At that moment, Ge Xian was under the influence of a hypnotic force much like Void Sublimation.
The whispers coaxing him to sacrifice someone he loved rustled softly, like intimate words murmured in his ear. They spread through the depths of his heart and soul like vines, releasing one poisonous thought after another. Once those thoughts filled his mind and spirit, he would no longer be able to maintain his sense of self and would be driven mad.
Ordinary county folk, or cultivators with shallow attainments, could hardly resist.
What a pity it had chosen Ge Xian.
As he listened to the whispers from the void, he sneered inwardly:
This peddler just got here. I haven't been here long enough to have parents or siblings, let alone time to fall in love. So naturally, I have no beloved. The one I'm closest to right now is a Broom Spirit... Hmm?
Halfway through his laugh, Ge Xian suddenly realized that he was the clown.
His expression turned solemn, and he grumbled inwardly, Showing off your skills before an expert? Hypnosis is nothing but a petty trick.
With that thought, Ge Xian braced himself against the Evil Power trying to beguile him, then squeezed out through the crowd and headed for the inner room, which was strewn with Blood Filth and muddy ingots.
His movement drew startled cries from the neighbors, and the Ghost Eyes of the two ghost bailiffs immediately fixed on him.
Before the Two Ghosts could rebuke him, Ge Xian took out his Waist Token and held it up, then said politely:
"Fellow Daoists, I know Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou. This is a token they gave me."
"Allow me to explain. Since awakening my talent, I've developed a peculiar habit: I like collecting Evil Artifacts, and I have a few Containment Methods as well."
"I was passing through and noticed something, so I'd like to lend a hand. I wonder if the two of you need...?"
Ge Xian hadn't even finished speaking.
A blur of Ghost Shadows flashed, and the two ghost bailiffs seized him from either side.
The ghost on the left took the token and inspected it, then exclaimed happily, "It really is a token from the two big brothers. He's one of us!"
The ghost on the right simply dragged Ge Xian into the house. As they passed the man still pinching ingots, he kicked him aside, then said eagerly to Ge Xian, "Little brother, hurry up and get to it. Find the Evil Thing causing trouble. Whatever it is, my brother and I will help you subdue it. You can have the thing, and we'll take the credit."
From their words, Ge Xian could tell these were two blunt and straightforward ghost bailiffs.
Ge Xian didn't waste time. He glanced at the man, who was already at death's door and kept going mad only through the support of a wisp of Evil Qi, then signaled to the Two Ghosts and strode toward the inconspicuous Gray Pottery Jar in the corner.
Sure enough, in an instant—
The man, who had just been making ingots out of bloody mud, let out a roar, grabbed a knife, and leaped at Ge Xian.
Unfortunately for him, the Two Ghosts struck before he could land. Ghost Qi surged as the two malicious ghosts appeared with grins, then swung out two horrifying blades. With a ripping sound, the man was cleaved once horizontally and once vertically.
One man became four pieces, his steaming intestines and organs spilling to the ground.
"Urgh!"
Outside the courtyard, the sounds of vomiting grew louder.
At the same time, Ge Xian had picked up the Gray Pottery Jar.
The force of the "Void Sublimation" immediately surged tenfold.
Visions of countless desires fulfilled flooded into Ge Xian's mind.
A terrifying temptation tried to draw his heart and soul inside.
The scenes he witnessed along the way horrified him even more. They showed the Withered Souls of the previous victims, twisted and shriveled, wailing forever as they helplessly rushed at Ge Xian's soul, trying to seize it.
Everything they had done in life replayed within their souls, tormenting them in a frenzy. The suffering they produced delighted the Evil Artifact.
Ge Xian had known of two victims.
But now, at a rough count, there were dozens of Withered Souls.
Soon, a new soul appeared: the man who had been chopped into four pieces while making ingots.
Ge Xian couldn't be bothered to look any longer. He cursed inwardly, You lousy jar, trying to show off your skills before an expert? Have a taste of mine.
Before the thought had even faded, a wisp of Charm Qi seeped from his palm. Before the Two Ghosts could smell it, the Gray Pottery Jar had swallowed it in the blink of an eye.
The jar had already been stirring, trying to hypnotize Ge Xian. After swallowing this dose of "Charm," it nearly went berserk, clinging tightly to his palm. If he tried to pry it off now, he'd likely have to smash the jar.
Unfortunately for it, if Ge Xian didn't give it permission, it couldn't absorb even a wisp of his soul. Instead, by sensing its power, Ge Xian caught a glimpse of the jar's origins:
"Gray Eye Soul Bottle, an object from the Western Jin."
"It seems that a high-ranking official of the time once saw what might have been an Immortal God's [Outer Sky Gray Eye] while observing the heavens one night. Inspired by it, he refined this bottle. While alive, he prepared his own tomb, then took his own life, put his ashes in the bottle, and arranged for assassins to slaughter his entire family and bury them with him... completing a whole Sacrifice Ritual in hopes of ascending to immortality."
"His attempt to ascend may have failed."
"But he succeeded in turning this Soul Bottle into an Evil Artifact. It could beguile people and toy with their minds as it pleased, then suck their souls into the bottle, where they would never be reborn."
"From the Western Jin to the present day, more than sixty people have fallen victim to it."
"It might seem rather inefficient, but that's only because the damned thing doesn't act at regular intervals. After killing a few people, it falls dormant."
"Among its past victims were two or three cultivators from the Jin and Song dynasties."
"Unfortunately, their souls had withered away. They shattered at a touch, yielding not a single scrap of secret knowledge."
As Ge Xian glimpsed all this, he also sensed that if he used Cai Bu on the Soul Bottle, he would gain a Pupil Demon Art with hypnotic power.
But unless he could meet all the conditions and turn it into a Cultivation Path, the Dao Qi Demon Art he gained through Cai Bu would dissipate.
To avoid wasting it, Ge Xian had long ago made a rule for himself: no indiscriminate Cai Bu.
Perhaps sensing the threat of Cai Bu, the soul inside the bottle unexpectedly calmed down.
The change made Ge Xian's eyes light up. He realized that he had learned yet another way to deal with Evil Artifacts.
Meanwhile, the two ghost bailiffs and the county folk watching all turned curious eyes toward Ge Xian, who had picked up the jar and wasn't putting it down.
Ge Xian thought it over, then said, half-truthfully:
"This thing must be a funerary Evil Artifact unearthed from an ancient tomb. It's called a [Soul Bottle]."
"For some reason, it became an Evil Artifact. It's good at beguiling people and playing with their minds, then sucking their souls away and imprisoning them in the bottle, where they accumulate generation after generation. Many have fallen victim to it."
"I've temporarily suppressed it. If I let go, it may beguile all of you into killing me and stealing it."
"You two aren't afraid of being swallowed because of the County Magistrate, but if it acts up, it may devour half the Ghost Qi in your bodies."
As soon as he said this,
fear appeared both inside and outside the courtyard. The neighbors were especially frightened, and one of them asked, "You mean... the Peng Family Man's Soul has already been imprisoned inside?"
Ge Xian nodded, then deliberately eased his suppression a little and released another wisp of Charm Qi.
Sure enough, the Soul Bottle tried to go berserk again, revealing part of its True Form.
A patch of gray darkness and emptiness appeared out of nowhere. Inside, dozens of Withered Souls wailed. In a fleeting glimpse, the Peng Family Man was unmistakably among them.
The next moment, the onlookers scattered like birds and beasts.
They were afraid that if they ran too slowly, they would suffer the same fate.
The two ghost bailiffs, however, remained in the house, each opening a pair of Ghost Eyes to stare in amazement at the Young Peddler before them.
Then they praised him in turn:
"Little brother, you've got real skill. You look like you couldn't hurt a fly, but you've got a sharp eye and even have a way to subdue Evil Artifacts. No wonder Zhang and Zhao gave you a token."
"But with talent like yours, why haven't you started cultivating sooner? If you don't have a way in, my brother and I could help you out..."
As the two spoke, they suddenly seemed to realize something.
Instead of leaving, they each took two steps forward, closing in on Ge Xian from either side.
Seeing this, Ge Xian cursed inwardly:
No wonder they're ghost bailiffs. Their faces change as fast as ghosts.
Just like the wealthy families behind those Evil Cultivators, they must have taken me for a living piece of merchandise they could sell off to whichever side they pleased for some benefit, a cut of the favor, or whatever. What is wrong with these people?
Ge Xian cursed inwardly,
while remaining completely unfazed. His words served as both a threat and a warning:
"No need to trouble yourselves, fellow Daoists. I'm working with the Propaganda Team now, and Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou have likely made plans for me."
"Besides the token, they also gave me a Soul Bell. If I ring it just once, they'll come running."
At those words, the two blunt, shameless ghost bailiffs backed down.
They also realized that this tempting prize had already been claimed by Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou.
Lu Hualong had many ghost bailiffs under his command, but the Eight Ghosts held the highest rank, and Zhang and Zhao occupied two of those seats.
Low-level lackeys like them couldn't afford to offend the pair, let alone steal from them. They had no choice but to retreat with forced smiles.
Ge Xian inwardly laughed as well. Using a fox's might to control ghosts. How interesting.
At the same time, as Ge Xian held the Soul Bottle, he felt the peculiar urge to collect treasures inside him gradually fading away. It no longer acted up.
He felt somewhat reassured and hurried home. On the way, he couldn't help but wonder again:
This peculiar habit of mine... seems to be of great benefit to my cultivation.
After all, I can use Cai Bu on all kinds of powers. Besides Demon Dao Qi, that naturally includes the Dao Qi Exotic Power contained in these Evil Artifacts.
If that's the case...!
This peculiar habit may not have come from cultivating the [Evil Dragon Aspect].
Could it be due to my innate talent?
With these thoughts in mind, Ge Xian soon returned to Locust Flower Old Lane.
As soon as he entered the lane, his brows knit. He looked toward his courtyard from afar and asked in confusion:
"The Wang Family Eldest Daughter-in-law?"
"No, the Qi signature is similar, but much weaker. Could they be cultivators from the [Ancient Tomb Sect]?"
"What are they doing at my home? Was sending an invitation not enough? Have they come to my door to snatch me away?"
Though confused, Ge Xian continued home at an ordinary pace.
Before long, he saw two cool, otherworldly beauties standing outside his gate beneath the moonlight, dressed all in white.
Ge Xian immediately looked at their hands. Sure enough, they were transparent and snow-white like jade, and gave off a dangerous aura.
When they saw Ge Xian, the two beauties, though different in appearance, looked as if they had been carved from the same mold. They immediately approached and handed him an invitation.
At the same time, they spoke in identical tones:
"Master Ge, we are disciples of the Ancient Tomb Sect. We've come to deliver an invitation."
"The Ancient Tomb Sect will soon relocate to Qiantang. When we do, we'll hold a Martial Arts Competition for Marriage for our Holy Maiden. Master Ge is a distinguished young man of Qiantang, so we ask that you be sure to attend."
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