Chapter 278 - 232: Monster

The man happily pocketed the reward, still speaking obsequiously, "Young master, rest assured, I will watch them closely."

"Go!"

Ma Qing waved his hand, dismissing the man as he already fantasized about how he would enjoy Feng Jiu once he captured her.

He waited anxiously in his mansion, and not until the sun had set and stars dotted the night sky did he finally burst into laughter.

On a night dark and windy, the townspeople were already asleep, and utter silence reigned, the streets cloaked in darkness and devoid of any human figure.

Just then, a black silhouette flitted across the rooftops with incredible speed, making no sound at all as it stepped on the roof tiles—an indication of the person’s impressive qinggong skills.

After a few quick moves, the figure arrived at an inn, carefully checked its sign, then silently nodded.

With an agile leap, the figure ascended to the upper floor, and soon he was outside a room marked with an ebony plaque reading "B-3."

Quietly, he took a small metal tube from his bosom, inserted it through the window, and with a gentle blow, white smoke spiraled into the room.

The intruder silently counted the time; after a quarter of an hour, he casually opened the door and saw the man and woman sleeping on the bed.

A flash of astonishment crossed his face, and he murmured to himself, "Such a beautiful woman, no wonder the young master can’t stop thinking about her. Alas, it’s a pity you’re too beautiful."

With that, he moved to carry the woman over his shoulder.

However, just as he was about to approach her, the woman’s eyes, which had been tightly shut, suddenly flew open.

The intruder was startled and instinctively went for the kill, grasping the woman’s throat in his hand.

Yet the woman did not show any sign of pain; instead, she smiled and looked at him.

This eerie scene, unlike anything he had ever witnessed, sent a chill from his feet to his heart, and he felt bone-deep cold throughout his body.

"What are you?" His voice was filled with fear, and he even stuttered when he spoke.

But Feng Jiu, whose throat he still clutched, remained silent, instead slowly opening her mouth.

Her cherry lips grew impossibly large, as if about to swallow him whole; he could even see ghosts wailing in her belly.

"Ah!" At that moment, engulfed by endless terror, he let go of his grip and ran, his fearful screams echoing in the night, reverberating through the town, awakening countless sleeping people.

Yet the shadow pursued him like a relentless specter, and no matter where he ran, he could not shake it off.

Back at the mansion, Ma Qing was anxiously awaiting the return of his guest elder, in whom he had great confidence.

After all, the guest elder was formerly a notorious bandit in Jianghu, unparalleled in qinggong, having survived countless pursuits unscathed.

Moreover, he possessed the Soul-Confusing Smoke, a method capable of killing invisibly. With his involvement, capturing that beautiful girl was guaranteed. The thought of Feng Jiu’s face, as beautiful as a blooming flower, made Ma Qing’s body heat up, wishing he could take her then and there.

A loud noise suddenly erupted, and Ma Qing went out joyfully to meet it, certain that they had succeeded.

However, as he rushed outside, he only saw his disheveled guest elder, and his beloved beauty was nowhere to be seen.

"What happened, where is my beauty?" Ma Qing asked urgently.

The Guest Elder didn’t answer him, instead showing a foolish smile as if lost in a trance.

"What’s wrong with you?" Ma Qing realized that something seemed off and asked softly, while his body had already begun to slowly back away.

"Were you looking for me?" A cold voice came through, and a woman was seen slowly climbing out from behind the Guest Elder, her face bearing a horrifying smile, which looked somewhat similar to Feng Jiu.

Upon seeing Ma Qing, the woman’s face revealed a malicious grin. She began to crawl on the ground like a spider, opening her mouth where the silhouettes of wailing people seemed visible.

"Monster!" Ma Qing let out a piercing scream and began frantically to flee to the outside.

However, the woman behind him relentlessly pursued, as if determined to devour Ma Qing completely.

"My Lord, weren’t you looking for me? Why be so heartless?" The woman’s mournful voice sounded in Ma Qing’s ears.

But at that moment, he had no intent to listen; intense fear had already filled his heart, causing him to lose his most basic sense of reason.

As the figure of the woman drew ever closer, Ma Qing’s fear strengthened, and a voice in his heart seemed to be screaming non-stop.

"I’m going to die, going to die!"

"Got you!" The woman said with a tittering laugh.

At that moment, Ma Qing fell into complete despair. His mind was like a spinning lantern, flashing through many scenes of women he had defiled.

Now, they seemed to merge with the monster before him, and the vengeful cries of these women seemed to echo in his ears.

"Could this be my karma?" Ma Qing muttered to himself.

"Wicked beast, how dare you!" A robust voice followed by a tall figure emerged.

It was a monk dressed in a kasaya, holding a purple gold alms bowl in his hand, his expression filled with compassion, and his whole being exuded an aura of pity and sadness for the world.

As soon as he appeared, he struck the monster’s face with a punch, and a golden Buddha’s Light burst forth, causing the monster to cry out in pain.

"What monk dares to meddle in affairs here?" the monster shouted angrily.

"Monster, do not be presumptuous," said the monk, throwing a punch that created a gust of wind out of nowhere and hit the monster right between the eyes, shattering its head with immense force.

"Damn it!" The monster did not die from this, but instead let out a pained cry, after which the smashed head slowly began to regenerate.

However, its features were much uglier than before.

The monk slightly frowned. He had traveled far and wide, yet had never seen such a monster, with an aura that disturbed the mind, much like the mundane world filled with desires and distractions.

Initially, he thought it was a monster, but upon closer examination, he realized there was not a hint of Demon Qi on it.

"What are you?" the monk asked.

"Monk, to your doom!" The monster didn’t answer his question, but instead rushed at the monk in an eerie manner, twisting its body.

Seeing this, Ma Qing, who was behind the monk, trembled with fear, retreating continuously, his crotch already wet, the air filled with a foul stench.

Who would have thought that this tyrant of the city would be scared to the point of incontinence? If word got out, many would probably cheer.