Chapter 156: Hundred Ghosts Soul-Refining Technique

A whisper, faint as a mosquito's hum, seemed to rise from the deepest depths of the earth. Carried with the bone-chilling frost of the netherworld, it pierced straight through the heart. This was not a voice echoing in the ear, but a curse that struck directly at the soul.

Lu Xin could not tell whether the speaker was the gigantic black wolf or the hazy shadow upon its back. He only knew that their arrival was fiercely aggressive, clearly intent on taking his life.

"Big fellow, are you unfamiliar with the adage that visitors from afar are guests? Some matters do not necessarily require drawing blades and weapons."

"Those who trespass into the Fengdu Ghost Realm shall die!"

The voice held not a shred of hesitation. Accompanied by a roar from the black wolf, its pitch-black body plunged from the sky, jaws gaping wide. Within that maw, jagged fangs intertwined, dripping with fresh blood. If one were bitten, to say nothing of surviving, one would certainly be left without a whole corpse.

Lu Xin did not dare to hesitate. Channeling his immortal qi into the palm of his right hand, he thrust the Youxian Sword forward, piercing straight into the wolf's mouth. With a swift upward slash, the massive wolf body was instantly torn in two. Black wolf blood poured down like a torrential rain, reeking with an intensely foul stench.

"This is the power of a divine weapon! Who on earth are you?"

After the black wolf perished, the shadow upon it instantly turned flustered. It seemed to want to flee, but found itself trapped and immobilized within the void. Lu Xin found it somewhat curious; if the shadow before him was a ghost, why could it not move on its own? If it was something else entirely, he could not name it for the moment.

"Someone who bears no grudges against you. However, the sword in my hand is indeed a divine weapon. You seem terribly afraid of its power? Perhaps I can use it to easily erase you from this world."

"Spare my life, Immortal! Spare my life, Immortal! I am merely a humble earth-bound spirit, trapped in this Fengdu Ghost Realm for hundreds of thousands of years. The suffering has been utterly unbearable."

"An earth-bound spirit? Meaning you can never leave this place?"

"You are wise to see it, Immortal. After my death, I was trapped within the physical body of this ghostly wolf, forever suppressed in the Fengdu Ghost Realm by the divine power of Tubo, reduced to a mere sentinel. Whenever I catch the scent of living mortals, I am compelled to kill them."

The earth-bound spirit spoke with trembling words, its already hazy figure growing increasingly dim. Lu Xin still wished to inquire about some secrets of the Fengdu Ghost Realm, but judging by its appearance, it was like a candle burning down to the stub, liable to extinguish at any moment.

"Immortal, show mercy. Can you... can you save my life?"

"What? You are already long dead; how could you possibly be saved?"

"A person possesses three souls and seven mortal spirits. Once the physical body dies, the seven mortal spirits should naturally scatter, while the three souls return either to heaven or earth. However, Tubo used sorcery to directly imprison our post-mortem souls within the Fengdu Ghost Realm, barring us from reincarnation for eternity. Yet because of this, the power of our three souls and seven mortal spirits was preserved. Just now, Immortal, you destroyed the ghostly wolf with the power of your divine weapon, causing me to lose my physical vessel. My three souls and seven mortal spirits will soon dissipate. Only by attaching myself to a new physical vessel can I survive."

At this, the earth-bound spirit stretched out a hazy finger to point at Lu Xin's right arm, its voice growing increasingly low.

"You wish to inhabit my body?"

Lu Xin was no fool; naturally, he understood what that gesture from the earth-bound spirit implied. Daoism had since ancient times possessed arts for nurturing ghosts and spirits, allowing one to harness their power or command them through various means. Among them, the most renowned was the Art of the Five Ghosts Transportation. However, a living mortal nurturing a ghost entailed numerous taboos; the clash of Yin and Yang brought immense harm to oneself. In severe cases, it could even affect one's allotted lifespan. When Lu Xin had first become a disciple, Li Chunfeng had specifically lectured him on these taboos.

Seeing Lu Xin hesitate, the earth-bound spirit knew the youth was likely to refuse him, and hurriedly altered his tone. "Rest assured, Immortal, I require only a single drop of your vital blood to attach myself to your arm. Once we leave the Fengdu Ghost Realm, I shall proceed to the netherworld for reincarnation of my own accord, and will never be the slightest burden to you. Before then, I shall aid you every step of the way in seizing the treasures within the Three Palaces and Nine Mansions."

The earth-bound spirit's tone carried a hint of allure amidst its pleading, making it difficult to refuse. Lu Xin did not covet any ghostly treasures, but the earth-bound spirit before him had perished in the primordial eras hundreds of thousands of years ago, and surely possessed vast knowledge of secrets. Moreover, having been imprisoned in the Fengdu Ghost Realm for so long and enslaved by Tubo's sorcery, it was truly pitiable, stirring a measure of sympathy in Lu Xin.

"Saving you is not entirely out of the question. But words alone are weightless—how am I to trust you?"

"Perhaps the Immortal is unaware, but there exists an ancient soul-nurturing technique known as the Hundred Ghosts Refining Spirit Art, which allows a soul to reside within the meridians and acupoints of a physical body. Not only does it clear all the hundred meridians of the body, but it also grants one formidable power. This art requires a Qi cultivator to cast the spell in order to drive the soul into the physical form. Once successful, the life and death of the soul depend entirely on the host's will."

"The Hundred Ghosts Refining Spirit Art? It sounds like some sort of secret art for raising ghosts and refining the physique; rather intriguing. Very well, I shall trust you for now. Speak, what must I do?"

"Many thanks for your grace, Immortal! Many thanks for your grace, Immortal!"

Seeing Lu Xin nod, the earth-bound spirit was overjoyed. Thereupon, using its last remaining scrap of power, it demonstrated a peculiar hand seal. Coordinating with the incantation and his own cultivation, Lu Xin sliced an incision across his right arm. The moment the blood welled up, the earth-bound spirit instantly transformed into a pale golden radiance, darting straight into the wound. Two seconds later, Lu Xin clearly felt a massive surge of energy added to his right arm, rapidly coursing through his meridians.

"Tai-guang, one of the three souls, is the breath of Taiqing Yang harmony and forms the core of the soul. It appears this spirit was undoubtedly an ancient Qi cultivator in life."

Feeling the mighty power brewing within his right arm, Lu Xin was profoundly shocked. The Hundred Ghosts Refining Spirit Art imparted by the earth-bound spirit was indeed wondrous. As he pondered this inwardly, Lu Xin swung the Youxian Sword fiercely. The power from his right arm transmitted into the blade, unexpectedly unleashing a gigantic sword Qi several meters long forward. This was a technique where magical power translated directly into sorcery through sword momentum, representing the pinnacle realm of sword immortal cultivation. Before absorbing the earth-bound spirit, Lu Xin could not have accomplished this.

"All hundred meridians cleared—your physical body has actually reached the realm of completely unblocked meridians? Even in antiquity, such a figure was exceedingly rare. You are indeed no ordinary person."

After entering Lu Xin's body, the earth-bound spirit's power grew noticeably stronger, and the voice transmitted into his mind became exceptionally clear. Lu Xin could sense a wave of shock rippling from the meridians and blood vessels of his right arm. Looking at the wound, the blood had already congealed, and upon the surface of the skin, a fiery red mark had appeared, resembling some ancient runic inscription.

However, at this moment, Lu Xin had no desire to linger by the riverbank. Not far ahead, before the palace complex, a group of people was still battling a flock of black birds. Yet a certain figure among them caught his eye, looking somewhat familiar. He began walking forward while conversing with the earth-bound spirit.

"Since you understand Daoist arts, you must have been an ancient Qi cultivator in life. By convention, I should address you as Senior. Might I ask your name?"

"Name?"

Hearing Lu Xin's query, the earth-bound spirit abruptly fell silent. After roughly ten seconds, it replied, "It has been too long; I cannot remember. You... may just call me Uncle Jiu."

"Uncle Jiu? Hahaha, I loved watching his movies when I was a child. That's a good name; it feels intimate."

"What is a 'movie'?"

"Never mind. Uncle Jiu, I've heard that this Fengdu Ghost Realm is a relic of the ancient ghost race. Yet ever since entering Fengdu City, everything has seemed more like the world of the primordial demon race. Moreover, you said yourself that you were dragged in by Tubo. The Ghost Emperor Tubo is a legendary demon god—how does this relate to the ghost race?"

The ground was exceptionally soft, feeling almost like thick cotton. Lu Xin walked very slowly, leaving him plenty of time to converse with the earth-bound spirit.

"Although Tubo is a demon god, he was born at the very end of the primordial era. By then, the powerful demon gods had long since ascended to the heavenly realm, and heaven and earth were reset. The power of the demon clans remaining in the earthly realm was actually extremely feeble. Following the primordial era, the human race rose to prominence, yet great witches still dominated the Nine Provinces, feeding upon all things, plunging all living creatures into boundless misery. The earthly realm after the primordial era should rightfully have been governed by Houtu, one of the Four Imperials. Yet for reasons unknown, by the ancient era, Houtu virtually ceased to concern herself with earthly affairs. It was precisely at this time that the Ghost Emperor Tubo proclaimed himself a demon god, taking the place of the sovereign who embodies and imitates the earth's fertility. Later still, the human race united the forces of the demon, ghost, and venom-crafting tribes to rise in rebellion against the great witches, erupting into a cataclysmic war. It was precisely during this time that Tubo became the great emperor of the ghost race. Beneath him served the Four Ghost Kings—Naihe Tian, Chiyan Tian, E'nan Tian, and Lunzhuan Tian—who respectively govern the Three Palaces and Nine Mansions. What you see before you right now is precisely the E'nan Heavenly Palace, one of the Three Palaces."

"The E'nan Heavenly Palace? That name sounds rather terrifying. However..."

Hum-hum-hum-hum-hum-hum...

Just as Lu Xin was speaking, perhaps from deep within the palace complex or perhaps from an even more distant horizon, a blood-red pillar of light suddenly erupted at the edge of his vision, piercing straight into the clouds. In an instant, the earth shook, and the void emitted a harsh, discordant roar. Lu Xin could not maintain his footing and was forced to halt his advance.

Subsequently, that crimson pillar of light grew ever broader, as if a great gate had been flung open high above the heavens. The entire sky transformed into a deep blood-red, resembling a boiling sea of fire. The surrounding temperature began to rise drastically; amidst the frantic beating of their wings, the flock of black birds found their bodies wreathed in crimson-gold flames.

"Not good! Someone has opened the treasure casket within the Chiyan Heavenly Palace, startling the artifact spirit's power and affecting even this E'nan Heavenly Palace. The path ahead will be difficult to walk."

As Uncle Jiu spoke, his voice gradually faded until it vanished entirely from Lu Xin's mind, seemingly cowering in fear of the mutated celestial phenomena. Lu Xin likewise sensed an awe-inspiring, soul-shaking force enveloping the entire world. Yet he had no alternative; unless he could pass through the palace complex before him, he could find no path of egress.

Just as he hesitated over whether to seek a place to hide for a moment, a figure suddenly charged toward him from ahead, pursued by a dense swarm of black avian beasts that practically blotted out the entire field of vision.

"Fellow Daoist ahead! These demonic beasts are vicious; I beg you to lend a hand and offer rescue!"

"Damn it, shifting the disaster onto others? What the hell kind of freak are you, I can't help you!"