Chapter 20: Decisive Killing Intent

When Li Lin arrived at the Han family’s residence, it was bustling with activity.

They had set up several banquet tables inside, inviting the laborers who helped them move to feast.

But not a single villager from Shangtikou Village had come.

At least, Li Lin saw none.

He walked up to the fence, and many noticed him.

But they were all outsiders, assuming Li Lin had come for the housewarming banquet.

One particularly simple, dark-skinned man stood up: “Sir, are you here to eat?”

Li Lin smiled gently and said: “I’m not eating. I’m a Spirit Hunter. I suspect the Han family is colluding with a wraith and practicing witchcraft—I’m here to investigate. Unrelated parties, leave immediately, or you’ll be treated as accomplices.”

At these words, everyone at the banquet froze.

Seeing they didn’t react, Li Lin swung his spear horizontally, tearing a wide gap in the fence and low wall.

Splinters and wood chips flew to the right, scattering across the ground.

“If you don’t leave now, it’ll be too late. Understood?”

This time they understood. The laborers and stable hands leapt up and bolted for the exit.

A few bolder ones grabbed one or two plates of meat before running.

In no time, nearly everyone was gone, leaving only two Han family members in the courtyard.

One middle-aged man, one young man.

The middle-aged man was furious, stepping forward and pointing at Li Lin’s nose: “You’re just a lowly Spirit Hunter… ah.”

Li Lin swung his spear again, knocking the man aside.

He didn’t use much force, yet the man was flung to the side, clutching his chest and gasping.

Lately, Li Lin had been training relentlessly, and with his considerable talent, he had long since outpaced ordinary people.

This seemingly weak strike was already terrifying to a common man.

If Li Lin had applied even slightly more force, the man’s ribs would have shattered.

“Father!”

The young man rushed over, cradling the gasping man, then glared at Li Lin: “In broad daylight, how dare you attack someone!”

“It’s stranger still that wraiths still roam in broad daylight.”

Li Lin replied, advancing with his red-tasseled spear, kicking aside tables and benches blocking his path, then lunging forward—his spear thrust out, leaving a blurred red afterimage in the air.

“Ahh!”

A scream erupted from inside the room.

Li Lin remained unmoved, pressing forward with his spear, step by deliberate step, then halting at the doorway.

For inside the room… it was impossibly dark. From outside, nothing could be seen.

As if it were a light-swallowing black hole.

Meanwhile, the white jade tablet on his belt glowed brighter with red light, yet still failed to illuminate the room’s interior.

Li Lin didn’t know what lay inside, nor did he intend to enter.

He stepped back coldly, withdrawing his spear.

Blood dripped from the spear tip… but it was black.

When exposed to sunlight, it boiled and evaporated.

Li Lin glanced at the father and son in the courtyard: “What’s going on inside?”

The father and son stared at Li Lin with hatred.

The middle-aged man spat venomously: “Why should we tell you?”

“Then you’ve lost your last chance.”

Li Lin snorted, flicking his wrist—the spear flew from his hand, piercing the young man’s chest.

The young man’s expression froze. He never expected Li Lin to act so decisively.

“Feng…”

The father stared at the spear protruding from his son’s chest, eyes wide with disbelief.

Li Lin leapt forward, bringing both palms down hard onto the man’s head.

The man’s neck vanished—his head now grew directly from his shoulders.

He coughed twice, then fell silent.

Li Lin spun smoothly, yanking the spear free from the young man’s chest.

Blood gushed out; the young man collapsed, eyes wide open, unblinking in death.

“Spirit Hunter code: those who conspire with wraiths are to be killed without mercy.”

Li Lin twirled his spear, speaking calmly.

Then he turned toward the room.

A piercing shriek erupted from within—shrill, grating, stirring unease in the mind.

Li Lin instinctively stepped back.

But the scream abruptly cut off, as if silenced by something.

Soon after, a woman slowly stepped out of the room.

She appeared around twenty-five, her features decent, but her eyes were terrifying.

Pure black—no whites, no pupils.

“So it’s a possession wraith.”

Li Lin sighed.

Though new to the profession, he knew basic knowledge.

Only a possession wraith could move in daylight and deceive the local “guardian,” such as the Tree Immortal Lady.

“Guardian” usually refers to geckos, which have the property of warding off evil; thus, wraiths bound to altars and bound by “deals” with humans are collectively called guardians.

The wraith slowly approached the dead father and son, smirking: “Good riddance. If you hadn’t died, I couldn’t have fully taken control of this body.”

Then she turned her gaze to Li Lin and smiled: “Spirit Hunter, let’s make a deal.”

Li Lin sneered: “I don’t make deals with wraiths…”

He sensed something off—this wraith didn’t seem aligned with the Han family.

“Lies!” the female wraith laughed, covering her mouth: “The one behind you is drenched in your scent—you’ve already made a deal with her. What’s one more?”

Li Lin turned—behind him floated the Tree Immortal Lady.

She hovered above, as if guarding him.

Li Lin looked again at the possession wraith: “What deal do you propose?”

“Half the living people in this village. How about it?”

Whizz!

The spear shot forward, aimed straight for the woman’s forehead.

She didn’t dodge—black mist blocked the spear tip.

If words fail, force must follow.

Unsuccessful, Li Lin didn’t rush—he shook his spear, the iron head angling sharply toward her heart.

Blood aura clung to the spear, its tip glowing bright red.

The possession wraith’s earlier calm vanished.

She retreated three steps, out of the spear’s range.

Then a massive shadow descended from above.

The possession wraith looked up—a long serpent tail.

She barely dodged; the tail smashed down, cratering the ground.

Because the tail was so long, its end struck the Han family’s house, collapsing it entirely.

Dust erupted in a cloud.

Li Lin hissed—he hadn’t expected the Tree Immortal Lady to be this strong.

The possession wraith’s expression turned grim.

Possessing a human had advantages, but also drawbacks.

Advantages: freedom of movement, immunity to sunlight. Disadvantage: inability to fully unleash one’s power.

She stepped back two paces, sneering: “Liu Zhe, how many men’s essence have you drained to reach this level?”

In response came an even more violent lash of the tail.

(End of Chapter)