Chapter : 11 (Revised)
Yin Wu covered Li Lingjiang’s ears and helped her off the bed. Outside, people were still pounding loudly on the door, their shouts growing louder with each passing moment: “Is anyone there?”
The noise was so chaotic that the wooden door couldn’t block it at all. The endless chatter made Li Lingjiang frown.
Her eyes darkened as she gazed toward the door, her expression cooling slightly. “I’ll go open it.”
Yin Wu didn’t stop her but followed closely behind.
Outside, there were more than a hundred men and women crammed into the courtyard. The man pounding on the door tapped impatiently and muttered, “Damn it, why is it taking so long?”
Some onlookers, eager for entertainment, teased, “Maybe they just don’t want to open it. Look at how rude they are.”
“Yeah, rough men are always rough.”
“Exactly. Let’s just stand back a little—don’t want to bring bad luck on ourselves.”
“…”
The man’s expression instantly turned fierce. He stopped pounding in anger and rolled up his sleeves, apparently about to charge forward, but someone who seemed to be the leader stopped him. The man’s eyes warned him, and he immediately cooled off, muttering a few curses under his breath.
Just as they were about to resume banging, the door suddenly swung open. Li Lingjiang coldly stared down at the large group of people and immediately spotted a few who had blended in. Her voice was low: “What exactly are you all doing here?”
The man, seeing her face clearly, fell silent. Embarrassed, he scratched his head and shifted his tone awkwardly: “Ah… young lady, I had no idea it was someone like you. I apologize for the offense, and I hope you can forgive me.”
Li Lingjiang’s expression remained indifferent. Yin Wu slowly stepped beside her, his gaze cold as he scanned the dense crowd. He asked, “What is all of you here for?”
The man tried to speak, but the leader gently pushed him aside. The leader bowed slightly, his expression calm, dressed in a specially made sect robe engraved with the character “Immortal” (仙). He looked composed and spoke softly: “Apologies, I am Wen Si. It was due to my poor management that we offended you. I humbly ask—”
“No need.”
Li Lingjiang’s hand moved so fast it was almost a blur. Her jade-bone fan pressed against Wen Si’s neck, leaving a streak of blood. She displayed a rare look of impatience. “If you really intend to manage, Mr. Wen, there’s no need to apologize now.”
“Cut the nonsense; it’s better for both of us.”
Wen Si, being a disciple of a sect, couldn’t help but frown. He had just been pressed against his lifeline so casually, and the person in front of him looked frail. Yet, his power might not be weak. They were already facing four deadly opponents; offending her further would be unwise.
“I am a disciple of the Immortal Sect. My sect ordered me to lead several disciples here to Bugu Mountain to handle some urgent matters. I assume you are here for similar reasons,” he said subtly. “There are many women among us. We hope you could spare some space for them to rest.”
Li Lingjiang didn’t respond. She retracted her hand, her expression calm as she looked down at the murmuring crowd, ignoring their unfriendly glances. She said to him, “There’s no more space. Please leave.”
Though her magical power was gone, her martial skills remained. Handling this many people wasn’t difficult, especially since her fellow demons were nearby. She had heard of the Immortal Sect—it had risen rapidly in recent years, unstoppable, toppling many century-old sects.
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to every ear. The crowd immediately erupted. One man, dressed in fine silk and exuding wealth, shouted angrily, “What does this mean? We might all have the same purpose! Why can you claim it all for yourself?”
Li Lingjiang remained calm and didn’t bother responding. Instead, Yin Wu stepped forward, standing protectively in front of her. He smiled coldly at the man, saying, “We arrived first. This place was prepared by us. You can’t just demand to stay here. If the door were any weaker, it might already be broken under your feet. And with so many of you, you’d be better off finding somewhere to huddle together.”
“We’re not refusing to pay either. Maybe we could even protect you along the way,” someone added.
Another chimed in, “Yeah, it’s safer than just the two of you. We’ve apologized for our attitude. Can’t you at least show some face?”
“…”
The argument escalated instantly. Li Lingjiang felt her ears ache and a heaviness in her chest. Her body was fatigued from the past few days, and she had been forced to handle numerous matters without proper rest. Even she felt irritated.
Yin Wu deftly sensed her mood. A flame rose in his palm, and with a wave, a massive fire dragon soared over the crowd, its scorching heat almost melting the surroundings.
Instantly, everyone fell silent.
It was only a relatively simple spell, but it was enough to intimidate them.
Li Lingjiang sighed and studied the motionless crowd. When she checked their spiritual roots, she realized these people were nearly incapable of cultivation, or their roots were shallow. Her gaze sharpened, and she looked at Wen Si with a more scrutinizing expression.
What exactly were they here for?
