"Don't come any closer!"

Lu Jia saw Lin Mu approaching and immediately retreated in fear, her face paling. But Lin Mu's steps didn't stop; in fact, they quickened.

"Don't!"

Lu Jia screamed and turned to run. However, the moment she turned, her entire body went rigid, as if struck by lightning. She was frozen to the spot. Before her appeared a baby with a basketball-sized head and a deformed body, watching her with a pair of blood-red eyes. Its body was also covered with various strange patterns, looking extremely fierce and terrifying, like a ghost baby from a horror movie.

"Ah!" Lu Jia stared dumbfounded for three seconds before letting out a shrill scream and falling backward, stiff as a board.

The instant she lost consciousness, all she knew was that a pair of large hands seemed to have caught her. What happened after that, she had no idea.

「...」

Looking at the fainted Lu Jia, Lin Mu shook his head helplessly. This woman is truly reckless. If I weren't here, she would have died long ago.

After placing Lu Jia on the ground, Lin Mu glanced at the ghost baby. It appeared to have developed intelligence and watched Lin Mu with some fear. More accurately, it was watching the Yulong Sword before it as it quietly retreated.

"If you dare to run, I will ensure your soul is scattered and destroyed."

As Lin Mu's words fell, the ghost baby's body stiffened. It shrank back and didn't dare to move. Curled up on the ground, the shivering baby looked rather pitiful, but Lin Mu felt not a drop of sympathy.

He knew this ghost baby was the greatest calamity here, the very being that the Nine Deaths Evil Gathering Formation and the Soul Sealing Locking Spirit Array were meant to suppress. It was born from the resentful qi that the Nine Child Ghost Mother had gathered in Haiyuan Tiancheng. If it were allowed to escape, it would surely bring massive disaster to the outside world.

When a ghost baby is born, it devours people and slaughters entire cities!

Lin Mu looked indifferently at the ghost baby, knowing it could understand him. "Although you were manipulated, your resentful energy is too heavy, your Evil Qi is too dense, and you have fed on too many innocent people. I will not let you live."

The ghost baby seemed frightened, but a hint of spite and cruelty flickered in its eyes. Its gaze remained fixed on Lin Mu, carrying an almost imperceptible greed. It had an intuition that devouring this person would bring enormous benefits. However, it also sensed that he was dangerous. It chose to respond with silence.

"I know you can understand," Lin Mu's voice grew colder. "So don't play dumb. Otherwise, killing you would only take a single swing of my sword!"

As he spoke, the Yulong Sword emitted a sharp, formidable sword intent.

Fear finally replaced greed in the ghost baby's eyes.

Lin Mu said dispassionately, "Do one thing for me, and I can give you a chance to reincarnate."

The ghost baby looked at him, its eyes full of confusion.

Lin Mu's tone turned menacing. "You don't have the right to refuse. Otherwise, I will kill you right now!"

The ghost baby hurriedly nodded, afraid Lin Mu would kill it if it was too slow to agree. And it was right to be afraid; if it had hesitated for even one more second, Lin Mu would have acted.

"Good." Lin Mu nodded. "You've made a wise choice."

「...」

"Where am I?" Lu Jia woke to a deep, piercing ache in her head. Looking around, she discovered she was in a hospital. She felt like she'd forgotten something, but she couldn't remember what.

Just then, Qin Luoli walked in. "Lu Jia, you're awake?" she asked with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Luo Li, you're better?" Lu Jia was just as surprised to see Qin Luoli up and about.

Qin Luoli smiled. "You've been unconscious for two days. Of course I'm fine by now."

"Two days?" Lu Jia was startled. "How did I fall into a coma?"

"You were in a car accident," Qin Luoli said. "Don't you remember?"

Lu Jia clutched her head, wincing in pain. "I don't seem to have any memory of it at all. The more I try to think, the more my head hurts."

"Then don't think about it," Qin Luoli comforted her. "The doctor said you forgot about the incident because you went into shock. It's for the best. As long as you're okay, that's all that matters."

"Hmm." Lu Jia gave a noncommittal nod, but deep down, she felt that something was very wrong.

「...」

In a tea room, Lin Mu sat across from Sun Tianyang. "Is the investigation complete?"

Sun Tianyang quickly put down his teacup. "Young Master Mu," he said respectfully, "it is." He took out several photos and placed them before Lin Mu. The photos showed Gao Xing meeting with a man: Qin Luoli's class monitor, Feng Yang.

"Young Master Mu, this person is Feng Yang, a senior executive at a subsidiary of the Jiangling Fang Group, and—"

"I know him," Lin Mu cut in.

Sun Tianyang smiled. "But Young Master Mu might not know that Feng Yang's background isn't simple."

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"The Martial Arts World has countless ancient martial sects," Sun Tianyang began. "Not many have survived from ancient times to the present, but who knows how many operate in secret." Pointing at Feng Yang's photo, he continued, "And this Feng Yang, rumor has it he has some connection with a heretical sect."

"The Corpse Raising Sect?" Lin Mu asked.

"Nothing gets past you, Young Master Mu." Sun Tianyang explained, "The Corpse Raising Sect originated from the Xiangxi Corpse Chasing faction, which was once powerful. However, after the new nation was founded, the practice of Xiangxi Corpse Chasing fell into decline, and the Corpse Raising Sect branched off to become independent. This sect has very few members and operates mysteriously, so not many outsiders know about them."

Lin Mu recalled the Sect Leader of the Corpse Raising Sect he had previously slain, wondering what relationship he had with this Feng Yang. He said indifferently, "It seems this man was deliberately sent by the Fang Family to target me."

Sun Tianyang nodded. "Exactly. I've already confirmed that Feng Yang is a pawn sent by the Fang Family. He was preparing to set a trap with Gao Xing to frame your wife, Young Master Mu."

A cold glint flashed in Lin Mu's eyes. If it weren't for the powerful Defensive Magical Artifact I gave Qin Luoli protecting her Life Soul, the Fang Family would be playing me for a fool right now.

"It seems the Fang Family is in a real hurry to die," Lin Mu said coolly. "But since I've come to Jiangling myself, I'm curious to see what tricks they have up their sleeve."

"With you here, Young Master Mu, the Fang Family can't possibly stir up any trouble," Sun Tianyang said, taking out an invitation. "This is for a business gathering tonight. Many corporations and celebrities will attend, and the Fang Family is one of the organizers."

Taking the invitation, Lin Mu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Excellent. This time, I'll make sure the entire Fang Family is annihilated!"

Sun Tianyang shivered, looking at Lin Mu in shock. Annihilate the Fang Family? Provoking Young Master Mu might leave a slim chance of survival. But daring to harm his woman? That's a death sentence. It's over for the Fang Family.

Lin Mu looked out the window. Dark clouds were gathering, and a chill breeze stirred the air. A storm was coming to Jiangling. The winds of change are blowing. Let's see if the Fang Family can withstand the tempest.

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