Chapter 183: Chapter 152: Old Grandpa Sells His Looks, Young Master Becomes a Live-in Son-in-law

"This ghost is a bit salty and sour. It’s lacking in yin qi, but a little heavy on the fiendish aura. I’ll save it for Grandpa to enjoy."

In another ghost city, Jiang Yi casually detained a sticky, sludge-like mass.

This was a water ghost at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, whose body he shattered with a single punch, turning it into pure yin qi.

He quickly rolled the yin qi into a ball the size of a longan, placed it in a yin-locust wood box, and then stuffed it into his well-worn Sleeve Pouch.

With just a few twists, he kneaded it to the size of a longan, placed it in the box made of yin-locust wood, and tucked it away into that half-new, half-old Sleeve Pouch.

He looked up. The long street of the ghost city was completely empty; they had all fled without a trace.

Jiang Yi walked slowly, holding the Cat Master. Ahead was a shopfront. Severed hands and feet lay on the butcher’s block, while a basket underneath was filled with heads.

The owner was burly and thick-waisted, with the coarse flesh of a black bear and skin as tough as an iron ox. His eyes were a tangled mess of red veins, his bristling hair was like an iron brush, and his fist clutched a pig-slaughtering knife the size of half a door panel.

"This ghost is much more troublesome than the other Fierce Fiends! You won’t be able to easily shatter its body to refine and devour it. Don’t be careless, Xiao Jiang!"

True Master Xuanmiao advised, then stuck out his tongue to lick his fur.

"It smells pretty good, though. Probably has a chewy flavor!"

Jiang Yi immediately understood. The Cat Master was hungry.

He didn’t activate his Dao Embryo or unleash the brute physical strength of his body.

Generally speaking, those below the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer are "lesser ghosts," those at the fifth and sixth layers are "greater ghosts," and those at the seventh, eighth, and ninth are called "Fierce Fiends." Above that are "evil anomalies," "great abominations," and the like.

Entities like ghosts and yin spirits lack a clear path of cultivation, so they naturally don’t have clearly defined, detailed realms. These are all just general classifications.

"Such an arrogant Human Cultivator! I hear you’re the one going around devouring ghosts?"

The butcher shop owner’s eyes blazed with fury. He stepped out of his shop, carrying the pig-slaughtering knife, his voice a low rumble like distant thunder.

"You’ve certainly tempered a fine set of bones! Even this blade of mine might not be able to chop through them!"

Jiang Yi had no patience for exchanging pleasantries with a ghost. He circulated a bit of True Qi and activated his Cultivation Merit. The ancient, esoteric seal character for the Combined Refining of Bingding Fire flashed brilliantly, and a massive golden flame erupted from his fontanelle, becoming a sun that hung in the sky, illuminating everything!

Like a ladle of water thrown into a pot of boiling oil, it instantly erupted with a great SIZZLE. The pitch-black ghost city was lit up in a flash, and the sky-filling yin qi was blasted apart!

Jiang Yi pointed. The blinding expanse of golden flame swept out, transforming into a writhing fire dragon tens of feet long that surged toward the butcher-like Fierce Fiend!

The perfectly humanoid ghost was instantly engulfed as if it had fallen into a smelting furnace, easily burned until it melted away!

Such was the immense power of the Second Grade Qi Cultivation Technique, the "Divine Technique of the Sun Lord’s Mixed Refining of Spiritual Splendor"!

The combined refining of Bing and Ding, a crimson flame that could scorch the sun!

Forget this butcher Fierce Fiend at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer with its solidified body; even a Cultivator from an Ancestral Sect Dharma Lineage, if they lacked a Magical Artifact for protection, would be unable to withstand this incinerating inferno.

Seven or eight breaths passed in a flash. After a few short, wretched screams, the Fierce Fiend—one that had consumed who knows how much flesh and blood—exploded with a POOF, dissolving into thick plumes of smoke.

’Still trying to reform?’

Jiang Yi snorted. With a sweep of his wide sleeve, the golden flames intensified, burning away the thick smoke and leaving behind only an egg-sized yin soul.

He strode forward, grabbed it, and kneaded it a few times, using his True Qi to refine it and purge the fiendish intent before feeding it to the Cat Master.

"Meow, meow!"

True Master Xuanmiao also possessed the ability to devour yin energy. He chewed a few times with a satisfying CRUNCH.

"So chewy! Great job, Xiao Jiang!"

Jiang Yi formed a "retract" hand seal, and the vast golden flames returned to his body like weary birds returning to their forest.

The ancient, esoteric seal character hanging above his Inner Mansion seemed to shine with a bit more luster.

’Refining Technique, Refining Technique... The real secret is in the word "refining." No wonder the Disciples from the Ancestral Sect and Branch Sects are so enthusiastic about Magical Combat.’

Jiang Yi felt a surge of satisfaction. In just a few days, his Cultivation Merit had soared. He had gone from Twenty-Two Percent progress in the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, which he had just entered, to Fifty-Seven Percent.

In the process, he had also brought the Bingding Crimson Divine Light technique to the entry-level.

’I’ve finally reached the level of a storybook protagonist, capable of defeating enemies in higher realms.’

After a quick sweep of the ghost city, Jiang Yi followed the now-familiar procedure, easily locating the earthen temple that had once been a hub for the ancient Yin Department.

He sat down cross-legged again, activated his Mixed Refining Origin, and began to absorb the dense yin qi.

He had lost count of how many times he’d gone through this process in the last few days.

A ghost city was a cut above those desolate villages. The yin qi was as pure as drops of cold water. With a single breath, he drew it all into his Primordial Gate, performing his Cultivation to grind away the impurities.

His Inner Mansion sank slightly, and the gushing Spiritual Liquid immediately increased by seven or eight mouthfuls.

’Thirty-six is the apex of yin, eighty-one the apex of yang. I still have a long way to go.’

Jiang Yi let out a long breath. In cultivation, one truly loses all track of time. When he opened his eyes, another five days had passed.

He lowered his gaze. Before he began his training, he had consulted the Celestial Book, and now, it had an answer.

[I beg the Celestial Book, on my upcoming trip to the Eighteen-Layered Bottomless Abyss, will there be a suitable Opportunity?]

[Deduction Result: A suspected romantic entanglement is involved. The stakes are immense. Choose with caution.]

"A romantic entanglement?"

Jiang Yi was stunned for a moment. The question had taken about five days to answer, which was a relatively long time.

’It’s rare for the Celestial Book to answer with such uncertainty,’ he thought. ’If I wanted a more detailed answer, it would probably cost several years’ worth of power.’

Despite this thought, he couldn’t suppress his curiosity. He carefully chose his words and, once the golden paper’s brilliance was restored, he consulted it again.

[I beg the Celestial Book, show me: is this romantic entanglement a blessing or a curse?]

It buzzed and vibrated a few times.

[Deduction Time: Four hours.]

’That’s not too long,’

Jiang Yi breathed a sigh of relief. He just needed to know if it was a blessing or a curse.

After that, he could simply choose whether to accept it or avoid it.