Chapter 304: Crumbling Apart, A Plot Emerges
“What… happened?!”
Cheng Yishi rushed to the window and looked towards the distant village in shock. Dense black lights were rising into the sky, the wind howling, a terrifying and eerie sight from afar.
And the aura carried by the wind made her heart tremble with fear, it was incredibly dangerous!
“Could it be… that my husband truly found a hidden demon or ghost in the village?”
Mao Ruoyu quickly got dressed and walked over, her face paling as she looked at the distant spectacle.
“This aura… doesn’t feel like an ordinary demon or ghost…”
Such terrifying power, how could an ordinary demon or ghost possess it?
“Tianlu might be in trouble!”
A deep voice suddenly rang out.
Yun Yue, who had been curled up on the bed, abruptly sat up, her figure flickering and transforming into her human form, a shimmering robe draping over her body. With an extremely serious expression, she left a single sentence: “You two wait here, I’ll go and check the situation.”
Before they could respond, her figure had already disappeared in a flash of light.
Mao Ruoyu and Cheng Yishi’s faces paled, their hearts pounding.
Could it be… that something truly happened?!
…
Boom——!!
An earth-shattering tremor suddenly echoed through the quiet fishing village.
The black light membrane that had enveloped the area within several dozen feet was completely shattered, scattering into countless fragments.
“How…”
The dozens of human-shaped shadows around them were speechless with shock, seemingly unable to comprehend what had just happened, their minds still reeling.
Just then, Lin Tianlu, with a cold smile, waved his sleeve, and a torrent of spiritual energy surged outwards like a raging wave, engulfing the shadows and shattering them.
Without any chance to resist or retaliate, they were instantly annihilated!
“Ugh!”
A surprised gasp came from the crack in the sky above, seemingly also not expecting such a swift and terrifying counterattack!
With a casual wave of his hand, he had shattered the external manifestations of dozens of experts, tearing through the light prison with his bare hands!
This person’s power… was truly terrifying!?
The intelligence they had gathered didn’t—
“Now, it’s your turn.”
Lin Tianlu suddenly leaped into the air, his expression cold as he reached out with his hand: “Hiding like a coward, let me drag you out and see your true face!”
“You dare, brat!”
An angry roar erupted from the crack, a giant hand faintly appearing from within, as if trying to cover the sky.
Seeing this terrifying sight, Lin Tianlu wasn’t panicked at all, his face resolute as he clenched his fist.
Crack!!
A cracking sound echoed as the incoming giant hand was crushed in mid-air, twisting into a grotesque shape. The angry roar from the crack turned into a muffled groan.
“Come… out!”
Crack!
The giant hand suddenly broke apart, exploding into countless wisps of Yin energy.
Lin Tianlu paused slightly, but his gaze quickly narrowed, preparing to attack.
Since the opponent had initiated the attack, intending to fight to the death, he naturally couldn’t show any mercy and leave a potential threat behind!
Hum—
But at this moment, ripples like water waves suddenly spread through the surroundings.
Lin Tianlu exclaimed softly as he felt the surging Yin energy quickly recede, the surrounding scenery changing.
As the ripples faded, the turbulent winds and clouds instantly subsided, and even the deep crater in the ground disappeared.
—No.
“This is… a change in location?”
Lin Tianlu lowered his guard, quite surprised. Sensing carefully, the surroundings were indeed completely different from before, he was now in an ancient town.
There was no ambush, no powerful enemy, and no crack or giant hand in the sky. As if everything that had just happened was just a fleeting illusion, a mirage.
“No, it’s some kind of technique.”
Focusing his mind, he suddenly looked up in a certain direction.
…
Hundreds of miles away.
“Hiss—”
Inside a grand hall, dozens of men and women dressed in fine robes gasped, their faces pale, an indescribable chill running through their bodies, like a sign of impending death, making them tremble uncontrollably.
At the same time, a soul-shaking impact struck them head-on, sending them stumbling backward, the techniques in their hands forcibly dispelled. They groaned and screamed as they fell to the ground, their bodies and souls almost crushed by that terrifying power!
“Wh-What kind of monster is this?!”
“When did such a terrifying existence appear in the demon and ghost world?!”
“He’s definitely at the peak of the Savage Realm, could he have truly broken through the shackles of the rules and stepped into the Nightmare Realm?!”
“For such a monster to be involved in this battle for the eight clans’ secret realm, what should we…”
Everyone present was still in shock, clearly not yet recovered from the almost one-sided crushing defeat.
They belonged to the Cleansing Hall, the guardians of the ancient realm, responsible for maintaining order. Over the past centuries, they had eliminated countless tyrannical demons and ghosts, experienced numerous battles, but they had never encountered such an earth-shattering figure, nor had they ever experienced such a swift and complete defeat.
This battle would be unforgettable for the rest of their lives.
“—This person… is truly bizarre.”
And on the jade throne in the hall sat a white-haired old man with a celestial air.
He raised his sleeve-shredded arm, looked at his slightly trembling right hand, his eyes flickering.
Although their clash had been brief, that almost invincible power had made even him, with his cultivation level, tremble with fear.
His thousand years of cultivation had been so fragile and powerless in that man’s hands.
Even if it hadn’t been just an external manifestation fighting from afar, even if he had fought with his true body, he probably wouldn’t have been a match for Lin Tianlu.
“That damned Luo Xing Soultaker, the information he provided was full of omissions, this person’s strength is clearly far greater than he described!
No… could it be that he deliberately made us clash with Lin Tianlu? To use this man’s hand to attack our ancient realm?”
The white-haired old man clenched his right hand again, his hand on his forehead, pondering, a cold glint in his eyes.
“This action… was truly too reckless.”
If it weren’t for the impending opening of the eight clans’ secret realm and the coming conflict, he wouldn’t have acted so rashly and impatiently.
But if this person truly posed a threat to the ancient realm, they had to launch a preemptive strike and eliminate the potential danger early on. It might be too late to deal with it after the fact. Although judging by the current outcome, their actions had already failed.
Thankfully, he had used a secret technique in time, using the laws of the ancient realm to forcibly transfer and devour Lin Tianlu, barely managing to escape from that brief clash.
“If the other kings find out about this, the reputation of our Cleansing Hall will surely plummet, our authority in the ancient realm completely lost. And we’ve provoked such a terrifying existence, in the future, I’m afraid… hmm?”
His thoughts stirring, the white-haired old man looked up towards the far end of the hall as if sensing something.
Faintly… a condescending and profound gaze seemed to be coming from thousands of miles away.
The next moment, his eyes widened as if struck by lightning, his whole body trembling, countless fine cracks appearing all over him!
“Uh, aaaaaaaah!”
With a tragic scream, the white-haired old man fell from the jade throne.
His profound cultivation, accumulated over a thousand years, was almost instantly shattered, the pressure directly attacking his soul, as if trying to completely erase his existence!
“Hall Master!”
“Hall Master! What’s wrong—”
“His soul is injured and collapsing, quickly help stabilize his injuries!”
The people present hurriedly used their techniques, channeling their soul power into the white-haired old man’s body.
…
“Ha… ha…”
After about a stick of incense’s worth of time, the white-haired old man finally managed to sit up straight, his face pale, his breathing ragged as he sat cross-legged.
But now he could only sigh repeatedly: “I was wrong… I was wrong!”
“Hall Master?!”
The men and women around him looked stunned.
“What are you talking about…?”
“This person cannot be provoked, we must not make an enemy of him, he’s a terrifying existence far beyond the capabilities of our Cleansing Hall!”
The white-haired old man’s attitude changed completely, and he clenched his hands bitterly, pounding his knees: “We were played by that Luo Xing Soultaker, truly becoming his pawns! Sacrificing ourselves to pave the way for him!
Quickly! Capture that Luo Xing Soultaker, don’t let him leave the ancient realm, not even a single step! We must redeem ourselves and expose that Luo Xing Soultaker!”
A middle-aged man beside him hesitated: “B-But Hall Master, you secretly contacted that Luo Xing Soultaker without informing the other kings—”
“I will take full responsibility.”
The white-haired old man took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: “But if we make another mistake, not only will I die, but our entire Cleansing Hall will face utter destruction! Everyone here will be implicated, there will be no escape!”
A moment later, a young man hurriedly returned, his face pale: “Reporting to you, Hall Master, the Luo Xing Soultaker who was in the Serenity Hall has disappeared!”
The white-haired old man roared in shock and anger: “How did he escape?! The Serenity Hall is filled with traps, he couldn’t have left without a trace—”
“I-I don’t know, but he has indeed vanished without a trace.”
“Search! Search! Search! Even if we have to turn the entire ancient realm upside down, we must find that treacherous villain!”
The white-haired old man shouted repeatedly, seemingly aggravating his internal injuries, clutching his chest and coughing violently.
As the scene from just now flashed through his mind, his eyes were filled with shock and uncertainty, feeling as if the greatest crisis in a thousand years was looming over him.
“Where… where is Lin Tianlu now?”
…
Crack
Lin Tianlu stepped on the piled-up weeds and looked around with a subtle expression.
It had been a few minutes since he was transported to this strange place, but after wandering around for a while, he could only confirm…
That he was in a deserted city.
Although there were traces of past human habitation, judging by the thick layers of dust and the weathered and decaying shops, this place had been deserted for years.
“I didn’t expect such a strange technique to exist, I’ll have to be more careful next time.”
Lin Tianlu scratched the back of his head and sighed helplessly.
He had been wary of being pulled into spatial rifts or something similar, but he hadn’t expected their technique to be so novel and the teleportation so sudden. It was the first time he had seen something like this.
He would naturally have to be more careful in the future.
“As for now, I have to find a way to get out of this ghostly place… hmm?”
His eyes suddenly narrowed, his gaze sweeping sharply over the surroundings.
He vaguely saw a nimble figure moving swiftly through the alleys and old houses, its movements incredibly fast and silent, like a ghost.
As the figure flashed and darted, it left behind afterimages, one splitting into two, two into four, four into eight. In the blink of an eye, dozens of figures were flickering and intertwining, yet strangely silent, without making a sound.
Until—
Lin Tianlu calmly turned his head slightly, and an afterimage brushed past his face, the tip of a delicate shoe flashing like a blade, a faint fragrance lingering in the air.
The mysterious figure landed silently, stopping its forward momentum, twisting its waist and spinning in mid-air, a swift and sharp whip-kick, like a shadow, sweeping towards him.
Slap!
Lin Tianlu caught the attacker’s ankle with his bare hand, stopping the kick aimed at his face.
In an instant, he blocked the follow-up kick with his elbow, gently pushing downwards to deflect the force, and then stomped on the attacker’s left foot.
“Wah?!”
This series of fluid defensive and counter-attacking moves made the attacker yelp in surprise. By the time she recovered, her legs had been forcibly spread apart, lifted high in the air by a single hand, completely exposed.
Lin Tianlu was about to grab her neck and question her when he saw her face clearly and paused, stunned.
“Miss Youluo?”
“You seem like a frail scholar, Master Lin, but your strength is truly astonishing.”
Youluo maintained her seductive, half-leaning posture, brushing her hair lightly, a charming smile on her face: “I didn’t expect my chain of kicks to not even make you budge, I’m truly ashamed of myself.”
Lin Tianlu frowned slightly: “Miss Youluo, what do you mean by this?”
“Are you angry, Master Lin?”
“I’m just wondering why you suddenly attacked me.”
But facing his question, Youluo just smiled playfully and said casually: “I just saw you wandering around here alone, Master Lin, and had a sudden whim, wanting to have some fun with you.”
Lin Tianlu looked at her with a strange expression: “Fun?”
“Of course~”
Youluo chuckled softly: “I’m not really good at close combat, it’s just some playful moves. Perhaps they’re effective against ordinary people, but for you, Master Lin, isn’t it just like playing around?”
Lin Tianlu was speechless: “Then why did you decide to attack me personally?”
“Because—”
Youluo suddenly arched her back, displaying incredible flexibility, leaning closer while maintaining her split-legged posture, her body curving like a drawn bow, her figure incredibly seductive.
She chuckled softly and ambiguously: “You’ve been bullying my lower body these past few days, Master Lin, pushing and pressing, it seems you’re quite fond of my legs. Now that no one’s around, you can touch and look at them as much as you like, savor them~”
Lin Tianlu: “…”
“How is it?”
Youluo’s eyes twinkled with a playful smile, and she teased: “Now that you’re holding my ankle tightly, Master Lin, and I’m trapped in such a shameful and exposed position, I’m truly quite embarrassed~”
As she spoke, she blushed slightly, covering her exposed groin with her hand as if trying to conceal it, but her long and seductive legs were still on full display, their curves exquisite, like a masterpiece.
Even spread apart in such a revealing position, her full and tender thighs were still incredibly alluring, without any visible muscles or bones, soft and seductive.
But seeing the playful smile in her eyes, Lin Tianlu sighed and released her leg: “There’s no need for such antics, Miss Youluo.”
“We’re the only ones here, so naturally, I have to seize this opportunity to tease you, Master Lin. If Madam Mao saw this, she would be angry with me again.”
Youluo slowly lowered her raised right leg, her full and beautiful legs, clad in black silk, on full display, the round curves of her buttocks clearly visible. As she retracted her leg, her figure looked even more alluring and sexy, her skin smooth and lustrous like jade.
As if deliberately teasing him, her leg brushed against his hand, a faint and seductive fragrance lingering in the air.
She smoothed her skirt and chuckled: “However, you’re still so unresponsive, Master Lin.”
Lin Tianlu smiled wryly and gave her a thumbs-up:
“Your yoga practice is quite good.”
“Yoga?”
“A fitness method from a foreign land, similar to the twisting and turning you just did. You’ve already grasped the essence of it, Miss. Keep it up, I’m sure you’ll master it one day.”
Youluo chuckled softly and rolled her eyes playfully: “You’re quite good at subtly mocking others, Master Lin.”
Lin Tianlu coughed lightly and quickly turned serious:
“Now that we’re done fooling around, can you tell me about the serious matter now, Miss?”
“I know.”
Youluo casually pulled a porcelain jade folding fan from the valley between her breasts and said softly: “You were just attacked by people from the ancient realm, Master Lin, a dangerous situation, although you won easily. But before they escaped, they gave you a gift.
Do you know where we are now?”
Lin Tianlu pondered for a moment and murmured: “The ancient realm?”
“Exactly, this is inside the ancient realm.”
Youluo shrugged her exposed shoulders: “But this town was probably abandoned decades ago, just a ruined city on the border of the ancient realm, naturally, there’s no one here. Even if you search all day, Master Lin, you won’t find anything.”
“This ancient realm is truly troublesome, always using strange methods to drag outsiders in.” Lin Tianlu scratched his head, slightly annoyed.
“It’s just a precautionary measure. After all, for those in the ancient realm, this is an extension of their domain. Being inside the ancient realm protects their souls, even if they’re attacked by a powerful enemy, they won’t truly die.”
“Then how do we leave?”
Lin Tianlu waved his sleeve, summoning the ancient broken sword: “Like before, cut a path back to Yumin Village?”
Youluo’s gaze narrowed slightly, looking at the broken sword before quickly looking away and chuckling: “Are you so unwilling to stay in the ancient realm for a while longer, Master Lin?”
“I’m not interested in this ancient realm.”
Lin Tianlu said matter-of-factly: “My wives will be worried if I suddenly disappear, I have to go back and reassure them.
And this incident happened too suddenly, there might be some conspiracy behind it.”
He mused: “It’s safest to reunite with them first, to avoid being ambushed.”
Youluo chuckled softly.
This scholar, as always, was concerned about his wives.
“Alright, alright, since you’re so stubborn, Master Lin, I won’t force you to stay in the ancient realm any longer. I’ll help you return to the demon and ghost world.”
Youluo casually formed hand seals, a strange smile appearing on her lips: “However, your wives might be safer than you think, Master Lin.”
“Hmm?”
…
A circular crater, filled with ruins.
This sudden and fierce battle had almost completely destroyed the area within several dozen feet, without a trace. Not even bloodstains or scraps of clothing could be found, only wisps of green smoke.
“…”
Mao Ruoyu and Cheng Yishi stood at the edge of the crater, silently staring at the scene of destruction, as if frozen in deathly silence.
Clap, clap, clap!
Applause suddenly came from not far away.
“What a pity.”
A young man with white hair and a sinister smile walked over, clapping: “I wanted to use the power of the ancient realm to completely eliminate this person, but it seems the Cleansing Hall is still too weak.
I should have tried to establish connections with a few more kings of the ancient realm. If I could involve even one ancient powerhouse, perhaps I could have succeeded.”
“It’s a pity that time was too tight, but this outcome is still acceptable.”
The white-haired man cupped his hands from afar and sneered: “But I wonder what Lin Tianlu’s wives are thinking now?”
“…”
Cheng Yishi looked back indifferently.
Beneath her disheveled bangs, only a pair of empty eyes, shrouded in shadows, could be seen, her face lifeless and expressionless. A gruesome battle-axe, covered in bone spikes, slowly materialized in her hand.
“Everyone… will be buried with him—”
