Draw Your Sword! (Two-in-one)

"Who is it?"

Chen Mo activated all six senses, staring fixedly at the courtyard gate as he barked the question.

An unfamiliar voice came from outside.

"I am Li Wenqing, the newly appointed County Magistrate. With me is Li Yu, the County Office Magistrate. Please allow us entry for a talk."

Then another man's voice rang out, "Many thanks to Young Master Chen for sending Ma San to alert me earlier. Only then did I learn that the Xie Manor had met with disaster."

All the details matched up—it seemed genuine. Chen Mo opened the gate. Outside stood a man and a middle-aged scholar in a green official robe.

Seeing the robe, Chen Mo identified them both and gave a slight bow. "I am Chen Mo. Please, come in, gentlemen."

Li Yu, anxious about his wife, kept his head down the whole way, his mood gloomy.

Li Wenqing, meanwhile, surveyed his surroundings. Seeing that Chen Mo had gathered everyone together and lit several large bonfires, turning the courtyard into a blazing inferno of heat and light, he felt a surge of admiration. Young Master Chen is clever—keeping people close and using fire to drive off evil.

Entering the main hall, Chen Yin Fu rose first to greet them. "At this late hour, why trouble the County Magistrate to visit?"

Li Wenqing was direct. "I just saw the Xie Manor and the tragic state of the Xie family. Learning that your son visited there this afternoon, I came to ask a few questions."

Chen Yin Fu ushered Li Wenqing to the seat of honor and had Haitang serve tea to both officials.

After a sip of tea, Li Wenqing spotted the Red Candle on the table and was startled again. This Chen family really has something going on.

After a few pleasantries, Chen Mo spoke up. "What questions does the Magistrate wish to ask, coming so late?"

Li Wenqing, a decisive man who had already prepared his thoughts, said, "Please, Young Master Chen, recount the details of your meeting with Third Master Xie this afternoon—the more thorough, the better."

Chen Mo agreed and laid out the entire conversation with Third Master Xie, omitting only the matter of the booklet.

Li Wenqing listened intently, then pondered for a moment. "So, the Xie family was wiped out because of an old grudge between Third Master Xie and Granny Li. What a pity—Third Master Xie was a man of great talent."

After a sigh, he continued, "Young Master Chen, you sent a guard named Ma San to alert my younger brother earlier. Is that guard here now?"

Hearing this, the dejected Li Yu lifted his head, looking at Chen Mo with hopeful eyes.

Seeing Li Yu's expression, Chen Mo wondered if something had happened to Li Yu's wife.

But he didn't pry and said plainly, "Ma San hasn't returned yet."

Li Yu lowered his head again and shot Li Wenqing a look urging him to leave.

Knowing his younger brother was anxious to find his wife, Li Wenqing stood up and added a warning. "I suspect Li Hongxi might come to the Chen Mansion. Young Master Chen, be careful. If anything seems off, light a big fire immediately. I'll see it and come to deal with the evil."

Hearing that Li Wenqing had methods to handle evil spirits, Chen Mo seized the chance to ask, "May I ask, sir, if Li Hongxi does enter, what measures can be taken?"

Li Wenqing listed them like a recitation. "Li Hongxi is a vengeful Soul Ghost tainted with moisture, likely from long-term habitation in dark, watery places. Generally, such ghosts fear blazing fire. Even if fire can't destroy her, it can weaken her power.

Additionally, the scorching true qi of an Internal Martial Master can harm her. But such masters are rare—I doubt the Chen Mansion has one. Beyond that, consecrated black walnut wood or Five Emperors Coins can also gravely wound her."

With that, Li Wenqing unsheathed the saber at his waist and introduced it with some pride. "Take this Mountain-Cleaving Saber, for instance. It was forged by a Daoist master from Nanyang Prefecture, using consecrated black walnut wood and inlaid with numerous consecrated Five Emperors Coins. With this blade, I can kill her. Aside from that, ordinary martial artists have no way to deal with her."

Chen Mo felt somewhat reassured. "To be honest, sir, Li Hongxi has already come to the Chen Mansion. She's likely lurking nearby right now."

At these words, Li Yu's head shot up, his gaze complex.

Li Wenqing's interest was piqued. "Is that so?"

Chen Mo recounted how Erniu Tiezhu had been hanged and concluded, "The evil spirit is dangerous. I wouldn't dare trouble you to risk yourself, sir. If you'd lend me the saber, I'd be deeply grateful."

Li Wenqing suddenly grew bold. "Saying that, Young Master Chen, you underestimate me. Though I'm no Internal Martial Master, I learned the art of exorcism from a Daoist master in Nanyang Prefecture. When I took up this post in Honghe County, my mentor, the Prefect, entrusted me with a solemn duty: to purge all evil spirits and protect the people."

With that, Li Wenqing stood, saber in hand, exuding a righteous aura before the crowd. "I've been in Honghe County over two months without exorcising a single evil or earning a single merit. I've failed the people below and my mentor above. Now, by chance, I'll use Li Hongxi's head as a victory report to my teacher."

Seeing the once-staid Li Wenqing suddenly brim with such confidence, Chen Mo felt a twinge of unease and warned, "Sir, the evil spirit is vicious—it wiped out the entire Xie family. Don't take it lightly."

Li Wenqing laughed. "Young Master Chen, you haven't mastered martial arts or learned exorcism, so it's natural for you to fear evil spirits. I, however, do not. When the spirit comes, just stay far back."

He then swept his gaze over the crowd and warned sternly, "Remember this: once the evil arrives, none of you common folk should come near me, lest you cause trouble. Just watch me cut that fiend down."

Chen Mo couldn't help but mutter inwardly. Magistrate Li might be overestimating himself...

If Li Wenqing were truly that capable, why hadn't Third Master Xie sought his help earlier? They were relatives, after all.

Just then, a knock came at the courtyard gate.

Thump, thump, thump.

The crisp sound plunged the entire scene into dead silence.

A moment later, a woman's voice came from outside.

"Husband, are you in there?"

The voice was hoarse and low, adding an eerie, chilling edge to the tense atmosphere.

The servants warming themselves by the fires all shrank back, tucking in their necks.

But Li Yu, who had been slumped dejectedly in the main hall, perked up as if hearing the sweetest sound. Without a second thought, he hurried toward the hall's exit.

"I'm here, I am, my wife!"

Before Li Yu could take two steps, Li Wenqing grabbed him. "Brother, don't be rash. This might be a trick. Let me check with the Exorcism Mirror first."

Li Yu was clearly annoyed, but mindful of his elder brother's good intentions, he didn't resist. "My wife must be frightened and in a bad state. Just take a quick look, brother, but don't let her know—it would break her heart."

Li Wenqing doted on this younger brother. "I know my limits," he said.

With that, the two brothers walked out of the main hall under everyone's gaze, heading straight for the courtyard gate to greet the visitor.

But Chen Mo tightened his grip on the broadsword's hilt.

Something felt off, but since she was the Magistrate's wife, Chen Mo couldn't very well stop her.

To be safe, Chen Mo decided to take precautions. He swept his gaze around and finally landed on Chen Wu.

"Chen Wu, light the Red Candle."

Chen Wu hadn't expected Second Brother to call on him at a critical moment. Delighted, he grabbed the tinderbox from the table and moved to light the Red Candle.

Seeing his reckless eagerness, Chen Mo shook his head helplessly. "The tinderbox won't work. Do as I say..."

Chen Wu obeyed without hesitation, kneeling beside the long table as instructed. He bowed to the Red Candle, paying respects to Goddess Hong Deng, then bit his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the wick.

Sizzle~

The Red Candle ignited.

A dim crimson glow bloomed, flickering gently in the breeze.

In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn to the candle on the table. Watching the dancing flame, an inexplicable sense of reassurance settled in their hearts.

Creak!

The courtyard gate swung open.

A woman with a pallid face and gaunt frame entered. The moment she stepped inside, she threw herself into Li Yu's arms, tears streaming. "Husband, A Xia has been possessed by an Evil Spirit. I ran for my life to find you—I was so terrified."

Seeing his wife weeping so pitifully, Li Yu felt his heart shatter. "I've been searching for you everywhere. Heaven has mercy, letting me find you. It's cold outside—come inside quickly."

With that, Li Yu helped Xie Cui through the door.

Li Wenqing followed beside them, discreetly pulling a palm-sized bronze mirror from his inner sleeve. It was inlaid with Five Emperors Coins. He shone it on Xie Cui. Seeing nothing unusual, he tucked the mirror away, thinking to himself: Xie Cui is lucky to have escaped this calamity.

The three entered the main hall. Li Yu helped Xie Cui sit by the long table and moved the brazier closer.

Chen Mo opened his six senses and examined Xie Cui. Nothing seemed off, but he still used his Golden Finger. Sure enough, a frame appeared around her.

Three Black Rods.

And a line of text:

[Detected: Original Understanding Essence!]

Though he had no Recognition Counts left to identify it.

But three Black Rods and the subtitle clearly marked Xie Cui as a ghostly entity.

Still, she was the Magistrate's wife. Without any overt signs of abnormality, Chen Mo couldn't act rashly. Besides, he wasn't entirely confident—better to let Li Wenqing test the waters first...

Chen Mo quietly positioned himself in front of his parents and noticed... Xie Cui's gaze kept falling on the Red Candle.

The next moment, Xie Cui spoke. "Is this the Red Candle blessed by Goddess Hong Deng? Being close to it really does put one's heart at ease. Where was it bought?"

As she spoke, Xie Cui moved closer to the Red Candle, looking both reassured and curious. Nothing about her seemed suspicious.

Chen Mo thought to himself: She can get close to the Red Candle. They say it repels Evil Spirits. I wonder if it works on her.

He immediately went on high alert, narrowing his eyes. "I need to find Granny Li..."

Before he could finish, Xie Cui blew out a breath and extinguished the Red Candle.

The next instant, a bone-chilling gale swept out from the bedroom, snuffing out all six bonfires in the courtyard.

The entire hall plunged into darkness.

Then, Xie Cui, hair disheveled, let out a sinister, childlike giggle. "Hehe... without the Red Candle's protection, none of you will live!"

In that split second, everyone—including Chen Mo—felt their hair stand on end, a chill flooding from head to toe.

Even the densest person knew Xie Cui was wrong.

Chen Mo realized the Red Candle didn't have a lethal effect on possessed Evil Spirits, but she still blew it out before revealing herself—meaning she feared it.

With that in mind, Chen Mo immediately drew his blade and stepped in front of his parents, ordering Chen Wu, "Relight the Red Candle."

Hearing Second Brother's command, Chen Wu snapped out of his daze. He grabbed the Red Candle and tried to drip blood onto it, but it wouldn't light. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "The wick must have gotten damp. It's out."

Chen Mo didn't hesitate. "Stand behind me. Protect the family!"

Though terrified, Chen Wu gripped his sword hilt and shielded Xiaoyuer, Second Mother, and the others behind him. His face was resolute—a man of true grit.

Just then—

Clang!

Li Wenqing drew his blade in one swift motion, charging at Xie Cui while shouting to the crowd, "You're all ordinary people—stay back!"

As his sword was about to strike Xie Cui, he suddenly lost his footing and nearly stumbled, his blade missing. He looked down to see Li Yu kneeling on the ground, clutching his leg, eyes brimming with tears.

"Big Brother, she's your sister-in-law."

"I thought you were just lovesick, but I believed you had sense and restraint. I never expected you to be this foolish! Get lost!" Li Wenqing roared, kicking Li Yu away.

That single kick was enough to show Li Wenqing's extraordinary strength.

He was already a peak Blood Rush Realm expert.

His blood and qi surged, even stronger than Liu Mazi by a margin.

Li Yu couldn't withstand the force, flying over ten feet and crashing into the door wall before sliding down to the ground. He was half-mad, curled up on the floor, wailing in grief.

"Brother, she's your sister-in-law! Show mercy. She won't harm either of us."

"Nonsense! You believe the words of an Evil Spirit? Don't forget we are imperial officials!" Li Wenqing roared in reprimand, then ignored Li Yu and raised his blade again to strike at Xie Cui.

This strike was heavy and swift as a flash of light, reaching Xie Cui in the blink of an eye. Yet Xie Cui didn't dodge; she simply raised her hand and pinched the blade. No matter how hard Li Wenqing strained, he couldn't cut down.

After a struggle, Li Wenqing was drenched in sweat, realizing this Evil Spirit was truly formidable—things were looking grim.

"Hee hee..."

Xie Cui held the blade, the cold wind stirring her tangled hair, revealing a pale face, wide pupils, and a curved smile as she let out a hoarse, childish voice.

"The Five Emperors Coin on this blade is decent, but the Daoist who consecrated it lacks skill. It works on common wandering spirits, but it can't harm me."

With that, Xie Cui slid her right hand along the blade to the hilt, gripping the back of Li Wenqing's sword firmly.

In an instant, Li Wenqing felt a bone-piercing chill sweep through his body, freezing him stiff, while his mind took a massive shock. He instinctively leaped back, dropping the blade.

Xie Cui tossed the sword to the ground and stomped down with her foot. A "crack" sounded as she shattered the blade into pieces.

This terrified Li Wenqing.

That sword was forged from refined steel and consecrated by a Daoist. Only an Internal Martial Master could have crushed it with a single stomp.

He couldn't help feeling regret, realizing he had been overconfident.

These thoughts flashed through his mind before he suppressed them. He knew he couldn't afford to be distracted now, or the consequences would be dire. He pulled a waterskin from his waist, unscrewed the cap, and splashed its contents at Xie Cui.

What sprayed out wasn't water, but the blood of a prime black dog—a potent deterrent against Evil Spirits.

Xie Cui was caught off guard, drenched in dog blood, but she wasn't fazed. Instead, she sneered darkly, "Using low-grade black dog blood meant for common wandering spirits against me? How boring. Looks like that's all you've got. Time for you to die."

Without any visible movement, Xie Cui suddenly appeared before Li Wenqing, grabbing his neck and lifting him like a chicken.

"Hah... hah..."

Li Wenqing felt her thin hand possessed immense strength; he couldn't struggle at all. Soon, his face turned red, and he gasped for air, clearly on the verge of being strangled to death.

"Wife, please spare my brother," Li Yu crawled quickly to Xie Cui's feet, clutching her leg and begging.

"Hee hee~"

Xie Cui's face was expressionless as she sneered coldly, "Didn't your brother just say, how can you trust the words of an Evil Spirit? How naive. If not for your cover, I wouldn't have had the chance to use damp air to blow out the Red Candle...

Now that this place is filled with the damp air and moisture from the Ancient Well, the Red Candle can't be lit anymore, hee hee~"

Li Yu stared at the unfamiliar Xie Cui, then at his dying brother. Torn between his wife and his blood brother, his heart ached as if cut by knives. He spat out a mouthful of blood and let out a despairing cry.

Chen Mo, however, paid little attention to this. His eyes were fixed on Xie Cui.

He hadn't acted earlier partly because Li Wenqing had struck first, and partly because he wanted Li Wenqing to test the waters, giving him a chance to observe Xie Cui's methods and traits.

Thus, Chen Mo noted every detail of their exchange, especially Xie Cui's every reaction.

By now, Chen Mo had made a preliminary assessment of Xie Cui's characteristics:

First, Xie Cui was fast and strong. With that, she could instantly kill a Blood Rush Realm expert.

Second, Li Hongxi could possess others.

Moreover, Li Hongxi's weakness had been exposed: she feared the Red Candle and firelight.

If not for that, she wouldn't have used damp air to blow out the Red Candle and extinguish the fire before striking.

The key was the damp air!

If true qi could counter her damp air, Chen Mo felt he had a seventy percent chance of killing her.

With that thought, Chen Mo picked up the Red Candle from the table and quietly channeled his true qi. Sure enough... the damp air on the candle evaporated under his true qi.

Chen Mo set the Red Candle down silently, knowing... an Internal Martial Master could kill this Li Hongxi.

The only risk: he had to kill her quickly, before her vengeful soul could escape Xie Cui's body. After all, Chen Mo had only seen Xie Cui fight and knew her traits and weaknesses. If she fled, he had no idea what other tricks she might pull.

Chen Mo didn't want to take that gamble.

With confidence, Chen Mo hesitated no longer.

Clang!

Chen Mo suddenly drew his blade, charging at Xie Cui like a cannonball.

"Die!"

Ps: Readers keep saying it's dragging, so I'll just merge the chapters for a smoother read. Only one chapter today. Once Li Hongxi is killed, the first volume ends, revealing all the foreshadowing from earlier, with a bonus surprise too.