People Can Also Repel Ghosts and Deities (Thanks to "Shangshan Ruoshui 1111" for the Alliance Leader)

"Huh?"

An unexpected cry came from outside:

"There's someone else?"

Then the voice abruptly turned vicious:

"Why haven't you left yet?"

Another gust of wind came with the voice.

"Smack!!"

A green roof tile flew in and smashed into the wall three feet from Lin Jue with great force, shattering into pieces.

The flying fragments even struck Lin Jue in the face.

"..."

Lin Jue could not help turning to look at the spot on the wall beside him where it had struck. He looked at its distance from himself, then touched his stinging face. His eyes flickered, yet he still did not move.

In the village elders' stories, those fox spirits, Ghosts and Monsters that occupied human homes often did the same—throwing roof tiles and bricks to frighten people away. Some even beat people until their heads bled, or argued and cursed at them.

This one, too, seemed constrained by various considerations or misgivings and did not dare casually take a human life.

Combined with what he had learned, although the Wang Family ancestral hall had been occupied, they had never reported the matter to the county. Nor had he heard of any major incident where someone had lost their life here. That made him even more certain—

This creature wanted to scare him away.

But that hardly mattered.

"You still won't leave?"

The voice came again from outside.

"Smack!"

Another green roof tile flew in and shattered.

It struck the same spot as before.

"I see that you are young, possess Righteous Qi, and have not offended me, so I kindly advise you to leave. If you still refuse to go, you will lose your life here!"

The voice outside continued threatening him.

Lin Jue's eyes flickered. At last, he slowly rose to his feet. Still staring outside, he said, "I do not know whether you are a demon or a ghost, but if you want me to leave, one roof tile will never be enough."

"Is that so?"

Several sharp cracks rang out at once. More green roof tiles flew in, smashing against the wall even closer to Lin Jue. They struck with greater force, knocking whitewash from the wall and scattering countless chips and clouds of dust.

Lin Jue instinctively shut his eyes. But when he opened them again, he drew a deep breath. Without so much as glancing at the wall beside him, he continued:

"Why not show yourself, then?"

"I'm afraid I'll scare you to death!"

"Why not try?"

"Are you looking to die?"

"Then do you have any other skills?"

"Hm? You're making me angry!"

"Bang!"

A dull crash sounded.

This time, what flew in was a green brick. It slammed viciously into the wall, only a foot away from Lin Jue.

Lin Jue could even feel the fierce wind from it.

If that green brick had struck his head, he would have been severely injured even if it did not kill him.

Yet Lin Jue still did not turn to look. He feared that seeing it would make him timid, so he continued staring outside, guarding his heart as he even sharpened his tone. "Surely that is not all you can do?"

"You brat! How infuriating!"

After a brief pause came a sound like gritted teeth straining with effort.

"Whoosh..."

A tremendous gust roared overhead, and the space above him suddenly darkened.

Then came a muffled boom!

Somehow, the creature had found a huge bluestone slab—the sort used in the village to pave roads or make steps. As if displaying its strength, it had hurled it over the eaves and down through the courtyard.

After striking the ground, the bluestone slab rolled once and slid forward, stopping only at Lin Jue's feet.

This time, he had no choice but to look.

It was right beside his feet.

Even under the dim moonlight, he could see it clearly.

Lin Jue lowered his head slightly.

The bluestone slab was nearly as long as a person, a foot wide, and almost a foot thick. It lay dark and heavy on the ground, surely weighing far more than a man.

If it had hit him, he truly would have been smashed into meat paste.

"..."

Lin Jue drew deep breaths but said nothing.

"You still won't leave?"

The voice outside continued threatening him.

It was both a threat and an urging.

"..."

Lin Jue was silent for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"I won't leave..."

"Hm?"

"I won't leave."

This time, his voice was clearer and firmer.

"Hm?"

The voice outside became startled.

At the same time, mist seemed to rise outside. Under the bright moonlight, it had a distinct shape, drifting into the sleeping hall under the wind's urging.

Lin Jue immediately felt something strange.

Before he could examine it closely, his head spun. The scene before him rippled, the ground rose and fell, and he felt as though he were standing upon the sea. At the same time, the thoughts in his mind suddenly became muddled and hazy. In that muddle and haze, he grew hesitant, losing his resolve and certainty while gaining fear and the urge to leave.

Lin Jue braced himself against the wall with one hand, struggling to stand upright.

There really were Demonic Ghosts making trouble in this ancestral hall!

This Demonic Ghost did not seem weak. He likely could not defeat it today. Would it not be better to leave for now and think of another way after returning home?

How could a human possibly fight Demonic Ghosts?

Uncle had treated him well. First there was the grace of saving his life, then the kindness of raising him...

The grace of saving his life... the kindness of raising him...

No! He could not leave!

Lin Jue fought desperately, locked in a battle between heaven and man, resisting the cowardice and desire to leave in his heart.

"Something's wrong!"

This was the demon's sorcery.

The realization suddenly struck him. Once he understood that, his battle between heaven and man, his struggle against himself, became a struggle against the demon and its sorcery. Lin Jue gradually gritted his teeth and drove away those chaotic thoughts, allowing his reason and original purpose to regain the upper hand.

"I won't leave!"

Lin Jue said it once more.

As his words fell, it seemed the sorcery had vanished, or perhaps the demon arts had failed. He felt his heart gradually settle, though after experiencing sorcery for the first time in his life, the shock to body and mind still left his heart pounding.

"Why? Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid!"

"Not even of death?"

"You already have the power to take my life with ease. But you should know that such power is not possessed only by demons, ghosts, and Deities like you. There are many strong men in this world who could kill me with a punch—even that one just now." Lin Jue's voice was youthful, yet firm. He lowered his head to look at the stone slab by his feet. "Must I fear every last one of them?"

"Heh! Interesting! How much is that Wang Clan paying you to make you so resolute?"

"Not much. Just enough to save a life."

The plain sentence carried the weight of a thousand catties, making even the demon outside, which could throw stone slabs over walls, fall silent for a moment.

"Money to save a life?"

Lin Jue panted, his hand trembling slightly as he fumbled to light the oil lamp beside him. "My Uncle first gave me the grace of saving my life. Last year, by the river, I accidentally fell into the water. He risked his life to save me, and only then did I get a second life. Later, he took on my father's responsibilities, providing me with food, clothes, and schooling." Lin Jue seemed to be explaining it to the demon outside, but also to himself, giving himself reasons and courage.

Thinking of his Uncle, bedridden by illness, suffering terribly and even nearly dying, his heart gradually became ever more settled.

"Now he has been struck by a vicious illness, his life hanging by a thread, waiting for this medicine money to save him.

"Old Mr. Wang is a renowned kindhearted local worthy throughout the region. I do not believe he would covet this little bit of money from me. If I die, there may even be further compensation. Therefore, even if I must die today, I must die in this ancestral hall. Let my life be exchanged for my Uncle's life."

With every sentence Lin Jue spoke, his voice grew steadier and more confident. By the end, he felt no fear at all.

Setting aside family affection and speaking only of gratitude, this was how it should be.

It was only right.

Thus, his hand no longer trembled.

He merely gripped the Firewood Knife in his hand tightly, staring hard outside and watching for any brick, roof tile, or bluestone that might fly in.

"If you truly wish me to leave, why not come in and fight me face-to-face?"

"..."

Outside was utterly still and silent.

Who knew what it was doing.

After a long while, a sound finally came.

"Pfft..."

After that, there was no more movement outside.

Who knew how much time passed.

Lin Jue still leaned against the wall, repeatedly recalling the strange events and sorcery he had just experienced while quietly watching and waiting. No matter how sleepy he became, he was unwilling to sleep lightly and did not dare to sleep lightly.

Yet tonight, he was especially sleepy.

In this world, most people fell asleep not long after nightfall and woke before dawn. Judging the time, it was nearly when people should be waking.

On top of staying awake all night, resisting the sorcery earlier had drained too much of his mind. Gradually, his eyelids began to fight each other, and no matter what he did, he could no longer control them.

Falling asleep was truly something that happened without one noticing.

After he fell asleep, a dream came.

There seemed to be nothing in the dream, leaving him with the feeling of endless whiteness. Yet within that whiteness was an abstract figure, seemingly visible and yet invisible. He only knew it existed, that it was there, and that it was speaking to him. Its voice was equally impossible to describe.

Dreams seemed mostly to be like this.

"That Wang Clan has some means after all. I disturbed them until they could not rest in peace, driving them away, and they found people to come disturb me in turn, hoping to drive me away."

The figure spoke as soon as it opened its mouth.

"Who are you?"

Lin Jue asked aloud.

"Didn't you just deal with me all night?" The figure seemed to speak with a hint of laughter.

"So it was you..."

Dreams were truly marvelous. Lin Jue neither felt this was a dream nor that it was real. He did not think about who the other party was, nor why he himself was here. He simply conversed with it naturally.

"Why are you here?"

"It's a long story...

"I lived here long ago, before this village existed. Later, I left for a while because I had matters to attend to, and these Wang Clan people built houses here. But all things beneath heaven and earth never belonged to any one person alone. Besides, I had left no mark, so at first I had no intention of reclaiming my dwelling and occupying their house. But as I gradually grew older, I wanted to return."

The figure paused.

"Moreover, the ancestors of this family were quite virtuous. I found living in this ancestral hall comfortable, so I tried to occupy it again."

Both occupying and returning—it was rather contradictory.

"Now the Wang Clan has brought quite a few people here. Though many were timid, they still made it uncomfortable for me to live here. Then I encountered you people too. Including you, there have been three. None left all night. How troublesome. I suppose I cannot stay here in my old age after all." The figure paused. "Though your Five Qi are not as pure as a sage's, neither are they muddied. You are young yet quite courageous, with an open heart and a filial heart. That is truly rare. So I came to you in a dream to tell you this: I will leave tomorrow. You may tell the Wang Clan. Perhaps you can receive another reward and exchange it for medicine, saving your Uncle's life."

"Then I must thank you!"

In the dream, Lin Jue spoke with complete sincerity.

"It is your merit, not my labor."

"I must still thank you."

"You are quite courteous!"

"I have studied before."

"Studying is a good thing."

"You just said that, including me, there were three. Who were the others? I have only heard of one." Following the curiosity in his heart, Lin Jue asked naturally.

"You are one. There was also a butcher, and an Old Master who teaches in Shu Village." The figure answered him as well. "That butcher had abundant blood qi, and my Exhale Qi was useless against him. He came after drinking, arrived here, and fell asleep as dead. I did not wish to smash him to death or injury, yet could not wake him, so I could only let him have his way."

"The Old Master from Shu Village?"

Lin Jue became interested. Was that not the teacher who had taught him?

"Yes. That Old Master has little learning, but his nature is stern and upright. He has not done a single bad thing in his entire life. That is exceedingly rare! Ah, when Deities encounter someone like that, many of them must still retreat and avoid him. How much less a demon like me, with only a little cultivation and a few meager abilities?"

Lin Jue could not help being stunned.

That answer was far beyond his expectations.

It was only then that he learned this being was not a ghost, but a demon.

"But isn't Old Mr. Wang also a renowned local worthy and kindhearted man, known far and wide for doing many good deeds?"

"He has done some good deeds, but the truly kindhearted ones were his ancestors. He is merely well-off, so he continues his ancestors' traditions and performs charitable acts to accumulate a reputation for himself, in exchange for benefits." The figure's voice paused. "That is not wrong, nor is it a bad thing. It is even a good thing, so I never intended to harm or strike him. But for me to respect him greatly because of it, or avoid him whenever something happens, is impossible."

"So that was how it was..."

Before he could ponder the interesting implications of that conversation, the dream rapidly faded away like mountain mist pierced by sunlight and scattered by the wind.

Only one drifting sentence remained at the end:

"Seeing that you understand propriety well and have shown me due respect, I shall give you one more warning: your soul is strong, yet unstable. You must take better care of yourself. Best if you can find a way to soothe the soul, and set your spirit at peace."

In a daze, he woke up.

It was nearly dawn.

He was still in the ancestral hall, leaning against the wall. Bricks and rubble still lay beside him, and plenty of white powder had fallen to the ground. His feet were still braced against the bluestone slab before him. In the faint light, he could just make out the scrape marks left on the hall's tiles by the slab as it had rolled and slid—yet he himself was completely unharmed.

After staring blankly for a moment, Lin Jue suddenly scrambled to his feet and headed outside.

Sure enough, dawn was close.

A rooster was already crowing outside.

By the foot of the wall, he saw a figure about knee-high. In the dim light, he could not tell whether it was yellow or mottled; he only knew that it walked upright like a person and carried a bundle on its back. In a flash, it vanished.

Lin Jue froze again.

Then he came back to himself and could not help clasping his hands and bowing deeply in that direction.

Yet his brow remained tightly furrowed, his heart filled with bewilderment—

What sort of world was this, exactly?