Free Web NovelChapter 126: Chapter 126: If You Don’t Mind, I’m Willing to Offer Myself to You
"Tao... what’s going on outside?"
Only a few dozen seconds might have passed.
But Mr. Sun’s heart was already in his throat.
Yet, everything outside was eerily quiet now.
As if nothing had happened at all.
After a long moment, he gathered his courage and asked.
But just as the words left his mouth,
THUD—
A muffled crash echoed from downstairs.
It was particularly jarring in the strange, silent night.
Without a word, Sun Tao sprinted toward the balcony.
Mr. Sun followed close behind, peering cautiously downstairs.
They didn’t live on a high floor, only the sixth.
The streetlights in the complex faintly illuminated the scene below.
A person in a security guard’s uniform was lying face down on the ground.
Soon, another person appeared nearby.
He seemed to be checking if the guard was dead or alive.
Then, the person looked up toward their floor.
In that instant, Sun Tao’s eyes met his.
He was wearing a Black Impermanence mask and an all-black tracksuit.
Although Sun Tao couldn’t see his eyes, he had a feeling of familiarity.
Then, the man headed straight for the complex exit...
"Is... Is that an Impermanence come to reap souls?"
Mr. Sun watched the scene below, his terror mounting.
Only when the man in the Inconstancy Mask had vanished from the residential complex did Sun Tao’s pounding heart finally begin to settle.
"Dad, it’s okay. The guard is dead!"
"The guard? What do you mean?" Mr. Sun asked, still terrified.
Sun Tao paused for a moment before describing the horrifying scene he had just witnessed.
Although he had seen a terrifying face with bulging veins through the peephole,
he had still recognized the man as their complex’s security guard at a glance.
In that moment, it was as if he had become a completely different person.
Unfamiliar, terrifying, monstrous...
"The person pounding on the door was that guard. He was probably controlled by a Demon Beast, or maybe possessed by something!"
"Dad, go back to bed. It’s over now!"
Only after hearing Sun Tao’s words did Mr. Sun nod.
He glanced downstairs again. The guard’s body was still lying on the ground.
The pavement around him was stained crimson with blood.
"Sigh, who would have thought? That guard always seemed so honest and simple..."
Mr. Sun shook his head and walked back inside, still shaken.
As he was about to enter his bedroom, he didn’t forget to turn back and offer a few words of comfort to Sun Tao.
When Sun Tao returned to his room, his mind was filled with the image of the man in the Inconstancy Mask.
They hadn’t interacted directly, and he hadn’t seen his face.
But from his build, his form, and the way he walked,
the man felt incredibly familiar.
’Even if he covers his face, he can’t change his habits.’
After a long while, he sat on his bed and picked up his phone.
He opened a chat app and found a specific person’s chat window.
Sun Tao: For the grace of saving my life, I must repay you with all I have. If you wouldn’t mind, I am willing to offer myself to you...
The roar of a motorcycle.
It was loud enough to tear through the silent city.
You could hear it from miles away.
Finally, a heavy motorcycle came to a stop outside the Jingnan Hufu District.
Chu Zhengxiong looked back and said, "This is the only time. If you’re this reckless again, don’t blame me for telling your sister!"
At his words, Lin Yi just smiled.
"Alright, there won’t be a next time!"
"It’s best if there isn’t. What you should be thinking about now, kid, is the Martial Arts Exam. It’s less than a month away. You need to focus on that final stretch and stop worrying about other things!"
"And remember, especially for the next few days, stay indoors at night!"
Lin Yi nodded his head repeatedly, like a chicken pecking at rice.
After Chu Zhengxiong finished his lecture, Lin Yi walked to the entrance of the complex.
He swiped his key card, and with a soft BEEP,
the complex gate opened automatically. Lin Yi pushed it open and walked inside.
Only when his figure had completely disappeared
did Chu Zhengxiong’s expression soften slightly.
He had entered the complex earlier to find the security guard possessed by the ’Shi’.
But Lin Yi had beaten him to it, entering one of the apartment buildings.
By the time Chu Zhengxiong arrived, the guard had just been thrown from an upper floor.
He then saw a black shadow silently leave the guard’s body.
Chu Zhengxiong recognized it at a glance: it was an alien beast that had escaped from the Restricted Area.
He hurried forward to finish it off.
’The alien beast known as Shi isn’t actually very strong in combat.’
’Its life force is just much more tenacious than other alien beasts.’
’This is mainly because it has no physical form; it’s a type of incorporeal alien beast.’
’The combat abilities it displays come from possessing humans or other beasts.’
’There are many limitations. Even if it possesses a 5-star Demon Beast,’
’it can’t fully utilize the host’s Cultivation Realm.’
’At best, it might be able to wield 4-star level power, and that would be impressive.’
’The biggest headache is that killing its host doesn’t mean you’ve killed it.’
’After the host dies, it will just revert to its shadow form and leave.’
’To find a new host.’
’Again and again. The existence of a Shi isn’t a major threat, but it’s a huge pain.’
’Plus, this thing holds a serious grudge.’
’Lin Yi only killed the guard, he didn’t deal with the Shi.’
’If it had really escaped, he would have been haunted by it indefinitely in the future.’
’Until either it died, or Lin Yi died...’
Fortunately, Chu Zhengxiong arrived just in time to kill the Shi as it fled the guard’s body.
That took care of any future trouble.
However, the appearance of a Shi in the Old District forced Chu Zhengxiong to take the situation seriously.
He took out his phone and made a call.
After a moment, the call connected.
"Hello? We might have more trouble. Where are you? Let’s talk in person... Yeah, okay. Wait there, I’m on my way."
He hung up, and the roar of the motorcycle once again echoed through the silent city.
「...」
After returning home,
Lin Yi noticed that Tang Qinru hadn’t returned yet.
He breathed a long sigh of relief.
It was already past ten o’clock.
If Tang Qinru found out he was just getting back, she would probably nag him endlessly.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Yi quickly returned to his room.
He took a shower to wash off the smell of blood.
Sitting on his bed, he turned on his phone.
Instantly, a message popped up.
It was from Sun Tao. Lin Yi glanced at it and couldn’t help but laugh.
"Can’t sleep? Feeling romantic in the middle of the night?
If you’re feeling romantic, go find Hu Quan or Zhou Qi. My preferences are normal, I’m not into men..."
After he sent the message,
Sun Tao quickly replied.
"Bro, thanks for tonight. I owe you a massive favor. If you ever need anything, just say the word. I’ll never be able to repay you in this lifetime. You saved my whole family!"
"Also... you should wear a different mask. The Black Impermanence one is too ugly. My dad said an Impermanence had come to reap souls!"
Lin Yi couldn’t help but smile.
"Alright, I’ll switch to a Zhong Kui mask next time..."
"Holy crap, can’t you pick something from the Mortal Realm? First an Impermanence, then a Judge... are you going to wear a King of the Underworld mask next?"
Lin Yi: "That’s an idea. Keep an eye out for me. If you see anyone selling a King of the Underworld mask, let me know!"
Sun Tao: "..."
The two chatted for a few more lines before ending the conversation.
As for the events of the evening, they both had a tacit understanding not to bring it up again.
Then, Lin Yi entered the state of his Star River Qi Transformation Technique.
He had discovered over the past couple of days that ever since his realm advanced to 2-star,
a faint image of a ’cat’ had appeared within the vast Star River.
It was a shape outlined by the stars.
Or maybe it was a tiger cub?
Whatever it was, he couldn’t see it clearly yet.
But Lin Yi had a strong feeling.
This Qi Transformation Technique was definitely not as simple as it seemed.
It was like a small, personal cultivation space.
And it held more secrets waiting to be discovered.
The Daoist, the cat (tiger cub).
’All this time, the Daoist voice that imparted the teachings belonged to that Daoist. His voice can help me improve my Cultivation Realm and even heal my injuries...’
’So, what is the purpose of this cat’s appearance?’
Now within the Star River,
Lin Yi gazed at the distant image of the cat (tiger cub) outlined by the stars.
His heart filled with a sense of anticipation.
