The Vengeful Spirit Workshop

From the pitch-black tunnel leading deep underground, a thin, flat voice emerged. “Little Seven, you are the cleverest. Go and deal with the intruder.”

“Yes, Master.” The handsome youth did not hesitate for a moment, answering with reverence.

“Go, then.”

As the words fell, a grinding noise echoed through the chamber. The iron plate covering the tunnel entrance rotated and sealed itself shut once more. The six men and women in the room let out long sighs of relief. Even as his most favored disciples, they were always terrified in their master’s presence; anyone who dared to offend him had been tortured to death, their souls obliterated for all eternity.

“I wonder what kind of treasure the master is refining,” a girl in purple robes murmured. “Counting the ones from other places, he’s already tortured several hundred Xiantian lifeforms to death just for this. As for ordinary mortals… countless. And he said once it’s done, he won’t even fear a Wanxiang Adept. What kind of treasure could it be?”

“A terrifying one, that’s for sure.”

“His treasure is still only half-finished, and already he doesn’t care about the Zifu Disciples of Yan Mountain’s tribes. Once it’s truly completed…” The six disciples whispered among themselves. What they were most curious about was the secret treasure, but the master always stayed in the deepest chamber of the mountain, forbidding anyone from entering.

Whenever the tunnel closed, not a single sound could escape.

Whoosh!

A blurry, malevolent ghostly figure suddenly separated from one of the bound Xiantian lifeforms, letting out a silent scream. It passed through the stone walls, flying deep into the mountain toward the hidden chamber. The sight made the six disciples’ hearts tighten. Only truly fierce spirits were visible to them.

“Another vengeful spirit!”

They recalled the second senior apprentice-brother, who had once offended their master. He was tortured to death, and even after death, his spirit was absorbed. Dragged into that place, his soul was gone forever.

“Little Seven, go deal with the enemy in the formation,” the older disciples urged.

“Stop rushing me.” The handsome youth turned and strode out.

…

Black mist filled the air as the handsome youth moved silently. The fog parted automatically before him, clearing a path.

A Dao talisman appeared in his left hand, its surface covered in veins like blood vessels, inscribed with strange runes. A horsetail whisk appeared in his right hand.

“Go.” He flicked the whisk, and thousands of white threads extended dozens of feet into the air, sweeping toward Ji Ning, who sat cross-legged on the ground.

Ji Ning, sensing the attack, looked up.

A curtain of white threads rained down upon him.

“Break,” he ordered calmly. The lotus leaves of water and fire surrounding him swelled in size. The two interlocking layers spun, grinding and entangling the encroaching threads, preventing them from getting any closer.

“Manipulating water and fire?” The distant youth’s pupils contracted. “A Xiantian-level Fiendgod Body Refiner. This is troublesome. I thought I could take him with the whisk, but that won’t work.” The thousands of white threads retracted and vanished, replaced by a long whip in his right hand.

“You dare invade my formation—state your name!” the youth shouted.

Ji Ning had already risen to his feet. He eyed the youth coolly. “This is the border between the Ji Clan and the Ironwood Clan. You don’t look like you’re from either. Where are you really from?”

“Just hearing it will scare you to death,” the youth snorted.

“Try me.” Ji Ning held his twin swords.

“Watch the whip!” the youth replied, refusing to reveal his origins. The black whip lashed through the air, elongating rapidly. When it reached Ji Ning’s head, its tip transformed into a black serpent’s head, lunging at him.

Ji Ning merely watched. The whip broke through one layer of fire-lotus leaves but was blocked by the water-lotus leaves beneath.

“What kind of technique is that water-fire lotus?” The handsome youth was no fool. He recognized Ji Ning as a Fiendgod Body Refiner commanding water and fire, but he couldn’t grasp the profound meaning of that technique.

Swoosh!

Without warning, Ji Ning who had been standing still, activated the Windwing Evasion. He shot toward the youth like a wisp of smoke, impossibly fast. As he closed the distance, his Northsea Sword executed the Dripping Water Pierces Stone strike, aiming directly at the youth’s head.

“I can’t handle this—escape!” The youth immediately activated the Dao talisman still clutched in his left hand. A blurry shadow merged into his body, and he vanished from sight.

Swoosh. Ji Ning landed exactly where the youth had stood. He frowned. “Evasion technique. He used a talisman to do it. A Xiantian Ki Refiner with an evasion Dao talisman… the Zifu Disciple backing him must favor him greatly.”

Dao talismans came in different grades.

Common ones like Lightness Talismans, Agility Talismans, Vajra Talismans, and Strength Talismans were the most basic. Evasion talismans were a step higher. Something like the Ten-Thousand-Mile Trace-Away Talisman was an invaluable treasure that couldn’t be bought anywhere. Unfortunately, he didn’t have that talisman with him. Even if he did, he was trapped in the maze formation and couldn’t tell direction well enough to teleport directly into the mountain’s core. Of course, he could use it to flee, but he hadn’t brought it.

“I have an evasion talisman on me, but this maze formation stirs the Five Elements. I can’t ‘evade’ inside it,” Ji Ning thought. He had spent considerable time studying formations and understood the principles well.

He was now quite familiar with the formation trapping him.

The Five Elements were in turmoil, making evasion impossible—unless the formation’s controller deliberately allowed it. But the one controlling it wanted him dead.

…

The handsome youth strode into the mountain’s central chamber.

“Little Seven’s back.”

“Junior apprentice-brother, did you kill the intruder?”

“I’m sure he handled it easily.”

Seeing his frustrated expression, the others immediately began to mock him.

“Senior apprentice-brothers and sisters,” the handsome youth shouted, “you have no idea how dangerous that enemy is. If I’d been even a little slower, I would have died at his hands.”

“That powerful?”

“Does he have a strong magic treasure?” The other five disciples were surprised. They knew Little Seven’s strength well.

“He’s just like Big Brother,” the handsome youth said quickly. “He cultivates both Ki and Fiendgod Body Refining! He’s already a Xiantian Fiendgod Body Refiner, and with one burst of speed, he was right in front of me. I barely escaped because I had my evasion talisman ready. That speed alone puts him at the Xiantian perfection level of Fiendgod Body Refining.”

“What?”

“Xiantian perfection?”

“Where did someone this powerful suddenly come from?” The other senior apprentice-brothers and sisters were stunned.

The handsome youth sighed. “Only Big Brother can handle this. He’s at Xiantian perfection in both Ki and Fiendgod Body Refining. With his many magic treasures, strange items, and poisons… he’s already captured most of the hundred or so Xiantian lifeforms in Yan Mountain by himself.”

“Who’s talking about me?” A deep voice rang out.

All six disciples turned their heads. At the massive entrance to the mountain hall, a man in black robes with disheveled hair strode in. He carried the same icy, malevolent aura as their master. A large sack was slung over his shoulder. He casually tossed it to the ground, revealing a few limbs sticking out from the opening.

“Big Brother!” The six disciples called out in unison, their voices filled with respect. They all knew how formidable he was. During their master’s flight into hiding, Big Brother had once fought one-on-one with a Zifu Disciple and still managed to escape with his life.

“I went to the Kou Clan’s territory and captured these three Xiantian lifeforms,” the black-robed man said, his tone flat. “I’ve already crippled their Dantians. Take them and bind them up.”

Servants rushed forward, dragging out the three bound figures inside the sack. One was a woman, the other two men. The woman was exceptionally delicate and beautiful, though all three were unconscious.

“They even caught that beauty, Kou Hua.”

“Three more new arrivals.”

“Those are from the Kou Clan.”

The captured Xiantian lifeforms from the Ji Clan, Ironwood Clan, Riverside Clan, and other Yan Mountain tribes glanced over. The black-robed man’s expression twisted, his eyes flickering with green light. “Torture them! Drive them mad! Crush their spirits! I see you have the leisure to gawk at these three—if you don’t break them into vengeful spirits, I’ll turn you into ones!”

“Yes, yes, yes!” The servants trembled in terror, then threw themselves back into the work with renewed vigor, applying every method of torment to the crippled Xiantian lifeforms.

Seeing Big Brother’s fury, the other six disciples felt a chill run down their spines.

The black-robed man turned his head and looked at his fellow disciples. “You were talking about me?”