The sky was dim and yellow, and all things lay in a hazy blur as a cool breeze drifted past. In the Daoist temple on the small hill north of Ancient Well Village...
"Master, the xu hour has already passed. Meditative Absorption is about to begin. You may set out now..."
Zhang Dan bowed to the Bull-Nosed Daoist, who sat cross-legged on a cushion with his eyes closed, and reminded him.
Since joining the sect, Zhang Dan had never once seen his master cultivate with such focus.
Normally, Xu Banxian either fiddled with bizarre old antiques or repeatedly counted his copper coins. Seeing him cultivate like this was rare.
"Hmph! This one understands..."
Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Xu Banxian's old face remained calm as he said, "Zhang Dan, if something should happen to me this time, the temple will be left in your care!"
Zhang Dan grew alarmed when he heard this.
In the faint candlelight, he could make out blackness around Xu Banxian's lips and forehead, but he could not fathom what his master meant.
"Master, take the pill! That old thief... that person surely doesn't mean you harm!"
Zhang Dan's eyes reddened, and his voice trembled.
Though he sometimes looked down on and even despised the Bull-Nosed Daoist's poor conduct, Zhang Dan could not contain his emotions when they faced a true parting between life and death, and tears fell.
After all, once a master, always a master! Even pigs and dogs have feelings—how much more so a person?
"Silence! Speak of this no more, or I shall consider that I never took you as my disciple!"
Xu Banxian's face darkened as he angrily scolded Zhang Dan. Inwardly, however, he thought bitterly, "A calamity of the minor cycle, fated to come... there is no escaping it."
Xu Banxian hadn't imagined that the Water Ghost's Corpse Poison would be this severe.
If he had swallowed that pill earlier—one glance was enough to show it was no ordinary thing—he might still have been saved. But how could he compromise with that enemy?
The poison had seeped into his bones. Even an immortal from on high would struggle to save him now!
After a furious shout, Xu Banxian's spirit seemed to drift beyond the physical world. Zhang Dan lowered his head, his body trembling.
"Whoosh!" A cold wind swept into the temple, and the entire hall fell silent. One of them sat while the other stood, creating a heavy, oppressive scene.
"Master, this disciple has brought the spirit tablet of the ninth-generation patriarch. Do you have any further instructions?"
"Very good! Xu Hui, place the spirit tablet on the ground, then step back three meters. Watch as I perform the ritual!"
The scene remained unbroken until a gatekeeper-dressed disciple returned with a gilded black spirit tablet made of unknown material.
"Ha! Patriarch Mojue above, I am Xu Lu, an eleventh-generation disciple of Green Moss Temple, here to request the spell!"
With a great shout, Xu Banxian's aura erupted forth.
The spirit tablet rose two meters into the air and began to spin. Xu Banxian bit the tip of his tongue, and a drop of Essence Blood shot out and merged into the tablet.
"Nine Heavens Demon-Severing Curse... emerge!"
After the blood seeped in, Xu Banxian formed a hand seal and roared. The tablet spun faster and faster.
"Crack, crack!"
Fine cracks spread across the surface of the spinning, trembling tablet, as though something inside struggled to break free of its Restraint.
"Boom—!" Dazzling threads of Golden Radiance flared, and the tablet suddenly shattered.
A Rune wrapped in golden light shot out and circled the room twice in delight.
At last, Xu Banxian used his qi to draw the Rune into his hand, where its brilliant glow faded.
"Hiss!" Zhang Dan and the other disciple stared, dumbstruck.
There, cradled in Xu Banxian's hands, was a Rune entirely jet-black, its shape and size resembling an adult's palm, its surface etched with dark golden palm lines.
If the talisman had not been flat, the two of them might have thought it was a real hand!
"The Nine Heavens Demon-Severing Curse was created by Mojue, the eleventh-generation Legendary ghost spirit patriarch of Green Moss Temple. With sufficient Ghost-God Power, this talisman can unleash a full-strength strike comparable to that of an Eleventh Revolution expert!"
"Hiss!" Hearing this, Zhang Dan and his companion sucked in another sharp breath, their eyes burning with fervor.
The Eleventh Revolution may be only one step beyond the Tenth Transformation, but that step is a Heavenly Chasm separating high-level ghost spirit masters from Legendary ghost spirit masters in rank and status!
"A pity! My own cultivation isn't sufficient. After all these years of nurturing and accumulation, I've barely managed to raise the talisman's power to the level of the Tenth Transformation!"
Xu Banxian sighed, though this did nothing to cool the burning look in the two disciples' eyes.
"Tenth Transformation! Each of us has only Fifth Rank cultivation... together, that makes the Tenth Transformation!"
"A single talisman, and yet it's this terrifying—twice the power of the two of us combined!"
Zhang Dan and the other disciple exchanged a shocked glance. They both thought, The talisman's power could probably annihilate us in the blink of an eye, without leaving even scraps behind!
Hearing this, Xu Banxian merely smiled and said nothing, neither correcting nor scolding the pair for their lack of worldly experience.
He had brought out the talisman to destroy the Evil Entity with overwhelming force before Feng Ling could act—and to show off while doing it.
"Disciples, let's go!"
Xu Banxian strode forth, brimming with confidence.
Zhang Dan and the other disciple snapped back to attention and hurried to follow the figure already striding away.
The cold wind howled. From the small hill, they could faintly see Ancient Well Village's lights.
In the darkness, three figures moved swiftly through the shadowy woods. Xu Banxian had come with ulterior motives and was well prepared this time!
This was how he saw it: he was going to die either way! If he won the Life-and-Death Wager, he'd take an old Daoist down with him as company in death. If he lost the wager, he'd still drag an old Daoist along to accompany him!
Unfortunately, Xu Banxian did not know that Feng Ling had two bodies. Unless both were destroyed at once, Feng Ling could hardly die even if he wanted to!
Even if the External Avatar perished alongside Xu Banxian, the Original Body could reshape it as long as it survived. That was why Feng Ling had spoken so decisively earlier!
At the entrance to Ancient Well Village, an anxious little old man paced back and forth, repeatedly looking toward the road outside the village. His lantern had gone out several times.
"Elder Wang!"
Feng Ling called out. The little old man turned around in delight and hurried forward with his lantern to greet him.
"Old Bodhisattva, you have arrived at last!"
Gazing at the Withered Old Man's face, Old Wang let out a breath of relief. "Everything is ready at my home. Please, follow me there."
"No rush yet, there's still someone who hasn't arrived!"
Feng Ling seemed to be hinting at something. Old Wang had just turned to lead the way, but he paused and then understood.
A quarter of an hour later, three figures emerged from the pitch-black night: Xu Banxian and his two disciples.
Corpse Poison had seeped into his bones?
The moment he laid eyes on Xu Banxian, Feng Ling sensed something was off from the look on his face!
What surprised Feng Ling even more was that, this time, the group hadn't started bickering the moment they met him! Still, that suited him just fine—Feng Ling was glad for the peace and quiet!
Xu Banxian had his own plans. Knowing that too many words could reveal too much, he followed Old Wang in silence. Poor Old Wang received only a nod or grunt whenever he spoke, leaving him awkward and embarrassed!
"Whew! Everyone, we've arrived at my home!"
The silence broke. Old Wang stopped after trudging to a halt and let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Mm. You should leave now. Have the villagers keep well away—tell them not to come gawking!"
Feng Ling gave a wry laugh. The villagers had not gone to sleep; every one of them stood at a distance around Old Wang's house!
Were the villagers of this world really so bold?
"Also, there are too many trees in your courtyard. A good number of them will need to be transplanted elsewhere!" Just as Old Wang was about to leave, Feng Ling remembered and added this.
Was it about to begin?
This was the last stop in Ancient Well Village. Where the next stop would take him, Feng Ling did not know.
This was his last stop in Ancient Well Village, but Feng Ling did not know where he would go next. During his long travels, he had subdued many Evil Spirits that lingered among the common folk and caused trouble. His Original Body needed only one more Eighth-Level Great Ghost to advance to the Eighth Revolution, while his Clone stood one step from breaking through to the Ninth Transformation!
Feng Ling had lain in wait for a long time yesterday and sensed a faint, eerie fluctuation, but he could not pinpoint its location. The Evil Entity hidden in Old Wang's house was clearly no easy opponent. Feng Ling looked forward to facing it and thought, "I hope it isn't too weak!"
"Zhang Dan, the two of you stay here on guard, in case something goes wrong!"
"Understood, Master, please be careful!"
After giving that instruction, Xu Banxian leaped up beside Feng Ling. Together, they soared over the courtyard wall, which stood a full ten feet high but served little purpose.
The instant he landed in the courtyard, Xu Banxian glanced at the surrounding trees. His brow furrowed, and he said in a low voice, "The Yin Energy is thick here, and Ghostly Shadows flicker about."
No wonder he was an old Daoist priest!
Feng Ling praised him inwardly. His perception was remarkably sharp...
"Fellow cultivator, where do you plan to hide?"
"Under the bed!"
Feng Ling paused slightly, faintly surprised—it seemed this was the first time Xu Banxian had addressed him as "fellow cultivator." Though a bit wary, he answered honestly all the same.
"In that case, this poor Daoist shall hide atop the roof beam!"
As he spoke, the Bull-Nosed Daoist leaped into the house. The gust of wind he stirred up swept through the courtyard and rustled countless fallen leaves!
Hiding atop the beam...
Was he trying to one-up him out of spite?
Realizing this, Feng Ling shook his head at once.
In truth, both locations had advantages and disadvantages. Under the bed offered better concealment and observation, but restricted movement when he attacked. On the beam, he could move freely when attacking, but the Evil Spirit controlling the black beam might notice him more easily.
More importantly, no one yet knew what the Evil Spirit was. Exposing himself before settling on a plan would be unwise.
Fortunately, Elder Wang's clues had already given Feng Ling a faint answer!