Seashell

Ji Yuan looked at the fully repaired Yin Ghost Banner in his hand and let out a long breath.

Whether he truly had a talent for formations or was simply relying on the Dao Comprehension Chamber's help... it still counted as his own effort, didn't it?

With the formation complete, he should be able to hold his own even against someone in the Late Qi Refining stage.

Ji Yuan prepared to take his vessel out and find an uninhabited island to test the fully improved Yin Ghost Formation.

He walked out of the house and into the front yard. The two peach trees on his right had both blossomed, their faint fragrance filling the yard and drawing in quite a few bees and butterflies.

Looking at the peach trees, Ji Yuan could not help recalling how Wen Ling'er, while playing a few days ago, had promised that he would let her eat the peaches they bore this year.

But looking at these two saplings, which had yet to grow taller than a person, it was still hard to say whether they would bear fruit at all this year.

After leaving home, he saw no one. Ji Yuan summoned the Black Wind Boat and quietly departed.

Half an hour later.

A nameless barren island in Cloud-Rain Marsh was suddenly suffused with black mist. Immediately afterward, a sinister aura spread in all directions, startling the nearby fish into scattering.

At the center of the island, Ji Yuan walked through the area with two Yin Ghosts that had already advanced to the Fifth Layer of Qi Refinement at his side.

No longer needing to use his own spiritual power to control the formation, Ji Yuan felt like a fish in water.

"With this formation and two Yin Ghosts, even if I do not make a move, I should be able to kill an ordinary Sixth Layer of Qi Refining cultivator."

Unless the opponent had prepared something as fiercely yang as Red-Crowned Chicken Blood beforehand, breaking the Yin Ghost Formation would be difficult indeed.

No matter what, this formation had stepped through the gate of First Tier formations.

Especially here in Cloud-Rain Marsh, Ji Yuan estimated that those capable of producing a formation could probably be counted on one's fingers.

Since the test had shown there was nothing wrong with the formation, Ji Yuan waved his hand and put it away. Leaving it out any longer would only waste Spirit Stones.

Yet at the very instant he withdrew the formation, he suddenly sensed a trace of danger.

The Dragon Armor Shield appeared behind him in an instant, accompanied by a crisp clang—

Ji Yuan planted the Yin Ghost Banner again with a backhanded motion. As the formation manifested on its own, he summoned the Whitewater Flying Sword as well, though he still had no idea what had happened.

But he had already slapped a Golden Body Talisman onto himself.

What was more, he gripped a Thunderstrike Talisman in each hand.

As black mist surged forth, Ji Yuan flashed into the ghostly fog and vanished in an instant.

At the same time, through the formation, he clearly saw the appearance of the person who had ambushed him.

She was a female cultivator with an Iron Sword strapped to her back. She appeared to be around forty years old, and her aura had already reached the Late Qi Refining stage.

Yet Ji Yuan did not feel much threat from her. She was probably a Seventh Layer of Qi Refining cultivator.

The crucial point was that Ji Yuan had never seen her before.

Since they did not know each other, why had she suddenly attacked him?

Could she also be a bandit cultivator?

As she landed within the formation, the female cultivator also sensed that something was wrong. She formed hand seals and summoned the Iron Sword from her back. It hovered at her side, while a piece of Blue Cloth spun around her body.

Perhaps because she had not yet grasped the situation, she did not move rashly and merely remained vigilant of her surroundings.

Ji Yuan had a panoramic view of everything within the formation. Seeing that the female cultivator had not attacked rashly, he took the chance to ask, "I have neither grievance nor enmity with you, Fellow Daoist. Why did you start fighting the moment we first met?"

Upon hearing this, the female cultivator sneered. "Hah, every last one of you Demonic Dao scoundrels deserves to be slain. If you need a grievance or enmity, then how do you explain those innocent cultivators you harmed?!"

So she was one of the rare Orthodox Dao cultivators in Cloud-Rain Marsh... Ji Yuan understood what had happened as soon as he heard her words.

She had likely merely happened to pass through nearby, sensed the aura of the Yin Ghost Formation, and mistaken him for a Demonic Dao cultivator.

Fair enough. Once the Yin Ghost Formation emerged, yin energy soared to the heavens.

Even Ji Yuan would have assumed the other party was a Demonic Dao cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand."

Since there was no grievance between them, Ji Yuan explained, "I obtained this formation after killing a Demonic Cultivator. I did not refine it myself."

"It is not yours?"

The female cultivator's voice held some suspicion. "A thief would never admit that he was a thief."

Ji Yuan continued, "Surely Fellow Daoist saw me just now. What Demonic Cultivator is as open and aboveboard as I am? Besides, if I truly were a Demonic Cultivator, I would have acted long ago. Why would I still be standing here talking?"

The female cultivator wanted to speak again, but Ji Yuan directly cut her off.

He gave her no further chance to speak.

"I hate Demonic Cultivators just as much as Fellow Daoist does, which is why I killed that wretch. If Fellow Daoist wishes to attack me merely because I use a Demonic Cultivator's formation, I fear it would chill the hearts of Orthodox Dao cultivators across the world."

At those words, the female cultivator finally wavered.

After considering for a moment, she said, "Come out, and I will believe you."

"Alright."

Ji Yuan had not gone far in the first place. He was even standing directly opposite the female cultivator. With a thought, he dispersed the nearby black mist and revealed himself.

The female cultivator was clearly startled at the sight. She had not expected Ji Yuan to be standing so close to her.

If he had suddenly attacked, she feared that even if she did not die, she would have suffered severe injuries.

Moreover, once she saw Ji Yuan clearly, she was even more surprised.

First, she was surprised by Ji Yuan's appearance. Second, she was surprised by his age.

"It seems I truly misunderstood you, Fellow Daoist. I sincerely apologize."

Whether one followed the Orthodox Dao or the Demonic Dao, the female cultivator could tell at a glance. She put away her Dharma Tools and cupped her fists. "Hu Fang of Jingde Ward greets Fellow Daoist."

Ji Yuan returned the gesture. "Ji Yuan, from Zengtou City."

"Since that is the case, Fellow Daoist may withdraw this formation. It was truly all a misunderstanding." Hu Fang examined the formation around them. Alongside her lingering fear, she could not help feeling a little envious.

This was a formation. She had never heard of anyone in Cloud-Rain Marsh possessing such a thing.

Only after Ji Yuan put away the Yin Ghost Formation did she turn toward the water to the northwest and call out, "Brother Du, he is from your Zengtou City. He is not a Demonic Cultivator. Like us, he specializes in killing Demonic Cultivators."

There was another expert!

Ji Yuan's heart jolted, and a chill ran down his back.

Especially when he saw the Spirit Vessel burst from the water, he felt even more alarmed.

Two Late Qi Refining cultivators... if they were to fight him to the death, Ji Yuan truly was not certain he could escape.

Fortunately, the misunderstanding had been resolved. It seemed that unless absolutely necessary, he could not casually deploy the Yin Ghost Banner in the future.

"Are you... Senior Du Kang?"

Looking at the middle-aged man who landed before him, Ji Yuan felt that he looked somewhat familiar.

"Indeed. Why call me Senior? We are both from Zengtou City. Just call me Brother Du." Du Kang said with a genial smile.

"Since it was all a misunderstanding, then there is no problem."

"Still, Brother Ji's formation is truly impressive."

Ji Yuan took an imperceptible step back, forcing a smile onto his face. "Just luck, just luck."

No matter how cautious he was, Du Kang still noticed the gesture.

"Rest assured, we are not bandit cultivators. Brother Ji need not be afraid."

Ji Yuan smiled again and cupped his fists. "Only luck."

"Alright, you are far too cautious, kid."

Du Kang shot Ji Yuan an annoyed glance. "Hu Fang and I have business to attend to. We need to make a trip into the depths of Cloud-Rain Marsh. We will talk when we return next time."

"Brother Du, Sister Hu, go ahead and attend to your business."

Ji Yuan cupped his fists toward them both, then watched them leave.

After they had traveled some distance away, Hu Fang finally spoke. "Brother Du, whose hands did you say this formation had been in before?"

"Ghost Island Master of Sophora Shade Ward." Du Kang said gravely, "He was only at the Middle Qi Refining Stage, but a few years ago, Han Feiyu once went to fight him. Borrowing the might of this formation, he actually fought Seventh Layer of Qi Refining Han Feiyu to a standstill."

"Later, people from our Association mediated between them, and only then did the two stop."

"I never expected Ji Yuan to kill Ghost Island Master without a sound and seize his formation as well."

Hu Fang naturally knew Han Feiyu's great reputation. "Then what sort of person is this Ji Yuan?"

Du Kang let out a breath. "Just like you, this is also my first time hearing his name."

"It seems he is a newly risen figure. Before long, we will likely see him in our Association." Hu Fang said.

Du Kang nodded. "That is a good thing. If we still cannot prevail later, we can ask Ji Yuan for help. With his formation, our chances of success should increase greatly."

"Excellent."

"..."

Once they had left, Ji Yuan hurriedly piloted his vessel beneath the water and disappeared.

After that, he did not rush back to Zengtou City. Instead, he made a wide circuit around Cloud-Rain Marsh for two days. Only on the third day did he come ashore from another direction of Zengtou City and return.

But when he reached the entrance to his courtyard and was about to push open the gate, his gaze swept over the side of the doorway as usual.

With just one glance, he stopped in his tracks.

Beside the gate,

he saw a Seashell.