Soon after, Li Guanqi learned of a matter in the town that many regarded with respect but kept their distance from.
As the sunset gradually descended, the afterglow of the setting sun slowly vanished behind the mountains.
The two women who had been chatting with Li Guanqi hurried home.
"Li Lanhua, Zhang Cuifen."
"Child traffickers, go-betweens."
Li Guanqi's expression remained calm as he softly uttered these few words.
It seemed as if the tangled mess in his mind had finally found a clue.
Now, all he needed to do was wait for the malevolent ghost to appear to unravel all the mysteries.
Night fell, and the town mayor was no longer in his home.
At this moment, only Li Guanqi was in the mayor's courtyard.
However, in the brightly lit room, there was no one to be seen, only an oil lamp and a paper figure torn by hand standing before the light.
A seated silhouette was cast upon the window.
Just as the hour arrived, the already silent Xingyun Town became eerily quiet.
Even the stray dogs in the town made no sound, as if it were a town of the dead!
Unlike the biting cold winds of July, the wind now whistled, stirring up the fallen leaves with a rustling sound.
A strange shadow appeared atop the trees at the entrance of the village.
Immediately after, the ghostly figure dashed towards a household on the west side of the town!
In the room with the door tightly shut, only a rugged-faced man lay on the bed, his snores thunderous.
Suddenly, the ghostly figure materialized three inches above the man's face.
A blood-red tongue twisted in the air, then shot straight into the man's forehead!
The snoring in the room abruptly stopped, the man's body gradually stiffened, and his eyes opened wide with terror!!
Meanwhile.
At the Heavenly Pillar Peak of the Great Xia Sword Sect, an Elder flew on his sword, rushing to the mission hall in haste.
"Quick!! Raise the mission level for Xingyun Town to three!!!"
"Restrict it to those below Foundation Establishment from accepting it!!"
The female disciple at the counter hurriedly raised the mission's acceptance criteria.
However, she then realized that a disciple had already accepted the mission two days ago.
She quickly informed the Manager.
Upon hearing this, the Manager's face turned pale, and he anxiously said, "Quick, check who took the mission!"
"I just received news, the vengeful spirit in that town is not as simple as we thought!"
The female disciple quickly checked and turned pale as she whispered, "Found it… it's… Li Guanqi…"
Hearing this, the Manager's face went ashen.
Li Guanqi, the newly admitted genius disciple of the Great Xia Sword Sect!
Thinking of the furious Li Nanting, the Manager scrambled to his feet and took out a jade slip to send a message to Heavenly Thunder Peak.
Then, all the disciples on Heavenly Thunder Peak felt a powerful aura erupt.
A streak of light soared from Heavenly Thunder Peak, breaking through the sky on a sword flight!
The Manager could only pray that the young man was safe, or he would suffer some physical punishment.
If something truly happened to him, not only would his role as Manager be over, but he would also face severe punishment for negligence!
Back in Xingyun Town.
A wisp of green ethereal thread from the man's forehead was being held in the hands of the ghost.
The man, with a vacant look in his eyes, slowly walked towards the kitchen, placed his left hand on the cutting board, and his right hand slowly reached for the sharp kitchen knife.
Through the man's eyes, it was evident that his uncontrollable actions were all being carried out while he was fully conscious.
"Giggle, are you scared?"
The eerie laughter sounded like the grim reaper himself, ringing in the man's ears.
The man's eyes bulged like copper bells, his lips turned deathly pale, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.
His trembling body could not hide the fear in his heart.
His right hand, holding the knife, slowly raised, about to fall!
Suddenly!
From the shadows of the room, a strange voice emerged.
"Should I call you Li Lanhua… or… Zhang Cuifen?"
"Who's there?!"
The ghost, shrouded in black smoke, suddenly turned to look at the corner of the wall!
An angry voice followed immediately!
"I am not that wretched Zhang Cuifen!!"
"Wretched! Wretched!!!"
The ghost's body surged with black energy, and her mood fluctuated greatly upon hearing that name.
Li Guanqi slowly stood up and removed the talisman that concealed his energy.
The moment the ghost saw the young man clearly, her smoky form suddenly froze!
And in that instant, Li Guanqi's Insight also clearly saw the woman's face.
It was the woman he had encountered in the dilapidated temple in the mountains yesterday!
Only… the woman's aura was worlds apart from yesterday's.
Her gaze was icy as she waved her hand, and a dark palm print shot towards Li Guanqi.
Li Guanqi's heart skipped a beat, and he swiftly ducked to avoid the strike.
Looking at the dark mark on the wall, Li Guanqi's heart raced.
Had he been hit by that strike, he would have been gravely injured!
Clang!
His sword instantly unsheathed from his waist, and as he circulated his internal techniques, primordial energy flowed through his body.
A thin layer of lightning-imbued primordial energy covered the sword.
The fine arcs of electricity were even visible to the naked eye.
Although Li Guanqi felt a powerful oppressive force, he still chose to close in for the attack.
His sword moved with agility, and the Green Lotus Heavenly Gang Sword Technique he had just mastered to the intermediate level burst forth.
Three sword lights, shaped like green lotuses, collided with the ghost!
These three green lotuses were the strongest attack Li Guanqi could muster at the moment.
Boom!!
The ghost, seemingly indifferent to the three green lotus sword lights, charged head-on.
After all, as a soul body, ordinary primordial energy attacks couldn't harm her.
After Li Guanqi unleashed the Green Lotus, he had cut off his own retreat.
He could only channel the primordial energy within his body frantically into his sword.
In an instant, the sound of his fine iron sword cracking under the strain could be heard, and in the blink of an eye, it was covered in fissures.
Just as the ghost's ferocious claws were about to reach Li Guanqi's eyes,
The three lightning-infused green lotuses landed on the ghost's body!!
Boom!!
The powerful force shattered the wall in front of Li Guanqi.
The ghost's figure was thrown back dozens of feet!
The thread connected to the man's forehead also completely snapped, and all that remained in Li Guanqi's hand was a sword hilt.
The man regained consciousness and screamed in terror, "Li Lanhua! Weren't you already dead?!"
"Is it my turn for the ghost…?!"
"No… I don't want to die… I don't want to die!!"
After saying this, the man ran out like a madman.
Li Guanqi frowned, took out a soul-binding talisman, ignited it, and golden ropes suddenly bound the ghost.
Then, he threw the sword hilt at the back of the man's head with great force.
Bang!
The man fell to the ground, and Li Lanhua regained her senses, her eyes blood-red, staring at him intently.
"Do you want to save him?"
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas