Chapter 211: Haunted by Malevolent Ghosts

In the Liu Family mansion, the old master of the Liu family sat in the main hall, observing the head of the Zhang Family of Tianfu kneeling before him, trembling in fear. He picked up a teacup, blew gently over the tea leaves, and sipped lightly before addressing him in a calm tone, "Didn't the Zhang Family want to break away from the Liu Family and stand on their own? Why have you returned?"

The head of the Zhang Family was one of those who had intended to break away from the Liu Family amidst public condemnation before the earthquake struck. Just as he was celebrating his departure, fate took a cruel turn. After the earthquake, while the Liu Family was busy with disaster relief, the Zhang Family thought they could evade consequences. However, on the Lantern Festival, their assets were swiftly seized, and several of their spoiled youngsters were arrested on numerous charges, facing a lifetime in prison.

It was only now that the head of the Zhang Family realized his grave mistake. He brought valuable gifts and came personally to the Liu Family mansion to beg forgiveness. Despite kneeling before him, the old master Liu remained unyielding, taunting him with words.

The head of the Zhang Family dared not voice his anger. He had brewed this bitter cup himself and now had to drink it. With a thud, his head hit the ground repeatedly, "Old Master, we were blind and shouldn't have sided against the Liu Family. I beg you to give the Zhang Family another chance. We will wholeheartedly serve the Liu Family and never betray you."

"A promise of never betraying again!" The old master Liu put down his teacup, sneering coldly, "Remember how when your new family head ascended, you forced assassins to self-destruct? The Zhang Family also swore never to betray, but as soon as the earthquake hit, you betrayed faster than any other clan. How can I give you another chance?"

The head of the Zhang Family was drenched in cold sweat, "I... I can swear to the heavens..."

"No need." Liu's old master said icily, "The Liu Family doesn't need such allies. Besides, the Zhang Family is of no use to me. While you may not establish yourselves in Tianfu anymore, your overseas assets are sufficient for a wealthy life. Go now! If I see the Zhang Family remaining in Tianfu again, it won't be as simple as leaving behind some assets."

The head of the Zhang Family's face turned pale, "Old Master... Is there really no room for negotiation?"

"When the Liu Family was in trouble, did the Zhang Family leave any room for negotiation?" Liu's old master glared fiercely at the head of the Zhang Family, who couldn't withstand his piercing gaze and lowered his head, full of remorse, "I regret my actions..."

"It's too late. Stop playing the pity card with me. That's something I left behind thirty years ago." Liu's old master said coldly, "If you don't leave now, do you want me to have you stay for tea?"

With a start, the head of the Zhang Family hurriedly bowed and left.

Like the head of the Zhang Family, several other clan heads who had betrayed the Liu Family before the earthquake were received by the old master Liu that day. All of them faced a fate similar to the Zhang Family's: all local assets in Tianfu seized by the Liu Family, forced to flee overseas, relying on their wealth abroad to live out their days. It was a case of reap what you sow; those who courted death should not fear death.

Meanwhile, based on intelligence provided by the Black Rat Gang, Shao Meiyun uprooted the hidden forces that had secretly incited public sentiment before the earthquake. Over two hundred people, of all ages, were apprehended, the youngest being only twelve years old! Learning that even someone that young could engage in such activities astonished and frustrated Shao Meiyun.

"What a waste." Watching over two hundred people on the execution ground, Shao Meiyun sighed lightly, "Execute them."

"Yes!" Armed military police aimed their guns at the numb-looking group.

From the moment they embarked on this path, they had been prepared to face death. After being captured, they knew their fate. While the elderly could accept their destiny, the younger ones had no fear. This left Shao Meiyun both amazed and distressed, realizing that these were likely trained assassins groomed by deep-rooted forces. Only such assassins could be fearless. However, having assassins as young as twelve years old was something Shao Meiyun couldn't accept.

Amidst a barrage of gunfire, over two hundred people fell simultaneously. Without designated graves, their bodies were immediately cremated and buried on the spot.

Although this operation eliminated the visible forces behind the unrest before the earthquake, the hidden forces remained undiscovered. Nevertheless, it didn't matter anymore. With the reputation accumulated during the earthquake recovery efforts, the Liu Family's current control over Tianfu was unshakable. It didn't matter how deeply other forces hid; for the next fifty years, no force could establish itself in Tianfu. In the eighteen hundred years of their rule over Tianfu, the Liu Family's dominance had never been so secure.

Leaving the execution ground, Shao Meiyun returned to the Liu Family mansion and reported the situation to the old master Liu. Nodding in acknowledgment, the old master Liu said, "Pity we pulled out the radish but didn't bring out the mud. Nonetheless, over two hundred people is enough to cripple those forces for decades. Now, we should prepare for the Martial Arts Tournament."

"You are right, Grandfather." Shao Meiyun nodded. Suddenly feeling dizzy and heavy-headed, she rubbed her temples with force, but it didn't alleviate her discomfort.

"What's wrong?" Concerned, the old master Liu asked, "Are you too tired?"

"Perhaps!" Shao Meiyun's eyelids grew heavier. She rubbed her temples again, "I feel dizzy."

"Go back and rest early!" Liu's old master advised, "Or go find Menglong and get some vitality-enhancing pills. You must have finished the last batch of those energy supplements long ago."

"Mm." Shao Meiyun nodded, "I'll go find Menglong for more. Grandfather, I'll take my leave."

"Go ahead!" Liu's old master waved his hand. Shao Meiyun nodded and walked towards Li Nianlong's courtyard.

Halfway there, Shao Meiyun's head grew increasingly heavy. Just as she was about fifteen meters away from Li Nianlong's courtyard, the world seemed to spin around her, and she collapsed.

The Liu mansion servants saw Shao Meiyun suddenly collapse and screamed in shock, "Miss Shao has fainted!"

In Li Nianlong's courtyard, Li Nianlong was releasing sky lanterns with Nalan Ruyue and Xiang Youyou when he heard the cries outside the courtyard. His face changed abruptly, and he rushed out towards the courtyard entrance. Nalan Ruyue and Xiang Youyou quickly put down their sky lanterns and followed him.

Outside the courtyard, Li Nianlong saw Shao Meiyun lying motionless on the cold ground, as if dead. However, what caught his attention wasn't just that; above Shao Meiyun's head, he saw over two hundred fierce-looking, green-faced, fanged ghosts desperately sucking the life force from her body.

"You wretched beings!" Li Nianlong's eyes widened in fury. He swiftly took out talismans and began chanting madly, "Evil spirits, I will scatter your souls!"

In the eyes of the Liu mansion servants and Xiang Youyou and Nalan Ruyue, Li Nianlong suddenly seemed to go mad, waving talismans over Shao Meiyun's body with a fierce expression and shouting angrily.

"Big brother..." Xiang Youyou was shocked beyond measure, "Are you out of your mind? Big brother!"

"Don't come near! There are malicious ghosts at work here!" As he spoke, Li Nianlong threw several talismans around, "Evil spirits, reveal yourselves! Malevolent spirits, be sealed!"

A strong wind suddenly arose. The Liu mansion servants and Xiang Youyou and Nalan Ruyue closed their eyes to shield themselves from the gust. The wind came and went quickly. When they opened their eyes again, they were filled with horror. They had seen Li Nianlong acting as if possessed, chanting incantations frantically over Shao Meiyun's body, his face contorted in rage.

"Ghosts... ghosts!!!" One of the Liu mansion servants fainted at the sight. Xiang Youyou and Nalan Ruyue clung to each other in fear, covered in cold sweat. At the same time, Liu's old master, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, widened his eyes in shock, "How... could there be such things in my Liu mansion!?"

By this time, Li Nianlong had already vanquished over a hundred ghosts. However, his stock of talismans was running low. At this critical moment, a cold glint flashed in Li Nianlong's eyes. He invoked a Thunder Spirit Talisman, "Die, you fiends! Thunder of divine retribution!"

Boom!

A flash of lightning and thunder echoed through the air as over a hundred malevolent ghosts wailed in agony. Lightning, known as the nemesis of all evil spirits, struck them down, shattering their bodies and dispersing their souls.

Though the ghosts were vanquished, Li Nianlong's face remained filled with rage. In that short period, much of Shao Meiyun's life force had been drained. Despite her consumption of three Resplendent Youth Pills, signs of aging had appeared. He helped her up, discovering that her youthful appearance of a woman in her twenties had now aged to at least fifty.

"Damn these ghosts!" Li Nianlong muttered furiously. He quickly rummaged through his inventory and retrieved three Lifespan Extension Pills. Without hesitation, he fed one to Shao Meiyun, granting her an additional twenty years of life. Immediately, her complexion regained its rosy hue, and her elderly appearance gradually reverted back to that of a young woman in her twenties.

Relieved, Li Nianlong sighed and gently patted Shao Meiyun's cheek. "Meiyun, wake up."

Startled, Shao Meiyun slowly regained consciousness, finding herself lying in Li Nianlong's arms. "Menglong?" She glanced around in confusion. "How did I get here? What happened?"

"It's alright now," Li Nianlong reassured her, collecting the scattered talismans around them. Just then, Liu Laotaiye, Xiang Youyou, and Nalan Ruyue, who had sensed the dissipation of the invisible force that had blocked them, rushed over in alarm.

"How are you, Meiyun? Are you alright?" Liu Laotaiye's face was filled with concern and anxiety. Shao Meiyun was his most trusted assistant; without her, Liu Mansion would not be what it is today. Upon seeing the grimacing ghosts earlier, Liu Laotaiye knew they had encountered something unclean, intensifying his worry.