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The doors of Jiuli Temple were still tightly shut. Rumor had it that the temple was bustling with incense and worshippers, with a constant stream of people coming to offer their respects. Qingli and Xue Nan arrived early, so they hadn’t seen anyone yet.
Xue Nan turned to Qingli and asked, “Li Jie, should we knock?”
Qingli looked around the temple, noting its sturdy construction.
“Yes, knock on the door,” she replied.
“Let’s go in openly and have a look around.”
Xue Nan nodded and immediately knocked on the door.
The door soon opened, revealing a man in a Taoist robe. He looked at the two with a neutral expression and said, “Distinguished guests, it’s still early, and our temple is not yet open. However, you may come in and rest. The main hall will open in half an hour.”
Qingli nodded, and the two followed the man inside.
Jiuli Temple was vast, with numerous courtyards, all arranged from low to high, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Qingli addressed the Taoist, “This is my first time here. I’m curious. Can I wander around a bit?”
The Taoist replied, “You’re welcome to explore the front courtyards, but the upper levels are the private domain of our master. You are not allowed to go there.”
Qingli nodded, assuring him that she would stay in the front courtyards.
The Taoist then went about his business, seemingly unconcerned about the two wandering around.
There were many Taoists in the temple, coming and going. Some were chopping wood, others were practicing water-based exercises, and still others were engaged in early morning training. The place was bustling with activity.
As Qingli wandered, her figure vanished without a trace. When the Taoists noticed her absence and inquired, Xue Nan said she was feeling unwell and had gone to the restroom.
Soon, the temple doors swung open, and the other worshippers arrived. The Taoists were busy greeting their guests and forgot about Qingli.
Qingli made her way towards the forbidden back courtyard. Upon discovering the presence of an array, she understood why the Taoist had only warned her against going there, instead of closely guarding her. It was because the array acted as a barrier, preventing ordinary people from entering.
However, these arrays were child’s play for Qingli. With a few casual movements, she easily bypassed them.
If the master of Jiuli Temple had been present, he would have sensed that someone had tampered with his array. Unfortunately, he was away and unable to perceive it.
The courtyard within the array was deserted. Qingli moved freely within it, casually pushing open several doors and searching for the secret manual her master had mentioned. But after searching for a long time, she found nothing but ordinary books.
Unsuccessful in her search, Qingli moved to another courtyard. The array here was more powerful, but it was still a breeze for her.
However, upon entering, she realized something was different. Black energy permeated the air, and a thick, cold miasma filled the surroundings, creating an atmosphere as chilling as being submerged in an icy lake.
Qingli’s interest was piqued. She approached a building, and the closer she got, the more she sensed the overwhelming Yin energy. She took out a defensive talisman and placed it close to her body. Then, she gently pushed open the door. In an instant, a powerful force surged towards her. Qingli quickly dodged out of the way and turned to see a ball of thick black mist, within which a figure seemed to be lurking, but its features were obscured.
This thing seemed like a ghost, but not quite. Qingli was curious. She drew her short sword and plunged it into the black mist. As she approached, the mist dissipated. Just as she was puzzled, she suddenly felt the same powerful force coming from behind. Instead of dodging, Qingli drew a Ghost-Extinguishing Talisman and met the force head-on.
With a howl of agony, the black mist scattered, and the figure within gradually revealed its face. It was a deathly pale face with sharp fangs bared, and its eyes, filled with disbelief, stared at Qingli.
“Who are you?”
The ghost asked, its voice filled with confusion. It was baffled by this person’s strength and origin.
Qingli chuckled, “And who are you?”
The ghost’s eyes narrowed, “Are you a sorceress?”
Qingli nodded, “Yes, a sorceress specializing in dealing with your kind, evil spirits. You’re about to face your end, so prepare to be consumed by flames.”
Such ghosts were beyond the possibility of reincarnation, leaving only the option of annihilation.
The ghost snarled, “You can’t kill me.”
Qingli’s energy was incredibly alluring to them, a delicacy that could enhance their cultivation by hundreds of years, propelling them to the next level.
However, the ghost knew that Qingli wasn’t easily consumed. That Ghost-Extinguishing Talisman had nearly taken half its life force.
Qingli inquired, “Why are you here? Did Li Jiuhua place you here? Did he gather this resentment and Yin energy for you to absorb, to strengthen you? Are you his pet ghost?”
The ghost was surprised that Qingli had guessed correctly. It felt that Qingli’s energy was not only delicious but also dangerously unpredictable.
When a ghost encounters a sorceress, there’s only the option of fighting to the death.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the courtyard, flinging open all the doors. Countless black shadows surged forth, each with an aura comparable to the first ghost, no less powerful.
Qingli was astonished at the sight of these shadows. No wonder the place was so cold. It was teeming with these sinister ghosts, remnants of twisted cultivation practices. Thankfully, she had entered, for if a regular person had stepped into this courtyard, they would have been dead before even crossing the threshold.
Now, Qingli understood why Li Jiuhua had been banished from the Seven Mystic Sect. He was a deviant, engaging in wicked and forbidden practices, rightfully deserving his expulsion.
All the black mists converged upon Qingli, challenging her with overwhelming force.
Fortunately, she possessed a treasure of the Seven Mystic Sect. Qingli drew a jet-black bead and muttered a few incantations. The bead emitted a brilliant radiance, and instantly, the black mists began to dissipate. All the ghosts revealed their true forms, their eyes wide with terror as they gazed upon the bead, unable to move. Then, the bead’s glow grew scorching hot, setting ablaze all the ghosts it touched. The tormented spirits howled in agony, their faces contorted in pain as their souls were consumed by flames. Their spectral bodies were slowly burnt to ashes, vanishing like smoke.
Qingli watched with a smile. No matter how many malevolent spirits there were, they would vanish under the power of this Netherworld Bead. It contained the Netherworld Fire, which could burn all things. The Netherworld Bead could also devour the souls of all living beings and purify all evil energy, summoning countless ghosts.
This was the most prized possession of the Seven Mystic Sect, passed down only to the successive sect leaders.
After incinerating the ghostly beings, Qingli retracted the Netherworld Bead and entered the building.
Inside, various objects served as these ghosts’ physical containers. There were jade pendants dug up from graves, beads, basins, even coffins, all imbued with the utmost Yin energy. These ghosts’ souls usually resided within these objects.
Qingli took action, destroying these objects, burning them to ashes. As she gazed at the flames, she thought, “This courtyard should also be burned, to completely eradicate these dark energies. Otherwise, if they seep into people, they will cause harm.”
With this thought, she added more fuel to the fire, setting the entire courtyard ablaze. When the flames were raging, she left. The Taoists, realizing that a fire had broken out in the back courtyard, were struck with panic. They rushed to put out the fire, only to discover that it was the courtyard their master had forbidden everyone from entering. They were instantly on high alert, frantically trying to extinguish the flames.