Chen Zhou stood atop the Xianchi Building, looking into the distance. Only after seeing Gu San and Li Bushuo gradually take control of the drum tower did he lower his gaze. He held an iron chain in one hand, with the other end hanging over the railing. Wang Geng was desperately struggling to avoid being hanged.

Wang Geng tilted his head back, both hands clutching the chain, trying to relieve the strangling pressure on his neck. His bloodshot eyes looked at Chen Zhou, desperately conveying a plea for mercy.

He struggled to speak: “Chen Zhou… I… pig slave can take you… out…”

Chen Zhou said, “Then let’s go meet your Sage Ye together.”

He released his grip, and the chain slid down. Wang Geng fell from the sixth floor, crashing into the guards attempting to storm the Xianchi Building. Wang Geng clutched his neck, gasping for air.

After wiping the blood from her face, Wen Su came upstairs to find Chen Zhou. She stood quietly at the end of the corridor, waiting for him, still holding the wooden chopstick with which she had killed Xu Liangzhi.

Chen Zhou didn’t ask her anything, only saying: “Go find Gu San.”

The two walked downstairs one after another, heading toward the cliff wall entrance.

Cheng Jingbai ran through the flower beds, his long knife cutting off flower branches that fell scattered on the ground. Seeing Lin Xiao blocking guards for Li Bushuo at the drum tower, he shouted and threw the long knife over. Lin Xiao caught it firmly and slashed through the chains on his feet.

Many Earth Ghosts were already running toward the lowered passage, crossing the cliff and rushing toward the exit in the cliff wall.

Cheng Jingbai remembered that the tunnel was quite long but should be spacious inside. He wasn’t sure if there were guards along the way, but probably not—even the entrance to the cliff wall within the Sky Pit had no guards. They relied entirely on the guards and archers on the drum tower for patrol. As long as the passage bridge wasn’t lowered, no one from the Sky Pit could come across.

Usually, the checkpoint was only crowded with people when goods were being transported.

In short, the people guarding the entrance to the mountain outside had no idea what was happening inside the Sky Pit right now.

Cheng Jingbai ran quickly to the front, pushing back Earth Ghosts trying to escape, then kicking them behind him: “Sorry, you can’t go out yet. Wait until Ye Yuanqing arrives, then you can leave.”

He needed to be the first to run out to release the communication talisman without alerting the guards.

The guards at the mountain entrance were all cultivators. Perhaps because the Sky Pit’s ability to devour star power was so powerful and profound, even the guards constantly reminded themselves that they couldn’t use star power inside, and they dared not imagine if those inside could use it—the answer was impossible.

Cheng Jingbai ran breathlessly to the front section of the entrance. Hearing the commotion, the guards drew their swords and looked back, frowning when they saw Cheng Jingbai: “A slave?”

“By order of Star Lord Xu, I’ve come to give you the communication talisman to summon Sage Ye!” Cheng Jingbai handed over the talisman. “Inside, the Earth Ghosts are killing people indiscriminately. Many have died, and they can’t be contained anymore!”

Upon hearing this, the guards were both shocked and anxious. Everyone knew that Sage Ye recently needed the Sky Pit to rush deliveries. If more people died now, where would they find slaves to work and fill the vacancies? Judging by Sage Ye’s temperament, he would likely throw them all into work as well.

One guard took the communication talisman from Cheng Jingbai and began transmitting the message. Another guard was somewhat vigilant: “Why would Star Lord Xu send you?”

If not for seeing that the communication talisman was genuine, the guard would have cut him down with a sword long ago.

Cheng Jingbai wiped his face with his sleeve and said, “Star Lord Xu is injured and couldn’t come.”

The guard was shocked: “Who injured him?”

“The Earth Ghosts, of course.” Cheng Jingbai finished wiping his face and smiled up at the guard.

Something’s wrong!

Just as these three words flashed through the guard’s mind, he was already acting. As Cheng Jingbai rushed forward, seemingly trying to run outside, the guard thrust his sword. Cheng Jingbai had already reached the edge of the cave entrance, but fell motionless after the guard drew his sword.

“Something must have happened inside!” The guard who killed Cheng Jingbai turned to his companion.

His companion, who had just released the communication talisman, turned back irritably: “Of course, didn’t you just hear him say that the Earth Ghosts inside…”

Before he could finish speaking, the person lying on the ground suddenly flipped over, leaped up, seized the sword, and killed the man.

Because they had overlooked the possibility that the visitor might be an Earth Ghost, they gave Cheng Jingbai an opportunity. In the brief moment they ignored him, he could have killed these two men hundreds of times.

Cheng Jingbai stood under the moonlight, feeling the long-absent star power surrounding him. He swung his sword, severing the last guard’s head.

*

The communication talisman flew toward the bustling city streets.

It wasn’t too late yet. Fu Yuan and Black Fox Mask were chasing Gu Qi and the Phantom Tribe warrior Che Yin on the adjacent street. Tai Yi had cleared the area quickly and extensively. This large area showed only lights but no pedestrians.

Che Yin carried the unconscious Gu Qi, who had passed out from excessive blood loss, using Flash Shadow along the street wall. He glanced at the two Bei Dou disciples pursuing relentlessly behind him and clicked his tongue—a bit troublesome.

Fu Yuan’s Flash Shadow speed surprised Che Yin. He was certain that both of their body meridian enhancements were pushed to the extreme limit of 180 times, yet he was being chased more and more tightly. Not only was the distance not widening, but the pressure was increasing.

This guy was determined to capture them.

Consuming so much star power in pursuit—what could he do even if he caught up?

Just as Che Yin thought this, Fu Yuan accelerated again. His sword wind slashed past Che Yin’s face, forcing him to slow down, which gave Fu Yuan an opportunity. Flash Shadow brought him just three steps behind.

It seemed he needed to get serious or wouldn’t be able to escape!

Fu Yuan used Flash Shadow again, swinging his sword at Che Yin’s back. This deadly strike, carrying star power, hit Che Yin’s star power protective screen. The moment the light screen shattered, Che Yin turned back and shot out three ferocious star lines.

The star lines were so thin they were barely visible to the naked eye and almost pierced Fu Yuan’s heart as he nearly ran into them. But his reaction was quick—his sword blade cut through the star lines as he moved forward, creating visible sparks of star power that dissipated.

Che Yin once again widened the distance from Fu Yuan but had no time to catch his breath before feeling a sudden pressure from behind. Glancing back, Che Yin found himself surrounded by numerous sword-wielding shadows wearing black fox masks.

The Phantom Technique wasn’t unique to him alone.

Blade light flashed, cutting through star lines and attacking Che Yin, coordinating with Fu Yuan, who had reentered the fray, forcing Che Yin to retreat to a corner beneath the wall. Roof tiles on the street wall shattered and fell to the ground from the impact of the attacks.

Che Yin’s star lines shredded all the phantom black shadows, but he was also wounded by Fu Yuan’s sword intent, his left shoulder stained red with blood.

Fu Yuan gave him no time to breathe, using Flash Shadow to appear before Che Yin, using Eight Demonic Eyes to block his movement. When Che Yin turned to retreat, he encountered Black Fox Mask behind him.

The two Bei Dou members moved simultaneously, their killing intent permeating the air.

Che Yin’s expression grew solemn as he began to take the fight seriously. Black curse runes appeared on his arms, and star lines materialized from the ground, raising purple light screens as the two attacked with killing moves.

High-level Eight Meridian Formation: Heavenly Wall Protection.

Looking at Fu Yuan and Black Fox Mask blocked outside the heavenly wall, Che Yin raised an eyebrow: “As expected of Bei Dou disciples who survived the Bei Jing Gui Yuan battle—quite different from those useless young masters.”

Fu Yuan said harshly: “Hand the person over.”

“That’s not possible. He’s still useful,” Che Yin said regretfully. “If you two want to take him, you’ll have to ask my remaining brothers.”

Black Fox Mask was the first to react. As his phantom technique dispersed into layers of black shadows, he said: “Go.”

The phantom black shadows covered their retreat. The spot where they had been standing was now pounded into several large craters by body meridian spirit techniques and weapon star power. If they had moved more slowly, the two would have been smashed to pulp.

Fu Yuan, who had used Flash Shadow to reach another street wall with Black Fox Mask, looked up to see four or five Phantom Tribe warriors standing on the opposite wall.

The thirty-three tribes of Bei Jing Gui Yuan had somehow secretly infiltrated the inner city.

Che Yin carried Gu Qi toward his companions. Though it was just the short distance of a wall, he still received attacks from the Bei Dou disciples midway. He didn’t look back; all the killing moves were blocked by his companions.

“Don’t be angry. We’ll meet again,” Che Yin said, looking back at Fu Yuan after landing beside his companions and raising an eyebrow. “At that time, we’ll actively return this person to Bei Dou.”

“In the future, you’ll need to carefully distinguish between true and false. If you mistake identity again, it will deeply hurt your hearts, Bei Dou disciples.”

These final words were spoken with a half-smile that instantly increased Fu Yuan’s anger.

“Let’s go.”

After Che Yin finished speaking, the Phantom Tribe members on the street wall disappeared with Flash Shadow.

This time, they truly couldn’t be caught.

Fu Yuan held his sword, fuming silently. Although they now knew Chen Zhou’s whereabouts, they had allowed the imposter to escape from under their noses twice.

Black Fox Mask turned to look at the distant streets. The star power turmoil there could be felt even from here, showing the formidable power of the seven Life and Death Realm cultivators.

“Let’s go back first,” Black Fox Mask said.

*

After Ye Yuanqing gave the order to attack, the Tai Yi Seven Mansions moved simultaneously. Each person was struck with a killing move. The star power pressure released by the Life and Death Realm cultivators alone made Zhou Yi and others feel they couldn’t breathe, their legs trembling, unable to withstand the pressure, and about to kneel.

The Ye siblings, protected under Ye Yuanqing’s wings, didn’t feel this oppressive force.

Zhong Anqi looked toward Ming Li at the center of the storm, seeing her still standing straight and steady, without the slightest tremor, completely unaffected by the star power threat.

The stronger the star power pressure directed at Ming Li, the faster her Pilgrim’s Fire consumed it. The Tai Yi Seven Mansions had been warned by Ye Yuanqing and knew that pure star power attacks were ineffective against Ming Li, so they pointed killing incantations at her.

The killing incantation cast by Kui Mansion struck empty ground, creating a large crater. Dust flew, and shattered stones flew toward Ming Li, who was suspended in the air after using Flash Shadow. She had pushed her body meridian to the extreme limit, her figure flashing to avoid the killing incantation and landing on the roof of the wine house. But Tai Yi’s Angzhi Mansion had predicted her landing point and laid a killing formation on the ground. Star lines flashed, cutting off the band that bound her hair.

Shen Mansion, wielding a superior-grade divine weapon sword, cut off Ming Li’s aerial retreat path. Below waited Bi Mansion, while Wei Mansion bit his finger, flicking a drop of blood that transformed into countless phantom blood arrows raining down toward Ming Li.

“This can’t compare to your Divine Killing Arrow,” Wei Mansion said. “It may not kill Earth Ghosts, but it’s more than enough to kill someone at the Full Six Meridians Boundary.”

The blood arrows shattered Ming Li’s gold hairpin. Zhou Zixi, watching the battle from beneath the eaves, frowned.

The speed was too fast—even with the Eye Meridian pushed to its limit, it was difficult to see where the phantom blood arrows would come from.

Zhou Yi was protected behind his commander, but he anxiously wiped his palms with sweat for Ming Li, who was surrounded by the Tai Yi Seven Mansions. If she were defeated here, they would all be finished.

Ming Li cast precise and rapid qi circulation incantations to neutralize the incoming blood arrows. However, there were too many to handle completely. Blood arrows grazed her cheeks and arms, and with Shen Mansion coordinating with the blood arrows, sword energy knocked her from the high building.

Ye Yuanqing, who had been watching the situation carefully for an opportunity, now drew his sword. His sword light was fierce, the sword cry roaring like a tiger, intimidating all beings, full of killing intent. It was so powerful that Zhou Yi and others raised their hands and turned their heads to avoid it. But just after shooting his flying sword, he regretted it.

This should have been a fatal strike.

Zhou Zixi raised an eyebrow as he watched Ming Li, knocked from the high building, fall into a crater on the ground. Yet Ye Yuanqing’s killing sword was caught by Ming Li’s hand. Although she looked disheveled, she wasn’t defeated by this attack. Blood seeped from her hand, cut by the sword blade, dripping onto her skirt and spreading, but star power surrounded her, repairing her body, which had been severely injured by the Pilgrim’s powerful strike.

Because she had just advanced to the Full Seven Meridians Boundary.

Ye Yuanqing retrieved his sword, expressionless.

Ming Li glanced at him, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and stood up, saying: “It seems you were in a hurry. Well, shall we continue?”

Continuing the fight might directly propel her to the Full Eight Meridians Boundary.

The others were confused by Ming Li’s sudden advancement to Full Seven Meridians. What kind of cultivation speed was this?

Ye Yuanqing felt somewhat annoyed. He had thought she was showing weakness because she couldn’t withstand the Tai Yi Seven Mansions, but he hadn’t expected that she had deliberately only dodged without attacking to lure him into action.

“Sage, Ye need not be anxious. She won’t have another chance,” Shen Mansion said solemnly. “If she feigns weakness again to provoke you to act, it would prove she truly can’t match us and needs to find a breakthrough through you.”

Ming Li raised her hand, grabbed the last blood arrow, and crushed it. She smiled at Shen Mansion: “You think you’re so clever?”

At that moment, Ye Yuanqing received the communication talisman from the Sky Pit. His brows furrowed slightly. After crushing the talisman, he looked at Ming Li and said solemnly, “Since that’s the case, I’ll leave this to you.”

He looked at Zhong Anqi, whose back was turned to him, and said quietly: “Anqi, I hope that when I return, you will have completed what you should have done.”

Zhong Anqi’s back stiffened, and he replied in a muffled voice with his head lowered: “Yes.”

“Father!” Ye Yiyi looked toward Ye Yuanqing, but he didn’t turn back, and she was blocked by Bi Mansion.

Ming Li also watched Ye Yuanqing disappear with Flash Shadow, raising an eyebrow slightly. Why did he leave?

“Senior Sister,” Zhou Zixi, who had been watching the battle, called out to her. “If you can handle this situation, don’t turn around, and don’t respond to me.”

Ming Li didn’t turn around or respond to him.

Zhou Zixi looked at her with calm eyes, then disappeared into the darkness.

Only after her junior fellow disciple left did Ming Li glance at the position where he had been. She raised her hand to touch her braided hair, which had been scattered by the Tai Yi Seven Mansions, and said seriously: “Since Ye Yuanqing isn’t here, I won’t waste time playing with you.”

*

Ye Yuanqing hurried toward the Sky Pit.

His Flash Shadow speed brought him from the bustling market to the forest edge in the blink of an eye. The mountain was filled with overlapping shadows. Having just suffered a small setback with Ming Li, Ye Yuanqing was more cautious than usual, stopping to take a second look at things he would normally ignore.

Like the black shadows reflected on the ground in the mountain.

Ye Yuanqing stopped, holding his sword and walking toward the tree shadows reflected in the moonlight by the stream.

At first glance, they were just shadows of the trees. As the night wind blew, a rustling sound could be heard, and the shadows on the ground swayed accordingly. But when he slashed with his sword, he sent an Earth Ghost hiding within flying.

Zhou Xiang, wounded by the sword energy, groaned and fell to the ground after hitting a tree trunk. As she struggled to rise, Ye Yuanqing slashed again.

A human-shaped black mist materialized from the void, raising a hand to block the sword. Without looking back, it said quietly: “Go.”

Zhou Xiang clutched her wound. Though concerned about him, she dared not delay for a moment and fled using Flash Shadow.

Ye Yuanqing stared at the black mist, his expression increasingly solemn.