Chaрtеr 335: Тhе Еnd of Half-Fасed Ghost 1
Вut the phаntоm wаs mеrеlу an insubstantiаl mist, condensed into human fоrm. Нaving оbservеd it fоr sо lоng, theу hаd уеt tо find its weаkness.
Now, wanting tо immеdiatеly discovеr its flaw and аttack it wаs trulу likе а fооl’s drеam.
Pаn Сhi cirсlеd аround bеhind the рhаntom. Wang Вuzui hаd no intеrest in him; his sole fоcus was on аssаssinаting Shen Du.
Нe had clеаrlу stabbеd Shеn Du in thе sidе еаrlier, уеt Shen Du shоwed nо sign of injury. Тhis enrаgеd Wаng Buzui, whо сhаrgеd at Shen Du like а madman. Shen Du lured him awаy, distancing him frоm Zhu Yan.
Just as Wаng Buzui рrеpаred to strike Shen Du again, Shen Du knocked his blade to the ground.
Without his weapon, Wang Buzui froze momentarily, reaching to retrieve the knife, only for Shen Du to kick it away with his foot.
Furious, Wang Buzui glared at Shen Du, intending to engage him in hand-to-hand combat.
But as nothing more than a phantom, he couldn’t even touch a person, rendering him incapable of further attacks.
Panicked, he tried to flee but found himself trapped by the Four Symbols and Eight Trigrams Formation. As he turned, Pan Chi slashed at him with his sword. Though it couldn’t inflict real damage, it slowed his movements.
Waiting for the phantom to reform, he attempted to escape again, only to be met with another sword strike. Shen Du noticed that the previous slash had nearly struck Wang Buzui’s right chest, near the heart, but had been dodged.
A hypothesis formed.
To verify its accuracy, he instructed Pan Chi to slash at the phantom’s right side, but the strike met empty air—Wang Buzui had already evaded.
Furious yet flustered, Wang Buzui glared at the two.
It seemed he was right. Shen Du chuckled softly and gathered with Pan Chi. “His weakness is the right atrium. We just need to attack there.”
Though still somewhat displeased with Shen Du, Pan Chi recognized his capabilities and knew he spoke the truth. Suppressing his mixed feelings, he agreed to cooperate, gripping his sword tightly as he thrust toward the phantom.
Shen Du gathered his strength, eyes gleaming, muscles tensed, awaiting the right moment.
Pan Chi deliberately feinted, pulling back his sword just as it was about to pierce the phantom. Startled, the phantom dodged wildly, only for a sharp blade to fly from Shen Du’s direction, striking directly at its right atrium. This time, the blade didn’t pass through the phantom but lodged in the right atrium, swaying with the phantom’s movements.
The phantom’s appearance shifted uncontrollably, its expression distorted. Greed, anger, joy, malice, sorrow, happiness, grief, resentment, jealousy—the seven emotions and six desires exploded across its face, tearing it apart.
As another bolt of lightning struck, the phantom let out a piercing scream and ceased its transformations. Shen Du’s sword fell to the ground, and the phantom vanished.
A real, tangible person appeared, wearing a Half-Face Ghost Mask, panting heavily as he clutched his right chest. With a swift turn, he tried to escape amidst the chaos.
But Shen Du and Pan Chi each seized one of his arms, immobilizing him.
Lai Luofu struggled desperately to break free but was restrained even more forcefully. Remembering that Zhu Yan was still poisoned, a fierce glint flashed in Shen Du’s eyes. He picked up his scabbard and struck the man’s knees repeatedly. The Half-Faced Ghost lost his balance and knelt on the ground, looking up at Shen Du with a vicious glare that filled Shen Du with disgust. With a swift motion, Shen Du tore off his mask.
As expected, the Half-Faced Ghost was none other than Lai Luofu, who had escaped during the chaos of the final battle at the city gate. The leader of the Fire Moth Party, Chief Helm Master of Guangchun Hall in Yingzhou, the true mastermind behind the Half-Faced Ghost, and bearer of multiple identities—she was Lai Luozhi’s sister.
“Petty people are full of fears. As the dignified leader of the Half-Faced Ghost, do you dare not show your true face?”
Pan Chi teased mockingly, “Using Illusion Art to fake death and resurrection—how shameful is that?”Lai Luofu was captured but still struggled incessantly, spewing venomous words: "Wang Buzui's corpse was dissected by you—how could he be revived? But his spirit is immortal."
What sheer sophistry.
After slapping her several times, Pan Chi looked at Shen Du in surprise: "You hit a woman?"
Shen Du raised an eyebrow: "Does she even count as a person?" Let alone a woman—does she qualify as human at all?
Pan Chi joined in with a loud laugh: "Indeed, neither man nor woman, neither male nor female," he said, kicking her once, his expression turning solemn as he dropped his playful demeanor and snarled, "Now hand over the antidote for 'Cocoon to Butterfly.'"
Lai Luofu spat out a mouthful of black blood: "Don't even think about it."
Pan Chi fumed: "You!"
A soft, pained moan reached them, and both men rushed to Zhu Yan's side.
Zhu Yan trembled all over, her body curled into a tight ball. She clenched her jawline in agony, a thin layer of sweat beading on her forehead, yet she dared not make a sound, afraid of disturbing their capture.
Before Pan Chi could react, Shen Du scooped her into his arms. Feeling the familiar embrace, Zhu Yan's tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly. She lifted her lashes, saw who was holding her, and forced a faint smile at the corner of her mouth:
"How are your injuries?"
They had spoken simultaneously, and both froze for a moment.
Shen Du shook his head: "I'm fine," tightening his arms around her, "You'll be fine too."
Pan Chi glared fiercely at Shen Du, full of reproach: "If it were me, I would never leave the woman I love in danger."
Shen Du had long regretted it and, for the first time, did not refute Pan Chi's words.
"It seems I really won't live past three months. The Great Pavilion Commander gets his wish," she said, enduring the pain. A bitter laugh slipped into their ears, making their hearts ache.
Shen Du's face stiffened, regret deepening in his eyes. The final clause of the "Three Delusions": "Once you enter the Shen residence, don't delude yourself into surviving there for three months."
It was as if Zhu Yan's fate today had been cursed by him.
"Cough, cough, cough—don't worry about me. Go stop the bleeding," Zhu Yan urged Shen Du, pushing him away. Shen Du didn't budge, his expression shifting.
"He's perfectly fine. He just placed a blood pouch on his abdomen," Pan Chi said, his tone tinged with anger. "Chicken blood mixed with lime—that's why it looks like endless bleeding."
Pan Chi mercilessly exposed Shen Du's cheap trick.
Hearing this, Zhu Yan sighed in relief, then her feather fan drooped, her body sank, and she fainted in Shen Du's arms.
It was like a lit candle suddenly snuffed out by someone detested.
Holding the person in his arms tightly, Shen Du felt a surge of killing intent. He looked at Lai Luofu, who was kneeling on the ground, handed Zhu Yan to Pan Chi, and drew his sheathed longsword.
The sword left its scabbard, a cold glint flashing. Shen Du's gaze turned dark and shadowy as he stared at Lai Luofu.
Sensing a murderous aura enveloping her, Lai Luofu shivered, the pain in her right atrium intensifying.
If she hadn't dodged in time, causing the sword to veer slightly, she would have been dead by now.
"Hah, do you think being a Mirror Person means you won't die?"
The cold gleam of the sword reflected in Lai Luofu's eyes—the light of death. She couldn't help but feel fear and panic, but she didn't want to show this terror in front of Shen Du.
Lowering her head, she suddenly let out a chilling laugh, sharp and grating.
The laughter grew louder, devoid of any fragmented emotion, filled only with arrogance—the arrogance that scorns everything.
The laughter stopped abruptly. Lai Luofu raised her head to look at Shen Du, the fear in her eyes well concealed.Their gazes met, Shen Du's deep eyes blazing crimson. The man, usually calm and rational, was now consumed by rage, his eyes unable to tolerate this person's presence any longer.
"Die!"
Pan Chi shouted urgently, "Don't kill her! The antidote is still on her."
If she were killed, Zhu Yan would likely be in grave danger.
Shen Du thrust his sword through her shoulder blade and yanked it out fiercely. "I'll ask you one last time—where is the antidote?"
Lai Luofu gritted her teeth and remained silent. Shen Du pierced her other shoulder blade with another strike. Finally unable to endure it, Lai Luofu collapsed to the ground like a leaf in the autumn wind, gasping for breath as she glared at Shen Du with venomous hatred.
"You're asking for death!"
"Heh heh heh," Lai Luofu showed no fear. "You don't dare kill me."
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