As Shen Hao's voice echoed, figures flashed around the courtyard, forming an encirclement, boxing in that deep-black shadow within.
Feeling the waves of True Qi surging through the air, Shen Hao was pleased. These ten men were Chen Tianwen's personal guards—on par with ordinary school commanders in cultivation, skilled at joined attacks, secretly assigned to assist him. Now it seems they're proving useful, and it wasn't for nothing that they'd played ordinary soldiers for so many days.
"I know you're nearby and can hear me. All your scheming was just for this one box? Let me guess, it probably contains those finished Yin Tofu, right? Tsk tsk, with such a big chest, there must be over a hundred pieces. No wonder you risked staying again and again. But this time, you won't escape."
No sooner had Shen Hao finished speaking, a Summoning Talisman shot into the air like lightning, able to transmit hundreds of li in just a few breaths.
This was the agreed signal—those Xuanqing Guards and garrison soldiers scattered by Shen Hao would immediately regroup and form an iron barricade outside Five Rams City, trapping the prey in a jar.
The deep-black shadow before them was undoubtedly an Evil, just like the previous attack, clearly controlled by someone. To manipulate such a spirit, the Evil Cultivator couldn't be far away; he must be inside Five Rams City right now!
"Want to run? Too late! Did you really think I was handing out orders like an idiot these past days? It was all for you! Heh, knew you'd show up eventually. By the way, this Evil is Third Grade—was it forged from Qi Wen Yuan's soul, or Qi Heng Soldiers'?"
Shen Hao's words were slow and drawn-out, unlike his usual crisp style; he wanted to speak slowly, stalling to buy Wang Jian and his team more time to close the net outside the city.
"Hiss!"
The Evil couldn't understand human speech, but its controller could. Seeing Shen Hao appear with his team, he realized he'd been caught. He wanted to run, but the sudden glimmers on the ground made it clear this Evil was doomed.
"I told you, you're not getting away today—not you, not this Evil. Recognize these arrays? We spared no expense to lay out this Evil Suppressing Cage."
Evil spirits were terrifying because they were unpredictable, often fought in sudden encounters. With the grassroots combat strength of Xuanqing Guards, most battles against them meant death. But this was different—a trap, waiting for the prey to step in.
The Evil Suppressing Cage, a type of array, was complicated to set up but powerful in effect, able to restrain and weaken Evils below the Fifth Grade.
The ten General Banner Guards were the array's anchor; they drew the Cage themselves, with materials specially approved by Chen Tianwen. They'd assured Shen Hao they would confine this Third-Grade Evil within the array, cutting its fighting power by half.
"Clang!"
Shen Hao drew the Yanji Saber from his waist, tossing the scabbard aside. Gripping the hilt with both hands, he held the blade level—he would personally slaughter this Evil!
Wind surged beneath his feet; True Qi coursed through the Yanji Saber, boosted by the array inscriptions on its blade, forming a pale gold Blade Aura like Blade Gang. It didn't fly out, but it was Shen Hao's strongest attack yet.
This kind of Blade Aura was also called: Hai Mang.
In a blink, Shen Hao was locked in combat with the Evil inside the array, his movements swift as a phantom; each saber strike left a scar on the Evil, as if burned into flesh.
As for the Evil, its movements were wholly restricted by the array, and its massive body couldn't dodge. It could only howl and roar, bit by bit worn down by Shen Hao, unable to fight back at all.
"Rip!"
An incense stick's time passed.
The blade sliced through; the Evil's torso was cut in two—no matter how strong its vitality, it finally couldn't take it anymore, its body coming apart, waves of malevolent Qi drifting and sinking underground.
This time, however, the Evil left behind no Evil Core, leaving Shen Hao both disappointed and relieved.
With the Evil slain, Shen Hao finally stepped to the large vat and took out the big chest inside.
The chest wasn't locked; a little force easily opened it, revealing a sweeping array pattern on the lid.
Lifting the lid, a dense, sweet aroma wafted out. Inside, dozens of reddish blocks of paste lay neatly stacked.
"So it is Yin Tofu."
He'd never seen it in person, but Shen Hao instantly recognized the crimson, sweet-smelling paste made through a ruthlessly bloody process.
But...
Without warning, Shen Hao's chest burned once again; like that night when he first saw the Evil Core, staring at the chest full of Yin Tofu, he felt an uncontrollable hunger rise inside!
"What the hell is this?!"
Terrified, he started trembling slightly—Shen Hao gritted his teeth to suppress the primal hunger, resisting the urge to reach for the Yin Tofu in the box.
Unlike last time, he wasn't alone—others were watching, and any slip-up would be catastrophic.
He slammed the lid shut.
"Go support Wang Jian! Remember: I want a live capture!"
"What about you, sir..."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be there soon."
"Yes!"
The ten General Banner Guards suspected nothing; what's more, intense Mana fluctuations and another Summoning Talisman signal were coming from afar—clearly, the hidden Evil Cultivator was fighting Wang Jian's team, urgent reinforcements needed.
Once the guards had all left, Shen Hao shakily reopened the chest; letting his mind relax even for a moment made the "hunger" surge beyond his control.
Having experienced it before, Shen Hao examined himself closely. He was certain: this terrifying bodily reaction truly originated from the tattoo on his chest!
He was mentally prepared. Forcing himself past the nausea, closing his eyes in disgust, he grabbed a blood-red piece of Yin Tofu from the box and shoved it into his mouth, swallowing it whole without even chewing.
One piece, two pieces... five, six...
He had to open his eyes, frantically repeating: No more! If I eat any more, I'll be discovered. Then I'll die without even knowing how!
Perhaps the tattoo sensed Shen Hao's resentment; after stuffing down twenty pieces, he finally stopped, and that wrenching hunger vanished completely.
"Hoo... burp..."
Breathing a sigh of relief, and even burping from fullness, Shen Hao tasted the sweet flavor lingering in his mouth—his stomach turned, unable to fathom what he'd just eaten.
Instinctively lifting his shirt, Shen Hao was shocked to see his chest tattoo more vivid than ever, especially the pair of fierce eyes—almost as if they were glaring straight at him.
His heart trembled; he quickly composed himself.
He was glad: more than eighty pieces of Yin Tofu remained—enough to hand in above without arousing suspicion.
Meanwhile, eight li from the Qi Mansion, at the city gate, battle raged. Wang Jian, leading a hundred Xuanqing Guard warriors, joined by hundreds of soldiers, had—with the help of garrison soldiers—surrounded a black-robed figure, layer upon layer...