Bringing Out the Big Guns

[Your character Temple Priest has died, roleplay ended]

Yang He subconsciously touched his neck, clearly feeling that the Living Immortal was becoming more difficult to deal with, even deliberately avoiding his gaze.

"Since Li Feng could live until the Ghost Lotus a few years later, it means the Five Lights Temple will pass without incident, and it is indeed my opportunity to advance to the Hungry Ghost stage."

Yang He smelled the pungent stench within Peibai City and no longer hesitated, summoning the panel.

[Acquired Four Yin Meridians]

[Acquired Skin Pouch Dharma Robe]

[Acquired Thirteen Fire-Accumulated Yin Bones]

Yang He first exchanged for the Fire-Accumulated Yin Bones. The thirteen sections of vertebrae fell into his palm, and he could see that the bone quality was scorched black, with traces of burning on the surface.

The ghost hand couldn't wait to appear.

Yang He did not suppress the Potential Ghost and instead let the ghost hand devour the spinal bones.

Perhaps because they originated from the same source, the yin bones required almost no refining. In just a moment, the ghost hand's little finger and ring finger had become corporeal.

"The yin bones nurtured by the Bone Accumulating Fire Incantation can indeed be used to recreate the ghost hand."

"If I learn multiple similar cultivation methods, I can gain some extra yin objects for free each time I roleplay a character, hehehe."

"Exchange for the Skin Pouch Dharma Robe."

The Skin Pouch Dharma Robe was as thin as a cicada's wing and took on a human form, its surface covered in scars.

As soon as Yang He refined it, the Skin Pouch Dharma Robe disappeared into his skin and flesh. His appearance immediately became unrecognizable, and his aura turned exceptionally cold.

The overgrown scars twisted his features, making him unrecognizable even to Old Man Yang.

"With the pupil ghost present, the Skin Pouch Dharma Robe's effect of concealing yin qi is a bit redundant, but its ability to hide my true appearance is an unexpected bonus."

"It will be useful against evil ghost cultivators."

Yang He put away the Skin Pouch Dharma Robe, stuffing the human skin into his embrace. After several folds, the Skin Pouch Dharma Robe was no larger than his palm, making it easy to carry.

The Four Yin Meridians then merged into the pupil ghost, and he could see blood threads spreading across the whites of his eyes.

Yang He felt his perception of external yin qi become incredibly sharp, even faintly sensing the yin qi content of the Eighteen Layers of Hell.

It seemed that the yin qi in the Third Layer of Hell already surpassed that of Qing Lake.

The moment the yin meridians were perfected, the pupil ghost occupied his forehead, and the blood threads transformed into profound Dao Rhyme, causing the yin qi within his fish stomach to vanish completely.

Yang He suppressed the pupil ghost's instinct to devour external yin qi and summoned the panel again before the Four Yin Meridians were fully refined.

Anyway, his permanent character and his own cultivation were consistent, so there was no need to take risks in the Main World.

[Mundane Item: Stone-Born Stone]

[Related Lore: Ghost in the Stone, do you wish to consume 1 Spirit Vision to enter the Lore World]

Do you wish to consume 10 Spirit Vision to bring the exotic copper coin sword into the Lore World?

[Do you wish to consume 6 Spirit Vision to bring three Ghost Eyeballs]

"Confirm."

[Identity Stonecutter, Temple Priest are dead, cannot be selected for roleplay]

[Stonecutter (White): Stonecutters went to the mountain range in batches. You were not one of the lucky ones and died without a trace.]

[Temple Priest (Green): Due to the arrival of the General's Mansion, the Five Lights Temple was plagued by misfortune. Although you had inherited spells, you could not avoid death, and your skin was even peeled off your corpse.]

Yang He secretly rejoiced that he had not repeated the fate of the stonecutters. The mountain range was likely filled with Stone Crone Ghosts.

Just as he was about to check the Daoist Initiate, he suddenly noticed the newly refreshed identities.

[Living Immortal (Green): You became a monk at the Five Lights Temple for many years and voluntarily accepted the baptism of fire. Your body has died, but your soul is trapped within the Living Immortal.]

"Hiss..."

"So, roleplaying a character has a chance of resulting in a state of being neither human nor ghost?"

Yang He hesitated and chose to give up. According to Miaoyin, the Living Immortal rarely woke up, so he guessed that roleplaying it would mostly involve acting as a statue, with zero experience.

[Corpse Daoist Initiate: You are a true disciple of Qianyuan Mountain. Passing through Chaoge, you received a plea for help from a fellow disciple and went alone to the Five Lights Temple to suppress the Malevolent Spirit.]

[Because the roleplay of Ghost in the Stone occurred before the birth of the Corpse Daoist Initiate, the character background has changed.]

[It is rumored that the Spirit Pearl of the Jade Void Palace fell to the mortal world and was accidentally broken into two halves. One half reincarnated into an infant, becoming Nezha, and the other half fell into a mass grave, gaining sentience and being named Yang He.]

"It really is adaptive. If I have more permanent characters in the future, won't there be rumors of me, Yang He, everywhere in the Lore World?"

[Permanent characters require an additional 25 Spirit Vision]

[If you do not choose an identity, you will go to the Lore World in your true form]

"Confirm."

It was drizzling, and within moments, a thick fog had enveloped the mountaintop.

Vaguely, one could see groups of ghosts lurking outside the Five Lights Temple. They were crawling in the shadows, emitting chilling wails.

At first glance, the ghosts resembled nothing more than rotting corpses.

The scene was like hell itself.

Li Feng stared at Yang He's corpse. Because the Living Immortal had peeled away his skin, the exposed flesh and blood still showed intact blood vessels and meridians.

Compared to the Malevolent Spirits in the temple, the ghosts he'd encountered on his journey were like mere trifles.

At this moment.

Screams echoed from the direction of the Main Hall.

Li Feng's face contorted in fear, and he fled back the way he came in a panic. The area in front of the Main Hall was already chaotic, with three more skinned corpses.

Li Feng ran towards the sounds, only to find the chaos unfolding before the Main Hall of the Five Lights Temple.

All the victims were pilgrims.

In the instant their gazes shifted, their accompanying family members met a violent end.

They hadn't seen the true face of the Malevolent Spirits, only knowing that a massive shadow had enveloped their surroundings. By the time they tried to locate the Malevolent Spirits, they had already vanished.

Some pilgrims tried to escape the Five Lights Temple, but as soon as they stepped outside the mountain gate.

The ghosts swarmed them, and the rest of the people watched as the living were devoured, their bones transforming into new weak ghosts that glared at them with malice.

"There's a Malevolent Spirit!"

"Your Five Lights Temple must have... done something wicked!!"

"Didn't you say the Five Lights Temple has always enshrined true immortals, and prayers are answered? Why don't you let the true immortals manifest..."

A wealthy merchant grabbed Li Feng's arm, pleading, "General Li, I recognize you! Please escort my family down the mountain. I'll give you anything!!"

"Get lost!"

Li Feng shoved the merchant away and drew the saber at his waist, shielding the carriage.

Daoist Priest Qingfeng's expression flickered, and he hurried over with two Daoist Initiates. "This humble Taoist is Qingfeng from Qianyuan Mountain. Everyone, please listen to me."

The soldiers maintained order, barely preventing the pilgrims from panicking further.

"Immortal Master."

A middle-aged man stepped forward. "I am Cheng Hui, subordinate to Grand Master Zhao Qishang. Qianyuan Mountain is an immortal lineage, so we naturally trust you. But where did this Malevolent Spirit that kills and skins corpses come from?"

Everyone turned to look at Daoist Priest Qingfeng.

Most of them were just wealthy merchants who hadn't heard of Qianyuan Mountain, but Daoist Priest Qingfeng's appearance truly exuded a Daoist bone and immortal style.

"The Malevolent Spirit came from the Five Lights Temple. This old Taoist faced the Malevolent Spirit..." Daoist Priest Qingfeng lacked confidence and didn't know how to explain.

Mingshui spoke up proactively, "My master has vast divine abilities, and the immortals from the Golden Light Cave of Qianyuan Mountain will arrive soon. Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Daoist Priest Qingfeng could only nod.

He scanned the area outside the temple. The extremely dense yin qi had already sealed the mountains, accompanied by hundreds of weak ghosts. It was clear that the Living Immortal had deliberately trapped the pilgrims within the Five Lights Temple.

The Living Immortal didn't intend to let anyone go. Did it want to savor them slowly?

Daoist Priest Qingfeng broke out in a cold sweat, not believing anyone could reach the mountain in such a short time. The Living Immortal was clearly using the yin qi to trap them like turtles in a jar.

Even though the mountainside was filled with only weak ghosts.

Because of Madam Yin, the ghosts were inexhaustible!

As long as one hadn't achieved immortality and enlightenment, they had to consider their own yang fire. Facing an endless stream of Malevolent Spirits, a single mistake could lead to the destruction of their foundation.

And with the festival approaching, Immortal Venerable Taiyi, even if in Chaoge, would not easily come to the Five Lights Temple.

"Master!"

Mingshui said hesitantly, "It seems... a Daoist Initiate is walking towards the temple."

"What?!"