Ghosts are originally beings of the Netherworld. However, with the loss of a true Place of Life, Death, and Reincarnation, they have become formless spirits, their comings and goings difficult to discern.

Generally, there are three types of ghosts.

The first type is formed from the accumulation of yin qi and Dense Qi. Amidst their ignorance, a Primordial Spirit awakens. By nature, they are like Fierce Fiends who hunger for blood and qi, no different from beasts of the wild.

The second type includes Mortals and Cultivators who have reached the end of their lifespan or whose Furnace Cauldrons have been destroyed. They do not have the five-generation grace of a Foundation Establishment True Master that would allow them to reincarnate. Unwilling to simply pass into oblivion, they seek an alternative path to the Dao. They achieve this by absorbing murky yin Spiritual Energy, thereby degenerating into ghostly beings.

The last type consists of the dark entities and Evil Spirits birthed by Ghost Mothers. The process behind it is so perverse and horrifying that we shall not speak of it further.

Within Fengdu itself, there are eighteen layers above and a bottomless abyss below.

The former borders the Great Void, while the latter reaches the Netherworld.

The place where Jiang Yi currently found himself was this very bottomless abyss beneath the eighteen layers.

The ghosts here were all formed from the condensation of yin qi and Dense Qi. They spend their days mimicking human behavior and appearance, and have gradually formed a Ghost Country.

"Junior Brother Jiang, do not panic."

Facing the swarm of ghosts that was closing in, Han Li waved his hand, producing a Thousand Soul Banner.

"We Demon Cultivators are the foremost experts in dealing with ghosts and other dark creatures! Just watch and see what I can do!"

The Thousand Soul Banner swelled in the wind, growing to over five feet long before landing in Han Li’s palm.

He gripped the long pole, which was fashioned from joined bones, and gave it two shakes. The banner’s surface RUSTLED, instantly unleashing waves of ghastly yin wind.

With a few WHOOSHING sounds, the wind spread out, enveloping several ghosts that looked no different from living people, their faces startlingly lifelike.

The gusts of yin wind were swift, like a scythe mowing through grass!

In an instant, the ghosts’ forms were torn apart. Then, like a receding tide, the wind drew their dissipating yin qi back into the banner.

"Senior Brother Han has impressive skills."

Jiang Yi said, playing along.

He had originally only planned to bring his Grandpa, Yang Xun, along to buy some well-aged Yin Ganoderma and Yin Ginseng to give the Sect Leader and consider the assignment complete.

But Han Li, who had descended the mountain with him, had volunteered to join.

’He probably felt that he’d lost a great deal of face after being inexplicably ambushed on their last mission. That’s why he’s so eager now, trying to show off for the Sect Leader and earn some credit.’

Hearing Jiang Yi’s praise, Han Li grew even more enthusiastic. He laughed heartily.

"Mere ghosts, daring to act so brazenly!"

He activated his Inner Mansion. Spiritual Liquid gushed forth, and pure True Qi filled his body, pouring ceaselessly into the Thousand Soul Banner.

This banner was the signature Magical Artifact of the Qianji Sect, possessing the ability to ’Swallow Yin’ and ’Seize Souls’.

After Han Li had refined it day and night, it had been upgraded from a ’Hundred Soul’ to a ’Thousand Soul’ banner.

Unleashed at full power, the yin wind churned like a great dragon, baring fangs and brandishing claws. In the blink of an eye, it had refined hundreds of ghosts!

"Junior Brother Jiang, these ghosts are small fry. There’s no sport in this."

Han Li, having made such a grand display of power, had clearly regained his confidence.

"I just heard them mention some ’Master Ghost King’ in the nearby Prefecture City. If I could capture him and feed him to my Thousand Soul Banner, it would probably save me a hundred days of refinement!"

’This Senior Brother Han sure is eager to beat up on small fry.’

’I wonder if he’ll still be so cocky when he runs into a real challenge?’

Jiang Yi smiled and murmured a few words of agreement, his eyes scanning the ghost village’s market. It really wasn’t much different from a mortal one.

There were tea stalls and taverns, butcher shops and fishmongers, adobe huts and tile-roofed houses lining the streets.

Even the ghosts that had been seized and refined by the Thousand Soul Banner had been, aside from their pale faces and stiff expressions, indistinguishable from ordinary people in form and speech.

"Don’t get careless. Among ghosts, there are formidable beings who practice Daoist Skills. Some are ’Fierce,’ some are ’Fiends,’ and some are ’Spirits’..."

Yang Xun, being a veteran Demon Cultivator, was as cautious as ever. He took the Blood Soul Mirror from Jiang Yi and, with a flick of his fingers to form a seal, sent it flying into the air. Its light shone down, a precaution against accidentally provoking any Fierce Fiends or Evil Spirits lurking nearby.

"Elder Uncle Yang, no need to worry."

Having learned that Yang Xun had broken through to the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer and was about to be appointed as an Elder of Observing Fate Peak, Han Li adopted a much more respectful tone. He said with a grin:

"What kind of powerful figures could be hiding in these villages and markets? The likes of Ghost Generals and Ghost Kings all mimic mortals by occupying cities and carving out their own territories..."

The words had barely left his mouth when the Blood Soul Mirror began to CRACKLE. A dim, crimson light suddenly erupted from it, revealing the reflection of an enormous Fierce Fiend well over a hundred feet tall. Its teeth were like knives, its eyes like giant lanterns, and it stood upon a thick black cloud.

’Talk about a tough opponent... and one shows up just like that!’

Seeing that things had gone south, Jiang Yi quickly grabbed his Grandpa, Yang Xun. Both of them instantly sealed their senses and locked down their Qi Mechanisms, making a desperate dash toward the village ahead.

"Junior Brother Jiang?"

Han Li was a step too slow. By the time he realized something was wrong, the black cloud had descended. It roiled and parted, and a colossal, bruised-green claw, the size of a mountain, reached out from within.

"Dammit! Why is it always me?! What rotten luck..."

Han Li grit his teeth and brandished the Thousand Soul Banner, unleashing the thousands of souls it had seized and refined. They formed a vast cloud of fiendish energy, which he intended to use to block the attack.

But the claw was incomparably ferocious and utterly unstoppable. It tore right through the roiling cloud of fiendish energy and snapped the Thousand Soul Banner in two!

Han Li felt a violent tremor in his soul. He coughed up a mouthful of blood Essence, knowing he had run into a truly powerful foe.

With his Magical Artifact destroyed, he was no match for it. Just as he was about to open his mouth and beg for mercy, he was seized in its massive palm.

"A living person! What a tantalizing, fleshy aroma! You’re in luck, kid. This granddaddy has been observing a vegetarian fast for the past few days. I’ll take you to the Prefecture City to collect my reward!"

BOOM! The colossal, mountain-like figure, over a hundred feet tall, took off at a sprint, departing swiftly on its rolling black cloud.

Only a pitiful cry drifted back from the distance:

"Junior Brother Jiang... save me... you must!"

「After a long moment.」

Yang Xun poked his head out from one of the houses, his voice filled with lingering fear.

"Thank goodness you reacted so quickly, Ah Yi, and knew when to make a run for it! Otherwise, we would’ve been snatched up by that ’Yaksha General’!"

Jiang Yi also let out a sigh of relief. That Fierce Fiend was roughly at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer. If they had actually fought it, they likely wouldn’t have stood a chance.