Ji Yuan was hesitating over whether he should make contact with the Yin Cha in the opposite courtyard. By his old way of thinking, this fellow still counted as a member of the immortals and Buddhas' divine system, didn't he?
Yet in truth, that Yin Cha was watching Ji Yuan as well.
Earlier, he had been focused on the discovery that the situation was rather serious. Now that he had come back to his senses, he felt that the new resident of Ju'an Pavilion seemed somewhat off too.
After all, it was deep in the silent night. In a residence like this, the man stood at the main hall doorway staring into the courtyard. He couldn't possibly be enjoying the cool air in early spring, could he?
He must be someone with sharp instincts, right?
This Yin Cha had encountered people like that before. And even if he was not one, anyone living in Ju'an Pavilion would find it difficult to sleep soundly after the third watch, when the yin energy became terrifyingly dense and nightmares came one after another.
After hesitating again and again, Ji Yuan ultimately decided not to get involved for now. If he wanted to worship the City God, he could always offer incense during the day.
So Ji Yuan walked as naturally as he could beneath the eaves before the house, lifted his head to look at the night sky, and let out a half-genuine, half-false sigh.
"Such a clean starry sky... I haven't seen one in a long time..."
There were not many things he could clearly see. He had not noticed it last time on Niu Kui Mountain, but only now did he realize that the stars in the sky were among them.
There were no clouds obscuring them, nor was there any smog pollution. Stars dotted the heavens, and the Milky Way gleamed brilliantly. It was truly beautiful!
Since there was a Yin Cha here now, and the lingering force from his chess-piece finger strike remained, Ji Yuan simply sat down on a small battered chair beside the house. He watched the sky, watched the courtyard, and occasionally sighed, like an ordinary man unable to sleep.
Of course, most of Ji Yuan's attention remained fixed on the movements in the courtyard. While sitting there, he had tried to visualize a chess piece, but perhaps his body had expended too much strength. His limbs felt weak, and his mind ached with sharp pain. Yet that sensation was still there, and that was the confidence that let Ji Yuan remain seated.
What a joke. I just pointed that thing straight back. Didn't the Yin Cha say it was badly wounded? And with a Yin Cha here now, why couldn't I act a little tougher?
After waiting for roughly a quarter of an hour, Ji Yuan sensed something different.
A faint, strange scent was gradually growing stronger. If he had to describe it, it somewhat resembled the sandalwood incense Ji Yuan's grandpa used to enjoy burning in his study.
Then Ji Yuan suddenly realized that it was the scent of sandalwood incense from a temple.
His heartbeat involuntarily quickened again. Someone remarkable seemed to be coming. Could it be the Ning'an County City God in person?
As the sandalwood incense scent gradually drew nearer, Ji Yuan straightened his posture. Unlike the other ghosts, he could hear an exceptionally peculiar series of footsteps, seemingly carrying a certain rhythm. And there was more than one person.
Whooo—whooo—
A thin yin wind carrying the scent of sandalwood incense seemed to rise in the courtyard. Figures crossed over Ju'an Pavilion's courtyard gate and entered. Besides more figures resembling Yin Cha, he saw four officials who looked extraordinary at a glance. They wore armor or official robes in different colors.
"Gulp..."
Ji Yuan could not help secretly swallowing. This was quite a grand display.
"Greetings, Lord Judge Wu, Lord of Rewarding Goodness, Lord of Punishing Evil, and Lord of Investigation!"
The Yin Cha in the courtyard respectfully saluted the four tall figures with the most imposing presence.
These four were clearly not the Ning'an County City God, but they certainly also received the common people's incense offerings. At the very least, there had to be clay statues of them in the City God Temple. They were far beyond ordinary Yin Cha; otherwise, they would not carry that scent of sandalwood incense.
Ji Yuan had no idea what official positions existed beneath the City God, but from the Yin Cha's forms of address, he could infer a few clues.
The newcomers paid little attention to Ji Yuan, who sat blankly in the courtyard. All their attention was focused on the water well.
"Just as expected. The Li Sha energy here has sharply diminished. What happened?"
"According to what Lord City God said, this vicious ghost had howled fiercely without cease tonight. Though we do not know why, it must have suffered grave injuries!"
The figure addressed as Judge Wu turned his head toward Ji Yuan before the house, making the latter feel slightly tense.
"Is this man the ordinary person who has newly moved into Ju'an Pavilion? Has anything unusual occurred?"
The Yin Cha who had been standing guard all this time immediately answered.
"Reporting to Lord Judge Wu, this man is likely an ordinary person unable to sleep because he was assaulted by the baleful energy. There is nothing unusual about him."
"Mm!"
While the four City God Subordinates, superior in both bearing and attire, exchanged a few words, Yin Cha patrolled both inside and outside the courtyard. They appeared to be investigating something.
Not long afterward, several Yin Cha came forward to report.
"Reporting to the lords, there is nothing unusual near Tianniu Quarter!"
The City God Subordinates exchanged glances and pondered for a moment.
"Could some master have passed through this place and lent Ning'an County a hand in passing?"
"Stop overthinking it. Let us subdue this fiend first, then investigate carefully!"
"Time Waits for No One. Delay may bring unforeseen changes!"
"Precisely!"
Judge Wu swept his broad sleeve, and a jet-black Judge's Brush appeared in his hand. His gaze swept across the courtyard and beyond it.
"Officials of every division, prepare the Soul Locking Array. Soul Hook Emissaries, heed my command. Ready the Soul Binding Locks!"
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
The four City God Subordinates walked toward the four corners of the courtyard. One stood with his sleeves hanging at his sides, one drew out an iron brush, one held a book in his palm, and one gripped a steel whip.
It's coming, it's coming! They're about to make their move!! But does the thing in the well really require such a massive operation? And isn't anyone going to tell this bystander to leave?
Ji Yuan was half nervous and half expectant, not knowing what would happen.
Only after several Yin Cha holding black command flags dissolved into mist did Ji Yuan notice that a thin layer of inky darkness had shrouded the courtyard before him. That had to be the so-called Soul Locking Array. The space beneath the eaves of the main house, where he sat, happened to lie outside it and had not been enclosed.
Within the Soul Locking Array, Judge Wu saw that everything was ready and gave a cold snort toward the water well.
"You can still keep your composure? Or perhaps your foundations were damaged, and you dare not show yourself? Tonight is your death date! Soul Hook Emissaries, make your move!"
At Judge Wu's command, the nine black-robed Yin Cha surrounding the well, each holding a long staff, suddenly reached toward their waists in unison. A ghostly glow lit up at their belts and transformed into pitch-black chains.
"Go!"
The nine Soul Hook Emissaries shouted together, and the Soul Binding Locks shot like lightning toward the well, plunging into the ground beside it.
Whooo... whooo... whooo whooo...
In an instant, yin winds rose in all directions. The old jujube branches in the courtyard swayed wildly. Even outside the array, Ji Yuan felt chilly all over, and the skin beneath his clothes erupted in goosebumps like tiny beans!
"Ah—ugh—"
"Hmph, all you can do is howl and scream. Gentlemen, lend the Soul Hook Emissaries a hand and drag it up!"
As he spoke, the four City God Subordinates struck without hesitation. Their unarmed left hands all reached forward, and streams of yin energy sprang forth in the courtyard, winding around the Soul Hook Emissaries.
For a moment, the Soul Binding Locks shone with a powerful ghostly light!
"Rise!"
"Ah—"
Dense masses of hair darted out of the water well and danced madly through the courtyard. Countless strands immediately lashed toward the nine Soul Hook Emissaries. The nine emissaries instantly leaped apart, pulling the Soul Binding Locks out by a great length as well.
"Cut!"
The Yin Cha who had long stood ready all around drew their sabers and hacked at the hair pursuing the Soul Hook Emissaries.
"Heh-ugh—"
The ghostly shriek, hoarse yet filled with misery, grew louder and louder. A huge mass of filthy hair was dragged from the water well by the Soul Binding Locks, twisting and changing in midair.
Ji Yuan's pupils constricted violently, and even his teeth trembled slightly. This thing was what he had seen just now?
The ghost creature trapped by the Soul Binding Locks seemed to have limbs and flesh constantly churning. Bloodshot eyeballs and pale faces shifted and changed, while baleful energy and yin energy poured forth without end.
The intense terror born from both sight and instinct reached deep into his soul, suffocating him. It was nothing any fake horror movie monster could compare to.
"Wretched creature! Tonight, your soul will be scattered and your spirit dispersed!"
Judge Wu roared and thrust the Judge's Brush forward. The other three City God Subordinates attacked as well.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Within Ju'an Pavilion's courtyard, it was as though yin energy had exploded...