"Ghost Wall? Or..."
"Could I really be this unlucky? It's not even dark yet!"
Zhou Chen held his breath, focusing intensely, merging himself with the Luoxia Bow, ready to deliver a lightning strike the moment he detected anything suspicious.
He didn't continue on his way but chose to remain cautious and motionless.
Moreover, he couldn't move forward even if he wanted to.
The surrounding silence was terrifying. It was unclear whether it was because it was nearing night and there was no one around, or because he had already wandered into a bizarre place.
Unknowingly, time around him seemed to slow down suddenly, and the scenery appeared to change, strange and surreal.
Zhou Chen forced himself to stay calm, knowing that fear only brings more danger.
"I have the Thunder Light Ruyi Hand and Body Refining Second Layer cultivation, even if I encounter something strange, I might still have a chance to fight!"
Zhou Chen kept reassuring himself.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a cold and sinister aura suddenly surged from all sides, as if he had fallen into an endless ice cave in an instant.
All he could see was blood red, like a sea of blood.
The scarlet water undulated, forming into a woman in a blood-red dress.
The woman's figure was tall, voluptuous, and alluring. If not for this terrifying environment, she would undoubtedly be a captivating figure.
"This thing shouldn't be human; my arrows likely can't harm her..."
Currently, Zhou Chen could at most cover his weapons with vital energy, but once the arrows flew out, they were useless; he hadn't mastered projecting his energy out of his body yet.
"Who are you?"
Zhou Chen suppressed his urge to act, feigning weakness to lure the enemy in closer, preparing to use his most effective trump card against such entities in a surprise attack!
"Little brother, don't be afraid, let big sister take good care of you!"
The woman in red smiled seductively, brimming with charm, but Zhou Chen felt a chill running down his spine, sensing an extremely cold and sinister aura rushing towards him.
So fast!
Before he could react, a pair of icy cold hands had already rested on his shoulders.
In that instant.
Zhou Chen felt as if his whole body was frozen, stiff, and his blood seemed to have coagulated into ice.
Terrifying!
"A Body Refining Second Layer martial artist, big sister is truly lucky today!"
The woman in red licked her lips and leaned down to kiss Zhou Chen, aiming to absorb his yang energy.
"Don't come any closer!"
Zhou Chen, with a terrified expression, grabbed the hands of the woman in red.
The smile in the woman's eyes grew, utterly ignoring Zhou Chen's grip.
If Zhou Chen had managed to unleash his vital energy before she got close, he might have struggled, but being assaulted by the yin energy, he couldn't muster any strength even if he moved.
It's just a futile struggle before death.
"Scream, the louder you scream, the more excited big sister gets... Ah..."
The woman in red mocked, but as Zhou Chen exerted his strength, her expression changed drastically, a scream of horror escaped her lips.
Her whole body seemed to be struck by lightning, going numb all over.
Thunder Light Ruyi Hand.
It certainly lived up to its name, not letting him down!
[Wind and Moon Points +10]
"Damn!"
Zhou Chen's mouth dropped open, eyes glowing with surprise at this unexpected gain.
He grew even more excited!
"Scream, the louder you scream, the more excited I get!"
Zhou Chen showed no mercy to this woman in red, fully unleashing the Thunder Light Ruyi Hand, twisting her left arm first.
Crack!
The arm was instantly twisted, dissipating into a puff of burnt yin energy.
[Wind and Moon Points +10]
Twisting the right arm.
Crack!
Both arms were gone.
[Wind and Moon Points +10]
"Stop!"
Just as Zhou Chen reached towards the chest of the woman in red, a furious shout came from afar, and Zhou Chen instinctively sensed a massive threat!
He grabbed the Luoxia Bow with terrifying speed. Without even seeing who was coming, he drew his bow and shot!
"How dare you!"
Qi You, holding a Flame Talisman, had intended to use it on Zhou Chen, not expecting him to act so quickly.
In the nick of time, unable to use other talismans, Qi You activated the Flame Talisman, and a burst of flames swept out, incinerating the arrow.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!
However, just as the arrow was incinerated, a shield of light erupted from Zhou Chen, roaring with a series of blasts.
After the first arrow, Zhou Chen saw clearly who had arrived.
A dark-robed elder with a gloomy expression, standing on a flying sword, obviously a cultivator.
Zhou Chen hesitated not a second, firing the second arrow without interruption.
Then came the third, fourth, fifth arrow...
A volley of nine arrows!
The life-saving talisman on the dark-robed elder activated instinctively, blocking Zhou Chen's four arrows before shattering. Just as he attempted to summon his flying sword for defense, the subsequent four arrows pierced through his chest, forehead, and neck.
Two arrows to the sides of the chest, ensuring it strikes the heart no matter which side it's on.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed out as the dark-robed elder crashed to the ground.
He flipped his palm, producing a pill.
Whoosh!
Before he could put it to his lips, two arrows burst forth, piercing his wrists, pinning him firmly to the ground.
Zhou Chen dared not be careless, grabbing the numb woman in red and rushing forward, pressing the Thunder Light Ruyi Hand firmly onto the dark-robed elder's head.
A tremendous force erupted, and the back of the old man in black robes heavily smashed against the stone ground, creating a large crater.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Zhou Chen clenched his fists and pounded down hard, smashing the old man's head with several punches.
"Whew!"
Seeing the old man motionless and lifeless, Zhou Chen let out a breath, still shaken.
That was too damn dangerous.
He thought he had encountered something eerie.
Unexpectedly, he ran into a cultivator who controlled ghosts.
However, this old man was likely just a low-level cultivator, a poor bastard, probably not exceeding the Third-Layer Qi Cultivation.
Otherwise, he might have been done for!
Zhou Chen glanced around. He was in the forest not far from the main road, likely lured here by a blinding technique used by a female ghost.
The main road was deserted; no one could see this place.
Feeling slightly reassured, Zhou Chen pressed down on the female ghost with a severed arm and harshly interrogated her.
"Tell me, who are you people? Why are you trying to harm me?"
[Wind and Moon Points +12]
"Mercy, young master!"
The red-robed female ghost, feeling weak all over and unable to resist, hurriedly said as she saw her master had been killed:
"I am Fengxia, once a lady from a wealthy family. Due to my Pure Yin Body, I was discovered and cruelly killed by this evil cultivator, turned into a ghost slave!"
"This evil cultivator named Qi You, a loose cultivator, wanted to refine a puppet, needing a strong person, preferably a martial artist!"
"But his cultivation wasn't high and was universally attacked as an evil cultivator, so he didn't dare act arrogantly in the city, only ambushing suitable targets along the way or in remote areas!"
"Seeing you, young master, dressed so simply and alone, looking like easy prey without a background, coupled with your bow which seemed powerful, he deemed your body suitable, hence targeting you..."
Zhou Chen was speechless, never expecting this disaster was due to the evil cultivator being infatuated with his body.
Pah!
Lusted after his body, despicable!
"I am willing to recognize you as my master, begging you to spare my life!"
The red-robed female ghost pleaded with Zhou Chen with her phoenix eyes. She was forcibly refined and subdued by Qi You as a ghost slave. After Qi You's death, she was now free.
But to survive, she had to recognize a new master.
"How do I know you're sincerely recognizing me as your master and won't backstab me? Better kill you just to be safe!"
Zhou Chen said coldly.
In truth, he was tempted.
This female ghost was like a super experience treasure; he had already gained over eighty Wind and Moon Points from her in this short time.
Furthermore, he knew too little about this world; this female ghost could also be used like a 'mentor.'
"Spare me, young master! I can hand over my lifebound soul seal, thus my life and death would be entirely in your hands, no fear of betrayal!"
The red-robed female ghost quickly offered, already handing over a wisp of her lifebound soul seal, causing her aura to decrease significantly again.
Zhou Chen didn't immediately accept the lifebound soul seal; after all, he knew nothing, and what if this wasn't truly a lifebound soul seal but a trap?
"Rest assured, young master, I would never dare deceive you. Besides, there are various ghost control manuals in Qi You's storage bag; you can take a look to verify my words!"
Zhou Chen roughly pushed aside the red-robed female ghost and found the palm-sized storage bag at Qi You's waist.
It looked no different from an ordinary money pouch, just a bit more exquisite.
"Young master, martial artists can also use storage bags. Just pour in a wisp of vital energy and you'll sense the space inside!"
Fengxia said thoughtfully.
Zhou Chen poured in a wisp of his vital energy and indeed found another realm within.
Though small, it was about one cubic meter in size.
"Such a pauper!"
Zhou Chen ridiculed inwardly, examining the items inside.
Chang Chun Skill, Netherworld Skill, Ghost Control Technique...
Over a dozen different manuals.
Bottles and jars, even more items.
Zhou Chen didn't have the leisure to inspect them all, quickly taking out the Ghost Control Technique and giving it a once-over.
[First-Layer Ghost Control Technique (0/1000)]
"Add points!"
Zhou Chen temporarily added ten points, instantly feeling as if he had studied the Ghost Control Technique hundreds of times, understanding it thoroughly, comprehending various ghost-related knowledge, nurturing and controlling methods.
He looked at the lifebound soul seal offered by Fengxia and confirmed it was genuine; she hadn't lied to him.
Zhou Chen accepted the lifebound soul seal, which transformed into a stream of light and entered his consciousness sea.
However, upon entering the sea of consciousness, the previously dormant Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror within it suddenly exuded an attractive force, pulling in the wisp of lifebound soul seal.
The next moment.
Zhou Chen established a close connection with Fengxia, able to kill her with a single thought, and issue commands through his will.
At the same time.
Zhou Chen received an insight that Fengxia could be nurtured in the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror to grow stronger.
"Excellent!"
Zhou Chen released Fengxia. Without his restraint, the numbness on her body rapidly faded, and within less than ten breaths, she returned to normal.
Yin energy surged around her, and her shattered arms regrew, albeit her body appeared more ethereal.
"This slave greets the master!"
"Destroy his body!"
Zhou Chen directly commanded.
He had lingered here long enough, and wanted to run away earlier if not for the difficulty of dealing with the corpse himself and his intention to subdue this female ghost.
"Yes, master!"
Fengxia replied with a charming smile, casually sending out ghost fire that engulfed Qi You's body, reducing it to ashes.
Zhou Chen collected Qi You's ashes, took his storage bag, flying sword, and used arrows, leaving no trace before quickly leaving with Fengxia stored in the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror.
This time, it was a huge gain!
He should be able to cultivate immortality now!
...