Chapter 59

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The enormous shadow hidden in the darkness loomed, its height seemingly equal to the city walls. Its mere presence was enough to make anyone’s heart tremble with fear.

“Gulp…”

That was the sound of someone swallowing nervously. The elderly couple under the eaves nearly collapsed, sitting weakly on the ground. Having lived their entire lives, they had first been awed by the Daoist’s mystical abilities, thinking it was beyond their wildest imaginations. But then came the female ghost, and now this massive beast crouching in the dark. They were left with only one thought: How did something this huge even enter the city…

In the courtyard, Daoist Yangming’s gaze was fixed on the scholar standing in front of the giant beast, though his peripheral vision remained on high alert for the terrifying silhouette in the shadows. Slowly, he raised his arms, clasping his left hand over his right in a respectful gesture.

“I am Yangming, a humble Daoist. It seems I have never met you before, Daoist friend. What reason do you have to provoke me?”

Lu Liangsheng had been in situations like this more than once or twice, and his experience served him well. He spread his sleeves wide, smiled, and returned the greeting with a respectful bow.

“I am merely a scholar and do not dare accept the title of ‘Daoist friend’. However, Daoist Master, your second statement is a bit off. Whether it’s good deeds or bad, one should have the courage to admit to their actions. Or could it be that the Daoist Master feels guilty and cannot bring himself to say it aloud?”

What a sharp tongue…

Daoist Yangming’s eye twitched involuntarily. From the moment Lu Liangsheng spoke, he realized he had already lost the upper hand. The scholar greeted him with a smile and a bow, making it difficult to strike without losing face. And then there was the massive creature standing behind him, watching.

To attack without knowing his opponent’s full strength—one would have to be mad.

“… Best to wait and see.” Daoist Yangming clenched his horsetail whisk tightly, swallowing hard.

Meanwhile, under the eaves of the courtyard, Zhang Dongming was scared out of his wits. As a wealthy merchant, he had a keen eye for reading the situation. Seeing that the Daoist seemed to be losing the upper hand, he glanced toward the scholar, who was now surrounded by an eerie aura.

“This… this esteemed… master…”

Trembling, the old man forced himself to stand, bowing respectfully. “Indeed, the matter with the Zhou Manor was our doing, but there are reasons we cannot easily explain.”

Lu Liangsheng’s lips curled into a slight smile, though inwardly he was amused. He raised his hand and bowed in return to the old man.  “Liangsheng thanks sir for his broad and open-minded nature!”

At that moment.

He looked at the Daoist opposite him. Upon hearing these words, Daoist Yangming’s face turned unpleasant. He glanced at the area under the eaves out of the corner of his eye, and inwardly, he was already cursing in anger.

“That stupid *!!”

With a sweep of his horsetail whisk, the Daoist stepped forward and shouted: “Since you already know, there’s nothing left to discuss…”

But just as he uttered the words: “nothing left to discuss.”

The darkness behind the scholar began to twist and shift. A massive head slowly emerged, coming into view for all in the courtyard. Even the maids and servants in the distant side courtyards could see it clearly, sending them into a frenzy of panic as they screamed and ran in all directions.

The human-like face was covered in bristling hair, its glowing red eyes filled with malice. It slammed its colossal paw onto the ground with a deafening boom, causing an ancient tree nearby to shake violently, its branches creaking and snapping.

The massive face loomed forward, lowering slightly. Rows of sharp, densely packed fangs opened wide, and in the instant that thick saliva dripped from the tips of its teeth—

“Roar——”

The courtyard shook with the force of the roar, as fierce as a tiger’s growl, carrying a stench that hit like a gale.

Crash!

Nearby buildings trembled, and roof tiles clattered down, piling up in shattered fragments.

The terrifying beast’s roar echoed through the streets. Lights flickered on in nearby homes, and people stuck their heads out of windows to see what was happening. On the long street, a mounted patrol that had been rushing toward the scene abruptly reined in their horses.

Neigh!

The horses neighed, their hooves stamping nervously, turning in place. The officers quickly worked to calm their mounts, while at the front, Zuo Zhengyang pulled his horse back, gently stroking its mane as he surveyed the situation.

“What on earth made that sound?”

His eyes were filled with shock. He had heard wild beasts roaring in the mountains before, but nothing had ever been so loud or so unnerving. The roar had shaken him to his core, his blood surging in response.

“Could it be something Lu Liangsheng conjured up?”

The thought of Chen Yaoke’s mysterious death three years ago flashed through his mind, making Zuo Zhengyang all the more cautious. He turned to his men and issued an order.

“Some of you, go to the nearby houses and buy a black dog. Take its blood. The rest of you, follow me!”

With a sharp turn of his horse, he galloped off. The clattering of hooves echoed through the street as they sped toward the source of the commotion.

“Daoist Master Yangming, do you still wish to continue?”

In the Zhang family’s courtyard, Lu Liangsheng reached out his hand and stroked the giant face covered in thick green fur beside him.

The courtyard had fallen silent, with everyone watching the Daoist who had moments earlier seemed ready to strike.

You won’t really going to fight, right?

Daoist Yangming’s robes were drenched in sweat. The moment he had faced that enormous gaping maw, he’d been so frightened he nearly couldn’t breathe. He wiped the sweat from his brow.

Damn it… was I the one who wanted to fight? It’s obviously you who came here!

Despite the tension, he couldn’t afford to show fear. With a formal bow, he responded: “Since Patron Zhang has already spoken, I will acknowledge it. The matter at Zhou Manor was indeed my doing. But I was saving a life and couldn’t worry about the rest at the time.”

“Some matters are more urgent than others.”

Lu Liangsheng nodded, his expression calm and composed. He had always been gentle in demeanor, and seeing that the Daoist admitted to the act, he showed no anger. His voice remained even, as if they were simply discussing academic matters.

“However, we are both cultivators, Daoist. To disregard the lives of ordinary people and act recklessly, doesn’t the Daoist Master think you’ve gone a bit too far?”

Daoist Yangming glanced toward the elder under the eaves, his mind racing for an answer. That day, he’d accepted Zhang Dongming’s silver to treat his son, but truthfully, he’d also been drawn by the spiritual energy seeping from the ground beneath the Zhou Manor. However, due to the ties between the two families, he couldn’t directly seize it, so he resorted to gradually extracting the energy through subtle pressure, sucking the spiritual energy into his puppet and bringing it back.

It had undoubtedly caused harm to Miss Zhou, but so what… Yet now, someone had come knocking, and he couldn’t afford to probe this other party too deeply. His cultivation was more than enough to deal with ordinary people, but facing this person gave him pause. Not to mention, there was also the Rakshasa Ghost by his side, and the ferocious beast was clearly no ordinary creature either.

It was clear that the scholar standing before him was demanding an explanation.

“What do I do… what do I do… I’m not used to talking so much… what do I say now?”

Daoist Yangming wracked his brain, struggling to find a suitable response. If he offered any random excuse and it displeased the other party, what then?

His thoughts were a chaotic mess, and internally, he cursed Zhang Dongming again for putting him in this position. Just as his frustration peaked, Lu Liangsheng’s voice suddenly grew sharp.

“Daoist, answer me!”

The wind stirred, billowing the scholar’s robes as he slowly began to walk forward. Behind him, the towering beast stood from its crouch, its massive tiger paws crossing over the ground, following close behind.

“…We cultivate the Dao—does that mean we are above ordinary people?”

“Taking payment to do a job is fair, but saving one person while harming another—Daoist Master, where is your Dao?”

“I cultivate and study literature as well, and I know that to have the Dao in one’s heart is to have a conscience and a sense of righteousness. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. So tell me, Daoist Master, do you believe you were right or wrong?”

Daoist Yangming took two hesitant steps backward, his chest tightening. Each question from the scholar seemed to hit him like a blow, his head buzzing, his concentration scattering.

“This scholar has quite the sharp tongue…”

But wait… why should I answer him?

Suddenly, the Daoist snapped out of his daze. As the scholar advanced, his gaze hardened. He gripped his horsetail whisk tightly, clenched his teeth, and began circulating his spiritual energy.

Lu Liangsheng halted, observing the change in his expression. Could it be that he’d been cornered into acting rashly?

The scholar’s brush slid from his wide sleeve into his hand, and with a swift motion, he unfurled a scroll that dropped to the ground. Behind him, the shadowy figure became even more solid, letting out a deep roar toward the Daoist as it swung its massive claw.

Roar——

As the foul wind stirred, the Daoist’s spiritual energy surged and exploded forth. The massive claw came crashing down at the same moment. But in an instant, Daoist Yangming’s figure vanished from everyone’s sight, his swift movements barely making a sound as his footfalls lightly echoed on the ground. Like a startled hare, he dashed toward the moon gate.

Only a torn piece of cloth was left, slowly falling to the ground.

Lu Liangsheng’s mouth opened slightly in surprise: ”…”

However, just as he reached the moon gate, someone came rushing in from the other side, carrying a wooden basin. With a sudden leap, the person flung its contents forward. A curtain of dark red blood splashed through the air, revealing a human figure.

“Tianluo Net!” Zuo Zhengyang shouted, his voice booming.

At that moment, a dozen constables descended from the rooftops, and an iron wire net followed suit.