Chapter Ch109.2 - Snow Pear Flavored Dead Gong (8)
Translated by Hua Li ^_~
Zhang Dou was surprised.
He was willing to help if he could, but he didn’t know anything. If he ruined the overall situation because of his lack of skills, it would be terrible.
Gou Liang nodded, “You’ll guard the position of Zhen. With your strong aura and the association with thunder, it’s the most dangerous point. Even if the vengeful ghost tries to break through that gate, it won’t harm you.”
With this arrangement, Zhang Dou guarded Zhen, Yuan Qing guarded Kan, Liu Yiyi held Gen, Liu Yunshu was in Xun, Daoist Lin occupied Li, Master Chen protected Dui, and Gou Liang himself stood in the relatively vulnerable position of Kun.
In the center of the Bagua formation, at the Qian position, Gou Liang placed a precious artifact—the Nine-Level Soul-Returning Pagoda, obtained from the system for a whopping 4444 points. This was a soul-retrieving artifact more valuable than the soul-nurturing jade.
Liu Yiyi had good eyesight and exclaimed, “It’s the Nine-Level Soul-Returning Pagoda! Although I’ve heard of this legendary artifact, even my master has never seen it. I never expected to witness such a treasure today. Truly no regrets even if I die now.”
“Phooey, Old Liu, we haven’t started working yet. What’s with the talk of life and death?”
Fang Yunshu spat at him.
Liu Yiyi laughed apologetically and admired the Nine-Level Pagoda.
Gou Liang explained, “This is a treasured heirloom of the Meng family. Due to its overwhelming power, the ancestral instructions forbid its use without good reason. It has not seen the light of day for many years. This time, if it weren’t for dealing with the vengeful ghost of a thousand years, I wouldn’t dare to use this artifact.”
At this moment, Yuan Qing’s compass suddenly stopped, pointing to the northeast.
“He’s here!”
Yuan Qing said solemnly.
The seven people immediately took their positions.
Fang Yunshu and Master Chen began chanting the Diamond Sutra in low voices, their voices not loud but incredibly penetrating. A golden light Bodhi seed hung above Fang Yunshu, radiating a golden glow, while Master Chen held a staff, producing a series of clanging sounds.
Liu Yiyi’s artifact was a set of Sanqing Bells, renowned for its power to suppress evil and demons. Liu Yiyi recited a mantra for slaying and exorcism along with Daoist Lin, and their combined efforts produced a formidable force.
Yuan Qing’s artifact was her compass, now magnified several times. It regulated yin and yang, pure of heart and mind, serving both as defense and enhancement for the attacks of others.
A trace of black qi emerged from the mark on Gou Liang’s face, followed by a chilling voice approaching.
“Aning, with such kindness, how should I repay you, hmm?”
The vengeful ghost no longer appeared as a mass of black mist; indeed, he had reconstructed his body. At this moment, his appearance was identical to Bi Xia’s. However, his lips were dark, his gaze was chilling, and half of his face still bore the tattooed curse left by accumulated karma, giving him a sinister and malevolent aura.
Gou Liang raised his lips, “Since we have entered the netherworld marriage, I naturally should treat you generously.”
Amidst the chanting, golden light and spells surrounded the vengeful ghost, and the unstable soul that he possessed began to dissipate, absorbed by the Nine-Level Soul-Returning Pagoda. The vengeful ghost seemed unaware that his body, crafted through secret arts, was decaying from within. Unfazed, he stepped through the radiant spiritual power, as sharp as a blade to him, and squatted down in front of Gou Liang.
He chuckled, “Aning, knowing that you are mine, why would you stop me? If I die, you won’t survive either. It would be better for us to roam freely together, wouldn’t it?”
Raising his hand to touch the mark on Gou Liang’s face, another hand suddenly extended from the chest area, grabbing his hand adorned with the karma-inducing tattoo!
Bi Xia emerged from the soul-nurturing jade, kicking the vengeful ghost away.
The vengeful ghost swiftly flipped backward, stabilizing his posture on one knee with one hand on the ground. He glared fiercely at Bi Xia.
Bi Xia stood in front of Gou Liang, frowning as he looked at the vengeful ghost. “Don’t touch him, filthy.”
Wearing a white wide-sleeved robe, Bi Xia looked like a refined young master, a stark contrast to the vengeful ghost.
The vengeful ghost stood up, sneering, “So it was you who ruined my plans. Filthy, what gives you the right to call me that? I’ve killed how many people, a hundred or a thousand? How does that compare to the War God of Battle? Achieving great deeds in life, withering ten thousand bones, and slaughtering ten cities after death. How many have I killed compared to General in his prime? I don’t dare to show off in front of the General.”
Bi Xia wrinkled his brow, “I don’t remember all that you’re saying.”
The vengeful ghost said, “Congratulations then. With your memory sealed within me, you can now put on a false appearance of a nobleman and lecture me. Does that mean all those past wrongdoings were committed solely by me, unrelated to you?”
Bi Xia remained silent, and Gou Liang said, “Bi Xia, the time is almost here. Don’t fall for his diversionary tactics.”
The vengeful ghost sighed, “Aning, saying such things really hurts me.”
Before he could finish speaking, he took the initiative to attack. The black mist in his hand transformed into a longsword, aiming to strike first. Bi Xia also wielded a sword in his hand, formed from the black malevolent aura. The two clashed, and it was difficult to determine who had the upper hand. However, the fierce and murderous aura unleashed by the three thousand years of sinister energy was formidable. After a few exchanges, Liu Yiyi and the others were already sweating profusely, showing signs of being overwhelmed.
If left unchecked, their cultivation would be destroyed at best, and they could lose their lives on the spot at worst.
Gou Liang couldn’t allow them to sacrifice their lives needlessly, so he didn’t watch Bi Xia and the vengeful ghost’s battle. Instead, he guided Liu Yiyi and the others into the formation, and without hesitating, he started chanting, “Supreme Star of the Heavenly Platform, respond without pause. Expel evil, bind the spirits, protect lives, Guard the body. Wisdom pure and clear, a tranquil spirit…”
As his voice rose, purple-golden lights circulated around Liu Yiyi and the others, restoring clarity to their confused minds. They focused entirely on casting spells to assist Gou Liang.
For Bi Xia and the vengeful ghost, all attacks were indiscriminate, but Bi Xia had spent months in the soul-nurturing jade, allowing his aura to deceive the gaze of the Heaven Realm. He was not disturbed by the celestial energy.
As a result, the vengeful ghost was at a disadvantage.
Originally equally matched, the vengeful ghost gradually showed signs of defeat under the piercing chants and golden attacks. He desperately attempted to attack the other people, but Bi Xia blocked him at every turn. With rising fury, the vengeful ghost’s eyes turned entirely black, exuding a more brutal and bloodthirsty aura. Without any reason, he aimed his attack towards the weakest Kun position where Gou Liang stood.
“Aning!”
Bi Xia couldn’t stop him for a moment, rushing towards Gou Liang to shield him.
However, the vengeful ghost had already approached Gou Liang. He grabbed Gou Liang’s neck with one hand, ready to exert force—
Gou Liang opened his eyes, suddenly smiling at him, “Husband, are you trying to kill me?”
The black aura in the eyes of the fierce ghost dispersed abruptly.
Regaining his sanity, he subconsciously withdrew his hand. In that moment of hesitation, Bi Xia’s palm struck down on the fierce ghost’s heavenly spirit cover. This ruthless strike caused the body crafted by the fierce ghost to burn into ashes within his ghostly aura. Losing its stable form, the soul scattered. Gou Liang took advantage of this opportunity to invoke the Nine-Level Soul-Returning Pagoda. With a resounding command, he said, “Nine levels of divine spirits, heed my command! Discern the false from the true, return the soul to the body, swiftly, as per orders!”
The souls absorbed by the vengeful ghost screamed as they were drawn into the first level of the Nine-Level Pagoda, while Bi Xia’s ethereal spirit and soul were pulled into the ninth level of the pagoda.
Gou Liang raised his head to the sky. The stars were about to align, and the optimal moment for reshaping the soul was approaching!
“Bi Xia, hurry up!”
Bi Xia rushed into the Nine-Level Pagoda along with the vengeful ghost, both entering the ninth level—tonight was also an opportune moment for him to reclaim his soul.
The pagoda ascended into the air, reversing its course. Gou Liang chanted, “Today, in offering to the Nine-Level Pagoda, I dare to ask the stars for assistance. Merge soul and body, command!”
As two stars briefly converged and passed, their radiance poured down, covering the Nine-Level Pagoda. However, Gou Liang didn’t stop there. Surprisingly, he took advantage of this auspicious moment to perform a miraculous spell to clear Bi Xia’s karmic obstacles.
With his incantation, “Lingering echoes resonate, cleansing in all directions. Rivers and seas tranquil, mountains and peaks engulfed in mist. Purge my tainted soul, dispel my impure spirit. Cleanse my karmic obstacles, reveal my true self!”
The short-lived convergence of the two stars separated once more, showering onto the pagoda’s interior the stellar power, which transformed into an endless radiance. When the last bit of brilliance faded, the Nine-Level Pagoda fell back to the ground. Gou Liang, having defied the heavens with his spell, spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale.
Karmic obstacles, having clung to him, were on the verge of consuming his merits entirely. At this critical moment, the mark of the vengeful ghost on Gou Liang’s face emitted an icy blue ghostly fire, covering his entire body and swallowing the karmic obstacles’ flames that landed on him.
The last gleam of the Nine-Level Pagoda vanished, the Eight Trigrams formation collapsed, and Liu Yiyi and the others could finally regain their normal vision and hearing.
“How are you, Xiao Meng?”
Liu Yiyi and the others were also injured, but not as severely as Gou Liang.
Gou Liang shook his head at them, wiped the blood from his mouth, and picked up the Nine-Level Pagoda, standing up. “The vengeful ghost has been captured. There’s no time to waste. I’ll take him back to suppress him.”
“Do you need our help?”
“No need. Just take him back to the Qizang Pavilion.”
Gou Liang hurriedly returned to the Qizang Pavilion, sealed off the third room on the second floor, and immediately took out the Nine-Level Pagoda. Opening the door to the ninth level, he released Bi Xia.
“Bi Xia, how do you feel—”
Bi Xia, dressed in white, turned around, and Gou Liang’s smiling face froze.
Bi Xia reached out, pinched his chin, and touched his lips, giving a wicked smile. “Aning, disappointed to see me?”
[Ding! Target favorability updated. Current favorability: +90!]