Ye Fan followed her gaze.
Shan Ji and Xiang Jiao Jun, standing at the doorway, stopped and adopted defensive postures.
Before them stood three strangers.
These were the sect leader, the third brother, and the fifth from the Ghost Cultivators.
"Just as the previous You Sha was neither human nor ghost," the little witch muttered. "It seems these are the Ghost Cultivators you spoke of."
"Fellow Daoist has sharp eyes," the sect leader at the door narrowed his eyes. "By the way, aren't you going to invite this old man and his companions in for a seat?"
Upon clearly discerning Ye Fan's group's cultivation levels, the sect leader felt a wave of realization.
That woman possessed the highest cultivation, reaching the sixth layer of the Void Glimpse realm.
That man was likely Ye Fan, at the fifth layer of the Void Glimpse realm.
The two at the door were at the fourth and third layers, respectively.
No wonder You Ci and You Sha had failed consecutively before.
However, his last remaining worry was also dispelled.
While Ye Fan's group's cultivation was indeed a bit beyond his expectations, he was not at all afraid of his own seventh layer of the Void Glimpse realm!
Though it was only a small difference in realms, it was an insurmountable chasm!
As long as he willed it, he could easily annihilate them!
"Before that, shouldn't you introduce yourself?" Ye Fan replied with a chuckle.
"I am Gui You," Gui You said plainly. "The sect leader of the Ghost Cultivators in Ge Shan City."
"Sect Leader?" Ye Fan was clearly a little surprised.
Although he had anticipated that the Ghost Cultivators might send more people, he hadn't expected the ultimate boss to show up in person.
Since he was the sect leader, he would surely know more than subordinates like You Sha!
This was truly a case of "a pillow arriving just as one felt sleepy"!
Seeing Ye Fan's expression suddenly turn somewhat excited, Gui You was completely baffled.
This was not the expected reaction!
He hadn't hidden his presence; the other party could clearly ascertain his realm.
Facing such an overwhelming disparity in strength, shouldn't the opponent be nervous?
Even if they had a good composure and weren't flustered, they shouldn't be… excited?
It was as if he himself were the weakling!
Could the opponent have some hidden trump card or contingency plan?
After a moment's thought, Gui You dismissed the possibility.
The so-called use of trump cards or contingency plans to turn the tables only applied between opponents of the same realm.
The hierarchy in the cultivation world was absolute; if you couldn't defeat someone, you couldn't.
The difference in realms had reached a qualitative level, something that no technique could bridge.
Any flashy moves were futile in the face of absolute power!
He probably figured the opponent was bluffing to create an opportunity to escape!
However, Ye Fan's next words made him feel utterly dreadful.
"Don't kill him yet, I still have questions," Ye Fan casually said to the little witch.
"Arrogant!" Gui You was utterly incensed.
How dare such an insignificant ant be so presumptuous, completely unaware of the meaning of death!
"Today, I shall make you understand a truth!" Gui You's ghostly aura surged wildly. "Ants are, after all, just ants!"
Ye Fan let out a bored yawn.
Still spouting so much nonsense before a fight? Clearly, their perspective was too narrow!
The ruthless individuals he had encountered before would never waste words; they would attack directly.
And if they had the chance for a surprise attack or a dirty trick, they would never resort to fair means!
Concepts like honor were nonsense; surviving was what mattered!
If they really couldn't help but boast, they would only do so after grinding their enemies into dust.
"Big Sister, please wait a moment."
As the little witch was about to make her move, Shan Ji suddenly spoke.
"What is it, Little Ji?" the little witch asked in confusion.
"Could Brother Jiao and I try first?" Shan Ji explained. "When we are on the verge of defeat, you can step in."
Although Shan Ji was sometimes cowardly, he also knew that merely burying himself in cultivation was not viable.
Without practical combat experience, one would forever remain a flower in a greenhouse, unable to truly grow.
"So you want to gain combat experience," the little witch nodded. "Very well, this will be good for you."
The opponents were merely in the Void Glimpse realm.
In this situation, ensuring Shan Ji and Xiang Jiao Jun's survival was no trouble for her.
Gui You was angered again.
"Since you wish for death, I shall grant it!"
Gui You raised his hand, and a torrent of ghostly energy poured towards everyone.
He held nothing back in this attack!
At worst, after Ye Fan and his companions died, he could simply convert them into ghost cultivator puppets while they were still warm, and he would still obtain the information he desired from Ye Fan.
"Brother Jiao, it's up to you!" Shan Ji immediately retreated to the side.
It wasn't that he feared death, but rather this was the cooperative method they had agreed upon beforehand.
"Haa—!"
"Bang—!"
Xiang Jiao Jun shouted, his clothes ripping off once more!
Golden and green light erupted, surging towards the boundless ghostly energy.
The expected explosive wave did not materialize. The golden and green demonic energy merged with the ghostly energy unimpeded.
Then, the ghostly energy stopped.
It appeared as if it had been frozen in place!
Gui You's heart leaped.
Something was wrong!
However, he had no time for other thoughts and could only continue to frantically channel the ghostly energy within him.
But no matter how he urged it on, it seemed to have no effect.
"Stand still, obediently!"
Xiang Jiao Jun began to dance in a peculiar posture.
"Feel the spirit of freedom!"
When such a seductive dance was performed by a muscular, scantily clad man, the scene became incredibly bizarre…
Ye Fan and the little witch, though not unaccustomed to visual assaults, were seeing the dance of freedom for the first time…
Both felt a churning in their stomachs…
Gui You's situation was even worse!
Although their bodies were indeed neither human nor ghost, their minds and consciousness were no different from ordinary humans.
And they were not like Ye Fan and the little witch, who had at least some psychological preparation…
Their stomachs churned and spasmed, causing the ghostly energy within them to churn.
In that instant, Gui You nearly suffered a qi deviation!
Gui You frantically channeled his attack again, and the Third Brother and Fifth Brother beside him joined the fray.
However, no matter how hard they tried, their attacks could not advance any further.
As Xiang Jiao Jun continued to dance, three balls of green light shot towards Gui You and the others.
The green light was not very fast and condensed into three vibrant green bananas mid-air.
Gui You and the other two dared not underestimate them and quickly switched to a defensive stance.
Their instincts told them that these three demonic energy bananas were extremely problematic!
Unexpectedly, the three large bananas did not attack their bodies directly. Instead, they swayed and landed on the ground in front of them.
Upon landing, the three demonic energy bananas did not undergo any further offensive changes. They simply lay motionless on the ground.
The scene became even more bizarre…
A nameless rage surged within the three of them.
They didn't know why they had suddenly become so furious.
They instinctively wanted to kill this disgusting entity before them!
But when they tried to attack again, they were dumbfounded to find something was wrong!
The demonic energy within their bodies seemed to have turned into a quagmire, making it incredibly difficult to mobilize!
Let alone attacking, they couldn't even maintain basic protective defenses!
What made them even more terrified was that their bodies seemed to be no longer under their control…
It was as if their entire bodies had rusted, making even simple actions like raising a hand incredibly strenuous!
However…
This was just the beginning…
"Embrace freedom!"