Chapter 109: Change of Fortune

“Are you alright?” Li Lin asked Bai BuFan.

Bai BuFan shook his head: “I’m fine, just superficial wounds, and Su Huafang already treated me.”

“What about the others…”

Li Lin turned his head and saw a large red glow moving swiftly in the distance—likely Bai Zhiwei, Ding Yingqiu, and the others.

Then they noticed a small red glow suddenly breaking away from the group and speeding off.

What’s going on?

Did someone flee?

Li Lin and the other two exchanged glances, then sprinted toward the largest red glow.

Not long after, they reached the location of the red glow, where four people sat.

“Uncle!” Bai BuFan rushed forward first.

Li Lin and Su Huafang followed behind.

All four were seated in meditation; upon seeing Li Lin and the others, they sighed in relief.

Li Lin glanced around and asked: “Where’s Eunuch Qi?”

“He ran,” Bai Yunfei said bitterly.

Ding Yingqiu sighed: “Eunuch Qi said he didn’t want to push things too far—he gave each of us a palm strike, snatched my Bai Yu tablet, and fled.”

So that red glow had been Eunuch Qi.

Su Huafang exclaimed in surprise: “How could he use your Bai Yu tablet?”

“He probably secretly cultivated a yin-based art.”

“But he has no blood rice—how does he resist the meridian stagnation from yin-based arts?” Yan Han said.

“Actually, everyone in the temple gets some blood rice,” Su Huafang explained. “The True Lord Temple is bitterly cold; without blood rice, ordinary people couldn’t endure it.”

So that explained it—Eunuch Qi’s use of yin-based arts and activation of the Bai Yu tablet now made sense.

At this moment, Bai Yunfei looked frustrated: “Should we still chase him? He’s alone now, and we’re seven…”

Bai Zhiwei thought for a moment and said: “Let’s go back. Eunuch Qi’s strength exceeded our expectations—whether we can catch him is one thing, but even if we do, he might be lying in wait. We could all end up dead.”

That made sense.

Everyone agreed.

Su Huafang pulled out elixirs and gave them to the four.

Ding Yingqiu took out the Barrier Powder and drew a circle around themselves to keep the wilderness spirits at bay.

The four began meditating to heal.

Li Lin lit a fire and sat beside it, warming himself.

Needless to say, the wilderness at night was still bitterly cold.

Su Huafang sat down beside him.

Li Lin whispered: “Your body isn’t failing yet.”

“Don’t worry—I can hold out for a long while.”

“Just half a year…”

Li Lin planned to practice alchemy intensely after returning, to see if he could brew an elixir capable of curing yin energy that had sunk into the bones.

Su Huafang smiled indifferently.

But at that moment, a red glow suddenly appeared in the distance, speeding toward them.

Li Lin immediately stood up and shouted: “Something’s wrong—someone’s coming. It might be Eunuch Qi returning.”

The other five also rose instantly, staring into the distance.

The red glow arrived quickly, soon appearing before them.

It was indeed Eunuch Qi.

Eunuch Qi’s face was filled with terror.

Everyone was stunned, then their expressions turned grim.

Eunuch Qi was a master, half a Spirit Hunter—what could frighten him?

Everyone’s mind instantly gave the answer.

Great spirit!

Indeed, behind Eunuch Qi hung a transparent “shadow.”

Even before it drew near, they felt a wave of chilling yin energy wash over them.

No one knew where he’d drawn it from.

Li Lin shouted: “Run!”

Everyone turned and prepared to scatter.

But at that moment, Eunuch Qi moved.

“Tidal Surge!”

He leapt high, his entire body brimming with exaggerated spiritual energy, and slammed downward, flying over their heads.

Upon landing, his energy shattered, unleashing a violent shockwave.

The seven Spirit Hunters were halted by the shockwave, then thrown back several zhang.

Meanwhile, the Great Spirit was now only about ten zhang away.

“Gentlemen, thank you for saving my life—haha.”

With that, Eunuch Qi fled.

At the same moment, the Great Spirit slowed its pace, fixing its gaze on the seven Spirit Hunters.

The Great Spirit hovered midair, its long hair spreading and floating in all directions.

Its eyes were red; otherwise, it looked no different from a human.

Generally, the more human-shaped a spirit is, the weaker it is.

All the True Lords Li Lin had seen were… “abnormal forms.”

But that didn’t mean all human-shaped spirits were weak.

This one was clearly powerful—otherwise, Eunuch Qi wouldn’t have fled.

The Spirit Hunters gathered, staring at the Great Spirit before them.

The red glow from their seven Bai Yu tablets formed a wide barrier, temporarily keeping the Great Spirit at bay.

But they knew it was only temporary—the Great Spirit’s resentment and yin energy were immense, slowly draining the yang energy from their skin.

And it was also consuming the blood qi stored in their Bai Yu tablets.

Meanwhile, the Great Spirit’s hair grew wildly, already encircling half the red glow.

Everyone present was an experienced Spirit Hunter.

Su Huafang stepped forward first and hurled his silver-threaded bronze bell.

The bell, trailing two clots of blood qi, was instantly entangled by the Great Spirit’s hair midair.

“Attack together!”

Bai Liwei roared and charged forward second.

He threw a short blade, its surface glowing with faint green specks—this was a poison specifically lethal to spirits.

Bai BuFan followed behind his uncle, then released a cloud of greenish poison smoke, enveloping his own body.

When the Great Spirit’s hair touched the poison smoke, it began to corrode.

Yan Han, Ding Yingqiu, and Bai Yunfei also struck.

Each had their own unique techniques.

In an instant, light flashed wildly—the Great Spirit was surrounded by six attackers, its long hair slashed into tatters.

Li Lin did not advance—he was forming hand seals.

Soon, the Great Spirit’s vast mass of hair was reduced to just a small tuft.

At last, the Great Spirit felt fear… What did it mean to be a Spirit Hunter? Against endless wilderness spirits, Spirit Hunters were cowardly.

Against powerful martial artists, Spirit Hunters were useless.

But against a visible, touchable Great Spirit, Spirit Hunters were ecstatic.

The Great Spirit turned to flee—just as Li Lin completed his Thunderfall Spell.

A cyan-red bolt of lightning struck the Great Spirit, making its body grow even more translucent, then slamming it to the ground with a shrill, hideous scream.

The six Spirit Hunters seized the chance and rushed forward, beating the fallen Great Spirit mercilessly.

After five breaths, the Great Spirit vanished.

On the ground lay several yin-stones.

Su Huafang picked them up and counted: “A Great Spirit with cultivation—lucky strike. But only six stones!”

Seven people here—hard to divide.

Ding Yingqiu waved his hand: “I’ll pass—I lost my Bai Yu tablet, and I’ll need your protection soon. Consider this my payment.”

Everyone laughed.

The six yin-stones were distributed among them.

Li Lin turned his head and saw the distant red dot still moving swiftly—he doubted they could catch up now.

But then Li Lin frowned: “Wait—something’s wrong. He’s turning back.”

Everyone gathered, climbed onto higher rocks, and stared into the distance, all frowning slightly.

Bai Yunfei landed last.

Su Huafang said, “Let’s split up. If we stay together, we might not be a match for Eunuch Qi, but if we separate, he can only chase one of us. If all else fails, I’ll hold the rear—I’m the oldest anyway, and I’ve lived long enough… uh…”

He looked down at the bloodied longsword protruding from his chest, eyes wide.

(End of Chapter)