That day, Yan Chihuo was cultivating when he heard voices drifting over from afar. Though his cultivation had plummeted, his Spiritual Ear and Spiritual Eye were still usable, albeit only with the power of the Late Tribulation Passage Realm. Yet the speakers were more than ten li away, and though they were not transmitting their voices, every word still reached him clearly.
"Do you think this Thousand Soul Flower will bloom in the next few days?" asked a muffled, booming voice.
"Don't worry. It'll bloom within a day or two—maybe even today," replied a shrill voice.
"That's good. Otherwise, who knows how many more days we'd have to wait?" said the booming voice.
"If you find it such a bother, you can sneak away for a few days," the shrill voice said again.
"Heh, quit making fun of me. If Thirteenth General finds out, wouldn't he skin me alive?" said the booming voice.
"Good that you know it. Just do what Thirteenth General ordered. If you make a mess of it, Thirteenth General won't spare you either," the shrill voice replied.
Yan Chihuo's heart stirred at this. The Thousand Soul Flower was a spiritual medicine that could raise one's cultivation in Ghost Path techniques; it was also effective for breaking through bottlenecks and advancing realms. With his cultivation unable to progress, this was precisely what he needed.
He immediately flew toward the voices. Before long, he saw two Fierce Ghosts of the early Tribulation Passage Realm seated on the ground, conversing with one another. One was huge, with a blue face and protruding fangs; the other Evil Ghost was only a foot tall. Its features faintly resembled those of a human, but its face was livid, and a sinister malice gleamed in its eyes.
He concealed himself nearby and looked