Chapter 10: First Battle Like a Fierce Tiger

Another scream rang out!

With these two spears plunged in, not even an elephant could survive.

The masked man collapsed to his knees, two bloody holes gushing blood from either side of his waist.

He tried to turn his head, to see who had dared strike him so brutally—but before he could, another thrust struck the back of his neck.

The spear tip pierced through his throat, blood dripping down.

Even if this black-clad man had been strong before, he now had no strength left to resist.

He let out a few guttural “huh-huh-huh” sounds, then collapsed forward, motionless.

But Li Lin feared he was feigning death, so he drove another spear thrust from the left shoulder straight into his heart.

He twisted the spearhead three full circles.

The man remained utterly still.

He must be dead!

Li Lin stood up, about to exhale in relief—when he saw the female apparition ahead: her shattered skull had regrown.

She glared at Li Lin with murderous intent, preparing to charge.

He was momentarily panicked—after all, this was a female apparition!

But then he hardened his heart… kill this thing.

Because he clearly remembered: this thing feared his yang energy.

He lunged forward two steps and instinctively used the technique “Shatter Skull, Knock on the Gate,” a fist form he had learned from reading the “White Tiger Turnover Stance.”

Both fists struck forward at the female apparition.

Normally, a person could not strike a spirit creature—but he was a Spirit Hunter, his blood and qi unique; as his fists struck, he instinctively applied the qi circulation method from the fist manual.

Though the “Spring Revival Longevity Art” was not a powerful scripture, he had cultivated it for over half a year and refined it with blood rice—now, as his fists struck, a faint red glow clung to them.

Then, both fists landed squarely on the female apparition’s left and right cheeks.

The female apparition shrieked, flying backward two meters and slamming into the wall.

Just as before, when Tian Wangyou and others had struck her.

They had turned the formless into something tangible.

It worked!

“Ha! You’re dead now!”

Li Lin roared and leapt forward.

Tiger Roar, Tear the Moon!

Falling Star, Steal the Sun Elbow!

River Wind, Sever the Tendon Tail!

…

The techniques from the “White Tiger Turnover Stance” struck the female apparition in rapid succession.

Though Li Lin was a mere novice, his intense yang energy completely suppressed this female apparition.

Her yin energy had no effect on him, her resentment was weak, and she was further crushed by his blood and qi.

Thus, a one-sided beating began.

In less than half a moment, the female apparition was nearly beaten into unconsciousness.

She shrieked, leapt upward to flee—but Li Lin didn’t hesitate; he lunged, wrapped his arms around her waist, and yanked her from the air to the ground.

Then he pinned her down, punching her skull again and again.

The female apparition screamed, but it was useless—every punch that struck her face or body made her form grow fainter.

Her screams grew weaker and weaker.

After a few more blows, the female apparition dissolved into a cloud of yin energy, vanishing into the air.

“Dead!”

Li Lin stood up, his heartbeat pounding like a drum, thudding loudly.

Tension mingled with wild elation.

All the months of “grievance” he had endured were released in this moment.

God knows how terrified he had been when he first saw that spirits truly existed in this world.

Now, I’m no longer afraid of you.

After several deep breaths, Li Lin noticed the red glow on his Bai Yu token flickering—meaning the female apparition here was gone, and the “wild spirits” outside would now enter.

In some ways, the wild spirits outside were even more terrifying.

There were too many of them.

Li Lin pulled on his “Spirit-Blocking Robe,” about to find a hidden spot to conceal himself—when he suddenly saw the black-clad man’s corpse.

A flash of inspiration struck him; he hurried over, flipped the body over, and swiftly searched it.

Soon, he found a book, two small vials, and some silver notes.

He had no time to examine them—he stuffed them into the cloth bag at his waist, then donned the Spirit-Blocking Robe and dashed out of the Tudimiao.

Beside the Tudimiao was a small grove; he sprinted toward it.

The moonlight was bright, almost blinding.

Various hallucinatory whispers filled his ears, growing louder and louder.

At the same time, strange phantom images began appearing before his eyes.

Even with the Spirit-Blocking Robe, running at night still made him visible to spirits.

But he had no choice—the Tudimiao was a place of danger; if he hid there and more demons or monsters came, he’d be easily discovered.

Fortunately, the grove was close; Li Lin dashed into a thicket and immediately crouched down.

The hallucinations and whispers vanished completely.

【Stealth +1】

【Stealth +1】

These words began rising one by one.

But… the rate of their ascent seemed slower than usual.

Li Lin took a few breaths, slowly shifted his crouched position beside a large tree, leaned his back against it, relieved the strain on his legs, and relaxed.

Then he closed his eyes and pretended to rest.

Time passed slowly; when dawn came, Li Lin opened his eyes, folded the Spirit-Blocking Robe, and returned it to his waist bag.

It was very thin, taking up little space.

Then he stood, patted his numb legs, and returned to the Tudimiao—where he saw the black-clad man had turned into a pile of white bones.

His flesh and blood must have been devoured by the “wild spirits.”

Li Lin walked toward Yulin County, adding over half an hour to his journey; at the city gate, he saw Wang Tianyou and Su Huafang rushing toward him.

Beside them stood several men of imposing bearing.

Wang Tianyou also spotted Li Lin; his face lit up with joy as he shouted: “Brother Li, you’re still alive! That’s wonderful, wonderful!”

Su Huafang also ran over, looked at Li Lin’s condition, and sighed in relief.

“You came looking for me?” Li Lin asked.

Wang Tianyou nodded, his expression darkening: “We got crushed this time—six of us went out, only three returned…”

“Senior Zhou and the others…”

Wang Tianyou gritted his teeth: “They met with misfortune—Senior Su already told me.”

Su Huafang sighed: “I ran faster; they ran slower. I turned back and saw them trapped by that black-clad man—I heard their screams. They’re surely dead.”

At this, Wang Tianyou asked curiously: “Brother Li, how did you escape?”

Li Lin replied naturally: “When I saw things turning bad, I put on the Spirit-Blocking Robe and hid in a dark corner. The black-clad man and the female apparition chased after Senior Su and the others—I seized the chance to flee the Tudimiao and hid in the small grove nearby. Thanks to the robe, I barely survived until dawn, then came back.”

Wang Tianyou and Su Huafang both nodded—it made perfect sense.

The Spirit-Blocking Robe did indeed have such an effect.

“Good you’re back. Surviving great disaster brings great fortune,” Su Huafang patted Li Lin’s shoulder.

Wang Tianyou said: “Brother Li, this time our Wang family dragged you into this. I’ll pay your reward—and double it.”

(End of Chapter)