Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Ghostly Lady Chunfeng, Fierce Spirit! Fierce Spirit! (Please subscribe, please vote)

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The Wild Wolf Malevolent Spirit dissolved instantly into a wisp of smoke, vanishing without a trace.

Having decided to act, he spared no entity that might pose a threat to him.

Although this particular malevolent spirit was weak and posed little danger, the Ghostly Spirit Cavern, aptly named, teemed with countless spirits and demons. One or two were manageable, but in great numbers, no one could withstand them.

Take Qian Qian, for example—robust and vigorous, one or two malevolent spirits could hardly approach him. But when they persistently breathed down his neck, extinguishing his inner fire, he would inevitably shiver and cry out from the cold.

With the malevolent spirit vanquished, Chen Yushu stepped forward and planted a small flag.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

“Qianyin Herb!”

Qian Qian beside him had clearly noticed it as well and eagerly approached. “This is Qianyin Herb. While not a precious medicine, it’s still considered a potent herb—one of the main ingredients for refining the Qi-Blood Soup. A single plant could fetch one or two taels of silver.”

“Yushu, you keep busy with your tasks. Leave the harvesting of herbs to me.”

He quickly added, “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you, Master Qian,” Chen Yushu replied without refusal.

“Don’t worry. Old Qian here is quite skilled in herb gathering. Forgot to mention—I’m actually from Qianjia Village. My father was a far more accomplished herbalist than Qian Yungen back in the day. He took me up to Tianyuan Mountain several times when I was young.”

Qian Qian smiled confidently before bending down to dig out the Qianyin Herb.

Chen Yushu nodded and moved on to the next convergence point of earth energy.

At this next spot, another malevolent spirit lurked. Chen Yushu swiftly executed the Yin Suppression Technique, wielding his Soul Severing Rod, and the spirit was defeated before it could even react.

He then planted his small flag.

Qian Qian advanced and unearthed the potent herb growing there.

The fourth, the fifth time... Chen Yushu struck repeatedly.

In the blink of an eye, five or six malevolent spirits perished at his hands.

Unconsciously, a chilling aura began to envelop him.

Within moments, Chen Yushu reached the tenth convergence point.

It was evident that the earth energy here was thicker, and the Yin energy heavier. Even in broad daylight, the place appeared pitch black, suffused with an eerie stillness.

Chen Yushu knew this area must be a minor Yin ground, where dense earth energy and heavy Yin energy naturally amplified the aggregation of malevolent forces.

Even Qian Qian couldn’t help but comment, “This place is more sinister than the others.”

“Yes, the malevolent aura here is quite intense,” Chen Yushu confirmed.

Under his Qi Perception Technique, he already glimpsed the enemy’s location. The spirit seemed to sense his arrival, bursting forth with a dense, ominous aura.

Chen Yushu made no pretense.

Both hands formed a seal, and the Yin Suppression Technique was cast instantly.

In a flash, the malevolent spirit that had just approached crashed to the ground with a sharp thud, immobilized.

Chen Yushu then raised his hand, grasping the Soul Severing Rod.

He had dealt with spirits this way before—swift and decisive, hardly any could withstand a strike from the rod.

Even those who could resist one blow would fare no better against a second delivered from either side.

But this one was peculiar.

Pressed down, it quickly knelt and began fervently kowtowing, clasping its hands in supplication.

Chen Yushu paused.

Yet, in the next moment, he swiftly swung the Soul Severing Rod again.

Bang!

The spirit’s soul dimmed considerably.

Its soul was evidently thick, not easily dispersed by a single strike. Just as Chen Yushu prepared to strike again, the spirit’s mouth moved rapidly, uttering something.

Nearby, Xiao Yin looked troubled but still placed a hand on Chen Yushu's, saying, “Brother Yushu, it’s begging for mercy. It wants to serve you.”

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“Only asking to avenge itself?”

“Hm? What grudge?”

Chen Yushu hesitated briefly, scanning the surroundings before entering the Shadow-Walking state.

Instantly, he sensed the environment shift.

The sky was cloaked in dark clouds; below, the Yin energy was dense and foreboding.

Though this scarcely affected him—his naked eyes could already discern many ghostly figures—only now did he truly perceive them.

Their numbers far exceeded his expectations.

Beyond the reach of his sight, things hid everywhere.

Some perched on withered branches, others concealed in tree stumps or beneath dead leaves. His eyes alone could never detect them, but in Shadow-Walking, they were all perceptible.

Though they dared not approach, they watched his every move in the forest.

He even sensed a particular tree that was distinctly different.

It bore a ghostly face, cautiously hiding itself, yet its branches continuously stretched toward him and Qian Qian.

Slowly but steadily, they extended.

“Merciful Immortal, please spare me. I am willing to serve you in any way, only asking for revenge.”

The malevolent spirit appeared as a middle-aged man, dressed plainly—once an herbalist from Qianjia Village in its early days.

This was normal.

Though Tianyuan Mountain was relatively safe, dangers abounded. Every year, some who ventured in to gather herbs never returned, their fates grim.

The souls of those lost might be absorbed into this very Ghostly Spirit Cavern.

This one was clearly among them.

“What grudge?”

Chen Yushu inquired.

“I was originally a villager from Zhaoyuan Village, married into Qianjia Village. One time, returning early from gathering herbs, I found my wife and the village head lying in the same bed... I was no match for him and was killed on the spot.

Then I watched helplessly as they carried my corpse up Tianyuan Mountain... I was unwilling to accept this, but when I came to, I was lost and unknowingly entered this place.

So, I ask you, Immortal, to lead me out.”

The spirit’s voice followed.

“Setting aside your revenge for now, tell me—who resides in that area?”

Chen Yushu’s tone was calm as he pointed toward the extremely Yin spot.

“The Ghost Lady Chunfeng. She rules here.

All spirits obey her commands.

Every so often, she parades out in a ghostly sedan chair to receive a bride.

Anyone she chooses is almost never brought back.”

“Oh? What is her strength? What methods does she use? What about her subordinates?”

Chen Yushu quickly asked.

“She devours spirits like me. If angered, she can swallow one whole.

She has four sedan bearers, all formidable.

Her honor guard numbers about twenty, each an elite among malevolent spirits...”

The spirit answered obediently.

Chen Yushu continued questioning, and the spirit answered each query earnestly.

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“All right, I have no more questions.”

After a long pause, Chen Yushu nodded with satisfaction.

“So, have you accepted my previous proposal, Immortal?”

The spirit’s spirit brightened, clearly excited.

“No.”

Chen Yushu shook his head, instantly exiting Shadow-Walking mode and striking swiftly with his Soul Severing Rod.

“Roar!”

The spirit reacted instantly, letting out a fierce howl as it leapt backward.

But Chen Yushu was ready; he stepped forward seven paces.

Boom!

The malevolent spirit, attempting to retreat rapidly, suddenly halted, trapped by the surrounding malevolent aura.

This was the Seven-Star Step technique Chen Yushu had recently mastered.

With the Seven-Star Step, boundless earth energy surged, crashing against the spirit’s body and forcing it to pause.

Chen Yushu advanced another step, pressing both hands down.

Yin Suppression Technique.

The spirit’s body was immediately pinned to the ground.

Yet it was not entirely helpless; it soon rose, but when Chen Yushu decided to strike, he was decisive.

Forming another hand seal, one palm descended like a vast shadow blotting out the sky.

Sizzle, sizzle...

Countless malevolent energies began to dissipate instantly.

“Ah, Immortal... what are you doing?”

Perhaps due to the palm’s contact, the spirit’s voice emerged.

“Sending you on your way!”

Chen Yushu remained calm.

He quickly warned Qian Qian, “Master Qian, watch out for the ghost tree behind you.”

Qian Qian’s martial cultivation had reached the internal training stage of the Body Refining Realm. Having long escorted herbs for the pharmacy, he was naturally cautious.

While Chen Yushu conversed with the spirit, Qian Qian’s expression had been tense, alert for any danger.

Upon Chen Yushu’s warning and with his keen senses, he immediately drew his long blade and slashed backward.

Thwack!

A tree branch was severed cleanly.

Suddenly, numerous branches writhed wildly, lunging toward Qian Qian.

Unfazed, Qian Qian’s expression remained steady as his blade whirled like a tornado, slicing branch after branch in two.

He then crouched low and charged beneath the ghost tree, delivering a fierce horizontal slash.

Crack!

The entire ghost tree was bisected at the waist.

Black sap oozed from the cut.

The ghost tree was completely dead.

Meanwhile, after employing the Malevolent Dissolution Technique, Chen Yushu sensed that the spirit had detected his resolve.

The black mist enveloping it vanished instantly.

In the blink of an eye, its entire body turned fiery red.

Though its garments remained coarse cloth, the bloodthirsty aura it emitted was far more formidable than before.

A fierce ghost! A fierce ghost!

This spirit had been disguising its true form beneath malevolent energy.

Chen Yushu, as if anticipating this, moved his feet swiftly, performing the Seven-Star Step again.

Boom!

Boundless earth energy surged forth, crushing down upon the fierce ghost.

Its body jerked violently once more.