A Small Test of Skill

"Are you sure this is a harmful ghost? Don't get the wrong person, that would be embarrassing," Gu Zhao asked.

"He definitely harms people!" Bai Ke patted his chest and guaranteed.

Gu Zhao expressed curiosity, "Then why doesn't he enter the city and instead hide in this abandoned village?"

"Because he's half a Corpse Ghost. Half of his remnant soul is trapped in his corpse and he can't free himself, so he can't leave the village too far," Bai Ke said, leaning on Xiuniang's shoulder, "It's like having a chain around his neck, he can't run too far."

Speaking of which, Bai Ke added, "Of course, there's also an advantage, which is that if his corpse cannot be completely destroyed, he cannot be killed."

"Then where is his corpse?" Gu Zhao asked.

"I don't know." Bai Ke shook his head, "But I personally saw him kill two lost people and devour their Blood Essence completely. He's definitely not a good person... or ghost."

Daoist Yansong narrowed his eyes, remaining silent.

Gu Zhao asked, "He's a ghostly creature, don't they usually just absorb vital energy? Why would he absorb Blood Essence?"

"Generally speaking, ghostly creatures absorb Spirit and vital energy, while Yao devour essence and Blood Essence. However, there are exceptions," Bai Ke wagged his tail, "Some Yao also devour Spirit, like the Painting Demon you encountered in Xiu Yue County. Some Fierce Ghosts also consume Blood Essence, like..."

"Corpse Ghosts?" Gu Zhao pondered, "His corpse needs the Blood Essence of the living?"

"His remnant soul is bound to his corpse. The corpse is stiff and cannot move, so he cannot leave this place. Therefore, he devours Blood Essence, actually to refine his corpse. If he can refine his corpse to be alive, he can walk around," Daoist Yansong explained.

Bai Ke nodded, "That's about it."

As they spoke, the three people and one fox stood outside an abandoned village.

Looking around, there was a strangely growing forest. The path they had taken was already covered by weeds. If not for the fact that it was slightly lower than the surrounding bushes, they might not have found the path.

It was noon, but mist rose in the forest. Sunlight filtered through the dense fog, casting only a faint glow that illuminated the surroundings but brought no warmth.

"This desolate village is obviously not right. How dare those lost people walk in?" Gu Zhao could feel the ominous aura emanating from the desolate village.

Bai Ke said faintly, "They took the wrong path, and it was raining heavily. Besides the abandoned houses in the village to shelter from the rain, what else could they do?"

Gu Zhao glanced at Bai Ke, "Did you stop them?"

Bai Ke did not deny it, "But they ran even faster."

The three were speechless. In the desolate wilderness, with no sunlight, white shadows flashing, and the fox's soft whimpers, any normal person would be scared, wouldn't they?

"Are you sure this ghostly creature isn't too powerful?" Gu Zhao confirmed again.

This was the first time he had actively sought trouble with another entity. To be honest, he was a little unaccustomed to it. If they couldn't win, it would be even more embarrassing.

"Don't worry, even if I wanted you to seek death, I wouldn't let Xiuniang step into danger." Bai Ke used his tail to brush away a strand of hair from Xiuniang's ear, "I've met him twice. As long as we leave the village, he can't chase us out."

"Then let's go!" Gu Zhao waved his hand.

So the three people and one fox walked into the village.

There was originally a dirt wall around the outskirts of the village, but it had long since collapsed. However, the wooden gate at the village entrance with a plaque was relatively intact. The three dark characters "[Liu Family Village]" on the plaque loomed in the mist, exuding a hint of ferocity and eeriness.

Inside the village, it was silent.

The faint mist did not significantly obstruct their vision. Although the village was abandoned, the houses were still well-preserved. Only the half-open doors, broken window paper, and overgrown weeds, along with faint psychic fluctuations drifting in the air, told the story of the desolate village.

"Their flesh and blood were sucked dry, and their Spirit was also devoured. Because they haven't seen sunlight for years, only a bit of resentment remains," Bai Ke said faintly.

Xiuniang shrunk her neck, "With such deep resentment, how many people did he kill?"

Bai Ke looked around, and everyone fell silent.

"The mist has gotten heavier," Daoist Yansong suddenly said.

As they ventured deeper into the desolate village, although there were fewer trees around, the sunlight overhead did not increase at all. Instead, it was blocked by a layer of mist, as if it could never reach the village.

"Why hasn't he appeared yet?" Gu Zhao asked.

They hadn't released their divine senses, precisely to lure the ghostly creature out on its own. According to Bai Ke, all those who entered the village would be killed by the ghostly creature.

Bai Ke said listlessly, "Who knows? Maybe he knows that no one would enter this village during the day, so he sleeps during the day?"

Xiuniang couldn't help but ask, "Do ghostly creatures sleep?"

"Humans and Yao sleep, so of course ghosts sleep too!" Bai Ke said as a matter of course, "Don't ghostly creatures come out at night and hide during the day, which means they sleep during the day?"

Gu Zhao and Daoist Yansong exchanged glances.

Although it didn't sound quite right, there were no ghosts on modern Earth. They weren't as knowledgeable as Bai Ke and didn't really know if ghostly creatures needed to sleep.

There was too much knowledge to supplement!

"Rustle--"

An evil wind blew, causing the dead branches of the surrounding old trees to rustle. A gloomy ghostly aura suddenly emanated from not far away.

"Over there?"

"Why isn't he coming over? Hasn't he discovered us?"

"That location is the main axis of the village, either a meeting place or an ancestral hall."

"Let's go and take a look."

The three people and one fox moved lightly, walking towards it together. As they got closer, the faint mist could no longer obscure their vision. Under an old locust tree stood a conspicuously dilapidated large house, with carved corners and pillars – it was a grand ancestral hall.

The ancestral hall's main door was tightly shut, and not a blade of grass grew in front of it.

"The ghost energy just now came from the ancestral hall," Bai Ke said.

"He's in the ancestral hall?" Xiuniang sounded a little scared.

"Is he cultivating and didn't notice us?" Daoist Yansong asked.

"No more waiting, let's go!" Gu Zhao rubbed his hands together and took a step forward, pushing open the ancestral hall door.

"Creeeak—"

The door was instantly pushed open, and all four pairs of eyes looked into the ancestral hall, but they saw two pairs of eyes.

A young man in a white robe, with a refined appearance but a pale green complexion and sinister eyes, stood on the left.

An elder in brocade clothes, like a gentry, stood on the right, subtly confronting the young man.

Six pairs of eyes stared at each other.

Gu Zhao turned back to ask Bai Ke, "Didn't you say there was only one ghost in the village?"

The elder in brocade clothes also narrowed his eyes, looking cautiously at the white-robed man, "Who are they?"

The white-robed man was stunned, and a faint blush appeared on his already pale green face.

The next moment, the white-robed man's eyes sharpened. He raised his right hand and clenched it in the air. The mist swirling around seemed to transform into cage bars and chains, pressing down on Gu Zhao and the others.

Sensing the vibration of the Five Thunder Token in his sea of consciousness, Gu Zhao couldn't help but praise inwardly. No more nonsense.

In that case...

"Attack!" Gu Zhao shouted.

The first to strike was Xiuniang. With a wave of her hand, the Heavenly Fox Nail shot out, weaving through the mist. However, apart from poking small holes in the mist with its accompanying mana, it was difficult to resist the encircling mist.

The white-robed man snorted coldly and increased the force in his hand. Everyone felt that the mist was not only pressing down but also had a subtle suction, as if it wanted to drain their blood.

"Young Master!" Xiuniang was powerless and could only ask for help.

"This old Taoist will give it a try." Daoist Yansong chuckled, took two steps forward, and swept his sleeve in front of him.

The next moment, Daoist Yansong's face changed. The face had a blue base, black lines, gold trim, and white accents. It looked solemn and majestic, yet also somewhat eerie and terrifying.

With this transformation, even the white-robed man, who was a ghostly creature, was startled. "You are..."

"Before Qingcheng Mountain Taoists fight, of course, they have to change their faces. Have you watched The Smiling, Proud Wanderer?"

Daoist Yansong shook his head, formed an Old Lord's Seal in front of his chest, took a deep breath, and then pursed his lips into a whistle, exhaling gently.

"Swoosh—"

A sharp whistling sound suddenly rang out, and a gust of strong wind blew from Daoist Yansong's mouth. He simply shook his head, and this gust of wind blew away all the surrounding mist.