Chapter 133: A Surge in Strength, Coming for Little Red, Writing a Letter, and Opening the Altar

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Three Sticks of Incense (1/100)

"As expected, I have broken through to the three-stick stage. The implications of this level of incense-burning cultivation are entirely different. It not only provides a tangible boost to my修为 (cultivation base), but more importantly, the quality of my Daoist practice has become far purer and more potent. In practical combat, this means the same techniques will pack a much greater lethality."

Chen Yushu thought to himself, then instinctively channeled the Fuyin Technique. Under the connection of his spiritual consciousness, a wave of Daoist power surged from within his body, resonating with the heavens and earth to form a powerful, oppressive force.

Boom!

Dust flew across the ground, yet it was immediately met with an invisible, crushing pressure. The rising dust was instantly flattened back into the earth, unable to scatter in the slightest.

"This Fuyin Technique... its power hasn't just doubled; it has increased by at least fifty percent. With my current three-stick cultivation and the Great Mastery level of the Fuyin Technique, I reckon even evil spirits and evil corpses would be unable to withstand it and would be forced to the ground."

Chen Yushu felt quite satisfied with this. Back when he was at the two-stick stage, even with the Fuyin Technique at Great Mastery, he could only briefly restrict evil-ranked entities, unable to effectively stop them. Now, things were completely different. Once those evil spirits were restricted by the Fuyin Technique, they would be forced into a passive state for at least a short period, leaving them at his mercy. The tactical advantage in battle was immense. Not to mention, his offensive arsenal included more than just the Fuyin Technique; he also possessed the Huasha Technique, the Seven-Star Step, the Divine Descent Art...

Whoosh, whoosh...

Suddenly, Chen Yushu felt the temperature drop sharply. The surrounding Yin energy became noticeably dense.

"Huh? Are there still blind ghosts daring to come here?"

A look of surprise appeared on Chen Yushu's face. Ever since he practiced the Altar-Opening ritual in his room last time, the surrounding Yin spirits had been drawn to him. Although that incident caused some trouble, it effectively served as a warning to the nearby specters that a powerful practitioner of the Yin Path resided here. While those spirits, once transformed into ghosts, had incomplete intelligence and low wisdom, their instincts told them this place was a forbidden zone, and they had mostly avoided it. Because of this, Chen Yushu rarely encountered such entities around his home. He hadn't expected another one to show up now. Moreover, judging by its aura, it was not weak.

However, this spirit seemed wary of something, standing outside the courtyard gate, not daring to approach. After a moment, it seemed to make up its mind and flickered into the yard. As it entered, a voice cried out: "My Lord, spare me! My Lord, spare me! I am only here to find my Young Miss... Miss, help! Miss, save me..."

The frantic shouting caused Chen Yushu, who had been about to use the intruder to test his improved skills, to pause. He immediately recognized the spirit. It was the very same Sha-ghost that had been sent by the Liu family's second branch to assassinate him, only to be killed in retaliation; he had then used Xiaohong’s "house ghost" connection to dispose of the body. Xiaohong had called her "Aunt Lin," right?

Hearing the call, Xiaohong, who had been playing nearby with Xiaoyin, ran over, bouncing and jumping. "Aunt Lin, why are you here?"

"Miss, save me! Ghost soldiers are purging our mansion. Steward Liu and the others cannot hold them off. They sent me to ask you for help..."

Upon hearing this, Xiaohong grew anxious and tugged at Chen Yushu's sleeve. "Brother Yushu..."

Chen Yushu waved his hand, his gaze fixed on the direction behind Aunt Lin. "They have already arrived."

The next moment, a group of ghost soldiers wearing uniform armor appeared along the courtyard wall. These soldiers were tall, their spirit bodies thick and solid, all at least at the Ghost-Slayer level. The two leaders, clad in full armor and radiating a dense, bloody aura, were at the Fierce Ghost level. Unlike ordinary Fierce Ghosts, however, they carried a scent akin to incense—a clear sign that they were subordinates of a higher master.

Xiaohong and Xiaoyin also carried this scent; it was the lingering trace of offerings or hospitality. Chen Yushu offered two sticks of incense daily, which not only sustained them but also served as a public declaration that these two little ghosts had a master. Most Yin practitioners would avoid provoking them if they didn't want to make a powerful enemy, acting as a deterrent.

But these soldiers were different. Their incense scent was faint, indicating they were "poorly fed," yet their auras were strong. Furthermore, they possessed a residual mental energy—a power of supplication, prayer, and wish-fulfillment. This energy has a general name: Faith.

Faith consists of various mental particles. Unlike soul beads or evil spirit essences, these particles are relatively peaceful, contain few negative emotions, are easier to absorb, and have almost no side effects. This is the true reason why countless evil spirits and specters seek to be canonized as gods by the Emperor—it is the quickest way to enhance their power. The more flourishing the incense, the denser the power of faith, and the faster their strength grows.

Since these two ghost generals could enjoy a portion of incense and benefit from a sliver of faith, they undoubtedly belonged to some canonized deity or false god. With the dark mass of at least twenty or thirty ghost soldiers behind them, they were indeed intimidating.

"By the order of Granny Jiang, we are to apprehend the criminal ghosts, Lin Qing and Zuo Qinghong. Bystanders, do not interfere, or you shall be treated as accomplices to the criminals." The leading Fierce Ghost shouted. Lin Qing was undoubtedly Aunt Lin, and Zuo Qinghong was Xiaohong's real name. Their true target was not the Zuo mansion, but Xiaohong.

Granny Jiang? Chen Yushu was startled. Wasn't that the entity currently pressuring the Divine-Favored One to become her servant? Had his letter arrived too late? Had the Divine-Favored One surrendered? And now Granny Jiang had turned back to target Xiaohong, hoping to force the old Master Zuo to reveal himself?

As these thoughts raced through his mind, the ghost soldiers took action. A squad of seven or eight soldiers charged forward, attempting to seize Lin Qing and Xiaohong.

"Hmph! Let's see who dares!"

In an instant, Chen Yushu entered the Yin-Walking state and let out a sharp cry. He moved, his gaze locking onto the soldiers. If any dared to approach further, he would show no mercy.

"Who are you? Do you dare defy Granny Jiang's order?" The ghost general's pale face changed, and his aura flared. Suddenly, the temperature plummeted. Even the neighbors were affected, shivering under their thick quilts.

"I don't care about Granny Jiang's order. I only know that this is my home and Xiaohong is my spirit-messenger. If you dare take one more step, you will die." Chen Yushu’s eyes were cold. He would never allow Xiaohong to be taken. Not only because he had promised the Zuo family ancestor, but because she was his spirit-messenger—she belonged to him. If he couldn't even protect his own messenger, how could he hope to cultivate the Dao or ascend to higher levels? Even if Granny Jiang was a Spectre-ranked deity, it made no difference.

"Stubborn fool! Attack!" The ghost general waved his hand. The soldiers charged into the courtyard without hesitation. Breaking into a residence was a taboo for ghosts, but these were Granny Jiang's soldiers. In Jianghuan Town, they were lawless. Even the local Yin Suppression Division had to show them respect, as the Division often relied on Granny Jiang’s subordinates to handle difficult spirits and corpses. Granny Jiang was the true master of the town; she was the sky, and no one dared defy her.

"Hmph! Then die!" Chen Yushu's eyes grew colder, looking at the soldiers as if they were already corpses. With a thought, his spiritual power connected with the heaven and earth, and he pressed down.

Boom!

The eight Sha-ghosts that had just crossed the threshold were hit by a terrifying pressure and instantly flattened to the ground. In the next moment, Chen Yushu flipped his palm and unleashed the Huasha Technique.

*Sizzle, sizzle...*

Under the terrifying force, endless malevolent energy was purged from the bodies of the ghost soldiers. These soldiers were only at the Sha-ghost level. Even when Chen Yushu was at the one-stick stage, he had been able to severely wound them; now, with his three-stick cultivation and the Huasha Technique at Great Mastery, a single move dispelled their Yin-Sha energy entirely. As a breeze blew, the souls of the eight soldiers shattered like tattered cloth and dissipated into nothingness.

It all happened too fast. One Fuyin Technique, one Huasha Technique, and a group of soldiers that would terrify ordinary people and many practitioners alike were wiped out.

"You dare kill my soldiers?" the ghost general roared, his eyes filled with disbelief. He had expected resistance, but never that this man would actually dare to kill them all. This was far beyond his expectations. How could he dare? These were Granny Jiang's men!

"I killed them. So what?" Chen Yushu remained calm. He lunged toward the remaining soldiers. Since he had already started, he would not hold back. He stepped in the Seven-Star pattern, each step hitting a node of the earth's energy. With his profound understanding of the Array Path, his Seven-Star Step had also reached Great Mastery.

Boom!

The earth energy within the courtyard was triggered, transforming into dragons that surged toward the soldiers.

"You dare?" The ghost general shrieked, his face filled with panic. He was afraid now. He realized this man truly didn't care about Granny Jiang. But he still had confidence; as a top-ten general under Granny Jiang, he believed himself stronger than ordinary Fierce Ghosts. He waved his hand, ordering all remaining soldiers to charge.

Boom!

But as they moved, the surging earth energy sent them stumbling. Chen Yushu closed in and unleashed the Fuyin Technique again. It was incredibly effective against these lower-ranked ghosts. With one move, both the Sha-ghosts and the two Fierce Ghost generals were pressed to the ground as if struck by divine punishment.

"Bullying my little sister! Die!" Xiaoyin cried out, rushing forward to punch and kick a Sha-ghost.

"Xiaoyin, I'll help you!" Xiaohong followed, swinging her little fists to pummel another ghost. They had cooperated in "ghost-beating" before, and they considered these soldiers enemies. They showed no mercy, delivering heavy blows that shattered the ghosts' auras. With the Fuyin Technique holding them down, the soldiers had no power to resist.

After three breaths, the two Fierce Ghost generals managed to break free from the pressure. Their simple minds finally understood: this Yin practitioner was not to be trifled with. Without looking back at the remaining soldiers, they scrambled to escape.

"Want to run? Did you ask me?" Chen Yushu's voice sounded coldly.

The next moment, they saw an endless, brilliant light erupt before them.

Boom!

In a blink, they were swallowed by the light. Without a sound, they were torn apart and their souls scattered. Even the nearby soldiers were caught in the blast and annihilated. This was Chen Yushu’s Yin-Walking spell: the Divine Descent Art! It lived up to its reputation as a powerful technique; even at the initial mastery stage, it easily slaughtered two Fierce Ghost generals.

The battle was over. The scene was littered with two soul beads and several pieces of Yin-bone jade. These soldiers had been well-nourished by incense and faith, yielding a decent harvest. Chen Yushu didn't care much for the loot, letting Xiaohong and Xiaoyin collect it, while his expression turned grave.

He had not forgotten the general's words: "Granny Jiang's soldiers." Granny Jiang was a Spectre-ranked entity, a canonized false god who enjoyed incense and faith, making her far stronger than ordinary Spectres. Even the Zuo ancestor, a fellow Spectre, had to hide in the mansion and self-mutilate to a lower level to avoid detection. Only when forced had he revealed his full power, and that was exactly how he had drawn Granny Jiang's lethal attention.

"If Granny Jiang is targeting Xiaohong, it clearly means the situation with the Divine-Favored One has changed..." Chen Yushu frowned. This was sudden, but he could not sit idly by while his spirit-messenger was targeted. However, he had to consider the consequences. He couldn't contact the Divine-Favored One directly; if the situation had already failed, reaching out would only expose himself.

"I must wait for him to contact me. This move by Granny Jiang is likely a lure to force the Zuo ancestor out of hiding..." Chen Yushu reasoned. This made the situation feel less immediately lethal, as even Granny Jiang was bound by the oversight of the Yin Suppression Division. She wouldn't dare act too openly.

"Still, I must be prepared. I cannot withstand a direct strike from a Spectre."

Chen Yushu went to his study and wrote a letter to Sister Qiao’er. With his neighbors gone, she was the only one he could turn to. Once the letter was finished, he beckoned Xiaoyin.

"Brother Yushu!" Xiaoyin held out her hand, and Xiaohong joined her.

"I have a letter for Sister Qiao’er. Please deliver it to her. If she is still in seclusion, just wait there; do not come back immediately."

"Okay, Brother Yushu!" Xiaoyin nodded.

"Brother Yushu, what about me?" Xiaohong asked, reaching out.

"You stay here," Chen Yushu said firmly. Granny Jiang would not give up, and if Xiaohong were caught outside, it would be dangerous. It was safer for Xiaoyin to go, as she knew the way. As for why he didn't want them to return, he feared he might be heading into a dangerous situation himself, and he didn't want them involved.

"Okay, Brother Yushu." Xiaoyin didn't think twice. She vanished through the wall and headed toward the Jiangbei Jiao village.

Chen Yushu didn't stop there. He set up a large table, placed his magical artifacts in specific positions, and began the ritual.

Opening the altar! Performing the rite! He was preparing for what was to come.