C20 Do You Know How to Cherish the Beauty?!

"Heaven and Earth Are Boundless, Heaven and Earth Borrowing Technique, Exorcising Ghosts and Demons, Barrier Breaking and Exorcising Evil, Exorcising Ghost Talisman, Quick!"

Yun Chen watched as the two talisman papers shot out from his hands. With a sudden low shout, he quickly formed an intricate hand seal.

"Pfft!"

As Yun Chen's hand seal was completed, the two talisman papers, already on their way to the pond, spontaneously combusted, continuing their journey unabated.

"Sizzle sizzle..."

Upon contact with the pond water, the burning talisman papers emitted a sizzling noise.

"Ah!!!"

A faint scream echoed from the depths of the pond.

Bubbles surged from the water, bringing Lin Chuxia to the surface. She was unconscious, her body floating face-up.

Relieved, Yun Chen didn't hesitate; he didn't even bother to remove his clothes before diving into the pond, swimming swiftly towards Lin Chuxia.

The newcomers, standing at a distance, hadn't caught Yun Chen's earlier actions.

To them, Yun Chen had simply approached the pond, looked on for a moment, and then plunged in.

Immediately, they all hurried towards the spot where Yun Chen had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Shen Siyu stood frozen, her face ashen, utterly bewildered.

She had been the closest to Yun Chen and had witnessed his every move.

But what had she seen?

She saw Mr. Yun bite his middle finger and scribble on two yellow strips of paper.

Initially, she was furious that Yun Chen wasn't trying to save someone and instead was engaging in such inexplicable behavior.

But then...

When Yun Chen released the two blood-stained yellow strips, she was stunned.

She watched them dance through the air as if alive, and then, to her amazement, they burst into flames!

What terrified her was the burning strips plunging into the water and the distinct, agonized scream that followed from the pond's depths.

The scream was faint, yet unmistakably real.

She was certain it wasn't the voice of her sister Chuxia.

The sound...

Siyu's mind raced back to her childhood, to the chilling tales her grandmother had spun about the Water Ghost.

Given what she had witnessed and heard today, even the most naive would understand the truth: there was indeed a Water Ghost lurking in the pond!

It was this very spirit that had dragged Chuxia down into the depths!

And Yun Chen's recent actions, they were reminiscent of a Taoist priest on television, drawing talismans to exorcise spirits!

Could it be that Mr. Yun had become a Taoist priest without her knowledge?

For a moment, Siyu's mind was utterly overwhelmed.

Unaware of Siyu's tumultuous thoughts, Yun Chen had reached Chuxia's side, preparing to lift her to safety.

But at that instant, a cold yet feeble voice pierced the silence: "Heavenly Master, please, I implore you to vindicate me!"

The voice caught Yun Chen off guard.

He quickly gathered his thoughts, and the mana from his dantian surged through him, readying him for any sign of danger.

With composure, Yun Chen inquired, "Are you the Water Ghost?"

"Heavenly Master, yes, it's me! You must vindicate me!" The voice pleaded desperately.

Yun Chen, moved yet cautious, did not engage further. With hands clasped behind him, he stealthily formed a hand seal before probing, "You've been in this pond for a long time, haven't you? And you've harmed many, haven't you?"

The Water Ghost paused, taken aback by the question, but confessed, "I have dwelled in these waters for a century."

"In that time, I have lured five souls to their watery graves. I need but two more to be reborn."

There was a hint of eagerness in the ghost's tone.

Yun Chen's face remained impassive as he pressed on, "Then how would you have the Heavenly Master seek justice for you?"

Hearing what seemed like acquiescence, the Water Ghost grew animated and began, "Originally I was..."

However, just as it began to speak, Yun Chen made his move!

He thrust his hands into the pond and gracefully traced a circular arc through the water.

Simultaneously, Yun Chen's demeanor turned grave as he rapidly recited an incantation:

"By my name, I command the heavens and earth. Thunder descends to the ground, ice forms upon the water, Soul Destruction Curse, arise!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than a golden light streaked through the water. The light, following Yun Chen's hands, swiftly coalesced into an Eight Trigrams Diagram.

A chilling presence began to emanate from the diagram...

The Water Ghost at the pond's bottom, witnessing this, let out a shriek and attempted to flee.

But Yun Chen wasn't about to let it escape. With a gentle tap of his right hand on the Eight Trigrams Diagram, a ripple carrying an icy chill spread rapidly across the lakebed, quickly engulfing the Water Ghost.

Before the Water Ghost could muster a response, it was obliterated!

Sensing the disappearance of the Water Ghost's essence, Yun Chen spat into the water and declared vehemently, "Just as the Tao Arts of the Three Pure Deities state, these beings are beyond redemption and undeserving of sympathy!"

Yun Chen was seething with anger!

Initially, he had intended to use a softer approach, employing the Exorcism Talisman to wound the Water Ghost.

He planned to follow up with a simple ritual to grant the Water Ghost salvation.

Unexpectedly, the Water Ghost sought him out, pleading for Yun Chen to avenge its wrongs!

Yun Chen's heart had softened, and he was ready to inquire about the Water Ghost's demise.

But then he recalled a passage from the Tao Arts of the Three Pure Deities: "Ghosts, by nature, are malevolent. With the passage of time, they lose more of their original essence, becoming untrustworthy and unworthy of compassion."

In essence, ghosts are inherently wicked, and the longer they linger in this realm, the more malevolent they become, beyond trust or pity.

Indeed, with just a subtle application of magic, Yun Chen had coerced the Water Ghost into revealing the truth!

This Water Ghost had lurked in the pond for a century and had claimed the lives of five individuals!

The tone of its voice even carried a hint of smugness!

Yun Chen was instantly furious!

What does it matter how unjust your death was? You shouldn't cling to your last obsession after death, becoming a Water Ghost and wreaking havoc on the living!

Yun Chen couldn't stand to hear the Water Ghost drone on about its past.

Without further ado, he cast a mighty Soul Destruction Spell and obliterated the Water Ghost!

"Ugh! What a waste of my mana!"

After spitting disdainfully, Yun Chen turned his attention to Lin Chuxia.

Gazing at Lin Chuxia's pallid face, he murmured, "Chuxia, you're fortunate to have run into me! Otherwise, you'd be in serious trouble today."

Without another moment's hesitation, Yun Chen wrapped his arms around Lin Chuxia's waist in the water and gave her a firm pat on the back.

As his hand connected with her back, his mana surged like a breached floodgate, flowing from his palm into Lin Chuxia's body.

"Pfft... Cough, cough..."

As the mana entered her, she expelled a large amount of water and began coughing violently.

Soon, Lin Chuxia's eyes fluttered open, and she slowly came to, whispering, "Am I not dead?"

Seeing Lin Chuxia regain consciousness, Yun Chen quietly breathed a sigh of relief and said irritably, "Had I been even a minute later, you'd be dead!"

Hearing Yun Chen's voice, Lin Chuxia fully recovered her senses.

She turned her head and saw a striking young man.

Was this not the very Mr. Yun that Shen Siyu often mentioned?

Lin Chuxia was momentarily taken aback, then asked, "Was it you who saved me?"

"We'll talk once we're out of the water," Yun Chen replied, avoiding her question.

Continuing to hold her waist, he swam towards the shore...

"Can't deny it, the school beauty really lives up to her title with such a slender waist..." Yun Chen thought to himself as he swam, though he maintained an utterly serious demeanor.

It was then that Lin Chuxia realized she and Yun Chen were still submerged.

Yun Chen was embracing her waist, guiding her towards the shore.

A blush crept over Lin Chuxia's still-pale face, yet she did not resist Yun Chen's hold, allowing him to lead her to the safety of the shore.

After assessing the current situation, it was clear that Yun Chen was her lifesaver.

Lin Chuxia couldn't help but feel a flicker of fondness for Yun Chen.

As this fondness began to take root, a system notification chimed in Yun Chen's mind: "Ding! Congratulations to the host..."

At the moment the notification sounded, Yun Chen had just brought Shen Siyu to the shore.

Hearing the system's congratulations, Yun Chen was thrilled!

He anticipated another reward from the system.

So, without a second thought about whether he was holding the campus beauty or a plain Jane, he used all his strength and tossed Lin Chuxia onto the shore.

Yes, he threw her quite roughly.

Lin Chuxia felt like she had been dumped unceremoniously.

"Jerk, have you no sense of chivalry?"

Lin Chuxia, having been flung onto the shore, sat up slowly, glaring at Yun Chen in the water, her eyes blazing as she shouted.

Simultaneously, the good impression she had just formed of Yun Chen vanished completely.

This jerk has really hurt me! Lin Chuxia fumed inwardly.

Meanwhile, in Yun Chen's mind: "Ding! Congratulations to the host... Congratulations to the host..."

"Ding! Congratulations to the host! Today is a beautiful day!"

Yun Chen was stupefied. What was this all about?

I was eagerly expecting some fantastic reward, and all I get is a 'congratulations' on the weather?

"Could the system be glitching?" Yun Chen wondered with a hint of irritation.

The System retorted, "You nearly gave me a heart attack! Human thoughts are so bizarre, I almost reported an error!"

But as a forgiving man, Yun Chen decided not to quibble with the system.

It was time to get back on dry land, especially since Yun Chen noticed a crowd starting to gather around him.