Gathering of Ghosts

Slap, slap, slap...

"Little human! Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

He did not know how much time had passed, but Zheng Que vaguely heard a voice, and at the same time, felt a stinging pain on his face.

He opened his eyes in a daze. Everything in his line of sight was dim. Qing Li was leaning over him, and upon noticing that he had woken up, she immediately withdrew her pale palm.

Yin Energy churned all around them, as if veiled in black gauze. The temperature had plummeted, as if winter had arrived early. Such dense Yin Energy was more severe than at any time before.

Zheng Que snapped awake and sat up in one motion.

"What time is it now?" He quickly scanned his surroundings and asked urgently.

He needed to know as soon as possible how long he had been unconscious.

How much time was left until the Hai Hour, when his lifespan would end?

As he spoke, Zheng Que stood up from the bed and walked quickly toward the exit.

Qing Li followed right behind him and replied, "It is almost the Hai Hour."

"Many ghosts have come from outside. They are definitely here for you, little human."

"It is a small matter if you, a little human, die, but it would be a catastrophe if I were punished along with you!"

"I just sensed it; there are the fewest ghosts in the southwest direction."

"You, little human, should escape from that side in a moment..."

Creak!

Zheng Que pulled open the temple door. Cold wind, laden with thick Yin Energy, rushed into his face, instantly veiling his vision in layers of gauze.

The courtyard was empty, filled with overgrown grass and standing old trees, just as it had always been.

Night had completely fallen. There was not a single sound in the darkness; it was silent as death.

He immediately realized something was wrong and quickly looked toward the courtyard wall. Under the thin moonlight, strange-looking ghosts were huddled together, clinging to the wall. Their dense, countless ghostly eyes stared into the courtyard without blinking.

These ghosts were shrouded in Yin Energy that gathered like black clouds. The vast majority were at the fifth or sixth level of Tongue-Pulling Hell, and there were even a few at the seventh level.

Though they were numerous, they all lingered silently outside the wall, seemingly wary of something, hesitant to break into the courtyard.

Zheng Que knew clearly that these ghosts dared not enter because the aura left behind by Master remained in this dilapidated temple.

If he had been cultivating in his own home this time... then these ghosts would have already slaughtered their way in while he was unconscious!

"Are these ghosts my tribulation for tonight?"

"No, that's not right!"

"To kill every living person in the entire town at the same time, these ghosts alone aren't enough!"

As his thoughts raced, Zheng Que did not hesitate for a second, immediately casting a series of complex hand seals.

Behind him, Qing Li instantly transformed into a streak of blood-red light and merged into his arm. Black and white patterns emerged, and soon, Qing Li's head sprouted from the side of his neck.

[Spirit Descent Technique]!

Zheng Que felt the surge of power filling his body. When he was at the first level of Qi Refining, using this technique could boost his strength to the second or third level of Qi Refining. Now that his own cultivation had reached the second level of Qi Refining, and Qing Li's cultivation had reached the fifth layer of [Tongue-Pulling Hell]!

Using this technique now, he could clearly perceive that the power within him had reached a terrifying level.

However, there was no time for him to savor the sensation.

The moment the technique was successfully cast, Zheng Que immediately rushed out the door.

Bang!

Zheng Que burst through the courtyard gate and sprinted toward the entrance of the town.

"ROAR!!!"

The numerous ghosts perched on the courtyard walls, peering into the yard, let out a chorus of hoarse roars the moment they saw Zheng Que leave the dilapidated temple, and then they all gave chase.

The pale moonlight illuminated the outlines of the streets. The familiar houses were now covered in all sorts of bizarre figures. Their bodies radiated Yin Energy, their appearances grotesque, like centipedes after a rain, wandering and crawling everywhere.

The entire town seemed to have fallen into a mass of black fog. Thick, tangible Yin Energy filled the alleys, and shadowy figures drifted through the mist like mayflies.

Sensing the presence of a living person, a ghost covered in stitch marks immediately blocked the middle of the long street, cutting off Zheng Que's path.

This ghost's body was divided into eight parts, haphazardly held together by black thread. Where its head should have been was an arm, its legs were five or six ribs stained with flesh and blood, and its torso was a forced fusion of buttocks and a head...

Its only claw protruded from its chest, swiping fiercely at Zheng Que.

Thud, thud, thud...

Zheng Que's sprinting speed did not falter in the slightest. His left arm instantly surged in size, striking first despite being the second to move, landing a punch squarely on the ghost's head.

Bang!

The ghost staggered, and the moment it lost its balance, its claw, which had been swiping at Zheng Que, landed harmlessly on the empty ground beside him.

Zheng Que had no intention of getting entangled with this ghost. Having landed the blow, he quickly slipped past it and continued running at full speed.

Just then, a ghost that looked half-human and half-beast on a nearby rooftop let out a hissing sound from its throat, leaped down, and pounced toward Zheng Que.

This ghost was entirely bright red, devoid of any skin. Its exposed muscles twitched slightly, constantly oozing purple-black blood. Its face spasmed as if in a seizure, emitting a hoarse, murmuring sound; it seemed to be experiencing the agony of its final moments at every second. In its hand, it carried a pale yellow bag. Upon closer inspection, that bag was none other than its own skin!

It was swift, reaching Zheng Que in the blink of an eye. Its mouth split open wide, revealing sharp fangs as it lunged fiercely at him.

Zheng Que's gaze sharpened. A coarse hemp rope appeared abruptly, instantly tightening around the neck of the Skinning Ghost.

The next moment, the Skinning Ghost was hoisted into mid-air.

Before Zheng Que could continue his escape, large clumps of hair suddenly erupted from the ground. These strands were thick and dense, rapidly binding his legs.

Zheng Que's expression remained unchanged, his eyes instantly locking onto the hair beneath his feet.

In a split second, he utilized the Yin Messenger Yin Profession of Qing Li to disable one of the ghost's abilities.

In an instant, all the hair wrapped around his legs went limp, losing all binding strength.

Zheng Que exerted force, snapping all the strands at once. But he had barely run a few steps before the ghosts behind him caught up, swarming toward him from all sides.

Zheng Que furrowed his brows. He immediately slashed his palm, and spiritual blood infused with Yang Energy gushed out, like a spark ignited in the darkness. He swung his arm, and the spiritual blood sprayed across the sky like a giant net, covering the area behind him.

Following that, he cast a spell. The spiritual blood behind him transformed into mist, floating into the air and circling the nearby ghosts.

This was the Ghost Controlling Technique!

Seemingly sensing the threat of the spiritual blood, the ghosts rushing from behind scattered to the sides, avoiding the area shrouded by the spiritual mist.

Taking advantage of this moment, Zheng Que ceased the spell. His arms instantly elongated, sweeping across the street in the blink of an eye, and he grabbed onto the corner of a courtyard of a house in the distance.

His legs exerted force, launching him into the air while his elongated arms rapidly retracted.

In a flash, Zheng Que shot forward like a projectile launched from a slingshot...

All of this happened in just a few short breaths.