There were four people on the opposite side. Judging from their attire, they were clearly disciples of the Guangling School. The first one was a man with a strong build, a full beard, and a rough appearance, but he was carrying an exquisite zither case on his back. It was Nie Yu.
Seeing Gu Pinglin and the others, he breathed a sigh of relief: "So it's you."
Duan Qingming bowed and asked, "Why is Brother Nie here?"
The three Guangling disciples beside him looked heavy-hearted, but Nie Yu remained calm: "My two junior sisters were kidnapped, and they might be in Taixue Village."
Duan Qingming was surprised: "The two girls would never make enemies with anyone, so how could they be kidnapped?"
"This is strange, but Fenglin Town is full of good and bad people, and it's also my fault for being careless," Nie Yu sighed, looking back at the wall, and finally revealed a trace of anxiety, "Don't go in, I just went in to investigate and found many large demon soul barriers. I must ask Feijian Palace for help."
Gu Pinglin felt something was wrong when he heard this.
Big demon souls appear from time to time in Taixue Village. Even if they are killed, new ones will appear within a few years. This is a big strange thing in the cultivation world. It is not easy for a resentful soul to cultivate into a big demon soul. It requires the right time and place. No one knows where these big demon souls come from. Many people speculate that it is probably because of the coincidence of the timing of the incident in the past that made Taixue Village a rare and unique place. Fortunately, the number of these big demon souls that appear each time is not large. Over time, everyone has become accustomed to it. Now so many of them suddenly appear, there must be a problem.
Xin Ji said, "Eh?" "Could it be a ghost trick?"
Because of his identity, he still changed his appearance and pretended to be an upright monk with an immortal appearance. However, Yan Sen was disdainful and just found a bamboo hat and wore it low. He looked like an ordinary old man and did not attract much attention.
Hearing Xin Ji talking, Nie Yu hurriedly asked: "Who is this..."
Feijian Palace was not far from here, and Xin Ji did not dare to pretend to be one of them. He bowed and said, "I am Wang Qi, a casual cultivator. I am ashamed."
There is no authentic Taoist inheritance for casual cultivators. The other three Guangling disciples lost interest after hearing this. However, Nie Yu responded with a sincere greeting: "You can cultivate wherever you are. Brother Wang is more comfortable than us. There is no need to be so modest. You just mentioned the Ghost Dao, but I have never heard of it. I would like to hear more about it."
Xin Ji pretended to be righteous and also pretended to have experience, and said with a smile: "No, no, it's just my humble opinion. There is no yang energy in the yin land, and the gathering of yin energy is most likely to give rise to ghosts, which is very disadvantageous to ordinary practitioners. But you don't know that there is also a ghost path in the devil's way."
Nie Yu said: "I have only heard of the Yugui Sect, I don't know if they..."
"No," Xin Ji interrupted him, stroking his beard, "Although the Yugui Sect has the word 'ghost' in it, it has nothing to do with the ghost path. The ghost path is not well-known in the Demon Realm, and its whereabouts are secretive. There are very few disciples, so outsiders don't know the details. Ghost cultivators are not only good at refining ghost souls, but when they reach the inner alchemy realm, they will abandon their physical bodies and become ghost bodies. The Yin Land is their favorite place."
"There is such a strange method!" Everyone in Guangling Sect was shocked. A disciple asked anxiously, "Fifth Senior Brother, what should we do?"
Nie Yu was relatively calm. He pondered for a moment and suddenly asked Xin Ji, "Since the ghost cultivator is hiding in the Demon Realm, how did you know about it, brother?"
Xin Ji choked and laughed, "I just heard about it."
As expected, one cannot judge a person by appearance. This man looks rough, but he is very careful. Gu Pinglin pondered and was about to speak when Duan Qingming beside him said, "I have also seen the theory of ghost cultivation in the Duan family collection. The ghost cultivation promotes the cultivation of ghosts and disrupts the cycle of heaven and earth. It is not only not tolerated by the orthodox Taoist sects, but even the demon realm is very wary of it. In the past, ghost cultivators were almost wiped out. I didn't expect that there is still a legacy."
Book collection is the foundation of a noble family. The Duan family is the first noble family in the southern world, so naturally there are many secret records unknown to outsiders. Nie Yu's doubts disappeared after hearing this: "I am ashamed of my ignorance. So, if that's the case, the great demon spirit in Taixue Village cannot be completely eliminated. Could it be related to the ghost cultivators?"
Xin Ji breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's very likely."
"This matter is of great importance," Nie Yu became more and more worried, "Two junior sisters... No, I have to go to Feijian Palace myself." He was also a decisive person. He immediately ordered three disciples to stay behind, then bowed and said goodbye: "Fortunately, Brother Wang reminded me, otherwise I would have missed the big thing! Excuse me, please go."
"Brother Nie, wait a minute," Gu Pinglin suddenly called him, "The affairs of the Ghost Dao are too secretive. I suspect this matter is related to the tongue man, Master Lu. Brother Nie has also seen the tongue man's strange skills, and you should know that they are as mysterious as the Ghost Dao."
Nie Yu understood and said seriously: "Thank you for the reminder. You wait here and be careful."
Watching him leave, Xin Ji smiled and said, "Mr. Gu, it's a good idea. The tongue-teller caused such a big incident on Feijian Palace's territory before, which really humiliated Feijian Palace. If we talk about ghosts, those old men may not believe it. But if we talk about the tongue-teller, they will definitely come faster than anyone else."
The three Guangling disciples then understood the reason, and they all nodded in agreement and expressed their gratitude.
Cheng Yi stretched his neck to look inside the wall, his eyes wide open and his face pale: "That... that's really a ghost! Should we go in?"
Duan Qingming was very considerate of him: "If you are afraid, just wait outside, how about that?"
Xin Ji said hurriedly: "The ghost cultivators themselves have limited abilities, but the great demon souls they have cultivated are very troublesome. I think it would be better to let Feijian Palace deal with them."
A Guangling disciple also advised: "Fifth Senior Brother just said not to rush in, you should wait."
"It's okay," Gu Pinglin raised his hand and said to Xin Ji, "We'll go take a look and come out soon. You and Brother Cheng stay outside and keep an eye out for any movement."
Duan Qingming had come to this area originally. Yan Sen, who cultivated the soul sword style, was very interested in demon souls, so he had no objection to what he said. Xin Ji was also happy not to take risks, so he agreed without hesitation. Lingxin Sect was originally a second-rate sect, and the three Guangling disciples were somewhat arrogant. Seeing that they could not be persuaded, they thought that they were ignorant of the world, so they simply stopped talking and dispersed to inspect the surroundings.
When the three entered Taixue Village, it was already dark. No need for night vision, there were countless ghost lights floating in the corners of the wall. The green light reflected the blank ghost faces, which was a bit strange. Ordinary souls could not be condensed without expediting, but these wandering souls were visible to the naked eye. It was really strange. No wonder Cheng Yi was afraid.
The deeper they went, the more wandering souls there were, and their shapes became clearer, as if some strange power was supporting them. The air was bone-chillingly cold, not the night cold, but a thick yin energy. Countless bones were scattered on the roadside. Some of the wandering souls here had become demon souls and had magical powers. Yan Sen's soul sword had a restraining effect on them. Sensing the strength of the newcomers, the wandering souls scattered and hid, and the demon souls did not dare to show up, so the three of them traveled unimpeded.
About two hours later, the wandering souls became more and more numerous, and the demon souls became stronger, so the three of them encountered several sneak attacks.
This place is close to the center of Taixue Village. It is filled with thick black deathly aura. The scenery more than ten feet away is no longer visible, and there is not a trace of yang energy in the air. Even a great inner elixir cultivator would be greatly affected. No wonder no one wants to meddle in the affairs here.
Approaching a ruin, Yan Sen in front stopped and exclaimed, "Huh?" "There are so many!"
There are countless large and small barriers ahead, which are intertwined and cover each other, forming a complex soul realm. In order to avoid trouble, most cultivators usually don't want to take the road to Taixue Village, so no one has discovered it.
The number of soul realms is the same as the number of great demon souls, and the situation is more serious than expected.
Feeling a little stuffy in his chest, Gu Pinglin pulled the front of his cloak and said, "It does look like a lonely place."
After his cultivation level had risen by several small realms, Duan Qingming felt relatively relaxed: "It's still not enough. After all, it's just artificially made."
In the past, the Hundred Refining Demon Ancestor did not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of the entire city to create this unique Yin Land, which must have been for the "Nine Chapters of Refining the Spirit". Now that he has come here on purpose, it should also be to better understand the "Nine Chapters of Refining the Spirit" and thoroughly perfect the "Heaven Repairing Art". Gu Pinglin said calmly: "It is an evil way in the end. It's all in vain, leaving only a deserted village and a ruined city."
Duan Qingming said: "The devil can ascend, and there is no good or evil in Taoism."
"That's what I like about you!" Yan Sen praised. "Heaven and earth are cruel, and everyone is the same. If you don't ascend, you will die. If you want to prove your way, then you should be killed. Why bother with so much else!"
Gu Pinglin said: "There is no good or evil in Taoism, but there are people. Who wouldn't be afraid of people who are full of calculations and unscrupulous? The Demon Ancestor reaped what he sowed, and future generations should also be vigilant."
"I'm just trying to prove my Dao, why would I care if others are afraid of me? I just blame the Demon Ancestor for his bad luck," Yan Sen laughed strangely and looked at the complicated and intertwined barrier, "With so many soul realms, it's a bit troublesome."
Duan Qingming asked: "Senior, why don't you go in and take a look?"
Most of the demon souls here have no sword intent and cannot be used to refine soul swords. Yan Sen lost interest and waved his hand: "No, no, no!"
Duan Qingming asked, "Senior, are you afraid?"
"Don't bother provoking me, I won't waste my energy!" Yan Sen laughed, "Let those old guys from Feijian Palace take care of it."
Duan Qingming asked, "What about Master Lu?"
Yan Sen glared: "If I were to coax Fei Jian Gong, do you really think I'm stupid?"
"Not really," Duan Qingming turned to Gu Pinglin, "Junior brother, what do you think?"
Gu Pinglin then spoke, "It's not a lie. I suspect that Master Lu is a ghost cultivator. He doesn't have a physical body at all. His ghost body resides in the magic weapon Qiaohuang. The two Miss Zhous are very sharp-tongued and ruined his good deeds before, so he was kidnapped. This way, everything makes sense."
Yan Sen was stunned for a moment, half believing and half doubting: "Then he may not be here at the moment."
Duan Qingming said, "It is impossible for so many great demon souls to be created overnight. They were hiding before to conceal their tracks. Now they are all out in the world at the same time. There must be a reason. Moreover, great demon souls usually divide their own territories and rule as kings. How could they gather like this? They must have been summoned here, and their master must be among them."
Yan Sen's eyes lit up: "Are you sure?"
"Nothing is absolute in the world. I'm just speculating, and I'm about 60% sure." Duan Qingming paused and changed his words, "Forget it. Ghosts are difficult to deal with. This place is not good for you, but it has no effect on Master Lu, not to mention that he has so many great demon souls... I suggest you put aside the old grudges for now and wait for Feijian Palace to come."
Yan Sen laughed and took off his bamboo hat: "A junior is a junior! You are scared to death by a mere ghost cultivator. What are you afraid of? I'll go in and catch him to refine the sword." He strode into the barrier and disappeared out of thin air.
Gu Pinglin said nothing.
Duan Qingming is certainly not a timid person. He is still short of the last two moves in Gu Ying's swordsmanship, and his sword moves are almost perfect. Although the power is not strong enough, it is the limit he can reach at present. Now he only lacks an opportunity for enlightenment. Since there is no need to test the sword for the time being, he is naturally too lazy to spend more effort.
"What you said just now seemed to be talking about me again?" Duan Qingming suddenly turned sideways and asked.
Gu Pinglin glanced at him: "It's not you."
"Full of calculations, unscrupulous means," Duan Qingming repeated, "Why do I feel like you are just scolding me?"
Gu Pinglin said: "You are mistaken. We are friendly brothers. How could I scold you?"
"That's right," Duan Qingming said, "One-night stand, there must be some affection between us..."
Before the words were finished, the move had already arrived.
The Yin Qi here is too heavy, and the Yang Qi is completely gone, so the Dantian capacity is very important. Duan Qingming relied on the advantage of the Nine-fold Na Yuan to quickly end the battle: "You forgot my threat so quickly."
Gu Pinglin said coldly: "Remind you, it's best not to challenge my bottom line."
Duan Qingming seemed not to hear his words: "Killing my brother is a betrayal. The headmaster will be very disappointed if he knows about it."
"You only know how to threaten?"
"Why are you so angry?" Duan Qingming held his hands and pulled him closer, saying gently, "I threatened you, but it actually helped you. You are so smart, why don't you understand?"
Gu Pinglin frowned: "I cannot agree with this method."
"The means are not important," Duan Qingming said, "At least now, we are still friendly brothers. We don't have to fight to the death, and the leader will be very satisfied. Isn't this great?"
"absurd!"
"You are too obsessed with the process," Duan Qingming obviously did not want to argue and let him go, "I will remember your bottom line this time, you don't need to be angry."
Gu Pinglin stopped: "Being self-aware is your only advantage."
"I am honored by your praise, Junior Brother."
"If you didn't have this mouth, you would definitely live longer." Gu Pinglin sneered and turned to check the barrier.
Lingxin Sect had no records of ghost cultivation, and his understanding of ghost cultivation came more from the Wanfa Sect in his previous life. That was a large demon sect that suddenly rose many years later, enough to compete with the Demon Realm's co-leader Wei Fengshi, and there were mysterious ghost cultivators in the Wanfa Sect.
In the past, Lan Feiyu killed his master's wife and kidnapped his master Li Moqing, and he defected to the Wanfa Sect. At that time, Gu Pinglin was disgraced and had also been recruited by the Wanfa Sect, so the two knew each other. Although the sect leader had never shown up, he did not take any action after being rejected, and it was obvious that he was waiting for him to have nowhere else to go...
Now that the ghost cultivator has appeared here, Gu Pinglin can't help but connect the two things together.
Are these great demon spirits in Taixue Village related to Wanfamen
Duan Qingming asked, "Should we wait for Senior Yan?"
Gu Pinglin glanced at him and said, "Mr. Lu is a smart man. He will never wait inside. The gathering of these great demon souls should just be a trap. Yan Sen will be in trouble if he goes there."
Feijian Palace united with other factions to hunt down Master Lu. It seemed that Master Lu's whereabouts were exposed and he could no longer hide nearby, so he decided to abandon this nest. He kidnapped the Zhou sisters and summoned these great demon spirits in order to lure people from Feijian Palace to come and take revenge before leaving.
"We are in more trouble," Duan Qingming said, "With all the reports from the demon spirits along the way, Master Lu must have known everything about our situation. We were plotted against last time, and this time our plans were ruined by an accident. How could he let us go?"
"Then he can only get rid of us before the Feijian Palace arrives." Gu Pinglin spoke calmly. Unprepared, the Gu Ying Sword suddenly flew out, drawing an arc, and the purple sword energy rolled, slashing towards a dead tree beside the broken wall behind.
The dead tree disappeared, it turned out to be a ghost phantom, the sword flow destroyed the center of the formation, and the demon soul screamed and dissipated.
"You were discovered so quickly. You are stronger than I expected." With a sigh, the skull rose in the air. The white teeth collided and the scarlet tongue trembled.
"Your formation technique is good," Gu Ying flew back. Gu Pinglin laughed twice, waved away half of his cloak, turned around to catch the long sword, and stood still. "But, you are not as good as me."