At this moment, Wei Yan truly displayed the strength befitting the second ranked on the Maple Forest City’s Dao Merit Board, leading the charge into the depths of Little Lin Town, practically colliding head-on into the swarm of wandering souls.

However, all the wandering souls were shattered with a single blow; all who stood in his path were scattered.

His body was enveloped in a layer of cold light, a manifestation of the extreme concentration of metal-attributed elemental energy. His steps did not falter in the slightest, as if nothing could impede his progress.

His long saber cleaved and slashed, emitting shrill whistles, as if even the air itself was being torn apart.

The others followed behind him, only needing to prevent the ghosts from closing in from the sides, greatly reducing the risk.

Jiang Wang and Zhao Rucheng positioned themselves to the left and right, intentionally or unintentionally shielding Ling He and Du Yehou in the middle. Ling He was fine, but Du Yehou’s face flushed red. However, he knew this was not the time to act rashly, so he could only march forward in silence.

Time seemed to blur as they ventured on. It was impossible to tell how long had passed in the ever-gathering fog, and even time seemed to lose meaning. The wandering souls encountered were not particularly strong, within the capabilities of ninth-grade transcendent cultivators. However, these eighth and ninth-grade cultivators did not possess abundant Dao essence within their Tongtian Palaces. They could not endure prolonged combat. If they persisted for much longer, they would be unable to cast Dao techniques, lest they damage their Dao vortexes and injure their foundations.

It was then that Wei Yan stopped.

Based on a rough calculation of their position, they were soon to reach the very center of Little Lin Town. Jiang Wang remembered that it was once a bustling market. On market days, people from the surrounding villages would gather there; it was quite lively.

Wei Yan’s halt was not due to a reluctance to continue, but because a wall of mist blocked his path, abruptly halting his saber’s edge.

Unlike the pervasive fog along the way, this mist wall possessed a tangible presence and was incredibly resilient. Even copper walls and iron barriers should have been cleaved through by the sharpness of Wei Yan’s saber, yet this mist wall remained unshaken.

No matter how many attacks were launched, they vanished like stones cast into the ocean.

Wei Yan grew anxious. He keenly sensed that something was amiss behind the mist wall, something that was not merely evil but could potentially impact his entire life.

But now, his saber was drawn, and retreat or advance was equally difficult!

“Does anyone have a method to break this? Feel free to try!” Wei Yan said gravely. “The situation is urgent and cannot be delayed. I will bear all responsibility.”

Immediately, one disciple walked directly to the mist wall and, without a word, began to unbuckle his belt.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Someone nearby grabbed him.

“Don’t stop me!” The man declared confidently. “This place is teeming with ghosts and heavy Yin energy. Virgin boy’s urine can ward off evil spirits. I have yet to lose my primordial Yang, so it is only natural that I step forward!”

This man was named Huang Azhan, a previous year’s inner sect disciple. He was a drinking buddy of Du Yehou, and had a good personality, but was not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Wei Yan frowned. After a while, as he finished urinating, the mist wall did not budge. Only the intense and temporary stench reminded everyone of what had transpired.

“That’s strange. Is it not enough?” After a pause, he turned back and called out, “Are there any other virgins? Come on! Of course, Zhao Rucheng doesn’t need to come, you have too much Yin. Du Yehou, hurry up! Don’t hold back. With your face, you’re destined to be a virgin forever. Your Yang must be abundant!”

One sentence mocked two people. Had the situation not been so urgent, Du Yehou would have punched his dog head off.

Zhao Rucheng bared his teeth and said, “Azhan, think again. Maybe virgin boy’s urine isn’t enough. Maybe we need virgin boy’s blood?”

Huang Azhan heard this, stroked his chin, and nodded, as if he was truly considering the feasibility of it.

Wang Changxiang, who had been somewhat weakened since casting the Breath Tornado, said, “When the tornado blew away the mist, I observed that the wandering souls in Little Lin Town were forming a simple Nine Palaces Formation. I wasn’t sure at the time, but now that we’re being blocked in this central palace, I’m certain.”

“How do we break it?” Wei Yan asked directly.

“The formation master wasn’t very meticulous, and it’s difficult to control so many ghosts like limbs. So the solution is simple.” Wang Changxiang gave a bitter smile. “Break the formation eyes in the other eight palaces, and this central palace will crumble on its own.”

Wei Yan immediately said, “Wang Changxiang, stay here to observe the situation. Leave four others to listen to your commands and support the others at any time. I’ll go to the Kan Palace. The rest of you split into seven groups, each breaking one palace. Then, we’ll all converge here, in front of this central palace.”

The order of the heavens is divided, with Yang emanating and Yin entering. Yang arises from Zi, Yin arises from Wu, and so the Taiyi descends into the Nine Palaces, starting from the Kan Palace.

The Kan Palace was located in the due north, and its element was water. It may not be the easiest palace for Wei Yan to deal with, but his strength was great, so such considerations were unnecessary.

“I need to remind everyone.” Wang Changxiang added, “The ghosts we’ve cleared along the way are ordinary, but the formation eyes will surely be guarded by vengeful or fierce ghosts. Everyone, please act according to your capabilities.”

Zhao Lang followed Wei Yan’s lead. He was the first to step forward, saying, “In that case, I’ll go to the Kun Palace.”

Li Jianqiu was even more straightforward, already drawing his sword and heading west. “Leave the Zhen Palace to me. Divide the rest yourselves.”

The strong stepped forward, taking responsibility. That was the backbone of a cultivator.

Jiang Wang exchanged glances with Ling He and the others, and said, “The four of us brothers will be responsible for the Xun Palace.”

He was not being arrogant. From the battles along the way, everyone could see their combat capabilities. Although he had not yet laid his foundation, he possessed the strength of a general ninth-grade cultivator by relying on the Azure Qi East Coming Sword Art.

The Xun Palace’s element was wood, and metal could fell wood, making it the opportune choice. Li Jianqiu was already in charge of the Zhen Palace which also belonged to the Wood element. He and Zhao Rucheng would have a harder time exerting their strength if they went to other palaces.

From another perspective, the situation in Little Lin Town implied the influence of the incident would not be small. The degree of their contribution on this trip would all be recorded. Ling He, Du Yehou, and Zhao Rucheng were all at critical moments of accumulating Dao merit to exchange for Meridian Opening Pills. If they could resolve this palace, it would surely propel them forward by leaps and bounds.

The choices were strictly in accordance with the order of the Nine Palaces. The Nine Palaces were: two and four at the shoulders, six and eight at the feet, three on the left, seven on the right, nine at the head, and one at the base. From one to nine, they were Kan, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Middle, Qian, Dui, Gen, and Li.

They had been fighting as they moved. Jiang Wang and Zhao Rucheng’s transcendent sword techniques had already earned the recognition of the others, so no one said anything more. The remaining twenty Dao Academy disciples then split into groups of five, choosing the remaining four palaces.

It could not be denied that Wang Changxiang’s Breath Tornado had made a significant contribution, allowing everyone to regain their bearings in such dense fog. It was a prerequisite to breaking the entire ghost formation.

The Xun Palace was located to the southeast. Jiang Wang advanced with his sword through the dense fog, and when he vaguely saw the tavern ahead, he was certain. The only tavern in Little Lin Town was in the southeast; they had not gone the wrong way.

“Be careful,” Ling He suddenly said. “I sense a very dangerous entity ahead.”

Ling He’s intuition was usually accurate, and the others dared not be careless.

Jiang Wang nodded. “That should be the vengeful ghost that Senior Brother Wang mentioned; it represents the formation eye of the Xun Palace. Rucheng, how many stances of the Azure Qi East Coming Sword Killing Art have you mastered?”

“All of them are refined,” Zhao Rucheng replied.

Jiang Wang had nothing to say about this guy’s talent, so he ordered, “I’ll make the first move. You follow up. Unleash your strongest attack in the shortest amount of time and destroy the target. Eldest and Second Brother, watch the surroundings and don’t let any other wandering souls get close. If necessary, unleash your blood qi, no matter the cost.”

Before laying their foundations, the only way to harm ghosts, other than mastering transcendent techniques like the Azure Qi East Coming Sword, was to unleash their blood qi. However, blood qi was the foundation of a person, and unleashing it placed an enormous burden on the body. Therefore, Ling He and Du Yehou had been very restrained along the way.

But they did not hesitate in the slightest when it came to Jiang Wang’s commands. It was a tacit understanding that had been developed through countless battles side by side.

Although they could not see too far in the fog, the brothers quickly identified the target area and spread out to encircle it.

Just then, a sharp screech rang out, as if it were right next to their ears. In front of Jiang Wang, a sword light suddenly shone!

Clang!

Azure Qi East Coming Sword, Killing Art, First Stance!

A scarlet claw had just been parried by the long sword, and the vengeful ghost of the Xun Palace manifested before them.

The wandering souls along the way were not much different from humans in life, only their figures were translucent and their colors were pale. But this vengeful ghost was completely different; it already looked like another creature.

It had a green face and fangs, and was nearly twelve feet tall, tall and strong. Its muscles bulged, and its pair of claws were scarlet, with blood droplets dripping from one of the claw tips.

Jiang Wang knew that the vengeful ghost’s senses were certainly stronger than theirs in the dense fog. So he had been on high alert, his sword stance poised and ready. That was how he had managed to block the vengeful ghost’s attack at the first moment.

But he had still underestimated the vengeful ghost’s power.

How many wandering souls had they seen in the brief gaps created by the Breath Tornado? No less than a thousand? Yet there were only these eight fierce ghosts sitting in the Nine Palaces. Whether artificially bred or naturally slaughtered, the vengeful ghosts born from this must be extraordinary.

Although Jiang Wang had blocked the first attack, he was still grazed by the tip of the other claw, which tore a strip of flesh from his left arm.

The blood dripping from the vengeful ghost’s claw came from his wound. Fortunately, the wound was not too large.

As Jiang Wang counterattacked, Zhao Rucheng’s sword also moved!

The first stance of the Azure Qi East Coming Sword Killing Art emphasized speed. This was how it could be as swift as thunder and as sound as lightning when attacking. The Son of Heaven unleashed the wrath of thunder, taking only a moment to shock the world!

Before the vengeful ghost could taste the strip of meat it had torn off, Zhao Rucheng’s sword had pierced into its abdomen.

Zhao Rucheng, along with his sword, was stabbed into the vengeful ghost, like a monkey hanging on a person because of the difference in their sizes.

The vengeful ghost howled in pain and suddenly lowered its head.

Not good!

Zhao Rucheng was shocked. He kicked the vengeful ghost’s swinging claw, somersaulted in the air, and abandoned his sword to escape. As the vengeful ghost was about to pursue, Jiang Wang’s figure flashed like a thunderbolt before its eyes.

Azure Qi East Coming Sword Killing Art, Second Stance, emphasized precision.

Jiang Wang was already far away, but the sword light had precisely crossed the vengeful ghost’s eyeball.

In that instant, pitch-black liquid exploded like a burst of pulp, and the vengeful ghost let out an extremely shrill scream. This creature, which had originally possessed a chaotic intelligence, stared fiercely at Jiang Wang with its remaining right eye, filled with boundless hatred.

It simply did not bother to cover its eye, letting the pitch-black liquid flow. With Zhao Rucheng’s swaying sword still stuck in its body, it charged towards Jiang Wang!

Ling He, who was chasing away wandering souls outside the battle circle, shot his sword at Zhao Rucheng in the midst of his busy schedule. “Catch!”

Zhao Rucheng jumped up and caught Ling He’s sword in mid-air. His whole body was like a shooting star, once again blasting towards the vengeful ghost’s back. This sword pierced through the back of its neck, with the tip of the sword coming out of the vengeful ghost’s chin, and resting against its chest!

The vengeful ghost roared as it turned its claws back, but because of the angle, this claw must have been slower than before. So Zhao Rucheng put his feet on its back, wanting to retreat by pulling out his sword. But he did not expect that the sword body was firmly clamped by the vengeful ghost’s muscles. He failed to pull it out in one fell swoop, and slowed for a moment.

It was at that moment that the vengeful ghost’s huge claws swept hard across his body, sending Zhao Rucheng flying four or five meters, falling into the dense fog, his life or death unknown!

He had to know that there were countless wandering souls roaming in the dense fog at this time!

At this time, Jiang Wang was opposite him, and Ling He was still entangled with the wandering souls after sending his sword. Only Du Yehou, who was also guarding the battle circle, was the closest, and he had been unable to restrain himself. He had come on this trip to eradicate evil and purify the universe. He absolutely was not here to be protected and get Dao merits, and even become a burden!

There was only a roar, his voice thundering. Du Yehou’s whole body exploded with blood Qi, and the blood Qi on his body was like a substance rushing to the sky, like wolf smoke at that moment!

Blood Qi wolf smoke!

Only a warrior with blood Qi that was powerful to a certain extent could stimulate blood Qi wolf smoke. Even Jiang Wang could not do this.

And Du Yehou’s full-strength eruption proved that he was not inferior to others.

Wrapped in the power of blood Qi, he looked as if he was wearing a blood-colored battle robe. He moved several times faster than usual and rushed to Zhao Rucheng’s side in a few steps!