Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Enigmatic Lady—To Kill or Not to Kill, That Is the Question

Lin Yi drew his gaze away from the "God-Slaying Canon." Only now did he realize that the appearance of this vengeful spirit, once it had fully manifested, differed from that of the previous Fiery Ghost. Although the illustration in the book looked grotesque and terrifying, the reality was not so.

As Lin Yi approached, the Drowned Ghost before him was actually clad in an impeccable professional women's suit. This female ghost had strikingly beautiful features, short hair cut neatly to her ears, fair skin—a true vision of a powerful career woman. She exuded the allure of a sophisticated office lady. If one had a taste for this kind of elegance, she would indeed seem like an enchanting temptress.

The beautiful Drowned Ghost, watching the endless snowflakes drift through the many layers of illusion, realized she could not halt Lin Yi’s advance. A shiver of unease crept through her. Clenching her jaw, a surge of ominous energy began rapidly spreading from her form.

The illusion changed again. The roof split open, revealing a sky above, where snow seemed to fall from the heavens. Pure white flakes drifted endlessly, blanketing everything in sight. Amidst this, the enormous icicle that had been suspended in midair reappeared, its sharp tip plunging downward with deadly intent. Its target: Lin Yi, who was walking toward the Drowned Ghost.

The illusion grew even stronger. But no matter how intense the illusion, it remained an illusion. Lin Yi’s keen eyes observed everything, yet he realized that if he wasn’t careful, he might actually be caught by this icicle. It existed in that strange state—both real and unreal. The icicle radiated a faint, sinister energy; it seemed real enough to touch.

This Drowned Ghost had managed to break free from her box, revealing her formidable power. As the icicle hurtled toward him, Lin Yi darted forward. There was a sharp crack as the icicle struck the ground and shattered. Lin Yi was already standing beside the Drowned Ghost.

At this moment, pure yang energy surged ceaselessly through Lin Yi’s body, unleashed by the "Great Cavern Canon." This energy completely dispelled the surrounding illusion. The room was freezing cold, but Lin Yi felt none of it. The shattered pieces of the icicle on the ground quickly melted away.

The Drowned Ghost glanced at Lin Yi. As he stepped closer, she suddenly swayed forward and raised her fist. It looked like a delicate, feeble punch. But as she swung at Lin Yi, that pale, slender fist instantly grew enormous—muscles bulging, veins protruding, wisps of black smoke curling around it, exuding an aura of utter malignance that seemed to strike at the very soul.

The punch landed squarely on Lin Yi with a resounding thud. The force made him stagger before he steadied himself. It seemed the "God-Slaying Canon" had described it true—this Drowned Ghost was indeed skilled in brute strength, her power on par with an elite A-rank martial artist.

Yet, it had no effect on Lin Yi. The moment the sinister energy tried to work its influence, it vanished instantly upon encountering the power of the "Great Cavern Canon." The Drowned Ghost’s expression changed drastically—fear and confusion flickered across her face.

“How is this possible…?”

Shocked and uncertain, she quickly regained her composure, her eyes turning cold and imperious. In a flash, a small leather whip appeared in her hand.

“I command you—release me. Do not kill me. If you do, I might consider being your companion.”

The whip cracked sharply in the air, perfectly complementing her aura of dominance—a flawless performance, a scene straight out of a high-class fantasy. In the blink of an eye, her long, fair legs, accentuated by her professional attire, appeared even more dazzling. The silver-white suit set off her complexion and her smile, casting her in a radiant, commanding light.

Truth be told, Lin Yi had not expected such a scene. He was genuinely stunned. In his mind, this ghost was supposed to be a mere spirit awaiting extermination, but now—her commanding presence and the sheer beauty of the image left him momentarily entranced.

It was as if he’d wandered onto the set of a live-action film meant for adults. But then, a wave of warmth surged through him. Lin Yi shook his head—the "God-Slaying Canon" was urging him on: “Lust is emptiness; emptiness is lust. In truth, she is quite ugly—this is all illusion.”

Reminded thus, Lin Yi fixed his gaze on the illustration in the "God-Slaying Canon." The vision before him was indeed a hallucination, conjured from ominous energies. Such energy could be molded into many forms, and this ghost, a master of illusion, was adept at such transformations. Still, if one accepted these constructs as real, they would become reality.

Struggling inwardly, Lin Yi shook himself free, gathered his strength, and, in a burst of pure yang energy honed over decades, struck the Drowned Ghost with a mighty punch.

A shriek rent the air—the illusion of the office lady vanished. The Drowned Ghost was swiftly destroyed, her form dissipating into a mist that faded along with the last glimmers of radiant light.

Lin Yi sensed the colored radiance being absorbed into the "God-Slaying Canon." He sighed, muttering to himself, “Oh, what beauty and power! You must understand—such allure is as overwhelming as a flood, as steady as a rock, far surpassing the charm of innocence. If only there’d been black stockings on those legs, I, I, I…”

He bit his tongue and fell silent. This was not the time for such thoughts.

The "God-Slaying Canon" rustled as its pages turned rapidly. The illustration of the Drowned Ghost shifted from dull gray to vibrant color, lifelike once more.

“Sealed and recorded: Drowned Ghost. Reward: Top-grade Yellow-tier treasure—Water-Avoiding Pellet.”

“Top-grade Yellow-tier treasure, Water-Avoiding Pellet: A fragment of the Blue Water Dragon’s inner core. With a small infusion of power, it creates a pocket of air underwater, allowing the user to traverse rivers, lakes, and seas with ease.”

The image of the formidable office lady lingered in Lin Yi’s mind, leaving him shaken. He had never imagined that exorcising a ghost would bring such sights—his heart thumped uncontrollably. Now, having slain the Drowned Ghost, he felt a pang of regret, but the reward was substantial.

At the same time, memories surged through his mind—the tragic life of the office lady Drowned Ghost. Lin Yi realized that humans could be even crueler than ghosts. If he ever had the chance to rid the world of evil people, he would not show mercy.

...

The north wind howled, and snow fell in torrents. A young man drove his car, eyes glinting with greed as he glanced at Lin Xueyan, who sat drunk in the passenger seat.

“Tonight, you’re mine!” he sneered.

Laughing wickedly, the young man took Lin Xueyan to a lakeside. Like a starving wolf, he lunged at her.

Outside, snowflakes drifted; inside, the warm air was thick with lust. Suddenly, Lin Xueyan’s eyes snapped open! Disoriented by drink, she fought back with all her strength. On the dashboard, she saw an ashtray, grabbed it, and smashed it into the young man’s forehead. As he howled in pain, Lin Xueyan seized the chance to escape the car, fleeing for her life.

But her foot slipped—she plunged into the lake.

“I will… kill all men in this world…”

From that day forth, a vengeful spirit haunted the lake.

...

Having sealed away the Drowned Ghost, Lin Yi received the top-grade Yellow-tier treasure, the Water-Avoiding Pellet—a shard of the Blue Water Dragon’s inner core. With this pellet, Lin Yi could now move freely through any body of water, from rivers to oceans, as freely as a fish. However, noticing that it required a small infusion of power each time, Lin Yi realized that once his energy was depleted, the pellet would lose its effect.

Still, this third trial had been a tremendous success. Lin Yi felt an inner delight. The Paranormal Investigation Bureau’s test had bestowed a great gift upon him—such a powerful ally was one he had to cling to.

Hearing the commotion at the door, Lin Yi quickly left the Drowned Ghost’s room and moved forward.

In the monitoring room, silence had fallen; all that could be heard was the frantic pounding of hearts. Whether it was Master An, Mu Yiqing’s grandfather, or the general—these three, who had been standing, were now slumped in their chairs, gasping for breath.

An Miaoyi and Mu Yiqing both covered their mouths to stifle any cries of shock—especially An Miaoyi, who was utterly stunned.

Who could have imagined that Lin Yi, rated F-rank potential, had not been suffering a nervous breakdown, but, as he claimed, bore an irreconcilable enmity with all monsters and ghosts? He had truly gone in to slay demons, utterly destroying both vengeful spirits before emerging.

Who wouldn’t want to recruit such a person?

Lin Yi emerged from the room just as the other candidates arrived at the door to the third trial. The gap between him and them was plain to see. Compared even to An Miaoyi and Mu Yiqing, Lin Yi was undoubtedly a powerhouse—a true senior among them.

There is no hierarchy in learning; the accomplished become the teachers.

At that moment, a sharp cry rang out. “This is bad! Both the Fiery Ghost and the Drowned Ghost have been killed by Lin Yi—the third trial is ruined! Quick, quick! Initiate Plan B, the backup plan, move!”

It was the announcer, now panicked. Spurred by his shriek, everyone sprang into action. Some hurried to place the backup Fiery Ghost and Drowned Ghost into the two rooms, but by the time they managed it, it was already too late. Only after the vengeful spirits were set did a few, such as Xu Lianyou and Song Ziyang, receive permission to enter.

The third page.