Yin Soldiers Borrowing the Path, All Beings Retreat

Thirty-five ghosts looked at one another in dismay, then quickly knelt on the ground as well.

They had all realized it.

The master of that incomparably imposing voice was the Orthodox Land God, Lord Zhangyue!

"Lord Zhangyue! Can we retain our memories if we're appointed as Yin Soldiers?"

"If I can keep my memories, I'm willing to forgo reincarnation and serve Lord Zhangyue!"

A ghost who didn't look very old rolled his eyes and called out loudly.

But his words had barely left his mouth when—

A black vortex appeared in the Underworld Dharma Domain.

An endless, sinister aura emanated from the vortex. It slowly spun, then sucked in the ghost who had spoken, making him disappear without a trace.

The remaining thirty-four ghosts saw this and understood that the ghost had been sent into the Underworld to reincarnate.

They were as silent as cicadas in winter, afraid to speak out of turn. Each began to ponder.

Reincarnation could grant them a new life.

But would the person born anew still be them?

If they refused reincarnation and were appointed Yin Soldiers by Lord Zhangyue, their memories would still be erased. Only after advancing to Grade A Yin Soldier could they recover some of them.

And who knew how long it would take to recover all their memories?

What's more—

Advancing to Grade A Yin Soldier would probably be extremely difficult!

For a moment, the thirty-four ghosts' expressions shifted unpredictably as they wrestled fiercely with the choice in their hearts.

"Make your choice."

"Those who wish to enter reincarnation may go straight into the Underworld."

"Those who do not will be considered Yin Soldiers."

The indifferent, imposing voice rang out once more.

At once—

Twelve of the thirty-four ghosts stood up. Gritting their teeth, they charged into the black vortex before them.

They felt—

Rather than become Yin Soldiers with no memories, they would rather go on to their next life!

Perhaps—

In their next lives, they might forge entirely different paths!

On the ground of the Underworld Dharma Domain, twenty-two ghosts remained kneeling, all looking uneasy.

"I appoint you under my command. From this day on, you are my Yin Soldiers."

"All that happened in the Mortal Realm, all that came before, shall be erased."

Li Yue's calm voice rang out.

In the next instant—

Twenty-two streams of divine power descended from the Divine Domain, transforming in midair into Yin Soldier Divine Talismans.

Countless white runes appeared across the Yin Soldier Divine Talismans. The dazzling runes flashed and shot into the bodies of the twenty-two ghosts.

At once—

White light surged from the twenty-two ghosts kneeling on the ground!

The abundant yin energy in the Underworld Dharma Domain converged upon them.

Their ghostly bodies grew solid at a visible rate. Illusory armor appeared on them, and in their hands, each held an illusory, ancient-looking War Halberd.

The expressions on their faces also faded away at a visible rate. In the blink of an eye, they became cold and emotionless.

Their memories were completely erased.

All that remained in their minds were some basic knowledge instilled by the Yin Soldier Divine Talisman and a set of Yin Soldier Combat Methods.

The Yin Soldier Combat Methods—

Included formations and combat techniques.

Beyond that, there was nothing else.

"We pay our respects to Lord Zhangyue."

The twenty-two Yin Soldiers knelt on one knee, their faces expressionless and their voices sinister, cold, and devoid of emotion.

This was what Yin Soldiers were like!

They were very different from Ghost Messengers.

Ghost Messengers needed memories and thoughts in order to carry out their duties of capturing souls.

For Yin Soldiers, the ones without memories were the best.

They obeyed every order without question!

The Yin Soldiers' duty was to guard the Underworld Dharma Domain and deal with the Demonic Creatures that Ghost Messengers could not handle.

"I appoint you as the leader of the Yin Soldier squad, a Grade C Yin Soldier."

Li Yue pointed at one of them.

At once, ten streams of divine power descended, turned into Strengthened Yin Soldier Divine Talismans, and merged into the body of one Yin Soldier.

In an instant—

The Yin Soldier's yin energy surged. His strength leaped from a level comparable to the middle stage of the first rank straight to one comparable to the lower stage of the second rank.

Right after—

A Yin Soldier Artifact, the Yin Soldier War Halberd, landed in his hands.

The Yin Soldier's aura surged once more, reaching a level comparable to the upper stage of the second rank.

"As for the rest of you—"

"You are all appointed as Grade D Yin Soldiers."

In the Divine Domain, Li Yue spoke again, his expression calm.

One Yin Soldier War Halberd after another flew out of the Divine Domain and into the Underworld Dharma Domain, landing in the hands of the Yin Soldiers.

In an instant—

Yin energy surged throughout the entire Underworld Dharma Domain. The remaining twenty-one Yin Soldiers all became Grade D Yin Soldiers, with strength no weaker than the lower stage of the second rank!

"Go."

Li Yue looked toward Thousand Wolf Mountain and waved lightly.

A hundred streams of divine power flew out, carving an Underworld Dharma Domain beneath the mountain.

This Underworld Dharma Domain was ten zhang long, ten zhang wide, and one zhang high.

Now that he had Yin Soldiers, they naturally couldn't be mixed in with the Ghost Messengers.

This Underworld Dharma Domain was a military camp he had created especially for the Yin Soldiers.

The twenty-two Yin Soldiers bowed once more, then walked out of the Underworld Dharma Domain beneath the Land God Temple. Expressionless, they headed for the Underworld Dharma Domain at Thousand Wolf Mountain.

Li Youming was startled in an instant.

He walked out of his room.

Watching the twenty-two Yin Soldiers march across the Yin Soil in ancient armor, their hands gripping Cold War Halberds, he shivered.

Meanwhile, Zhao Jiuyuan, kneeling before the Land God Temple, stared wide-eyed.

Through the haze, he too saw the twenty-two Yin Soldiers marching across the Yin Soil!

"Yin Soldiers borrow the path... all beings retreat..."

He murmured under his breath, recalling an ancient saying.

Though he was exceptionally gifted and had a crimson heart, this was the first time he had ever seen the legendary Yin Soldiers Borrowing the Path!

That made him even more certain.

The Lord Zhangyue worshipped in Four Seas Village was a true Deity!

After all, ancient legends said that Yin Soldiers were the troops under a Deity's command, fighting wars and suppressing Demonic Creatures on the Deity's behalf.

As he thought this over—

He began to worship Lord Zhangyue in earnest.

Because he realized—

Perhaps only by worshipping with sincere devotion could he truly stand before this Deity!

"A total of two hundred and forty-two streams of divine power were consumed."

In the Divine Domain, Li Yue's expression remained calm.

Then—

His gaze fell upon the Ghost Messengers, who had been startled and had all returned to the Land God Temple.

There were twelve Ghost Messengers.

Liao Xiu'er was a Grade C Ghost Messenger, and Li Youtang was a Grade D Ghost Messenger.

The other ten were all Candidate Ghost Messengers.

"I might as well give them a boost, too."

"It's not as if I, Li Yue, am a stingy Deity."

He murmured softly to himself.

In the next instant—

His gaze fell upon Liao Xiu'er and Li Youtang. A voice brimming with Divine Might rang out in their minds:

"You have both served diligently. I appoint Liao Xiu'er as a Grade B Ghost Messenger and Li Youtang as a Grade C Ghost Messenger."

When he had finished speaking—

He flicked his fingers lightly.

First, a hundred streams of divine power gathered to form a Secondary Strengthened Yin Soldier Divine Talisman. It flew out of the Divine Domain and merged into Liao Xiu'er's body.

Right after—

Ten streams of power gathered to form a Strengthened Yin Soldier Divine Talisman. It flew out of the Divine Domain and merged into Li Youtang's body.

At once—

Yin energy surged around Liao Xiu'er. She leaped from the upper stage of the second rank, crossed the second-rank limit, and advanced to the lower stage of the third rank!

She became the second third-rank combatant in the Four Seas Village area, after the Temple Keeper, Li Youming.

Li Youtang naturally advanced to the upper stage of the second rank.

"Thank you for your gracious gift, Lord Zhangyue!"

The two knelt on the ground and spoke with sincere devotion.

They were both overjoyed.

After all—

Who wouldn't be happy after such a great increase in strength?

Zhao Jiuyuan, who had only glimpsed what was happening, was utterly numb with shock.

A third-rank lower-stage expert had just been brought into existence like that?

Then what did that make him, a Great Martial Master who had painstakingly cultivated for fifty or sixty years just to reach the middle stage of the third rank?