The Great Yan Dynasty—no, the entire Central Plains Cultivation World—placed great importance on mortals. Every village had Qi Refining Cultivators guarding it, lest heretical cultivators use them to practice their arts.
For example, if a ghost at the Qi Refining Stage appeared and killed the Qi Refining Cultivator, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would immediately be sent over. If the Foundation Establishment Cultivator was killed, then a Core Formation Cultivator would be dispatched at once. The most common way for ghosts to advance was by devouring the vital essence of cultivators and mortals. Yet even after consuming vast amounts of vital essence, it would be impossible for one to reach the Core Formation Stage in such a short time.
There were three possibilities. First, the low-level cultivators had neglected their duties and watched as the ghost grew stronger. Second, this was a sudden incident—the ghost had existed all along, only emerging to harm people after cultivating to the Core Formation Stage. Third, some faction was deliberately stirring up trouble. This was a provocation against the Great Yan Royal Clan.
Leaving aside everything else, King Luyang would never tolerate it. After all, Quanzhou was King Luyang's territory, and no one wished less for trouble to arise there than he did.
The Great Yan Royal Clan and the seven kings of different surnames jointly ruled the realm. What they wanted was stability; they absolutely did not wish for the Great Yan Dynasty to fall into chaos.
"A married woman had an affair and was subjected to the pig-cage drowning. Her corpse was thrown into a cave, but for some unknown reason, she became a ghost. At first, it attacked passing merchants and travelers. By the time the Myriad Immortals Bureau discovered it, it had already reached the Core Formation Stage. It sent lesser