Chapter 33: Discovering the Plot Point

After resting for a moment, Ruan Xing followed the same method to prepare two more deer hides, finally completing three 【Guard】 Talismans.

The wild boar blood that Hu San had bought was also nearly used up.

With everything prepared, Ruan Xing pondered the direction and decided to start with the Patrol Security Division Inspector.

The Patrol Security Division was, by nature, an armed force department, so the Inspector in charge could naturally not be a scholar with no strength to truss a chicken; however, since he died suddenly in the street, it indicated that the old man definitely did not use a curse, but in all likelihood a 【Break】 Talisman, so the old man must have appeared near the Inspector that day.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; the old man was ambushing the Inspector, and she was ambushing the old man—they wouldn't interfere with each other.

【Simulation in progress】

At six years old, you and Hu San put on the deer hide talismans and follow the patrolling Patrol Security Division Inspector. When you reach a certain street, a talisman suddenly shoots out from the second floor of a house by the roadside, striking the Inspector on horseback in an instant. The latter dies on the spot. You and Hu San track the trajectory to the second floor, but after a bout of fighting, you are ultimately outmatched, and you die.

【Simulation ended】

Hmm? That shouldn't be right. In Ruan Xing's estimation, she could at most end up severely injured, but she should absolutely be able to take down the old man and his companion. Of the two, the one Ruan Xing worried about most was still the Pure White Youth, who was impossible to guard against. With the deer hide talismans, even if the youth suddenly flashed behind her again, she would no longer be afraid of being killed by the youth's True Qi.

She hurriedly chose to view the memory to see what exactly had happened.

In the memory, as soon as she and Hu San caught up to the second floor, they were intercepted by the Pure White Youth. Ruan Xing took the lead and pulled out chili powder, scattering it all over his head and face, yet the opponent had no reaction at all, and his combat effectiveness was not affected in the slightest. Relying on the power of the deer hide talismans, she used a 【Speed】 Talisman to break through the youth's defense and had Hu San entangle the youth, while she rushed to the back to kill the old man first.

However, a scene that shocked Ruan Xing appeared: the old man had a yellow Triangle Flag hanging from his waist. While waving his hand to shoot a 【Break】 Talisman at Ruan Xing, he pulled out the flagpole with one hand and waved it in front of him.

The 【Break】 Talisman shattered Ruan Xing's deer hide talisman, though it didn't cause her any real injury; she was just very wretchedly rolled along the ground by the impact. The old man was slightly surprised to see this result. He only froze for a second, then immediately continued waving the flag. Ruan Xing felt as if she were inside a wide-mouthed beaker, being constantly stirred by a glass rod; the immense centrifugal force gave her an illusion similar to plasmolysis.

Memory ended.

Ruan Xing rubbed her brow and cursed under her breath. Is this old man a genius? How did he even come up with such a ghostly thing?

The flag is a Dharma Artifact from the Nether Ghost Record. Its specific function is to absorb human souls, and the more souls it absorbs, the more powerful it becomes; it is a growth-type divine weapon.

Of course, it also has a name that makes people tremble with fear: Ten Thousand Soul Banner.

There haven't been any large-scale deaths in Jiangning City for the past ten years, so the one in the old man's hand is likely still in its embryonic stage, with at most single-digit souls inside, so it isn't very powerful, but it is still an uncrossable chasm for Ruan Xing.

Because she is still just a mortal now, without any means to protect her soul.

In previous simulations, Ruan Xing had never seen the old man use the flag, perhaps because he was in his own home and didn't keep the flag by his side. After all, the souls inside that flag were likely all innocent children he had murdered in the past, and since he had no cultivation, he was afraid of a backlash if he stayed too close. Ruan Xing thought for a moment; she could still only rely on a sneak attack and must not let the old man focus his attention on her, so that she would have a chance to kill him before he could react.

Fortunately, she had made an extra deer hide talisman as a precaution to swap in, and it came in handy at this moment.

【Simulation in progress】

At six years old, you lend a deer hide talisman to Young Master Liu, letting him find an opportunity to have the Inspector wear it before going on patrol. You and Hu San also wear deer hide talismans and quietly lie in ambush on the first floor of a shop by the street. After the Inspector is hit by the talisman, he does not die because he is wearing the deer hide talisman close to his body. His subordinates, the Feather Guards, see that something is wrong and surround him to protect him in the very center. The Pure White Youth suddenly appears beside a Feather Guard and, with a wave of his hand, a strand of White True Qi reaps a life. Seeing that the Feather Guards are completely unable to fend off the youth, you have Hu San blend in to help, while you remain still and watch the situation. The old man finally appears by the window and begins to wave the flag. You spring up, jump to the second floor, and flick out five 【Break】 Talismans from each hand, fueled by True Qi. In the old man's horrified gaze, the talismans strike him and destroy his clothing completely. The old man begins to counterattack you. Because the distance is too close, your deer hide talisman is quickly broken by the old man. You scatter the talismans in your hand as if they cost nothing, yet suddenly a white light flashes, and you die.

【Simulation ended】

Choosing to view the memory again, Ruan Xing examines it frame by frame. This time, because the Inspector did not die, the Pure White Youth was drawn away from the start and was not by the old man's side. It was a pity that those Feather Guards had never seen the youth's flashing technique and were completely unable to cope. As for her own sneak attack, it only broke the 【Guard】 Talisman on the old man's body. Just as the two were about to perish together, the youth returned and appeared behind her.

There was no help for it; she couldn't break the moves taught by the same master. She and the old man were both learning from the same secret manual, and the old man had studied it for many more years than she had.

Anyway, she already knew which shop was the old man's ambush spot; should she go over in advance and try poisoning it?

Ruan Xing simulated it again, but quickly lost heart. The old man himself was a research fanatic who had been practicing Alchemy for many years, and all the various poisons in her hands were refined by the old man's own hand. No matter what kind of poison she used, it would be quickly discovered by the old man, and he would alertly find her.

However, in the memories of these few simulations, a point appeared that Ruan Xing cared about very much: in one instance when the youth returned from downstairs to support the old man, Hu San shouted in a panic, "Young Miss, watch out!" to warn Ruan Xing.

Yet, it was this shout that froze the youth in place, and that strand of True Qi that had killed Ruan Xing many times was rarely triggered.

She suddenly had a bold idea.

Could this youth be Hu Si? Although Hu Si looked a bit weak and delicate, not resembling Hu San at all, he could be frozen by Hu San's voice, so the two of them must be related.

As for why Hu San didn't recognize him... Hu Si's current appearance was entirely snow-white, white enough to reflect light. Not to mention that he often used Ghost Escape to turn invisible; even if he didn't turn invisible, others wouldn't be able to see what he looked like.

As for whether it was true or not, Ruan Xing would know once she tried. If this method really worked, then Hu San would have done her a huge favor.

And she suddenly remembered that the chili powder tactic didn't work on the youth. Although the youth was a Puppet, he still needed eyes to see things. He wasn't afraid of chili powder; perhaps the white spherical objects in those eye sockets weren't eyes at all.

Then what could they be? The essence of his Puppet nature?

Thanks to book friend 20211226200850138 for the monthly ticket~ (End of chapter)