Chapter 1: The Haunted Yōlin (Part 1)

  Afterwards, Ding Lin held a memorial service for Guo Wanchuan and presented a sincere and respectful elegy.

  Ding Lin did not expect that Guo Wangchuan would die because of this, and he was also very regretful in his heart. Although he got the Hundred Ghosts Painting as he wished, he was not as overjoyed as Guo Wangchuan, but instead worried and anxious.

  The demons and monsters in the world are divided into seven levels: spirits, monsters, evil spirits, ghosts, ghostly apparitions, demon kings, and demon emperors. The "Hundred Ghosts Picture" can only record up to the level of demon king. The first page of the four remaining volumes is a golden page filled with curses, which is used to seal away the four demon kings. As for the demon emperor, apart from the demon hunters, no one else has heard of his existence, let alone seen him.

  In the ancient legend, if someone could obtain the four remaining volumes of the Hundred Ghosts Painting and subdue all the demons, the ghosts and monsters in the world would return to the sacred realm and never again disturb the human world. For thousands of years, countless demon hunters, demon cultivators, and Taoist priests who rid the world of evil have yearned for these four remaining volumes, hoping to bring eternal peace to the world. However, unfortunately, legends are only passed down through word of mouth, and that day never comes. No matter who obtains the four remaining volumes, they almost always fail at the last moment, leaving behind a legacy of regret, and even their names and experiences are unknown to anyone.

  Moreover, all those who have obtained it, for reasons unknown to outsiders, wish to destroy the Hyakki Yagyo, but no matter what method they use, they cannot succeed, and can only hide it in a place where people are hard to find. And legend has it that when the four remaining volumes reappear in the human world at the same time, it will also be the day of the great calamity of the nine heavens, and the balance between humans and ghosts will be broken. If the four remaining volumes cannot be gathered together before the nine heavenly evil stars return to their positions, the world will be destroyed, and the human world will be desolate.

  Ding Lin deeply knew the ferocity of the Bai Gui Tu, and since obtaining it, he had hoped that it would not fall into the hands of those with ulterior motives. Therefore, he carefully preserved it, only actually using it once to subdue Tie Shu. Afterwards, he sealed the Bai Gui Tu away in storage, never mentioning it again, not even telling his own family members.

  When Ding Lingxiao was 18 years old, Ding Qi discovered that a terrible change had occurred:

  Nine heavens collapse, the emergence of the comet, Tai Bai crosses the sky. The thousand-year catastrophe is about to arrive. And Ding Lin's own destiny also shows signs of "years and fortune converging", with little time left. The Hundred Ghosts Chart has reached a point where it cannot be used.

  This year was 2008, the Wuzi year of the lunar calendar. The White Star flew into the central palace, governing water and turmoil. At that time, the demon emperor turtle fish appeared in the world, wanting to break free from the shackles of the Dragon Gate Mountain underground for a thousand years and return to the human world. This triggered earthquakes and rivers, disasters struck Wenchuan, and millions of evil demons imprisoned underground escaped wildly. The Chinese mainland suffered unprecedented destruction, 70,000 innocent people died, the whole country mourned, and lives were lost.

  Ding Lin rushed to Wenchuan, rescuing the affected people in the disaster area, trying his best to drive away evil spirits and demons. Ding Lingyu's distant relative, Ding Qiuyu, also followed Ding Lin to Wenchuan.

  Ding Qinyu is two years younger than Ding Lingxiu, but she has a natural talent and is also the sister who has been secretly in love with Ding Lingxiu since childhood. The clever Ding Qinyu gave up her studies too early and inherited the orthodox family business of demon hunting, so her cultivation far surpasses that of Ding Lingxiu.

  When they arrived, countless external demons and monsters gathered in the disaster area, taking advantage of the situation. Ding Lin found that many powerful people from the Demon Subduing Sect had also come to the disaster area. Some were there to transcend vengeful spirits, some to subdue demons, and others to refine evil ghosts. Although these people all had their own goals, their common enemy was the demons and monsters causing chaos in the disaster area, which was the only reason for them to unite.

  Because of the unity of purpose, these people joined forces and formed an anti-demon alliance, launching a large-scale human-demon war against the demons and monsters brought by the turtle fish, which lasted for nearly a hundred years. In the history of the demon, it is called "The Fourth Human-Demon War".

  When doctors use their medical skills to rescue critically injured patients, and soldiers risk their lives to search for trapped civilians, these extraordinary individuals contribute their strength, even their lives, in their own ways, for the peace of their families and country.

  This time the war between humans and demons lasted for a whole year, more than 300 members of the Anti-Demon Alliance were killed or injured, while the demon army was almost completely annihilated, leaving only some extremely cunning Demon Kings and Ghost Kings to flee in disarray.

  Ding Qinyu went missing in the war, and Ding Lin also had his left arm bitten off by a cruel ghost in the war, and he was infected with the cruel ghost's resentment, which fulfilled his "double years" omen.

  Nü Gui is the eldest son of the ancient emperor Zhuanxu, who became a plague spirit after his death and belongs to the ghost king level. He often appears in the river water domain, inhabits places with people, is good at scaring young children, and spreads plagues, bringing disasters to humans. According to "Lunheng", "One lives in the river, it's Nü Gui; one lives in the ditch, it's Kuí Jiàn Guǐ; one lives in the palace, room, corner, warehouse, good at scaring people and children." This time he was attracted by the evil power of the turtle, becoming the leader of the demon army, triggering a human-demon war.

  The resentment of the evil spirit is extremely strong, and Ding Lin, who was infected with the evil spirit's resentment, returned home and fell seriously ill. With only a hundred days left to live, he deeply knew that the Great Tribulation of the Nine Heavens was approaching, and the Ding family, which possessed the Qinglong Baigui Map, must shoulder the heavy responsibility of saving all living beings.

  He then told Ding Lingxiu all the secrets of Qinglong Baigui Tu and hoped to pass on his lifelong learning within a hundred days.

  At this time, Ding Ling was in his third year of high school and facing the college entrance examination. In order to take over the family business, he had no choice but to give up his studies and devote himself wholeheartedly to learning the secret techniques of the Ding family. Although he had shown remarkable spiritual power since childhood, with a slight depression on his forehead at the age of 6 and opening his yin-yang eyes at the age of 7. At the age of 10, he recognized hundreds of ghosts, and at the age of 12, he could communicate with demons. However, before this, he had never asked about his family's business, and Ding Ling did not want to let him come into contact with evil spirits too early, hoping that he would focus on his studies. He also did not disappoint his father's expectations, ranking among the top in school, and even solved some paranormal events during his studies.

  After learning the secret of the Hundred Ghosts Painting from his father, he took over the family business without hesitation and became the 49th generation of orthodox demon hunters in the Ding family.

  After a hundred days, Ding Lin had passed on more than half of his life's learning, but finally exhausted himself and took to bed. On his deathbed, Ding Lin was weak and feeble, with dull eyes that had lost their luster. As he lay dying, he suddenly looked back at Ding Lingxuan, who was sitting beside him, and said:

  "My spiritual cultivation is at a critical juncture, and my father's fate is also approaching. My life will not last much longer. On this trip to Wen County, I discovered that not only does the Ding family possess a genuine 'Bai Gui Tu' fragment, but another fragment has also appeared in the world. It can be seen that the Great Calamity of the Nine Heavens is about to arrive, and the fragments of the Bai Gui Tu are gradually emerging into the world. You must remember the secret transmission of the Ding family's symbol method that I taught you, complete the Bai Gui Tu as soon as possible, and find the missing Yu'er."

  "Dad, don't worry, I'll remember." Ting Lingxiu had already been crying, and choked out a promise.

  Ding Lingxiu's mother also covered her face and wept, unable to bear the sight of her husband with eyes deeply sunken and a complexion as pale as death.

  "This is the guide key to the underworld, with it you can enter the underworld alive, and even Ox-Headed Horse-Faced will let you pass." Ding Lin closed his eyes, using his last bit of strength to pull out an old bronze key from his bosom.

  Ding Lingxiu took over the last Ding family spiritual instrument from his father's ethereal hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

  "Xiu Er, never go after delusions. You know what's false doesn't mean you know what's real. When you arrive at the world after death, there's no truth, only the King of Hell's orders."

  These were Ding Lin's last words.

  Ding Lin, this once spirited and talented demon hunter, passed away in his prime.

  And from then on, Ding Lingxiu, the 49th generation heir of the Ding family, also began his legendary journey to subdue demons and evil spirits.