The courtyard was small, with walls made of loess that were no more than eight feet high.
Zhou Wuji could still see the green tiles on the roof through the wall; it was a standard courtyard house.
They could afford to lay blue tiles, and their courtyard was fairly tidy; in a county town, that would be considered a middle-class family.
Through the Six Yang Dharma Eye, one can see that the main house and the two side rooms have a strong life force, but one cannot see the aura of ordinary people.
It was more of a sinister, eerie atmosphere that permeated the entire courtyard but did not spill outwards.
Zhou Wuji sighed inwardly. In his opinion, the entire family had probably been killed.
It's very likely that it was transformed into Yin Spirit, which is why the courtyard is filled with such a strong ghostly aura.
Just now, Wuzheng guessed that the two Devil Cultivator might be cultivators from the Heavenly Ghost Sect.
The Heavenly Ghost Sect specializes in refining ghost spirits and is considered an extremely evil and ruthless sect within the demonic sects.
The Five Dragons Gang controlled upstream and downstream water transport, had extensive connections, and maintained close relationships with various sectors.
Seeking help from the Devil Cultivator of the Heavenly Ghost Sect is perfectly reasonable.
Zhou Wuji didn't care which sect the Devil Cultivator belonged to; if they dared to indiscriminately kill civilians, he would have no scruples whatsoever.
The reason he didn't take action was that he was waiting for Wuzheng to set up his banners.
Northern Dipper Seven Star Formation can be set up with Seven Star Banners. Although the effect is far less than that of a magic altar, it can still greatly increase the power of the Law Technique.
With the protection of Yang Shuling and his grandson, they were able to hold off two Seventh Rank Devil Cultivator head-on.
Zhou Wuji took out a Purple Qi Pill and swallowed it. He didn't know the origin of the Devil Cultivator, nor what skills the other party was good at. Once the battle started, he would activate the Heavenly Puppet to protect himself and shield himself from all external auras.
Whether it's Gu worms, poison, sleeping powder, or lime, they can only affect the Heavenly Robe transformed by the Heavenly Puppet.
The true essence transformed from the Purple Qi Pill can help him maintain the operation of the Heavenly Puppet for as long as possible.
Operating the Heavenly Puppet is ultimately too taxing on his true energy. He can only learn the Northern Pole Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation once he advances to the Seventh Rank and completes the transmission of his initiation.
Having mastered this divine incantation, one can protect one's body and spirit internally, and defend against water, fire, wind, and thunder externally; it is truly a first-rate method of self-protection.
If you learn the Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder, you won't need to engage in close combat with a sword.
Zhou Wuji silently counted to one hundred, and then heard a bird chirp from the front of the courtyard. It was the agreed-upon signal, indicating that everything was ready.
He moved with incredible speed and lightness, landing effortlessly on the protruding beam of the side room. The beam was sturdy and stable, ensuring that he would land without making a sound.
From this vantage point, you can overlook the entire courtyard.
Neither the main house nor the side rooms were lit. The small courtyard contained firewood and other miscellaneous items, but they were arranged in an orderly manner, indicating that the family was very good at managing their household.
Zhou Wuji originally intended to sneak in and kill the two leading Devil Cultivator first.
But as he looked down, he noticed something was wrong. There was no one in the courtyard, but there was a chilling, eerie atmosphere emanating from it.
He had sensed ghostly energy outside before, and at the time he thought it was the aura of Devil Cultivator leaking out, but now it seems that's not the case.
The Six Yang Dharma Eye it clearly: the eerie ghostly energy was orderly and crisscrossed, and there were white flags at the four corners of the courtyard, clearly indicating a magic array.
This Devil Cultivator set up a magic array in the courtyard. Either they were as vigilant as him, or they had planned ahead and set up the array here to meet up with Azure Dragon Envoy Chen Hui.
Chen Hui was captured by him in one move and had no chance to escape here.
Zhou Wuji found it a bit tricky, as he knew nothing about magic arrays.
The magic circle in the courtyard should also cover the room; breaking through the wall would also put you within the magic circle's range.
In his view, this magic array was probably similar to the methods of Sixth Rank Devil Cultivator in the Yin Yang Dao, which used ghostly energy to obscure space, confuse people's senses, and bewitch their minds.
It's impossible to say that a magic array has any real power.
After all, the cultivation levels of the two Devil Cultivator were what they were, so even the strongest magic array had its limitations.
Zhou Wuji still didn't want to take any risks, nor was there any need to.
He flicked a pebble with his finger, sending it flying straight at the front gate of the yard. The pebble shattered on the wooden door and left a deep mark on the wooden planks.
The sound of pebbles hitting the door was quite jarring in the quiet night.
A woman's rough, low voice immediately came from the main room. "Who goes there?"
Before she finished speaking, the black mist in the courtyard surged and quickly condensed into a tall, black Ghost Soldier.
The Ghost Soldier was eight feet tall, wielding a long black sword. His black body was like it had been cast from black iron, making it exceptionally solid and strong. The surface of his body resembled armor, and his eyes were as red as fire.
" Ghost Soldier!"
Zhou Wuji was slightly surprised that Seventh Rank Devil Cultivator could actually control Sixth Rank Ghost Soldier; these two Devil Cultivator were quite something.
The Ghost Soldier didn't notice Zhou Wuji. He strode to the door, glanced at it, and then his figure blurred into black mist, passing directly through the door and out.
About ten steps from the gate, Wuzheng had already planted the Seven Star Banners around the area.
He knew from the sound of pebbles hitting the door that Zhou Wuji was deliberately trying to startle him and give him a heads-up.
This was also part of their pre-arranged battle plan.
Wuzheng watched a cloud of black energy burst through the door and transform into a black Ghost Soldier clad in full armor, his expression darkened. The Devil Cultivator opposite him was much stronger than he had anticipated.
However, the Heavenly Ghost Sect is skilled in controlling ghosts, so it's not unusual for Seventh Rank Devil Cultivator to create Sixth Rank Ghost Soldier!
Wuzheng raised his Seven Star Sword and pointed it at the black Ghost Soldier. He quickly chanted an incantation. "Tian Peng, Tian Peng, command the thunder! Hurry, hurry, as the Northern Emperor commands!"
Many of the Northern Pole Sect's Law Technique are specifically designed to counter ghosts and evil spirits, but the most powerful is the Yin Thunder Method.
During the past few months that Wuzheng at Hidden Dragon Temple, he has experienced many major battles, which has greatly improved his skills in Thunder Method.
He was well-prepared for this battle; he didn't even use the Tianpeng Ruler, but instead used the Seven Star Sword to guide the Northern Dipper Seven Star True Qi, and by temporarily summoning the Eight Divisions of Soldiers and Horses, he directly triggered the Yin Thunder.
Like lightning, the water and thunder surged forward along the sword's edge, striking the newly formed Ghost Soldier.
The Yin Thunder thunder exploded, blasting the solid, iron-like upper body of the Ghost Soldier into wisps of black smoke.
The Yin Thunder technique is inherently effective against ghosts and spirits, and this attack was launched after being built up, so even Sixth Rank Ghost Soldier could not withstand it.
In the main room Xue Feihua and Xue Feixia, both seventh-rank Devil Cultivator, simultaneously sensed something was wrong, and they both shook the soul-summoning banners in their hands.
The boiling, swirling black mist rolled backwards into the main room, where it re-converged on the soul-summoning banners held by the two women.
A look of surprise appeared on Xue Feihua's ugly face. "The opponent used Thunder Method, yet it was silent, and it shattered the Ghost Soldier with a single blow. It must be the Northern Pole Sect's Yin Thunder!"
There are many types of Thunder Method in Daoism, but Yin Thunder Method is a unique supernatural Divine Ability of the Northern Pole Sect, and it is easy to identify.
Xue Feixia asked in surprise, "How did they arrive so quickly, and how could they set up an altar and cast a spell in such a hurry?"
The two searched for ruins deep in the Mount Siming without any success. Just then, Chen Hui came to them with the Five Dragons Token, asking for their help, so they came.
The two women weren't particularly concerned about the Five Dragons Gang seeking revenge; what they cared about was that Zhang Xinhu from Siming County was dead, and the other Seventh-Rank Martial Artist were no match for him.
If they could seize the opportunity to establish connections with powerful local families, they could gain a foothold in Siming County.
At that time, we could easily mobilize the manpower and resources of Siming County to search for that site on a large scale.
According to the surviving diary entries of the cult leader, that site was the lair of their secret sect.
This esoteric Buddhist leader, known as the Heavenly Mystery Divine Lord, claimed to be invincible throughout the world.
These things written in a diary should not be taken seriously; after all, it's normal to exaggerate when writing a diary.
The key is that along with the diary comes a Mystic Yin Moon Soul Gourd, which can absorb moonlight to nourish Yin Spirit, making it extremely useful to them.
It was precisely because the Mystic Yin Moon Soul Gourd was so precious that they went to great lengths to search for it deep within the Siming Mountains.
Even with incomplete maps, they searched for dozens of days without finding anything.
The Siming Mountains are just too vast!
They were so eager to help Chen Hui because they wanted to establish themselves in Siming County.
Before they could even make a move, the enemy had already stormed their door, making the two sisters realize that the situation was extremely dire.
At this point, they could no longer think about how to establish themselves in Siming County, but rather they needed to leave the dangerous area as soon as possible.
They weren't afraid of the cultivator outside, but they weren't particularly willing to fight him to the death.
Xue Feihua and Xue Feixia are sisters who have been practicing Buddhism together for decades and have a very good understanding of each other.
The two sisters understood each other's feelings with just a glance.
Xue Feihua shouted loudly, "Disciples, line up and prepare for battle!"
The two sisters had more than ten disciples, all of whom were strong and healthy men, the lowest of whom were at least Ninth-Rank Martial Artist.
Once they Soul-Fixing Lock, their lives were in their hands, and even if they had a little martial power, they could only be at their beck and call.
The male disciples in the side rooms had all been awakened and, upon hearing the order, came out with their swords, bows, and arrows.
They were also rudimentary in Law Technique and possessed some martial arts skills; a group of more than ten of them was quite formidable.
Standing on the roof beam, Zhou Wuji could see clearly that the group of strong men and the eerie atmosphere in the courtyard were all gathered together, making each of them look as if they were wearing a layer of cold, transparent clothing.
This kind of sinister Law Technique can freeze a person 'Qi and Blood, causing great harm.
The group of strong men were clearly Ninth-Rank Martial Artist, with Qi and Blood far surpassing that of ordinary people. Yet, they were able to combine with the eerie ghostly energy, making their Qi and Blood even stronger.
Zhou Wuji couldn't understand what kind of Law Technique this was either, but he figured it was Secret Method that the Heavenly Ghost Sect had prepared specifically for its own martial artists.
The numerous men occupied different positions, which seemed to be quite deliberate.
With the participation of many people, the ghostly aura in the magic circle became increasingly intense.
Xue Feihua and Xue Feixia did not leave the main room. They set up Hundred Ghosts Soul-Locking Formation, which even Sixth Rank Daoist priest might not be able to break.
Let's assess the opponent's abilities first; it's not too late to leave if we really can't win.
Wuzheng was outside the door, did not come in either. He had to guard the Seven Star Banners in order to unleash his Thunder Method.
Yang Shuling wouldn't make any rash moves. Although he was highly skilled in martial arts, he was unwilling to risk his life fighting the Devil Cultivator.
On the contrary, young Yang Tie Ying's eyes lit up, looking eager to try.
Yang Shuling glanced at his grandson without showing any emotion, and said in a low voice, "With Master Zhou and Abbot Wuzheng here, it's not your place to show off. Just stay here and guard the place so no one rushes over!"
Yang Tie Ying blushed at his words, but dared not speak harshly to his grandfather, and could only lower his head and mutter a reply.
Wuzheng the grandfather and grandson. He sensed a strong ghostly aura in the courtyard through his true senses, and he felt a little uneasy.
The opponent had both Sixth Rank Ghost Soldier and a magic array, making them quite formidable. He wasn't confident he could defeat them, but fortunately, he still had his Wuji brother Wuji.
Wuzheng see what was happening in the courtyard, but he could sense a large amount of ghostly energy there by feeling the presence of auras.
To help Zhou Wuji, he once again activated the Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder.
The Seven Star Sword moved, and a streak of water-colored lightning stretched for more than ten feet, landing directly in the center of the courtyard.
Like lightning, the courtyard was instantly illuminated, revealing the pale faces of the many male disciples and the twisted, sinister aura surrounding them.
The lightning split into hundreds of beams, and the ghostly energy silently dissipated under its light. Many male cultivators were also blasted by the lightning, their bodies trembling and their skin charred black.
Yin Thunder is specifically designed to counter Devil Cultivator and ghosts. Although it failed to break the formation with a single strike, it tore a huge crack in the middle of the formation.
With his Six Yang Dharma Eye, Zhou Wuji was able to see through the cracks and understand the changes in the magic array.
Although the Six Yang Dharma Eye is a low-level Law Technique, it has unique uses when cultivated to its perfect state.
The Sixth Rank Devil Cultivator's Law Domain of the Yin Yang Dao was seen through by the Six Yang Dharma Eye.
This unknown, eerie magic array was more complex than Sixth Rank Devil Cultivator's temporary activation of Law Domain.
He couldn't quite understand it from the outside, but with the Yin Thunder breaking the formation, he immediately saw through the changes in the formation.
Ultimately, the magic array merely distorts one's senses and confuses one's mind; it poses no real threat to him.
Zhou Wuji understood the changes in the magic array. He gracefully landed in the center of the courtyard. Several male cultivators who had not been affected by the Yin Thunder hurriedly brandished their swords and knives to attack Zhou Wuji.
With a slight movement of his left sleeve, Zhou Wuji sent out three White Eyebrow Needle shooting out like lightning.
The three male cultivators in front of them had only caught a glimpse of the cold light when the White Eyebrow Needle pierced deep into their brows.
Despite being protected by the Xuan Yin True Magic Array and possessed by Sha Ghost, they were still unable to withstand the fine White Eyebrow Needle.
Zhou Wuji casually dealt with the three male cultivators, then drew his sword and headed straight for the main room.
He actually wanted to rush in through the roof, but then felt it was unnecessary to damage the house.
This magic circle covers the entire courtyard; you can't avoid it even if you walk on top of it, so it's safer to walk on the bottom.
But to his surprise, the three male cultivators who were shot did not fall down. Instead, their eyes rolled back and turned into balls of crimson ghost fire, and their essence Essence Blood, and muscles were also burning with raging ghost fire. They had all turned into ghost spirits.
This unexpected turn of events startled Zhou Wuji, who cursed inwardly, "What a vicious method!"
The other party had clearly planted a restriction within the male cultivator's body long ago, waiting for him to die so that his soul would immediately transform into Vengeful Ghost, and his essence Essence Blood, and muscles would all turn into ghost fire, increasing the power of the ghost spirit.
Such incantations and restrictions must have been set up over a very long time to transform the dead into ghosts in an instant.
Of course, this is only a temporary, frantic burning of human Essence Blood, skipping the transformation process of the ghost. Although such Fierce Ghost is of the Eighth Rank, it cannot maintain a stable state and will soon vanish into thin air.
Inside the main room, the Xue Feihua and Xue Feixia sisters were quite puzzled. Their carefully trained disciple had long ago been Soul-Fixing Lock, using this Secret Method to gradually distort the soul of a living person, turning it into some kind of Yin Spirit.
Once this person's life force is extinguished, the Soul-Fixing Lock can burn their soul, Essence Blood, and physical body, directly transforming them into Seventh Rank Sha Ghost.
How did all three of them transform into Eighth Rank Fierce Ghost? Was it because their souls and spiritual light were completely extinguished after they were killed, causing them to lose most of their power during the transformation process?
Although the two Seventh Rank Devil Cultivator were proficient in the art of raising ghosts, they were caught off guard and could not grasp the true situation.
Zhou Wuji didn't give the two Devil Cultivator a chance to ponder. He twirled his Seven Star Sword, and as the bright sword light flashed, the three newly transformed Vengeful Ghost turned into wisps of smoke under the sword light.
The Seven Star Sword is a magical sword, containing Seven Star Devil-Slaying Runes. When activated by the Heavenly Pivot True Qi, it is specifically designed to subdue all Yin Spirit and malevolent entities.
Although the other male cultivators were all brave and fierce, seeing their fellow disciples die tragically and become ghosts, and then be slashed to ashes by the sword, unable to even become ghosts, the group's expressions changed drastically.
Even the male cultivators who weren't affected by the Yin Thunder didn't dare to step forward and stop it.
Zhou Wuji had no interest in killing them. He drew his sword and was about to rush into the main room when a clear, tinkling sound of bells came from inside.
The ringing of the bell penetrated deep into Zhou Wuji's mind, causing his spirit and consciousness to sway along with the sound. Even his brow Divine Aperture the seven orifices through which he circulated his True Qi seemed to vibrate along with the bell.
The shocks caused by external forces also significantly disrupted the circulation of Zhou Wuji's True Qi.
However, his spiritual consciousness was strong, and he had also comprehended the intent of sword and fist. With a change of mind, he used the intent of sword to restrain his true qi and suppressed all the bell sounds that had invaded his sea of consciousness.
The bell was still ringing, but it couldn't affect or interfere with his Sword Intent.
The male cultivators inside the magic circle rushed over madly, spurred on by the bell. Their eyes were bloodshot, and their Essence Blood was boiling and burning. They were already merging with the ghostly energy of the magic circle.
The damage left by the Yin Thunder seemed to have no effect on them.
Zhou Wuji originally didn't want to pay attention to this group of low-level cultivators, but seeing their strange behavior, he knew that they had long been corrupted by Law Technique restrictions, and that being alive was no different from being dead.
Realizing this, Zhou Wuji no longer held back. His Seven Star Sword transformed into a dazzling sword light, slaying all the low-level male cultivators who rushed at him.
His Swordsmanship was so superb, and his body was so strong that even Seventh-Rank Martial Artist might not be able to withstand his fast sword strikes, let alone these low-level male cultivators.
In less than three breaths, Zhou Wuji was the only living person left in the courtyard.
Not only did the low-level male cultivators of the Heavenly Ghost Sect die, but even the ghosts they transformed into turned to ashes.
The magic array set up in the courtyard was also mostly destroyed by the sharp and piercing sword.
Even the long banners and ritual Law Artifact placed at the four corners were easily shattered by Zhou Wuji.
Without the magic array, the Yin Qi in the courtyard dissipated, and a night breeze even brought a touch of coolness.
The bell in the main room also stopped ringing. The two sisters, Xue Feixia and Xue Feihua, both had a look of surprise on their ugly faces. They had originally wanted to test each other's strength before deciding whether to proceed or not.
Before they could figure it out, all the male disciples were killed, the ghosts they had become were also killed, and the magic array was broken.
It was too late for them to leave, as they both sensed that the other's divine will had locked onto them.
As Devil Cultivator, their martial arts skills were mediocre, but their Divine Sense were extremely strong. The connection between the swordsman outside and their spiritual senses was so close that they had no way to break this connection for the time being.
The only way to escape is to kill the other party!
Xue Feixia and Xue Feihua exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. Xue Feihua forced herself to remain calm and said, "This person must be Zhou Wuji!"
His Swordsmanship is superb, and he also knows some Law Technique. In Siming County, only Zhou Wuji can match him!
The Hundred Ghosts Soul-Locking Formation has been broken; they now only have a Sixth Rank Ghost Soldier to fight!
Although Zhou Wuji's Swordsmanship was strong, it was of little use against the Ghost Soldier. Moreover, Zhou Wuji was only an Eighth Rank cultivator; forcibly breaking the formation should have exhausted his strength, leaving him with little remaining power.
The problem is that the other party clearly had a companion, probably that Seventh Rank Wuzheng!
Xue Feihua and Xue Feixia hesitated. Should they fight to the death and kill the two men, or turn around and run for their lives? That was the question!