476: Chapter 476 Benefactor Fang is the Arhat Who Subdues Demons

Real world, Chen Family Manor.

The darkness shrouding above the residence grew even thicker, resembling a heavy curtain.

The bonfire used to burn Old Master Chen Hongye's corpse had already extinguished, leaving only a few wisps of blue smoke.

Chilling gusts of wind blew, whipping up the joss paper and ashes on the ground, swirling around the ritual altar.

In the darkness, those ghost shadows that had been previously forced back by Fang Cheng vaguely emerged once more, emitting low screeches.

They hid in the surrounding corners, greedily spying on the breath of the living, seeming restless and ready to move.

In this eerie and deadly silence, two figures sat cross-legged dozens of meters apart from each other.

Another four figures stood upright, scattered around one of the meditating figures, firmly guarding them in the center.

Their gazes were vigilant, scanning the surging shadows all around, terrified that any evil specters might approach.

"Sister Xiaochu, what is going on?"

Bailing held a dagger in her hand, her face tense, muttering softly:

"Did the big boss... run into trouble?"

Lin Chuqiao's eyes shone brilliantly, staring at Fang Cheng without saying a word.

The residual firelight reflected on her face, flickering between bright and dim, her brows and eyes filled with undisguised concern, yet revealing a hint of caution and contemplation.

Fang Cheng was still sitting peacefully with his eyes closed, but fine beads of sweat had seeped from his temples, and his complexion was slightly flushed.

His breathing was at times hurried and at times prolonged, as if he were caught in some form of invisible wrestling.

"Could it be that Old Master Chen Hongye pulled a trick and backstabbed Fang Cheng?"

Pan Wendi brandished a wooden stick he had picked up from somewhere, lowering his voice:

"Just now, I felt that that old fellow's eyes looked wrong, putting on a pretense even when death was imminent."

"Indeed!"

Bailing also nodded forcefully, saying:

"Based on my many years of disguise and makeup experience, that old monster is likely acting, intentionally showing weakness, and who knows what kind of do-or-die conspiracy he is hiding."

"Fang Cheng instructed just now that if there is a situation, we should wake him up."

Pan Wendi glanced at Old Master Chen Hongye sitting on the ground not far away with no sign of life, and then looked at Fang Cheng, who was likewise motionless.

While speaking, he stepped forward two steps, raising his hand as if wanting to pat Fang Cheng's shoulder.

"Wait."

Lin Chuqiao suddenly spoke up.

Pan Wendi and Bailing looked at her in confusion.

"I have a premonition..."

Lin Chuqiao's gaze never left Fang Cheng, her tone becoming a bit more certain:

"He should be fine."

"Furthermore, I can sense that... the Qi on his body is climbing, growing stronger and stronger, and he might wake up on his own very soon."

As soon as her voice fell, a sudden change occurred.

Boom——

A blinding golden flame suddenly burst out from within Fang Cheng's body, sweeping across his entire body.

That flame was pure and blazing, burning brighter and higher, the flames leaping up more than half a meter, completely swallowing him whole.

In the blink of an eye, Fang Cheng had practically become a lit humanoid torch.

Then, with a few sizzling sounds,

the clothes and pants on his body simply could not withstand this high temperature, quickly turning into charred flying ash that scattered without a trace the moment the wind blew.

Amidst the raging flames, that powerful-looking physique was faintly discernible,

every inch of muscle line seeming to dance within the golden flame light, revealing astonishing explosive power.

In the end, only a pair of red underwear... stubbornly holding on amidst the roaring flames remained.

"What... what is this situation?!"

Pan Wendi was dumbfounded at the sight.

Lin Chuqiao and Bailing showed not a shred of panic; instead, their pretty eyes lit up simultaneously.

They instantly remembered.

Back on Miwu Mountain, Fang Cheng had been bathed in roaring flames just like this, flying over the dark cloud-shrouded Lu Family Manor, and shattering the golden bumpa bottle with a single punch.

It was just that the flames last time had a crimson base color, carrying a bit of brutality.

But this stream of golden flames now was pure to the point of being sacred, resplendent like a blazing great sun, making one dare not look straight at it.

Second Young Master Chen Xuan not far away had originally kept his gaze firmly locked on his "grandfather's" corpse.

When he saw this scene, his breathing also hitched, his eyes filled with undisguised shock.

"Cousin, what should we do now?"

Pan Wendi snapped back to his senses and hurriedly asked Lin Chuqiao for guidance.

"Let's wait and see a bit longer."

Lin Chuqiao's tone instead relaxed as she explained:

"Fang Cheng's state right now is very marvelous. I can vaguely sense his mood; he seems... not willing to be accidentally disturbed."

"What kind of mood?"

Bailing couldn't help asking out of curiosity.

Lin Chuqiao's pretty face flushed slightly, and she said with a somewhat peculiar tone:

"It's... a feeling of extreme gratification and enjoyment, like hitting a punching bag in the training gym, hitting it heartily and making one's whole body feel refreshed..."

"Ah?"

Pan Wendi and Bailing were stunned, looking at each other in dismay, unable to comprehend.

Just as they were filled with shock and doubt,

"Crack!"

an extremely crisp sound abruptly came from above everyone's heads.

Much like a mirror being fiercely shattered, the sound carried penetration, drilling straight into their hearts along their ear canals.

Everyone suddenly raised their heads to look.

They saw that the "curtain" that had always blocked the night sky and felt incomparably oppressive actually split open a gap right from the center.

Following closely after, this gap rapidly spread in all directions like a spiderweb.

The cold moonlight and brilliant starlight that had been isolated for nearly an hour finally pierced through layers of cracks, once again spilling onto the earth.

The pitch-black fog that had previously shrouded the surroundings of the manor was also rapidly dissipating at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The howling, swirling, and bone-chilling chilling winds abruptly stopped.

The ghost shadows hiding in the darkness, restless and eager to move, seemed to have seen their most terrifying natural enemy, letting out waves of extremely shrill screams.

In the blink of an eye, they receded like a tide, disappearing without a trace.

The ancient and solemn outline of the Chen Family's grand mansion reappeared under the moonlight.

Not far away, the lights of other houses in the villa area were also lit one after another, as if the dust covering them had been wiped away.

Everything seemed to have returned to normal.

"Eh, Fang Cheng opened his eyes!"

Bailing suddenly cried out in pleasant surprise.

Hearing this, Lin Chuqiao and Pan Wendi immediately withdrew their gazes from observing the surroundings, looking towards Fang Cheng in unison.

They saw that the raging golden flames on Fang Cheng's body were visibly weakening.

They were as if sucked into an invisible black hole, rapidly rolling backward along his skin beneath his pores.

In a mere few seconds, he, who had just been as dazzling as a humanoid torch, completely returned to normal.

Fang Cheng slowly opened his eyelids.

Under the moonlight, those eyes were as calm as a pool of deep water, seeming to reveal a certain sense of satisfaction once again.

"Fang Cheng, how is the situation?"

Lin Chuqiao was the first to step forward, her clear and beautiful face carrying concern.

But upon approaching, she instead slowed her steps, only asking softly for fear of disturbing him.

"That's right, brother."

Pan Wendi also quickly followed, still carrying the wooden stick on his shoulder:

"Did that old monster play any underhanded tricks? Did you guys talk things out inside?"

Hearing this, Second Young Master Chen Xuan held his breath nervously, not daring to let out a single loud breath.

Hearing this, Fang Cheng was slightly startled.

Talked things out? It should have been blown to pieces instead.

He did not answer immediately, only shaking his head, and then letting out a long breath of turbid air.

This breath of air condensed without dispersing, like a white arrow, shooting straight out for several meters before slowly dissipating in the slightly chilly night.

Seeing him shake his head, everyone's hearts tightened involuntarily.

Fang Cheng continued in a tone of hearty exhilaration, as if he had just finished exercising:

"I personally resolved him within his mental Secret Realm. If nothing unexpected happens, that evil spirit should already be... Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering."

"Awesome!"

Hearing this, Pan Wendi immediately slapped his thigh:

"I knew that with you making a move, brother, no matter what demons or ghosts they are, they'd have to kneel!"

"Yeah——"

Bailing also excitedly waved her small fist, making a "K.O." gesture from video games:

"That kind of pervert should have been killed off earlier to save him from plaguing the Mortal world!"

Lin Chuqiao's tightly knitted brows finally relaxed completely at this moment.

She heaved a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted; though her smile was faint, it was as if ice and snow were melting for the first time.

"Mr. Bai, thank you!"

Second Young Master Chen Xuan standing not far away could no longer hold back, rushing over in ecstatic joy.

"Really... thank you so much! I even misunderstood you earlier, I really deserve to die! You are the great benefactor of our Chen Family!"

"From now on, regardless of any instructions you have, even if it means climbing a mountain of swords or plunging into a sea of fire, our Chen Family will not say a single extra word!"

He was so excited that he became incoherent, his voice even trembling.

Even when facing the terrifying scene of "grandfather" coming back to life earlier, he didn't seem to have lost his composure like this.

"Young Master Chen, you are too polite."

Fang Cheng waved his hand and stood up from the ground.

As soon as he stood up, that pair of red underwear that had miraculously survived amidst the golden flames was thus exposed to everyone's vision, appearing exceptionally glaring.

Pan Wendi let out a pfft, almost laughing his breath out, pointing at Fang Cheng with his shoulders shaking crazily:

"N... no, brother, c-can we at least put on some pants first?"

"It's one thing that Chen Family Manor is haunted, but now there's an extra naked hunk..."

"..."

Fang Cheng expressionlessly glanced at his somewhat charred red underwear, and then expressionlessly pointed at Pan Wendi.

"Take off your pants and give them to me to wear."

"Uh——"

Pan Wendi's teasing laughter abruptly stopped.

Seeing the awkward appearance of the two, Second Young Master Chen Xuan hurriedly rushed to solve their plight:

"Mr. Bai, I'm wearing long johns underneath, I can let you change into my outer pants."

Hearing this, Fang Cheng nodded slightly, indicating that was fine.

Crackle.

The remnants of the bonfire made a final sound.

"Ugh... my head hurts so much..."

"What happened just now?"

Just at this moment, around the ritual altar, those Cuicheng Temple monks and Chen Family members who had previously passed out also began to wake up one after another.

"What's going on? How did I fall asleep?"

"I remember, the old Family head seemed to have come back to life, he... Ah, a ghost!"

A Family member had just woken up, and seeing Old Master Chen Hongye's corpse not far away, was so scared that they were about to faint again right on the spot.

"Second Young Master Chen Xuan, what happened just now?"

Elder Chen Dehai woke up, saw Second Young Master Chen Xuan and the others standing nearby, and immediately asked.

"Third Grandpa!"

Second Young Master Chen Xuan hurried over, supporting Chen Dehai with both hands.

"Rest assured, everything is over."

As he spoke, he explained at a fast pace:

"Thanks to Mr. Bai and the others, they just executed the evil spirit that usurped my grandfather's Physical Body on the spot!"

"What?!"

Hearing this, the Chen Family members were first pleasantly surprised, and then somewhat incredulous.

They all looked towards Old Master Chen Hongye sitting cross-legged on the ground, finding that he was indeed motionless, as if he had turned back into a corpse.

More importantly, those terrifying dark red curse patterns on his body had disappeared.

A few Family members with Awakening abilities still weren't at ease, and using their Spirit Pupils, they crowded over to observe closely.

Then, overjoyed, they shouted one after another:

"It's true! There really is no breath left! That evil energy has completely vanished!"

"Amitabha... Well done, well done..."

At this time, Great Master Yuanjue, supported by two monks, also stood up tremblingly.

He put his palms together, his entire face filled with a benevolent expression, and high-chanted a Buddhist name:

"Previously, this old monk perceived that this fiend was ferocious and could not be delivered by a Mortal, so I immediately entered meditation, traveled through the great void, and called for reinforcements from my Buddha World-Honored One..."

"Presumably the Buddha sensed this poor monk's utmost sincere prayer, and cannot bear to see the Chen Family suffer this calamity, thus descending Divine Might to exterminate this fiend!"

The old monk glanced not far away at Fang Cheng, who was only wearing a pair of red underwear and had an explosive physique, and changed the subject:

"And this Benefactor Bai, with his strong tendons and bones, rigid and fierce Qi and blood, and his whole body radiating brilliant golden light... must be the... Demon-Subduing Arhat personally descended from beneath the Buddha's seat!"

Hearing this, Pan Wendi and Bailing almost couldn't hold back their laughter, curling their lips involuntarily.

This old monk really knew how to gild his own face...

But many Chen Family members seemed to take it seriously, and their gazes looking at Fang Cheng were instantly filled with awe and gratitude.

After Second Young Master Chen Xuan briefly explained the situation to the clan members, he walked back to Fang Cheng's side, who had already put on his pants, and asked respectfully:

"Mr. Bai, how should my grandfather's remains be handled?"

Fang Cheng glanced at that "empty shell" that had lost its Soul, and after pondering for a moment, said:

"Continue cremation, do it immediately, just in case that evil spirit left any backup plans in this body."

"Also, have those Cuicheng Temple monks perform a grand water-and-land ritual again to deliver the departed Souls."

What he thought of in his heart was that immortal Ghoul King Jiang Chen.

Dealing with such a monster that has lived for hundreds of years, no amount of caution could be considered excessive.

"Yes!"

Second Young Master Chen Xuan obeyed Fang Cheng's every word at this moment, immediately nodding and ordering the servants who had just woken up:

"Quick! Prepare firewood again and immediately do as Mr. Bai instructed!"

Soon, a new pile of firewood was set up, and Old Master Chen Hongye's corpse was moved back up.

The raging firelight soared into the sky once more, illuminating half the sky and reflecting on the faces of everyone in the manor.

Everyone gazed at the burning pile of firewood with varied expressions.

There was the joy of surviving a disaster, the gratification of having a great grudge avenged, and also confusion about the future.

Fang Cheng's pupils reflected the flickering firelight, his countenance seemingly calm and waveless.

But those slightly clenched fists showed that his inner heart was not calm.

"Fang Cheng, are you alright..."

Just at this moment, a warm and delicate hand gently covered his, gripping his fist.

Fang Cheng turned his head to look.

He saw Lin Chuqiao standing shoulder to shoulder right beside him.

The moonlight spilled onto her exquisitely beautiful profile, and those clear eyes were gazing at him, filled with tenderness and concern.

"I'm fine."

Fang Cheng shook his head slightly at her and smiled unconstrainedly.

Lin Chuqiao also smiled radiantly, not letting go of her hand, but instead interlacing her five fingers into the gaps of his, locking fingers with him ten-to-ten.

Feeling the delicate, soft touch and wafts of faint fragrance coming from beside him, Fang Cheng's state of mind inexplicably and completely relaxed.

Killing a single enemy could not make him ecstatic.

The more crucial thing was to find the whereabouts of the remaining traitors of Utopia, thoroughly investigate the past, and clear his father's name of grievances.

Furthermore, the whereabouts of his uncle and the professor were also temporarily unknown.

Although many matters still weighed heavily on his mind,

this battle—the hearty and uninhibited combat within the Soul-Devouring Domain—truly gave him many new insights and considerable gains.

Of course, there was also this woman beside him... the one who had just taken the initiative to hold his hand.

Fang Cheng turned his hand over to grip that soft hand tightly, peace filling his heart, feeling even more resolute about the future.