Chapter 110

Bai Yunfei drew his sword and stepped back, a faint look of triumph on his face.

"Bai Yunfei, what are you doing!" Bai Zhiwei roared.

He lunged forward, grabbed Su Huafang, who was about to collapse, and dragged him backward with all his strength.

The others froze; Li Lin walked over, looked at the blood gushing from Su Huafang's chest like a fountain, and his expression darkened.

Can't save him!

Everyone stared at Bai Yunfei; the man smiled with sinister glee.

Yan Han looked at him, eyes filled with disbelief: "Bai Yunfei, how could you…"

"Who told you I was Bai Yunfei? When he first entered Jincheng, I killed him. Then I stole his transfer documents and assumed his identity, slipping into your ranks with ease. Pretending to be a martial fanatic was simple—just challenge someone to a fight, and you'd believe me."

Li Lin gritted his teeth and asked: "So… you never stumbled upon Eunuch Qi meeting someone—that whole thing was staged."

Bai Yunfei nodded. "Correct."

"That's also why Eunuch Qi only struck you once and kept you alive," Li Lin said, his voice calm despite the fury inside him: "Because you were already among us."

Bai Yunfei nodded. "Clever."

Yan Han stepped behind Bai Zhiwei and glanced at Su Huafang.

His face was filled with helplessness.

Ding Yingqiu's face twisted in bitterness: "Why does Yulin County have so much trouble? My cousin died here—am I going to die here too?"

Bai Bufen whispered beside him: "Beiliu County is worse—every Spirit Hunter there is dead. No one knows when the imperial court will send replacements."

Su Huafang's face grew pale; his eyes slowly closed.

Bai Zhiwei gently laid Su Huafang's body on the ground; his own clothes were soaked in blood.

"From Yuecheng?"

"Bai Yunfei" nodded.

"What's your real name?"

"Qin Shuang."

"From the Qin family?"

"Yes."

Bai Zhiwei fell silent, his face grim.

After a moment, he demanded angrily: "I don't understand—if your Qin family wants to dominate the realm, just march north! Why keep targeting us Spirit Hunters?"

"We've targeted Huang Yan, that old bastard, time and again. Kill him, and the two military garrisons under Yulin County will collapse without a fight. But every time we moved, you Spirit Hunters ruined our plans. Who else should we target?"

Bai Zhiwei sighed helplessly.

Qin Shuang smiled: "Huang Yan is capable. Though he's only the magistrate of Yulin County, he's used his family connections to turn the entire Junchun region into a sealed iron pot. We in Yuecheng have no hope of taking Junchun by force—so we resort to deceit. What else can we do? You're his men."

At that moment, the red glow in the distance grew brighter; Eunuch Qi was nearly upon them.

The situation was clear now: this was a trap, using Eunuch Qi as bait to lure out every capable Spirit Hunter in Yulin County—and kill them all.

Li Lin suddenly remembered something: "What about Stone Captain…?"

"Don't worry—he has his own 'reinforcements' too," Qin Shuang smiled. "Huang Yan is good at using talent, but if you kill all his capable subordinates, he's a tiger without fangs—his skills mean nothing."

Bai Zhiwei said: "No more talking—he's just buying time. You run. I'll hold them off."

He gripped a short knife in each hand, his expression icy.

Bai Bufen stepped beside him: "Uncle, I stand with you."

"Get the hell out of here! I don't need your help," Bai Zhiwei barked. "You have no children. Your younger brother is your only sibling. If you die, it's unfilial. Get out!"

Bai Bufen pouted: "I'm not leaving. Don't think I don't know—you're my real father. I was adopted by Big Brother when I was a child."

Bai Zhiwei froze. "When did you find out?"

"Two years ago. I overheard Big Brother and Mother talking."

"Then you must leave even more. You're not even my son anymore. Dying with me? What's the point? Get out!"

Bai Bufen snorted, turned his head away, but didn't move.

Qin Shuang clapped from the side: "Touching. But neither of you is leaving. Give up."

Everyone turned; the red glow ahead was now unmistakable.

Eunuch Qi's figure was barely visible.

"Attack!"

Bai Zhichuan charged forward.

Yan Han and Ding Yingqiu followed swiftly.

Bai Bufen clutched a poison pouch, ready to aid his "uncle," when his sleeve was tugged.

Li Lin looked at him and asked: "Do you have anything that blocks sight—something to hide me from view?"

"Yes," Bai Bufen nodded, pulling out a white wax pill.

"Wait."

Li Lin quickly shed his outer robe, then drew his short sword and plunged it into his left arm—blood gushed out.

"That's enough."

Bai Bufen didn't understand what Li Lin was doing, but trusting him, he tossed the white wax pill beneath Li Lin's feet.

Plop!

A cloud of white mist engulfed Li Lin completely—he vanished from sight.

Qin Shuang, alone, held off three attackers, still seeming relaxed.

His movements were lightning-fast; each step left behind a dark afterimage.

Seeing Li Lin vanish into the mist, he flicked his sleeve from afar, sending a gust of wind that scattered the fog.

And there... no one remained.

Qin Shuang laughed: "The Daoist Invisibility Spell! Li Xunshou has indeed learned much, but did you flee, or are you seeking an opportunity to ambush me?"

At this moment, Bai Bufan also rushed up; he threw a cloud of lime, but Qin Shuang merely flicked his left sleeve, and the lime powder flew back.

Fortunately, everyone reacted quickly and avoided having the lime powder thrown into their eyes.

But this meant the Bai family's poison arts were useless.

Nevertheless, four against one still held some advantage; Qin Shuang kept retreating, yet he was not anxious, for Eunuch Qi had already arrived nearby.

At this time, Li Lin was crouching behind the nearby bushes.

Before him, he had spread out a garment and was using his own blood as paint to outline talismans and images on the back; soon, the figure of Lady Tree Immortal was drawn.

Eunuch Qi had arrived here; he extended a palm, a burst of force shot out, and directly sent the four flying aside.

Even seven people could not block Eunuch Qi, let alone four.

All four lay on the ground, unable to move.

Eunuch Qi looked left, then right, and asked: "Where is Li Lin?"

"He used the Daoist Invisibility Spell to hide; we do not know if he fled or is hiding..."

Eunuch Qi's nostrils twitched, then he struck out with both palms.

One palm struck Su Huafang's corpse, the other struck a bush.

The palm wind howled, and Su Jiehua's corpse was knocked flying aside.

And Li Lin was struck out of his invisible state.

He felt as if all his bones were about to break; after rolling several times on the ground, he barely crouched up, spread the garment in his hand, and pressed his right hand upon it.

"You hid well, but your scent of blood is quite strong," Eunuch Qi laughed: "Wait, what is drawn on your garment?"

At this moment, Li Lin had finished infusing the Yin Qi.

"Li Lin respectfully welcomes the majestic arrival of Lady Tree Immortal!"

The garment itself 'stood' up; the blood-red 'Lady Tree Immortal' possessed the clothes, vivid and lifelike.

Eunuch Qi immediately felt a chill run down his spine.

(End of this chapter)