I Slay Gods and Demons in the Deceit Night

Bull Horn Mountain.

Between the mountains, the forests were dense.

Looking down, vast fields had already been sown, and the seedlings were a fresh green.

This area was still within High Willow City, located in the middle zone between Linjiang Square and Qingshan Square.

On this side of the mountain, the good fields were cultivated and grains planted, under the administration of Linjiang Square.

Behind the mountain, the Outer South City Guard Mansion had set up a horse farm, with over a hundred fine horses, belonging to the administration boundary of Qingshan Square.

Even though it was located in the heart of High Willow City, this secluded boundary was equivalent to the wilderness of the mountains and forests; once night fell, the city dwellers did not dare to come here.

But at this moment, at the waist of the mountain, sat two people in leisure.

An old man, and a youth.

The old man's hair was speckled with white, having lived past sixty, and hung a wine gourd at his waist.

The youth's face was stiff and completely pale, as if he were a corpse, holding a knife in his hand.

"This really is a good place. If we were sitting outside High Willow City, we would have been gobbled up by big demons by now... Of course, we might have also been wiped out by an Evil Spirit."

After taking a sip of alcohol, the old man said, "It's only because we're within the city, although it's still between the wilderness, that we enjoy safety and peace of mind."

"Enough nonsense."

The youth with the knife, with a hoarse voice, said, "Together, we need to gather twenty 'ingredients' to complete our task! When will you bring the last 'ingredient'?"

With one hand on the wine gourd and the other waving casually, the old man replied nonchalantly, "Don't worry, it's just a youngster. Although he killed pigs for some days and accumulated some Evil Qi, he can't escape from our granny's hands."

"The wandering soul in your hand before could only confuse the weak and sick. Are you confident now?"

"Last night, chaos erupted and I took the opportunity to seize some newly deceased souls to feed her. Today, she is not afraid of strong and robust men with Qi-Blood or butchers bearing Evil Qi."

"I heard the Temple now has an incense burner who is a direct disciple of the temple priest. Aren't you afraid your wandering soul will be extinguished by him?"

"The City Guard Mansion checked that broken house today, took away the dead body, and sealed it up. The Temple won't investigate further."

At this point, the old man put down the wine gourd and clicked his tongue, "I hid granny in that house, just waiting for the boy to come home, so she could possess him."

The youth with the knife had a solemn expression and said, "The chaos started last night and continues till tonight. The timing is rare; we can't afford to fail."

"I understand. Let the youngster named Lin Yan disappear without a trace tonight. Everyone will only think that he was unlucky and fell prey to evil forces."

The old man chuckled, "If we get through tonight and the waters calm down, if another person disappears in the city, the Outer South Government Office would thoroughly investigate. With the Observatory around, it will be hard to fish in troubled waters."

"Last night, as the demons attacked the city, those fools in the eastern section of the outer city tried to gather 'ingredients' amidst the confusion but had already been noticed by the General Flag Envoy of the Observatory's eastern outer city division."

The youth with the knife said gravely, "They've already been silenced ahead of time. I don't want to be silenced as well because of your careless actions."

"Rest assured, I've inquired about it. The Flag Commander of Linjiang Station is new here, completely clueless, and won't catch us."

As the old man said this, he also felt somewhat helpless.

It was only three days ago, in the afternoon, that he received the "ingredient list."

He found the residence of the sixth-ranked "Lin Yan" but discovered that the person wasn't home that night.

Being in a hurry to collect other ingredients, he temporarily set aside this one.

Then, the night before, when he was ready to take action, someone unexpectedly intervened.

And last night, when the demons attacked the city, the Observatory Tower used all its might and Divine Mirrors to monitor the entire city.

He had no choice but to wait for tonight to fish in troubled waters again.

But this time, he was almost certain of success.

While thinking this way, he suddenly felt an "Evil Wind" blowing through the darkness.

The old man was invigorated and joyfully said, "You're back."

He removed the lid from the wine gourd and caught the "Evil Wind" inside, peering in.

"Eh? Granny, how have you become so thin?"

The old man immediately showed a pained expression on his face. Just as he was about to speak, the youth beside him spoke in a cold voice.

"Where's the ingredient?"

"..."

The old man was stunned.

Then, somewhat bewildered, he hurriedly shouted into the wine gourd, "Granny, where's the ingredient? Why didn't you bring it back after possessing him?"

"I'm right here."

In the silent night, atop the mountain peak, a third voice emerged.

The old man and the youth felt a sudden chill, and their faces instantly became serious.

From the direction of the voice, they saw a figure slowly approaching from down the mountain.

He wore a black robe with golden threads, tall and erect.

On his left side hung a sheathed knife, and on his right side were crossbow arrows.

In his right hand, he carried a knife of a special material, slightly dark in color, exactly three feet and three inches long.

He was Wu Chang, the new Flag Commander of Linjiang Station!

"It's you again, causing trouble?"

The old man's face darkened.

That bloodless-faced young man with a stiff expression drew the long knife in his hand, his demeanor solemn.

"The outside world speculates that the new Flag Commander Wu Chang is at most at the second stage of martial arts, probably still Refining Blood, and possibly with extraordinary talent, having reached Bone Washing."

"But last night, alone in defending the city, for three hundred and sixty steps."

"Even with the aid of the Night Lamp, as well as incense sticks and ash, it's not something the second stage of martial arts can withstand."

"You must be at the Inner Strength Realm, so young yet so skilled."

"Such talent, I've only seen once in my life, you may break through the human limits in the future, reaching the Refining Essence Realm is hopeful!"

"Unfortunately, you're overly confident, coming here to court death, squandering a fine future."

While he spoke, he stepped forward, proactively approaching Lin Yan, and said coldly, "I'll see you off!"

He, too, was at the Inner Strength Realm, but because of continuous mistakes at the "heart and kidney" two stages, he damaged his organs, resulting in his corpse-like rigidity.

But with the taking of medicinal pills, he could maintain his condition.

Having reached the Inner Strength Realm six years ago, he wasn't among the top fighters in his current realm, yet he considered himself mid-tier.

Facing a Flag Commander of Linjiang Station who had just reached the Inner Strength Realm, he was quite confident.

He quickened his pace as he neared.

Concentrating his power, he suddenly swung his knife with ferocity!

He believed this strike could slice through metal and stone, cutting iron like mud!

"..."

Lin Yan remained impassive.

With a swing of his knife-holding right hand.

The blades clashed!

Sparks flew!

The corpse-like young man's pupils suddenly constricted, feeling an immense force from the knife, irresistible and overwhelmingly powerful.

In an instant, his palm split open, blood spurting.

Then Lin Yan's foot kicked him squarely in the abdomen.

The overconfident rigid youth felt an intense pain in his chest, followed by a sensation of lightness.

In fact, he was entirely lifted off his feet, kicked several yards away.

In a single encounter, there was no strength to counter.

"Old man, aren't you going to make a move?"

The rigid young man got up from the ground, feeling an upheaval in his organs, and spitting blood, he shouted in panic at the old man.

In an instant, a wicked wind arose on Bull Horn Mountain.

Ghostly howls and wolfish cries pierced the soul.

Twelve streams of evil wind circled around the mountain top.

In a blink, the stars and moon were hidden.

Even the lights from the distant square seemed to vanish, plunging into darkness.

Between heaven and earth, it seemed that only Lin Yan stood alone in this place.

In the immense darkness, nothingness looming, a sense of infinite loneliness and desolation spread.

From the darkness around him, as if ink water twisting, faces with "gentle and kind" expressions gradually took shape, with sincere and affectionate smiles.

Beneath these smiling faces extended innumerable tentacles, thick and countless.

All the tentacles, from every direction, slowly approached Lin Yan, as if extending an invitation.

Yet they also threatened to completely bind him, dragging him into the darkness.

"Come... come... become one of our family, and you won't have to be so alone."

"Unified, we'll be stronger, protecting each other."

"We..."

With a slicing sound!

The blade flashed!

The source of the voices abruptly stopped.

"Enough noise!"

Lin Yan, expressionless, swept with his knife.

All surrounding tentacles were obliterated, completely dissipated.

Feeling the growth of Evil Qi, he frowned slightly, lamenting, "Too weak."