Jiang Mengxin found herself surrounded by rats, their intent to devour her alive evident.
Upon hearing the door being kicked open, she turned and saw Lu Ming standing at the entrance. Tears streamed down her face instantly, a feeling akin to sunlight breaking through a frozen landscape.
A beacon of hope!
"Husband, save me!" Jiang Mengxin blurted out.
In her state of emergency, she didn't realize she hadn't called out "Lu Ming," but "husband." This revealed that deep down, Jiang Mengxin had unknowingly begun to regard Lu Ming as her significant other.
The rats, unable to contain themselves, prepared to attack.
Seeing the dire situation, Wang Banxian dropped his pretense and began playing his harmonica, directing the rats to attack Lu Ming.
Hundreds, even thousands, of large rats attacking a single person simultaneously was a truly terrifying sight.
An ordinary person would likely be torn apart and completely devoured by these rats within a minute; fortunately, Lu Ming was no ordinary man.
He raised his hand and shot out five silver needles, killing all the rats lunging at him.
Then.
Lu Ming retreated a few steps and drew a dagger from his waist.
It was time to showcase his true strength!
Lu Ming unleashed the true might of the Dragon Warlord, a force that would kill gods and buddhas alike! The rats swarmed him like raindrops, but Lu Ming moved with swift agility, each slash of his dagger cutting four or five rats in half.
His movements were fluid, precise, and deadly.
One rat came, one died. Two rats came, two died!
Clearly, the rats had never encountered such a formidable man. After a flurry of attacks, they were astonished to find Lu Ming unharmed, while their ranks were decimated.
Naturally timid, the rats grew fearful and began to retreat, attempting to flee.
However, Wang Banxian wouldn't allow it!
Wang Banxian played an even sharper melody on his harmonica, forcing the rats to attack Lu Ming with renewed frenzy. Under duress, the rats attacked relentlessly.
Lu Ming narrowed his eyes, unleashing his killing intent.
"Die!!!"
Lu Ming's dagger blurred into afterimages as he slashed, cleaving the charging rats in half. The ground was littered with the mangled bodies of rats, a gruesome sight.
The rats no longer wished to attack, but under the control of the harmonica's melody, their actions were involuntary.
Lu Ming noticed this.
He let out a cold snort. While cutting down a large rat with his right hand, he shot a silver needle with his left, striking Wang Banxian's harmonica and sending it clattering to the ground.
Without the music, the rats immediately stopped.
"Squeak squeak," they chattered for a moment, then rapidly retreated. Within seconds, hundreds of rats vanished without a trace.
Wang Banxian was stunned.
His greatest asset was gone. How could he possibly fight Lu Ming now?
"This..."
Wang Banxian tried to retrieve the harmonica from the ground, but Lu Ming gave him no opportunity. He lunged forward, grabbed Wang Banxian by the neck with one hand, and shoved him forcefully against the wall!
"Gurgle... gurgle..." Wang Banxian's throat was constricted, making it difficult to breathe. Gritting his teeth, he managed to say, "I am a spirit medium disciple, a respected half-immortal. You cannot treat me this way. You will face divine retribution!"
Lu Ming stared at Wang Banxian with cold eyes and said, "If you are a half-immortal, then immediately cast a spell to save yourself."
Wang Banxian was struck speechless.
Save himself?
Save his ass!
He was nothing but a swindler who preyed on the elderly and engaged in fraud, not some half-immortal. Lu Ming had seen through this long ago, which was why he had no intention of holding back.
Trouble.
Wang Banxian realized he was in deep trouble and knew he couldn't confront Lu Ming head-on.
He shifted his strategy and began to beg.
"Big brother, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have lusted after her, shouldn't have been so brazen. I am not human, I am scum. I was wrong, truly wrong."
"Given that Miss Jiang is unharmed, won't you let me go?"
"I can give you money. Furthermore, I can offer your entire family free blessings. What do you say?"
Free blessings?
Heh, could such a lecherous scoundrel offer blessings? It would more likely bring misfortune!
Lu Ming silently raised his dagger.
Wang Banxian completely panicked and screamed, "Help! Someone, help!"
Now it was his turn to cry for help.
Unfortunately, no one paid him any mind.
Just as Wang Banxian had disrespected other girls before, now, no matter how agonizingly Wang Banxian cried out, no one paid him attention. They believed this was his deserved fate.
Wang Banxian had been undone by his own actions. It served him right!
"Go repent to King Yama."
Aiming for Wang Banxian's heart, Lu Ming struck with a steady, precise, and ruthless blow. He gave Wang Banxian absolutely no chance to survive.
One strike, and he was dead.
A wicked charlatan, who had committed countless evil deeds and plagued the region, met his end by Lu Ming's blade.
Releasing his grip, Lu Ming let the corpse fall to the ground.
He sheathed his dagger and turned to the still terrified Jiang Mengxin, supporting her and asking with concern, "Are you still able to stay calm?"
Jiang Mengxin nodded with difficulty.
Taking a moment.
She looked at Wang Banxian's corpse and said, "Lu Ming, you killed someone. What... what happens now? You'll be sentenced to death."
"Heh heh." Lu Ming chuckled. "This scoundrel harmed countless people. He deserved to die. Besides, I killed him to save you. It was self-defense, a justifiable act, and I won't be sentenced to death."
"That's good, that's good."
Overcome with emotion, Jiang Mengxin suddenly hugged Lu Ming. Having survived this near-death experience, her feelings for Lu Ming deepened further.
At that moment, Lu Ming whispered in her ear, "When you called out for my help just now, what did you say...?"
Instantly, Jiang Mengxin's face turned as red as a ripe apple, blushing from her cheeks to her neck.
She had called him "husband"!
"I... what else can I call you, other than Lu Ming?" Jiang Mengxin stubbornly denied.
Lu Ming scratched his head. "Is that so? I thought I heard a different address?"
"You misheard!" Jiang Mengxin turned her face away, too nervous to meet Lu Ming's gaze. That one word, "husband," had completely revealed her feelings for Lu Ming.
Indeed, her trip to Mist City had changed her.
Just as their feelings were heating up, Xu Qin and Jiang Xueyi arrived outside the side hall.
They noticed Lu Ming was missing, then saw a group of thugs lying on the ground. Puzzled, they suspected Lu Ming might be causing trouble and came to investigate.
Upon arriving, they found Lu Ming and Jiang Mengxin embracing. Good heavens, he really was causing trouble!
At the same time, the sight of the rat carcasses on the ground also puzzled Xu Qin and Jiang Xueyi.
When they walked to the doorway and looked in, they saw Wang Banxian's body lying on the ground, a dagger plunged into his chest. Xu Qin completely panicked and screamed, "Someone's been killed! Help!"