Yin Road Pass

Xie Hama's long sleeves fluttered, and two spirit talismans, one white and one black, flew out.

When the talismans met in flight, they drew together like a pair of male and female butterflies, clinging to each other and spinning rapidly before turning into a bagua diagram.

The bagua was even more impressive than Nezha: it could grow without any wind, and soon became a great umbrella hanging over their heads.

The swaying, human-shaped black mist changed dramatically, becoming a gaunt old man with a desolate face.

He looked exactly like Huang Huaji beside them!

Wang Qilin thought, Just as I suspected. The soul inside the old general's body isn't his own, but his subordinate general's!

Once the great bagua umbrella enveloped Huang Huaji, he suddenly grew dazed. His vacant eyes wavered, and a yin soul stepped out of his body.

This yin soul had swordlike eyebrows extending toward his temples, a straight, full nose, handsome features, a broad back, and a narrow waist. He was an exceptionally good-looking middle-aged man.

Unfortunately, his narrow eyes, wide mouth, thin lips, and vicious air made it difficult to feel any liking for him.

Wang Qilin was surprised. The man bore a fifty or sixty percent resemblance to Huang Liufeng, and looked even more like the steward!

Then he understood. Steward Ding was the brother of the subordinate general who had been buried in the Wuji Pagoda to suppress evil with his body. Perhaps out of guilt, Huang Huaji had kept him at his side as his steward.

General Huang had only one son, who had long since died on the battlefield and been brought home wrapped in horsehide. The second son now serving as an official in the capital was the subordinate general's son, whom he had adopted.

No wonder no one in the general's household had noticed the changes after Huang Huaji's soul was replaced. The steward had been willingly covering for him.

And no wonder the deputy general had flown into a rage and beheaded that scoundrel Su upon discovering he was harassing Huang Qingyun. At first, Wang Qilin had thought it was Huang Huaji's ruthlessness from his years on the battlefield. In fact, it had been the deputy general protecting his own granddaughter!

His granddaughter by blood.

The subordinate general's yin soul immediately retreated upon revealing himself. Hiding in a patch of darkness, he laughed wildly in grief. "The Heaven-Listening Bureau lives up to its reputation. I should never have let you interfere in my family's affairs! I just never imagined a mere Minor Seal would possess such abilities!"

Wang Qilin slowly drew his saber.

Horse Slayer left its sheath, its blood-colored rust writhing and twisting.

The subordinate general shouted harshly, "Lord Wang, I believe I've treated you well. Why must you oppose me?"

"If I said it was for justice and fairness, would you believe me?" Wang Qilin asked.

"Justice? Fairness? I don't believe it! I don't!"

"There is only power in this world. Where is justice or fairness? If justice and fairness existed, why would I have been imprisoned in this evil tower? Why?"

The subordinate general's yin soul laughed shrilly, and a gust of yin wind immediately swept through the tower.

The faint sound of wooden fish being struck and scriptures being chanted began again.

Wang Qilin looked at the many Buddha statues overhead and discovered in astonishment that their mouths were moving!

As though they really were chanting sutras.

The light of the taiji diagram gradually faded, turning back into two spirit talismans, one black and one white, which slowly burned.

Xie Hama trembled in anguish. "My Two Aspects Return to the True Talisman! My master only left me this one! That was a divine talisman worth ten thousand gold!"

The talismans vanished, and darkness returned to the tower, leaving only three dim flames.

The flames suddenly swayed.

A gust of yin wind swept toward them.

Wang Qilin flung his scabbard toward the oncoming wind, but gripped his saber with both hands, twisted at the waist, and slashed in the opposite direction!

A feint to the east, an attack to the west.

A paltry little trick!

Metal rang against stone, clear and sharp!

The demonic saber struck a block of ice, forcing Wang Qilin back two steps.

The yin wind vanished at the same time.

The subordinate general's yin soul retreated, and his shrill voice rang out again. "Wang brat, why must you oppose me? If you truly wish to uphold justice, why won't you grant me justice?"

Wang Qilin thought, To hell with your damned justice. Do you really believe I'm that sort of person?

The real reason he wanted to expose the subordinate general's scheme was that he feared the man would play tricks inside the Wuji Tower!

If the subordinate general's yin soul could seize the old general's body, he could seize his body too.

And the old general's body was already aged and decaying, while his was young and full of vitality. He was also a Minor Seal of the Heaven-Listening Bureau. Although he considered his looks unremarkable, he was still somewhat handsome.

In any case, if he were the subordinate general's yin soul, he would certainly choose his body sooner or later.

In all of Paifang Township and Crouching Dragon Township, no one's body was more perfect than his!

Reality gave him no time to praise himself.

The enemy was hidden while he was exposed. The situation was dire.

Wang Qilin said quietly, "Daoist, take the old general away. I'll cover the rear!"

"Where do you think you're going?"

The yin wind whistled toward him, like opening a window on a night in the depths of winter.

This time, Wang Qilin no longer guarded his flanks. His feet scraped hard against the ground, and his retreat abruptly became an advance.

The rear guard became the vanguard!

Retreat became a charge!

He had said they were leaving to lure the subordinate general's yin soul into attacking. Sure enough, afraid they would enter the Dragon Day Children's Hair passage, the yin soul immediately launched a frantic attack.

Lunar Soul-Severing Saber, Travel by Day, Rest by Night!

His swift steps closed the distance between them. Horse Slayer swept out horizontally, then changed halfway through into an upward slash. The saber wind reversed like a raging wave and crashed into the yin wind!

Man and yin soul clashed at close quarters!

The oil-lamp flames swayed wildly, their flickering light casting swaying shadows of Buddhas across the floor.

There was no moonlight in the tower, so the Lunar Soul-Severing Saber could not display its full power.

But Wang Qilin felt this yin soul was not particularly formidable. As his saber techniques chained together in a killing assault, he could feel slash after slash striking the yin soul.

The subordinate general's yin soul let out a piercing scream that sounded like a mass of steel needles being stuffed into his ears.

Agony shot through Wang Qilin's eardrums, and his vision went black.

At the same time, a hard fist struck him square in the chest. An icy chill burrowed into his chest like a snake and flooded his entire body, instantly arresting the smooth circulation of his internal energy!

An explosive force followed the chill. The punch sent him flying backward, almost robbing him of the strength to fight back!

Just then, Buddhist chants rang out.

His pain swiftly vanished, and the chill inside him melted like snow doused with hot water. His internal energy began circulating again. His vision was no longer dark, and a hazy, gentle light shone overhead.

Were the Buddha statues' bald heads glowing?

The subordinate general's yin soul became clearly visible. No longer passively taking blows, Wang Qilin sprang up in a diving leap, dragged his saber behind him, and charged forward in two swift strides to begin slashing.

The keen blade swept across the yin soul. Ten years' worth of internal energy surged at full force as Wang Qilin unleashed over a dozen slashes in one breath.

Every slash was merciless!

The subordinate general's yin soul struck back with his fists, each punch landing squarely on the demonic saber. He actually withstood its blade head-on!

The Buddhist chants grew louder and louder. Ancient Sanskrit characters drifted through the darkness, enveloping the subordinate general.

The subordinate general's yin soul faltered in his attack. Wang Qilin seized the opportunity to pour internal energy into his saber. Cold, clear blade light burst forth, and he transitioned from Dark Night, Fierce Wind into Lights of Ten Thousand Homes-

Killing moves came in rapid succession!

He held nothing back!

The slashes twisted the subordinate general's yin soul out of shape. At last, the blade light fell, and he gave a long, piercing howl before turning into a column of smoke.

The Buddhist chants rose higher, drowning out the howl. The Furnace of Creation flew out and sucked the column of smoke inside.

Wang Qilin breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to examine the tower's layout carefully, but the hazy light vanished.

The tower sank into darkness again.

Complete darkness.

The oil lamps had already been extinguished by the yin wind and saber wind.

As Wang Qilin backed out, he marveled at how impressive it was: the tower's lights had smart controls.

Now that was sophisticated!

After retreating to the entrance of the Dragon Day Children's Hair passage, he asked quietly, "Daoist, where are you? Let's withdraw for now..."

"Lord Wang, we're already outside." Xie Hama's voice came from beyond the tower.

Wang Qilin nearly died of anger.

Xie Hama had not stayed to support him at all. He had run off first!

Huang Huaji sat weakly on the ground. His yin soul had only survived so many days outside his body thanks to the wonders of the Wuji Tower. Ultimately, however, he had no great cultivation. Without the support of the Wuji Tower's power, he had fallen into a weakened state.

Wang Qilin hoisted him onto his back, and the three hurriedly climbed out.

Seeing Huang Huaji's exhausted face, Steward Ding was startled. "What happened to you underground?"

Wang Qilin was just about to sneer when Huang Huaji grabbed his lapel and shook his head. "I'm tired. I need rest."

Steward Ding called to those around him, "Why aren't you fetching a bed? The rest of you, close the door."

Huang Huaji shook his head again with difficulty. "There is no need to close it. The yin road below closed more than ten days ago. With this yin road closed, who knows where another has opened? Our dynasty will see the hundred ghosts walking at night again!"

Recognizing his manner of speech, Steward Ding stood dumbstruck, then slowly sank to his knees.

"Old Ding, help me back," Huang Huaji said softly.

Tears streamed down Steward Ding's aged face. "An ungrateful, heartless wretch like me has no right to touch you, General. I only beg you to show kindness and answer one question for this old man."

"Were you among those who decided to imprison my elder brother's yin soul in the tower back then?"

Huang Huaji said softly, "Old Ding, we were soldiers. Military orders are absolute!"