Seeing Yunxia Gu and Xia Qiu Xi injured and surrounded by a horde of zombies, I couldn't help but cry out, "Yunxia Gu, Qiu Xi..." My voice was hoarse and filled with panic.
But thankfully, at this moment, Yunxia Gu suddenly erupted, her golden sword energy rippling. With a series of "bangs," several zombies were sent flying. Yunxia Gu, holding Xia Qiu Xi, stood up and continued to fight against the evil spirits.
Watching them cough up blood, seeing Old Mo fighting unsteadily, and my martial uncle, poisoned by the corpse virus, still holding the front line with a death wish to battle a hundred ghosts, I knew I couldn't drag them down. Even if I died, even if my soul was scattered, I had to give my martial uncle and the others a chance to live. I couldn't let them be buried with me because of me.
Looking around at the dense crowds of ghosts and zombies, there was no escape. The dragon and phoenix jade pendant on my chest had been unusable since entering the misty forest. I didn't know if Qing Dai was on her way, but I couldn't wait for her any longer. We had reached a dead end... It was a shame, though, to have kept her waiting for so many ten-thousand-year epochs.
Now, I had to make a choice. Otherwise, my martial uncle and the others would only die with me. It was time to use my trump card. The Jie Fu. This was my ultimate trump card, an irreversible talisman activated at the cost of my life. Once unleashed, there was no turning back; it meant certain death. Only by sacrificing myself and using the Jie Fu could I bring a sliver of hope to everyone...
However, to maximize the release and application of my strength, before using the Jie Fu, I needed to replenish my spiritual power to its fullest. This would allow me to enhance my abilities to the greatest extent, increasing my chances of escape.
With this thought, I quickly took out two precious pearls from my bag. The Yin Gathering Pearl and the Yang Gathering Pearl. The Yang Gathering Pearl, with its fire attribute, could absorb pure energy. It was thanks to this pearl in the Spiritual Illusion Ghost Domain that I managed to hold on until the end and find an opportunity to escape. The Yin Gathering Pearl was the opposite, possessing chilling Yin energy. It was unsuitable for the living to absorb, except for those cultivating evil arts or powerful ghosts and zombies.
But at this moment, I was prepared to die. I didn't think much about it. I planned to absorb the energy from both pearls simultaneously, replenishing the spiritual energy in my Dantian as quickly as possible. Side effects? Since I was already planning to use the Jie Fu, why bother with side effects or backlash?
Facing the overwhelming sinister forces, I took a deep breath. Gripping the two precious pearls, I applied pressure and shattered the talismans on their surfaces. Simultaneously, I infused them with my true qi. In an instant, the two pearls were activated. Red and white light formed into glowing orbs. Suddenly, two distinct energies appeared: one cold, one hot, one Yin, one Yang. Like ripples, they radiated outwards. The scorching Yang energy caused the surrounding menacing creatures to recoil in fear.
My martial uncle and the others also looked at me at this moment, their brows slightly furrowed. Then, in the next second, they saw me draw in the energies released from the two pearls with a fierce suction. The two streams of energy transformed into two currents of qi, flowing into my body through my mouth and nose.
Instantly, I felt a mix of cold and heat within me, making me extremely uncomfortable. The two streams of qi collided and intertwined inside me, as if threatening to tear me apart. Old Mo, seeing this, looked panicked and exclaimed, "Old Qin, you can't absorb the Yin energy from the Yin Gathering Pearl!" He then tried to stop me. However, the surrounding specters had surrounded him again, and his momentary distraction caused him to sustain another injury.
I saw Old Mo and gave him a determined look. I increased the speed at which I absorbed the Yin and Yang energies. Due to the Yang Gathering Pearl, the surrounding Yin specters and zombies were somewhat wary and did not approach me. This gave me ample time to absorb the Yin and Yang energies.
"Xiao Qin, don't do anything reckless!" my martial uncle shouted. "Xiao Qin, you'll die like this!" Yunxia Gu also called out while fighting. "Qin Ze, stop quickly," Xia Qiu Xi echoed. They all saw the strange changes occurring on my body's surface after I absorbed these two streams of energy.
The two streams of qi circulated. One moment, I felt hot and powerful; the next, chilling and surging with Yin energy. But I didn't respond, merely absorbing the two streams of qi in large quantities, enduring the discomfort. Even if I were to die, I would die a little later. At least, I had to help everyone break through the encirclement before I died. Fueled by this conviction, I quickly absorbed sufficient spiritual energy.
My Dantian felt distressed, and my body ached. Yet, I felt my own strength being replenished greatly and rapidly. The moment I stopped absorbing the energies, before I could even use the Jie Fu, the ghost and zombie hordes, no longer deterred by the aura of the Yang Gathering Pearl, pounced on me with roars.
Looking at these malevolent spirits, my face turned cold, and I roared, "All of you, die!" As I spoke, I unleashed a fierce sword strike. "Boom!" With a roar of exploding protective qi, my sword strike was infused with both Yin and Yang energies. One ghost, under the impact of the protective qi, was instantly incinerated by the scorching fire attribute energy of the Yang Gathering Pearl, its soul scattered. Another ghost, however, was directly frozen into icy fragments by the chilling Yin energy of the Yin Gathering Pearl. Keep in mind, the opponent was a ghost, already an embodiment of Yin and cold. Yet, the Yin energy from my Yin Gathering Pearl could freeze it into shattered ice and death. I was astonished myself. My martial uncle, Old Mo, and the others around were equally stunned.
Although absorbing the Yin and Yang energies resulted in an unexpected destructive effect, it still couldn't alter the battle's tide against such a large number of specters and zombies. My strike merely killed a few more evil spirits. To break through and fight our way out? There was still no hope. I needed power, more powerful strength. Strength enough for me to protect everyone and carve out a bloody path. Even if I died in the process, it would be worth it. Therefore, the Jie Fu still had to be used...