Water Ghost (First Update!)

That voice...

Zheng Que's expression turned grave. There were four voices, all the childish voices of children who hadn't yet reached puberty. He couldn't tell whether they were boys or girls, but there were only two people in the Cui Family, and Cui Fugui was right beside him!

And the words they'd said... Cui Fugui's daughter was in danger!

At the same time, Cui Fugui acted as though he hadn't heard a thing. He went straight to the gate, knocked on it, and called loudly, "Ni'er, open the door! I've brought Zheng Que!"

The courtyard was silent. Cui Ni'er didn't respond.

Cui Fugui looked puzzled. He was about to call again when Zheng Que strode forward and kicked the wooden gate with all his might.

Bang!

The gate flew open. Half of the broken crossbar fell from behind it, revealing an empty courtyard.

The courtyard was small. Some dried vegetables lay scattered across the packed-earth ground, and an old well with a weathered railing stood in one corner.

Staring at the scene, Cui Fugui was clearly stunned. When he'd gone out to find Zheng Que, he'd specifically told his daughter to wait behind the gate and open it for him. So why was his usually obedient daughter nowhere to be seen?

Just then, Zheng Que hurried toward the well and spoke rapidly. "Uncle Cui, stay where you are. Don't go near the well!"

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

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

But through the [Spirit Eye Technique], Zheng Que saw four children with indistinct faces and drenched bodies pinning the girl underwater with all their limbs.

One child clutched her feet, dragging her toward the bottom of the well. Two others each held one of her flailing arms, keeping her from reaching the surface. The last child pulled on her hair, forcing her head beneath the water so she couldn't make a sound.

The four children looked vaguely familiar. Yin energy coiled around them like swirling black smoke, staining the bottom of the well pitch-black.

Four Water Ghosts!

All at the second level of [Tongue-Pulling Hell]!

The instant Zheng Que leaned over to look into the well, one of the Water Ghosts suddenly raised its head. Its cold, sinister gaze locked onto him. Its mouth, like melted wax, gaped 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 changed. He hurriedly leaned backward.

Whoosh!

The water arrow grazed his forehead. It had come within a hair's breadth of piercing the center of his brow!

Zheng Que felt a chill of alarm. Though these four Water Ghosts had only the yin energy of the second level of [Tongue-Pulling Hell], the water was their territory, allowing them to unleash power close to the third level.

As he thought this, Qing Li's two arms suddenly shot out like venomous snakes striking from their den, reaching into the well.

Splash...

The water churned and roiled without pause.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

A dense swarm of water arrows shot up from the bottom of the well.

The opening was narrow and cramped, leaving Qing Li's arms no room to dodge. They were struck by arrow after arrow. Yet the yin energy around her surged, and both arms remained unharmed.

Splash!

Then Qing Li's arms, submerged in the well, seemed to seize something and immediately drew back.

A small figure was forcibly dragged out of the well. It looked like a human child, but its body was deathly pale, with a melted, waxy texture. Its blurred face was twisted into a vicious snarl, brimming with malice and fury.

The moment the Water Ghost was pulled onto dry land, it opened its mouth and shot a translucent water arrow straight at Qing Li.

Pfft!

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

At the same time, Qing Li grabbed the Water Ghost by both legs and yanked with all her might.

Rrrip!

In an instant, the Water Ghost was torn to pieces like a bolt of cloth being cut apart.

The yin energy surrounding it rapidly faded. Its head and limbs tumbled to the ground in scattered chunks, soon dissolving into a pool of clear water that seeped into the earth and vanished.

Seeing how quickly Qing Li had dealt with one of the Water Ghosts, Zheng Que felt reassured and immediately said, "Get the girl out first."

As he spoke, he quickly formed a series of strange hand seals.

Qing Li gave a cold snort and was about to attack the Water Ghosts in the well when her body suddenly transformed against her will into a streak of bloody light. It shot into Zheng Que's hand, then became countless black-and-white markings that surfaced across his skin.

The markings surged toward one side of Zheng Que's neck, like lush, spreading roots, clustering together to form the pale, beautiful face of a young woman.

[Spirit Descent Technique]!

Seeing Zheng Que suddenly use this technique, Qing Li's head froze for a moment before she flew into a rage. "You little Human Race brat! Give your body to me to control, right now!"

Zheng Que ignored Qing Li and immediately bent over to reach into the well.

At the bottom, the water's surface still rippled faintly. The remaining three Water Ghosts continued to pin the girl down. Floating in the water, her arms and legs had stopped moving. She'd clearly run out of strength to struggle.

The three Water Ghosts sensed someone at the mouth of the well. In unison, they raised their heads and opened their mouths, shooting water arrows at Zheng Que's upper body.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Zheng Que had struggled to dodge even a single water arrow just moments ago. But now that the [Spirit Descent Technique] had taken hold, his speed and reflexes had become incredibly sharp. He raised his fists and punched toward the arrows flying at him.

Bang, bang, bang...

Wherever his fists struck, the water arrows shattered into droplets and fell back into the well. Zheng Que's arm suddenly ballooned in length. In the blink of an eye, it plunged into the water and seized the girl's wrist.

Then Zheng Que yanked hard, hauling the girl out of the water!

Splash...

As the girl was pulled up, the three Water Ghosts still clung tightly to her arms and legs. They were dragged out of the water along with her.

The instant the three Water Ghosts left the well, Zheng Que's gaze sharpened. A hemp rope appeared around one of their necks and instantly hoisted it upward.

At the same time, Zheng Que's other arm stretched out just as quickly, grabbing the Water Ghost that was pulling the girl's hair and pinning it in place.

Then Zheng Que opened his mouth—but the voice that came out belonged to a child. "Don't run! Come save us!"

It was the voice of the Water Ghost Qing Li had just dealt with!

Hearing that voice, the last Water Ghost immediately released the girl's feet and lunged at Zheng Que at the mouth of the well.

Zheng Que was about to attack again when Qing Li's head beside him suddenly darted forward. Her neck stretched out like a python's, plunging into the well as she bit down on the last Water Ghost's neck!