Chapter 396: Half-Immortal

Chapter 396: The Half-Immortal

"Eighty percent?!" Lü Xiucai's mouth watered at the mention of Kui Sanjin's reward.

But just as he was about to open his mouth to agree, he quickly composed himself.

He knew his own kind—this sort of supernatural affair was something he'd seen plenty of in his travels with his master. Some were formidable, others less so.

Though his master had told him that these five copper coins could banish evil spirits, he had never actually used them himself.

Seeing Lü Xiucai’s conflicted expression, Kui Sanjin sighed in disappointment. "Well then, I won't blame you. It's true, such matters are beyond the reach of ordinary people."

Prodded by this remark, Lü Xiucai's mind burned with sudden resolve. "Damn it! Let's do it! A man dies and his head points to the sky; if he lives, he'll live forever. What does this old fellow Lü fear from this?" He thought, "Li Huowang can handle it, why can't I?"

And even if he couldn’t win, with those five copper coins, escaping should be no problem.

"Fine! Lü Lang, you're a bold one! I’ll drink to your courage!"

Lü Xiucai immediately mimicked the actions of the storyteller from the old ballads, pretending nonchalance as he placed his cup on the table.

"Wait before drinking! Let me first exorcise the evil spirit, then we can enjoy our wine slowly!"

His confident demeanor instantly earned Kui Sanjin's admiration, making him even more smug.

What Li Huowang had enjoyed, he too could now savor—it truly felt good.

"Alright then, Lü Lang, let’s go!"

Once aboard the carriage, Lü Xiucai's outwardly indifferent expression concealed inner anxiety. He kept recalling how Li Huowang had dealt with danger when they'd encountered it before.

But after much thinking, he found nothing useful. Whenever danger struck, that old man always fled faster than a rabbit. If there was nowhere to run, he’d shove Lü Xiucai under the carriage, forbidding him from coming out.

As Lü Xiucai grumbled, the carriage arrived. As he stepped down and looked around, he realized he had left the city gates behind.

The houses around him were pitch black, and he couldn’t tell where exactly he was. But near Yinglei City, it was only a few villages.

Before him stood an imposing mansion, its grandeur suggesting the occupant held high status.

"Come, Lü Lang, follow me. Your employer lives here," said Kui Sanjin, knocking on the door.

The door creaked open, revealing an elderly man holding a lantern who peered out.

Upon seeing Kui Sanjin's face, he quickly invited both inside, as if afraid something might follow.

"Sanjin, who is this..."

"Fangbo, don't worry. This man is my brother—he's not ordinary. He's learned divine arts from a celestial being!"

Seeing the old man hesitate, Lü Xiucai cleared his throat lightly, placing his hand behind his back and adopting a cold, aloof expression like Li Huowang.

"Sanjin!" Hearing the deep voice, Lü Xiucai turned to see a group of men approaching.

At the center stood a plump, muscular man dressed in brocade, adorned with Buddhist beads, clearly a wealthy local magnate.

Yet his face was lined with coarse flesh, a stark contrast to his attire.

The others around him weren’t much better—each wore a menacing look. If not for other dwellings nearby, Lü Xiucai would’ve thought he'd wandered into a bandit den.

Kui Sanjin bowed low upon seeing them, rushing forward to greet them.

Listening to their murmurs, Lü Xiucai grew uneasy. "What exactly are these brothers of Kui Ye's? Why do they seem so unorthodox?"

He was unfamiliar with the place, and it was night. Lü Xiucai began to regret coming here.

After some discussion, Kui Sanjin brought the towering fat man to Lü Xiucai.

"Lü Lang, this is Master Zhao. His son has been plagued by evil spirits."

Looking up at the intimidating face of Master Zhao, Lü Xiucai opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly saw Zhao grasp his hands firmly, speaking earnestly:

"Lü Half-Immortal, please save my son! He's our family's only heir!"

"Of course, of course," Lü Xiucai replied with pride, loving the respect he received. It made him feel powerful.

"Lü Half-Immortal, time is short. Come quickly—my son can barely hold on!" Zhao Tianhu grabbed Lü Xiucai and hurried him into the house.

The mansion was vast and labyrinthine, making Lü Xiucai dizzy. "Damn it, someday I’ll buy a house this big!"

Just as he thought this, he was pulled to a flat-roofed building. No lights were lit inside, giving the impression of abandonment.

"Lü Half-Immortal, my son is inside. If you save him, anything goes!"

Lü Xiucai listened carefully but heard nothing. His heart began to race. "Master Zhao, is your son alone in there?"

"Of course he is! Who else would be there? Two servants were torn apart by him!" Zhao Tianhu pushed Lü Xiucai toward the door with his entourage.

"Master Zhao, wait! First, tell me what kind of evil spirit this is! Is it strong? Is it male or female?"

Before Lü Xiucai could get an answer, the heavy door slammed open, and he was shoved inside.

In the next moment, the door slammed shut.

"Don’t close it! What are you doing?! I’m not running!! Open up!" Lü Xiucai pounded the wooden door frantically, but to no avail.

A strange trembling sound echoed through the air, sending chills down his spine.

Shaking, he turned around, raising the five copper coins into the darkness.

In the dim light, something seemed to leap and flutter, though he couldn’t make it out clearly.

He was here now—there was no point in hesitating. Gathering his courage, Lü Xiucai shouted into the darkness:

"You little evil spirit, don’t be foolish! My master is Li Huowang! If you dare harm me, he won’t spare you!"

His threat bounced off the walls. Seeing no reaction, he calmed slightly.

"Heh, what’s there to fear?" With gritted teeth, he raised the coins and stepped forward.

After fumbling around, he realized this must be a bedroom. But despite searching, he couldn’t find the only son of Master Zhao.

"This won’t do—too dark. Need to light an oil lamp." Lü Xiucai moved toward the table, where a flint lay beside the lamp.

Friction between the flint and steel sparked repeatedly. Suddenly, a spark landed on the wick soaked in oil—the lamp lit.

At that moment, he saw a pale, elongated face, illuminated by the firelight, staring directly at him.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

(End of Chapter)