After an entire day of busy investigation at the Chen Residence, no clues were found, which was within Li Fan's expectations.
As night fell, Li Fan sat quietly alone by the lakeside.
People continued to move around him, those martial artists hired by the Chen family to patrol at night.
Occasionally, when someone passed by, they would whisper, with a tone of mockery and satire.
'If you suspect there's a mole in the Chen family, why stay around?'
'There's really demons outside, who dares to go out? Just boasting.'
Li Fan ignored the gossip, wanting to see what demons might exist in the Chen family.
Now the rumors associate the demon chaos with Li Mountain, which he naturally did not believe.
"Brother Xiao Fan." At this time, Yang Kui walked over.
"Brother Yang, you haven't rested yet?"
"Qi has gone to sleep first." Yang Kui sat across from Li Fan, appearing somewhat sullen.
"Brother Yang, is there something on your mind?" Li Fan asked.
"This time coming to the Chen family, I originally hoped for a safe place to settle, but now it seems the Chen family might not be safe to stay in anymore. Demons are everywhere outside, unknown how many have suffered. Though my own life is not worth much, little Qi is only six..." Yang Kui felt depressed.
As a father, unable to protect his daughter, guilt weighed heavily on his heart.
Li Fan was silent. He was lucky then to meet his master who took him to Li Mountain, saving his life, but not everyone has such luck.
Exterminating demons should be the court's duty.
The night air grew cold as a wind blew over the lake, bringing a chill.
Li Fan looked up at the sky, the moonlight seemed obscured, appearing grey and hazy.
"Why does it feel a bit cold?" someone else nearby murmured softly.
"It does." Another person replied, martial artists normally having vigorous qi and blood, and shouldn't fear the cold.
The sky grew darker, the full moon hanging in the air seemed shrouded by mist, even showing a hint of shadow.
"It's here." Li Fan glanced towards the lake, a golden gleam flashing in his eyes.
"What demon."
From the direction of the Chen Residence's inner courtyard came a thunderous shout, and figures swiftly soared into the air, standing in the high pavilion.
From afar, one could see a person moving like thunder, the Chen family's young master, Chen Luoyun.
Figures swiftly soared up, standing on the high tower, and in an instant, all the Qi Cultivators simultaneously displayed their powerful abilities. Meanwhile, dark clouds covered the sky, and a terrifying fog surged toward that direction. The sound of thunderous roars was heard as the battle erupted.
"Demons..."
Demons dared to directly attack the Chen Residence.
Many figures rushed over, looking in the direction of the Chen Residence's inner courtyard. Yang Kui also turned to look, feeling worried.
From the lake, a black shadow crawled up along the corner of the wall, stretching towards the ground, dense as it spread.
"What is that?" a martial artist nearby shouted in a low voice, under the dim light, many strands of black hair climbed up his leg, instantly binding his legs tightly.
"Demon, demon..." he screamed in terror, but his legs remained immobile. The black hair surged, covering his whole body, then burrowed into his nostrils and eyes, coming out from the back of his head.
Blood flowed along the black hair, those around watched in horror, their steps trembling.
"It's a demon, escape." A shout rang out, plunging the place into chaos, with none of the previous bravado seen during their chatter.
The long hair from the lake crazily wriggled ashore, growing rapidly at a terrifying speed, piercing people one after another, then dragging them into the lake.
Seeing the situation around him, Yang Kui felt his scalp go numb.
"Qi." Panic appeared in his eyes, his body unsteady, then suddenly rushing towards the house, many around him were pierced by the black hair, but at this moment his courage overcame his fear, as he frantically called his daughter's name...
Beside him, a figure was also dashing towards the inner courtyard, eyes full of worry, it was Lin He, the two brushing past each other.
Yang Kui's eyes turned bloodshot, staring intently at the door ahead, with a creak, the door opened, and a girl appeared, rubbing her eyes, she called out: "Father."
The tendrils of black hair on either side went mad, sweeping past Yang Kui heading towards the girl.
"Qi, run." Yang Kui shouted desperately, the girl raised her head looking at her father, only to see the black hair coming towards her, stunned, the scene before her eyes like a nightmare.
"Run!" The black hair swept towards the girl, Yang Kui's voice carrying despair.
At this moment, a dazzling light suddenly burst forth, leaving him somewhat dazed, and in the next instant, he saw a figure appear in front of Qi, standing upright, emitting golden light, yang fire burning fiercely like blazing sun, Qi and blood exuberant like a Jiao Long.
The girl looked up, seeing the handsome figure in front of her, there were golden eyes like the blazing sun, even golden patterns appeared in his brows, like a divine being.
"Brother Xiao Fan." The girl's voice sounded like a whisper from a dream.
Li Fan crouched down, picking up the girl, gently placing his hand over her eyes, softly saying, "Close your eyes, don't look, sleep."
The girl obediently nodded, snuggling into Li Fan's embrace, closing her eyes.
Behind them, Yang Kui fell to the ground, looking up to see Li Fan turning around, at this moment, the young figure seemed grand and imposing in his eyes, those black hair tendrils far too scared to come close.
The raging yang fire could subdue ghosts and spirits.
Yang Kui, his nose and eyes streaming, heavily bowed to Li Fan.
"Brother Yang, Qi is yours." Li Fan said, only then did Yang Kui stand, taking Qi from Li Fan's arms, holding her tightly, not letting her see the surrounding scene.
"Brother Yang, follow behind me." Li Fan said, walking towards the lakeside.
Yang Kui clearly understood now that Li Fan wasn't an ordinary person, following closely behind him.
In every direction, martial artists constantly perished, pierced by the black hair, bodies everywhere, yet amidst the mass of tendrils, they alone were untouched.
Seeing this, Yang Kui was greatly shocked.
During the day, Li Fan had offended Chen Li, with no one speaking for him, the martial artists of the Chen family even mocking him for wanting to curry favor, otherwise, this might not have been the outcome.
The young man appeared gentle and approachable, yet now seemed cold and ruthless, letting others perish without aid!
Reaching the lakeside, Li Fan stared into the water, his gaze like a sharp blade. The lake surface erupted with sound as black hair crazily surged towards him.
In Li Fan's golden eyes, a fierce intent flashed, extremely sharp, piercing into the lake. Beneath the surface, a white shadow, a ghostly woman.
The female ghost's face hidden by long hair, only a pair of deep eyes visible, as she gazed towards the shore, seeing an image like the blazing sun, the burning yang fire reflecting across the water onto her, the surrounding long hair retreating like tide, the lake waves stirring.
Demons and spirits feared those with flourishing yang fire.
At this moment, from afar, came a group of figures rushing over, the lead two moving extremely fast, with a Thunder Sword and a Fiery Flame Spear, flying towards the mass of black tendrils, severing them.
Quickly, the two figures reached here, a man and a woman, the man with a graceful bearing untainted by the world, with an innate Dharma Form sword suspended in the air, holding the power of thunder, the woman in red garment, beautiful yet gallant, Lin'an County's other genius, equally renowned as Chen Luoyun, Li Hongyi.
Li Hongyi's innate Dharma Form was a Fiery Flame Spear, seen bathed in flames, her red garment glowing.
"Gone."
Chen Luoyun stood on the lakeside railing, looked into the lake, that ghost's breath already fled, vanishing without a trace.
Li Hongyi glanced around the lakeside, many corpses lay on the ground, their deaths tragic, while the surviving martial artists were horrified, collapsing to the ground.
"Thanks to Mr. Chen and Miss Li for the rescue." someone rose, bowing in thanks.
"The demons have retreated, you all can rest first." Chen Luoyun said, but his eyes were heavy, the demons were gone, yet the losses were severe, many women taken by the demon mist.
"Brother Yang, take Qi back to rest." By the lakeside, Li Fan softly said to Yang Kui.
Yang Kui nodded, said nothing, and carried Qi back towards the room.
Li Hongyi looked towards Li Fan, the three of them entirely unscathed, especially Li Fan, showing no signs of post-crisis panic on his serene face.
Chen Luoyun also looked at Li Fan's back, feeling a vague sense of familiarity.
Li Fan didn't mind the others' glances, walking towards his room.
"Why were you unharmed?" At this moment, a martial artist slumped on the ground shouted at Li Fan, having barely escaped death.
Li Fan paused for a moment, frowned, then continued walking.
"Why did the attacks bypass you?" the man shouted.
No response came.
Li Fan entered his room, closing the door as if it were just an ordinary night.