Ghosts Gather

Thwack, thwack, thwack…

“Human brat! Wake up!”

“Wake up!”

After an unknown length of time, Zheng Que faintly heard a voice and felt a stinging pain on his face.

He groggily opened his eyes to a dim, shadowy scene. Qing Li was leaning over him, and upon noticing he had awakened, she immediately withdrew her pale hand.

Yin Qi churned all around, as if veiled by layers of black gauze. The temperature had plummeted, as if winter had arrived early. The density of Yin Qi was more severe than ever before.

Zheng Que jolted fully awake, sitting up abruptly.

“What time is it now?” he asked urgently, quickly scanning his surroundings.

He needed to know how long he had been unconscious. How much time remained until the Hai hour, when his lifespan was set to end?

As he spoke, Zheng Que rose from the bed and strode toward the door.

Qing Li followed closely behind. “It’s almost the Hai hour.”

“Many ghosts have gathered outside. They must be here for you, human brat.”

“If you die, it’s a small matter. But if I get punished because of you, that would be a disaster!”

“I’ve already sensed it. The southwest direction has the fewest ghosts.”

“You should escape from that side, human brat.”

Creak!

Zheng Que yanked open the temple door. A cold wind thick with Yin Qi rushed at him, instantly shrouding his vision as if with multiple layers of gauze.

The courtyard was empty and desolate, overgrown with wild grass and dotted with old trees, just as before.

Night had fully fallen, and in the darkness not a sound could be heard. A silence as still as death.

He immediately sensed something amiss and swiftly turned his gaze toward the courtyard wall. Under the faint moonlight, grotesque ghosts were crowded together, clinging to the wall. Their countless ghostly eyes stared unblinkingly into the courtyard.

These ghosts were enveloped in swirling Yin Qi, gathering like dark clouds. Most were at the fifth or sixth layer of the 【Tongue-Tearing Hell】, with a few at the seventh layer.

Though numerous, they lingered silently outside the courtyard wall, seemingly hesitant to enter, as if wary of something.

Zheng Que understood clearly. These ghosts dared not enter because the dilapidated temple still carried the aura left by his master.

If he had been cultivating at his own home this time, these ghosts would have already stormed in while he was unconscious.

“Are these ghosts my tribulation tonight?”

“No.”

“To slaughter every living person in the entire town at the same time, these ghosts alone wouldn’t be enough.”

In a flash of thought, Zheng Que acted without hesitation, swiftly forming a series of complex hand seals.

Behind him, Qing Li instantly transformed into a streak of crimson light, merging into his arm. Black and white patterns emerged, and soon Qing Li’s head grew from the side of his neck.

【Spirit Descent Technique】!

Zheng Que felt a surge of power flooding his body. When he was at the first layer of Qi Refining, using this spell had boosted his strength to the second or third layer. Now, his own cultivation had already reached the second layer of Qi Refining, and Qing Li’s cultivation had reached the fifth layer of the 【Tongue-Tearing Hell】.

At this moment, using this spell, he could clearly sense that the power within him had reached an incredibly terrifying level.

However, there was no time to dwell on the sensation.

The instant the spell took effect, Zheng Que charged out the door.

Bang!

Zheng Que instantly rushed out of the courtyard gate, sprinting wildly toward the town entrance.

“Roar!!”

The numerous ghosts crouching on the courtyard walls erupted into a chorus of hoarse roars upon seeing Zheng Que leave the dilapidated temple, then immediately gave chase.

The pale moonlight outlined the streets. The once-familiar houses were now crawling with all sorts of bizarre figures. Their bodies radiated Yin Qi, their forms grotesque, like centipedes after rain, wandering and climbing everywhere.

The entire town seemed to have plunged into a mass of black fog, with thick, almost tangible Yin Qi filling the alleys. Countless ghostly shadows drifted through the mist like ephemeral mayflies.

Detecting the presence of a living person, a ghost covered in stitched scars immediately blocked the middle of the long street ahead, cutting off Zheng Que’s path.

This ghost’s body was divided into eight parts, haphazardly assembled with black threads. Its head was an arm, its walking legs were five or six ribs smeared with flesh and blood, and its torso was a forced fusion of buttocks and a head.

Its only sharp claw extended from its chest, viciously swiping at Zheng Que.

Thud, thud, thud…

Zheng Que’s forward momentum didn’t slow in the slightest. His left arm suddenly swelled, striking first with a punch that hit the ghost’s head.

Bang!

The ghost staggered, losing its balance. In that instant, its claw aimed at Zheng Que landed on empty ground beside him.

Zheng Que had no intention of engaging with this ghost. After landing the blow, he swiftly passed by it and continued running at full speed.

Just then, a ghost resembling both a human and a beast on a nearby rooftop hissed from its throat, leaped down, and pounced on Zheng Que.

This ghost was entirely crimson, devoid of any skin, its exposed muscles trembling slightly as they continuously dripped purplish-black bloodstains. Its face twitched spasmodically, emitting constant hoarse murmurs, as if enduring the agony of its past life at every moment. In its hand, it held a pale yellow bag. Upon closer inspection, the bag was its own human skin.

Its speed was swift. In the blink of an eye, it had pounced in front of Zheng Que, its mouth gaping open like a split to reveal sharp fangs, biting fiercely at him.

Zheng Que’s gaze sharpened. A coarse hemp rope abruptly appeared, instantly wrapping around the flayed ghost’s neck.

The next moment, the flayed ghost was hoisted into midair.

Before Zheng Que could continue fleeing, large clumps of hair suddenly emerged from the ground. Dense, thick strands rapidly entangled his legs.

Zheng Que’s expression remained unchanged, his eyes immediately locking onto the hair at his feet.

In that instant, he used Qing Li’s authority as an Underworld Envoy to disable one of the ghost’s abilities.

All at once, the hair entangling his legs went limp, losing all restraining force.

Zheng Que exerted strength, breaking free from all the strands. But after only a few steps, the ghosts behind him had caught up, swarming toward him from all sides.

Zheng Que frowned, immediately slashing his palm. Spiritual blood infused with Extreme Yang Qi gushed forth, like sparks igniting in the darkness. He swung his arm, splattering the spiritual blood into the air like a giant net, casting it behind him.

Then, he formed a hand seal. The spiritual blood behind him transformed into mist, rising into the air and encircling the nearby ghosts.

This was the 【Ghost Taming Art】!

As if sensing the threat of the spiritual blood, the ghosts charging from behind scattered to the sides, avoiding the area shrouded in the spiritual mist.

Seizing the moment, Zheng Que ceased his spell. His arms instantly elongated, sweeping across the street in the blink of an eye to grasp the corner of a distant house’s courtyard.

His legs burst into action, propelling him into the air as his extended arms swiftly retracted.