This residence covers an extremely large area, about several dozen mu in size, with more than ten courtyards. Adam Brooks had already sized it up after glancing from atop the wall. Landing on the ground, he used the momentum to crouch, dissipating the force and avoiding any loud noise.

“That main house is very tall; it must be the owner’s residence. There are bound to be some valuables inside. I’ll go take a look first.”

Adam Brooks was used to being a mountain bandit, but he also had some expertise in burglary, though he’d never really put his skills to the test.

He wasn’t afraid of being seen, swaggering through doors and courtyards. Whenever he encountered a courtyard wall, he leapt over it, making his way to the tallest main house in the compound and stealthily slipping inside. There were a few servants in this main house, but since the master was entertaining guests up front, they were slacking off. Adam Brooks used his lightness skill to slip past them unnoticed, making his way into the rooms.

“What a beauty—truly interesting. No wonder your master is so fond of you…”

“Daoist, you’re joking. Please don’t… If my master sees this, it won’t be a laughing matter…”

“What’s there to fear? With just a single incantation from me, I could kill him. He’s just a mortal—no matter how high his rank as prefect, how could he possibly compete with an immortal like me?”

Adam Brooks was searching for gold and silver when he suddenly heard flirtatious voices coming from the innermost room of the main house, startling him. He listened for a while, then crept over, only to see two naked bodies rolling about freely on the bed, with a woman’s dress and a messy Daoist robe strewn on the floor.

“This lecherous Daoist, relying on his magic, actually seduced the concubine of the Poyang prefect—truly audacious. But with his skills, I suppose it’s only natural that he dares to be so bold.”

Adam Brooks chuckled to himself, not daring to provoke the Daoist, and was about to go steal from another room when he suddenly heard the woman, panting, ask, “Your master’s magic is boundless, but have you learned any tricks yourself? Can you show me something? I’ve never seen Daoist magic before!”

The Daoist laughed heartily, apparently finished, put on his robe, and said, “Then let me show you what I can do.”

Adam Brooks, hearing that magic was about to be performed, couldn’t help but be curious. He wet his finger with some saliva, poked a hole in the window paper, and peeked inside. The Daoist, smiling, pointed with a finger, and the clothes scattered on the floor floated up as if worn by invisible people, drifting in the air.

The woman’s voice came from the bed, exclaiming in surprise, “What amazing magic! The clothes move as if someone’s inside, without anyone wearing them. Daoist, do you have any other tricks?”

The Daoist chuckled, “After such a passionate time, we need some food and wine to liven things up. Watch me summon them with magic.”

Adam Brooks watched, utterly fascinated, eyes glued to the scene. The Daoist seemed unaware, simply forming a hand seal and shouting, pointing at the table. The previously empty table suddenly held eight dishes and a pot of fine wine. The dishes were steaming hot, and the wine was clearly warmed, its fragrance filling the room.

The woman, overjoyed, called out again, “Daoist, your magic is truly marvelous! Please show me a few more fun tricks!”

Chapter Seven: The Skull Demon

Seven, the Skull Demon!

The Daoist chuckled, “Then let me show the young lady something even more interesting.”

Adam Brooks suddenly sensed something was wrong. The Daoist glanced toward the window, his gaze icy cold, like a flash of lightning. Adam Brooks, without thinking, channeled all his True Dragon Force into his arm. The Five Yin Pouch instantly turned into a ring of black light, expanding and contracting, and flew into the room.

This ring of black light swallowed up the vital energy, generating a tremendous suction that descended upon the Daoist. The Daoist assumed it was just a servant peeping from outside and didn’t pay much attention, pondering what trick to play. But as the black ring from the Five Yin Pouch fell, he finally realized the danger. By the time he tried to cast a spell to resist, it was already too late. The sinister artifact sucked him in from head to toe, and in an instant, his body was reduced to a mass of pus and blood.

Adam Brooks, having been a mountain bandit on Tianma Mountain, was not a kind soul. After the black ring from the Five Yin Pouch consumed the Daoist, he didn’t stop there. He grabbed the prefect’s concubine from the bed, stark naked, and, amid her terrified screams, sucked her into the Five Yin Pouch as well.

Adam Brooks retracted his energy, and the black ring from the Five Yin Pouch flew back onto his arm. He had expected to feel weak afterward, but this time, he felt a stream of vital energy pouring out from the black ring, leaving him unexpectedly refreshed.

“Good thing I struck first. If that Daoist had used his magic, I’d have been doomed. But why is it that, unlike last time, using the Five Yin Pouch didn’t leave me exhausted, but instead made me feel invigorated?”

Adam Brooks couldn’t figure it out for the moment. He used his Iron Bone Skill to break the latch on the window, then flipped inside. He didn’t bother looking at the woman’s clothes, but picked up the Daoist’s robe, rummaged through it, and found over a dozen black talismans and some scattered gold and silver. The gold and silver were nothing special, so Big Boss Brooks pocketed them casually. The black talismans, however, were as hard as iron—clearly paper, yet icy cold to the touch, obviously not ordinary items.