Master Li's voice was unusually gentle.

He truly doted on his daughter. She had loved painting since she was little, but now she had been confined to her room for two years without touching a paintbrush.

"Daddy, you always sneak up on me like this..." Li Lingya said with a playful pout.

"Hehe, then next time Daddy will wear a wind chime..."

Master Li chuckled, his gaze falling upon the Xuan paper Li Lingya was painting on.

The painting depicted a man.

The man had a handsome face, wearing a three-mountain phoenix coronet on his head, a dark dragon-patterned silver armor over his body, and a flowing immortal cloud robe. He was girded with a jade belt, his wide sleeves cinched at the waist, and he wore auspicious cloud boots, stepping on clouds.

The man's physique was excellent, perfectly matching his attire. The two complemented each other, creating an air of refined immortality.

"Is this the deity you saw in your dream?" Master Li asked curiously.

"Mhm..." Li Lingya nodded, her cheeks flushed.

"Truly an immortal descended to the mortal world, standing aloof from the world..."

Master Li's eyes showed a bit more reverence. Upon closer inspection, he even felt a sense of familiarity.

"Tell Daddy when you're finished painting, and Daddy will find someone to help you mount it. Our Ling Nu is blessed to have overcome her tribulation, and the immortal will surely protect our Ling Nu..."