The Immortal Wields His Sword to Exterminate Demons

Immortal Wields Sword to Slay Demons

Lin Wen had barely turned to leave when the deputy director of the Finance Department beside him started bitterly berating him. "Are you an idiot? Is County Magistrate Lin's connections something you can ask about? Great, now our standing in County Magistrate Lin's eyes has dropped even further!"

The director said unhappily, "We're in charge of finances. If we don't even figure out where the money came from, how are we supposed to do our jobs?"

"Can you even do your job?" The deputy director was practically furious to death. "County Magistrate Lin said it's special post-disaster reconstruction funding issued by the Empire!"

"But this doesn't follow procedure! Why would the Empire hand cash directly to a county magistrate? Damn it, there's even gold here! This makes no sense at all. I'm going to see County Magistrate Lin!"

The deputy director was about to lose his mind. "Old Lei! Use your damn brain! He said it's for post-disaster reconstruction. County Magistrate Lin has handed all the money over to you already—what are you still suspicious of? Do you think he'd hand over the money he embezzled and have you rebuild the disaster victims' homes? Do you think County Magistrate Lin's brain is as waterlogged as yours?"

Director Lei was abruptly struck speechless.

As the deputy director directed the staff to count the money and goods, he switched into Tang Monk mode and babbled relentlessly. "Old Lei, Old Lei, you never believe me when I say your brain is like granite. Be a little sharper, or how could an honors graduate of Imperial Supreme Finance University have possibly been stuck here for more than ten years?"

Director Lei's expression dimmed, but he said nothing. He merely put on gloves, took out the gold bars one by one, carefully weighed them, and arranged them neatly.

"County Magistrate Lin said he used his connections! Internal connections at their level—are those something you can stick your nose into and question? How many times have I told you? When a leader gives you a task, just say, 'Yes, rest assured, leave it to me.' Never question them. Don't ask this and that."

"And last time, when the new county magistrate arrived, you insisted there was no need to curry favor and that we should let things take their natural course. Well, look what happened—we got lumped in with Li Tupu's faction. Less than three days later, his authority over the region came through. Now you're dumbstruck, huh? You still said it didn't matter and that we just had to do our own jobs well. I'm telling you, if I hadn't gone to the county magistrate's office that day, thrown myself to the ground, and wailed my eyes out, we'd all have packed our bags and gotten the hell out!"

Director Lei suddenly asked, "Why hasn't Li Tupu left yet?"

The deputy director was so angry smoke nearly came out of his nostrils. "He's the director of the County Administration Office! Two ranks above you! Are you a director? Besides, Li Baldy won't last much longer. At most, within a month, he'll have to pack his bags and get the hell out! I'm telling you, Old Lei, with your emotional intelligence, if you'd handed the director's position over to me earlier, I'd have had the Finance Department soaring long ago!"

"I mean it. For the sake of our friendship of more than ten years, just agree to it!"

Director Lei shook his head. "Your intentions aren't upright. Without me watching over you, you'd make mistakes."

The Finance Department immediately erupted into another bout of chaos, while at the grand hotel not far away, the bidding meeting presided over by Yuan Zhimen, deputy director of the County Magistrate's Office, had already ended. Zhang Fatty and the others had won the bid as they wished, and were now eagerly riding their luxury business van back to the Governor's Office to complete the final procedures.

The highway leading out of Huai Town had long since fallen into disrepair, with towering mountains on both sides, but that only made Zhang Fatty and the others more excited. The spacious vehicle was already a complete mess, too awful to look at.

As he drove, Zhang Fatty cursed loudly, "Bitch! Put some strength into it! Didn't you eat today?"

Someone in the back laughed in a strange tone. "Then fill her up, Old Zhang!"

"Be tolerant, Old Zhang. The trash around here is only this quality."

Zhang Fatty's face was flushed red as he panted heavily. "One day, one day, I will, I will, oh, oh, oh, oh!"

With a bang, Zhang Fatty slammed on the brakes, and the inside of the vehicle instantly descended into chaos.

"Ow, Old Zhang, what are you doing?"

"I almost snapped!"

Zhang Fatty cursed first, "Did I tell you to stop, bitch?!"

Only then did he say, "I think I hit someone."

"You hit someone?"

"Who did you hit?"

"At that speed, they're probably already dead, right?"

"Let's go, let's go. Out in this wilderness, what's the big deal if you run over one or two people?"

"Serves him right for walking in the middle of the road! Hurry up and go. At least we won't have to spend money."

The luxury business van started up again and continued forward along the mountain road.

Behind their vehicle, on the gravel-strewn mountain road, a human corpse slowly evaporated, leaving behind only a straw human figure and a flattened piece of stiff paper.

Not far away, atop the mountain peak, Lin Wen stood in the gale in a chi-dragon greatcloak and murmured softly, "Paper Moon Hangs in the Sky, deactivate."

[Paper Moon Hangs in the Sky]

A white Golden Core-stage spell. Consumes 15% of the Primordial Spirit to raise a paper moon. Anything illuminated by the paper moon will be covered by an illusion. Lasts for 1 hour by this world's reckoning and may be interrupted.

[Aura Reading] was still active. In his eyes, the auras of the seven people had turned completely black.

"You are already dead."

Not a trace of fluctuation appeared on Lin Wen's cold face. At this moment, he looked even more like an immortal without sorrow or joy, holding the power of life and death in his hands.

[Divine Movement Art]

A green Qi Refining-stage spell. Consumes 10% of the Primordial Spirit to gain the effects of divine movement. Lasts for 16 hours by this world's reckoning.

Since he had used [Riding the Clouds and Mist] to fly to this mountain peak on the way here, he no longer had enough Primordial Spirit power to use it now.

Lin Wen directly spent 13 points of good karma to activate the spell.

At once, he felt his body grow light, ethereal as an immortal. With a tap of his toes, he rode the wind and flew dozens of meters.

But that was not enough. He also needed a combat spell.

Considering the dangers he might encounter, [Strength of Nine Bulls and Two Tigers] would not do. Lin Wen searched quickly and soon locked onto a spell.

[Aura-Binding Divine Power]

A color between white and light gray. A Golden Core-stage spell. Consumes 25% of the Primordial Spirit. Aura courses through the entire body; immune to water and fire, impervious to blades and spears, a thousand catties become light as floating dust. Lasts for 1 hour by this world's reckoning.

Lin Wen spent another 33 points of good karma and activated the spell.

Good!

Lin Wen felt his soul boiling—this was what cultivating immortality felt like.

With a leap, he launched himself off the hundred-meter mountain peak.

With a bang, Lin Wen landed with his knees slightly bent, his body steady and unharmed. His cloak fluttered in the wind, as though an immortal god had descended into the world.

Lin Wen raised his head, narrowed his eyes, and looked into the distance.

The business van had long vanished from sight. The sky was dim and yellowing, and night was about to fall.

"Trying to run?"

Lin Wen sneered. With a tap of his toes, his speed had surpassed 200 km/h in the blink of an eye.

The gale slammed into his face, yet it could not make him close his eyes. The ordinary clothes on his body began to tear apart, while only his cloak swayed amid the fierce wind, utterly unaffected.

"Found you!"

In the faint darkness, the black business van moved along the winding mountain road like a coffin. It was neither fast nor slow; clearly, they had nothing to fear.

Lin Wen suddenly stamped his foot, and his body shot forth like a cannonball. Crossing a bottomless ravine, he landed directly beside the business van's right wheel.

Lin Wen had no sword on him, only an iron rod he had picked up along the way. He drew out the rod and shouted.

"Behold my sword!"

With one thrust, he blew out the right tire.

The business van instantly lost control and rolled toward the cliff.

Lin Wen grabbed the business van's A-pillar with one hand and, with a backhanded wrench, sent it spinning into the mountainside.

Lin Wen stepped forward and yanked off the door. While the people inside were still dizzy and disoriented, he pulled out the several unclothed young women, gently knocked them unconscious, and laid them by the roadside. Then he seized the business van's B-pillar again and roared.

"Green mountains need no ink to paint a thousand autumns; an immortal, sword in hand, slays demons and fiends!"

The veins on his right hand bulged. Using all his strength, he hurled it outward. Like a javelin in an athlete's hand, the business van flew straight into the sky and fell into the bottomless abyss.

Lin Wen would not make any careless mistake born of arrogance. After settling the young women, he jumped down the cliff and personally confirmed that the men were dead beyond all doubt before returning.

The young women's auras were a mingled mix of blue, yellow, and green, with the occasional wisp of black aura that vanished in an instant. Clearly, they were not people he could harm. They did not know much, nor could they possibly have seen his face.

Though they might leave behind a few loose ends, it did not matter. He only needed to take them back and settle them properly.

He took off his shredded clothes and covered the young women with them, but there was too little cloth, and the spring breeze still poured in unchecked. Lin Wen had no choice but to tie them into a bundle, wrap them in his cloak, gently hoist them onto his shoulder, and race back to Huai Town by a roundabout route.

Once he was sure no one had seen him, he slipped into the inn he had rented, placed the young women on the large bed, and examined them. Other than a few scrapes and rope marks, they were fine. Only then did Lin Wen tuck them in and swagger back.

It was not until he returned to the county governor's office that Lin Wen had time to inspect his expenditure and gains.

His Primordial Spirit power had been depleted, with only 2% remaining. He had consumed a total of 46 points of karmic affinity.

Three spells still remained.

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[Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart] 1 hour 11 minutes.

[Aura Reading] 3 hours 22 minutes.

[Paper Moon Hangs in the Sky] 56 minutes.

He had killed seven demons. Each demon was worth 3 points of karmic affinity, for a total income of 21 points.

Karmic affinity loss: 25 points.

The work of rebuilding their homes had not yet begun. This was a long-term project. As long as his money truly helped the disaster victims, karmic affinity would come rolling in without end.

Lin Wen thought, Looks like this will be the top priority of my next phase of work. I need to ensure that the administration runs smoothly and that the reconstruction work is in perfect order. Otherwise, wouldn't I have spent all that money for nothing?

At the thought of a huge amount of karmic affinity about to flow into his account, the tiny trace of weariness in Lin Wen's heart immediately vanished.

"No, I need to establish order quickly and keep them under supervision!"

He immediately changed clothes and got to his feet.

"My hard-earned money, every last cent must be spent where it counts!"

"Whoever makes me lose those 25 points of karmic affinity for nothing won't live to see tomorrow's sun!"