Nine monstrous heads, each as large as a chariot wheel, thrashed about, setting off thunderous booms.

Every ghost and spectral creature in the courtyard was horrified, each one trembling like a leaf.

Many of the weaker, minor ghosts had their spectral bodies shattered by the concussive force, dissipating into wisps of gloomy mist.

Even the Fierce Fiends, who had cultivated for centuries and accumulated vast amounts of Dense Qi, were quaking in terror.

In the front hall, the beautiful ghost Cui Ying’s lovely face turned deathly pale. Her once lifelike, exquisite form, as if scoured by a tidal wave, instantly grew faint and translucent.

Her body swayed, and she fell directly into Jiang Yi’s arms, her chest pressing firmly down on True Master Xuanmiao’s feline head.

So heavy!

It was like being crushed by two great mountains!

True Master Xuanmiao’s amber eyes revealed his displeasure.

’This True Master has truly fallen on hard times to be taken advantage of by this ghost girl! How vexing!

’In the past, the only ones who could so much as touch me were the True Inheritances of the Ancestral Sects, enthroned True Monarchs, or even the Daoist Monarchs who ruled the heavens and decided the fates of great realms.’

Jiang Yi reached out to steady Cui Ying. His handsome face, pale as a sheet of paper, couldn’t help but twitch slightly, as if he were trying to suppress great pain. Yet, he asked in a gentle voice:

"Are you alright, Sister Cui?"

Cui Ying looked up and saw the young man sweating profusely, his face pale, yet still concerned for her. A wave of tenderness washed over her heart.

"Just endure it a little longer, Young Master! The one from the Eighteenth Palace is a fiendish creature born of dense yin. It possesses an innate, fearsome might!

Lowly little ghosts like us naturally can’t withstand it..."

Realization dawned on Jiang Yi.

His appearance wasn’t entirely an act. The moment the nine monstrous heads roared in unison, his entire frame had indeed been rocked by a violent tremor, and the Qi Mechanism within him roiled faintly.

’He had no idea what this "big fat girl’s" background was, but for her true form to possess such immense power, enough to cow ten thousand ghosts, was astonishing.’

In Cloudstack Cave, a gloomy wind rustled as a sorrowful mist hung heavy in the air.

"That accursed Red-Brow! To think that just because I accepted a few of his Cultivation Resources, he assumed I’d agreed to his advances..."

Ghost Granny was both furious and resentful, but she knew she was no match for the great one from the Eighteenth Palace.

Those "orthodox ghosts" were all enfeoffed by Yama or the Judges, wielding arcane law and commanding ten thousand ghosts. Even if she achieved Flying Foundation Establishment, she feared she would still be no match for this nine-headed Fierce Fiend.

’Where there’s life, there’s hope!’

Ghost Granny made a snap decision. Activating her Profound Light, the foul, thick smoke that had been spreading out instantly condensed, transforming into a dense swarm of blood-red glints.

With a dense pattering sound like a sudden downpour, countless blood arrows shot toward the big fat girl’s head.

"So it’s the ’Blood Soul Condensation Art’! You old ghost hag, you’ve certainly learned a motley collection of skills!"

The big fat girl cackled wildly. Without dodging or evading, she formed a hand seal, and her nine monstrous heads simultaneously spewed forth thick smoke and fiery wind.

The blood-red glints that Ghost Granny had hastily fired were enveloped by the smoke and blasted by the fiery wind, instantly melting like wax in a flame. They collapsed into a puddle of viscous, foul-smelling filth, losing all form.

’As expected of a great one from the Eighteenth Palace! Such overwhelming might!’

Ghost Granny had never intended to fight a hopeless battle anyway. A wisp of jet-black Profound Light split off, swelling in the wind like a great hand to grip Yang Xun tightly.

She then dispersed most of her Cultivation into a foul, thick mist. Any ghost enveloped by it was like a snowball dropped in boiling water; their bodies instantly disintegrated as they wailed in agony.

"What a vicious Daoist Skill!"

Jiang Yi kicked over a table and, clutching the Cat Master, dashed out of the hall.

The consumptive ghost at the next table was half a step too slow. The moment he touched a wisp of that foul, thick mist, his Primordial Spirit shattered, and he dispersed into gloomy qi, utterly perishing.

Cui Ying, however, didn’t need his help. The beautiful ghost had long since figured out Ghost Granny’s various tricks and, as if prepared, had already slipped away a step ahead of everyone.

"I was just about to remind you, Young Master! One of Ghost Granny’s most proficient skills is the ’Three Yin Soul-Melting Qi’! Fortunately, you were quick to react."

Jiang Yi didn’t take her pretty words seriously. ’As the saying goes, courtesans love a handsome face; it’s all part of the act. There’s no true affection to be found.’ 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

He smiled faintly and said:

"To be the subject of your concern, Sister Cui... even if I had died just now, I would have no regrets."

A furious shout echoed from above Cloudstack Cave. The big fat girl roared:

"Still think you can run, you old ghost hag?! Put down the mortal!"

The nine heads shrieked in unison, a shrill and ear-piercing sound. The rolling gloomy mist exploded like hundreds of barrels of thunder-fire!

BOOM! A pair of vast wings descended from the sky like a curtain covering the earth!

Having finally seen that red thread move, how could the big fat girl possibly let Ghost Granny get away with her prize?

Ghost Granny rode a ray of blood-light, intending to escape in the chaos. But when the big fat girl got serious, forget a Ghost Cultivator at the Twelfth Layer of Qi Cultivation—even a True Master who had achieved Flying Foundation Establishment would be in for a rough time.

The sky-rending wings beat once, tearing through the air to block the path of Ghost Granny, who was fleeing on her Profound Light as fast as lightning.

"If Red-Brow hadn’t begged Great-Grandma to spare your life, I’d have made you die a hundred times over by now, you old ghost hag!"

The big fat girl’s eyebrows shot up. She was clearly enraged now, and she raised a hand, making a grasping motion in the air.

WHOOSH!

The ghostly winds howled!

The sky-rending wings folded together, merging into a single sword that resembled a colossal pillar spanning the horizon!

Ghost Granny had intended to take a gamble, splitting into numerous blood phantoms to deceive her opponent. But as the sword fell, all her countermeasures proved useless!

A tremendous RUMBLE echoed out. Far away in Cloudstack Cave, Jiang Yi felt the great house beneath his feet sink several feet, as if it were about to collapse. Dust billowed up like a writhing dragon.

’Grandpa will be alright, won’t he?!’

Although he had consulted the Celestial Book before coming here and confirmed that Yang Xun’s life was not in danger, the sheer, earth-shattering power of the attack made it hard not to worry.

"Great-Grandma, please show mercy! Don’t take her life!"

The Red-Brow Ghost King was truly a devoted lover, still thinking of Ghost Granny at a time like this and pleading loudly for her sake.

「Not long after.」

The big fat girl returned to Cloudstack Cave, dragging Ghost Granny behind her. Beaten half to death and barely breathing, she was casually tossed to the Red-Brow Ghost King.