114: The director and his leading lady

A piercing buzzing sound, as if the sky had been poked with a hole, instantly tore through the tranquility of the entire market.

Countless powerful Qi belonging to the City Guard Corps soared into the sky from all directions.

Like an invisible net, it suddenly tightened, completely sealing off this area.

Ying Sun's mind buzzed, a complete blank.

He watched with his own eyes as that boy, after a shrill “Help!” that was enough to pierce eardrums, slipped into the surging crowd like a ghost.

And his own fatal blow, filled with the endless rage of a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator, was irrevocably aimed at the team of City Guard Corps whose faces were already as black as the bottom of a pot.

“Bold madman! Committing murder in the street, seize him!”

The Golden Core Perfection commander at the head let out a roar that shook the long street.

He struck out with a palm, and his majestic magical power transformed into a giant hand covering the sky, brutally crushing Ying Sun's attack, and its residual power continued to press down heavily on Ying Sun himself.

Ying Sun was terrified.

He never dreamed that a hunt he thought was a sure win would, in the blink of an eye, escalate into a conflict with the official forces of the entire city.

He had no way to explain himself.

He didn’t even get a clear look at that boy’s face.

He only knew that he had been set up.

Set up in a way so absurd that he could never understand it in his life, and completely trapped.

“Chase!”

The City Guard Corps commander’s single blow sent Ying Sun spitting blood and flying backward, then he issued the order to pursue.

A chaotic city-wide chase thus began.

Inside the market, it instantly became a scene of pandemonium.

Countless stalls were overturned by the violent magical power aftermath, and Cultivators and Mortals screamed and scattered.

Ying Sun fled for his life in front, his eyes bloodshot, looking like a madman.

The City Guard Corps pursued relentlessly from behind, with flashing blades and swords, full of Killing Intent.

And further ahead, a figure was “struggling” through the chaotic crowd.

Sometimes he tripped on flat ground, sometimes he crashed into a merchandise shelf, appearing utterly panicked, as if he would faint from fright the next second.

It was Lin Gou.

Every one of his “mistakes” seemed like fate’s arrangement, perfectly creating a small problem for Ying Sun behind him.

Every one of his “escapes” precisely led the pursuit route to the most prosperous and eye-catching areas of the market.

He was like the most skilled director, perfectly controlling every shot and every rhythm of this chase scene.

He firmly attracted the attention of the entire city to him and the “male lead” behind him, who was consumed by rage.

The pursuit route eventually pointed towards the City Lord’s Mansion.

There, stood the most iconic magnificent building of this city—the Nine-Story Glazed Pagoda.

The pagoda body was a hundred zhang tall, entirely cast from rare seven-colored glazed jade, shimmering with brilliant light under the sunlight, appearing majestic and solemn.

This was the pride and symbol of the entire city.

Ying Sun had been pushed to a dead end.

The power of his Golden Core was burning wildly, and his rationality had long been swallowed by endless rage and frustration.

He saw it.

He saw the boy who had plunged him into eternal damnation, right in front of the Glazed Pagoda!

“Die!”

Ying Sun let out a beast-like roar.

He gathered all his remaining magical power and all his venom into this final strike.

A claw shadow, as black as ink and carrying a destructive aura, shot out, tearing through the sky, aiming directly for Lin Gou’s back.

And at this very moment.

Lin Gou, who was “frantically” fleeing, suddenly “stumbled” on his feet.

He seemed to have tripped over an invisible pebble, and his body uncontrollably fell forward.

He happened to fall right in front of that magnificent Glazed Pagoda.

He turned his head, his face showing a perfectly timed complex expression mixed with terror, unwillingness, and relief.

The next instant.

That destructive black claw shadow arrived.

There was no imagined splash of blood and flesh.

Lin Gou’s body, under that terrifying energy, couldn’t even hold on for a moment before it was instantly vaporized, turning into the most basic particles, dissipating into nothingness.

However, Ying Sun’s full-strength strike, filled with hatred, was too powerful.

After obliterating Lin Gou, its momentum remained undiminished, and it solidly struck the beautiful Nine-Story Glazed Pagoda.

Boom—!

A deafening roar echoed through heaven and earth.

The sturdy pagoda body trembled violently.

Immediately, countless cracks, like a spider web, spread wildly in all directions from the point of impact.

Under the horrified gaze of countless people throughout the city.

This Nine-Story Glazed Pagoda, a symbol of the city’s glory, collapsed with a mournful groan of unbearable weight.

The glaze shattered, and dust soared into the sky.

As if an era had ended.

On the top floor of a distant restaurant.

Su Meier stood there quietly, a top-grade recording Spirit Stone in her hand, emitting a subdued and warm glow.

She had perfectly captured everything that had just happened.

From the villain's frantic pursuit to the righteous hero (Lin Gou)'s desperate escape.

Then to his “heroic sacrifice” where, in order to protect the Glazed Pagoda behind him, he “stumbled” and used his own flesh and blood to block that fatal blow.

The entire scene was tragic, brutal, and filled with an unparalleled sense of story.

The shooting angle was extremely tricky, perfectly blending Lin Gou’s “facing death unflinchingly” expression with the grand scene of the Glazed Pagoda’s collapse.

This was a textbook-level visual record worthy of being written into history.

In the depths of a secluded, deserted alley in the west of the city.

Lin Gou’s figure slowly condensed into shape in the air.

He brushed off non-existent dust from his body, his face showing no weakness from surviving death, but rather a satisfied smile belonging to a director.

The cold System prompt sounded in his mind.

【Ding! You died due to ‘damaging public property’ and received the reward ‘Earth Affinity (slight)’.】

【Ding! Detected violent energy fluctuations in the direction of the City Lord’s Mansion, ‘City Lord’s Rage Value + 10000’!】

Lin Gou raised an eyebrow.

This reward was somewhat expected… Three days later.

An explosive piece of news spread throughout the cultivation world faster than a plague.

The mysterious “Madam Bai” had reappeared.

She high-profilely announced that she would exclusively auction a limited edition visual recording titled “The Tragic Demise of the Death Artist Beneath the Glazed Pagoda”.

One stone stirred a thousand waves.

Tianji Pavilion, Qinghe City’s richest man Zhao Wansan, and various forces hidden in the shadows with keen interest in the “Death Artist” all moved at the news.

A war without smoke quietly began among the major auction houses.

The bidding process was extremely frantic.

The price soared, and each increment was enough to bankrupt an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.

Finally.

This recording was successfully acquired by the wealthy Tianji Pavilion for an astronomical sum that could buy almost half a city.

The title “Death Artist” was thoroughly established after this battle.

He was no longer just a monster rumored among the common folk.

Instead, he became a living legendary symbol, embodying mystery, strength, tragedy, and art… The celebration was held at the most renowned “Treasured Pavilion” in the city.

This was a true den of extravagance, where only the rich and powerful could afford to spend.

Lin Gou and Su Meier sat in a private booth by the window.

Su Meier wore a luxurious purple gown, her face still covered by a light veil, yet unable to conceal her peerless grace.

She looked at the priceless menu on the table, feeling a moment of trance.

Not long ago, she was a demoness hunted by her enemies, constantly hiding.

And now, she had become the most sought-after mysterious merchant in the cultivation world, “Madam Bai,” with millions of Spirit Stones flowing through her hands at a mere gesture.

All of this was because of the man beside her.

This madman who turned death into a business.

“Order whatever you like.”

Lin Gou’s voice pulled her thoughts back.

Soon, the attendant, with the most respectful demeanor, presented a hairpin carved from ten-thousand-year-old Phoenix Wood.

At the top of the hairpin, a feather of a Fire Phoenix was inlaid, shimmering with brilliant light, faintly emitting the sound of a Phoenix’s cry, clearly indicating its immense value.

This was one of the Treasured Pavilion’s most prized possessions, named “Phoenix Perching Hairpin.”

Before Su Meier could react, Lin Gou had already taken the hairpin.

He ignored the gazes of admiration and jealousy cast their way.

He also ignored the instant blush and panic that rose in Su Meier’s peach blossom eyes.

He walked behind her, leaned down, and personally, gently, inserted the expensive Phoenix hairpin into her cloud-like beautiful hair.

His movements were tender and focused.

After doing all this, he stepped back, admiring his masterpiece, and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, yet loud enough for the entire Treasured Pavilion to hear:

“My golden producer deserves the best in this world.”

Boom!

The entire Treasured Pavilion instantly fell silent.

Everyone’s gaze focused on the beautiful woman whose face was covered by a light veil, her body slightly stiff.

Su Meier’s cheeks, beneath the light veil, instantly turned so red they looked like they would drip blood.

She was both embarrassed and angry, her heart beating uncontrollably, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into immediately.

She subconsciously wanted to raise her hand to take off the ostentatious hairpin.

But for some reason, when her fingertips touched the warm, jade-like Phoenix Wood, a strange, tingling, sweet feeling surged in her heart.

That feeling spread from her fingertips all the way to the softest part of her heart.

Making her raised hand unable to exert any strength.

In the end, she just fiercely stomped on Lin Gou’s foot with her embroidered shoe under the table.

But she did not touch the hairpin again, which seemed to be branded with the aura of a certain scoundrel… Tianji Pavilion, a palace above the sea of clouds.

Yan Ziyue once again watched the video that was bought at an exorbitant price.

There was no excitement or shock in her beautiful eyes, only a clear understanding that saw through everything.

She keenly noticed that everything was too “perfect.”

So perfect, it was like a meticulously planned stage play.

She wasn’t angry; instead, a playful curve appeared on her red lips, and she became even more interested in this “director” she had never met.

She contacted the mysterious “Madam Bai” directly through Tianji Pavilion’s unique, highest-level encrypted channel.

A message, traversing thousands of mountains and rivers, appeared directly on Su Meier’s communication jade snail.

“A brilliant performance.”

“But true artists are never content with making ripples in a pond, are they?”

“Audiences are tired of watching lions hunt rabbits; what they crave to see is a Mortal wielding a sword, challenging a god.”

“On behalf of Tianji Pavilion, I have prepared a grander stage for you, and… a true ‘god’.”

“Name your price.”

Su Meier’s heart skipped a beat when she saw this message, and she immediately replied.

“How do you want to specify it?”

A moment later.

Yan Ziyue’s reply came.

That short line of text, however, carried pressure like a landslide and a tsunami, instantly making Su Meier feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her entire body’s blood seeming to freeze.

“I hope that in your next work, the protagonist is still the ‘Death Artist’.”

“And the villain who kills him is the Nascent Soul Stage old demon, Old Ancestor Blood Soul.”