Water Ghost

This voice...

Zheng Que's expression turned grave instantly. There were four voices speaking, all of them prepubescent and indistinguishable in gender, yet there were only two people in the Cui family, and Cui Fugui was standing right beside him!

Furthermore, the content of those words... Cui Fugui's daughter was in danger!

At the same time, Cui Fugui seemed to have heard nothing at all. He stepped forward and knocked on the gate, shouting, "Ni'er, open up! I've brought Zheng Que here!"

The courtyard was deathly silent. Cui Ni'er gave no response.

Cui Fugui felt a sudden sense of unease. Just as he was about to call out again, Zheng Que strode forward and delivered a fierce kick to the wooden gate.

Bang!

The gate swung open with a crash, and a broken latch fell from behind it, revealing an empty courtyard.

The courtyard was small. Some dried vegetables were laid out on the packed dirt, and in the corner stood a water well with an old, weathered railing.

Seeing this, Cui Fugui was clearly stunned. When he went to find Zheng Que earlier, he had specifically told his daughter to stay behind the door and wait to let him in. How could his usually obedient daughter be nowhere to be seen?

Just then, Zheng Que walked quickly toward the well, speaking rapidly, "Uncle Cui, stay where you are! Do not go near the well!"

As he spoke, he reached the edge of the well and peered down.

At the bottom of the deep, dark well, a young girl in coarse cloth clothing was submerged, struggling desperately. Her arms, palms, and feet scraped against the moss-covered walls, sending up splashes of water. It looked as if she had accidentally fallen in.

However, through the vision of the Spirit Eye Technique, Zheng Que saw that the girl was being held underwater by four faceless, soaking-wet children.

One child held the girl's feet, dragging her toward the bottom; two others gripped her struggling arms, preventing her from surfacing; the final child pulled on her hair, pinning her head firmly to the bottom of the well so she couldn't make a sound.

These four children looked somewhat familiar, their bodies wreathed in Yin Energy like swirling black smoke, staining the bottom of the well pitch-black.

Four Water Ghosts!

All of them were at the second level of Tongue-Pulling Hell!

The moment Zheng Que leaned over to look into the well, one of the Water Ghosts suddenly looked up. Its cold, sinister gaze locked onto Zheng Que instantly, and its mouth, which looked like melting wax, snapped open.

The next moment, a water arrow shot from the Water Ghost's mouth, whistling straight toward Zheng Que's face!

Zheng Que's expression shifted, and he hurriedly leaned backward.

Whoosh!

The water arrow grazed his forehead, missing his brow by a hair's breadth!

Zheng Que felt a surge of alarm. Although the Yin Energy of these four Water Ghosts was only at the second level of Tongue-Pulling Hell, the water was their home turf, allowing them to exert power approaching the third level of Tongue-Pulling Hell.

As he thought this, Qing Li's two arms suddenly elongated like vipers striking from their den, instantly reaching down into the well.

Splash, splash...

The well water churned and roiled incessantly.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

A dense barrage of water arrows shot out from the bottom of the well.

The well opening was narrow and cramped. Qing Li's two arms had no room to dodge and were instantly struck by the numerous water arrows. However, a surge of Yin Energy rippled across her body, leaving her arms completely unscathed.

Splash!

Immediately after, the arms Qing Li had submerged into the water seemed to grab onto something and pulled back instantly.

A thin, small figure was forcibly dragged out of the well. It looked like a human child, but its entire body was pale and had a melted texture. Its blurred face was twisted and ferocious, filled with malice and hostility.

The moment this Water Ghost was pulled onto the bank, it opened its mouth and a translucent water arrow shot out, aiming straight for Qing Li.

Pfft!

Qing Li raised her hand to block the water arrow, her expression turning cold. A coarse hemp rope appeared out of thin air, looped around the Water Ghost's neck, and hoisted it high into the air.

At the same time, Qing Li grabbed the Water Ghost's legs and pulled with sudden force.

Riiip!

In an instant, the Water Ghost was torn limb from limb like a piece of fabric being cut.

The Yin Energy lingering around its body faded rapidly. The Water Ghost's head and limbs fell scattered to the ground, quickly dissolving into a puddle of clear water that seeped into the soil and vanished.

Seeing Qing Li dispose of a Water Ghost so quickly, Zheng Que felt a sense of relief and immediately said, "Save the person first."

As he spoke, he began to cast a series of strange hand seals.

Qing Li let out a cold snort. Just as she was about to continue attacking the Water Ghosts in the well, her body uncontrollably transformed into a streak of blood-red light. It dove into Zheng Que's hand, then manifested as dense black and white patterns that spread across his skin.

These patterns surged toward the side of Zheng Que's neck, clustering together like thriving roots to form the pale, delicate face of a young girl.

Spirit Descent Technique!

Seeing Zheng Que suddenly use this technique, the head of Qing Li was stunned for a moment before erupting in rage: "Human brat! Give me control of the body right now!"

Zheng Que ignored Qing Li and immediately leaned over to peer into the well.

At the bottom of the well, the water surface was still rippling slightly. The remaining three Water Ghosts were still pinning the young girl's body down. The girl was suspended in the water, her limbs having stopped moving; she clearly no longer had the strength to struggle.

The three Water Ghosts sensed someone appearing at the well opening and immediately tilted their heads back in unison, opening their mouths. Water arrows shot out, locking onto the upper half of Zheng Que's body.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Zheng Que had barely managed to dodge a single water arrow just moments ago, but now, with the Spirit Descent Technique empowering him, his speed and reflexes had become incredibly swift. He immediately raised his fist and struck out at the water arrows flying toward him.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Wherever his fist wind reached, all the water arrows were shattered into droplets, falling back into the water. Zheng Que's arm suddenly expanded, and in the blink of an eye, it plunged into the well water, seizing the young girl's wrist.

Following this, Zheng Que exerted a sudden, violent force, pulling the girl out of the water in one go!

Splash...

The moment the girl was pulled up, the three Water Ghosts were still clinging tightly to her limbs, being dragged out of the water along with her.

Taking advantage of the moment the three Water Ghosts left the well water, Zheng Que's gaze sharpened. A hemp rope appeared around the neck of one of the Water Ghosts, instantly hoisting it upward.

At the same time, Zheng Que's other arm rapidly elongated, grabbing the Water Ghost that was pulling the girl's hair, instantly bringing it under control.

Afterward, Zheng Que opened his mouth, but the voice that emerged was that of a child: "Don't run! Come save us!"

This was the voice of the Water Ghost that Qing Li had just finished off!

Upon hearing this sound, the final Water Ghost immediately let go of the girl's feet and lunged fiercely toward Zheng Que at the wellhead.

Just as Zheng Que was about to strike again, the head of Qing Li beside his own suddenly darted out. Her neck stretched like a python, plunging into the well and sinking its teeth into the neck of the final Water Ghost!