18. Entering the Forest of Steles (Seeking Continued Reading, Requesting Clicks)
On the other side.
“Boss, Lin Fan has entered the Stele Forest. Looks like he’s going after the Pure Yang Sword!” Zhuo Qirui immediately found Huang Qiushan to inform him of Lin Fan’s entry into the Stele Forest.
“What!”
“Let’s go, have the brothers surround the Stele Forest with weapons!”
“Wait, arrest Chen Cunyuan and Qi Lingshan. That bitch is closest to him emotionally. I refuse to believe he won’t hand over the sword!”
“Yes!”
...
After Lin Fan entered the Stele Forest, his vision was restricted by a dense, ghostly mist, as if his eyes were veiled. This place was thick with dark mist, seemingly the origin from which all yin energy emanated.
“Good thing I’ve already opened the First Spring; otherwise, the yin energy would invade my body, and I wouldn’t last more than a minute.”
Lin Fan’s body seemed to be surrounded by golden light. The ghostly mist hovered outside, unable to penetrate. The Jade Void Breathing Technique operated autonomously, warmth gradually rising through his limbs, like the dawn sun rising steadily, the great sun eternal...
The greatest benefit of opening the First Spring was that Lin Fan could now command primal energy—akin to external energy in internal martial arts, but far more advanced.
He examined a monument ahead, over three meters tall, made of blue oak stone. Time had eroded some of them.
“With so many steles here, which one hides the sword?”
Lin Fan could only rely on luck.
Suddenly—
“Who’s there?”
Lin Fan’s eyes narrowed sharply. A faint voice came from just behind and to his left—so subtle it could easily be missed.
At the same time, Lin Fan circulated primal energy and assumed a defensive stance. Exposing one’s back in such a place was perilous; one careless moment could mean a deadly ambush.
“Dingling!”
A melodious wind chime sound drifted through the air.
Why would there be a wind chime here? As Lin Fan turned, he saw a purple spirit woman holding the chime; the sound emanated from her hand.
The purple spirit maiden wore flowing purple robes with broad sleeves. Her long hair fluttered as if alive. Her skin was as white as refined jade, her crescent-shaped eyes enchanting with an eerie beauty. She appeared no older than twenty.
As Lin Fan scrutinized her—
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly her hair lengthened infinitely, like fluttering vines, instantly wrapping around Lin Fan’s limbs with immense binding and pulling force, trying to drag him forward.
A humanoid ghost? Or a restless spirit?
Thousands of fine strands enveloped Lin Fan, suffocating him. A heavy scent of earth assaulted his senses, like freshly unearthed pottery. Lin Fan had no time to think—if he didn’t resist, he would be dragged forward, and then all would be lost!
“Thunder Drum Fist!”
Startled, Lin Fan realized he was facing a female ghost. In the next instant, his legs rooted like ancient tree roots, steady and unwavering. His left hand formed a fist and struck out—a punch sounding like a thunderous drumbeat, forceful and invigorating, like a great pair of scissors, shredding the hair bindings around his body.
The Eight Section Brocade was a fist technique Lin Fan had practiced on True Martial Mountain. The “Thunder Drum Fist” was the opening move, a powerful and resounding strike.
“Eh?”
No one expected such a beautiful woman to be a ghost. The purple spirit maiden seemed surprised, letting out a soft “eh.”
“I meant no disturbance, please forgive me.” Lin Fan clasped his right fist around his left thumb in a respectful salute.
The purple spirit maiden exuded a terrifying presence, an intangible pressure. Lin Fan did not wish to become her enemy.
“Ling—”
The maiden gently shook her wind chime. Suddenly a piercing sound assaulted Lin Fan’s ears, attacking his soul. A strong dizziness overwhelmed him, as if riding a train with his spirit swaying uncontrollably.
The piercing sound was only part of it. The ghostly mist of the Stele Forest seemed to respond, swirling from all directions. Hundreds of eerie green ghosts surrounded Lin Fan.
“I’m already surrendering, why attack? They want to eat me?”
“Damn! I think I’ve encountered a ghost king-level being...”
Lin Fan was shocked. The spirits were closing in; he had no choice but to fight his way out.
“Bang bang bang...”
Lin Fan unleashed a barrage of punches and palm strikes. His body moved like a white crane spreading wings, like a swallow skimming the sea, fierce as a dragon or tiger. He unleashed all the secret arts learned on True Martial Mountain. Before, these were just for strengthening the body, but now they were lethal attacks. The key reason was Lin Fan had opened the Spring; his strength now rivaled a thousand pounds—ten times that of an ordinary man.
With such power, lifting heavy weights and shattering stones was effortless...
The humanoid ghosts attacking were low-level spirits, lacking intelligence, driven purely by instinct. Every punch exploded upon contact, every palm strike scattered their forms. Ancient wood flew, steles crumbled, as if a great calamity had passed through. Perhaps due to the unique nature of the Stele Forest, even when these ghosts died, their souls could reconstitute.
In other words, these spirits couldn’t be killed; Lin Fan would have to exhaust himself to overcome them.
“How vicious. If only I had the Pure Yang Sword—souls cut by it can’t be revived.”
“Slash!”
Suddenly, a blue-faced, fanged spirit swiped and tore Lin Fan’s clothing, leaving a terrifying wound across his chest.
“Drip drip drip!”
Blood fell rapidly to the ground and vanished. Seeing Lin Fan wounded, the ghosts grew more furious, baring claws and dragging long tongues.
“Take down the purple spirit maiden first!”
Ignoring his wound, Lin Fan stepped onto a stone stele, pushed off with both legs, and leapt three meters forward. Landing, he pushed off again—a double jump. In the blink of an eye, he was before the purple spirit maiden, moving with the agility of a leopard or a mountain tiger. Suddenly, his fingers curled like claws, reaching for her.
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