Just as Zhao Liangcai and the Infant Spirit stared at each other in mutual bewilderment.
Zhao Liangchen, who had deliberately lagged a few steps behind, also arrived at the door. Looking up, he saw that what Zhao Liangcai was carrying was not the Child Ghost he had raised at all, but a dripping-bloody Infant Spirit.
An Infant Spirit was formed from a baby killed while still in its mother's womb. Strictly speaking, it was also a type of Vengeful Spirit.
And the fiercest kind at that.
Abandoned by its Mother before it was even born—how intense must its resentment be?
Seeing Zhao Liangcai like this, Zhao Liangchen's eyes widened at once, and he shouted, "Let go! That's an Infant Spirit!"
An Infant Spirit?
Zhao Liangcai's pupils contracted. His mind had been blank just moments ago, but that shout struck him awake like a heavy hammer. His brief confusion instantly turned into deep terror, and a thousand words became one.
Fuck!
He flung away the ghost in his hand and turned to run! He had arrived with such swagger, and fled in just as much disgrace.
The Infant Spirit also came to its senses then. So you're afraid of me?
Since you're afraid of me, then I'm not afraid of you!
Its tiny body flipped once in midair before it lunged toward the fleeing figure.
"Slash!"
Zhao Liangchen naturally could not stand idly by. He formed a Finger Seal, and the bracelet on his wrist flashed, instantly transforming into a Flying Sword. A streak of sword light, like a rainbow, shot straight at the Infant Spirit.
Bang—
The Infant Spirit was struck head-on by that sword-rainbow from the air. It was pierced through the chest and nailed to the wall behind it!
But the Infant Spirit's fierce reputation had not come from nowhere. Not only did that sword fail to kill it, but its two tiny hands gripped the blade, and with a hiss, it pulled the Flying Sword free.
Blood sprayed in all directions. With a strange shriek, the blood gushing from its wounds abruptly turned into a Blood River, rolling backward toward them!
Zhao Liangcai had only just reached the doorway when the Blood River rapidly caught up from behind, seeking to swallow him whole.
Zhao Liangchen grabbed Zhao Liangcai by the shoulder and tossed him backward. With his left hand, he drew out a Talisman and thrust his palm forward. Bang—
The surging Blood River struck the Talisman. Red light flashed, and it exploded with a thunderous boom.
But that was not the end. Behind the Blood River, the Infant Spirit's true form suddenly pounced forth, its entire body drenched in filthy blood and its face savage.
"Slash!"
Zhao Liangchen shouted again. The Flying Sword that the Infant Spirit had thrown to the ground immediately lit up with sword light and flew back in reverse.
Hiss—
Blood flashed again, and the Infant Spirit's tiny body was severed into two halves.
Destroyed.
Zhao Liangchen took the Flying Sword back into his hand. Watching the light on its blade flicker and dim, he could not help feeling a pang of heartache.
This Magical Artifact Flying Sword had been tainted by Infant Spirit Blood, damaging its spiritual light. It would take no small amount of effort and materials to refine it anew.
That heartache quickly became anger, and he glared fiercely at Zhao Liangcai. "You fool! You've got quite the nerve!"
Seeing that the Infant Spirit was dead, Zhao Liangcai puffed out his chest and said awkwardly, "Wasn't I just too worried because Gongsun Girl got frightened...?"
But Gongsun Rou paid no attention to his declaration of devotion. Seeing Li Chu and Wang Longqi come out from next door, she immediately moved over to them.
"Gongsun Girl, are you all right?" Wang Longqi asked.
"I'm fine." Gongsun Rou shook her head. Seeing Wang Longqi limp as he walked, she asked, "Are you hurt?"
"Hehe, I fought a ghost just now. In the end, Li Chu and I joined forces and killed it," Wang Longqi said.
They paid us, Li Chu thought, and forgave Wang Longqi's shamelessness in his heart.
"Shameless," the five Little Ghosts said in unison.
They had also followed behind Li Chu, floating out in a row.
When they saw Zhao Liangchen over there, they hurriedly slipped over and hid behind him.
"These Little Ghosts..." Wang Longqi immediately felt that something was off and pointed at Zhao Liangchen.
Zhao Liangchen ignored him. He swiftly used the Black Bottle to collect the Little Ghosts again, then said solemnly, "There is a huge problem with this building. We should leave first."
"Huh? Haven't the ghosts already been killed?" Zhao Liangcai said unwillingly.
He and Wang Longqi had a wager, so naturally he did not want to leave so easily.
Zhao Liangchen glared at him again. "The Yin Qi here is far too dense. There are definitely more than just two or three ghosts. There might be one in every room!"
"What?" Everyone was astonished.
Li Chu, however, was not surprised. As the night deepened, the Yin Qi here had grown increasingly dense. He had sensed it as well.
It was just somewhat strange, because he could not sense where this Yin Qi was coming from. It was as if it had appeared out of thin air.
Wang Longqi turned to look at the rings of buildings. There were nearly a hundred rooms of all sizes. If every room had a ghost, would that not mean more than a hundred of them?
He swallowed and looked at Zhao Liangcai. "The wager is off. How about we leave together?"
Zhao Liangcai stiffened his neck. He wanted to say something harsh, but he did not dare stay any longer either, so he said, "Since you regret it, I'll give you a chance."
Zhao Liangchen took the lead and headed downstairs.
The others followed close behind him. Wang Longqi was the slowest because of his injured leg, and Li Chu slowed down to keep him company. Gongsun Rou wanted to move closer to Li Chu, so she slowed down as well. The six gradually split into two groups.
The three members of the Zhao Family walked ahead. Zhao Liangchen warned in a low voice, "Keep quiet. Whatever you do, don't alert them."
"Okay." Zhao Liangcai nodded quickly.
Before his words had even settled, a withered, dark face suddenly poked out from the door to his left.
"Ah—" Startled by the sudden sight, Zhao Liangcai staggered two steps, crashed into the railing, folded over it, and fell with a scream!
Luckily, there was a net below. But that net had been there for decades and was long since flimsy. Combined with his fat body, it tore with two ripping sounds, and he crashed to the ground with a bang.
This time, the commotion was enormous.
Zhao Liangchen formed a seal with his left hand and pointed at the ghost's head. With his right, he directly sent out a Fire Talisman. Boom—
Before the Black-faced Ghost that had poked its head out could even see what was happening, it was engulfed in blazing flames and drilled back into the room.
When Zhao Liangchen turned back again, his expression changed drastically!
All the tightly shut doors had begun to tremble. In the blink of an eye, more than ten ghosts emerged from the doors and walls, drifting about eerily.
Among these ghosts were skeletal old men with gray hair, opera performers singing in lilting tones, blue-faced muscular men clad in armor, elegant Female Ghosts in clothing from the Previous Dynasty, and even more ghosts that were non-humanoid. Their only shared trait was that none of them had shallow cultivation—there was not one who was easy to deal with!
Zhao Liangchen frowned tightly. Grabbing Zhao Xiaomiao by the arm, he leaped down and landed beside Zhao Liangcai.
Zhao Liangcai was still rolling around in the torn net on the ground, wailing incoherently. Zhao Liangchen kicked him in the backside and shouted, "Stop yelling!"
With one person in each hand, he sped toward the first-floor entrance, wanting to leave this place of trouble and conflict as soon as possible.
Just then, a strange roar rang out, and an enormous creature sprang forth, blocking the way.
Li Chu, meanwhile, guarded Wang Longqi and Gongsun Rou as they continued walking at an unhurried pace.
As Gongsun Rou watched more and more ghosts appear around them, her face had already gone pale white. Yet her courage was not weak; she merely bit her lower lip and said nothing.
Li Chu could not help glancing at her again. This Gongsun Girl looked soft and delicate, but her temperament was quite strong.
Wang Longqi, on the other hand, was already limping as he walked. Under the weight of his fear, he felt his calves cramping nonstop, making him move even more slowly.
Especially when he looked up and discovered that ghosts from nearly every room had emerged and were gradually gathering below. There were ghosts of every conceivable shape and form, too many to take in at a glance. He was scared witless.
In an instant, it became a Hundred Ghosts Parade at Night!
It was enough to drive one to despair.
He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Li Chu!"
Take Gongsun Girl and leave first. Don't let me drag you down! Once you get out, take good care of Gongsun Girl for me. I'll bless you both from the underworld! Don't worry about me—eighteen years from now, I'll be a hero again!
He had intended to say something so righteous and awe-inspiring.
But just then, a Three-Headed Yaksha in the sky could no longer suppress its bloodthirsty killing intent and dove down! All three heads had blue faces and protruding fangs, fierce and evil. That appearance alone could scare timid people to death.
Its six sharp giant claws, muscles knotted like dragons, reached down. Any one of them could crush a lion tiger's skull.
The sudden terror left Wang Longqi unable to speak. His heart nearly stopped.
Then Li Chu, standing ahead, did not even look at it. He casually drew his sword and swung.
Whoosh—bang!
The sharp White Light passed through its body. Before the sword light had even traveled halfway, the Three-Headed Yaksha's Ghost Body could no longer endure it and burst apart with a boom.
Only then did Li Chu turn around and look at Wang Longqi. "Did you call me just now?"
"Uh... I told you to be careful," Wang Longqi said hesitantly.
"Oh."
Thanks to reader 20190125103432149 for the five-hundred reward.
The collections and recommendations seem to have been a little low these past couple of days. I don't know whether this part of the plot is the issue. I'll wrap it up as quickly as possible, then start an interesting new storyline.
Before you continue