Chapter 124: Ominous Aura

After I finished speaking, he took a deep breath and turned to look at me again. His eyes grew colder and sharper as he said, “Lin Yi, I’ve already told you, my affairs have nothing to do with you. Step aside!”

I stared at him with unwavering resolve and said, “I won’t move.”

Seeing my determination, he seemed to grit his teeth and spoke with difficulty, “Lin Yi, if you don’t move, don’t blame me for being unkind.”

His voice grew colder, carrying a bone-chilling chill.

This surprised me somewhat.

However, until the matter was clear, I had no intention of yielding. I believed that Er Pang must have his reasons for saying what he did. So I stood firm in front of him, showing no sign of backing down.

But then—

Er Pang clenched his fist.

His knuckles cracked against the ground, and in his gaze, I sensed a strange, eerie aura.

I couldn’t quite identify what kind of energy it was, but it was unmistakably powerful and uncanny.

This feeling reminded me of what the Little King of Hell had said. Even though the ferryman Lin Yuan restored what was lost for me, what had changed was changed—Er Pang had indeed undergone a transformation.

Still, I had no idea what he had been through during this time.

I fixed my gaze on him.

He met my eyes.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Finally, he spoke again, “Lin Yi, I’ll say it one last time—move aside! Don’t force me to act!”

But I only smiled and sighed, saying, “Er Pang, I know you have your reasons. I heard everything you said at the gravesite. Lin Yi is my name, but it has never been the way you address me!”

His body trembled at my words.

Yet, he only paused briefly and offered no further explanation. Instead, he pushed my arm away, attempting to leave. But I shifted my steps and blocked his path once more.

“Step aside!” he commanded.

“Not until you tell me the truth,” I said firmly.

He raised his fist.

Suddenly, a strange wind swept through the mountain ravine, rustling the surrounding forest violently.

Before he could strike, I rushed toward him, forming a hand seal and weaving my steps to seal his soul meridian at the brow.

This was the best way to restrain him.

Seeing this, he stepped back several paces and mirrored my footwork. Then, shifting from fist to palm, he flipped around with a cold glare and struck at me with a palm.

I dodged swiftly. The blow missed and failed to push me back.

Noticing a slight frown and hesitation on his face, I formed another hand seal, attempting once more to seal his brow’s soul meridian. But he quickly regained composure and smashed a fist onto my arm, shattering my seal. Immediately, his punch, laced with that eerie aura, came crashing toward my chest. I met his gaze without dodging or blocking.

“Lin Yi, watch out!” Hua Yuyan shouted, rushing forward. A surge of blue energy struck Er Pang’s palm as she pushed me aside.

Thanks to her timely intervention, I avoided Er Pang’s palm, which slashed past my shoulder and shattered a nearby cypress tree.

His palm wind carried a red, sinister aura mixed with a metallic blood scent, thick with malevolent energy.

Glancing back, I saw that, besides the broken tree, the surrounding bushes rapidly withered under his palm wind, life draining away visibly.

What kind of dark sorcery was Er Pang practicing? It was far more sinister than even Old Hu San’s arts.

Hua Yuyan stood before me, furious. “Lin Yi, why didn’t you resist just now? If that palm had landed, you’d be seriously injured!”

“He’s not just anyone. He’s Er Pang. I believe he would never lay a hand on me,” I said, eyes locked on Er Pang.

Er Pang remained silent. Hua Yuyan shouted at me, “Lin Yi, wake up! He’s using deadly force against you. He’s no longer the friend you knew!”

“I don’t believe it,” I replied.

With that, I formed a hand seal again. No matter what, today I must seal Er Pang’s brow’s life gate and bring him to the Mountain God Temple. My grandfather has many connections; he can definitely help with Er Pang’s strange sorcery. If this continues, Er Pang may walk a dark path.

With that thought, I shifted my steps and charged at Er Pang again.

His footwork changed rapidly as he clenched his fists and circled toward me. I tightened my fist and met his with a hard punch.

There was a loud bang as a shockwave rippled outward, shattering nearby bushes and scattering branches.

We were both thrown back four or five meters.

His strength exceeded my expectations. Though my injury prevented me from using full power, his current might was truly formidable.

I then struck with the Five Thunder Palm.

I expected him to dodge, but to my surprise, he raised his fist, roared, and met my Five Thunder Palm head-on.

To withstand the Five Thunder Palm meant his cultivation was at least at the level of a primordial spirit. Given my innate primordial spirit, awakening it so quickly was unsurprising.

What method had Er Pang used to refine qi into spirit so rapidly?

And what was the source of that eerie, malevolent aura surrounding him?

My curiosity and concern grew.

Despite my best efforts to block him, I was steadily pushed back during our repeated clashes. Of course, I could only give half my strength. Er Pang’s power was fierce.

Hua Yuyan, unable to watch, worried I might aggravate my old injury, immediately stopped me.

Seeing me blocked, Er Pang seized the chance to hastily leave.

He seemed to be in a hurry.

“Yuyan, we can’t just let Er Pang go like this!” I said anxiously. If I weren’t injured, I could have sealed his brow’s soul meridian and brought him back to the Mountain God Temple.

“Lin Yi! Do you want to die? Every strike you made just now was hesitant. If you keep this up, he’ll kill you sooner or later! You care about this brother, but haven’t you seen he no longer considers you a brother?” Hua Yuyan shouted, clearly worried for me.

But I shook my head, gritting my teeth. “Yuyan, you don’t understand. He would never kill me.”

I looked at her; she looked back at me.

Finally, Hua Yuyan relented. “Fine! I give up. I’ll stay with you and follow him.”

“Thanks,” I said.

Hua Yuyan glared angrily. “Lin Yi, I know you want to uncover the truth and don’t want to lose this brother. But I saved your life—I won’t let you throw it away. You can follow him, but absolutely no more direct confrontations!”

I nodded in agreement.

Er Pang quickly walked into the distance, head lowered, never daring to look back.

The night wind was biting as leaves rustled through the forest, a few dry leaves drifting down. The scene was steeped in melancholy.

Tears rolled down Er Pang’s cheeks, unstoppable now.

He trembled as he walked, whispering, “Boss, I’m sorry! I’m sorry...”

His words dissolved into the night wind, lost in the sound of the breeze. Upon returning home, he dared not linger, hastily packing a black bag before leaving.

Hua Yuyan and I followed quietly.

At his doorstep stood Er Pang, staring at his humble mud-tiled house for several minutes. Then, after glancing around, he reluctantly headed toward the outskirts of the village.

We followed along a narrow path.

Outside the village, two men in black robes waited for him.

“Who are these people?” Hua Yuyan whispered.

I had never seen such men before. They wore black robes similar to Er Pang’s, faces concealed.

Leaving the village, they avoided the main road, choosing a small path leading to Dongwa Village—the home of Granny Wang.

Hua Yuyan and I hurried after them. But after crossing a ridge, the mountain trail vanished.

A thick fog enveloped the mountains. When it finally cleared slightly, they were gone without a trace.

I felt frustrated—losing track was the last thing I expected.

On the mountain path, Er Pang walked alongside the two black-robed men.

One of them asked the other, “Venerable Dongling, what about those two? Should we deal with them?”

“Our tracks must never be exposed. Whoever discovers us must be eliminated. That is our rule. Heikui, go. Take care of them without leaving a trace!”

“Yes!” Heikui replied, bowing.