Ch 44: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

However, as the parasol opened, a cool, refreshing sensation emanated from above, instantly dispelling the discomfort caused by the sunlight. Jiang Lin glanced at the Taoist in surprise.

The Taoist beamed, “A small formation, pretty impressive, right?”

Jiang Lin’s gaze softened slightly. “Thank you. My name is Jiang Lin.”

Hearing Jiang Lin introduce himself, the young Taoist’s smile grew wider, though he complained, “You’re a tough ghost to get close to. Took me showing you a bit of kindness before you’d even share your name.”

He continued in a carefree tone, “I’m Qin Ling. My master found me near the Qinling Mountains.”

Jiang Lin was about to say something when he suddenly received a message from Huaiyin.

His expression turned serious, and he said, “I have something urgent to attend to. Farewell.”

Qin Ling was puzzled, but before he could react, he saw the ghost use a spell, swiftly weaving through the crowd and disappearing from sight.

“That’s not something a recently deceased ghost should know how to do,” Qin Ling muttered, rubbing his chin, feeling like he had stumbled upon an unexpected surprise.

He followed the faint, otherworldly aura Jiang Lin had left behind.

Huaiyin was waiting for Jiang Lin outside a mansion, and Qingluo, having also received the message, was on her way.

Seeing Jiang Lin approach, Huaiyin pointed to the tightly closed gate in front of them. “I sensed the aura stopping here.”

Jiang Lin looked up at the plaque above the gate, which read “Wangfu” (Wang Residence).

The Wang Residence.

In the original story, the first person the Painted Skin Ghost killed was a scholar named Wang.

Had Jiang Jin already lost control of her evil energy and begun targeting ordinary people?

Fortunately, there was no scent of blood in the house yet, indicating that things hadn’t reached an irreversible point.

Jiang Lin walked to the gate and knocked once.

The next moment, a flash of golden light shot out from the door, forcing him to step back three paces.

It was the door gods.

In ordinary households, door gods were worshipped at the entrance to protect the home and ensure peace.

With the door gods in place, ordinary ghosts couldn’t enter unless the homeowner permitted it.

Of course, Jiang Jin and the Chen residence were exceptions due to the blood feud involved.

But for someone like Jiang Lin, with no connection to the Wang Residence, a vengeful ghost could not simply enter.

Jiang Lin coughed softly; the divine light of the door gods could harm a ghost’s body.

He turned to Huaiyin and said, “You knock.”

Huaiyin nodded and knocked on the door.

As a thousand-year-old demon, the door gods’ divine power was nothing to her.

The door opened, and a servant, dressed in simple attire, almost froze at the sight of the dazzling beauty before him.

“Th-this lady, what brings you here?”

Huaiyin replied, “My master wishes to visit your master.”

The servant then noticed Jiang Lin standing to the side and couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

The gentleman was as handsome as jade, with elegant manners. He stood at the door, holding a parasol, and his alabaster-like fingers gripping the handle were exceptionally graceful.

But his pale complexion suggested he was suffering from a severe illness.

The servant thought with some pity, “No wonder he can’t bear the harsh sunlight and needs an umbrella.”

Seeing the servant looking at him, Jiang Lin smiled warmly and said, “I’m sorry to trouble you, but has your master recently found a young lady? I am her family member. Could you please inform your master?”

Upon hearing this, the servant’s expression became awkward.

It turned out that three days ago, his young master, Wang Gongzi, had brought a delicate young lady back home. Wang Gongzi was already married and couldn’t easily explain the young lady’s presence to his family, so he temporarily settled her in the study.

His wife didn’t know, the matriarch didn’t know—only Wang Gongzi and the servant, Wang Dan, were aware of the situation. Wang Dan had even been instructed by his master to buy some jewelry for the young lady.

Wang Dan knew his master’s intentions all too well. He had assumed the young lady was an orphan, but he never expected that she actually had family—especially such a distinguished-looking gentleman.

Wang Dan didn’t dare delay and quickly said, “I’ll go inform the master right away. Please wait here.”

Wang Dan naturally didn’t dare inform the mistress and hurried to the study. When he arrived, the amorous Wang Gongzi was standing at his desk, painting a portrait of the beautiful lady reclining on a soft couch.

“Jin Niang, your skin is as smooth as snow, truly a sight that tugs at the heartstrings,” Wang Gongzi praised.

(Niang = Lady)

The woman, Jin Niang, shyly lowered her head and said, “The young master praises me too highly.”

Wang Gongzi looked at the beauty before him and felt a tingling in his heart. He had encountered Jin Niang at dusk a few days ago. She was a lone woman, carrying a bundle, saying she had come to the capital to find her relatives, but she couldn’t locate them at the given address.

One look from her affectionate eyes, and Wang Gongzi was half enchanted. He made up an excuse and brought her back to the Wang Residence. However, this young lady seemed to come from a scholarly family and, though she followed him to the Wang Residence, she had refused to commit to him, saying she couldn’t shame her family without a proper title.

When you love someone, everything about them seems perfect. Although Wang Gongzi was eager, her words made him treasure her even more, planning to find a suitable excuse to inform his family.

Today was just another day of enjoying her company in the study. Unfortunately, Wang Gongzi’s wife believed her husband was diligently studying in the study every day.

At that moment, Wang Dan knocked on the door and entered, urgently saying, “Young master, there’s a gentleman outside who looks like an immortal, accompanied by a stunning beauty. They claim to be… they claim to be relatives of Miss Jin.”

“Relatives?” Wang Gongzi frowned and looked at Jin Niang. “Didn’t you say you hadn’t found your family?”

Jin Niang softly replied, “Perhaps they’ve mistaken me for someone else? All my relatives have already passed away—every last one of them.”

Wang Gongzi didn’t notice the flash of resentment in her eyes when she mentioned “every last one of them.” He found the choice of words a bit odd but didn’t pay much attention to it.

He said, “Even if it’s true, it would be a good thing for you if they are indeed your family.”

He looked regretfully at the beauty before him, thinking that if her family had truly come for her, he would have no choice but to let her go.

However, he sincerely thought, If Jin Niang could find her close relatives, it would indeed be better than being all alone.

He took Jin Niang’s hand and said, “Come, I’ll take you to meet them.”

Jin Niang obediently followed beside Wang Gongzi, thinking dismissively to herself: “Who could it be, some fool looking for their lost daughter, foolishly coming here to search.”

She maliciously thought: “Seeing their disappointed expression later will be quite satisfying.”

Her eyes were shrouded in black mist, but her smile grew even softer and more delicate.

From a distance, Jin Niang spotted a figure dressed in a blue robe, holding an umbrella and facing away from her. The figure was slender and frail, wrapped in the light blue robe, with the wind gently lifting its hem, giving the impression of someone otherworldly.

It felt so familiar.

Jin Niang suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Wang Gongzi also halted, though he was simply admiring the figure. “Just from seeing the back, you can tell how graceful this gentleman is.”

He suddenly noticed that his sleeve was being gripped tightly, with a force that surprised him. Jin Niang, such a delicate young lady, nearly pulled him off balance.

“Jin Niang, what’s wrong?”

Jin Niang’s hand, clutching Wang Gongzi’s sleeve, trembled slightly, and black, sharp claws started to emerge involuntarily.

She fixed her gaze on that familiar back and licked her lips. “It’s just… that back looks somewhat familiar.”

She released Wang Gongzi’s sleeve and, without taking her eyes off that figure, slowly began to walk forward.

Sensing the movement, Jiang Lin turned around.

The familiar face caused Jin Niang to pause in shock.

The young man with the umbrella gave her the warm smile she had seen so often in the past. “A-Jin, your brother has come to take you home.”

Jin Niang suddenly started laughing.

Her laughter grew louder and louder, stretching her mouth unnaturally wide, creating a terrifying sight. Fortunately, Wang Gongzi, standing behind her, couldn’t see this.

“Take me home? Brother?” Black mist enveloped Jin Niang’s face as she cried and laughed simultaneously, her voice sharp, “Why didn’t you come sooner? Why didn’t you come sooner?”

“I’m sorry,” Jiang Lin sighed inwardly, thinking, because your brother could never make it in time.

He took a few steps forward, shading his sister from the harsh sunlight with the umbrella.

He reached out his hand, as he had done countless times before, and gently patted the top of his sister’s head. “I’m sorry. Next time, your brother will find you sooner, A-Jin.”

A-Jin froze.

She stood there, dazed, feeling the cool shade of the umbrella and slowly realizing that the hand touching the top of her head was so cold.

She finally noticed that her brother’s face was pale to the point of being almost translucent. Even standing so close to him, she couldn’t sense any sign of life.

Her heart, which had felt empty for so long, suddenly seemed to be torn open, allowing a cold wind to rush in, leaving her feeling completely chilled, even more so than when she lay alone in the cold earth.

“Brother…” She grasped the hand resting on her head, and the two equally cold hands held each other.

Her eye sockets, now pitch black, began to well up with tears of blood, and she cried out sharply, “Brother—”

Wang Gongzi, who had been standing behind them, appreciating what he thought was a touching reunion between siblings, suddenly shivered as a chill ran through him. He looked up in confusion—after all, the sun was still shining brightly.

Jiang Lin let his little sister cry in his arms, even finding the time to greet Wang Gongzi: “My sister hasn’t seen me in a long time and is feeling emotional. Please understand…”

“Of course, of course,” Wang Gongzi quickly replied. “The deep bond between you two is truly moving, deeply moving.”

The commotion at the front door couldn’t go unnoticed for long.

Wang Gongzi’s wife came over and, seeing Jiang Lin and his sister still embracing, looked at her husband curiously, “Husband, what’s going on here?”

Wang Gongzi awkwardly explained, “This is Jin Niang. I found her alone and took her in for a couple of days. This gentleman is her brother, come to take her home.”

Wang Gongzi’s wife immediately understood the situation. If he truly intended to take in a young lady, there would have been no reason to hide it from the mistress of the house.

She shot Wang Gongzi a glare, clearly intending to have a word with him once the siblings were gone.

But just then, Jin Niang began to giggle softly.

She stepped out of Jiang Lin’s embrace and gently touched her face, ensuring she still looked as beautiful as ever, without a single flaw.

Her brother was still so handsome; she couldn’t let herself look too terrible and frighten him.

She turned to look at Wang Gongzi and his wife, her eyes glinting with malice, causing both of them to shiver in unison.

She pouted and, like a child, whined, “Brother, I went to Uncle’s house. He’s so hateful—he found a nasty Daoist and set up a barrier. I circled around for days and couldn’t get in.”

Wang Gongzi and his wife were utterly confused, feeling that everything she said sounded strange, and the way this girl looked at them was frightening.

Jiang Lin spoke gently, “It’s alright, brother will think of a way.”

But Jiang Jin started laughing again, this time even more joyously, “No need to trouble brother, Jin Niang has already thought of a way.”

She pointed at Wang Gongzi and his wife.

“I thought it over. The barrier can block ghosts but not people. If I find someone, peel off their skin, and wear it, the barrier won’t stop me, right?” She found this idea quite clever and laughed again with pride.

“Perfect, although these two are a bit ugly, they will do. One for you, brother, and one for me,” Jiang Jin clapped her hands in delight, her eyes filled with black mist as she stared directly at the couple, like a predator eyeing its prey.

Wang Gongzi and his wife were terrified out of their minds!

What did she mean by that?

They looked down at the siblings’ feet, only to discover, to their horror, that neither of them had shadows!

“G-G-Ghost…” Wang Gongzi stuttered, petrified.

The thought that he had eaten and slept with this female ghost for two days almost made his soul leave his body.

The two of them frantically turned and stumbled as they tried to run away.

“Hmph!” Jiang Jin snorted in displeasure. The gate of the Wang residence suddenly slammed shut with a loud bang. Wang Gongzi, who had been running away, felt as if he had hit an invisible wall. He was thrown back, landing right at the feet of the siblings.

Jiang Jin crouched down, reaching out with her hand, now adorned with sharp black nails, and gently stroked Wang Gongzi’s face.

As she touched him, she frowned slightly, dissatisfied. “Someone as handsome as my brother would be wasted on your face.”

Wang Gongzi, understanding the implication of her words, burst into tears, pleading, “Yes, yes, I am ugly and unworthy of your brother. Please, find someone better looking.”

Jiang Lin watched the scene unfold, realizing that Jiang Jin’s resentment far exceeded his own. As a vengeful spirit, Jiang Jin had grown much stronger in her cultivation through this resentment, making her significantly more powerful than Jiang Lin.

“A-Jin,” he sighed, gently taking his sister’s hand. “Let it go.”

Jiang Jin turned to look at him, puzzled, her head tilted to the side. “Brother, are you trying to stop me?”

She said this with a smile on her lips, but her pitch-black eyes glinted with a cold light. Her thoughts were no longer rational. Though she still retained her memories and could recognize people, her actions were driven by the deep resentment that consumed her, leaving her with one overwhelming goal: revenge.

To achieve this, she was willing to do anything. No one could stop her—not even her beloved brother.

Jiang Lin felt as if he were trying to soothe a child. “Of course not.”

He pointed to Wang Gongzi and his wife, who were lying helpless on the ground, and said, “Look at these two; they’re both so plain-looking. Your brother has no interest in such ordinary faces. My A-Jin is so beautiful—how could she use such ugly human skin?”

For the first time in their lives, Wang Gongzi and his wife were grateful for their plain appearances. They wished they could look even worse, with more distorted features.

Jiang Jin scrutinized the two for a moment before nodding in agreement. “True, they are quite unattractive.”

Wang Gongzi and his wife breathed a sigh of relief.

“But,” Jiang Jin grew agitated again, “I need to get my revenge! I have to peel the skin off that old thief, Chen Bo’an! I can’t wait any longer! Even if it’s ugly, I’ll just make do for a few days, and after I get my revenge, I’ll find a better-looking one!”

The couple’s hearts, which had just settled down, began to race once more.

Jiang Lin smiled, coaxing her, “Don’t worry. Your brother has a plan. You won’t have to wear any ugly or smelly human skin to take revenge on that old man.”

Jiang Jin was skeptical. “Really?”

Jiang Lin nodded. “Of course. When have I ever lied to you?”

But upon hearing this, Jiang Jin’s expression fell, and tears of blood began to roll down her cheeks as she spoke, filled with grievance, “You lied to me before. You promised to save me. A-Jin waited for so long, but that evil man, he took a knife and sliced my face off piece by piece. It hurt so much, I was in so much pain, but even in death, I couldn’t wait for you to come find me.”

Wang Gongzi and his wife listened in terror, their hearts filled with pity. Despite her fearsome appearance, the ghost still spoke to her brother like an innocent, romantic young girl, showing she must have been well-protected in life. And from what she described, it seemed she had been skinned alive. No wonder she had become such a vengeful spirit.

Jiang Lin gently patted his sister’s head, comforting her, “This will be the last time. I won’t ever lie to you again.”

He pointed to Wang Gongzi and his wife, who were still lying on the ground, and said, “You know how painful it is to be skinned alive. Why would you want to do that to someone else? These two haven’t harmed us. The guilty should pay for their crimes. Let’s just go after those who hurt us, alright?”

Jiang Jin puffed out her cheeks, clearly dissatisfied with this reasoning. But when she looked up and saw her brother’s warm smile, she relented, realizing that if she refused, her brother wouldn’t smile at her so kindly.

She reluctantly nodded, “Alright then.”

Wang Gongzi and his wife finally breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Jiang Lin with gratitude. For the first time, they felt that a ghost could emanate such a compassionate light.

Jiang Lin, holding Jiang Jin’s hand, nodded apologetically to the couple. “I’m sorry for frightening you both.”

Wang Gongzi quickly shook his head, saying, “No trouble at all, you’re too kind!”

Jiang Lin continued, “My sister and I came here, and I’m afraid the negative energy in your residence has exceeded the norm, which may attract malevolent spirits.”

He thought for a moment and then took out a medicinal herb from his space. “This is a high-quality medicinal herb. You can brew it into a potion, and have everyone in the household drink a bowl. Also, I recommend inviting a Taoist priest to perform a ritual, and everything should be fine.”

Wang Gongzi and his wife quickly expressed their gratitude.

As Jiang Lin led Jiang Jin out of the Wang residence, he noticed a familiar figure leaning against the wall.

It was Qin Ling.

Qin Ling’s expression was grim. He looked at Jiang Jin and then at Jiang Lin, asking, “Your sister is the source of the resentment I sensed from the Chen residence, isn’t she?”

Jiang Lin frowned at him. “Eavesdropping is not the act of a gentleman.”

Qin Ling replied, “I just happened to arrive here.” His face still showed discomfort, clearly unsettled by what he had overheard. “To think that such inhumane acts could happen under the emperor’s nose!”

As he spoke, he seemed even more puzzled by Jiang Lin. “Now I understand why you became a vengeful spirit. But after enduring such a horrific death, how can you not harbor any resentment?”

Jiang Lin responded, “Of course, I have resentment.”

He smirked coldly, “But I’m very clear-headed. The guilty should pay for their crimes. If I take revenge on those who are innocent, and then their relatives seek revenge on me, how would I be any different from those evil people?”

Qin Ling stared at this pale-faced ghost in a daze, feeling a flush rise to his ears. “You’re the strangest ghost I’ve ever met,” he mumbled.

Who would still care about such things after becoming a vengeful spirit?

At the Chen residence.

Chen Bo’an happened to be resting today.

He had offered a substantial sum, and two Taoist practitioners from the Xuanmen sect had come to his residence. However, after a brief inspection, they both shook their heads.

One said, “The resentment here has already solidified. It must be an extremely powerful vengeful spirit. I’m afraid my skills are insufficient to deal with it.”

The other looked at him meaningfully and said, “In our sect, we believe in cause and effect. If this were an ordinary ghost, I would handle it, but in this case… Sir, the one who tied the knot must untie it.”

Chen Bo’an’s face darkened, but he didn’t dare offend these skilled practitioners. He politely saw them off.

He then asked his steward, “How is the madam?”

The steward lowered his eyes and replied, “Madam drank the medicine and has fallen asleep.”

Chen Bo’an rubbed his temples. “Good, make sure the madam doesn’t miss any doses and let her rest well.”

The steward felt a chill in his heart and respectfully answered, “Yes, sir.”

After the steward left, Chen Bo’an sighed deeply.

He and Madam Jiang had been married since they were young, so there was some affection between them. However, last night, she had acted like a madwoman, questioning him and even threatening to go to the magistrate’s office to seek justice at dawn…

The case had already been closed. Why stir up more trouble?

Besides, the person behind this was not someone a mere woman could challenge.

Even for the sake of his daughter A-Ying’s life in her husband’s family and his son San Lang’s future, he couldn’t let Madam Jiang act so recklessly.

Chen Bo’an felt a pang of guilt but thought to himself, For the sake of this household’s peace, it’s better for Madam Jiang to stay ‘ill’.

Just then, a young servant approached with a letter. “Sir, a young gentleman came by earlier and asked me to give you this. He said an old acquaintance would visit soon.”

An old acquaintance?

Chen Bo’an looked at the letter in the servant’s hand, which seemed to be stained with something dirty. He found it somewhat familiar.

He took it and opened it.

With just one glance, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

“Sir!” The servant quickly supported him, alarmed. “Are you alright? Should I call for a doctor?”

Chen Bo’an gripped his arm tightly, his face rigid. “No need, I’m just a bit tired these past few days. I’ll be fine after sitting down. Fetch me some tea.”

“Yes, sir!” The servant hurriedly prepared a cup of hot tea, watching in fear as the master’s hand trembled so much that he didn’t even notice the scalding liquid spilling onto it.

How could Chen Bo’an not be afraid?

That letter…

That letter…

It was the one he had personally handed out under the guise of inviting people to the birthday banquet of a young lord from the Shangguan family. He had given it to two people in total.

One was his niece Jiang Jin, and the other was his nephew Jiang Lin.

And just now, the name on the letter was Jiang Lin.

Perhaps, it’s just someone playing tricks!

He forced himself to remain calm. “Who delivered this letter? Where is he now?”

The servant cautiously replied, “A young gentleman, around eighteen or nineteen years old. He was dressed in a blue robe, and though his appearance was ordinary, he had an extraordinary demeanor. I felt like I had seen him somewhere before.”

Chen Bo’an’s fear only deepened upon hearing this.

His nephew had always favored wearing blue robes, and anyone who saw him praised his elegance and grace.

He stared blankly into the distance, thinking to himself: Not only has that wretched girl Jiang Jin returned, but now even Jiang Lin is coming back for me?

But… all he did was sell a favor. How could he have known that man would be so cruel?

xxx

Thandar: Bastard Chen … I hope all of you suffer in hell