n the streets of Snake Tail County, White Snake State.
It was now night, long after the market had closed, so the streets were deserted. Only Li Qi and Shen Shuibei on horseback remained, facing off against the brocade-clad elder not far away.
Li Qi raised his head, his expression arrogant: "Blind? Then you deserve to be punished."
He appeared confident because he knew this was exactly how he should act.
The elder's eye twitched, then he quietly put away the jade box, forcing a chilling smile as he said to Li Qi, "Young hero, behaving like this in the jianghu will only bring trouble on your journey."
"I think there are few people in Great Deer Kingdom who could cause trouble," Li Qi replied with a smile, showing no fear.
"You're only ninth rank, and you dare say such things?" The brocade-clad elder opened the jade box, and suddenly, over a dozen ghostly apparitions surged out!
All of them were malevolent spirits.
The ghosts gathered, grotesque beyond description.
So had their faces peeled back, exposing bone, blood streaming endlessly.
Others had elongated tongues, their hair matted like baskets, hanging down to cover their faces.
So resembled charred corpses, crackling with fire, their bodies oozing liquid continuously.
One was three zhang tall, dressed in green robes and white trousers, its skin stiff and purple.
Another was covered in boils, pus flowing freely, sizzling audibly.
Yet another had broken bones and tendons, crawling on the ground as if beaten to death by clubs.
When the ghosts appeared, faint glimrs like fireflies filled the air—thousands upon thousands of points, impossible to count.
Dozens of ghosts surrounded Li Qi, flying around him, coming and going, separating and rejoining, creating a scene akin to a hellish tableau.
Seeing this, Li Qi felt his hair stand on end, his entire body chilled as if his blood might freeze.
This scene wasn't just terrifying; the overwhelming aura of death and yin energy made it hard for him to breathe.
Most of these malevolent spirits were unranked, but among them, three were at the ninth rank!
A drowned ghost, a burned ghost, and a clubbed-to-death ghost.
"Now tell , young man, can I make trouble for you?" The brocade-clad elder smiled at Li Qi.
But Li Qi sneered disdainfully: "Is that all? Not enough!"
With that, he activated the divine qi of Shentu Yulei within him.
In the vast ocean, there is Mount Dushuo, atop which stands a great peach tree. Its branches stretch three thousand li, and between them lies the Northeastern Gate of Ghosts, through which all ghosts pass. Above it reside two divine beings: Shentu and Yulei, who oversee all ghosts. Evil and harmful spirits are bound with reed ropes and fed to tigers!
Thus, ancient sage kings established rituals to drive away evil spirits, hanging peachwood charms engraved with Shentu and Yulei, along with reed ropes, to ward off malevolent forces, ensuring no ghost could enter households.
Shentu and Yulei—deities who devour ghosts!
To the malevolent spirits, the divine qi of these two deities appeared like a fortress forged of golden light. In an instant, the surrounding ghosts let out wails and retreated a full three zhang, too terrified to approach.
The brocade elder's face darkened imdiately.
But Li Qi didn't dare to act rashly either.
Both sides fell into an uneasy standoff.
The elder was wary of Li Qi's willow branch and the divine qi of Shentu Yulei, realizing that this "young hero" was not soone to be trifled with.
Logically speaking, ninth-rank martial artists feared ghosts imnsely because they lacked the strength to rely solely on yang energy or concepts like "fist intent" or "sword intent" to vanquish spirits. Against formless ghosts, their ability to resist was weak.
The elder had relied on this assumption when confronting Li Qi.
After all, a ninth-rank martial artist facing three equally ranked ghostly entities would have little chance of survival.
But he hadn't anticipated that this "young hero" possessed abilities to counter ghosts!
Was he not a martial artist?
Or did he possess so kind of magical artifact?
Was it the seemingly ordinary willow branch that could subdue ghosts due to the divine qi of Shentu Yulei, or did the branch itself have inherent power?
Where did the divine qi of Shentu Yulei co from? Was it self-cultivated, or tied to so treasure?
None of this was clear, so the elder dared not act rashly.
Similarly, Li Qi was cautious. As soone familiar with the dangers of ghosts, he knew that even a single wisp of ghostly qi entering his body could result in soul loss and certain death.
Though he wielded the divine qi of Shentu Yulei, he was still an unranked shaman!
If he were a ninth-rank shaman, he'd have charged forward to crush the opponent's skull. But as an unranked diviner, he wasn't entirely sure if the divine qi of Shentu Yulei alone could hold back these ghosts.
After all, there were three ninth-rank ghosts!
If they all attacked at once, he was genuinely apprehensive.
Both sides hesitated, causing the situation to freeze montarily.
anwhile, Shen Shuibei observed for a few seconds before leaning close to Li Qi's ear and whispering softly: "Ghost shaman..."
Upon hearing this, Li Qi's spirits lifted!
He straightened up and loudly proclaid: "I've heard that shamans embody yang energy, which is why those from yang-rich regions often beco shamans. So shamans ally with ghosts, becoming ghost shamans. These ghost shamans resemble nursery rhys, able to discern fortune and misfortune. Their pronouncents reflect both good and bad ons, much like the strange visions seen by Shen Sheng, foretold through shamans—"
Before Li Qi finished, the elder interjected: "Yes, the nature of shamans is thus. Their words lack concrete basis, their fortunes and misfortunes flow from their mouths like children's rhys. Nursery rhys speak themselves, and shamans' declarations erge naturally..."
The two exchanged words like secret codes.
Afterward, both seed to relax slightly and exchanged respectful bows.
The brocade elder opened the jade box, and all the malevolent spirits returned to it, vanishing inside.
Li Qi, anwhile, retracted the divine qi of Shentu Yulei, returning to normal.
However, he still held the willow branch, and the elder kept the jade box in hand.
The elder spoke first, asking Li Qi: "You've identified my origins. May I ask where my junior disciple studied?"
Li Qi smiled and uttered three words:
"Wu, Deity, Mountain."
The elder trembled, nearly collapsing to his knees.
Only his ninth-rank status, compared to Li Qi's unranked standing, kept his knees steady.
"senior... senior apprentice, reckless words like that could get you killed. Impersonating a disciple of Wu Deity Mountain would attract the attention of the Grand Diviner, who might execute you on the spot," the elder's tone softened significantly.
"Well, I've spoken these words for four breaths now. Has Senior Brother noticed the Grand Diviner's wrath?" Li Qi asked again.
The elder scrutinized him carefully.
Then, he bowed deeply, his attitude respectful: "I had no idea a disciple of Wu Deity Mountain had arrived. Please forgive my lack of hospitality. Does Senior Apprentice have any mission here?"
"I was entrusted by the Grand Diviner to find soone. I was rely passing through, intending to leave, but I noticed your ambush with ghosts, which led to this conflict," Li Qi explained.
"I wouldn't dare obstruct the Grand Diviner's ssenger. It was my rudeness. Please forgive . When Junior Brother visits Snake Tail County next ti, I'll extend the warst welco and fulfill my duties as host!" The elder knelt on both knees, performing a grand bow to send him off.
He wasn't bowing to Li Qi.
He was bowing to the identity of the Grand Diviner's ssenger!
Li Qi said nothing further. He nudged Old Horse's belly with his heels, and the horse took off like a cloud, speeding away.
The elder stared in astonishnt at the galloping horse, exclaiming: "A dragon steed!"
Then, shaking his head, he muttered: "Truly... I've escaped with my life."
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