Chapter 295: 295. Manipulating Emotions
The piercing sound of air being sliced was unlike anything before; this was a technique that could leave a tangible, lethal Air Blade in the air!
The first strike of the Cross Slash cut through the front chest area of the daytime Demon Spirit.
This time, there was finally no more feeling of light and ineffectual strokes. Aron Dite’s extraordinary blade sliced through the festering meat, and the sensation of its edge snapping brittle bones was unmistakably clear.
The blade shattered the third and fourth pairs of ribs, and the thoracic vertebrae in between were crushed to bits.
The already tattered body of the Demon Spirit offered no resistance whatsoever.
The second vertical chop split from the left shoulder of the Demon Spirit, hacking through its shoulder blade, ribs... ultimately cleaving through its hollowed-out abdomen.
After the damage from the two steel blades, the Air Blade began to take effect, breaking the shattered bone shards into finer pieces and shredding the ragged cloth on the Demon Spirit into flying scraps...
This level of tangible damage could not be endured even by the Demon Spirit.
It was on the verge of being sliced into four pieces by Lann’s two blades!
Immediately, the Demon Spirit faced the sky, screaming as if it were being punished. Then, emerald flames enveloped it from bottom to top, leaving nothing behind.
Except for the purple Magic Runes on the ground and a layer of dust scraped by the sword wind, as if nothing had happened.
On the surface, it seemed Lann had completely resolved the issue of this aggrieved and twisted soul, but in reality...
"Can’t kill it."
Lann sheathed the elf-made long sword at his waist, frowning as he looked around. The cold, damp air of winter outside the field still couldn’t manage to seep in.
As if it had bumped into a barrier wall.
The power of the daytime Demon Spirit was still affecting the field; it had only been repelled temporarily.
Shaking his head, the young man cautiously withdrew from the abandoned land and headed toward the village.
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"Master! Demon Hunter Master!"
As the nearly two-meter-tall Demon Hunter approached the village gate, the gathered villagers began cheering at the signal of the village elder.
Mut walked up with a full smile, inquiring Lann.
"Master, that scream just now made us in the village feel chest-constricted and nauseous. Even my dog was scared into peeing! You seem unbothered... Is it resolved?"
Lann calmly looked at the smile-laden Mut, fully aware inside.
Now he addressed him as ’you,’ but once assured the problem was solved, they would no longer speak so respectfully to the Demon Hunter.
"Far from it."
The Demon Hunter waved his hand and left the words behind, causing the village elder’s face and the villagers’ laughter to suddenly freeze.
Mut hurriedly followed up to inquire, "’Far from it’? What does that mean? The monster isn’t screaming, you’ve returned; isn’t it dead and done with?"
Lann’s eyes swiftly glanced at the surrounding villagers, their faces laden with the anxiety of being targeted by a monster.
This was a good scenario.
A scenario where the village elder would not dare lie.
As long as he tied what he wanted to know to the villagers’ safety... The villagers would compel the elder to reveal the information.
"Then I’ll speak plainly, everyone."
The Demon Hunter suddenly turned, facing most villagers to ensure they could perceive his serious expression and solemn tone.
As the Son of the Emperor, he was familiar with this.
"The field in this village saw the murder of a woman about to marry two years ago, murder! The lingering Demon Spirit outside is the resentment of that woman."
"It’s driven insane by pain or anger, roaming the fields, seeking her unfaithful lover, the rival who stabbed her secretly, or perhaps even the murderer who stabbed her the night before her wedding. However, even if not any of these, anyone who fails to avoid in time will be hunted by it."
"It’s unkillable! Silver swords, Magic, Witch Doctor’s herbs... None can kill it! Just now I sliced it into four parts, but it will be back by tomorrow, as if nothing happened."
The professional tone and confident demeanor instilled massive persuasion.
The detailed explanation of the daytime Demon Spirit’s menace provided villagers, previously only vaguely afraid of the ’monster,’ with more concrete and real terror.
They began whispering, anxiously grabbing each other’s hands, then, startled, quickly letting go, nervously gazing around...
These reactions were all within Lann’s expectations.
And when fear prevailed among the crowd, even Mut’s mouth twitched, Lann shifted the narrative.
"But there is a way to deal with it, everyone."
Under the suspension bridge effect, the crowd looked at the Demon Hunter like a lifeline, eyes filled with expectation and pleading.
The amber cat eyes swept across, locking eyes with each person. Resolute yet gentle.
Each of them felt they drew courage and confidence from them.
Even Mut felt so.
"Sire! My good Master! What method do you have? Please, hurry and tell us!"
Now, he wasn’t even calling him ’Master,’ but ’Sire.’
As if this mutated freak possessed a noble identity at this moment.
Finally, the amber cat eyes fixed on the village elder.
"I need that woman’s belongings, Mut."
In the plain words, the village elder’s initially hopeful expression abruptly hardened.
He began feeling cold.
"You say what..."
"I need that woman’s belongings, the woman who died in the field two years ago, those items painstakingly kept, symbolizing emotional attachment! Without them, the daytime Demon Spirit is unkillable! Do you understand?"
Without waiting for the village elder to start evading, Lann directly interrupted him.
The biting tone and urgent emphasis caused Mut to break out in cold sweat in the dead of winter.
Not planning to wait for the village elder’s response, the Demon Hunter announced directly to all villagers.
"I know the woman’s death was not normal, giving birth to such a monster as the daytime Demon Spirit, surely she died with grievance."
"I also know everyone lives in the same village, often crossing paths. It’s unwise to betray one’s neighbours over a dead outsider, right?"
"But gentlemen, ladies!"
"Now is not the time to keep silent and maintain neighborhood harmony: The outside daytime Demon Spirit awaits to storm into the village and take your lives! At this moment, does concealment continue? Does claiming ignorance stay?"
The crowd began to stir, many discreet glances started gathering on Mut.
Lann’s eyebrows inadvertently raised, then chuckling silently... It was actually you?!
He initially believed the village elder was the one covering up traces, sparing his village from losing a strong labor force.
But now it seemed he himself was the issue.
Under the crisis created and agitation by Lann, a middle-aged man, clutching his wife and children, first walked before Mut, who had his head down.
His family said nothing, just staring straight at him.
With a leader, other villagers followed suit, gazing at the village elder who broke out in more cold sweat.
They didn’t speak, but they had made their stance clear.
No matter what happened two years ago, Mut had to settle this! Hand over that damn personal item! Give it to the damn Demon Hunter!
The village elder’s face looked awful as he raised his head to face the outsider in his village.
Meanwhile, the outsider appeared indifferent, arms crossed, merely extending a finger to point at the villagers encircling him.
Meaning: ’This is your village’s private matter, take care of it; I’m only waiting for the item to do my job.’
Mut clenched his teeth, nearly grinding them to pieces.