Spring Orchid

Qin Yang poked his head out and caught a faint whiff of a rotting stench.

He closed the window again, his eyes flickering with thought.

From what Yaoju had said, this Youlan must have turned into a malevolent spirit due to an overwhelming buildup of resentment and wrath. Anyone who set foot in Spring Orchid Courtyard would meet with disaster.

"Li Baling and those guys were the unlucky sods assigned to Spring Orchid Courtyard during the Qing Tian Festival."

"The girls who accompanied them all drowned by accident. Those few might have only escaped for the moment because they left Huaxiang Tower."

"But while they were in Spring Orchid Courtyard, they were probably infected by evil energy. After they went back, they kept having nightmares and were tortured to death."

Qin Yang speculated.

Back at the Broken Temple, he'd already fallen into an illusion.

Luckily, he had the Zen Meditation state, or he wouldn't have broken free.

As for ordinary people like Li Baling, they were even worse off—scattered minds, easily shattered when faced with such bizarre horrors.

"Let's see just how fierce you can be."

Qin Yang stepped out of his room and headed toward the courtyard ahead.

He passed through several more small courtyards along the way.

Each of these courtyards had a small plaque hanging by the gate, inscribed with the courtyard's name.

Winter Snow, Autumn Leaf.

As he passed, Qin Yang could hear some unsavory sounds.

Finally, deeper inside, he spotted a secluded courtyard.

A wooden plaque hung by the gate, carved with the words "Spring Orchid."

The courtyard was deathly still, without a single glimmer of light.

Fearless and undaunted, Qin Yang strode into Spring Orchid Courtyard.

The ground was littered with talisman paper, along with some incense and candles and the like.

Ahead lay a pond, its surface shimmering under the moonlight.

Suddenly.

Qin Yang sensed something and spun around sharply.

For a fleeting moment, he seemed to see a pair of numb, venomous eyes staring at him.

As his gaze swept over, that malicious glare vanished.

Qin Yang's expression tightened.

The source of that gaze was a windowsill on one of the courtyard's buildings.

The window was open outward. Qin Yang peered inside—pitch black, nothing visible.

"No. That window should have been closed when I came in."

Qin Yang muttered to himself, then walked toward that building.

The door wasn't locked; a gentle push swung it open.

An icy chill lingered in the room, making Qin Yang's whole body feel cold.

The moment he stepped through the doorway.

His steps came to an abrupt halt.

After he opened the door, moonlight streamed in through it, casting his shadow on the floor.

But when he looked down, there were two shadows on the ground.

Qin Yang didn't have time to think. He raised his elbow and swung it backward in a vicious strike.

Whoosh~

The air stirred.

He hit nothing.

Qin Yang turned around. Behind him was only the cold, pale pond.

"Did I see wrong?"

Qin Yang narrowed his eyes and looked at the ground again.

This time, there was only one shadow.

He walked into the room.

The place clearly hadn't been cleaned in ages—a mess, with some incense and candles scattered on the floor.

He went to the windowsill and noticed a damp patch on the floorboards.

Then he looked out from the window toward the pond.

And he saw a woman, silently crouching by the water's edge.

The woman wore a red dress, her features unclear.

"Finally willing to come see me?"

Qin Yang leaped from the windowsill, flashing over to the edge of the pond in an instant.

But that eerie red shadow quietly vanished by the pond.

"Gone again?"

Qin Yang frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping the area.

A very pale hand appeared silently behind him, striking toward his back like lightning, as if trying to push him into the pond.

Boom~

A large hole tore through Qin Yang's sleeve, turbulent air surging around it.

The moment danger descended, Qin Yang sensed it and activated the Primordial Qi Shield.

The hand landed on his back, as if striking a great mountain—unmoving!

"Trying to ambush me?!"

"No way!"

Qin Yang's hand shot backward, grabbing.

A red figure was struck by his palm.

Boom~

As if hitting a clump of cold, muddy sludge.

A chill spread through Qin Yang's arm into his body.

Rush~~~

The blood and qi inside his body surged like tidal waves, instantly extinguishing the cold.

A red shadow flew backward.

Only then did Qin Yang see its form clearly.

Pale skin, blue-black lips, blood tears streaming from both eyes.

"You must be Youlan."

Qin Yang said indifferently.

"Everyone. Deserves. To die. Die~"

Youlan's voice hissed with venom and sharpness, her figure flickering fiercely as she lunged at Qin Yang on a gust of yin wind.

Qin Yang hadn't brought his Fine Steel Chopper to Huaxiang Tower tonight—too conspicuous—but he had a Wild Goose Feather Saber hidden at his waist.

Clang~

The moment he drew it, a cold light swept out like a gale.

Dang~

The Wild Goose Feather Saber clashed hard against Youlan's eerie claws, sparks flying.

"Arhat Bell Crash!"

Qin Yang growled, raising his left elbow and driving it forward with a fierce slam—

The elbow strike smashed directly into Youlan's face, caving in a bloody hole.

Youlan shrieked sharply, her claws stabbing rapidly at Qin Yang.

Clang clang clang~~~

Qin Yang shifted his saber stance, the blade light transforming into a dense forest, layer upon layer, blocking every attack.

Army Breaker: Forest Stance

They clashed wildly for dozens of exchanges.

The dense collision sounds rang out like hammering iron, crisp and clear.

Despite the high-intensity fight, Qin Yang's breathing remained steady, his strength flowing like an endless river.

This was the profound technique achieved after mastering the Azure Wave Blood Transference Method—Rushing Rivers Return to the Sea.

"Ah!!!"

Youlan let out a piercing shriek.

The sound was terrifyingly penetrating, like a dagger stabbing into Qin Yang's skull, the sharp pain creating a flaw in his saber stance.

Youlan had been waiting for this chance—one claw stabbed straight for Qin Yang's heart.

Qin Yang shifted his body slightly, dodging the vital spot.

The Primordial Qi Shield simultaneously enveloped his entire form.

Youlan let out a guttural roar, her claws flickering with an eerie aura, nearly tearing the Primordial Qi Shield apart.

Once the Primordial Qi Shield was breached, a new seed of the shield would need to be condensed at the heart.

The terrifying impact also jolted Qin Yang, forcing him back several steps.

"How dare you wound me!"

Qin Yang glared at the shallow gash on his chest, seething with rage.

With a furious roar, he swung the Wild Goose Feather Saber in a blaze like wildfire.

Crackling~~~

The blood and qi inside his body roared violently, surging like a tidal wave as they erupted with force.

Youlan shrieked and lunged straight at Qin Yang!

Boom!

A fierce Fierce Fire Slash slammed into Youlan, cleaving her entire shoulder clean off.

At the same time.

He gripped the Wild Goose Feather Saber with both hands, swinging it like a hammer to smash into Youlan.

Po Jun: Mountain Fall Stance!

The force bore down like a thousand-pound weight, overwhelmingly fierce.

Bang! Bang! Bang~~~

Youlan kept shrieking in agony as her body was steadily carved away by the saber.

Flesh and bone burst and shattered, her head reduced to nothing but a skull cap.

Yet Youlan showed no sign of dying at all.

"A fiend... is it really this hard to kill?!"

Qin Yang refused to believe it. He erupted with even greater force, the muscles in his arms bulging into tight balls as he wildly hacked and slashed at Youlan.