Before long, a large group of dark shadows came charging toward them.
Accompanied by screams, cries for help, and the sounds of fierce combat.
Behind the crowd, a thick black smoke billowed like dark clouds, rapidly reforming even when severed. Once attacked by it, one would experience a pain akin to being devoured.
Ying WuHuo furrowed his brows, his gaze sharpening as he said, “It’s the Nether Spirits!”
“How could there be such a massive number?!”
Chi Miao was astonished, curiously examining the clusters of black mist—so this was what Nether Spirits looked like.
She had read about Nether Spirits in the guide.
The swords in the Sword Cemetery had slain countless beings, and the souls of these beings remained bound to the swords. Over time, their power condensed into a tangible form.
They wouldn’t kill directly, but they could invade one’s consciousness, causing unbearable agony or, even worse, turning one into a useless wreck.
Since the number of Nether Spirits in the Sword Cemetery had always been small, they had never posed much of a threat.
But now…
Their numbers had swelled into a veritable storm cloud!
What in the world was going on?
“Chi Miao, save us!!”
Jin Shengfei, with the highest cultivation level, was running at the front.
Chi Miao shouted, “Don’t run this way! These Nether Spirits are hard to deal with using ordinary methods. Wait a moment—I have a way to handle them!”
Hearing this, Jin Shengfei quickly changed direction.
“Hurry up then! These things are terrifying!”
Ying WuHuo looked at Chi Miao curiously. “You have a way to deal with Nether Spirits?”
It was difficult to eliminate Nether Spirits before reaching Foundation Establishment.
He was curious about what method Chi Miao could possibly have.
But Chi Miao just shrugged.
“I don’t have one. I lied to them, or else they’d all lead the Nether Spirits right to me, and I’d suffer for nothing.”
Ying WuHuo’s mouth fell open, his pupils shaking in shock, utterly stunned by Chi Miao’s reasoning.
How could you be so ruthless?!
Of course, Chi Miao wasn’t actually that unreliable. Though her conscience was often lacking after years of trickery, her mind was sharp.
“Earlier, when we were inside the tree hollow and lightning was everywhere, there weren’t so many Nether Spirits in the Sword Cemetery’s core. But shortly after we gathered the lightning, the Nether Spirits emerged. Could it be possible… that these Nether Spirits are afraid of lightning?”
Chi Miao stroked her chin thoughtfully. The guide hadn’t mentioned Nether Spirits being unafraid of lightning.
Ying WuHuo narrowed his eyes. “Yes, Nether Spirits do fear lightning—it deals direct damage to the soul. But none of you new disciples have a Thunder Spiritual Root. How do you plan to summon lightning?”
“Thunder Spiritual Root? That’s far too demanding. Don’t we have ready-made lightning right now?”
Chi Miao smiled, her gaze falling on the nearby lightning rod.
Ying WuHuo was taken aback. “You don’t mean to… use the lightning rod to attract lightning and kill the Nether Spirits, do you?”
Chi Miao: “Why not?”
Ying WuHuo: “Even with the Profound Origin Skill, you’re only at the Qi Refining late stage. You won’t last long.”
Chi Miao replied, “How long I can last isn’t for anyone to decide. At least I have the Profound Origin Skill—the Nether Spirits have nothing!”
“If I don’t deal with these Nether Spirits, we won’t have a chance to choose our swords.”
With that, Chi Miao gripped the “Light Feather Talisman” she had torn off earlier, activated the Profound Origin Skill, and charged straight toward the lightning rod.
Outside the water mirror, a group of elders grew anxious.
“Reckless! Utterly reckless! This is nothing short of gambling with her own life!”
But Chi Miao wasn’t gambling.
Because she had figured something out — after being struck by lightning for so long, a withered branch-like object had appeared inside her body.
The Gou Shi System told her that was a Spirit Root.
A Thunder Spiritual Root!
The Gou Shi System: “Just now, under the stimulation of the lightning, the hidden trait of your top-grade fire spiritual root was triggered, splitting off into a completely new spiritual root of a different attribute — the Thunder Spiritual Root.”
“However, this Thunder Spiritual Root is currently depleted of spiritual power and cannot be used for now. To activate it… you need to channel lightning into it. The rest is up to you.”
That was why Chi Miao dared to boldly carry the lightning rod.
Not only could it activate her Thunder Spiritual Root, but it could also help her resolve the crisis before her — why not do it?!
Everyone knew she only had a fire spiritual root, but if she gained an additional spiritual root and attribute, it could become her hidden trump card at critical moments.
She raised the lightning rod enveloped in lightning, and countless bolts of thunder surged toward her.
“Let the thunder strike even more fiercely!”
The girl’s voice echoed across the land.
Ying WuHuo witnessed this scene and felt the cold blood in his veins gradually warm and boil.
What a remarkable Chi Miao!
…
Meanwhile, Jin Shengfei and the others were continuously harassed by Nether Spirits. Many had fallen under the spirits’ mental attacks, with injuries ranging from minor to severe.
Knowing they couldn’t escape, they rallied around Jin Shengfei and began resisting and fighting back together.
Jin Shengfei, originally adorned in opulence, was now covered in blood and countless wounds.
He sliced through one Nether Spirit with his sword, only for it to quickly regenerate.
“Come on! If you have the guts, kill me! Otherwise… no matter how many times you revive, I will absolutely annihilate every last one of you!”
He sneered, channeling spiritual power into his sword. Wherever the Sword Light passed, the Nether Spirits were obliterated.
Again and again, the only casualties were the disciples.
“Brother Jin, this can’t go on. We might really die here.”
Jin Shengfei’s gaze was resolute. “Chi Miao said she already has a way to deal with these things, so she must have a plan. We just need to hold out and wait for her to arrive. Until then, let’s minimize casualties as much as possible.”
“Alright!”
Gritting their teeth, everyone held their ground.
Boom—!
The rumble of thunder rolled, and everyone looked up.
“The… the lightning is striking again, holy shit!”
“Is heaven trying to wipe us out?!”
Jin Shengfei’s eyes narrowed. “Wait… is that… Chi Miao?!”
Only then did everyone see clearly.
Amid the lightning, a girl was carrying a lightning rod, sprinting rapidly toward them. Bolts of thunder continuously struck her body, but she circulated the Profound Origin Skill to disperse the electricity, creating crackling sparks.
The sight left everyone stunned. “What is she doing? And it seems like she’s shouting something?”
Listening closely, they realized she really was shouting something.
It wasn’t until a stray bolt of lightning struck an innocent bystander that they finally heard it clearly.
“Brothers, I’m fucking coming, hahahaha!!!”
“Shit! Run!!!”
At that moment, no one was curious anymore — they ran as fast as they possibly could.
Being invaded by Nether Spirits might not kill them, but being struck by this lightning was a real disaster!
“Stop chasing us, sis! You’re not afraid of electricity, but we are!”
“How is Chi Miao even scarier than these Nether Spirits?!”
As Chi Miao ran, they ran even more desperately.
They were so frustrated they felt like crying.
Ever since entering the Sword Cemetery, they hadn’t had a moment of peace!
If we’re not desperately trying to survive, we’re fleeing for our lives—since when have Qi Refining Stage cultivators become so fragile and prone to death?!
“Is this the method Chi Miao mentioned? It doesn’t seem very reliable!”
“Wait… Why is Chi Miao running around holding a lightning rod? Could it be… the Nether Spirits fear lightning?”
“That’s right… Chi Miao isn’t chasing us—she’s chasing the Nether Spirits!”
It only appeared as though she was pursuing them because the Nether Spirits were also fleeing from Chi Miao.
Which meant—
Everyone turned to look, and what they saw was this:
With Chi Miao at the center, thunderbolts erupted in all directions. Wherever the lightning struck, Nether Spirits were utterly annihilated, never to reform!
Chi Miao stood within the storm of lightning, circulating her Profound Origin Skill, a faint, lofty smile gracing her lips.
“With a mere laugh from me, Chi Miao, the Nether Spirits scatter and perish.”
This scene—absolutely unparalleled!