Chapter 157: All Different

"Are we still going?" Chen Chen asked me in a low voice. After a second of internal struggle, I made my decision.

"Let's go take a look."

I slowly walked toward the source of the smoke. My suspicions were confirmed; this car accident was certainly not simple. For one thing, there was an aura of spiritual energy in the vicinity, which verified my hunch.

Upon approaching, I saw a middle-aged man crawling out of the car, his head covered in blood. He waved at us for help. I sprinted over, and the man, clutching his bleeding head, pleaded, "Please, you have to save my wife in the car. I'm begging you..."

I glanced into the car and saw a figure inside, appearing to have fainted. Knowing that human life was paramount, I channeled my spiritual energy into my hands and pried open the jammed car door with all my might. However, a large wooden beam had pierced the woman's chest; she was beyond saving.

Still, I pulled her out. Seeing this, the man ignored his own injuries and broke into agonizing sobs. I had seen such scenes many times; though my heart remained steady, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sorrow.

Suddenly, I saw a figure drift rapidly out from behind the man. My eyes widened. "Look out!"

Before the words had even left my lips, the figure had already plunged a blade through the man's chest. The man’s tears, not yet dry, lingered on his cheeks as his life faded away.

"Who are you?" I quickly drew my Snow Blade, pointing it at the figure. Only now did I realize that this figure was the source of the spiritual energy.

"This Yin Spirit is none other than the renowned human assassin! Hahahaha!"

The name was so ridiculously melodramatic that it made me cringe, but I remained on guard. This guy possessed the strength of the Sixth Grade of the Spirit Flower Realm—a formidable evil spirit. He combed through his hair, revealing a face twisted with malice. "I loved killing when I was alive, and I love it even more now that I'm dead... Hehehe..."

His laughter sent a chill down my spine. People with such darkness in their hearts are beyond reach; even if you placed a thousand lanterns beside them, it would be of no use.

"Enough talk. Die!"

Chen Chen pulled out his spear and charged. The evil spirit’s weapon was strange—not quite a blade, but covered in jagged barbs. Being struck by such a weapon would surely result in death or severe injury. Chen Chen had been practicing his spear techniques lately, and he moved with newfound agility and spirit.

I didn't rush to help; this was a perfect training opportunity for Chen Chen.

"Hahaha... little brat, watch me kill you!" The evil spirit lunged, knocking Chen Chen back several meters. Fortunately, Chen Chen managed to steady himself on his feet. The evil spirit pressed the attack, and soon they were locked in a fierce struggle.

Because of the reach of his spear, Chen Chen held a slight advantage, but against an experienced evil spirit, such an edge was negligible. I watched as the tip of Chen Chen’s spear occasionally manifested the image of a lifelike white tiger—incredibly imposing. This tiger strike dealt significant damage, forcing the evil spirit to dodge, but it clearly consumed a vast amount of Chen Chen’s spiritual energy. If this continued, Chen Chen would eventually lose unless he changed his tactics.

The evil spirit realized this as well and began to keep his distance, moving with cunning. Suddenly, he threw several hidden projectiles. Chen Chen dodged them nimbly, but one blade still grazed his forearm. Seeing his chance, the evil spirit channeled his energy into a palm strike that hit Chen Chen in the chest, sending him flying backward.

I knew I couldn't stand by any longer. I accelerated instantly, my blade cleaving through the evil spirit's attack.

"What is your name?" I asked coldly.

"I am Lin Jinbo!"

I nearly laughed out loud. We were in the twenty-first century, and someone was still named "Gold Foil."

"Fine," I replied with a slight nod, then transformed into a streak of light and rushed at Lin Jinbo. The gap between the Spirit Flower Realm and the Spirit Lotus Realm was insurmountable. He was far inferior to me in both speed and power, and a single strike sent him reeling.

As he steadied himself, I charged again, summoning five bolts of lightning. With a thought, the Five Thunder Technique surged forward with me. He couldn't block this; even if he parried my blade, he couldn't withstand the lightning. Sure enough, as he dodged my sword, the Five Thunder Technique struck him square on. In an instant, the Yin Spirit was blasted into nothingness, leaving not even a corpse behind.

I hurried over to Chen Chen, helped him up, and dressed the wound on his arm.

"How are you? Are you alright?"

Chen Chen shook his head, indicating his injuries weren't severe.

"Take a rest."

I walked over to the murdered man, who was still clutching his lifeless wife. With a regretful sigh, I cremated them both, then used a Thunder Bolt Technique to knock the wrecked car into a ravine.

"Let's go, let's head back."

Chen Chen, now recovered, nodded without a word. By now, the sky was turning dark—or rather, it was dusk. As the final rays of light vanished, the world plunged into shadow. I took out my flashlight, and Chen Chen followed slowly behind me.

"Lin Yao, you’re really strong," Chen Chen said suddenly, catching me off guard.

"Don't worry, you'll be just like me one day."

Chen Chen, perhaps still reeling from the shock, wiped away silent tears as he walked.

The journey back was smooth. Great-Uncle and Li Zijian had both woken up and were chatting on stone benches. Seeing us return, Li Zijian noticed Chen Chen’s mood and the wounds on his arm.

"What happened, Old Chen?"

Chen Chen looked at Li Zijian and recounted the whole ordeal. Li Zijian, who had initially thought someone had bullied him, sighed in relief after hearing the story.

"Phew... Old Chen, why worry about such things? Look at me, I can't do anything, hahahaha..."

Chen Chen seemed amused by Li Zijian, and the gloom quickly faded from his face. Back on the stone bench, Great-Uncle, having grasped the situation, advised him, "Child, everyone in this world is different. You have your weaknesses, but you also have your own strengths."

"In my eyes, your strength lies in your cool-headedness and your top-tier talent. You don't panic when faced with trouble—that is your strength."

"So don't just envy others. You must believe that you are not inferior, and that you are just as good. Not everyone is Lin Yao, and not everyone is Chen Chen."

Hearing Great-Uncle's guidance, Chen Chen looked at him with teary eyes and nodded firmly.