Chapter 22: Deterrence, Planning

At this time.

In the inn room, the scene Louis was worried about didn't happen.

Facing Esther's subtle targeting, Emma completely ignored it, and even greeted her with a smile. No conflict happened at all.

In the corridor, Esther, dressed in a black skirt and looking very exquisite, bumped Emma's shoulder without avoiding her, while Emma lowered her head without saying a word and quickly returned to her room.

Looking at Emma's back, Esther frowned in confusion. The time they spent together made it very clear to her that the Emma in front of her was not a little white rabbit, but a young devil who was just as bloodthirsty as her, just not as crazy!

How could she just give in like that?

Unless she was planning something in secret.

"It seems I have to get rid of you first on this trip."

Thump, thump, thump.

Louis ran up and saw Esther alone, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Esther noticed Louis and walked over, smiling: "Louis, what did you go do? In such a hurry."

"Nothing."

After saying that, he wanted to return to his room.

Esther's expression turned cold instantly, and she reached out to block him. She felt that if she wanted to control this family, besides getting rid of Emma, who occupied most of David's love, she also had to tame this Louis.

Otherwise, he would also be a future trouble.

"Louis, there is something I think it is necessary to tell you. Come with me."

Esther reached out to block him, and her words were such, vaguely carrying an unquestionable flavor, which immediately made Louis feel unhappy.

"Forget it, it's better to be safe. I really can't trust you disasters." Louis whispered.

"What?" Esther didn't hear clearly.

The next second.

A hand patted her shoulder.

A hazy voice came from all directions. In a trance, she even saw the animal she killed with her own hands, or rather, her lover—father...

Even if Esther had the soul of an adult, her body was still that of a dwarf child, so the effect of the Cotton-pulling Art on her, although not as good as on Emma, was not bad.

Watching Esther return to her room and fall into a deep sleep, Louis's eyes flickered. He was thinking whether he should directly let the other party commit suicide and then make it a disappearance.

This was not home, it was outside, and the probability of exposure would be much lower.

A few seconds later, Louis temporarily gave up this idea.

This was Mary Shaw's territory, so it was better not to do extra things. Everything was based on stability.

Now, let's go solve another hidden danger.

Louis turned his head to look at Emma's room.

He knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

Late at night.

An inexplicable force wandered through the small town.

It was dark, it was obsessive, it was powerful.

It was listening to the voices of everyone in this town who mentioned her name!

And then... rush down, take away the sound, all the sound!

Just as the nursery rhyme said.

She would rip your mouth open and tear out your tongue!

And today, it felt the entry of outsiders. He recited that nursery rhyme and said her name...

Should it go take a look? Or not look?

The dark force wandered in the streets. It came, it came!

Outside the inn, the sound of wind blowing through leaves, the sound of stones rolling, the sound of cats calling for spring vaguely in the inn...

All sounds disappeared strangely, as if entering a realm of absolute silence.

But when it wanted to enter the inn and unfold its terror, a pale yellow aura flashed in the inn.

That aura actually made it feel disgust. It was a force different from those guys in the church, but... too weak!

Whoosh!

The force permeated in and accurately found the target.

Oh!

That was a boy!

As cute as the boy who said his mouth moved during the performance back then.

It extended toward the room.

The next moment.

Hum!

A pale golden spiritual light enveloped the entire room, isolating all dark forces outside. Vaguely, a majestic phantom stood above the inn.

!!!

The dark force receded rapidly and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Yes, it fled.

It knew what that was. Although there were some changes, it was very similar to the power of those guys in the church, and it was very restraining to its power. Damn it, just wait, wait until I kill all the people in that family and make a perfect doll...

After it retreated.

In Louis's room.

Louis, who hadn't slept, holding a peach wood sword, with a mouthful of tongue-tip blood and saliva in his mouth, was still waiting in full battle array. In the Niwan Palace above his brow, the *Civil Code* trembled slightly.

At this time.

He saw the Kitchen God statue he had brought over and placed in the corner of the room move suddenly.

He hurried over, his eyes changed instantly. He saw that the statue actually had cracks vaguely, especially those eyes that should have had no light, which gave a strange illusion of being dim.

Looking at this scene, Louis quickly understood. He knelt down, kowtowed, and lit incense.

He also offered some food.

Only then did he sit back on the bed.

"It seems she has already been here, but was repelled by Godfather. However, Godfather is like this now, I'm afraid he is also seriously injured and may not be able to block it."

Looking at the sky.

It was not far from dawn.

Louis simply didn't sleep. He sat on the bed holding the peach wood sword and began to flip through the *Civil Code*.

Yesterday he mastered the Chicken Head Exorcism Method, plus the Adoptive Kinship Ritual he learned successfully from the beginning, and the Spitting Blade Art he just mastered two days ago, the three methods had all entered the door, and now he could open the next page.

Moreover, Louis was prepared to summarize the techniques he had learned.

From the time he got the *Civil Code* until now, he had obtained thirteen folk methods.

Killing Blade Protection, Scolding, Willow Branch Ghost-Beating, Blood Scissors, Yang Qi Exorcism, Peach Wood Artifact Making, Cotton-pulling Art, Needle-Rust Method, Ash-from-Fire Method, Borrowing Lifespan Technique (Kowtow), Chicken Head Exorcism Method, Adoptive Kinship Ritual, Trickery (Spitting Blade Art).

Entry-level: Blood Scissors, Yang Qi Exorcism, Peach Wood Artifact Making, Borrowing Lifespan Technique (Kowtow).

Proficient: Scolding, Needle-Rust Method, Ash-from-Fire Method, Chicken Head Exorcism Method, Trickery (Spitting Blade Art).

Mastery: Cotton-pulling Art, Adoptive Kinship Ritual.

As for Killing Blade Protection and Willow Branch Ghost-Beating, because he killed Emilia directly to skip them, these two folk methods didn't enter the door.

Carefully calculated, the most useful one was the Cotton-pulling Art. As for the other folk methods, they were uneven, but most of them were not very useful.

A person's energy was limited. With more and more techniques, it was destined that some techniques couldn't be mastered, and even proficiency couldn't be achieved. Therefore, he had to plan in advance to avoid being in a hurry later.

"Yang Qi Exorcism belongs to all-around enhancement, no need to practice actively. The stronger the body and spirit, the stronger it naturally becomes."

"Although I don't know if the effect of the Scolding folk method is strong, it is easy to use and easy to practice, and it can cooperate with other folk methods. It can be practiced along the way."

"Peach Wood Artifact Making, no opening, no matter how good the peach wood is, its ability is limited. But this thing might be helpful to others and useful in the future. Practice."

"The Ash-from-Fire Method is currently the only means that can actively borrow the power of the statue. It must be practiced."

After a sum, Louis had a rough plan for the next practice schedule.

Every day, strengthen the body, then practice the Ash-from-Fire Method and Peach Wood Artifact Making, and practice Scolding along the way.

Besides that, there was still a lot of time. Louis wanted to see if there was any need to add to the newly appeared folk methods.

The pages flipped.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 23 =====