No, it’s just a mirage!
23: Chapter 23 The Return of Ten Thousand Swords?
No, it’s just a mirage!
After the meal.
Lin Qing and Er Ni sat in the courtyard, shoulder to shoulder, looking at the stars in the sky.
“Little Qing.” Er Ni spoke softly.
“How long will you stay this time?” Lin Qing turned his head and looked at her with a smile.
“Why, do you not want to be apart from me?” “Um…
I don’t!” Er Ni nodded shyly.
“Then we won’t be apart.
I plan to take you to Suotuo City.” Er Ni was stunned.
“Take…
take me?” “Yes.” Lin Qing nodded.
“I’ve established a foothold over there and am preparing to open a small shop.
I need someone to help manage it.
Are you willing to help me?” Er Ni’s eyes lit up.
But soon, they dimmed again.
“I…
I’m just an ordinary person…
I’ve never been to school and I’m illiterate…
I’m afraid of causing you trouble.” “How could you?” Lin Qing took her hand.
“Sister Er Ni, you are smart, careful, and can endure hardships.
These things are more important than literacy.” “And…” He paused.
“I need you.” !!!
These words made Er Ni’s heart skip a beat.
She raised her head to meet Lin Qing’s eyes; those blue pupils were clear and sincere under the starlight.
“Do you…
really need me?” “Really.” Lin Qing nodded heavily.
“You are the only one I can trust completely.” Er Ni’s tears welled up again, but this time they were tears of joy.
“I…
I’m willing!” She nodded vigorously.
“I will work hard to learn and definitely won’t let you down!” “Oh, right, Little Qing, this is for you!” Er Ni remembered something and pulled out an object wrapped in cloth from her bosom.
There was a familiar aura.
Lin Qing opened it to see that it was actually a piece of Gold of Life!
Er Ni said, “Er Gouzi found this in the mountains.
I remembered what you told me before, so I hid it.
No one else knows.” “That’s fantastic, Sister Er Ni!” Lin Qing excitedly kissed Er Ni on the forehead.
Another piece of Gold of Life!
He didn’t expect that kid Er Gouzi to actually find one.
“Wu!” Er Ni was caught off guard by the kiss and was momentarily lost in shy confusion.
However, seeing Lin Qing so happy made her very happy as well.
…
Late at night.
After Er Ni fell asleep.
Lin Qing left Aunt Li’s house alone.
He walked through the night, his gaze gradually turning cold.
His goal for this excursion was the lair of those Mountain Bandits.
According to the final words of the Parallel Lin Qing, these Mountain Bandits would attack Emperor Soul Village in two years, killing Er Ni and slaughtering the villagers.
Although the timeline had already changed.
The hidden danger still existed.
Therefore, Lin Qing wanted to deal with them in advance.
Not just for revenge, but also as a precaution.
He could not let the tragedy of the parallel World repeat itself in this World.
…
Black Wind Cave.
The Mountain Bandits were feasting.
Drinking from large bowls and eating large chunks of meat.
They had robbed a merchant caravan today and reaped a bountiful harvest, so they were exceptionally excited.
They even specially set up a banquet.
“Boss!
A toast to you!” A lackey holding a wine bowl walked unsteadily toward One-Eyed Dragon.
One-Eyed Dragon was the leader of the Mountain Bandits.
“Good!
Bottoms up!” One-Eyed Dragon raised his wine bowl and drained it in one gulp.
Then, wiping his mouth, he shouted boisterously, “Today’s harvest was good.
Brothers, enjoy yourselves well.
Tomorrow, we’ll go do another big job!” “Great!” The lackeys cheered in unison.
But at that moment, One-Eyed Dragon suddenly felt his vision blur.
The faces of the lackeys seemed to…
change, becoming hideous and evil, their eyes filled with greed and killing intent.
“Boss…” A lackey leaned closer, his voice sinister.
“You’ve had too much to drink, haven’t you?
How about letting me sit in your spot for a while?” “Don’t worry, I’ll take good ‘care’ of the brothers.” “And of course, I’ll take good ‘care’ of you too.” One-Eyed Dragon’s pupils constricted suddenly.
“You…
what did you say?!” “I said…” The lackey grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.
“It’s time for you to retire.
After all, a dead man…
doesn’t need a seat.” “You!” One-Eyed Dragon stood up abruptly, his wine bowl hitting the ground with a clang.
“You all…
want to rebel?!” He looked around.
Only to find that all the lackeys were looking at him with those evil eyes.
Someone was whispering.
“Wait until he’s drunk, then strike…
Is the poison ready?” “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he’s dead as can be…” “Kill the boss, and we’ll split the treasure and the women…” “…” One-Eyed Dragon’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
“Damn it!
You ungrateful wolves!” He let out a furious roar.
Spirit Possession!
Grey fur sprouted from beneath his skin.
His hands transformed into sharp claws.
One white, one yellow, and one purple spirit ring rose from beneath his feet!
“I’ll kill you all!” Boom—!
He swung a claw!
The nearest lackey didn’t even have time to react before his throat was torn open!
Blood sprayed everywhere!
“B-Boss?!” The other lackeys were dumbfounded.
“You…
what are you doing?!” “What am I doing?” One-Eyed Dragon grinned hideously.
“Killing you traitors!
Die!” He charged into the crowd!
Claws flailed!
Blood splattered.
Screams of agony rose one after another, and severed limbs flew through the air!
“The boss has gone crazy!” “Run!” “Help!” The cave was in total chaos, but One-Eyed Dragon had already seen red.
He killed anyone he saw!
Leaving none alive!
…
Ten minutes later.
The screams gradually died down.
The cave was already littered with corpses.
One-Eyed Dragon, covered in blood, stood in a pool of gore gasping for breath.
Some of it was his own, some was from his lackeys.
He stared blankly at the bodies covering the ground, his eyes filled with terror and confusion.
“I…
what have I done…” “You did what needed to be done.” A calm voice came from the cave entrance.
One-Eyed Dragon turned his head sharply.
He saw a masked person in black walking in slowly.
He was clapping his hands.
“Not bad, not bad.
Killing each other saves me the trouble of doing it myself.” “Who are you?!” One-Eyed Dragon took a cautious half-step back.
“Me?” The black-clad Lin Qing grinned.
“Just a kind person passing by.” As he spoke, the Heavenly Eye Martial Soul on Lin Qing’s forehead slowly opened.
Silver light flowed within it.
Two deep purple spirit rings slowly rose from beneath his feet.
“A Spirit Master!” One-Eyed Dragon’s pupils constricted.
And it was a Spirit Master with two thousand-year spirit rings!
His voice trembled slightly: “Who, who exactly are you?!” “I told you, a kind person passing by.
Of course, I’m also the person who is going to kill you now.” Lin Qing said leisurely.
“Just now, I merely applied a small illusion to you.
I didn’t expect you to be so suspicious that you’d kill all your subordinates.” He shrugged: “You can’t blame me for that.” “Illusion…
an illusion?!” One-Eyed Dragon suddenly realized.
“Everything just now…
was fake?” “Of course.” “Otherwise, did you really think your group of ordinary lackeys would dare to rebel?” “You!” Knowing the truth, One-Eyed Dragon’s single eye instantly became bloodshot!
“I’ll kill you—!” He roared and lunged at Lin Qing, his claws aimed straight for Lin Qing’s forehead.
In response, Lin Qing merely raised a hand and pointed a finger.
The second spirit ring shone brilliantly!
Second Spirit Ability: Metal Manipulation!
Hum—!
In an instant, all the weapons in the cave—sabers, swords, axes, spears—all hovered in the air, their tips pointing directly at One-Eyed Dragon.
“Go.” Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Dozens of weapons, under Lin Qing’s control, flew toward One-Eyed Dragon from all directions!
“Damn it!” One-Eyed Dragon roared.
His Earth Wolf Spirit erupted with full force, his claws swinging as he tried to parry.
Clang clang clang!
The sound of metal clashing was incessant.
But there were too many weapons, and their angles were tricky; it was impossible to defend against them all.
Puchi!
A longsword pierced through his shoulder.
“Ah—!” One-Eyed Dragon screamed in pain.
But it wasn’t over.
Lin Qing’s first spirit ring also lit up.
First Spirit Ability: Illusion!
Hum!
A powerful Mental Energy was projected through the Heavenly Eye, covering One-Eyed Dragon.
Instantly, In One-Eyed Dragon’s eyes.
Those flying weapons suddenly changed.
They became…
thousands, tens of thousands of blades!
Dense and packed!
Blotting out the sky!
Pouring down like a torrential rain!
Every single one emitted a cold killing intent!
“This…
how is this possible?!” One-Eyed Dragon’s pupils constricted.
Facing this posture that seemed like Ten Thousand Swords Returning to Origin, a sense of despair welled up from the bottom of his heart.
So many weapons…
how could he block them?
He couldn’t block them…
He was dead for sure…
He chose to give up resistance, closing his eyes and waiting for death to arrive.
But— The imagined sensation of ten thousand swords piercing his heart did not come.
There was only…
Puchi!
A single flying saber chopped off his head in one stroke.
His head rolled onto the ground, his eyes still open, filled with confusion.
He didn’t understand even in death.
Why those weapons had suddenly vanished.
Why…
he had given up resistance.
“…” Lin Qing retracted his Spirit and spirit rings.
Looking at One-Eyed Dragon’s corpse, he sighed softly.
“An illusion like a Mirror Flower, Water Moon; a mental-type Spirit truly is a slaughterer when facing a Spirit Master with low Mental Energy.” He shook his head.
He turned and walked toward the depths of the cave.