Chapter 54: Strike While Unprepared

As evening approached, Rongxian County closed its city gates.

An hour earlier than originally scheduled.

This left many travelers and laborers stranded outside the walls.

Fortunately, the Golden Light True Lord’s patrol zone was vast—no Huanggui would appear within a hundred meters of the city wall.

Those unable to enter could gather beneath the walls, huddle together for warmth, light bonfires, and spend the night.

At this moment, Li Lin was hiding in an upper pavilion.

At the very top of a brothel, it was a storage room—he had checked, and thick dust covered everything, likely untouched for over half a year.

He found a corner, blew away the dust, and sat down.

He swallowed two Life-Restoring Pills, then slowly chewed on the dried rations he had prepared earlier.

Outside, on the streets, squads of constables and batches of Qin family retainers were searching everywhere.

They pounded on doors and stormed into inns, taverns, and homes alike.

The brothels were not spared.

Li Lin wasn’t worried they’d find him—even if they came to the pavilion, he could simply enter Stealth Mode.

Yet three search parties came and went without ever ascending to the upper floor.

Because the madam downstairs swore no unfamiliar faces had come to patronize the place—all above were regulars.

Some constables came up to verify, saw it was true, and left.

In truth, none dared search too thoroughly—what if they truly provoked the killer?

He was the man who had killed two Qin young masters in succession—they couldn’t possibly fight him.

Servants’ lives were still lives; a show was enough.

This large-scale search threw Rongxian County into chaos.

Li Lin had assumed this situation would last two or three days.

But he never expected a change to occur shortly after nightfall.

As Li Lin closed his eyes to feign sleep, he suddenly heard a piercing sound rising from low to high, ending in a sharp *pop* audible across the entire county.

Li Lin leaned out from the pavilion’s small window and saw it was a warning arrow—the final sound, a firework.

He had never seen a warning arrow before, but he’d heard of them and recognized it instantly.

Then he saw squads of constables and several teams of Qin family retainers rushing toward the arrow’s direction.

Isn’t the killer right here?

What have they found!

Curious, Li Lin donned his full Concealment Robe, drew his short sword, bent low, and began Stealth Movement.

He moved at a steady, unhurried pace along the rooftops.

Soon, sounds of combat and shouting came from ahead.

“Wang Tianyou, how dare you kill my Qin family members? Do you wish to die?”

“I didn’t kill them,” Wang Tianyou laughed loudly. “But I’ll say this—they deserved it, beautifully done. I came here to kill you all, and some higher power helped me. I’m overjoyed!”

Li Lin hid behind a rooftop eave and peered out.

He saw Wang Tianyou standing on a rooftop, surrounded by three middle-aged men, with four of his own followers nearby.

The two sides appeared evenly matched.

Seeing this, Li Lin felt a pang of helplessness.

He had come to kill Qin family members because they’d been harassing him—but he hadn’t expected to drag Wang Tianyou into this.

Still, it was understandable—earlier, the Qin family had betrayed Wang Tianyou and nearly killed him; revenge was only natural.

Should he go help?… Then Li Lin’s eyes lit up—if the Qin family’s main force was gathered here to surround Wang Tianyou, then the Qin mansion itself must be… nearly empty.

Li Lin immediately abandoned the scene ahead, turned, crouched low, and headed toward the Qin mansion.

Soon, he reached the rooftop of the tavern opposite the Qin mansion.

Though night had fallen, the Qin mansion was brightly lit—but clearly, far fewer people were inside.

Li Lin found a corner, flipped over the wall, and immediately crouched down.

Then he felt that cold, chilling aura again.

He instantly hid behind a potted plant.

Soon, a white-robed female apparition drifted from afar, inspected the area, then drifted away.

The apparition was still here.

This time, Li Lin did not retreat—he followed the female apparition.

Soon, she drifted into the main hall beyond the fourth gate.

Li Lin crept to a nearby window and pressed against the wall to listen.

“Grandma, how’s the situation?” came a woman’s voice.

“A fleeting trace of living energy,” the apparition sniffed. “Some foolish thief trying to take advantage of the chaos—but sensed me coming and fled.”

Then a boy’s voice spoke: “Grandma, I want to go help!”

“No! If you run off, I’ll break your legs. The Qin family has only you left as heir—if anything happens to you, the main branch dies out,” came another woman’s voice.

The boy fell silent.

Then the apparition’s icy voice rang out: “Have you found the girl I ordered?”

“Girls born in Yin years and Yin months are scarce in the county.”

“Annoying. Then a Yin-year girl will do—but if I possess her, my power will be severely restricted,” the apparition’s voice grew urgent. “I suspect the Ding family knows I was wounded by that wretched Liu Zhe, so they’re targeting us. Those fools—how could they be lured outside? If they’d stayed within the Qin mansion, I could have helped.”

Hearing this, Li Lin’s eyes lit up.

Was the apparition unable to leave the Qin mansion?

Then he heard the apparition say: “Daughter-in-law, go light two incense sticks at my altar—I feel my spiritual form growing unstable again… The Ding family picked a perfect moment.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

Soon, the woman and four servants carried incense, candles, and spirit paper toward the back courtyard.

Li Lin stealthily followed.

There, he saw a rock garden—ordinary from outside—but the woman ordered the servants to turn a wooden shaft, and soon the garden flipped over, revealing a green stone altar.

Though Li Lin’s eyesight was sharp, the night was too dark—he could only make out a talisman array and a few characters, but could not read them.

Yet he could feel waves of Yin energy emanating from it.

So this was it!

Li Lin crouched low and slipped out of the Qin mansion; as he climbed over the wall, he briefly exited Stealth Mode.

The apparition came to inspect again—found nothing.

Then Li Lin returned to the tavern rooftop opposite the Qin mansion.

From here, he could overlook the entire Qin mansion—and clearly see the rock garden.

Smoke curled from it.

Li Lin calculated the distance—the rock garden lay within the range of his Thunderbolt Spell.

He couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

Having a ranged attack was truly advantageous.

Without wasting time, he formed hand seals and unleashed all his Yin power at once.

A surge of Yin energy triggered violent spiritual fluctuations—the female apparition near the hall snapped her head toward Li Lin’s position.

Li Lin looked back at her.

The apparition’s face twisted in fury—she recognized him.

Li Lin smiled gently.

Thunderbolt Spell!

A massive chain of crimson-and-blue lightning tore through the night sky.

(End of Chapter)