"Huff... Huff..."
The raging fire continued to burn fiercely.
Fenric's madness had caused widespread devastation to the surrounding area.
The old tree demon was trembling in fear!
Even Chixia looked visibly shaken!
The power Fenric had just unleashed was terrifying beyond words.
Controlling Sky Thunder?
How could any normal human possibly do that?
The next moment, Fenric calmly stowed away Thor's Hammer.
Blowing up the mountain wasn't his true goal—it was a warning, a show of overwhelming power meant to frighten the Thousand-Year Tree Demon.
Releasing thunder through Thor's Hammer consumed immense mental energy. With Fenric's current spiritual reserves, he couldn't sustain it for long.
Even in the Marvel movies, Thor himself couldn't continuously summon thunder with his hammer. It took a toll.
As Fenric stored the hammer, the dark clouds above quickly dispersed, and the sky returned to clear, sunny weather.
"Beardy, stop staring. Dig out Lillian's bones already."
Snapped out of his shock, Chixia shot Fenric a complicated look, then started digging.
As for the nearby locust trees? Not one dared to make a sound—not even a fart.
Fenric's destructive power had left a lasting impression on the old tree demon. At this point, it desperately hoped Fenric would leave soon.
This human... is a nightmare incarnate!
Soon after, Lillian's grave was unearthed.
Just like in the original tale, five black-gold pagodas(*or stele) were found buried within.
Chixia blinked in surprise. "Why are there so many?"
"Take them all," Fenric replied.
He collected all five pagodas without hesitation.
That night...
Fenric was about to summon Lillian when a loud voice rang out outside Orchid Temple.
"Chixia! I know you're hiding in there! Come out and fight me!"
Inside, Chixia's expression stiffened. A helpless look crossed his face as he sighed, "Brother Yihao... he's here to spar again."
Fenric nodded, already recognizing this part of the story. This was where the original plot began to unfold.
In that version, the old man Yihao ended up dying miserably—drained dry by the Thousand-Year Tree Demon.
"If it's your business, then deal with it yourself," Fenric said coolly.
Chixia nodded, drew his sword, and dashed out the door.
Soon after, the clanging of blades and martial arts echoed from outside.
Fenric turned his gaze to the five golden pagodas and called out, "Lillian, you can come out now."
"Young Master, I'm here~"
Fenric turned, exhaling silently. Why do these female ghosts always sound sexy?
"Lillian, is your soul vessel among these pagodas?"
"Yes," she replied, pointing to one of them. "That one is mine."
Fenric helped her up, picked up the corresponding golden pagoda, and then turned to the others.
"Alright, the rest of you—go reincarnate already!"
From the void, four voices echoed in unison:
"Thank you, Young Master!"
And with that, the remaining four pagodas vanished.
Fenric could have absorbed them for a good sum of Yin points. But doing so would undermine the "hero" persona he had carefully cultivated. Besides, he had his eyes on far more powerful monsters in the City of the Dead.
These four were hardly worth the effort.
"Lillian, I still need your help dealing with the Old Black Mountain Demon. So, reincarnation will have to wait a little."
Lillian bowed deeply. "Say no more, Young Master. Your great kindness—Lillian will never forget it. If I can do anything to help you, I will gladly offer myself."
"Good," Fenric smiled. "Lillian, I need you to help me with a little performance."
"Please, give your orders."
"First, change your appearance—look miserable. Then go back to the Thousand-Year Tree Demon and cry to the old hag. Say I'm not human, that I abused you horribly, and demand to marry as soon as possible."
Then he added with a reassuring smile, "Of course, don't worry. With me here, I won't let the Black Mountain Demon lay a finger on you. The moment he shows up... is the day he dies."
Lillian, clever as ever, quickly caught on.
Her eyes lit up with admiration. What a bold and cunning man!
"Yes, Young Master. I will make sure the act is convincing."
Immediately, she set about transforming herself.
First, she tore her clothes, then used spirit energy to create bruises and scratch marks on her skin. In no time, she looked pitifully abused.
"My Lord... how's this?"
Fenric glanced at her and felt something was still missing.
Then it clicked.
The hairstyle.
"Your hair's still too neat. Come here, I'll help."
He stepped forward and tousled her hair until it looked appropriately messy.
As he leaned in, Lillian caught a whiff of his masculine scent. Her mind turned blank.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she shyly averted her gaze.
A ghost... in love with a human... such a cruel fate.
There could be no future between them.
"All done!" Fenric said, stepping back. He nodded in satisfaction at her appearance.
Now, Lillian looked completely miserable—tattered clothes, disheveled hair, bruised skin. She was the very image of a woman abused by a heartless man.
"Evil thief! Let go of that girl!"
Suddenly, a voice barked from behind.
The tone was righteous, but it carried a hint of hesitation.
Fenric's keen senses had already detected the stranger long ago. He just didn't find it worth acknowledging—until now.
Turning around, he saw a young scholar carrying a bundle on his back.
He was delicate in appearance—thin, refined, with a gentle elegance.
The protagonist of this world—Naichen.
At the sight of him, Fenric felt instant annoyance.
This trash protagonist again.
He hated Naichen when he first watched the movie. The guy was just a pretty face, surviving only because the heroine constantly protected him.
Without Lillian, he would've been long dead—his soul sucked dry.
"Evil thief! Let go of that girl!" Naichen repeated.
The moment he saw Lillian, he was awestruck by her beauty. Her pitiful appearance stirred his righteous heart. Seeing Fenric "laying hands" on her, he instinctively intervened.
But something didn't feel right.
Both the "fairy" and the "villain" were calmly watching him.
Even worse, the "fairy" was hiding behind the villain... and she looked scared of him?
What... what is going on here?!