Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan had met Fang Qingge's junior sister once in Mist City. He remembered her name was Zhao... Zhao?
Junior Sister Zhao also spotted Xu Sanyan. Her heart leaped in alarm. She had heard of his battle prowess—how he had effortlessly defeated four opponents and retreated unscathed. She knew she stood no chance against him.
"Hey, what a coincidence!" Xu Sanyan greeted her with a smile.
Junior Sister Zhao's heart pounded with anxiety. Who wants to run into you by coincidence? she thought, but she didn't dare provoke him. Forcing a wan smile, she stammered, "...Greetings, Holy Son."
Xu Sanyan's lips curved into a smile as he appraised Junior Sister Zhao's delicate features. He slowly approached her, his gaze lingering on her face.
Junior Sister Zhao stood frozen, trembling, afraid to move.
"What brings you here?" Xu Sanyan asked curiously.
"Um... Senior Brother Fang is here too, along with the Luo Family siblings. They'll probably find me soon..." Junior Sister Zhao replied weakly, her voice pale and strained, attempting to pressure Xu Sanyan.
"Heh heh heh..."
Xu Sanyan remained unfazed, standing before her. He leaned closer, his face inches from hers, his nostrils twitching as he inhaled her faint, sweet scent.
Junior Sister Zhao trembled violently, her hands clenched into tight fists, the knuckles turning faintly white from the intense tension. Her eyes blinked rapidly and unconsciously.
Xu Sanyan seemed oblivious to her distress. He gently brushed aside a stray strand of hair at her temple, tucking it behind her ear. The two stood less than a foot apart, allowing Junior Sister Zhao to clearly inhale his scent.
Hiss... Huff...
Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes, taking a deep breath before slowly exhaling, his actions bordering on perverse. He murmured softly, "You smell so good..."
"What... what are you going to do?" Junior Sister Zhao pressed herself against the wall, desperately wanting to fight back, but her remaining rationality held her back. She knew the chasm between them was too vast to be bridged by mere courage.
Xu Sanyan extended his index finger to lift her chin, his thumb lightly brushing across her crimson lips. He leaned closer, his breath rushing directly into her ear canal.
His other hand slowly encircled her waist, drawing their bodies flush together.
"Do you want to live or die?"
Junior Sister Zhao's body stiffened, her pupils dilating instantly. As she felt his fingers caressing her skin, tears welled in her eyes.
"I... I want to live."
"Beg me," Xu Sanyan said, a cruel amusement rising in his heart.
"Please... please..."
Junior Sister Zhao was powerless to resist and unwilling to die, leaving her completely at his mercy.
"Hahahaha..."
His deranged, low laughter sounded like the whispers of a demon to her. Her delicate face turned deathly pale. She couldn't understand why she had been so unlucky as to encounter this madman the moment she arrived.
Xu Sanyan wasted no more time. A Demonic Seed materialized in the air and slowly imprinted itself on her forehead.
Junior Sister Zhao's body stiffened again, her mind reeling. As she gazed at the man before her, a strange mix of affection and fear surged through her.
"Do you like me?"
"Yes, I like you."
Her expression remained slightly vacant, but her eyes gradually regained their spark.
"Do you like me more than Fang Qingge?" Xu Sanyan asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Hmm..." Junior Sister Zhao hesitated, stealing a glance at him before biting her lip.
"Tsk, still not enough time," Xu Sanyan muttered, shaking his head. He didn't dwell on it; the Demonic Seed had only just been planted and needed time to ferment.
If he asked her again tomorrow at this time, she would declare her love for him without hesitation.
"Come with me."
"Yes," Junior Sister Zhao replied, following closely behind.
They emerged from the alley into a silent street. A gust of yin wind rustled the small flags beside the shops, creating a sharp, fluttering sound.
"How many of you came?" Xu Sanyan asked, tilting his head.
"Eighty or ninety," Junior Sister Zhao answered without hesitation.
"Quite a few."
While eighty or ninety people might seem like a large number, scattered throughout the city, they were like tributaries flowing into the sea, barely causing a ripple.
The fact that Junior Sister Zhao had encountered Xu Sanyan so quickly proved the deep connection between them.
Of course, Junior Sister Zhao might not have wanted this connection, but she had no choice in the matter.
Wang Xinglu, whom they had encountered earlier, was already dead. The Demonic Seed planted in him had dissipated, leaving no chance of survival.
Xu Sanyan suspected the gong-ringing was to blame.
Fortunately, he had the foresight to make Wang Xinglu strike the gong first. When the female ghost appeared, it focused solely on Wang Xinglu, ignoring Xu Sanyan entirely, allowing him to escape with his life.
Staring at the desolate street before him, Xu Sanyan retraced his steps toward the prefectural office. A stick of incense burned outside the gate, used by the night watchman to mark the hours.
He considered whether to continue his night watch duties. A mere eight taels of soul spirit hardly seemed worth the risk.
Whoosh—
A gust of wind swept past them from behind. Xu Sanyan whirled around, but the street remained silent and empty.
Yet he was certain he hadn't imagined it—something had definitely been behind them!
His gaze darted nervously around. Junior Sister Zhao, standing beside him, looked at him in confusion, unsure what he was staring at.
"Did you hear that sound?" Xu Sanyan asked, turning to her.
"No... Ah!"
Before she could finish, Junior Sister Zhao let out a piercing scream, her pupils fixed on something behind Xu Sanyan. Her trembling finger pointed toward it.
"Hmph!"
Xu Sanyan spun around, his great halberd materializing in his hand. With a swift, horizontal sweep, he slashed backward.
Whoosh—
The halberd transformed into a black lightning bolt, tearing through the air as it swept across a humanoid shadow. The shadow split in two, then instantly reassembled, seemingly unharmed. Yet Xu Sanyan noticed the shadow had grown slightly fainter.
Woooooo~~
A mournful wail mingled with the wind, carrying far through the silent night—an utterly chilling sound.
"What the hell is that thing?!"
Xu Sanyan's eyes flickered with shock and uncertainty. This creature was unlike any ghost he'd encountered before—more ethereal, with a blank, almost mindless expression.
"It's a nightmare!" Junior Sister Zhao calmed down. The creature's sudden appearance had startled her, but seeing it was no match for Xu Sanyan, she relaxed.
"A nightmare?" Xu Sanyan recalled the old man mentioning these beings. They could only manifest in places saturated with resentment, deathly aura, and other foul energies, varying in strength and moving unpredictably, making them difficult to detect.
Wooo...
Foul liquid streamed from the nightmare's eye sockets as it fixed its gaze on Xu Sanyan. With a flicker, it vanished, reappearing instantly before him.
"Seeking death!" Xu Sanyan roared, his great halberd glowing with a radiant white light as he swung it downward, cleaving the nightmare in two.
Though severed, the creature wasn't dead. Its arms still reached for him.
With a sweep of his sleeve, Xu Sanyan conjured a Spiritual Power barrier around himself. The nightmare struggled to penetrate it, its deathly pale face contorting with desperation.
"Brother, I want to eat..."
A girl's voice echoed from the discipline ruler. Ignoring her, Xu Sanyan swiftly dispersed the nightmare.
"What did you say?" Xu Sanyan asked, tilting his head as if he hadn't heard.
"...Nothing," the girl replied, her voice tinged with disappointment.
Xu Sanyan nodded and withdrew his great halberd into his body.
He had heard her clearly, but he couldn't comply. Feeding the nightmare to the girl would require breaking the seals on the discipline ruler and releasing her.
Xu Sanyan had no intention of letting her out.
(End of the Chapter)
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