Free Web NovelChapter 303: Chapter 302: Purification: Radiant Purity, Banishing Evil
After a long journey, Taoist Xu Ning and Jingyi finally arrived at the Ma Mansion in the eastern part of the city. They now also understood why Landlord Ma had gone to the brokerage looking for maids.
It turned out that a distant relative of Landlord Ma’s family had suffered a misfortune and sent a cousin to stay temporarily. The Ma Mansion was short-staffed, so he had personally gone to the brokerage to pick out two maids for his cousin.
But things rarely go according to plan. He had only intended to find two maids, but now he had four. On top of that, he also wanted to hire Shen Jingyi to help manage the rear courtyard.
The Ma Mansion was indeed a luxurious estate. With its blue tiles, white walls, and vast grounds, the carriage entered from the side and traveled for quite some time within the compound before finally reaching the rear courtyard.
Landlord Ma had someone take the four maids away. He then summoned an old steward, instructing him to arrange lodging for Taoist Xu Ning and to give Jingyi a tour of the grounds.
Taoist Xu Ning chuckled. "I’d also like to have a look around this grand mansion with my girl. Would that be alright?"
The old steward couldn’t help but look at Taoist Xu Ning, sizing her up. "Sister Shen, you’ll be helping out mostly in the rear courtyard from now on. It would be best not to go where you aren’t supposed to."
"Hey!" Landlord Ma waved his hand dismissively. "We don’t have such strict rules in our household. Besides, Miss Shen might be your assistant manager in the future. How could you stop her mother from visiting her?"
"Yes." The old steward nodded, then made a welcoming gesture with his hand. "This way, you two. I’ll show you around."
Jingyi knew, ’My master is worried about me.’ She took Taoist Xu Ning’s hand, and the two of them followed the old steward out of the rear courtyard and into the main estate.
After watching Jingyi and her companion leave, Landlord Ma turned back toward the main courtyard to find his cousin.
...
As they walked through the estate, Jingyi looked around and couldn’t help but ask the old steward, "This mansion is so large, but I don’t see many people. Aren’t you afraid of burglars?"
’This ancient Otherworld is so different from the modern Blue Star. Even in modern society, public safety is only decent in a handful of countries like Celestial Xia. Other nations aren’t safe at all, to say nothing of a place like this.’
The old steward glanced back at Jingyi and chuckled. "Rest assured, Miss. There are no thieves in broad daylight. As for any who might come at night, well, we have people to deal with them."
Jingyi raised an eyebrow. "Has Landlord Ma hired Martial Arts Experts to guard the estate?"
The old steward smiled meaningfully. "Even if the renowned Yan Chuyun of Bai Shi Prefecture came in person, he wouldn’t get very far."
Jingyi said nonchalantly, "And what about Demons and Ghosts?"
The old steward was taken aback, but then he shook his head. "How could there be so many Demons and Ghosts in the world?"
As they spoke, the three of them walked around the garden. The old steward pointed out the separate courtyards belonging to Landlord Ma’s wife and his three concubines, and they soon arrived outside a small, secluded, private courtyard.
"This is where the master’s newly arrived cousin, Miss Lin, resides. She prefers peace and quiet, so please try not to disturb her," the old steward explained.
Just then, the door to the small courtyard opened, and Landlord Ma slowly walked out. He looked back and instructed, "Cousin, there’s no need to see me out."
The old steward stopped and bowed. "Master!"
Seeing Jingyi’s party, Landlord Ma broke into a smile. He turned to the woman who had walked to the courtyard gate and introduced them. "This is Miss Shen. She is well-read and has a gentle temperament. I intend to ask her to help manage the household. If you need anything in the future, you can go to her."
Jingyi’s gaze went past Landlord Ma to the woman standing behind him.
She wore an aquamarine gauze dress threaded with gold, and she appeared delicate, quiet, and so frail it seemed a gust of wind could blow her over. Her gaze toward Jingyi held a trace of innocence and curiosity.
Then Jingyi smiled. And behind her, Taoist Xu Ning smiled too.
’We played along with Landlord Ma’s charade for so long. Wasn’t it all just to find her without alerting her?’
Although the woman hid it well, the Thunder Seed could clearly sense the dense Evil Qi emanating from her body. It was even heavier than that of the Human-devouring Rat Demon the two of them had encountered in the outskirts a few days ago.
"Hello, Miss Shen." The woman nodded. Her simple and elegant demeanor was actually quite similar to Jingyi’s.
Landlord Ma then turned to introduce her to Jingyi. "This is my cousin from the Lin Family. Her given name is Mo Ke."
"Hello, Miss Lin." Jingyi looked at Lin Moke, then at Landlord Ma standing beside her. An interested, slightly mischievous smile appeared on her face as she asked, "Landlord Ma, is this Miss Lin your cousin?"
"That’s right." Landlord Ma nodded.
"When did Miss Lin arrive?" Jingyi asked again.
Although Landlord Ma was a bit confused, he answered patiently, "Yesterday."
Jingyi continued to question him. "What misfortune befell her family?"
This time, it was the young servant behind Landlord Ma who answered. "Starting three months ago, people in Miss Lin’s household began falling ill with a terrible disease one after another. In the end, only Miss Lin and an old servant were left. They could no longer maintain their estate, so they had no choice but to sell their property and come to our master for help."
Jingyi nodded in understanding. "So that’s how it is."
"What’s how it is?" the old steward asked curiously.
Jingyi said flatly, "It means she only just arrived and hasn’t had time to kill you all one by one yet."
"What?"
Her words shocked everyone. Landlord Ma, the young servant beside him, the old steward, and even Lin Moke, who had been about to return to her room—all of them stared at Jingyi.
"M-Miss Shen..." The young servant couldn’t help but gulp. "This is the master’s cousin. You can’t just spout nonsense like that..."
Landlord Ma subconsciously took a step away from Lin Moke, but then he stopped.
Lin Moke was his distant cousin, but his family was large and prosperous. Father Lin and Mrs. Lin had brought their daughter to visit before. How could he not recognize his own cousin?
’Could it be...?’
Lin Moke placed a hand on her chest and said weakly, "I have never met you before, Miss, and we have no grievances between us. Why would you say such a thing to slander me?
"Besides, I’m just my cousin’s distant relative. In terms of importance, my cousin has a wife, concubines, and children. Even if you’re trying to make an impression, Miss, you shouldn’t target me first!"
As soon as she said this, Landlord Ma nodded, and his gaze toward Jingyi became suspicious.
The next moment, two or three shadowy figures appeared nearby. Their steps were light and their breathing was long and steady—they were all rare Martial Arts Experts.
But now that the truth was out, Jingyi dropped the act. A gentle smile touched her lips. "You’re overthinking things, Miss Lin. My target on this trip isn’t Landlord Ma. It’s you!"
"Hm?" Lin Moke froze, not understanding.
Then she saw Jingyi wave her hand. A wave of pure, clear energy rushed toward her—an energy that could sweep away dust and eradicate evil spirits.
Lin Moke’s human skin shattered instantly, revealing the hideous and evil face of a Corpse Ghost.
"AHHH!" Piercing screams filled the air.
The old steward and the young servant were a little farther away and scrambled backward. But Landlord Ma was right next to her. Seeing his cousin, who had been right beside him, suddenly transform into an Evil Ghost, he was so terrified that he collapsed to the ground, a strange smell rising from his body.
But Lin Moke ignored Landlord Ma. Instead, she stared at Jingyi and Xu Ning. "You two damn Mages! How dare you ruin my plans! Now that I can’t collect the resentment from his bloodline, I’ll have you..."
Before her hoarse voice could finish, Taoist Xu Ning and Jingyi had already drawn standard-issue longswords from the gourds at their waists. The pure and clear Taoist True Qi that radiated from the blades made her stop talking at once.
Lin Moke stared at the longswords in their hands. "You’re from Daluo Palace?"
Jingyi was surprised. "You know of Daluo Palace?"
Without another word, Lin Moke turned and fled.
Jingyi was stunned.
Taoist Xu Ning and Jingyi had expected her to shout and attack. They never thought she would just turn and run, and it almost caught them by surprise.
But with this Corpse Ghost’s level of Cultivation, she might have been able to escape from Jingyi, but she was no match for Taoist Xu Ning.
The instant she turned, Taoist Xu Ning was already behind her. Her longsword swept out like a cool breeze, shattering the Protective Ghost Energy around the ghost.
"Ah!" Lin Moke shrieked and said hatefully, "Daluo Palace just loves to meddle! I already ran all the way from Yapang County to Hongliu County! Are you still not going to let me go?"
From that one sentence, Taoist Xu Ning and Jingyi figured out the general situation.
"So you’re a fish that slipped through the net when our fellow sect members were slaying demons." Taoist Xu Ning said with a gentle laugh. "If you truly knew fear, you might have hidden yourself away and survived. But unfortunately, you didn’t know when to quit and insisted on doing evil. So naturally, the heavens will not tolerate you."
Jingyi brandished her longsword and moved in to help. "Every cause has an effect, every action a consequence. Since you have committed evil, you must bear the consequences."
Lao Mountain was a famous mountain in Daoism, but it was also renowned for its Martial Arts. Back in the day, several Daoists from Zhenwu Mountain had even gone to Lao Mountain to study Martial Arts, which showed its standing in the world of Celestial Xia Martial Arts.
Although Taoist Xu Ning was a woman, her Martial Arts were actually extremely high. She had found it difficult to use them to their full extent before, but now that she was in this Otherworld, she could truly shine.
The two of them now had Lin Moke surrounded. After only a few moves, the Fierce Ghost could no longer hold her own and began to beg for mercy. "Spare me, Mages! I’m willing to join your sect, turn over a new leaf, and never harm anyone again!"
Taoist Xu Ning shook her head. "The malice in your heart is too deeply rooted. You cannot be changed."
As her voice fell, Jingyi’s longsword pierced the Fierce Ghost’s back, right through the heart. A surge of True Qi shattered its Ghost Body.
The Fierce Ghost turned into a wisp of black smoke and tried to escape, but it was caught off guard as Taoist Xu Ning flicked her sleeve. A wave of pure, clear Purifying True Qi swept over it, completely cleansing its soul and reducing it to nothingness, dissipating between heaven and earth.
"Blessed Infinite Celestial Venerable!"
