Chapter 21: Against Ritual and Law

The possessed female ghost barely dodged the Tree Immortal Lady's attack and retorted with mockery: "So I guessed right, didn't I..."

Then she dared not speak again.

For a long spear appeared at a bizarre angle, thrusting straight into the left side of the female ghost's body.

The possessed female ghost reacted extremely quickly; she barely dodged the attack again, turned her head, and discovered that at some point, Li Lin had already appeared on her left.

When did he walk over there?

The possessed female ghost felt it was somewhat unbelievable.

And just as Li Lin's attack had missed, the Tree Immortal Lady's tail-swing attack arrived, the timing perfect.

This time the possessed female ghost had no way to dodge again; she was directly struck by a snake tail and sent flying, landing far away, her body nearly broken in half.

But this woman still did not die; she opened her pair of black eyes and scolded angrily: "You cooperate so well, I didn't even have a chance to fight back. Liu Zhe, is this pretty boy your male pet?"

The Gowned Apparition's eyes were now filled with rage; her long tail raised high, ready to swing down.

"Wait!" Li Lin shouted loudly.

Then the Tree Immortal Lady truly stopped her snake tail.

"Thank you, Lady," Li Lin said, clasping his hands in a bow.

Then he looked at the immobilized possessed female ghost: "You came for me, didn't you?"

"Make a deal with me, and I'll tell you," the possessed female ghost sneered.

Li Lin frowned.

"I am a ghost myself, unafraid of death; I can discard this body at any time," the female ghost continued.

Li Lin took a deep breath: "What deal?"

"I want blood qi too!" the female ghost painfully extended her hand, pointing at the Tree Immortal Lady: "Just as thick as hers will do."

Li Lin hadn't even spoken when a huge boom sounded.

The massive snake tail smashed down, and this possessed female ghost instantly turned into meat paste.

A thick cloud of black qi scattered, then drifted toward the distance.

This ghost, no longer bound by a human body, was actually stronger.

But ultimately, it still feared the scorching sun, dared not linger, and fled.

Li Lin currently lacked the ability to stop the opponent, so he could only watch the black qi drift away.

However, he could also see that with her body shattered by the Tree Immortal Lady, this female ghost's state was not good either; as she drifted away, she wobbled unsteadily.

The Tree Immortal Lady intended to go after her, but she looked at the scorching sun high in the sky, snorted, stared unwillingly at the direction where the black qi vanished, turned around, and left.

Li Lin watched her back and laughed: "So your name is Liu Zhe."

His voice was not low; whether the Tree Immortal Lady heard it or not, her speed of departure increased, and she became less elegant.

He stood there watching the corpses of the several people for a while, thinking about how to wrap things up, then heard crying coming from not far away.

An old man ran over from the distance; he saw his son and grandson, and also saw the daughter-in-law's clothes, mixed with blood and mud.

His body swayed, then with eyes completely red, he charged toward Li Lin.

He didn't run fast; just as he reached halfway, a stick smashed into his head, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

The one who struck was Uncle Zhao.

A group of villagers followed behind him.

"Li Xiaolang, leave the Han family's funeral arrangements to us," Uncle Zhao glanced at the old Han on the ground, his eyes cold: "Rest assured, we in Shangtikou Village are actually quite skilled at seeing people off; we guarantee their whole family will be together, neat and tidy."

Bringing a ghost into the village; if it weren't for Li Xunshou being here, the consequences are unthinkable.

The entire village now hates the Han family to death.

Li Lin smiled: "Trouble you."

Then he returned to his new home, rested for a while, took some silver notes, and prepared to go to the county town.

The Han family matter was clearly from Feirong County; for some reason, they colluded with a ghost and extended their hand into Yulin County.

He must report this matter, and at the same time, it serves as his own 'protection'.

He was not so foolish as to confront an enemy with a powerful background alone.

At this time, bringing in a strong ally was the most correct course of action.

Li Lin walked to the village entrance and saw Zhao Xiaohu.

The youth asked anxiously: "Lin Ge, if you go to the county town, will you come back?"

"Of course I'll come back; I'm just going to report this matter, I expect to return tomorrow."

Zhao Xiaohu breathed a sigh of relief, then hesitated for a moment and asked: "Actually, Sister Xiu Niang's matter is related to the Han family, to ghosts, and to Feirong County, right?"

Li Lin was somewhat surprised: "You guessed it?"

"It was Da A who told me!" In Zhao Xiaohu's bell-like large eyes, tears sparkled: "Sister Xiu Niang was so good; she had already let go of her original home. If no one had tempted her, she wouldn't have become like that; only ghosts have such power."

Although Uncle Zhao looked very masculine on the outside, fitting the stereotype of a rough man, Li Lin knew this man was actually very meticulous.

Half a year ago, Li Lin appeared mysteriously in Shangtikou Village, in a state of unconsciousness, and his clothes were quite strange; the other villagers thought he was a ghost and wanted to bury him.

Only Uncle Zhao, bold and meticulous, determined Li Lin was not a ghost, woke him up, gave him food, added some furniture to his room, and helped him survive.

He also took him to the county town to broaden his horizons, which is how the newly minted Spirit Hunter, Li Lin, came to be!

Li Lin patted Xiaohu's shoulder: "I'm going to the county town for this very matter; rest assured, Sister Xiu Niang's grievance will be avenged."

"But I want to take revenge personally," Zhao Xiaohu looked at Li Lin expectantly: "Lin Ge, can you teach me spear techniques? Can you teach me to become a Spirit Hunter?"

"Your body is weak now; let's talk again once your body has recovered, okay?"

Zhao Xiaohu nodded heavily.

More than half an hour later, Li Lin arrived at the county government office.

The government office Runner at the gate was somewhat surprised: "Master Li, it's not time to collect public grain yet; why have you come?"

Generally, Li Lin only showed up at the county government office when collecting his official grain.

The vast majority of spirit hunters were the same.

"May I ask if the County Magistrate is in the government office?"

"The County Magistrate is on his rest day today."

Li Lin thanked the government office Runner, then went to the nearby Huang residence.

The gatekeeper of the Huang residence recognized Li Lin's face and immediately went to report to the county official Huang Yan.

Huang Yan received Li Lin in his study.

Generally speaking, if an elder or superior can entertain you in their study, it shows they hold you in high regard.

After all, a place like the study, under normal circumstances, even one's wife and children cannot enter at will.

"Li Xunshou, judging by your solemn expression, something major must have happened. Please speak plainly."

Li Lin let out a breath, and recounted everything that had happened during this period—including his own guesses and judgments—exactly as it was.

Of course, he concealed the matter of the Earth Deity Temple.

After hearing Li Lin out, Huang Yan slammed his hand heavily on the desk: "Hmph, has Qin Jiqing gone mad, actually getting together with an apparition?"

Actually getting together with an apparition?

Li Lin was somewhat surprised—so it turned out that this side actually knew something about the matter of Feirong County as well.

Moreover, the county official over there had the surname 'Qin'?

He recalled that on the night Sister Xiu Niang met her misfortune, the apparition that cast the 'Wuliang Fetus Concealment Secret Rite' on her also had the surname 'Qin'.

Could that apparition… have been raised by the 'Qin' family?

Was Sister Xiu Niang helping them birth apparitions?

Li Lin felt a chill run down his back.

What kind of vicious, despicable person would do such a thing.

At this moment, Huang Yan suddenly said: "Li Xunshou, you must have rushed here from the countryside to deliver the news, so you must be quite weary and hungry and thirsty. You may rest for a while in the rear courtyard first. I've already sent someone to notify Qi'er to come back. He'd been planning these past two days to visit you in the countryside, but he didn't expect you'd come here first. This can be considered fate."

Li Lin always felt the other's smile seemed especially genial.

He cupped his fist in thanks, then went to the rear courtyard.

After waiting a while, he didn't see Huang Qi, but instead a pair of sisters.

One petite, beautiful young girl, and one big-ocean… no, she should be called Hu Ji.

This isn't proper etiquette—without an elder or family member present, it's not your place as two unmarried young ladies to entertain a guest.

(End of this chapter)