Hengqiao Town, Zhang Family Courtyard.
Li Shi had not slept a wink all night. She hadn’t eaten, nor had she drunk a drop of water.
Her face was haggard, her hand tightly clutching a string of prayer beads.
All day, she had been reciting prayers to the Divine Beings and Buddhas, beseeching the Bodhisattva, praying for her son’s safety.
Her heart was filled with worry and anxiety.
Her son had not come home after his shift yesterday.
Instead, he had someone pass word to her that he was going out on a mission in the countryside and might come back late, telling her not to wait up.
But she still prepared a meal for her son, keeping it in the pot, thinking that when he returned, he could have a hot bite to eat.
Out in the wild countryside, where could one find anything decent to eat?
The officers of the Demon-Slaying Bureau never cared whether their subordinates ate or not.
Her son, sent on a mission, would surely return with an empty stomach.
After a hard night, even a bowl of hot rice could help ease his fatigue.
She sat in the house, waiting until midnight. Her son did not return, but instead, a squad of officers in the Demon-Slaying Bureau uniform arrived at her door.
They barged straight into her home, their manner arrogant and icy, delivering news like a bolt from the blue.
Her son, Zhang Zongnian, had apparently been beguiled by a Zhujing Yaojing, massacred an entire village, set fire to it, and murdered all his colleagues on the mission, committing a monstrous crime.
He had now fled with the demoness, wanted and with a bounty on his head throughout the city.
Li Shi could hardly believe her ears.
Her son, who had been obedient and upright since childhood, how could he possibly commit such treasonous evil?
Had the officers made a mistake?
She had sat in her chair for a day and a night, unable to eat or drink, endlessly reciting prayers to the Divine Beings and Buddhas and beseeching the Bodhisattva, tormented with grief.
There were always Demon Slaying Division Officers taking turns watching her.
Li Shi looked at the two stern-faced men in black across from her, wanting to ask about her son’s situation, but dared not open her mouth.
Her son was the most important person in her life.
She pictured her son’s face in her mind, not knowing if she would ever see him again.
Lost in endless worry, she suddenly heard a familiar voice ring out in the courtyard.
“Mother, I’m home!”
It was her son, Zhang Zongnian’s voice.
Li Shi trembled, her prayer beads slipping from her hand to the floor.
She missed her son dearly and wanted to see him, but not now.
Right now, her home was already surrounded by several armed officers from the Demon-Slaying Bureau—a net from which there was no escape.
Her son, returning now, could not possibly survive.
The two men in black who had been watching her exchanged glances, instantly drawing the gleaming long knives from their waists.
Without bothering with the door, they leapt straight out the window.
Li Shi, ignoring her unsteady legs, rushed to the window and shouted into the courtyard, “Zongnian, run! Don’t come back!”
She saw a beautiful small boat resting in the courtyard.
Atop the boat stood her son Zhang Zongnian, whom she had missed all night, and by his side, a young woman dressed in snow-white robes.
With a single glance, the woman seemed like a celestial maiden fallen from the Immortal Realm, her features delicate and elegant, her aura pure as moonlight.
Li Shi had never seen such a beautiful woman before.
She stood in a daze for a moment.
So lovely—could this girl be a goddess from heaven?
Those officers called her a demoness, but could it be a mistake?
At that moment, seven black-clad Heiyi Wei with drawn blades surrounded the two on the boat.
Li Shi’s heart clenched tightly.
……
Lin Xue piloted the Flying Boat, landing in the courtyard with Zhang Zongnian.
Zhang Zongnian looked at his home, his heart surging with emotion.
Though only a night had passed, it felt as if he had been away forever.
He had thought he would never return again.
Mother must have worried so much about him.
As soon as he touched down, he called out loudly, “Mother, I’m home!”
Before the words had left his mouth, several Heiyi Wei appeared, brandishing long knives, swiftly surrounding them.
He heard his mother, Li Shi, shout from inside, her voice full of concern and anxiety, “Zongnian, run! Don’t come back!”
Hearing his mother’s voice, Zhang Zongnian’s eyes grew moist.
Of course I’ll leave, but I want to take you with me!
Lin Xue stood shoulder to shoulder with Zhang Zongnian, facing the seven Heiyi Wei.
Seven long knives gleamed coldly.
One of the Heiyi Wei, who seemed to be the leader, glanced at the Flying Boat beneath Lin Xue’s feet, his pupils contracting sharply.
He demanded, “How do you have my Eldest Young Master’s travel artifact?”
Lin Xue smiled faintly and replied, “Your Eldest Young Master? You mean Yang Yuting? He’s already died by my blade. If any of you wish to join him in the afterlife, step forward.”
As soon as she spoke, the seven were all visibly shocked.
The leader was especially incredulous.
He shouted, “Nonsense! My Eldest Young Master is a mighty cultivator—how could a mere demoness like you harm him? Brothers, don’t listen to her lies, seize her!”
Seeing that the man refused to yield, Lin Xue willed it, and the Blood Fiend in her ring appeared in her hand.
A flash of spiritual light flickered across the Blood Fiend, and a soul-chilling wail—Ghost Howl—resounded instantly.
The seven Heiyi Wei’s expressions shifted. Some stumbled back a step, some swayed where they stood, and some nearly collapsed to the ground.
Even though Zhang Zongnian was prepared, his own Blood Energy surged uncontrollably, and he nearly fell over.
In the next instant, a crimson Blood Mist burst from the Blood Fiend, spreading across most of the courtyard.
Lin Xue felt a surge of relief—if she hadn’t slain Yang Yuting earlier and absorbed his flesh and blood, she might not have been able to release the Blood Mist now.
With the Blood Mist boosting her speed, she combined it with the movement technique from the Sword Art of the Gale, entering Phantom Form, and in a blink, appeared behind the lead Heiyi Wei.
Seizing the moment while he was still dazed by Ghost Howl, before he could react or defend, she slashed his throat with a single strike.
She then struck at the two nearby, injecting a trace of Demon Aura into each of them.
Immediately after, she detonated the Demon Aura in their bodies.
All of this happened in an instant.
Like lightning, the lead Heiyi Wei clutched his neck, face full of disbelief, convulsing on the ground.
The other two knelt, clutching their stomachs in agony, blood frothing from their mouths.
“Killed a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Cultivator, gained Experience: 130 points.”
As Lin Xue lunged at the fourth, that man had already shaken off the brief confusion from Ghost Howl and deflected her attack with his blade.
The other three had also recovered, raising their long knives and adopting guarded stances.
Lin Xue felt a twinge of regret.
Only one dead, two injured.
Against seven mid-to-late stage Qi Refining Heiyi Wei, achieving this in a single breath—this was already her limit.
However, with this outcome, plus standing atop Yang Yuting’s Flying Boat, it should be enough to deter the remaining four.
She retreated to the Flying Boat, Blood Fiend in hand, her cold, breathtaking face exuding murderous intent, staring down the remaining four.
The four, who had been itching to act, now, seeing the strongest among them—Qi Refining Seventh Layer—killed in a single exchange and two others gravely injured, dared not move.
Terrified, they gripped their weapons, on high alert, and no longer had any thought of attacking.
Zhang Zongnian also recovered from the Ghost Howl’s effects and immediately dashed into the house.
Mother is old—he didn’t know if she could withstand that scream just now.
The Heiyi Wei could only watch him enter, opening their mouths but not daring to utter a word or make a move.
Inside, Zhang Zongnian found his mother, Li Shi, collapsed on the ground, looking up at him, her face full of sorrow and despair, her eyes brimming with tears.
She opened her mouth and sobbed, “Son, did you really do such a terrible thing?”
From the window, she’d seen Lin Xue’s stunning, fairy-like beauty, and hope had flared in her heart, thinking the Demon-Slaying Bureau officers must have been mistaken about her son and the girl.
Perhaps her son was wronged. As long as he cleared his name, he could continue his life as an Immortal Master and officer of the Demon-Slaying Bureau.
But she hadn’t expected that the fairy-like girl would let out such a demonic, wretched scream, unleash a bloody, murderous red mist, and even kill an officer of the Demon-Slaying Bureau.
Li Shi fell into despair.
Were they telling the truth after all?
Was the beautiful woman really a Zhujing Yaojing?
Had her son truly been bewitched, committing a crime that angered both men and gods?
Wouldn’t her son’s life be ruined by this demoness?
Zhang Zongnian saw his mother’s misunderstanding but had no time to explain.
He could only say, “Mother, it’s not what you think. Please come with me first, I’ll explain everything slowly.”
Li Shi sat on the ground, dazed, and muttered, “Son, you don’t have to explain. I saw it all. That woman is a demoness. You must have been bewitched by her to commit such a great sin.”
Zhang Zongnian grabbed her arm anxiously, trying to pull her up, urging, “Mother, please, we must go! If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late!”
Li Shi clung to the table leg, shaking her head. “I won’t go. I’ll stay here, eat vegetarian and recite sutras every day, atone for your sins.”
Zhang Zongnian grew desperate, “Mother, I haven’t done anything wrong! Why atone for me? You misunderstand Miss Lin Xue. She may be a demoness, but she’s a good person!”
Li Shi gave a bitter smile, “A demoness, good? Son, you know she’s a demoness and still defend her. You really have been bewitched. Please, wake up!”
Zhang Zongnian said, both anxious and helpless, “I’m completely clear-headed! Miss Lin Xue didn’t bewitch me! Mother, come with me. I’ll explain everything on the way!”
Li Shi grabbed his hand, saying, “Son, you’re still young. That demoness is beautiful; it’s understandable you were bewitched. It’s all her fault. Listen to me, let’s go to the Demon-Slaying Bureau together and beg the officers for leniency, okay?”
Zhang Zongnian grew more frustrated, “What would I beg them for? They want me dead! Everything they said is slander! I didn’t do any of it!”
Li Shi shook her head in despair, “You’re with a demoness, and still say you didn’t do those things?”
Zhang Zongnian’s head buzzed painfully.
He hadn’t expected his mother to be so prejudiced against Lin Xue as a demoness, and to assume everything was their doing.
Gritting his teeth, he pried at Li Shi’s hand gripping the table leg. “Mother, come with me first! I’ll explain everything!”
Li Shi wept and struggled, “Son, you can’t fall any deeper! Please wake up!”
Outside, Lin Xue was still facing off against the four Heiyi Wei.
She had planned to leave as soon as Zhang Zongnian brought his mother out, but now he was taking so long. She began to grow anxious.
If this dragged on, those four might start getting ideas.
She could hear the conversation between Zhang Zongnian and his mother, and felt extremely frustrated.
It was all the fault of this Blood Fiend—too bloody, reeking of villainy, leaving a terrible impression.
She absolutely had to find a new weapon in the future!
Resolving herself, she prepared to enter and help Zhang Zongnian bring his mother out by force.
Suddenly, a streak of light tore across the sky like a shooting star, heading straight for the Zhang Family Courtyard.
In the blink of an eye, the light landed in the courtyard, bringing with it a howling wind.
Lin Xue’s vision blurred, and an elderly man with white hair and beard appeared in the center of the courtyard.
The old man stood in the middle, looking at Lin Xue with eyes sharp as blades, as if to pierce right through her.
Lin Xue’s heart lurched, a sense of foreboding rising within her.
At that moment, the four Heiyi Wei all knelt down, calling out in unison, “Respectfully welcoming the Ancestor!”
Foundation Establishment Ancestor!
The only Foundation Establishment cultivator in Xichuan had arrived!