After staying home for a few days, one bright morning, the sun rose from the east, bathing the entire neighborhood in a golden glow. Jiang Ming had already packed his luggage, eagerly anticipating today's journey. He would spend the upcoming summer vacation at Longyin Mountain.
As Jiang Ming reached the entrance of the neighborhood, a black Mercedes S-Class sedan slowly stopped at the gate. The dedicated driver, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, smiled professionally as he elegantly opened the car door, revealing a silver emblem gleaming in the sunlight. Wearing sunglasses that reflected the surrounding scenery, he appeared both mysterious and captivating.
Jiang Ming walked towards the driver with a look of surprise. This kind of reception made him feel very special and important. At the same time, he was unaccustomed to such treatment, finding it a bit too ostentatious.
Just as Jiang Ming was getting into the car, Li Ting happened to pass by. She was the school belle, always exuding a unique elegance. Her eyes flashed with a hint of surprise as she stopped to watch Jiang Ming get into the car. Beside her, Zhang Liang's face showed a trace of displeasure, obviously feeling jealous and discontented with Jiang Ming's prominent reception.
"Jiang Ming, what's going on?" Li Ting asked curiously, wanting to know what was happening.
"Oh, nothing much, just going to Longyin Mountain today," Jiang Ming tried not to sound too proud, but he was quite excited about today's trip.
Zhang Liang muttered something under his breath and continued walking. Li Ting cast a glance at the receding car, her curiosity about Jiang Ming growing.
The driver skillfully drove the Mercedes S-Class out of the bustling city center of Donghai City. As time passed, they entered the suburbs, and the road became more rugged. The scenery changed from bustling urban landscapes to the tranquility and natural beauty of the countryside.
Jiang Ming sat in the car, gazing through the window at the patches of greenery and rice fields by the roadside. He occasionally chatted with the driver about the route and the Exorcist Association. The driver, while focused on driving, politely answered his questions.
"President, you really don't know much about the Exorcist Association. Once we arrive at Longyin Mountain, I suggest you spend some time in the internal library to learn more about demons and the association," the driver said politely, with a blank expression.
"I do need to learn more about this," Jiang Ming nodded in agreement, which was exactly what he had in mind.
"If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. My name is Lin Feng, and I'll be your secretary and bodyguard from now on!"
Although Lin Feng did not fully acknowledge Jiang Ming's abilities, he showed great respect for him on the surface, as Jiang Ming was now the rightful president.
"Bodyguard?" Jiang Ming exclaimed. "Is the position of president that dangerous?"
"What do you think happened to the previous president?"
Jiang Ming fell silent, not knowing what to say. He only knew that the former president was Liu Yiyi's grandfather. When Jiang Ming saw him, the grandfather was already on his last legs. Jiang Ming had assumed it was due to old age or some incurable disease.
"If you're scared, you can always pass the position of president to someone else," Lin Feng said calmly, without a hint of sarcasm.
In Lin Feng's view, the position of president was too heavy a burden for a teenager, and few young people could handle it. Moreover, a young person facing life-threatening danger would find it hard not to be afraid.
"I want to give it a try!" Jiang Ming responded firmly.
Jiang Ming didn't claim he wasn't afraid. It was impossible not to be scared, and he couldn't deceive himself or others. He had thought about giving up, but remembering his grandfather's gaze and Liu Yiyi's unconditional support, he decided to persist.
Upon hearing Jiang Ming's words, Lin Feng glanced at him in the rearview mirror, a slight smile playing on his lips as he thought, "This boy's temperament is good. My mentor's judgment is accurate. Skill can be improved with effort, but temperament is hard to cultivate."
Lin Feng continued driving, passing through a road flanked by tall bushes. Suddenly, thick fog enveloped the entire vehicle from all directions. The driver immediately reacted, turning on the fog lights and gently pressing the accelerator to speed up, trying to escape the fog.
In the dense fog, the outlines of the bushes and the road became blurry, as if covered by a thin veil. The car's headlights illuminated only a few meters ahead, and the surrounding scenery seemed to vanish into the mist.
"Be careful, the enemy is here!"
Jiang Ming's heart raced, and he felt increasingly nervous. He gripped the car's handrail tightly, trying to stay calm. He began looking outside for any signs, hoping to discern the surroundings and prepare for any potential danger.
A shadow burst from the ground, and the speeding car suddenly encountered a powerful impact, being thrown into the air and splitting in half from the chassis.
Inside the violently tumbling car, Jiang Ming felt a tremendous inertia pushing him forward as the car body split apart. His body was flung out, and he was quickly separated from Lin Feng as the car split. In that moment in the air, everything around him became a blur, as if he had entered an uncontrollable nightmare.
However, Jiang Ming's instincts quickly kicked in, and he tried to flatten his body to slow his fall. The wind roared around him, and he felt his body accelerating downward, his heartbeat quickening.
In the critical moment, Lin Feng's figure suddenly appeared before his eyes. After escaping the shattered car, Lin Feng unhesitatingly lunged towards Jiang Ming, successfully catching him in mid-air. The two fell to the ground together, their bodies hitting the ground hard.
Lin Feng handed a handgun to Jiang Ming, "Stand still, and shoot at any enemy you see."
Jiang Ming took the gun, his hands trembling. This was his first close encounter with a real gun, and he was extremely nervous and apprehensive.
"Be a man, don't be afraid!"
Jiang Ming didn't say much, just nodded slightly.
Lin Feng slowly raised his right hand, and the sword at his waist was drawn out with his movement. The blade gleamed in the fog, like a solidified wind. His fingers lightly touched the hilt, feeling like the wind, motionless.
His eyes fixed on the fog ahead, the surrounding air seemed to listen to his command, gradually intensifying. Lin Feng closed his eyes, activated the "Wind Breathing Technique," and then recited in a deep and solemn voice, "Storm Impact!" With his words, the wind around the blade intensified, like a thousand galloping horses.
Suddenly, where the blade passed, a deep wind sound thundered through the area, the wind element on the blade surging violently. Around Lin Feng, a spinning whirlwind gathered, lifting countless tiny fog particles, tearing the fog apart instantly. The fog was scattered by the whirlwind, revealing the enemy's figure within.
As the fog dispersed, a woman appeared in the distance. She wore a luxurious hanfu, her sleeves fluttering in the wind, looking both classical and mysterious. Her slender and graceful figure, snow-white skin, and faint glow exuded an extraordinary aura.
She held an umbrella, its surface like jade and frost, lightly resting by her side. The most striking feature was the three soft fox tails behind her, each covered in fine silver-white fur, swaying with the breeze.
"It seems this task is harder than expected. Let's play a bit longer, then," she said softly, her voice bewitching and seductive, as if it could enchant the heart, making one unable to resist.
Jiang Ming was involuntarily drawn to this scene, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the fox demon. He felt an invisible force penetrating his heart, making him want to get closer to understand this mysterious fox demon better.
He gradually fell into an illusion, where he coexisted with the fox demon in a dreamlike environment. His body started bleeding from the nose, seemingly affected by the illusion's power. He held the handgun, unconsciously pointing it at Lin Feng.
Lin Feng, eyes closed and frowning, was also trapped in an illusion. In the illusion, he returned to his childhood at ten years old, but this time, the family's fate was entirely different. In this illusion, the monster was promptly eliminated by Liu Yanfeng, saving Lin Feng's parents.
Lin Feng's family life became extraordinarily happy and peaceful. His parents were loving and caring, filling their home with laughter and warmth. The family lived in harmony, enjoying every beautiful day together.
"This is not real! Child, wake up," Lin Feng heard his mother's voice in his heart.
"This is not real!" Lin Feng murmured in the illusion.
Lin Feng decided to face reality, even though he deeply loved his family. He knew they were mere illusions. Determined to break the illusion, he took action. Lin Feng faced his illusionary parents, pain and determination in his eyes, then acted.
A flash of the blade, and his family gradually disappeared, their faces becoming blurred until they vanished into thin air.
With a loud bang, a gunshot rang out.
Lin Feng saw Jiang Ming holding the gun aimed at the fox demon, still bleeding from the nose. He was surprised that Jiang Ming had awakened from the illusion before him.
Behind them, a burrowing earth creature tried to ambush the two illusion-trapped Lin Feng and Jiang Ming. However, upon hearing the gunshot, it retreated back into the ground.
"Cover your ears and don't listen to the fox demon," Lin Feng reminded.