The Culprit Appears

That Man in Black's words made Kongque and Ni Luosha freeze. He looked at them and slowly pulled the cloth wrapped around his head, revealing a plain-looking face.

"Master, how can it be you!" Kongque exclaimed when he saw that familiar face.

"What!? He-he-he's your master?" Ni Luosha pointed at the Man in Black.

"Yeah! Is there a problem?"

"No way! The illustrious Puzhi is the master of a scoundrel like you! Impossible, impossible! How could that be?" Ni Luosha exclaimed dramatically.

"What's so impossible about it, idiot?" Kongque shot back.

"Amitabha. Kongque, Patron Ni Luosha, please stop arguing. I sensed a trace of something inhuman about this female patron. I dare say she will be the next victim." The Man in Black—no, he should now be called Puzhi—spoke unhurriedly.

Puzhi had barely finished speaking when a gust of sinister wind swept over from afar, making all three shiver. They exchanged glances, their expressions wary.

Puzhi took a short iron rod from his robes. He gave it a light flick, and both ends of the rod extended. The short rod became a staff about shoulder-height. (By the standard of a person who was 175 centimeters tall, that made it the Demon Subduing Staff, the weapon used by high-ranking exorcists of the Later Kōya sect.

Kongque didn't dare let his guard down, either. He pulled out a strange weapon with cone-shaped ends. It was also a weapon used by exorcists of the Later Kōya sect: the Demon Exorcising Dagger.

Ni Luosha, however, did not take out a weapon. He crossed his hands and lowered them, chanting in a low voice, "Ghost Qi Surging, gather upon my body. Ghost Technique—Qi Armor." As soon as he finished, the ghost qi around them swiftly converged on him, circling his body and forming a thin,