Qiu Baiyi nodded to the person in the black robe, reached out to grasp the short knife, and walked towards the female corpse in front of the bronze coffin.
The disciples surrounding the altar chanted scriptures with increasing volume. Qiu Baiyi knelt on one knee, cut his palm with the knife, and dripped his blood onto the female corpse.
As Qiu Baiyi's blood came into contact with the female corpse, white smoke rose from her body, and a large hole was corroded into her flesh.
Soon, the female corpse melted into bloody water, which was absorbed by the bronze coffin.
The bronze coffin glowed with a red light, and the ritual reached its most critical point.
"Ahhhhhh!"
"Help, help!"
"Enemy attack!!!"
Just then, extremely noisy sounds came from outside. The disciples chanting scriptures below were all stunned, their chanting interrupted, and the red glow on the bronze coffin dimmed.
The ritual was interrupted.
The hand holding the knife in Qiu Baiyi's grasp trembled instantly. Frost appeared on his usually indifferent face, and veins bulged on his forehead!
"Someone actually found this place. They truly don't know the meaning of death!"
Qiu Baiyi squeezed hard, and the short knife in his hand instantly shattered.
The ritual was interrupted, all the previous efforts were in vain, and everything had to be redone!
This was a devastating blow to their Ghost Gate!
Qiu Baiyi stood up and said coldly to the disciples around the altar, "All of you go out and see who has intruded!"
"I want them alive, and... find another virgin to restart the ritual."
"Yes!"
The Ghost Gate disciples below the altar responded in unison and then rushed out of the room at extreme speed.
More sounds of fighting, screams, and pleas for help came from outside.
However, the commotion outside lasted for less than ten breaths before falling silent again.
A strong smell of blood wafted in from outside. Qiu Baiyi's brows furrowed as he caught the scent of blood.
After waiting for a moment, there was still no movement outside, which gradually filled Qiu Baiyi with a sense of unease.
Qiu Baiyi instructed the black-robed person still standing on the altar, "Huang Jie, you go out and take a look."
"Yes."
Huang Jie responded, took off his hood, revealing a strong and imposing face.
He took out another short knife from his embrace and walked towards the main entrance.
Qiu Baiyi watched Huang Jie's retreating back, his thoughts becoming active.
The disciples who had just gone out were the elites of the Ghost Gate, each possessing a spirit of rank three or higher. Over thirty cultivators of rank three were a considerable fighting force anywhere, capable of plunging a city into extreme panic.
Yet, those people went out and didn't even make a ripple.
Qiu Baiyi didn't know how many people had arrived to cause such a situation.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Qiu Baiyi slowly backed away.
Huang Jie reached the main entrance and looked outside, only to find that besides traces of fighting, there was not a single person in sight.
Huang Jie was puzzled. He cautiously peeked further outside, confirmed no one was there, and then reported to Qiu Baiyi, "Sect Master, there's no one outside!"
"No one?"
Hearing Huang Jie's words, Qiu Baiyi was startled and quickly asked, "Are there any bodies?"
"None either!"
"Not even bodies? How is that possible?" Qiu Baiyi was completely shocked.
Just now, they had clearly heard the sounds of fighting outside, and the smell of blood lingering in the air was still stimulating his nerves.
Who could have dealt with all his Ghost Gate disciples in such a short time and cleaned up the scene so thoroughly?
Qiu Baiyi couldn't fathom it.
After a moment of shock, Qiu Baiyi turned to open the bronze coffin, only to be startled to find someone sitting on it!
Qiu Baiyi retreated repeatedly, his face filled with terror. He stared fixedly at Ye Ling, who was sitting on the bronze coffin, and exclaimed, "Who are you?"
Huang Jie saw that Ye Ling had somehow gotten behind them, his expression also changed, and he shouted sternly, "Sect Master, be careful!"
Huang Jie roared, his muscles bulged all over his body, and he grew a size larger. The black robe was directly torn apart by his bulging muscles!
Huang Jie bent his knees slightly, then lunged at Ye Ling like a leopard.
A rank four evil spirit appeared beside Huang Jie, its expression ferocious, also targeting Ye Ling.
Looking at Huang Jie and the evil spirit lunging at him, Ye Ling yawned, then gently waved his hand, the back of his hand slapping Huang Jie's face as he charged forward.
*Bang!*
Huang Jie was sent flying, crashing through the wall and creating a large hole.
His bones were broken all over his body, and he died instantly!
Huang Jie's rank four evil spirit also had its form scattered by Ye Ling's spiritual power, disappearing from this world.
"This?"
Qiu Baiyi watched as Ye Ling killed the peak rank four Huang Jie with a single palm. His expression changed drastically, and a storm of shock surged in his heart.
He quickly put distance between himself and Ye Ling, fearing being caught by him!
An expert who could kill Huang Jie with one palm possessed at least rank six cultivation!
Such powerful individuals were the nation's sharpest weapons, usually stationed in major sects, serving as renowned masters!
Yet, the Ye Ling before him looked like a young man in his twenties. Even if he had cultivated since he was in his mother's womb, he could never have reached this level!
Although Qiu Baiyi possessed peak rank five strength, and his talent was among the best of China's many cultivators, upon seeing Ye Ling, he began to doubt the world itself.
"Damn it!"
Qiu Baiyi cast a reluctant glance at the bronze coffin, then unhesitatingly fled outwards, escaping the place at the fastest speed possible.
He understood that he was no match for Ye Ling, and escaping as quickly as possible was the best course of action!
Watching Qiu Baiyi flee, Ye Ling remained indifferent, letting him escape.
Upon arriving at this so-called headquarters, Ye Ling discovered that the Ghost Gate was not like a proper sect at all, but rather a hastily assembled cult.
Even though the Ghost Gate was pursued by various factions and had suffered heavy losses, it was still a named sect. It shouldn't have been so undisciplined.
This meant that the Ghost Gate... was likely a fake sect established by Qiu Baiyi to conceal the true sect behind him.
All the cultivators in China had been deceived by Qiu Baiyi.
The Ghost Gate disciples were all chosen from ordinary people because ordinary people were easier to control, and even if a disciple's cultivation was poor, as long as they controlled an evil spirit, they possessed a certain combat power.
Temporarily ignoring the fleeing Qiu Baiyi, Ye Ling flipped off the bronze coffin and carefully examined the ancient coffin, muttering to himself, "Let me see what exactly is inside here."
He tore off the talismans on the coffin lid, broke the chains, and opened the bronze coffin.
A strange fragrance wafted towards him.
Inside the bronze coffin lay a peerlessly beautiful woman.
She was dressed in red, her skin still fair and smooth, as if it could be broken by a gentle touch, showing no signs of having been dead for a long time.
At this moment, Ye Ling noticed that the Phoenix Eye in his spatial ring had reacted, seemingly attracted by the woman lying in the bronze coffin.
"What is this?"
Ye Ling hadn't expected that the ancestral heirloom of his Ye family would have a connection with the woman in the coffin. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he immediately took out the combined Phoenix Eye.
Instantly, the Phoenix Eye glowed with a red light, and the fingers of the woman in the coffin actually moved!