The crimson ghost, fully breaking free from its restraints, turned its gaze towards the woman who had made it repeat its suffering endlessly.
The surrounding temperature plummeted by over ten degrees!
"Impossible... impossible!" Lü Xin's ability to maintain her composure was gone. She couldn't accept the fact that she had been defeated by Lin Zhitong, nor could she accept that the crimson ghost she had tamed had switched its allegiance to Lin Zhitong.
This was nothing short of a complete rout!
Lü Xin glared at the crimson ghost, "A few years ago, you were just an ordinary vengeful spirit. Who nurtured you into what you are now, giving you such strength? Have you forgotten it all!"
The crimson ghost had only been dead for about ten years, yet it had rapidly grown into a ghost king capable of contending with a century-old ghost. Naturally, Lü Xin's cultivation had played a part.
However, Lü Xin's method of cultivating the crimson ghost was not like Yan Shouyi's, who provided essence through the oil lamp for the ghost to absorb. Instead, she continuously tormented it, strengthening its spirit and will, and then used it to fight other malevolent spirits, devouring their souls.
The fact that its advancement was so swift precisely indicated the inhuman suffering the crimson ghost had endured over the years.
"All I remember... are the painful memories you gave me!"
The crimson ghost suddenly screamed, its crimson robes transforming into countless red silk ribbons that unfurled behind it!
The unfurling red silk ribbons, like a carnivorous flower, instantly enveloped Lü Xin!
Seeing the crimson ghost attack Lü Xin, Lin Zhitong finally had the chance to check on Tao Hua Ying's condition.
She quickly moved to Tao Hua Ying's side, her voice full of concern, "Hua Ying, how are you? It's all my fault, making you suffer so much!"
Tao Hua Ying's face was pale, her soul almost ethereal. However, under the protection of Yan Shouyi's oil lamp, she began to recover slowly, though she remained very weak and incapable of fighting.
Tao Hua Ying shook her head and said with immense relief:
"I'm fine... thanks to Lü Xin, I finally faced my past and let go of my obsessions."
Lin Zhitong was slightly taken aback.
Tao Hua Ying reached out and grasped Lin Zhitong's hand, whispering, "You brat, I can't help you anymore. You have to do your best."
This was the first time Tao Hua Ying had called Lin Zhitong "you brat," leaving Yan Shouyi utterly bewildered.
"Isn't 'you brat' my exclusive nickname? Why are you calling her that too?"
Unbeknownst to them, Tao Hua Ying also called her own daughter "you brat." As she uttered those words, her face was filled with infinite tenderness.
Lin Zhitong didn't dwell on it, offered Tao Hua Ying a few words of comfort, and then placed her into the Bone Chain Soul Summoning Bell.
Compared to the outside, even with the oil lamp's support, it was safer within the Bone Chain Soul Summoning Bell.
Yan Shouyi suddenly said quietly to Lin Zhitong, "Old Man has made an important discovery."
"What?" Lin Zhitong asked, surprised.
Yan Shouyi looked in the direction of Lü Xin, who was trapped by the crimson ghost's red silk ribbons, and said in a low voice, "Did you observe earlier? The spells Lü Xin used are not entirely from the Lü Shan Sect."
Hearing this, Lin Zhitong furrowed her brows deeply.
She hadn't paid much attention before, but with Yan Shouyi's reminder, she finally came to her senses.
Although Lü Xin possessed the Soul Summoning Bell of the Lü Shan Sect, her method of summoning ghosts was different from that of the Lü Shan Sect.
Similarly, their methods of controlling ghosts had significant differences.
This did not seem like the kind of difference expected from disciples taught by the same sect.
Lin Zhitong said coldly, "Lü Xin does know the art of ghost control, but the techniques she uses have nothing to do with the Lü Shan Sect."
With Lin Zhitong's confirmation, Yan Shouyi became even more certain.
"What exactly did Old Man discover?"
"Old Man just told me that this Lü Xin might be a disguise for a Skin-Painter!" Yan Shouyi said grimly.
"What?!"
Lin Zhitong was aghast.
She had genuinely begun to believe Lü Xin's identity, even though Lü Xin's appearance and her motives were still shrouded in mystery.
Yan Shouyi explained, "Ordinary Skin-Painters merely memorize someone's appearance and then use their skills to disguise themselves. However, highly skilled Skin-Painters are far more terrifying. They kill and take the skin, truly achieving a skin-swap. A Skin-Painter after a skin-swap is indistinguishable from the original person, even their aura and voice are the same!"
"And to get closer to the original host, Skin-Painters also cultivate the art of ghost control. After killing the person and taking their skin, they extract their souls and read their memories, thus achieving a truly seamless disguise!"
"In other words, a skilled Skin-Painter also possesses powerful ghost control techniques, and they are adept at tormenting souls!"
Listening to Yan Shouyi's analysis, Lin Zhitong became increasingly certain that the Lü Xin before them was a disguise by a Skin-Painter.
This Lü Xin had flaws in every aspect, but it was precisely because of the identity of the person she was impersonating that Lin Zhitong hadn't thought deeper.
After all, the disappearance of Lü Jingsheng was itself very strange. The sudden appearance of Lü Jingsheng's granddaughter was not entirely inexplicable.
Lin Zhitong's brow furrowed tightly.
This meant that Lü Xin was impersonated by a Skin-Painter, and this Skin-Painter was allied with Li Genmiao, being the "Yin" character among the Twelve Earthly Branches.
This explanation made more sense, as the Xin Xuan Mountain Sect itself was a folk religious group, and it was not unusual for a Skin-Painter to emerge from it.
"Since this Lü Xin is not the real Lü Xin, then we have nothing to hold back," Yan Shouyi said, feeling a sense of relief.
A murderous glint flashed in Lin Zhitong's eyes, "It's best to capture her alive, as she might know the whereabouts of my master."
"Naturally."
Before, due to Lü Xin's identity, Yan Shouyi's worst-case scenario was merely to drive Lü Xin away.
As for the revenge for Lü Jing's severed finger and the matter of selling Dao Talismans, they could not be pursued.
But now, it was different. Lü Xin was merely an imposter, and her true identity had nothing to do with Lü Jingsheng!
This meant that when they moved to act later, they could do so without any reservations.
Capturing her alive was the goal, and incapacitating her would still count as a captured target!
*Bang!*
At this very moment.
Lü Xin, enveloped by the crimson ghost's red silk ribbons, suddenly broke free!
The whisk in her hand swung, becoming as sharp as a sword, effortlessly cutting through the red ribbons!
Escaping control, Lü Xin roared, "You dare to betray your master?!"
The crimson ghost let out a cold laugh, making no attempt to explain, and once again sent the red silk ribbons towards Lü Xin!
Concurrently, Yan Shouyi turned and shouted:
"Let's all attack together and capture this demonic person!"
Lü Xin's expression changed drastically.
She wouldn't have cared about a mere crimson ghost, but with Yan Shouyi and the others attacking together, the outcome would be entirely different.
She angrily retorted, "You have already won the competition, and Lin Zhitong has obtained the position of sect leader. Do you still intend to kill me to silence you!"
The others exchanged glances, unsure whether to attack.
Weng Qianxiang jumped out and sneered, "Still pretending! Do you think I can't see through you? You're just an imposter, your true identity is a Skin-Painter!"