I hadn't expected the combination of rooster's blood and the Heavenly Retreat Seal to possess such immense power. Not only did it break through the ghost wall, but it also caught the malevolent spirits forming the array completely off guard. This was entirely beyond my expectations.
This was the first time I had ever used this method; I had never attempted it before. However, when I clearly saw the huddled, somewhat wretched figure before me, I was filled with anger. If it were any other lingering spirit, or if they were merely toying with the living or had other intentions, how could a familiar face like this play such a trick on me?
Condensing my Xuan Yang Qi into my hands, I proceeded to unleash a barrage of blows upon him, completely ignoring his pleas. I only stopped when I was exhausted, mainly because I didn't know if he was in pain, but my hands were certainly hurting terribly.
I don't know what method he used, but even though my hands were broken and bleeding, he merely wailed in pain and did not suffer any real harm. Su Dan Novel Network
"Alright, stop crying. I don't know how you managed it, but your skin is thicker than a pig's."
"Heh heh..."
The old ghost shook off all the rooster's blood from his body, then bared his teeth and stood up.
"Little brother, why are you still so violent? We're acquaintances, after all. Aren't you going a bit too far by treating me like this?"
The old ghost's words made my teeth ache with anger. You feel wronged? If I hadn't realized it was the old ghost, I would have already drawn my Yin Ironwood Ruler instead of resorting to fists, and you wouldn't have had the chance to mock me like this.
"Don't talk nonsense. Why were you toying with me here and setting up a ghost wall? If you don't give me a reasonable explanation, I'll see to it that you eat rice upside down..."
Although my words were fierce, I knew that if it came down to a real fight, I might not be able to defeat the old ghost. The fact that he wasn't injured by the rooster's blood mixed with the Heavenly Retreat Seal poured on him indicated a strength beyond my ability to casually deal with.
My "beating" was merely to vent my anger. I had enough self-awareness to know this. After being beaten by me, the old ghost was completely unharmed. The only sign of distress was what he deliberately showed me.
"Speak, why did you set up a ghost wall for me here and frame me? If you don't give me a satisfactory answer, don't blame me for turning hostile and disowning you."
The old ghost extinguished the last bit of ember on his body and said with a hint of reluctance, "Do you think I wanted to take on this rotten job? Fifth Princess asked me to stop you from going to the Half-Yin Realm. For this, I've lost at least decades of my cultivation. Do you think it was easy for me? I'm so miserable..."
I didn't pay much attention to the old ghost's subsequent rambling. The only thing that registered was that Fifth Princess didn't want me to go to the Half-Yin Realm. What did that mean?
I interrupted the old ghost's continued chatter and said in a deep voice, "What did you just say? You said Fifth Princess doesn't want me to go to the Half-Yin Realm. What does that mean? I'm going to deliver a message, not cause trouble. Why wouldn't she let me go..."
Given my relationship with Fifth Princess, simply telling her that people from the capital were looking for the Half-Yin Realm was invaluable information. Yet, she would prevent me from going there? Wasn't this good intentions being mistaken for ill intentions?
As if he hadn't heard my curses, the old ghost looked at me seriously and said, "This is all for your own good. Don't be ungrateful."
For my own good?
My anger flared up instantly. She wouldn't let me deliver a message and claimed it was for my own good? Did she really think I was a three-year-old child, easily deceived?
Seeing my disbelieving expression, the old ghost didn't explain. Instead, he reached into his chest and rummaged around for a while before pulling something out.
"You don't recognize this, do you?"
Looking at the item in the old ghost's hand, my body trembled involuntarily, and I stared at him in disbelief.
"How did this get into your possession?"
What the old ghost held was none other than the Tiger Kui Seal.
Fifth Princess had said that this item had always been in the possession of Fifth Prince, and even when she was young and wanted to see it, Fifth Prince had reprimanded her. How did it end up with the old ghost?
The Tiger Kui Seal was no ordinary treasure; it was the lifeblood of the Half-Yin Realm. It could be said that whoever controlled the Tiger Kui Seal was the master of the Half-Yin Realm. Not only was Li Zuoquan looking for it, but Elder Qian, who had come to Molu Village, was also searching for it.
Was the Tiger Kui Seal a good thing? There was no doubt about it. But in my eyes now, it was also a hot potato. Whoever held it would bring misfortune, the kind of extreme misfortune.
The old ghost didn't answer my question. Instead, he casually tossed the Tiger Kui Seal towards me. I instinctively caught it, looking at the old ghost foolishly, waiting for his explanation.
"Fifth Prince can no longer protect the Half-Yin Realm. The Half-Yin Realm has become a piece of fat meat for the outside world, and everyone who sees it wants a bite. Therefore, Fifth Prince wants you to take the Tiger Kui Seal away, as he doesn't want it to fall into the hands of ill-intentioned people."
I felt an urge to vomit blood. Anyone who now possessed the Tiger Kui Seal, which controlled the Half-Yin Realm, would become the public enemy of those who sought eternal life. Rather than obtaining a treasure that defied heaven, it was more fitting to call it a death warrant.
"I don't want it. I still want to continue the Song family line. I don't want to die young." Saying this, I tried to throw the Tiger Kui Seal back to the old ghost, but it felt as if it were stuck to my palm. No matter how I tried to throw it, the more I flung it away, the tighter it clung to my hand.
After countless attempts, the Tiger Kui Seal actually melted and then transformed into a cold stream of energy that entered my body.
I was dumbfounded.
I was utterly dumbfounded. I never imagined that the Tiger Kui Seal would melt into a stream of energy and enter my body.
Along with my bewilderment, there was a greater sense of dread. Some might consider this a great fortune, believing that I could now freely enter the Half-Yin Realm and implicitly become its master.
However, in my view, this was a time bomb. Anyone who knew I possessed this item would want to detonate it. If this news got out, I wouldn't be able to live my life. It would be difficult to avoid being treated like a "rat crossing the street."
"Old ghost, what have you done to me? Take the Tiger Kui Seal away quickly. This isn't a joke," I said to the old ghost, my face filled with terror.
"Heh heh... this is your destiny. Alright, my mission is complete, and I can leave now."
Before I could ask him what he meant, the old ghost's body ignited with golden flames, and then his form slowly dissipated before my eyes.
As only his head remained, he opened his mouth and said something. Although there was no sound, I could tell from his lip movements that he said "take care."
Just as I was about to curse loudly, a blaze erupted from the old house west of the village. The flames rose incredibly rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, they had engulfed the mountainside.
A clamor erupted within the village as countless figures ran out, some shouting to fight the fire, others to call the police. Despite the slight panic, everyone performed their duties as if such a situation were commonplace.
This gave me a sense of a modern term – being screwed over.