Desperate Escape

In a flash of inspiration, Ye Yun's mind conjured the Flying Knives he'd obtained from Sun Yu's Storage Bag. He brushed his left hand against his waist, and three knives, thin as cicada wings, were already held between his fingers. Under the moonlight, the meticulously carved blood grooves on their blades shimmered with a faint golden light—an anomaly produced by compressing his Essence Qi at the peak of 8th Rank to its absolute limit.

True Martial Secret Manual, Qi Pierces the Rainbow!

Ye Yun silently recited the mysterious incantation in his heart, and the Essence Qi vortex within his Dantian began to spin at an accelerated rate. A wisp of incredibly pure golden energy surged through his meridians, rushing into the three Flying Knives like a river bursting its banks. The blades instantly erupted with a blinding golden light, illuminating the entire courtyard as if it were day. The air around the Flying Knives distorted, emitting sonic booms.

The female ghost seemed to sense a mortal threat and abruptly retreated three Zhang. The chains on her ankles rattled, and her blue cloth skirt billowed as if in a wind. But it was too late!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The three Flying Knives shot out in a triangular formation, carving three brilliant golden trajectories through the air. The first knife pierced the female ghost's right shoulder, drawing forth a pool of foul-smelling black blood. Each drop that landed on the ground corroded small pits; the second knife precisely embedded itself between her eyebrows, emitting a scorching sound and wisps of black smoke where it met the Yin energy; the third knife was the most vicious, severing the last black thread, as thick as a bowl, connecting her to the ancient well with the force of thunder!

Ah—!!!

A piercing scream shook the courtyard walls, causing dust to rain down and roof tiles to shatter and fall. The female ghost's form writhed violently, like dough being kneaded by an invisible hand, stretching and compressing. The black energy surrounding her dissipated at a visible rate, and the seemingly ordinary chain on her ankle snapped into several pieces. When they fell to the ground, they even gouged deep impressions into the bluestone slabs.

The pile of bones in the well also paused. The skeletal fingers that had already emerged from the well's edge slowly sank back underwater. The boiling well water temporarily calmed, but the two points of eerie green ghost fire beneath the surface remained clearly visible, staring at Ye Yun with utter malevolence.

Effective! Ye Yun rejoiced inwardly. Just as he was about to press his advantage, his expression suddenly changed—his Essence Qi was almost depleted! The emptiness in his meridians made his vision blur. He forced himself to stay calm, his right hand subtly reaching for his waist, retrieving the last six specially made Flying Knives.

Take this! Ye Yun roared, assuming a full-power throwing stance. This bluff actually worked. The female ghost hurriedly raised her withered arms to cross and shield her face, rapidly retreating towards the well. The remaining fragments of the chain on her ankle clinked, creating a strange rhythm as they struck the well's edge.

Now!

Ye Yun retreated sharply. The explosive power of an 8th Rank martial artist sent him soaring towards the three-Zhang high wall like an arrow released from a bowstring. Each step left an inch-deep footprint on the bluestone slabs, demonstrating the astonishing force of his leap. Just as he was about to clear the wall, a thunderous roar erupted from behind him—the well water shot skyward like a fountain!

You... will all die...!

The hoarse female voice pierced his mind like thousands of steel needles. Ye Yun grunted, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He endured the searing pain and glanced back. He saw that the skeletal remains had already climbed halfway out of the well, eerie green ghost fires flickering in their empty eye sockets. Even more terrifying, flesh was visibly growing on the surface of the bones, covering half its body in an instant!

The female ghost lunged madly but stopped abruptly about a Zhang from the courtyard wall, as if hitting an invisible barrier. With a dull thud, her grayish-blue skin suddenly became covered in dense, ancient runes. These dark golden runes were identical to the mottled carvings on the courtyard wall's base. They now emitted a faint golden light, forming a massive net that enveloped the entire West Wing courtyard.

So that's it! Ye Yun suddenly understood. This courtyard had clearly been protected by a powerful formation. No wonder no one had dared to enter for thirty years, and Wang Fu had spoken of the West Wing with such dread. This discovery somewhat eased his mind; at least this evil entity couldn't break through the seal in the short term.

Ah! The female ghost let out a resentful shriek, her voice laced with a chilling mix of laughter and crying. She clawed frantically at the invisible barrier, oblivious as her fingernails broke and fell off. The fallen nails turned into small black snakes upon touching the ground, wriggling into the cracks and disappearing.

Ye Yun didn't dare to linger. He executed a somersault and leaped over the wall. His legs buckled upon landing, and he nearly collapsed. The excessive depletion of his Essence Qi made his vision swim and his ears ring.

Brother Ye! Yan Xiao Liu hurried forward to support him. Everyone looked at Ye Yun as if he were a ghost returned from the dead, filled with both awe and fear.

The Constables who had come with them were puzzled by Ye Yun's sudden surge in strength and his escape from that monstrous entity, but none dared to ask. Watching Ye Yun emerge, some of the younger Constables involuntarily took half a step back, as if afraid he carried some ill omen.

Ye Yun waved his hand, indicating he was fine. He cast one last look at the tightly shut courtyard gate, from which came horrifying scratching sounds, as if countless sharp claws were tearing at the door panel simultaneously. Even more terrifying, dozens of sharp protrusions had appeared on the thick wooden door, as if something was trying to break out from the inside...

Let's go! Let's leave Wang Mansion first! Ye Yun said in a low voice, his tone hoarse and unlike his own. He noticed that Wang Fu was foaming at the mouth and had fainted, while the servant's skin was writhing strangely, with dense bumps appearing on its surface, as if something was moving beneath the skin, ready to burst through at any moment.

Hearing this, everyone felt as if they had received a great pardon. They hastily helped the unconscious colleague and rushed out of the mansion. As they passed through three corridors, the blood-red lotuses in the pond suddenly closed, emitting sounds like a baby's cry; the stone beast heads on the rockery shed black blood from their eyes; even the hanging lanterns swayed without wind, their flames turning an eerie green.

Just as they were about to rush out of the mansion gate, Ye Yun suddenly stopped—he clearly heard the crisp sound of a chain breaking behind him, followed by a venomous female voice:

Wait... I will soon... awaken completely...

The voice was not loud, but it seemed to echo directly in their minds, causing everyone to stagger. Even more terrifying, all the doors and windows of Wang Mansion slammed shut at that moment, completely isolating them. And on the largest vermilion gate, a character painted in blood slowly appeared...