Chapter 27: Destroyed

Chapter 27: Destroyed

The chilling wind rustled, and the ghostly figure loomed.

The dead girl stood before him once again.

However, Li Jue faced it all surprisingly without fear. Perhaps, whether it was death or supernatural entities, neither compared to the torment of inner questioning.

The ghostly incarnation of Situ Yan finally spoke in a serene tone. Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

"I don't resent you, and I can't kill you." Her voice was icy, like a breeze from the underworld.

"I..." Li Jue stared at her, momentarily at a loss for words.

Then, Situ Yan suddenly shouted urgently, "You must leave!"

"What's wrong with you?" Li Jue was frightened and seemingly frozen, still sitting on the ground without escaping.

"Ah!" Situ Yan cried out, and the eerie wind howled around them, making the lakeside bone-chilling, like the realm of the dead.

Her eyes gradually emitted a crimson glow.

However, she struggled and managed to utter, "No..."

She raised her head and shouted at Li Jue again, "You must go!"

Only then did Li Jue realize something was amiss. He stumbled backward, trying to run.

However, as he moved away, Situ Yan's black hair suddenly stood on end, revealing an entire terrifying, vein-covered, ghastly face!

"Stay!" Her voice transformed into utter chilling menace.

Her attitude changed completely.

As she lifted her hand, she instantly rushed toward Li Jue.

Meanwhile, Song Qingyi, who had been observing in secret for a while, stopped standing idly by this time. She said to Chu Liang, "I'll deal with it."

After saying this, her figure flickered, and a burst of green light radiated from the jade ruler in her hand.

The Noblemen's Hall possessed an ancient divine weapon that ranked among the top hundred in the Catalog of the Mortal World’s Ten Thousand Treasures, known as the River-Measuring Jade Ruler. Song Qingyi's weapon was a replica of the River-Measuring Jade Ruler, known as the Heart-Measuring Ruler.

In the cultivation realm, numerous such replicas existed, and typically, only the original owner of a treasure could create them. High-quality replicas often matched the original in grade.

The Heart-Measuring Ruler brimmed with righteous aura and swiftly found its mark. Situ Yan was about to attack Li Jue but was caught off guard and nearly struck by the ruler.

Fortunately, as a ghost with its ethereal body, it could instantly move several feet to the side just in time to avoid the attack.

However, Song Qingyi's attack followed immediately. She hurled the jade ruler forward, and it struck Situ Yan's waist, producing a muffled sound.

Bang!

The Painted Skin Ghost's ethereal form took a hit, and its body emitted a burst of black smoke before falling heavily to the ground.

The ruler flew back into Song Qingyi’s palm.

Chu Liang didn't give it a chance to struggle. He forced Li Jue A to reveal its true form with the brick in his left hand and instantly slashed it with the gleaming sword in his right hand.

Swish!

As the long sword pierced through the Painted Skin Ghost's body, cracks started appearing all over its ethereal form.

"Situ Yan..." Li Jue called out gently.

The Painted Skin Ghost looked back and fixed its gaze upon Li Jue, its eyes hinting at a sense of freedom.

Bang!

The ethereal body of the ghost shattered and turned into dust.

"You..." Song Qingyi was slightly curious as she asked, "It said your name, so how did you know that wasn't the real Li Jue?"

"I didn't really know. I just thought that the ghost might have been lurking within the academy daily and might have heard my name at some point," Chu Liang replied with a smile. "Asking a question was just a way to get closer to it. Giving it a good whack with a brick was a more secure approach."

"We truly have to thank you for this," said Song Qingyi.

If Chu Liang hadn't been here, the Painted Skin Ghost would have caused her quite a lot of trouble.

"We are all cultivators who follow the path of righteousness. It is our duty to obliterate evil entities," Chu Liang said, shrugging off the thanks.

In all honesty, he had to thank the Painted Skin Ghost for causing a bit of commotion at the end. If it had been easily captured by Song Qingyi, he wouldn't have had an opportunity to intervene, especially considering it happened within the territory of the Confucian sects.

The Painted Skin Ghost had given him the chance to snatch the final kill logically. Song Qingyi even needed to thank him. This was an excellent ending.

The only one left in the area who seemed lost and bewildered was Li Jue, staring blankly at the spot where Situ Yan had disappeared, feeling uncertain of what to do.

Chu Liang came up to him and said, "If you really want to make things right, you should go to the authorities and confess to what happened with the accidental killing. Trying to end your life won't make the consequences go away."

"Yes..." Li Jue nodded slightly.

There was a hint of sorrow in Song Qingyi's eyes, as she couldn't help but feel sorry for Situ Yan. Her life had been pitiable, but she had also committed numerous wrongs, leaving Song Qingyi uncertain about how to judge her.

The calm lake waters, ruffled by the night wind, left them all with a sense of powerlessness.

...

"Damn it!"

In a guesthouse not far from this location in Yanjiao City, a figure in black robes suddenly smashed the lamp on the table, where a burnt-out black candle stood.

Crash!

The lamp hit the ground, shattering into pieces, and the person in black gnashed their teeth.

"I spent so much effort refining and creating this Painted Skin Ghost. I was counting on it to collect more human souls for me so that I can secure my top spot in the next soul-gathering event. It was a chance for me to be promoted!

"It has only been a few days, and it has already been destroyed...

"Those people should be damned!

"Let me see who has the audacity to harm my Painted Skin Ghost."