Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain

Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang fought and killed their way forward, accumulating over a hundred spirit pills in their hands.

Meanwhile, four people stood atop the branches of a withered giant tree, monitoring Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang's every move.

They were actually still quite far away from Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang.

Yet a curvaceous woman dressed in red, wearing a mask that revealed her slender waist, held a bronze mirror. Reflected vaguely within it were the figures of Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang.

These four were the remaining four of the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain, excluding Old Daoist Qi.

The Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain were five independent cultivators with a considerable reputation, active along the border between Youzhou and Ningzhou.

Their methods were vicious and underhanded. Whenever they offended someone in Youzhou, they fled to Ningzhou; whenever they offended someone in Ningzhou, they fled to Youzhou.

They had even killed members of the One Qi Piercing Sun Alliance. The alliance had pursued them for thousands of miles through Youzhou, but they had ultimately escaped. Still, they had not dared return to Youzhou recently.

Aside from their leader, the "Phantom Yin Master" Daoist Qi, there were three men and one woman.

The woman controlling the bronze mirror and observing Chen Yuan's movements was their second-ranked member, the "Blood-Clad Embroiderer," Qin Honglian.

Behind Qin Honglian stood a tall, imposing brute with an ugly, vicious face and a massive sword on his back. He was their third-ranked member, "Blood Huli" Han Gang.

To Han Gang's left stood a short, ugly dwarf clad in strange iron armor, with blade-covered gloves on both hands. He was their fourth-ranked member, the "Earthburrowing Child," Xin Ziyin.

The last was the most normal-looking of the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain. He wore a snow-white scholar's robe, had a handsome but slightly pale face, peach blossom eyes, and held a judge's brush.

He was their fifth-ranked member, the "Jade-Faced Top Graduate," Liu Lianxiang. Yet he was a lust-crazed fiend who had no pity for women whatsoever. He loved violating women before torturing them to death, and he took both men and women alike.

"These two seem somewhat troublesome. They dealt with so many Corpse Monsters like chopping melons and vegetables in such a short time."

The Earthburrowing Child, Xin Ziyin, frowned slightly. His voice was sharp and thin, like that of a child.

Liu Lianxiang curled his lip. "That bastard Wei Guangming only asked us to help him seize the spirit pills and assist him in marrying into one of the Three Demon-Sealing Clans. He never said we had to help him kill anyone.

"That fellow has struck it rich this time. If he wins in the end and marries into one of the Three Demon-Sealing Clans, he'll be taking that pretty Bai Family bride, along with a huge dowry.

"We've done all this work while he gets all the benefits. I say we need more money!"

Han Gang said nothing, merely nodding in agreement.

Qin Honglian said coldly, "You can ask for more money after we finish the job properly. We've offended the One Qi Piercing Sun Alliance, so we can't return to Youzhou for the time being. We'll have to scrape by around here for a while.

"If we handle Wei Guangming's job well, it will be enough for us to live comfortably for some time.

"The Iron Garb Sect has deep foundations. Perhaps one of us might even use this opportunity to enter the Sea Wheel Realm."

After a pause, Qin Honglian said, "The two of them together are indeed troublesome, so we need to separate them."

As soon as she spoke, Qin Honglian beckoned, and a blood-red flying insect emerged from the cleavage at her chest.

The blood-red insect was exceedingly strange. It had four wings, a body covered in hard armor, and spikes both front and back. It resembled no insect at all.

Qin Honglian wrote a note and had the blood-red insect clutch it. With a light wave of her hand, the insect immediately flew away at high speed.

"I used my gu insect to notify the Iron Garb Sect. They'll handle one of them, while we handle the other."

Liu Lianxiang suddenly let out a lewd laugh. "Let them deal with that big idiot using the spear. We'll take the one with the saber.

"That saber-wielding young man is incredibly handsome. Cold, sharp, and dignified—I like him!

"When we make our move, watch yourselves. Don't ruin his face for me."

Han Gang and Xin Ziyin silently moved a step away from him.

Liu Lianxiang spat disdainfully. "What are you afraid of? One of you looks like a potato that gained sentience, and the other probably landed face-first when your mother gave birth to you. Do you think I'd ever be interested in you? Even Sister Qin isn't—"

Before he could finish, Qin Honglian cast him an icy look, and Liu Lianxiang immediately shut his mouth.

Qin Honglian formed a hand seal. Moments later, a gu insect whose head was larger than its body, its entire head covered in compound eyes, flew to her side.

"The gu insect will lead the way. Prepare to attack!"

Within the mist, Luo Shisanlang skewered three Corpse Monsters on his spear at once, easily shredding them into pieces.

"These things don't seem that hard to kill. Did the Three Demon-Sealing Clans really need to hire outsiders for help?"

Chen Yuan put away the spirit pills and said, "The weapons in our hands are top-grade Mystic Weapons, and there aren't too many Corpse Monsters here, so it seems easy.

"If a hundred Corpse Monsters rushed us at once, even we would struggle somewhat. Only martial artists who have opened their Sea of Wheels possess the endurance to deal with them.

"And the deeper we go, the more thoroughly the Corpse Monsters have been tainted by demonic qi, and the stronger they become."

Luo Shisanlang nodded, then suddenly said, "Why do I feel like someone's watching us?"

"It's not a feeling. Someone is watching us. The Iron Garb Sect has always acted tyrannically. We killed so many of their disciples—how could they possibly let us go?"

Chen Yuan's senses were sharp. Ever since entering this place, he had noticed something watching him.

But it was not a person watching him. It should have been some kind of secret technique, and even if he pursued it, he would not be able to find its user.

So Chen Yuan pretended not to know. He would deal with whatever came his way.

"You two are rather self-aware. Since that's the case, kill yourselves. My Iron Garb Sect will leave you intact corpses!"

Eight Iron Garb Sect disciples surrounded them. The leader possessed peak Qi Forging Realm cultivation and was currently looking at the two of them with a mocking expression.

Chen Yuan looked behind him. Qin Honglian and the others from the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain had also closed in, trapping them in an encirclement.

"We take payment and eliminate troubles for others. When you descend to the underworld, remember that you died at the hands of the Iron Garb Sect, not the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain."

Qin Honglian played with the compound-eyed gu insect in her hand, looking at Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang as though they were already dead.

Eight elite Iron Garb Sect disciples, plus four of the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain—let alone two Qi Forging Realm martial artists, even Sea Wheel Realm experts would be killed without hesitation!

Chen Yuan raised a brow slightly. "You really do think highly of us. Brother Luo, I'll leave those Iron Garb Sect bastards to you. How about it?"

Against Iron Garb Sect martial artists, Luo Shisanlang was more efficient than Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan would have to forcibly shatter their iron conical hats, but Luo Shisanlang had it much easier. The Mystic Flood Dragon Spear could pierce through a single point, impaling both man and shield in one stroke.

"Brother Chen, are you truly confident in dealing with these four?"

Luo Shisanlang's expression was somewhat grave.

Although there were many people on the Iron Garb Sect's side, Luo Shisanlang did not truly regard them as a threat.

But the auras of the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain were strange and unfathomable. His instincts told him that these four were certainly no ordinary people.

"Don't worry. It won't be a problem."

Qin Honglian's expression darkened. "Arrogant!"

Xin Ziyin sneered. "You're courting death!"

Han Gang spat out a single word. "Kill!"

Liu Lianxiang's eyes gleamed as he looked at Chen Yuan. "So domineering!"

The instant Chen Yuan finished speaking, Luo Shisanlang's entire aura changed.

He no longer looked somewhat simple-minded and clumsy. Instead, battle intent soared from him, and his gaze turned cold and fierce.

With a thunderous roar, the Mystic Flood Dragon Spear in Luo Shisanlang's hand became a streak of black light as it shot forward—Hundred-Battled Flood Dragon, Heaven and Earth Overturned!

Under that strike, the expressions of all eight Iron Garb Sect disciples changed. They simultaneously removed the iron conical hats from their heads and assumed defensive stances.

Back on the battlefields of Yanzhou, facing the Great Xia Court's hundred-battled elite troops, Luo Shisanlang had led deathsworn warriors in charging the front lines, unstoppable and unafraid.

How could martial artists raised as local tyrants by the Iron Garb Sect possibly imagine the astonishing battle intent he had accumulated amid such brutal warfare?

When they fought in Northwatch Town before, Chen Yuan had not used his full strength, and neither had Luo Shisanlang.

Chen Yuan raised his head and revealed a grim smile to the four ghosts of Yin Mountain.

The next moment, Primordial Killing Intent surged, Blood Fiend Power entered his body, and boundless, savage killing intent soared into the sky!

"Retreat!"

Qin Honglian's expression changed dramatically as she suddenly shrieked.

That level of killing intent, that utterly domineering Blood Fiend Power, instantly reminded Qin Honglian of a demonic path magnate they had encountered before.

The other party had merely revealed a trace of his aura, yet it had been enough to leave them without even the courage to strike.

But it was already too late to retreat.

The saber cry shook the heavens, and bloody light left its sheath.

The instant Qin Honglian and the other three heard that saber cry, the blade light had already reached them!

In a fleeting instant, the saber's momentum was like a startled swan.

This was Chen Yuan's true ultimate killing move of the Autumn Water Startled Swan Saber.

Startling Swan Slash, displaying the might of a swift saber to the fullest!

The saber cry entered their ears, and the blade light had already arrived!

Han Gang roared as black-red true qi enveloped his body. He did not even have time to draw the massive sword on his back. Instead, he formed a fist seal and hastily struck at Chen Yuan.

The saber flash swept past. Along with a burst of blood, Han Gang's entire right arm was cleanly severed by Chen Yuan's slash.

Yet he only grunted, refusing to retreat. With his left hand, he drew the door-panel-wide greatsword and smashed it toward Chen Yuan!

Blood Fiend Power erupted. Chen Yuan swept his saber horizontally, colliding with the greatsword in an earth-shaking explosion.

The slender, narrow Azure Dragon Blooddrinker looked like a toothpick beside Han Gang's door-panel-wide greatsword.

Yet after the collision, tyrannical Blood Fiend Power erupted instantly, blasting Han Gang's entire body backward.

The expressions of Qin Honglian and the other three changed at once.

The third-ranked member of the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain, Blood Huli Han Gang, had been born with divine strength and had also cultivated a body-tempering technique.

His attainment in hard-body techniques was even stronger than that of Iron Garb Sect martial artists of the same level, and he possessed immense strength.

Yet before Chen Yuan, his hardened body seemed like paper. In a single exchange, his arm had been severed, and after one saber clash, he had been blasted away. Even in pure strength, he was no match for Chen Yuan.

Blood Fiend Power surged around Chen Yuan and pierced into the heavens. His eyes were crimson as he looked at the four of them as though they were prey.

After cultivating the Inner Scenery Deity Visualization Method and gaining initial control over Blood Fiend Power, Chen Yuan had never fought anyone with his full strength.

Thus, he did not truly have a precise understanding of his own limit in combat.

Now, these four had come to him, and each specialized in different areas.

To Chen Yuan, they were perfect targets!