Chapter 138: Chapter 137: Soul-Stabilizing Seal

Gu Zhao’s tone was light, but to Qiao Yunyao, his words dripped with sarcasm.

She had only arrived in Xiuyue County two weeks ago. She’d been hiding out at the Zhenxiang Courtyard, absorbing Yang Qi while refining the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner she had recently acquired.

As a Female Ghost who fed on the Yang Qi of men, it was only natural that the more handsome her targets, the better. That way, she could enjoy herself while she did her Cultivation—a win-win situation.

If she came across someone particularly easy on the eyes, she wouldn’t mind capturing his soul directly into her Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner to enjoy day after day.

And so, the handsome and distinguished-looking Gu Zhao had caught her eye. With a little bit of seduction, she sent him a handkerchief embroidered with her name to lure him to her.

She was confident in her charms. Back in Changye County and Changping Prefecture, no man she set her sights on had ever been able to refuse her. From arrogant, talented Scholars to doting family men, they all fell at her feet.

As it turned out, she had been right. He had indeed come, and on the very same day.

The situation, however, was not quite what she had anticipated.

For one, she hadn’t expected someone from Stone King Cave to find her. For another, she hadn’t expected this Scholar to be a master in his own right.

But the man in green jumped in alarm when he heard Gu Zhao speak. He shot a wary glance at him, already preparing to flee.

Then he saw Gu Zhao’s gaze land with great interest on the Soul-Stabilizing Seal in his hand. "This seal can actually suppress Divine Soul and Ghost Qi. It’s quite extraordinary."

The man in green quickly clenched the Soul-Stabilizing Seal in his fist. He glared at Gu Zhao, baring his teeth as his four canines slowly elongated. "This is my master’s greatest treasure! How dare you covet it? Aren’t you afraid my master will flay you alive, then perform Soul Refining and Soul Capturing on you?"

"I am," Gu Zhao nodded. "Which is why, in addition to the Soul-Stabilizing Seal, you’ll be staying as well."

A glint flashed in Qiao Yunyao’s eyes. A foot-tall Black Banner appeared in her hand, and with a slight shake, it gathered all the Ghost Qi in the building. She then turned to Gu Zhao with a captivating smile. "You are so gentle and considerate, sir. Yunyao is eternally grateful. However, the Soul-Stabilizing Seal in my third senior brother’s hand is a great treasure of the Stone King. You must be careful, sir!"

"You slut! That’s what you said when you slept with my martial brothers and me!"

The man in green roared in fury and activated the Soul-Stabilizing Seal. A wave of spiritual energy enveloped him. "When Second Senior Brother gets here, we’ll kill you and your lover boy both!"

Qiao Yunyao curtsied toward the floor below once more. "You’ll have to get past him first."

With that, Qiao Yunyao gave a light smile, turned leisurely, and started back toward her room.

She had only taken two steps, however, when a translucent screen of light rippled into existence before her. It reacted with the Magical Power in her body, blocking her path.

Qiao Yunyao stopped short, her eyes wide with shock. Then she heard a cold, clear voice. "Great Dragon-locking Talisman. It seals the world within. Nothing gets in or out." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Qiao Yunyao turned to see the woman who had been sitting silently beside Gu Zhao finally speak, her entire being radiating a sinister, cold Yin Qi.

"You’re a Ghost too?" Qiao Yunyao asked in surprise, then turned to Gu Zhao. "So you two are a couple in Harmony. It seems I’ve been too forward."

Seeing that neither of them denied it, Qiao Yunyao’s eyes darted about, and she immediately forced a smile. "I apologize, sister. But we have no quarrel with each other. Why must you be so aggressive?"

Pointing to the man in green on the second floor, Qiao Yunyao said with a smile, "The Soul-Stabilizing Seal can stabilize souls and control spirits; it’s the ultimate counter to Ghosts. It won’t be easy for you to get it, sister. But if you had my help..."

"You slut!" the man in green cursed. "That is Master’s greatest treasure, meant to be used against the Golden Wind Divine King! You dare conspire with outsiders to steal it?"

Gu Zhao’s eyes lit up instantly. He clapped his hands and grinned. "Well, what a coincidence."

Zhuo Qingyan smiled as well, nodding. "A coincidence indeed."

As Qiao Yunyao and the man in green both turned to look at him, Gu Zhao finally rose to his feet. Tapping his folding fan against his palm, he said, "I think I’ve figured things out. And there’s even a pleasant surprise. It’s time to make our move."

Zhuo Qingyan said, "The Soul-Stabilizing Seal counters me to some extent. I’ll deal with the one on the upper floor."

Gu Zhao gestured for her to proceed.

A Jade Flute slid from Zhuo Qingyan’s sleeve. Her body grew light, and she floated through the air to the fourth floor, thrusting the tip of the Jade Flute toward Qiao Yunyao’s chest.

Seeing the chillingly sharp Magical Power radiating from Zhuo Qingyan, Qiao Yunyao didn’t dare to meet the attack head-on. She shook the Black Banner in her hand, and dozens of black shadows shot out, unleashing gusts of eerie wind and ghostly wails as they charged at Zhuo Qingyan.

Zhuo Qingyan, however, simply waved her left hand, and a misty vapor appeared. She brought the Jade Flute to her lips, and in the next moment, music flowed forth. It completely suppressed the surrounding ghostly cries and shrieks, even penetrating Qiao Yunyao’s ears to strike directly at her Divine Soul.

Meanwhile, seeing Zhuo Qingyan go upstairs and leave Gu Zhao alone, a look of savage glee appeared in the eyes of the man in green, mixed with jealousy and bitter hatred.

He had understood what just happened.

’Qiao Yunyao and that man might know each other, but they aren’t on the same side. On the contrary, that slut who gets hot for any man she sees accidentally took a liking to this pretty boy, which started a conflict with his Female Ghost partner! However... now that the Female Ghost is off fighting Qiao Yunyao, all that’s left is a pretty boy who only became a Mage by forming a Harmony with her. For me, isn’t that a free kill?’

’And he dared to mock me! Die!’

Facing a mere Human Mage, the man in green didn’t even bother with the Soul-Stabilizing Seal. He stuffed the Little Seal back into his robes and lunged forward, his fingernails suddenly elongating as he clawed for Gu Zhao’s heart.

"Boy, I’m going to eat your heart, piece by piece!"

SWOOSH—

Gu Zhao used his folding fan as a sword, its tip aimed straight at the man’s palm. A stream of True Qi shot forth—pure, immense, and righteous—tearing through the Ghost Qi in its path. The approaching Sword Qi made the man in green tremble.

The man’s eyes flew open in shock. He could feel no Yin Qi or Ghost Qi on Gu Zhao at all. In fact, his Magical Power seemed to be a natural counter to his own.

"You’re not in a Harmony!"

The man in green cried out in alarm. His palm, now hard as diamond and shrouded in a layer of Corpse Qi, grabbed for the folding fan. But the moment he made contact, a flash of purple light erupted from his palm.

BOOM!

"AARGH!"

The man in green shrieked and staggered back, his hand blown to a mangled mess, splattering yellowish-green pus everywhere.

"So you’re a Corpse Ghost," Gu Zhao said, shaking his head. He withdrew his folding fan and held up his left palm.

Palm Thunder!

At such a close distance, the man in green had no room to dodge. He was struck by the Palm Thunder again, and his Corpse Qi dissipated as he sustained a serious injury. In a panic, he fumbled inside his robes for the Soul-Stabilizing Seal.

But just as he pulled out the seal, a spark of firelight enveloped the Soul-Stabilizing Seal, forming a fiery net that snatched it away.

The man in green’s eyes nearly burst from their sockets. He lunged for it, but another flash of purple light filled his vision. At the same time, a clear voice rang out, "If I weren’t worried the Palm Thunder would damage the Soul-Stabilizing Seal, do you think I would have bothered with all this?"