Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"Thank you... big brother," Xu Cheng clumsily removed the ropes cut by the sword wind from his body and yanked the gag from his mouth. He hopped on one foot behind the man in black, "Big brother, are you a friend of Brother Shen? How should I address you?"

The man in black glanced at Xu Cheng briefly but did not respond.

Unfazed by his aloofness, Xu Cheng, influenced by Shen Wang, subconsciously thought that it was typical for powerful figures to be cold and speak little – that was what gave them their aura!

"Big brother, your outfit is really flashy. Where did you buy it? It looks high-quality, must have been expensive..." Xu Cheng stuck close behind the man in black, nervously chattering, "Your getup, this mask, your clothes, they're so cool!"

Cool, but a bit cringeworthy, like some villain from a cheesy TV show.

The latter half of the sentence, Xu Cheng wisely swallowed, choosing not to voice it.

Peeking with one eye at the fight between Shen Wang and Lin Yinyang, Xu Cheng's anxious heart settled down.

Shen Wang, throwing talismans relentlessly, didn't allow Lin Yinyang to get close. By now, Lin Yinyang was in a sorry state, his clothes tattered and scorched by heavenly fire and thunder.

Meanwhile, Shen Wang stood leisurely nearby, casually tossing more talismans, his appearance immaculate without a single wrinkle.

Even Xu Cheng, the victim, felt somewhat hopeless for Lin Yinyang.

It was like encountering a pay-to-win player in a game; who wouldn't feel despair in such a situation?

"Brother Shen is truly something," Xu Cheng exclaimed, "He has his own unique style, unorthodox yet brave and strategic."

The man in black let out a snort of laughter, addressing Xu Cheng for the first time: "Dressing up shamelessness so elegantly."

Xu Cheng defended righteously: "Against someone as wicked as Lin Yinyang who commits heinous acts, any method used to punish him is justified. Brother Shen is merely exercising his right to justice while ensuring his own safety."

The man in black's gaze lingered on Shen Wang for a few seconds, then shifted to Xu Cheng, his tone ambiguous: "Truly befitting of his brother."

Yet, there was no disdain or contempt in his voice.

In the metaphysical world, many from the reputable sects pride themselves as gentlemen, preferring to send a battle invitation and fight with honor, adhering strictly to the gentleman's code.

If they witnessed Shen Wang's unconventional fighting method, they would surely first scorn him, then dissociate and label him as a villain.

However, the man in black found Shen Wang, despite being initially irritating, to have an unexpectedly refreshing and intriguing approach.

Having experienced his family being driven to death by the metaphysical world and being hunted for decades himself, the man in black despised the hypocrisy of that world the most.

Compared to those hypocrites cloaked in righteousness yet committing atrocities, Shen Wang's straightforward villainy was somehow more comforting.

Shen Wang had nearly exhausted all the talismans in his pocket before finally rendering Lin Yinyang unable to resist.

Smiling, Shen Wang approached the collapsed Lin Yinyang and promptly sealed his meridians, rendering him unable to use his spiritual power to resist.

Shen Wang gloated triumphantly: "Go on, fight. Why aren't you fighting now?"

Lin Yinyang, who hadn't even touched a corner of Shen Wang's clothing after all this time, remained silent...

And then he spat out another mouthful of blood.

Lin Yinyang felt both shock and hatred. He had hidden in this small mountain village for decades, painstakingly making plans, only to have them all upended at the last moment.

He was filled with unwillingness!

"No way, are you that petty? Getting so angry that you're spitting blood?" Shen Wang was also surprised, "You're at an age where you're nearly dying, don't tell me you got so upset by me that you're going to drop dead?"

Lin Yinyang, with resentment and unwillingness in his eyes, suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out another mouthful of blood that scattered on the ground like scattering petals.

It seemed as though they heard some signal; the little ghosts lingering outside, unable to enter, suddenly became agitated again.

Shen Wang's brow furrowed as he stood and looked out the window, only to see the little ghosts frantically tearing at and devouring each other.

The grotesque ghosts tore off each other's limbs to eat, biting off chunks of flesh. Their wounds didn't bleed but emitted wisps of black mist.

This scene was horrifying to witness.

"What's happening..." Xu Cheng was petrified. He quickly moved to Shen Wang's side, finding a bit of safety.

"Damn it," Shen Wang cursed under his breath, then turned and fiercely kicked Lin Yinyang, who was unable to resist, "You're worse than a beast!"

Lin Yinyang, like a turtle, flipped over when kicked. He laughed hoarsely, "Even in death, I will create a fierce ghost to keep you here as my company in the afterlife!"

A cold glint passed through the eyes of the man in black, who now understood how Lin Yinyang had managed to create a little ghost king.

Lin Yinyang had collected countless little ghosts, all of which he had been nurturing for decades, were actually his meticulously prepared nourishment!

Had Shen Wang not disrupted his formation, Lin Yinyang would have successfully exchanged lifespans with Xu Cheng.

Dying at the hands of someone close, having life force extracted while fully conscious – such a terrifying death would have made Xu Cheng's resentful energy extremely powerful. Then, throwing the nascent ghost of Xu Cheng into the crowd of little ghosts to fight and devour each other.

Eventually, Xu Cheng, filled with intense resentment, would have devoured all the little ghosts, consuming their ghostly and yin energies, successfully evolving into a little ghost king...

What happened later remained unknown. Lin Yinyang disappeared without a trace, leaving Xu Cheng to become the little ghost king, wreaking havoc in C City, and ultimately being slain by Tang Jiu.

When he first turned into a ghost, he devoured countless little ghosts, and eventually, he too became nourishment for another little ghost king and was consumed.

As you sow, so shall you reap.

The man in black sneered inwardly, Lin Yinyang thought he was skilled in controlling ghosts, but in reality, it was only because the infant ghosts had unclear minds and were easier to manipulate.

And yet, he foolishly attempted to control a little ghost king with astonishing resentment... He deserved to be devoured by the very ghosts he nurtured.

Shen Wang, unaware of the potential unfolding story, cursed again as he watched the little ghosts outside devouring each other, then called out, "Brother Xiao Hei."

The man in black looked at him.

"I see Brother Xiao Hei, dashing and handsome, with an extraordinary presence and refined demeanor, must be a man of integrity," Shen Wang praised unabashedly.

The man in black was not flattered: "I've been burned by fire, scars cover my face and body, ugly as a ghost."

Unfazed, Shen Wang smoothly changed his tune: "Outer appearances are deceptive, true beauty lies within the spirit. I can tell Brother Xiao Hei is a passionate and straightforward man, just the type of person I admire."

"Speak, what do you want from me?" the man in black laughed, intrigued, "Do you want me to deal with those little ghosts outside for you?"

Delighted, Shen Wang continued his flattery: "Brother Xiao Hei is indeed generous, direct, and to the point, just how I like it!"

After the compliments, Shen Wang said, "I have two clumsy and useless junior brothers, weak and trash. I'd appreciate it if Brother Xiao Hei could keep an eye on them for me, and also on that Lin Yinyang on the ground, make sure he doesn't cause any trouble..."

The man in black was silent for a few seconds: "If you go out now, you'll face the full assault of those little ghosts. Better wait for them to weaken each other in their mutual slaughter. The victor, at the moment of their advancement, will be at their weakest and easiest to deal with."

"I understand," Shen Wang grinned broadly, gently removing Xiao Kong, who had been clutching his hair.

"Indeed, I, Shen Wang, am not a good person."

"But I always do as I please, acting on my own desires, striving only to have a clear conscience."

A clear conscience... A clear conscience... The man in black watched Shen Wang vault out of the window with a carefree and unrestrained air, not like someone about to charge into a crowd of little ghosts with meager spiritual power, but more like he was heading to a pleasant rendezvous.

The battling little ghosts sensed the presence of a cultivator and turned their gaze towards Shen Wang, their eyes blazing red, devoid of any remaining sense, and heedless of the protective white light around him, they charged.

In an instant, Shen Wang was engulfed by the swarm of little ghosts.

"Brother Shen!" Xu Cheng, terrified, turned pale and yelled out.

Even Xiao Kong, who usually clashed with Shen Wang, leaned out of the window, half his body protruding outside, anxiously watching the direction where Shen Wang had gone: "Shen, the villain!"

Lin Yinyang burst into laughter: "Him going out there now is just delivering nourishment to the little ghosts. Does he think he is the Ksitigarbha, feeding his flesh to the evil spirits?"

The man in black looked emotionlessly at Lin Yinyang, slowly walking towards him, his voice calm: "I almost forgot about you."

A spine-chilling coldness emanated from the man in black, exerting a pressure on Lin Yinyang far greater and more terrifying than Shen Wang's.

Lin Yinyang had initially not taken Shen Wang's modest strength seriously, capturing him as an afterthought when seizing Xu Cheng, planning to feed him to the little ghosts.

He hadn't expected Shen Wang, seemingly not very powerful, to have so many talismans, catching him off guard and turning the tables.

But the pressure from the man in black... Lin Yinyang swallowed hard. He had an intuition that this man was even more ruthless, more powerful, and overwhelmingly so, leaving him no chance to resist.

Lin Yinyang's heart skipped a beat, sensing that the man in black was not intimately connected with Shen Wang. He ventured, "Esteemed senior, I've accumulated quite a fortune over the years. If you spare me, I can give you everything..."

"Silence." The man in black uttered two icy words.

With a flick of his hand, the man in black sent something flying onto Lin Yinyang's face, where it penetrated the skin right before his eyes: "Gu insects! They are Gu insects! Who are you? Help, save me!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Yinyang curled up like a shrimp, screaming silently in agony.

Xu Cheng and Xiao Kong, who hadn't seen the man in black's actions, turned around at the noise and saw Lin Yinyang rolling on the ground in distress.

Xu Cheng asked worriedly, "What's he doing?"

He couldn't be performing some sort of ritual, could he?

"It's nothing," the man in black said, looking out the window with an inscrutable expression.

Shen Wang... The man in black thought coldly, if he survives this...

If he survives... The man in black paused in thought. He had climbed out of hell with nothing but the undying fire of revenge burning in his heart.

To struggle against the Son of Heaven's Mandate is to defy fate itself, a misstep could lead to utter ruin.

The man in black was prepared to seek revenge alone, hiding it from his family, even if it meant trading his life for another's.

Even if Shen Wang survives, they could never be friends. The man in black mused indifferently, even if Shen Wang had impressed him, he was at best a slightly noteworthy stranger.

After this incident, they would have no further interaction.

Lost in thought, a soft white light suddenly appeared outside the window, different from the harsh light of the exorcism talismans, more gentle.

This light enveloped all the little ghosts, who abruptly stopped their cannibalistic actions, their pale, hideous faces showing signs of comfort.

Shen Wang emerged from the light, leading a large-headed little ghost missing half a leg, with the light intensifying behind him. The little ghosts calmed down, the red glow in their eyes slowly fading away.

The little ghosts seemed not to understand their current state, their eyes clear and distinct, pure and clean, like newborn infants bewilderedly seeing the bright, colorful world for the first time.

An older little ghost tilted its head, whispering softly, "Mommy..."

This gentle white light reminded him of his mother, so tender and loving.