Lone Star Chasing Moon

Xiang Yuan and the female ghost moved their fight from the courtyard to the corridor, then from the corridor to another courtyard.

The female ghost's abilities were weak, even less than an ordinary martial artist. With her illusions broken and suppressed by the Vast Righteous Qi, she could only be at the mercy of his blade. However, her ghost form was ethereal and solid, making her difficult to grasp, and she could pass through walls and trees, making her hard to kill.

Xiang Yuan swung his blade, cleaving through a flash of white light. After splitting the misty female ghost in two, he slapped a calligraphy onto her face, covering half of it.

Green smoke rose, and the female ghost seemed to fall into a pot of boiling oil, letting out a sharp, piercing scream.

Xiang Yuan felt the paper in his hand grow hot. His hands didn't stop, and he swung his blade again.

Old Daoist Quexin had taught him that if you kill, you must kill completely. Otherwise, weeds would grow back endlessly, leading to future trouble.

Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west. What if this female ghost escaped, found a divine opportunity in the deep mountains, and rapidly advanced to become a generation's Empress who could suppress the world, only to return for revenge?

The possibility was slim, but not nonexistent.

Xiang Yuan swung his blade repeatedly, reducing the female ghost to a mass of white mist. Within the mist, a distorted face roared silently, and by some unknown method, it scattered a chilling, cold aura.

The four characters 'People Have Intentions' bloomed with red light, and a scorching wave spread out, forcefully pushing back the cold.

At this moment, the sound of messy footsteps approached from behind, accompanied by loud shouts, which made Xiang Yuan impatient.

Can't you two be quiet!

You two weren't here when I was fighting demons, you don't even have the ability to fart and create wind. The female ghost was almost dead, and you two come out to cause trouble. What, do you want to spare her life and persuade her to become a good female ghost?

Xiang Yuan knew these two idiots were capable of such things, so he turned around with annoyance. "Don't come over here. My swordsmanship isn't precise, and I might injure your ancestral roots!"

"No, Little Yuan Bro, another one's here."

"Just outside the door, following Brother Xiao!"

"Nonsense, you brought him in. Little Yuan Bro, save me."

There's another one!

Xiang Yuan's heart pounded in alarm. One ghost hadn't been dealt with, and another had appeared. With wolves in front and tigers behind, and him carrying two burdens...

No, he had to deal with one first.

Xiang Yuan knew his own capabilities. He could suppress the female ghost entirely thanks to Wang Wenxu's excellent calligraphy. If he were attacked from both sides, his life might be in danger tonight.

He conceived a plan, his eyes sharpening. He drew his blade and slashed towards the female ghost in front of him.

At this moment, he was like Liu Jingsheng possessed, his mind as still as water. One strike was faster than the last, his sword momentum like a raging storm, instantly scattering like pear blossoms on a tree. With such an aggressive swordsmanship, even if there were living people before him, they would be finely sliced into minced meat.

The female ghost didn't even have time to scream before she, along with the mist, dissipated.

Xiang Yuan stood there, gasping for breath, his face pale. His Primordial Spirit was overused, and he had no possibility of fighting with his sword anymore.

Don't worry, if he lost his composure, he still had his cold-bloodedness and his comedic side.

He didn't switch to his cold-blooded persona immediately. He held his sword in front of him with difficulty, steadying his trembling arm, and shielded Xiao He and Xu Jixian behind him.

"Little Yuan Bro, if I can survive tonight without losing my yang essence, I will become sworn brothers with you," Xiao He said emotionally.

"Me too."

"Shut up!"

Xiang Yuan adjusted his breathing and fixed his gaze in the direction of the corridor, his eyes like a fierce tiger, imposing without anger.

A black figure slowly approached, as if appearing out of the darkness, leaving no trace and making no sound.

Xiang Yuan let out a soft "Oh," realizing it wasn't a ghost, just someone walking silently. A living person.

At night, pretending to be a ghost to scare people?

The person approaching was clad in a black robe, with their head covered, walking silently. Xu Jixian, not knowing the depth of the situation, mistook them for a ghost.

"Little Yuan Bro, Widow Wang's husband's family has come looking for me. I was intimate with her last night, and Old Wang might not let me off..." Xu Jixian whispered.

Xiang Yuan ignored him and said coldly, "Who are you, and why are you pretending to be a ghost? Is the female ghost under your command?"

"Hehehe, you have some insight, kid. You recognize my sect's Ghost Controlling Divine Art. Your swordsmanship is passable. If you were brought into the mountains and fed to a fierce tiger, you could be refined into a tiger-devoured ghost (chānguǐ - a ghost of a person killed by a tiger, used to lure others to their death)." The black robe spoke slowly, its voice like a ghost, elusive and unpredictable.

I recognize it, my master's uncle uses this technique much better than you. A wave of his sleeve can summon a hundred ghosts to roam at night.

Lingguang: I'll help you!

With his master's uncle's life-saving help, Xiang Yuan recognized the opponent's origin at a glance. It wasn't some other sect, but the Yellow Springs Dao hidden in the Southern Border.

The Yellow Springs Dao was one of the eight Demonic Beings. Most of its disciples practiced ghost-controlling techniques, or they were ghosts themselves. Their various inconceivable methods made them impossible to guard against, and few who encountered them survived. They were mysterious and unpredictable, leading to many rumors about the Yellow Springs Dao, and people in the martial world spoke of them with fear.

Xiang Yuan knew some inside information. The Southern Border was rife with Demonic Beings, making it difficult for ordinary cultivators to survive, and even low-level disciples of the Yellow Springs Dao dared not leave their sect until they reached Foundation Establishment.

But how could one cultivate by staying cooped up in a room? Moving around and using external forces to temper oneself was the right way.

Therefore, these disciples would leave the Southern Border and return only after their skills were sufficiently honed. Because of this, people rarely knew that the Yellow Springs Dao's main base was in the Southern Border, only thinking that they were everywhere, with traces of ghosts and spirits found all over the place.

Judging by the female ghost's abilities, the black robe's ghost-controlling skill was average, far from having Foundation Establishment strength. Xiang Yuan estimated that the opponent was in the Acupoint Opening stage, significantly stronger than himself.

There was no chance of winning in a head-on confrontation, so he could only...

Ambush!

He acted according to his plan, taking a deep breath. "Demonic Beings and heretical Daoists are targets for everyone to eliminate. You don't need to waste words. Just use whatever skills you have."

"That's right! Just use whatever skills you have! If our Little Yuan Bro even frowns, he's not a man!" Xiao He said, putting on a brave front.

"Let me tell you, Brother Yuan is one of the four great divine constables of Dezhou! He has imperial authorization to wield his saber, acting first and reporting later. He's incredibly powerful!" Xu Jixian loudly chimed in.

"Hmph, you two good-for-nothings are quite amusing. I'll turn you into refined ghosts for my entertainment."

The black-robed figure looked at Xiang Yuan, sneering repeatedly. "Your Primordial Spirit is exhausted, your saber momentum lost. It's already remarkable that you can barely hold your saber. Don't struggle. I'll let you die quickly. Otherwise, I'll torture you into a vengeful spirit or a fierce ghost. That feeling won't be pleasant."

You're quite kind!

"Enough nonsense. If you want my life, first ask the saber in my hand."

"Then let me ask."

Seeing Xiang Yuan's stubbornness, still putting on a show before death, the black-robed figure let out three cold laughs. He raised his right hand, his five pale, slender fingers scattering black mist, stirring the wind within the courtyard. It blew, making Xiao and Xu yelp in fear, covering their eyes and not daring to move.

Xiang Yuan recognized this move. It was the claw technique 'Fierce Yin Wind' practiced by outer disciples of the Yellow Springs Dao, a foundational Acupoint Opening martial art. This further confirmed the opponent's strength and cultivation.

I can win!

He let out a low roar, retracting his saber to his side. He raised Wang Wenxu's calligraphy with his other hand, using its righteous energy to suppress the yin wind, then lunged forward with a swift step.

In the silent darkness, a flash of saber light appeared, like a single cold star, piercing through the air.

Xiang Yuan's eyes were icy, seeing nothing but the black-robed figure. His saber momentum was no longer that of a fierce tiger. Its presence was like a star from beyond the heavens, its speed like lightning, its edge unmatched. With this move unleashed, it was like a lone star tearing through the night sky, chasing the moon.

His heart was like still water, his intent like a shooting star – swift, precise, and deadly.

Heavenly Saber, First Style: Lone Star Chasing Moon!

The black-robed figure mocked Xiang Yuan for seeking his own death, keeping one hand behind his back to display his demonic might. Suddenly, his eyes brightened. Before the saber even arrived, the killing intent had reached him, sending a chill down his spine and leaving him flustered, his formation instantly disrupted.

Impossible! His Primordial Spirit is exhausted, how can he wield such a saber technique?

No, his aura has changed. Just now, a fierce tiger... now...

Is it him?

Or not him?

A silver flash, and Xiang Yuan and the black-robed figure passed each other. Xiang Yuan rushed forward two steps before finally stopping.

A killing move I just learned, still not proficient. I'll need to kill a few more enemies later.

This saber strike directly drained Xiang Yuan's Primordial Spirit energy. The cold-blooded mode had no follow-up, and his body swayed, nearly falling.

At this moment, Xiang Yuan still had a third of his comedic potential left to unleash. The scene was unbearable. Xiao and Xu were watching. Unwilling to be tainted, he turned his head slightly, lowering his gaze. "You asked, didn't you? How was my saber?"

The black-robed figure didn't speak, answering with silence.

With a bang, he fell to the ground, dark blood flowing from his chest and abdomen, staining a large area of the ground.

With a soft pop, green ghost flames erupted from the black-robed figure's corpse, instantly igniting it. The flames raged fiercely, leaving only a patch of scorched blackness in moments.

This outcome was within Xiang Yuan's expectations. He nodded. "Since you didn't speak, I suppose my saber technique was not bad. I hope you enjoyed yourself."

"Ah, this, this..."

Xiao He's eyes widened, tightly gripping Xu Jixian's sleeve. He pointed a finger at Xiang Yuan, babbling incoherently.

Xu Jixian was also stunned. Jolted by the imposing aura that swept over him, he vaguely sensed a wetness. He reached down to his crotch, his face changing drastically.

"What the hell! Who peed my pants!"