Chapter 157: The Way of the Spectral Spirits

On a grim and eerie night, Zhou Yixian and his two companions were startled, feeling as if a thousand needles pricked their backs. The chill of the night air made the hair on their necks stand on end. Within the dilapidated house, a flickering green netherflame burned quietly, casting an eerie glow through the crevices. The sound of the wind around them seemed to morph into a cacophony of wailing spirits.

Just as they stood in shock, fearing that they had been discovered by the inhabitant of the house, the netherflame stopped moving after lighting up, showing no further signs of life. The three of them remained silent outside, their hearts pounding in their chests. After a long while, when they were certain the netherflame was not due to their presence, they breathed a sigh of relief. However, with the fear came a sense of curiosity.

Zhou Yixian, his brows knitted in thought, gestured to Xiaohuan and the Taoist Ye Dog. They cautiously approached the side of the house, which was in a state of disrepair. He easily found a crack and peered inside, while Xiaohuan and Ye Dog followed suit, each finding their own gaps to look through.

In the dark room, a dim green light emanated from the center, but the netherflame was not a common oil lamp. It hovered in the air, like a silent, ghostly flame. The room, however, was devoid of any sign of the Ghost Master. The broken coffins within, illuminated by the greenish glow, were particularly terrifying.

Outside, Xiaohuan’s face paled, her teeth gently biting her lower lip. Her gaze fell upon the altar table from earlier, where the spirit tablet of Zhou Xingyun, Zhou Yixian’s son, still stood. The other tablets were scattered haphazardly, indicating that although the Ghost Master was present, he had no interest in these spirit markers.

Zhou Yixian also let out a sigh of relief, seeing that his son’s spirit tablet was safe. Xiaohuan, lowering her voice, whispered, “Grandfather, what should we do now?”

Zhou Yixian was no hero, and he had come here tonight only for his son’s spirit tablet. Knowing that the Ghost Master had no interest in it, he did not wish to stay any longer. Moreover, the eerie atmosphere was not suitable for a man of his standing, and he did not want to jeopardize his cultivation.

With a decision made, Zhou Yixian turned and whispered, “Let’s go.”

Xiaohuan and Ye Dog nodded, and the three were about to leave when, in a moment of relaxation, Zhou Yixian stumbled, kicking a stick-like object. It rolled across the courtyard, making a loud noise.

The three froze. Xiaohuan scolded, “Grandfather!”

Zhou Yixian, his face red with embarrassment, was about to explain when a cold, bone-chilling voice sounded behind them. The crumbling walls gave way, and a surge of darkness and green light flooded the room, threatening to envelop them.

Zhou Yixian’s face paled, and he raised his hand, waving a yellow talisman. He shouted, “Quick, run!”

As he spoke, he chanted a series of strange incantations. In the instant the green light touched him, the talisman glowed with a tawny light, and Zhou Yixian vanished.

Almost simultaneously, from the depths of the desolate house, a voice emitted a surprised “Eh.” Despite Zhou Yixian’s quick escape, the green light was fast approaching. Xiaohuan’s chant was only half-finished, and Ye Dog, who had struggled to remember his incantation, could only helplessly wave his talisman, unable to utter a word.

The green light surged, engulfing them, and a chilling aura pierced their bodies. Xiaohuan and Ye Dog felt as if their blood had frozen, rendering them powerless. The room’s force pulled them in, and with a woosh, they were sucked in, unable to resist.

Moments later, two thuds signaled their bodies hitting the ground, but the silence returned, as if the house was holding its breath.

******

The long, chilly night was silent, and a thin mist drifted through the dark, obscuring the view. The netherflame in the room continued to burn, a reminder of the eerie presence.

Xiaohuan and Ye Dog had been sucked into the room for some time, but there was no sound coming from within. Zhou Yixian, the only one to escape, was nowhere to be seen. Time passed, and the house remained eerily silent.

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the entrance of the abandoned house: Zhou Yixian. His brow was furrowed, showing hesitation, but he shook his head, sighed, and walked towards the desolate house.

As he approached the door, it creaked open, and the green light silently bathed him. A flat, emotionless voice called out, “Please, enter.”

Zhou Yixian steeled himself and stepped inside. He quickly noticed Xiaohuan and Ye Dog lying on the floor near the altar. They seemed unharmed, but their wide eyes and silent mouths were strange, as if they were under some unknown spell.

The most striking thing in the room was the green netherflame hovering in the air, burning above a coffin. From within, the Ghost Master’s voice echoed, “The ‘Earth Escape Art’ has been lost for many years. I never expected to see it again. Who are you, sir?”

Zhou Yixian, after a brief silence, replied, “They are young and inexperienced. You are a great master; surely you won’t hold it against such small fry?”

The Ghost Master replied coolly, “I am just a wandering soul, not worthy of such titles. I told you not to return, yet you violated my command. Why?”

Zhou Yixian’s gaze shifted, “This is where my son’s spirit tablet resides, a place of his soul’s repose. How can I rest easy knowing a master of the Netherworld is here?”

The Ghost Master paused, then said, “How do you know I am a master of the Netherworld?”

Zhou Yixian responded, “You dwell in a desolate house, sleep in a grave, and use ‘Netherflame’ to absorb the ghostly essence of this old burial ground to replenish yourself. Such deep Nether arts are not used by anyone less than a true master.”

The Ghost Master, after a long silence, said, “You are indeed a wise man. I respect you.”

Zhou Yixian, his expression serious, continued, “You must understand my concern. My son has been dead for many years, but I cannot let him rest in peace if his soul is disturbed. But it seems you are not the kind to abuse your powers. I am relieved.”

He bowed to the coffin, and the Ghost Master, with a cold snort, replied, “Do not flatter me. I will not harm souls, but you have violated my command, and you must face the consequences.”

Zhou Yixian’s face changed, and he coughed, “Actually, this is all a misunderstanding… You are a great master, why…?”

The Ghost Master ignored his plea. The green netherflame suddenly intensified, and the room filled with a chilling aura. Zhou Yixian, his face grim, watched the netherflame.

The green light flickered, growing larger, and the room was soon bathed in green. Xiaohuan and Ye Dog’s faces turned green. Suddenly, a faint sound echoed, and the netherflame split into five, forming a pentagram. Dark red beams shot out, creating a sinister formation, suffocating the room with its eerie energy.

Zhou Yixian, his face stern, took a step back and drew several yellow talismans, placing them on himself and the surroundings. Just as he finished, the Ghost Master’s formation was complete. The pentagram flashed, and the room filled with the howls of ghosts and wolves. Zhou Yixian cried out, “Ghost Howl Break!”

The ghostly howl, seemingly intangible, cut through the air. Fragments of stone and wood flew, and even the hard stone floor was scarred.

Zhou Yixian, his white hair flowing, placed talismans on his ears and chanted, focusing on the ghostly howl. As the howl collided with his body, the talismans on him and the ground lit up, forming a blue barrier in front of him.

“Boom!”

Zhou Yixian was thrown back, crashing into a broken wall. The talismans floated away, and the five netherflames reformed, burning quietly.

Zhou Yixian, gasping, struggled to rise. He said, “Are you really going to spare an old man like me nothing?”

The Ghost Master, after a pause, said, “Your insight is profound, but your cultivation is low. Why?”

Zhou Yixian wiped the blood from his lips, “What does it matter? How many high cultivators live as happily as I do?”

The Ghost Master, after a long silence, directed the netherflame to Xiaohuan and Ye Dog. To Zhou Yixian’s surprise, the netherflame circled them and returned, and moments later, they awoke, released from the spell.

Zhou Yixian, both surprised and grateful, said, “Thank you, we will leave now, and we won’t come back.”

But the Ghost Master’s voice, cold and harsh, replied, “I let them go, not to forgive you. You trespassed and learned my secrets. Now, you three will face me together, and you will die without regrets.”

Zhou Yixian, startled, tried to argue, but the Ghost Master shouted, “Enough, see the fire!”

The netherflame blazed again, and the ghostly howl returned. Ye Dog, shouting, rushed to protect Xiaohuan, but the howl was too fast. As the howl closed in, a flash of black light appeared, and a dull black rod deflected the howl. The wind died down, and Xiaohian, overjoyed, turned to see the savior.

“Is that you…?”

The Ghost Master, his voice cold, said, “It’s you.”

A voice from the door replied, “Yes, it’s me.” The figure, in long robes, with a three-eyed gray monkey on his shoulder, was none other than Ghost Li.

Ghost Li, looking at Xiaohuan and the others, saw her smiling and happy. Ye Dog, however, looked at him oddly before retreating. Ghost Li, curious but indifferent, walked to the center of the room, his Devil Soul Staff glowing in his hand.

Zhou Yixian, looking at Ghost Li and then Xiaohuan, grumbled, “Brat, you were nearby all along. You let me deal with this ghost. What a wicked plan.”

Xiaohuan, frowning, chided, “Grandfather!”

Ghost Li, unperturbed, said, “If not for this, I wouldn’t have known you had a connection to the old master of Azure Ethereal Conclave.”

Zhou Yixian, his face changing, grunted. Ghost Li, ignoring him, turned to the coffin, “Why are you here instead of guarding Biyao at Fox Ridge?”

The Ghost Master, after a pause, said, “And why are you here, and not in the Holy Temple of the Wasteland?”

Another pause, and the Ghost Master asked, “These three violated my privacy. Why do you stop me from dealing with them?”

Zhou Yixian, his voice rising, said, “So, you think you can kill them like pigs?”

Xiaohuan and Ye Dog looked at him, and Zhou Yixian, realizing his mistake, muttered and quieted down. Ghost Li, coldly, said, “You cannot kill them.”

The Ghost Master, coldly, said, “Why not?”

Ghost Li, expressionless, said, “Because I am here.”

The Ghost Master, after a pause, said, “Are you willing to stand up for them?”

Ghost Li, still expressionless, said, “Yes, with me here, you cannot kill them.”

Zhou Yixian, a hint of joy on his face, and Xiaohuan, watching Ghost Li’s back, her teeth biting her lip, her eyes bright. Only Ye Dog, not looking at Ghost Li, glanced at Xiaohuan and retreated a step.

The netherflame in the air began to glow brighter, and Zhou Yixian and the others tensed, but Ghost Li stood firm, his Devil Soul Staff glowing in his hand.

Meanwhile, the most relaxed in the room was the little gray monkey on Ghost Li’s shoulder. It paid no attention to the imminent battle, looking around, sometimes at the netherflame, sometimes making faces at Xiaohuan, scratching itself lazily.