Chapter 9: The Correct Use of the Stealth Art

At the large hole in the roof, a black-clad, masked figure leaped down lightly.

He landed on the ground, stepped one foot onto Ding Yingchun's chest, and pressed the short spear deeper.

Ding Yingchun spat out another mouthful of blood; his eyes had already begun to glaze over.

The black-clad man, his face covered by a black cloth, spoke in an incredibly hoarse voice, clearly using a false register: "The ghosts I raise—do you rats dare to lay hands on them?"

Wang Tianyou stepped out from the darkness, his hair disheveled, and clasped his fists, saying: "This friend, please spare Ding Xunshou for now. Everything can be negotiated."

"Spare?"

The black-clad man sneered, then suddenly exerted force. Only the sound of several cracks was heard; Ding Yingchun's chest was crushed underfoot, and blood splashed high.

Ding Yingchun did not even emit a scream before his breath ceased.

Wang Tianyou's face turned ugly.

The other three emerged from the darkness, standing at three different positions, forming a pincer formation with Wang Tianyou.

Zhou Yutong muttered: "Young Master Wang, this matter is not easy to handle. Afterward, you must increase our reward."

"Double it twice over," Wang Tianyou answered without hesitation. "There are many of us, and only one of him. We can fight."

The black-clad man suddenly burst into loud laughter: "You truly think there is only me? You are really foolish."

Hearing these words, everyone felt somewhat puzzled.

Shortly after, the faces of all the Soul Hunters turned very ugly.

Because the white jade talismans tied at their waists all lit up, emitting red light.

Wang Tianyou looked at the black-clad man and asked in terror: "You destroyed the protective barrier?"

The black-clad man said nothing, merely standing silently.

Meanwhile, Wang Tianyou and the others could already faintly hear those chaotic murmurs.

"Go!" Wang Tianyou roared. "Everyone go, each relying on their own abilities. If any of you survive afterward, come find me in Dian City; I will certainly provide compensation."

Having spoken, Wang Tianyou rapidly formed hand seals with both hands, and his body radiated golden light.

"Did I permit you to leave?" the black-clad man snorted.

He somehow produced a short spear and shot it directly at Wang Tianyou.

And during its flight, this short spear split into six, stabbing at various parts of Wang Tianyou's body.

Wang Tianyou waved his soft sword, blocking continuously; sword flowers bloomed like water, and in an instant he knocked away five short spears. Yet with each spear blocked, the golden light on his body weakened slightly. After knocking away five spears, Wang Tianyou's movements clearly slowed, and the last short spear pierced his thigh.

Fresh blood dripped down.

Wang Tianyou grunted in pain, his face bearing a sinister expression as he looked at the opponent: "Xuan Sha Layered Shadow Spear... I have remembered it. Do not let me find you, or you will die very miserably."

After saying this, Wang Tianyou's body turned into a wisp of green smoke and vanished.

Where he had disappeared, a burning yellow paper talisman figure fell to the ground and then burned itself up.

Seeing this situation, Zhou Yutong and Zhan Shijun turned and ran out of the Tudimiao without any hesitation.

"Li..."

Su Huafang looked toward Li Lin's position, wanting him to run faster as well, but upon looking... Li Lin was gone.

He felt a moment of inner surprise, then turned and sprinted out as well, running even faster than the two ahead.

The black-clad man snorted, waved his hand to release the golden light chains on the female ghost, then pulled the female ghost's hand and rushed out of the temple.

Meanwhile, Li Lin, draped in the dark ghost-concealing robe, was crouching motionless in a dark corner.

Thanks to his practice of this 'Stealth Art' over this period, the effect had become very obvious.

Not a single person could detect him.

Everyone had left, and the Tudimiao fell silent once more.

Li Lin did not leave; he remained crouched in the same spot.

Because that black-clad man had just said he had destroyed the protective barrier, meaning that outside now belonged to the ghosts.

As a rookie, if he did not rely on the Stealth Art, where could he possibly run to?

Besides, Li Lin felt that hiding here should be a good idea.

After all, darkness under the lamp is also a hiding technique.

He closed his eyes, trying to lighten his breathing as much as possible, making no sound.

After a long time, footsteps came from outside the Tudimiao. The black-clad man walked in, carrying one person in each hand, and threw them onto the ground.

Li Lin opened his eyes a sliver and saw the corpses of Zhou Yutong and Zhan Shijun.

The two corpses were thrown beside Ding Yingchun, the three bodies lined up together.

Li Lin sighed lightly in his heart; these three had known him for less than a day, yet now they were separated by life and death.

He wondered whether Senior Su had escaped.

Behind the black-clad man followed that beautiful female ghost, who gazed at the three corpses with greedy eyes.

"Eat," the black-clad man said indifferently.

The female ghost floated beside the three corpses, opened her mouth and inhaled... the flesh and blood of the three corpses turned into red mist and was sucked into her mouth.

Before long, the flesh and blood of the three corpses completely vanished, leaving only three white skeletons.

The female ghost's complexion became full of ruddy color, looking nothing like a ghost, but rather like a living person.

The black-clad man nodded: "Soul Hunters are indeed great nourishment... Wretch, I want you to aid my cultivation."

Upon hearing this, the female ghost floated down to the ground and knelt.

The black-clad man then walked to the front of the female ghost, loosened his belt, and stood upright.

Shortly after, strange sounds echoed within the Tudimiao.

From Li Lin's angle, the black-clad man had his back to him, and the female ghost's face and line of sight were blocked by the man's body; they should not be able to see him at all.

A peculiar state of mind suddenly surged into Li Lin's heart.

He watched the other's back, feeling as though a red "marker" box had appeared there, seemingly instructing him to go up and do something.

Not far away lay a short spear, the one Wang Tianyou had knocked flying earlier, which had landed there.

Li Lin slowly crouched and moved two steps to the left, reaching out to pick up the short spear from the ground.

And when he had the weapon in hand, the red marker behind the black-clad man became even more obvious.

Just as he thought.

Li Lin moved slowly in a crouch; with every step, he walked very slowly and very lightly.

As the distance to the other grew smaller, sweat had already formed in his palm, making it somewhat oily, yet his heartbeat did not quicken by a single fraction.

Step by step!

Getting closer and closer.

And on the other side, they were still engaged in their pleasurable activity.

After about sixty breaths, Li Lin finally reached the back of the black-clad man.

At this moment, neither the black-clad man nor the female apparition had noticed him.

It also seemed to be a critical moment; the black-clad man's body suddenly tensed, and his hands instinctively shot forward, gripping the female apparition's head with force.

Now!

The short spear thrust out, its black tip accurately striking the "red box" behind the black-clad man.

That was the right kidney!

The short spear pierced the black-clad man's body as if stabbing a block of tofu, meeting no resistance whatsoever, proceeding very smoothly.

Aaaaaah!

The black-clad man let out a painful scream; when in pain, one instinctively uses all one's strength to grab onto something.

And he was holding the female apparition's head.

With that force, the female apparition's head was directly crushed by him, turning into fragments.

Li Lin quickly withdrew the short spear; the position of the red box changed again, shifting to the left.

Without hesitation, he stabbed down once more.

(End of this chapter)