Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
With Song Ren the treasure hunter ghost, the group successfully stayed in an inn. After staying there for two days, the civilians of the city had already moved out of Longxing City gradually. The city which was previously noisy and bustling suddenly quieted down. In the streets, mortals without cultivation were not seen. Only the Mystic cultivators came out to patrol the streets occasionally.
Following arrangements by Mystic Daoists, Yi Qing had been out twice these few days, both to reinforce the defense outside the city. Only then did he understand the said difference between Mystic cultivators and Immortal cultivators. The former seemed more inclined towards talisman cultivation. Besides those peach wood swords which had no real power, talismans were the most frequently used by them. And the so-called reinforcement of defense outside city was only pasting the whole exterior of the city gate with many low-level talismans.
Yi Qing looked at them and his mouth kept twitching. Should those so-called deviant ghosts were really so large in numbers that they could take over cities, these low-level talismans could apparently hold for no more than a quarter of an hour. Yet everyone’s looks were completely serious. Thinking about their cultivation level, Yi Qing had to set a Protective Mountain Array around the gates when others were not looking.
He became even more curious about what on earth was the matter with those so-called deviant ghosts?
Yi Qing didn’t wait long. In the next evening, he felt sensed abnormality. Something was approaching with a wave of Yin Qi. Apparently they were still hundreds of miles away, but the temperature in the city had already plummeted.
“Great Immortal?” Song Ren looked at Yi Qing who suddenly stood up with some confusion. After a while he thought of something and his opened wide abruptly. “Are the deviant ghosts…”
“Hmm.” Yi Qing nodded.
Song Ren’s expression grew anxious, and he turned to walk towards Shen Ying’s room. “I’ll go and wake Great Immortal Shen.”
“Come back!” Yi Qing dragged the man back with a fast speed. “Master is asleep.”
“Ah?” Song Ren was stunned. And?
“Wake her up now, and Longxing City will really be lost.”
“…”
What do you mean?
(⊙_⊙)
Yi Qing didn’t show any intention of explaining. Grabbing him, he flew towards the outside of the city on his sword. Once outside the city, that Yin Qi in the air became even stronger. A wave of blackness could be seen from far away which covered even the moonlight. Around them, icy-cold wind blew.
Yet the Mystic cultivators patrolling the city didn’t seem to notice these changes. Yi Qing hit them easily with a wave of spirit qi, sending a voice transmission: Deviant ghosts are already here!
That Mystic cultivator was stunned, and looked around to discover no one. Nevertheless, he turned to notify others.
Yi Qing didn’t pay it much heed, but directly flew on his sword towards the direction that Yin Qi concentrated. In a short while, he heard ghosts screaming in all types of shrill manner. Only then did Yi Qing see the looks of those so-called deviant ghosts.
It was a black fog which was so thick that it almost looked like ink, and even had a bit of the look of demonic Qi. While shrilling ghost screams could be heard clearly, no physical body was seen. Only the blurry shapes of one or two ghosts flashed from within. Besides, the range of the black fog was extremely wide, covering half of the forest. And its speed was very fast. Wherever it passed through, trees and grass died.
Yi Qing was shocked by the scene in front of him. This was simply like… many ghosts glued together. With the look of it, instead of a group of deviant ghosts, it was one ghost instead.
He flew down directly, and a separation array was formed in an instant. The black fog which was originally rushing towards Longxing City was blocked. The shrill screams grew even harsher.
Yi Qing stepped forward and let his Divine Perception explore. Indeed, many souls were gathered within this black fog, but the soul was very thin that only one or two faint shapes of souls drifted around. There were even a few that looked alike.
These were… remnant souls!
His eyes opened wide abruptly. Inside this black fog, it was actually all remnant soul, but not a single complete and intact soul!
What was going on?
By right, remnant souls were extremely fragile and dispersed once they met a little bit of immortal qi or spirit qi. Besides, they would only come under the influence of the original body. Yet this was not the case for the remnant souls here. They apparently had no consciousness of their own, yet they gathered together to form a force of attack no weaker than evil spirits. Besides, the number looked actually more than ten thousands at a rough look.
So many remnant souls gathered on their own instead of returning to their true form?
Unless…
They don’t have a true form at all!
Yet remnant souls had no consciousness, so why were they here? He glanced at the black fog carefully, and only after a long while, he discovered a bit of unusual aura within it. It was some grievous aura.
Grievous energy!
They were driven by the grievous energy, just like Song Ren who rushed into the Celestial World.
“Song…” He subconsciously turned back to look at Song Ren who didn’t speak the whole way. Yet he realized that strings of dark gray aura started emerging from all over his body, and soon they covered his whole body. Anger and grievance came to those eyes which always used to be timid and horrified. The eyes were red.
He… was affected by the grievous energy from the black fog?
“Song Ren!” Yi Qing cried out loudly.
Yet he didn’t seem to hear, and the grievous energy thickened upon him, and his expression grew even fiercer. “Kill! Kill!” He murmured aloud. In the next moment, he directly went out of the projection, and immediately changed back to that grievous look back in Celestial World. He became a black ball which rushed directly towards the black fog of remnant souls.
“Song Ren!” Yi Qing grew anxious, and he directly produced a ray of spirit qi from a hand seal. It forcefully tied up Song Ren, who was already completely consumed by the grievous energy, and dragged him back. He kept on to add four or five layers of sealing spell.
Yet Song Ren seemed to completely lose his consciousness. He started a wild attack on the array around himself. The soul which was weak to start with grew even thinner.
Meng Po wasn’t here so his grievous energy couldn’t be eliminated. Yi Qing’s face darkened, and he had to seal him back to the projection on the ground. And he made another few spells, before he finally, slowly contained his grievous energy.
That was when the Mystic cultivators from the city rush over. They saw the black fog which covered the sky immediately.
“Deviant ghosts, they are deviant ghosts! They are here indeed!” Everyone’s face paled.
“Chase away deviant ghosts!” Someone shouted. And the Mystic cultivators, without looking carefully, all rushed over, holding the peach wood swords in their hands high. They were almost going to pass through the separation arrays that Yi Qing set.
Yi Qing’s heart dropped. “Don’t go there!”
It was too late. His array could only separation ghosts but not live men. When he sealed Song Ren back to his projection, they had already rushed inside. With a clanging sound, a crack suddenly appeared on the translucent array.
A large amount of black fog rushed out and went directly towards the group. Those who were the closest didn’t yet have time to take out the talismans, and in an instant, blood broke out of their bodies. They immediately turned to dry corpses with not a bit of livelihood.
Yi Qing was full of anger, and in an instant he wanted to curse in the manner of Father Niu: Holy shit!
His hand turned and a wave of sword qi was just about to be sent over, when a chanting voice suddenly came from the sky.
“Infinite Heavenly Venerate!”
As that voice fell, a clear spirit qi swept from behind them, dispelling the thick black Qi within a moment. It directly forced those remnant souls back into the array. A golden array suddenly appeared in mid-air. It shone with bright golden lights and it produced a translucent golden dome which directly covered the black fog below.
A cultivator in green robes walked over from behind. He looked to be thirty to forty years old of age, and his hand held a whisk. His look was that of a godly kindness. Within several steps, he had already arrived in front of everyone.
Yi Qing realized his cultivation in an instant: Soul Formation level! He was mildly shocked. This small world actually had a Soul Formation cultivator too. More importantly, a golden light which was so thick that it felt blinding surrounded his whole body, making him look like a moving light source.
Was this… the light of merit?!
