24. Root Out the Evil Completely (Please Click!)

"Bang!"

Zhuo Qirui’s life force slowly ebbed away, and his body slumped uncontrollably to the ground. The final image in his mind was the moment he laid eyes on Lin Fan.

"The fifth one."

Lin Fan spoke coldly. The jet-black blade was still embedded in his shoulder, blood gushing out. Had Zhuo Qirui exerted even a fraction more force, his entire arm would have been severed. Furthermore, the ink-black blade was coated in toxin that seeped into his body. Without hesitation, Lin Fan gripped the hilt and tore the blade out. Beyond the physical wound, a frigid, malevolent poison permeated his system; it felt as if a layer of ice had formed inside him, slowing his blood flow and stiffening his limbs.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, he heard the sound of flowing spring water. His Laogong point seemed to transform into a fountain of life, emitting a radiant, sacred glow. A gentle yet vast surge of vital energy flowed through him, soothing his body and mind. It felt as if all his exhaustion and pain were healed in an instant, a slow, spreading warmth permeating every bone and sinew.

Startled by this sudden transformation, Lin Fan watched in disbelief as the wound on his shoulder blade began to knit together rapidly. He carefully observed this mysterious vital energy.

"So this is the wonder of opening the first spring. It’s actually stopped the bleeding, and the wound is mostly healed."

Lin Fan was overjoyed, sensing for the first time the chasm between those on the path of cultivation and ordinary people.

"Continue the slaughter!"

Ice-cold wind gathered in Lin Fan’s eyes. The killing did not stop. He turned back into the forest of steles. After only a few steps, he saw two corpses hanging from an ancient tree: Yue Yutao and Sun Boyang. They had died a miserable death, their red tongues lolling out. They had been tormented to death by ghosts, their necks wrapped in long, thin strands of hair, leaving them as hanged spirits.

"Serves you right for following Huang Qiushan and committing so many evils!"

Lin Fan sneered. It was true that evil deeds eventually meet their reckoning. He hadn't even needed to strike; these two had been finished off by the ghosts. It saved him the effort.

"Lin Fan... are you hurt?"

Suddenly, Fan Yijun’s voice rang out. She hadn't entered through the main gate; she had been hiding in the forest of steles all along. Seeing him covered in blood, she leaned in with an expression of deep concern. The way she cared for his injuries felt different from how she usually behaved. In his memory, when he first met her, there had been a playful, teasing glint in her eyes, as if she were playing a game. Now, something felt inexplicably wrong.

"You didn't leave?" Lin Fan hesitated.

"I... how could I dare to leave? Outside is full of Huang Qiushan’s men!" Fan Yijun patted her chest as if terrified of Huang Qiushan, then added, "Did you kill all these people?"

As she spoke, she leaned closer to him.

"Yeah!"

Lin Fan instinctively stepped aside. He felt that something was very wrong with Fan Yijun, though he couldn't pinpoint what. He had no choice but to keep his distance.

"I didn't expect... you to have become so powerful. But you must be careful of Huang Dongshan. He took something from here," Fan Yijun said, her expression complex.

"Something? What thing?" Lin Fan asked.

"I'm not sure myself..."

Lin Fan committed this information to memory.

Suddenly—

"Lin Fan, if you don't come out, I'll kill Qin Fen!" Huang Qiushan’s furious roar echoed in his ears.

Huang Qiushan was now a lone commander. His men had entered the forest of steles and vanished without a trace. It was only when he saw the severed head of Ma Shouyi that he realized entering the forest had been a fatal mistake. He hadn't expected such a turn of events. Ever since Lin Fan had killed Wang Xingbing with such extraordinary combat prowess, he had felt a vague sense of unease. As it turned out, Ma Shouyi and Zhuo Qirui had fallen one by one.

Veins bulged like angry little snakes on Huang Qiushan’s arms. His fingers curled involuntarily and then clenched tight until his knuckles turned white. He held a sharp blade pressed against Qin Fen’s neck; a single slight movement would be enough to slit his throat. He believed that if Lin Fan heard this, he would not stand idly by.

"Come on, you beast. Do you think Lin Fan will fall for that?" Qin Fen had forgotten the fear of death by now. He gestured toward Ma Shouyi’s head not far away and said, "See that? That is your fate. I guarantee you will die even more miserably than him."

"Lin Fan will hack you into eight pieces and throw your corpse into the sea of blood, just like you threw Ma Kaihong down. When you die, your soul will be torn apart by the restless spirits. You won't even have the chance to go to hell."

Hearing Qin Fen’s arrogance, Huang Qiushan’s temper flared, and his hand holding the blade tightened.

"Swish!"

The blade pierced the skin, and blood dripped like beads.

"Huang Qiushan, let Qin Fen go, and you might live!"

At that moment, Lin Fan stepped out from the forest of steles. Having killed so many, his inner fury had not subsided in the slightest; only by killing Huang Qiushan could he quell his rage.

"Huo Yuxiao, Deng Nanqiao, Zhuo Qirui... what happened to them?" Huang Qiushan did not believe Lin Fan could have killed so many, especially since they all carried guns.

"Dead. I killed them all," Lin Fan said calmly.

Dead?

Huang Qiushan’s expression changed drastically, his chest burning with a searing flame. "You are the one who is a heartless murderer! So many lives—don't you feel any guilt at all?"

"Huang Qiushan, you’re hilarious! Is Lin Fan the one killing people? You should be the one feeling guilty!" Qin Fen laughed. A devil from hell was accusing them of lacking perspective; it was the ultimate joke.

"I am merely ridding the world of evil," Lin Fan said coldly. He was not a bloodthirsty villain, nor did he have any insane desires. If he could, he would choose to live in peace. But reality was far from that. Ever since they arrived at the Nether Ghost Ship, Huang Qiushan had tried to control them, interrogated them about the whereabouts of the Pure Yang Sword, killed Tang Gubuo, broken Chen Cunyuan’s limbs, and forced the senior student to enter the sixth level of the ship...

"Lin Fan, jump off the bow of the ship, and I won't kill Qin Fen!" Driving Lin Fan to his death was Huang Qiushan’s true goal.

"Don't listen to him. I can make Huang Qiushan lose focus for a second. Do you have a chance to kill him?" Fan Yijun whispered.

Two seconds? Lin Fan considered it. He was about twenty meters away from Huang Qiushan. A full-speed sprint might work, but they were currently at a standstill.

"I can!"

The only way to save Qin Fen was to take the risk. As he spoke, Lin Fan began to walk slowly toward Huang Qiushan.

"Don't come any closer! One more step and..."

Terror flashed in Huang Qiushan’s eyes. He knew that the Lin Fan before him had undergone some sort of change—he possessed a power beyond his understanding. He warned Lin Fan again.

"Don't be impulsive..."

Before Lin Fan could finish, *ling-ling!* A bell suddenly chimed in his ears. Hearing the sound, Huang Qiushan’s thoughts stalled, as if his mind had gone blank.

At the same time, Lin Fan moved. He lowered his body like a crouching tiger, pushed off with his feet, and surged forward like a gust of wind. In the blink of an eye, he was before Huang Qiushan. He swung the Pure Yang Sword, severing Huang Qiushan’s gun-wielding right arm.

"Ah!"

A wave of immense pain surged into his brain. By the time Huang Qiushan regained his senses, his entire arm was gone. The broken bone was clearly visible, and blood dripped from the tip of the sword.

"Swish!" It wasn't over. With a backhand strike, he severed one of Huang Qiushan’s legs.

"No... you can't..."

Huang Qiushan screamed in agony, filled with despair, as if he were trapped in an endless dark abyss. He didn't know how Lin Fan had suddenly appeared before him... and what was that ringing sound?

In that moment, Lin Fan’s consciousness was like a cold stream of air, condensed into a single point. All his anger, hatred, and killing intent were drawn away, and the burning leaden weight in his chest was eased.

Huang Qiushan, having lost an arm and a leg, collapsed to the ground, wailing. "Don't kill me... Brother Dong has already mastered transcendent power. If you kill me, he will definitely kill you!"

"Damn you..."

Qin Fen picked up a gun from the ground and unleashed a barrage of fire at Huang Qiushan. He didn't stop until all ninety rounds were spent, then he swung the butt of the rifle, smashing Huang Qiushan until his flesh and blood were churned into the dirt.