Chapter 90: Two coffins?! That's not right!!

Originally thought he was a master.

Turns out he's just a small-time loser!

Hurry up and come wipe my shoes!!

Tan Jiji's desperate cry for help was definitely not fake, and his pitiful state of being nearly dragged into the well mouth couldn't be faked either.

Lu Yuan shook his head somewhat helplessly. Good thing he had followed along.

Otherwise...

Not only would Tan Jiji be beyond saving, but the common folk down in Mangniu Village would also be doomed!

In the next instant, Lu Yuan's figure stepped out from the shadow of the old locust tree.

Boom!

The stagnant, yin-cold air atop the mountain was scoured by this scorching, yang-rigid energy, emitting successive sizzling and popping sounds of purification.

"Thunder, come!"

Lu Yuan's voice was like a celestial decree, his tongue unleashing startling thunder.

His right hand formed the "Five-Thunder Finger," fingertips pointing towards the sky, invoking the unseen might of heaven and earth.

High above in the lead-gray night sky, deep within the cloud layers, a dull rumble of thunder rolled past, as if responding to his summons.

Pure and unparalleled Thunder Method True Qi surged through his meridians.

That supremely yang, supremely rigid, and domineering aura transformed into an invisible, raging wave, fiercely crashing towards the red-clothed Evil Spirit!

The Evil Spirit that was dragging Tan Jiji suddenly froze in its movements.

From the squirming bundle in its arms came an extremely short, sharp cry, which then turned into a venomous, ear-piercing "giggle" of strange laughter.

The Evil Spirit slowly turned its head.

Its single pale eye was firmly "nailed" onto Lu Yuan.

Within the boundless venomous hatred, a trace of instinctive fear, rarely seen, actually appeared.

"Let him go."

"Fight me!"

Lu Yuan's voice was very calm, yet carried a commanding authority.

He raised his left hand slightly, palm facing upward, fingers slightly curved, silently reciting:

"Nine Heavens Respond to the Origin, Thunder's Sound Pervades All."

"Jade Pivot Divine Fire, Burns Evil, Shatters Malevolence."

"I Receive the Command, Thunder Department's True Form."

"Appear!"

Zzzap—!

A fist-sized silvery-white ball of electricity suddenly materialized and exploded into existence above his palm!

Dazzling electric light frantically danced, emitting dense crackling pops, illuminating Lu Yuan's face with an aura of majesty.

The violent, supremely yang aura spread out. The blood-red skirt of the red-clothed Evil Spirit actually began to spontaneously combust, and spider-web-like black cracks appeared on the surface of its skin.

It let go.

Tan Jiji fell heavily to the ground. Ignoring the pain, he scrambled and rolled behind Wang Cheng'an and Xu Erxiao.

Gasping for air in big mouthfuls, his face was etched with the terror of having narrowly escaped death.

This caused Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an to glance back at him, their faces full of disdain as they took two steps forward.

Both were poised and ready, waiting only for Lu Yuan to give the command before immediately taking action.

The red-clothed Evil Spirit completely turned around, facing Lu Yuan directly.

Thick, dark red blood mist surged wildly from within it, coalescing around it into countless twisted, wailing human faces, transforming the mountaintop into a realm of endless ghosts.

A thin layer of black frost rapidly condensed on the ground.

Lu Yuan seemed completely unaware of the yin-cold that invaded the flesh and eroded the bones, his expression not fluctuating in the slightest.

His left hand's "Five-Thunder Finger" was as steady as a mountain. His right hand's seal changed, transforming into the "Thunder Arrow Seal"!

"Jade Pivot Divine Fire, Transform into Arrow, Execute Evil! Command!"

The thunderball above his palm suddenly contracted and elongated!

A thumb-thick, condensed, nearly substantial silver-purple thunder arrow, emitting an ear-splitting shriek, shot to the chest of the red-clothed Evil Spirit in an instant!

This arrow was fast, fierce, and ruthless, enough to instantly kill an ordinary fierce ghost!

However, facing the oncoming thunder arrow, the red-clothed Evil Spirit's reaction was somewhat... sluggish?

It seemed to want to dodge, but its movements were a beat slow, only barely shifting the bundle in its arms to the side.

Thump!

The thunder arrow accurately struck its left shoulder, not its heart, the vital spot.

Silver-purple thunder light exploded with a roar!

The Evil Spirit let out a shrill shriek, but within this cry, the pain seemed far less intense than the venomous hatred.

A charred, bowl-sized hole appeared on its left shoulder. Countless tiny electric arcs danced at the edges of the wound, frantically eroding its ghostly form.

It staggered back several steps. The bundle in its arms squirmed even more violently, and the crying it emitted became increasingly sharp and piercing.

"Huh?"

Lu Yuan frowned slightly.

Something's off.

The Evil Spirit's reaction and the extent of its injury were both far weaker than anticipated.

Whether according to Tan Jiji's description, the concentration of Yin Malevolence here.

Or the danger rating in Lu Yuan's own [Vanquish Demons and Exorcise Evil] system.

This red-clothed Evil Spirit shouldn't possess only the level of strength displayed before his eyes.

Four-star danger level, what kind of degree is that roughly?

At the very least, it should be evenly matched with Lu Yuan when he doesn't use powerful Ritual Tools or invite the Patriarch.

But clearly, this red-clothed Evil Spirit hasn't demonstrated that level of strength.

Could it be...

Because his Thunder Method is too strong?

Speaking of which, Lu Yuan learned the Thunder Method long before becoming a Celestial Master.

The old man's room had many books about Thunder Methods, passed down from their sect, the very powerful kind.

Besides that, Lu Yuan's "Dao" also contained many Thunder Method incantations.

For normal people, they generally start gradually learning Thunder Methods only after being promoted to Celestial Master.

But Lu Yuan's realm advancement was extremely fast. Advancing to the Celestial Master realm was a certainty.

Lu Yuan was also a small-town problem-solver who crossed over during his third year of high school, at the peak stage of human intelligence.

He reads fast, learns fast. After reading other things, having nothing else to do, he'd glance at Thunder Methods.

This led to Lu Yuan, having just been promoted to Celestial Master, being able to use many powerful Thunder Methods.

But...

Here's the problem.

The rating from the [Vanquish Demons and Exorcise Evil] system has always been given after comprehensively assessing Lu Yuan's full strength.

Four-star danger means that even if he unleashes all his Thunder Methods, it should still be a tough battle.

Yet the scene before him... the strength displayed by this Evil Spirit might not even be enough to defeat an ordinary, newly-initiated Celestial Master.

Too weak!

Just as Lu Yuan grew vigilant, Tan Jiji, who had just escaped death, was already so excited his face was flushed red, jumping up and shouting:

"Daoist Lu is awesome!!!"

"So strong! Is this the Thunder Method?! So strong!!"

Lu Yuan: "..."

Lu Yuan ignored this guy who had already become part of the atmosphere crew, his gaze firmly locked on the red-clothed Evil Spirit opposite.

After being injured, the Evil Spirit's ferocity seemed to be provoked. It shrieked, transforming into a dark red blood light as it pounced.

Its speed wasn't slow, with blood malevolence mist coiling and seeping around it.

Lu Yuan stepped on "Yu Steps," his body moving fluidly, easily avoiding the pounce.

Simultaneously, his hands quickly formed the "Thunder Net Seal" in front of his chest, palms facing each other, fingertips interlocked.

"Thunder Department True Form, Net Strict and Stern!"

"Trap Evil, Bind Spirits, Swiftly!"

Countless dense, silvery-white electric threads shot out from between his palms, instantly weaving into a thunder net covering several zhang in area, descending headfirst!

The red-clothed Evil Spirit crashed headlong into the electric net, as if hitting a red-hot iron wall. A loud "sizzle" rang out, and large amounts of black smoke billowed from its ghostly form.

It opened its mouth, spewing a mouthful of thick blood mist, attempting to corrode the thunder net.

Although the thunder net's light dimmed slightly, it remained unbreakable.

Being so unworthy of its reputation to this extent...

There must be something fishy going on!

Lu Yuan stopped testing. His left hand maintained the thunder net, while the fingers of his right hand pressed together like a sword. The Thunder Qi within his body was frantically compressed to his fingertip!

An extremely dazzling point of pure golden light lit up at his fingertip!

"Divine Firmament Jade Pivot, Execute and Punish Evil Essences!"

"A Point of Pure Yang, Shatter Your Netherworld!"

"Break!"

A thread as fine as a hair, yet so dazzling it was impossible to look at directly, a pure golden thunder line shot out from his fingertip!

"Divine Firmament One-Line Thunder"!

This time, Lu Yuan's target was the constantly squirming bundle in the Evil Spirit's arms!

This time, the Evil Spirit's reaction was exceptionally intense!

It let out a shriek bordering on terror. It completely disregarded itself, desperately twisting its body, using its back to block the thunder line!

Simultaneously, the bundle in its arms erupted with dense black energy, attempting to protect it.

Thud!

The golden thunder line pierced through the Evil Spirit's back, near the heart. Although its remaining force weakened, it still grazed the edge of the bundle.

Aoooo—!

The Evil Spirit let out an unprecedented wail of agony. The blood light around its body fluctuated violently, nearly dispersing.

But the bundle in its arms seemed... not to have suffered a fatal injury?

It just squirmed more frantically, its cries more piercing.

Lu Yuan frowned tightly.

Something's not right.

This Evil Spirit's strength, the commotion it caused, and the concentration of Yin Malevolence here are completely mismatched!

It seems... strong on the outside but weak on the inside?

Moreover, its protection of the bundle in its arms far exceeds its own defense, even to the point of using its own body as a shield without regard.

"Could it be..."

The so-called Mother-Child Malevolence, Mother-Child Malevolence...

The mother is secondary, the child is primary?!

This thought flashed through his mind like lightning. Before Lu Yuan could ponder it further, the injured Evil Spirit seemed to realize it was no match. It no longer entangled.

It let out a shriek of utmost venomous hatred. The blood light around its body suddenly contracted inward, transforming into a blood rainbow that desperately shot towards that dry well!

It actually wanted to escape!

Hmm...

Probably guessed right.

Although it's unclear why it was the mother malevolence attacking all along, while the child malevolence, the main body, showed no movement.

But it doesn't matter, just blast them together!

Lu Yuan's hands quickly pressed together, fingers interlocking and knotting, instantly forming the "Five-Thunder Sovereign Sky Seal"!

That's right!

The move Celestial Master He Xun used to lock down Celestial Master He Zhen back then.

Lu Yuan knows it too!

It's just not as domineering as Celestial Master He Xun's version; it's a weakened version in terms of power.

But it's enough to deal with a four-star Evil Spirit!

Lu Yuan's left hand's five fingers separated, manifesting the five-colored thunder lights of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. His right hand cupped them, commanding and governing!

He stepped on the Gang Steps, chanting the command:

"Five Directions Thunder Gods, heed my command! Green, Red, White, Black, Yellow, Five Thunders Gather, Sovereign Sky's Might Descends!"

"Suppress—!!!"

Boom boom boom boom boom!!!!

Five thick thunder pillars of different colors descended from the heavens, instantly forming a majestic thunder cage above the Evil Spirit's escape path, crashing down with a mighty force!

As the five-thunder cage descended, the red-clothed Evil Spirit, which should have fiercely resisted or at least struggled, was as if its backbone had been pulled out!

The blood light around its body flickered violently the moment the thunder pillars pressed down, and then... shattered and dissipated like a bubble!

It let out one final shriek, filled with unwillingness, venomous hatred, yet mixed with a trace of... bizarre relief!

Its figure rapidly became transparent within the five-colored thunder light, shattering like a bubble.

No frenzied counterattack.

No support from Earth Vein malevolent energy.

Even the bundle in its arms, which had been crying all along, instantly fell silent within the thunder light, shriveling up.

The thunder light dissipated.

Only a puddle of foul-smelling black liquid remained on the spot.

That red-clothed Evil Spirit that left Tan Jiji helpless and was rated four-star danger by the system... just... vanished into thin air?

Lu Yuan was stunned.

Tan Jiji was also stunned.

Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an looked at each other.

That's it?

The mountaintop fell into silence.

Only the residual thunder energy sizzled, and the sound of a gentle breeze brushing through the treetops.

Lu Yuan dispersed the hand seal. That handsome face showed not a hint of victorious joy.

His eyebrows were knitted into a deep frown. He stared intently at the filthy black water on the ground, the confusion in his eyes almost overflowing.

Too weak.

Weak to the point of being illogical.

This was nothing like a "Mother-Child Entangling Body Malevolence" that had been worshipped for six years and had absorbed large amounts of incense prayer power and Earth Vein Yin energy.

And...

Lu Yuan didn't sense any power of faith from it either.

Seems like it has nothing to do with an evil god...

Did he overthink it earlier?

"Just... just this?"

Tan Jiji stood rooted to the spot like a wooden chicken, mouth half-open. It took him a long time to squeeze out three words.

"Finished?"

The look of astonishment and bewilderment on his face instantly shattered his earlier image of analyzing everything logically and setting up the array with rigorous professionalism, making him appear both ridiculous and pitiful.

Lu Yuan didn't answer. He walked to the puddle of black water, squatted down, protected his finger with True Qi, dipped a bit, and carefully sensed it.

Extremely heavy Yin Malevolence energy, icy and bone-piercing.

But the "core of resentment" contained within was as diluted as ink diluted with water.

A mere facade.

Lu Yuan stood up. A strong sense of dissonance enveloped his heart.

It was like defeating the final boss, but the epic BGM kept looping, as if mocking you for killing the wrong person.

He looked around. The Yin Malevolence energy on the mountaintop was indeed slowly dissipating.

He walked to the dry well again.

The cold air from the well mouth had also weakened significantly with the destruction of the Evil Spirit.

Most crucially, the [Vanquish Demons and Exorcise Evil] system in his mind didn't pop up with any new danger alerts.

Within the range of his spiritual perception, it was also "clean."

Everything seemed to indicate the matter was concluded.

Lu Yuan rubbed his chin. Fine, if he couldn't figure it out, he'd just follow the procedure.

When soldiers arrive, use generals to block them; when water arrives, use earth to cover it.

Next, he had to go down the well to see what techniques the three "Feng Shui masters" from back then, that is, the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family, had set up inside.

First, break the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family's techniques. At the same time, they also had to retrieve the remains of the red-clothed pregnant woman who threw herself into the well back then, to perform rites for her peaceful rest.

So here's the problem...

Who goes down?

As Taoists, Lu Yuan and the other two naturally knew the next steps.

But now, anyone with eyes could see there was danger, and it wasn't quite like a normal situation.

Lu Yuan and the other two exchanged glances.

"Hmm..."

Lu Yuan hummed thoughtfully, seemingly inadvertently turning his head, his gaze sweeping over the deep, dark well mouth.

Then it fell back on the disheveled Tan Jiji, who was patting the dirt and grass off his clothes.

A look of "lingering fear mixed with relief" appeared on Lu Yuan's face as he sighed to Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an:

"If it weren't for Brother Tan Jiji helping me set up so many Ritual Tools and arrays, and taking the risk himself first to test the true nature of this evil entity..."

"Today's matter would have been difficult to resolve. Ah, it was clearly Brother Tan Jiji's credit, but I ended up reaping the rewards."

"Shameful, truly shameful!!"

Tan Jiji, who was bending over patting his pant legs, froze.

"Huh?"

"Talking about me?"

At that moment, Xu Erxiao on the side instantly understood. He immediately switched to an admiring expression, looking at Tan Jiji and loudly chiming in:

"That's right! Brother Tan Jiji, you are a model for our generation!"

"If it weren't for you, when you were captured, still analyzing that Evil Spirit's methods and the 'suction' range of the well mouth for my Brother Lu, how could my Brother Lu achieve victory with a single strike!"

As he spoke, he heavily patted the still-blinking Wang Cheng'an beside him.

"Look!"

"Brother Tan's move back then, seemed passive, but was actually active!"

"What is this called?"

"You can't know the depth without entering the well!"

"High! Truly high!"

Tan Jiji wore a completely bewildered expression.

"????"

This... seems... to make sense?

He subconsciously puffed out his chest a little.

Wang Cheng'an finally caught on too, slapping his thigh fiercely, his face full of an "epiphany" expression.

"So that's how it is!"

"No wonder! A true descendant of the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family, with such vast experience dealing with ghosts, how could he possibly really be captured by a mere Evil Spirit!"

"Turns out he was feigning weakness, deliberately getting caught, using his own body to measure the Evil Spirit's methods for us!"

"Brother Tan! The intensity of your struggle earlier, the timing of your cries for help, the way you observed the terrain while being dragged..."

"Oh my god, I won't even mention it anymore, too awesome!!"

"Details maximized, acting explosive!"

"We admire you, prostrating ourselves in respect!"

Tan Jiji's eye twitched. He finally understood.

He gritted his teeth and roared:

"If you want me to go down, just say it straight!!"

"Taking me for a fool?!"

Being exposed on the spot, Lu Yuan and the other two showed not a hint of embarrassment.

Wang Cheng'an even nodded straightforwardly:

"Okay."

The next second, a brand new bundle of hemp rope was handed to Tan Jiji.

Tan Jiji: "..."

Dammit!!

They even had the rope prepared for him!!

But after his chest heaved violently a few times, he ultimately didn't say anything more. He snatched the rope and directly started tying it around his waist.

That was just too damn embarrassing earlier!

Simply a disgrace to the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family!

Especially thinking about his earlier embarrassment of almost being dragged into the well, a surge of "must prove myself" fervor rushed to his head.

A moment later, Tan Jiji, with hemp rope tied around his waist, holding a Fire Starter, sat on the edge of the well mouth.

He was still a bit nervous. He glanced back at Lu Yuan and the other two holding the rope and swallowed.

"I say..."

"If I shout later, you absolutely, immediately, right away pull me up, okay?!"

Lu Yuan patted his chest, swearing earnestly:

"Just rest one hundred and eighty hearts!!!"

Only then did Tan Jiji grit his teeth. Holding the rope with one hand and raising the Fire Starter with the other, using his legs to brace against the well wall, he slowly inched his way down.

Soon, his figure, along with that bean-sized flame, was completely swallowed by the churning darkness within the well.

Lu Yuan and the other two rhythmically and slowly lowered the rope.

Time passed minute by minute.

Dead silence from the well below.

About a quarter of an hour later, the rope in their hands suddenly grew heavy, no longer descending.

Lu Yuan and the other two immediately leaned over the well mouth, shouting into the bottomless darkness:

"Brother, reached the bottom? What's the situation down there?"

Brother Tan Jiji was silent for a while, then finally shouted loudly:

"Nothing... nothing else..."

"Just two coffins!"

"One big, one small!"

Two coffins??

Hearing this, Lu Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

That...

That's not right!!

How could there be two??!