Fourth Rank

The third layer was filled with such dense, almost tangible, Qi of Earth Sha that Ghost Soldier appeared one after another.

No matter how the Ghost Soldier changed, they could not withstand Zhou Wuji's sword strike.

The sharpness and Pure Yang nature of the White Rainbow Sword were beyond the tolerance of these Ghost Soldier.

Zhou Wuji's Swordsmanship was also poisonous; a single strike could directly strike the spirit of Ghost Soldier.

As the bright sword flashed, the Ghost Soldier vanished into thin air one by one.

As he continued his rampage, Zhou Wuji killed more than thirty Ghost Soldier, truly displaying an unstoppable and invincible momentum.

Holding the White Rainbow Sword, Zhou Wuji's aura resonated with the sword, and the dense Qi of Earth Sha that permeated the area no longer affected him.

After slaying the thirty-ninth Ghost Soldier, Zhou Wuji encountered Fifth Rank Ghost General.

A ferocious demon with a blue face and fangs, standing twelve feet tall, with arms reaching past its knees, and four crimson eyes on its face.

Unlike other Ghost Soldier, the Ghost General not only has two extra eyes, but more importantly, its crimson eyes are calm, completely lacking the ferocity and malice of ordinary Ghost Soldier.

The Ghost General, shrouded in black mist, walked silently as he emerged from the mist, locking his four crimson eyes onto Zhou Wuji.

Their eyes met, Ghost General's crimson eyes flashed like flames as it opened its mouth and let out a shrill howl.

Based on the ghost's special state and the level of its True Qi, Zhou Wuji immediately determined that it was a Fifth Rank Ghost General.

The term "Ghost General" refers to a Ghost General being who can command Ghost Soldier.

Above Ghost General is the Fourth Rank Ghost Marshal.

The Ghost General before him actually knew to launch a soul attack first; his ghostly howl was like an invisible spear, piercing straight into Zhou Wuji's Divine Sense.

Zhou Wuji, deep within his State of Mind, remained focused and fully reflected the Ghost General's attack.

He drew his sword, and as the bright sword flashed and shone, it emitted a buzzing sound, completely destroying the spear-like ghostly howls.

The Ghost General's Divine Sense was no weaker than Zhou Wuji's, but he was not familiar with Secret Method, and he immediately suffered a loss in the clash of spiritual will.

The White Rainbow Sword emitted a sword cry that penetrated directly into the Ghost General's Divine Sense, causing his spirituality to tremble uncontrollably.

The Ghost General paused, Zhou Wuji had already swept across with his sword.

The bright swords intersected in a cross shape, instantly slicing the Ghost General into four pieces.

Even the Ghost General's body, as hard as steel, was no different from tofu under the White Rainbow Sword.

The Ghost General was cut into four pieces in the first encounter, was not killed. After all, he was at the Fifth Rank rank, with a strong spiritual Divine Sense. His Divine Sense had already separated from his body when the sword light fell.

The Ghost General's Divine Sense and spirituality were formless and invisible, completely merging into the surrounding dark earthly energy.

Zhou Wuji's Six Yang Dharma Eye were able to barely detect the Ghost General's trace, which was a wisp of dark red smoke.

His Mind Mirror directly reflects the Divine Sense and spirituality of the Ghost General.

This time, he didn't use a sword, but instead directly unleashed the Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder through his eyes.

A wisp of light, like lightning, flashed deep within his eyes and landed on the spiritual Divine Sense the Ghost General had vanished into the void.

Like a thunderbolt, the lightning burst into hundreds of streams of light, Ghost General Divine Sense and spirit were instantly and completely dissipated in the lightning.

Without a physical body to protect it, the Ghost General is just a ball of Divine Sense, which is extremely fragile and is further suppressed by the Yin Thunder.

Even more impressive is that Zhou Wuji Yin Thunder has reached the perfect level, possessing immense power.

Zhou Wuji was satisfied with the result; Fifth Rank Ghost General couldn't possibly be too strong.

If everyone were as powerful as cultivators, how would cultivators survive?

The Zhiyuan can oversee the Lower Court proves that the Ten Thousand Ghosts Grotto is no higher than Zhiyuan's cultivation limit.

He didn't underestimate Zhiyuan either; he held the White Rainbow Sword, Zhiyuan's Golden Light Divine Incantation couldn't possibly trap him.

With his mastery of the Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder and Swordsmanship, he should be able to put up a fight against Zhiyuan.

The Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment now includes a Ghost General weighing five taels.

Zhou Wuji was satisfied with the result. He had used up nearly half of his True Qi, and the third level was very vast. He had been down there for almost two hours, so there was no need to rush.

Back on the first floor, Shangxing and Yang Tie Ying were both at the entrance. Yang Tie Ying was in good spirits, but Shangxing's face was pale and he was trembling all over, looking very pitiful.

Zhou Wuji knew that Shangxing was still too young and couldn't endure hardship.

Anyway, he did his best to help, but there was nothing he could do if the student was hopelessly incapable.

He didn't say anything, and took the two children back to the stone house.

Shangxing took another Golden Yang Pill and quickly recovered. He and Yang Tie Ying worked together, one tending the fire and boiling water, the other preparing the meal.

The cooking skills honed through years of experience have improved; even though it's just simple rice, steamed vegetables, and pickled vegetables, the taste is quite good.

After dinner, Zhou Wuji instructed Yang Tie Ying and Shangxing on their spiritual practice.

After finishing, I chatted with my Uncle Yiping before returning to my room to do my daily practice.

Lying in bed, Zhou Wuji transformed the numerous Ghost Soldier into Origin Profound Qi, empowering himself.

The total amount of True Qi increased by 400, reaching a total of 2,800.

With the addition of the useless Fifth Rank Ghost General, his total True Qi would definitely exceed three thousand.

The reason Zhou Wuji did not transform into Ghost General is that the higher the level of True Qi, the more difficult it is to improve.

Although the Ten Thousand Ghosts Grotto is vast, there can't be too many Ghost Soldier Ghost General.

He should first use Ghost Soldier to upgrade, and only use Ghost General when the Ghost Soldier are no longer useful.

Anyway, he's guarding the Ten Thousand Ghosts Grotto, so there's no need to rush.

In the following days, Zhou Wuji carried out a thorough cleanup of the third level, and killed some Ghost Soldier and a Ghost General.

By mid-June, Zhou Wuji had completely cleared out the third level of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Grotto.

Below the third level, the caves were all twisted and narrow, Zhou Wuji was hesitant to go in.

Regardless of what's hidden inside, these caves extend deep underground in a twisted and irregular manner, and their structure doesn't look very stable.

If the cave collapses, he'll be finished.

Even if there really is Fourth Rank Ghost Marshal inside, the benefit he receives will be limited.

He now has a solid foundation, and can increase his True Qi by ten points every day through cultivation alone.

Even without external help, he could cultivate to the Sixth Rank of perfection in at most a year.

Zhou Wuji was unwilling to give up, so he used a little of his fingertip Essence Blood to flick into the entrance to the fourth level, but waited for a long time without any movement.

Upon returning, Zhou Wuji asked Daoist Yiping if there were any spiritual objects that could attract ghosts.

Daoist Yiping laughed loudly, "This is our specialty, and you don't even know it?!"

The old Daoist priest didn't keep him in suspense. He said, "The incense we burn in our temple for worshipping the gods is made by blending and refining agarwood, dragon marrow, and other spiritual substances. It is also blessed with divine power, making it something that ghosts love most."

"Divine power?"

Zhou Wuji had some doubts. It was true that the North Pole Heavenly Emperor Hall was the central hub of the Lower Court, and it did indeed gather a lot of willpower, and it could resonate with the Big Dipper Star Domain.

But as for whether he saw any divine power at work, he didn't.

However, perhaps its special spirituality, amplified by the influence of the Big Dipper Star Domain, is highly beneficial to ghosts?

The incense offered at the North Pole Heavenly Emperor Hall is a sacred object, and it is all under the management of the palace.

Zhou Wuji didn't go to see the Daoist Yiding, because that guy didn't like him and might make things difficult for him even over such a small matter.

Besides, it's not worth mentioning such a trivial matter.

That very night, Zhou Wuji quietly entered the North Pole Heavenly Emperor Hall.

The two Daoist priests on duty sat with their eyes closed, neither of them noticing Zhou Wuji, who easily took two sticks of incense.

Zhou Wuji first silently prayed to the statue of the North Pole Heavenly Emperor, but the statue remained silent, clearly indicating its tacit approval.

Zhou Wuji arrived at the entrance to the fourth floor and lit incense.

The wisps of smoke curled like snakes, naturally flowing into the cave entrance.

A short while later, dark energy surged at the entrance of the cave, and a dark shadow shot out like an arrow.

The shadowy figure arrived abruptly; Zhou Wuji's Six Yang Dharma Eye couldn't detect its aura until it flew close enough for his Mind Mirror to reflect its form.

This was a nine-foot-tall ghost, its black iron-like body faintly glowing with a dark red hue, just like red-hot steel.

The ghost was tall with long limbs, and had only six crimson eyes on its head. It had no nose or mouth, making it appear exceptionally eerie and dangerous.

The most powerful thing about ghosts is that they can completely conceal their Yin Qi. Zhou Wuji could only see the form of the ghost with his Mind Mirror, but he could not see the Yin Qi hidden inside the ghost.

"He must be Fourth Rank Ghost Marshal!"

Zhou Wuji was both delighted and alarmed. He was delighted that there was indeed a large creature, but alarmed that this creature was quite troublesome and he might not be able to swallow it.

Faced with such a powerful ghost, Zhou Wuji dared not be careless in the slightest.

He pointed and activated the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword.

A four-foot-long azure light sword flashed like lightning and pierced straight at the Ghost Marshal.

Ghost Marshal reacted extremely quickly. Before the lightsaber could get close, he threw a punch, unleashing a dense, extremely cold, and eerie black aura.

The dazzling azure lightsaber froze in mid-air as if frozen, and the radiant light on it dimmed.

Zhou Wuji was even more surprised. The Yin Qi unleashed by this ghost's casual strike was so fierce that it even sealed his Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword.

The extremely cold and yin energy had even formed Law Domain, covering an area of more than ten feet in radius.

Once a ghost reaches the Fourth Rank rank, it already possesses extremely high combat instincts, even without any instruction or Secret Method techniques.

Faced with such a powerful ghost, Zhou Wuji was extremely cautious.

He ignored the sealed Seven Star Demon-Slaying Sword and directly activated the Yangming Subduing Demon Thunder Sound within the Yin Thunder of the Big Dipper Heavenly Pivot.

"Break!"

Zhou Wuji let out a low shout, unleashing a devastating thunderous sound through the Army-Breaking Acupoint in his mouth.

The explosive thunderous sound struck the Ghost Marshal directly at the level of Divine Sense. The Ghost Marshal's six eyes simultaneously flashed with crimson flames, clearly indicating that he had been impacted by the thunderous sound.

The Ghost Marshal was exceptionally powerful at the level of Divine Sense. It was not injured by the attack from Lei Yin; instead, it aroused its ferocity.

It also emitted a low, sharp whistle, and formed rings of black energy around its body. The invisible thunder and the energy rings intertwined and vibrated, leaving intermittent sound wave traces in the air.

Thunder Sound was thus broken, and Ghost Marshal flashed across twenty steps to Zhou Wuji's front, his claws like blades stabbing straight at Zhou Wuji's chest.

Zhou Wuji's eyes shimmered with tears, and Yin Thunder's gaze fell directly on the Ghost Marshal without warning.

At the same time, a bright blue star-like garment rose from Zhou Wuji's body, which was the Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation that he had previously stored in his acupoints.

He didn't know what he would encounter, so naturally he needed to prepare in advance.

The Yin Thunder struck too quickly; even though the Ghost Marshal's figure blurred as he tried to dodge, he was still a step too slow.

The water sparkled, blasting hundreds of cracks into the Ghost Marshal's dark red body.

Zhou Wuji was standing nearby, was also affected by the lightning. The star-patterned robe he wore was formed from the Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation and originated from the same source as the Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder.

Most importantly, the Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder Method is perfected, so the scattered lightning can still be controlled by his Divine Sense and will not harm him.

Zhou Wuji seized the opportunity and drew his sword, which was none other than the Sunset Sword.

The Army-Breaking Dharma Talisman within the White Rainbow Sword was also activated, and the blade transformed into a bright, Pure Yang Sword that slashed directly at the Ghost Marshal.

Such a violent and fierce strike immediately shattered the Law Domain Yin Qi energy and cut the Ghost Marshal in two.

Before Ghost Marshal could react, Zhou Wuji swung his sword again, cutting Ghost Marshal into four pieces.

The sword rainbow left a blazing cross-shaped sword mark in the void, burning through the dense, cold darkness.

Just then, Zhou Wuji's Mind Mirror reflected the figure of another Ghost Marshal, which appeared behind him.

The Ghost Marshal arrived in an extremely mysterious manner, and by the time Zhou Wuji realized something was wrong, it was too late.

Ghost Marshal's claws, like ten curved blades, were gripping Zhou Wuji's back.

Not only are their claws incredibly sharp, but they also possess an extremely cold and yin energy honed over a century by the Ghost Marshal.

The shimmering, azure star-like garment suddenly solidified under the chill, then shattered into hundreds of fragments like a block of transparent ice.

The Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation was shattered by the Ghost Marshal's attack. Its blade-like claws slashed at Zhou Wuji's back, but were blocked by a layer of smooth blue armor.

In the critical moment, Zhou Wuji activated the Heavenly Puppet, transforming it into Seamless Heavenly Robe, which blocked the Ghost Marshal's icy claws.

Even through the Heavenly Puppet, the extremely cold and yin energy penetrated directly into Zhou Wuji's body, freezing his blood until it congealed.

Fortunately, Zhou Wuji Transforming Force, and his internal organs Qi and Blood were strong. Under the invasion of cold air, his Qi and Blood surged and erupted like a volcano.

The White Rainbow Sword in his hand resonated with his aura, simultaneously releasing Pure Yang yang energy, instantly dissolving the cold air that had invaded his body.

Taking advantage of the opportunity Zhou Wuji swung his sword backhand, the sword move seemingly real yet illusory, it was the most exquisite Water Moon Sword among the Xiaoxiang Sword.

The sword light, as clear as autumn water, rippled across the blade; the White Rainbow Sword had already pierced straight into the Ghost Marshal's head.

The blade flashed with light like lightning, blasting the Ghost Marshal to smithereens from head to toe...

The perfected level of Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder was directly enhanced by Zhou Wuji onto the White Rainbow Sword.

The Yin Thunder erupted within the Ghost Marshal's body, instantly and completely destroying his Ghost Marshal Divine Sense and spirituality.

Having successfully landed a blow, Zhou Wuji cast Rejuvenation Technique and the Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation on himself, then hurriedly fled into the distance, sword in hand...