Chapter 160: Suppressing The Ghost Face
Previously, Ning Qi was in Cangzhou. As soon as he sensed the fluctuations from the Gang Yuan Sword Seed’s eruption, he immediately rushed over here. Along the way, he exerted himself to the utmost, his speed reaching the extreme, all because he feared something unacceptable might happen.
He was extremely anxious in his heart. If he had originally been on True Martial Mountain, he would have arrived long ago, but now he was in Cangzhou, which was much farther away.
Fortunately.
He finally made it.
Seeing that Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua looked miserable but had no life-threatening danger, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Ning Qi flashed in front of the two, his Gang Qi instantly turning into gentle vitality. From a distance, it was already infused into their bodies. Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua, who had been nearly depleted, immediately perked up, like heavenly nectar descending, instantly escaping danger.
With Ning Qi’s Myriad Manifestations Gang Qi, the healing effect was even better than that of Gang Qi specialized in this path.
Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua were completely stunned, as if in a dream.
“Little Nine… you really are Little Nine?” Jiang Baishan murmured to himself. In his moment of despair, another junior brother had come, and it was one he could never have imagined. He had clearly perceived the fluctuations when Ning Qi just treaded the air moments ago—this was clearly the Heavenly Human Realm!
But Ning Qi was actually a Heavenly Human Realm expert?
This made him somewhat unable to believe it. Before, Qin Yun stepping into the Heavenly Human Realm expert had already shocked them enough, but Ning Qi was only eleven years old!
Ning Qi’s voice was gentle:
“Fifth Senior Brother, it’s me. Don’t speak first. I’ll heal you two, and then you can slowly tell me what happened. Fifth Sister-in-law’s child in her belly has a weakening aura. Stabilize his condition first.”
There was killing intent in his eyes. He probed and found their bodies riddled with countless injuries. If he had arrived even a bit later, they might have been worked to death alive. Especially when he sensed the faint, thread-like little life in Lin Ruhua’s body, his joy was accompanied by even stronger killing intent.
To force his Fifth Senior Brother into such a state—if this enmity was not repaid, it would truly be intolerable by heaven and earth.
But at this moment.
After his daze, Jiang Baishan finally reacted. Ning Qi’s Gang Qi surged in, finally allowing him to catch his breath. He opened his eyes, his eye sockets instantly turning red. He gripped Ning Qi’s hands tightly, his voice hoarse:
“Little Nine, go help Little Eight quickly! Go now!”
“No, don’t worry about us first. Go back quickly and ask Heavenly Sword True Person to come!”
Ning Qi’s heart jolted. Although he didn’t know what change had occurred, why it suddenly involved that Eighth Senior Brother he hadn’t seen for a long time, just hearing Jiang Baishan’s shrill roar told him they had encountered an extraordinary enemy.
He thought for a moment and already knew what had happened, starting to feel nervous.
Without the slightest hesitation.
Ning Qi waved his hand, and vast Heaven and Earth Power immediately enveloped the two.
“Fifth Senior Brother, give me directions. We’ll talk on the way!”
His cultivation was astonishing. While carrying the two at extreme speed in flight, he also infused Gang Qi to heal them, not wasting any time at all. He knew the situation was urgent, not wasting a single moment.
Jiang Baishan was extremely anxious, but before he could say anything, he found the three of them had already shot into the high sky.
“Yan Mountain! Go to Yan Mountain quickly! Little Eight is battling the Demonic Sect’s Ghost Face Vice Sect Master! He’s very strong, probably not inferior to Heart-Seeking Sword!” His speech was extremely fast. Since Ning Qi had decided to go himself first, there would be no more delay.
Ning Qi, however, breathed a sigh of relief.
If it was just around the level of Heart-Seeking Sword, then simple.
Now he just hoped Qin Yun could hold on a bit longer.
Jiang Baishan adjusted his breathing and began recounting what had happened before. As he slowly spoke, Ning Qi’s gaze gradually turned cold and stern. He let out a light hum:
“What a Demonic Sect, truly seeking death!”
He erupted with full power. Even while carrying the two, his speed was far faster than ordinary Heavenly Human Realm experts by a wide margin.
Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua observed carefully. Just from this detail, they realized Ning Qi’s strength probably far exceeded their imagination. The two couldn’t help but think of the terrifying Sword Qi in those two jade pendants before. Originally, they thought those were two strands of Sword Qi Ning Qi had obtained from Heavenly Sword True Person.
But now it seemed, probably not.
A shocking conjecture gradually emerged in their minds. If not for the wrong timing, they would even be unable to resist asking about the jade pendants.
But this was good news.
It meant Qin Yun was saved!
Jiang Baishan’s pale complexion was gradually improving. He took a deep breath, his eyes full of worry. At this moment, he only hoped Qin Yun could hold on. If Qin Yun died because of saving the two of them, he would feel guilty for a lifetime.
“Little Eight, you must stay alive!” Jiang Baishan’s gaze was full of determination.
Ning Qi’s gaze was also cold.
From the beginning, he had no intention of blaming Qin Yun. The events of that year were just a momentary lapse. From start to finish, Qin Yun had never done anything to harm True Martial Sect. He always remembered that when he first arrived at True Martial Mountain, Qin Yun treated him the best.
Actually, during the True Martial Sect assessment tournament, he and Luo Wentian had already guessed the identity of the messenger, but they just didn’t say it.
Now knowing Qin Yun was in dire straits, he was naturally anxious.
Ning Qi erupted with full power, his speed reaching the extreme, leaving an obvious trail across the sky.
…
Yan Mountain.
The rumbling of the mountains continued, waves of Heaven and Earth Power fluctuations extremely intense. Mountain stones shattered, even the several hidden Beast Kings tacitly choosing to stay away. It was best not to get involved in such a battle between human experts.
Ghost Face Vice Sect Master’s annoyed voice rang out:
“Qin Yun, do you really want to die?”
He never imagined he would be held back by Qin Yun for so long. This made him feel very humiliated. The eyes under the Bronze Ghost Mask were filled with anger. He was no longer as relaxed as before; his sleeve robe was torn at one section, and even the Bronze Ghost Mask had several scratches.
He was both angry and shocked.
Angry that Qin Yun had posed a threat to him, shocked that Qin Yun’s comprehension of the Sad White Hair Secret Technique had actually surpassed the master, exceeding himself.
However.
Qin Yun now looked far more miserable.
His originally handsome face was now covered in ravines, white hair disheveled, aged and decrepit, nearly withered, as if a gust of wind would extinguish his flame of life. He coughed up blood repeatedly, his voice hoarse:
“What’s there to fear in death? Just seeking peace of mind.”
A smile rose in his eyes, the pent-up depression of five years dissipating completely in this moment.
He didn’t know how much longer he could hold on, purely relying on willpower to persist. He knew the longer he held, the better chance his Fifth Senior Brother had to escape.
“Come on!” A roar rang out. Qin Yun stirred the remaining demonic power in his body and charged out again proactively.
His body was old, but his heart was not. With the invincible aura of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats, completely reckless of life.
Ghost Face secretly cursed madman.
He didn’t want to use the Sad White Hair Secret Technique over such a trivial matter. A Heavenly Human Realm’s eight hundred years of lifespan was plentiful, but if used in every major battle, he feared his lifespan would have long been nearly exhausted. Now he just needed to wait for Qin Yun to burn through his own lifespan. But he didn’t expect Qin Yun to be so tenacious.
Time slowly passed.
The commotion of their battle finally gradually diminished.
No matter how much lifespan, there is a time when it burns out.
The black demonic aura around Qin Yun also grew thinner, his power rapidly weakening.
With Ghost Face’s rich experience, he immediately noticed this. He sneered and struck fiercely, sweeping horizontally through the air. A black fist imprint descended like a meteorite.
“Boom!”
Amid the violent tremor.
Qin Yun spat blood and flew backward. His entire body cracked open, bloody, with white bones protruding from his flesh, looking extremely gruesome.
He struggled to counterattack.
But every clash made him even more miserable. With his power waning, he was no match for Ghost Face at all. His fleshly body could no longer endure, gradually breaking down.
Qin Yun’s eyes dimmed.
He knew his momentum was lost.
In this instant.
Countless scenes flashed through his mind: bits and pieces of True Martial Mountain, the faces and smiles of many senior brothers and his master. He seemed to see Dragon Mountain Daoist smiling at him.
“Master… your disciple is unfilial, disappointing you.”
His heart ached, old tears streaming down.
The scene shifted again, finally a clear, peerlessly beautiful face flashed by, making him sigh inwardly. Perhaps only in the next life. The only consolation was that he had bid her farewell before coming.
“Only now do you know regret? Too late!” Ghost Face’s sinister voice rang out.
Qin Yun slowly closed his eyes.
Endless pain came from all over his body. With his lifespan burned out, even without Ghost Face acting, he had no chance of survival. The secret technique’s backlash had arrived.
“Thud!”
Another thud, Qin Yun’s aged body fell to the ground like a broken sack.
Before he could struggle.
Ghost Face’s long boot already stomped on his chest, continuously crushing. Flesh and blood exploded, even bones snapped.
“Thing courting death!”
Looking at the miserable Qin Yun, Ghost Face cursed coldly.
Qin Yun just kept coughing blood, laughing miserably, saying nothing. His eyes drooped, vitality fading at an astonishing speed, finally no longer moving.
Ghost Face’s anger gradually dissipated.
He had wanted to stomp Qin Yun into mincemeat, leaving no intact corpse, but in the end, he softened. He recalled the scene when he first met Qin Yun. Back then, he felt Qin Yun had deep demonic nature, a talent worth shaping, and later brought him into the Demonic Sect.
Afterward, Qin Yun’s performance indeed satisfied him, step by step becoming a trusted aide, and later creating a miracle returning from the Blood Demon Pool.
It could be said.
During that period, he truly valued Qin Yun and had seriously considered supporting him to the Holy Son position. Besides valuing Qin Yun’s worth, he also appreciated his ruthlessness. Of course, there was one most important reason he never told anyone: Qin Yun resembled his late son somewhat.
“What a pity, you’re disloyal to me.” Ghost Face said coldly, “If you were smarter, how would it come to this?”
Looking at Qin Yun who no longer had any breath, he finally moved his boot away.
Having known each other, he ultimately decided to leave Qin Yun an intact corpse.
Ghost Face’s various emotions were mixed, finally exhaling long to calm them.
He waved his hand slightly.
Heaven and Earth Power swept over, and a bottomless pit immediately appeared. He thought, perhaps dig a grave for Qin Yun to avoid him being eaten by exotic beasts.
Qin Yun’s corpse fell into the pit, soon a new grave appeared, with power flowing on it. Ordinary exotic beasts wouldn’t dare approach.
Ghost Face stared at the grave before him, lost in thought.
Moments later.
He turned to leave.
Qin Yun was dead, but Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua still needed to be captured.
But just as he moved his foot, he instinctively looked up.
Only to see in the sky.
Astonishing fluctuations came. A young Daoist carrying two people flew over, so fast his pupils subconsciously contracted. He didn’t recognize that young Daoist, but the two behind were very familiar— who else but Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua?
“Reinforcements?” Ghost Face let out a sinister low laugh.
He had just wanted to pursue, but unexpectedly these two returned. Though they brought a seemingly strong young Daoist, he wasn’t afraid. This saved him a lot of trouble.
Jiang Baishan heard Ghost Face’s mocking laughter, his eyes nearly splitting. He looked at the new grave in the distance and roared in grief and anger:
“Ghost Face, where is my Eighth Senior Brother! Where is he!”
Ghost Face sneered, just stomping his boot on the grave mound.
“For the sake of Qin Yun serving under me for many years, I left him an intact corpse and built a grave. That’s benevolence to the utmost.”
Hearing this, Jiang Baishan felt the world spinning, rage blood rushing to his head.
“You! You deserve to die!”
Originally he still held a sliver of luck, but now, only hatred and grief.
Ning Qi’s face showed no expression, his heart also sorrowful.
“I’ll leave you an intact corpse too.”
A low murmur carrying sorrow rang out.
Ghost Face’s pupils suddenly contracted. As the young Daoist opposite finished speaking, vast and majestic Heaven and Earth Power had already gathered. Not only that, an unparalleled Sword Intent rose. In an instant, endless sharpness pierced from the surrounding mountain stones and vegetation. Ghost Face felt bone-chilling cold all over, completely losing his previous ease.
His voice was like seeing a ghost:
“You… you’re Heavenly Sword True Person?!”
But Ning Qi didn’t answer. With a wave of his hand, Heavenly Swords condensed one after another. Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua were stunned. The most impossible possibility became reality. The two were somewhat dazed.
Under the endless sharpness suppression, the Bronze Mask on Ghost Face’s face had already shattered, revealing his true appearance. Unexpectedly, not some ugly monster, but rather handsome, vaguely resembling Qin Yun by three parts.
Ghost Face roared.
Power in his body rapidly surged. In the face of life-and-death crisis, he too used the Sad White Hair Secret Technique.
Just like Qin Yun before, his face rapidly aged. Though he didn’t burn all remaining lifespan in one go, facing such a terrifying enemy, he didn’t dare underestimate. He had only one thought: escape, quickly escape!
Unfortunately.
Facing the current Ning Qi, it was like an ant trying to stop a chariot, utterly vulnerable.
Under Ning Qi’s angry strike.
Heavenly Swords whistled down in suppression, vast pressure spreading around. Even Ghost Face, who used the secret technique to amplify power, had no power to resist. Black fist imprints all turned to dust before the Heavenly Swords.
“How… how is this possible?” Ghost Face’s eyes bulged, unable to believe.
Only when a Heavenly Sword pierced his chest, sealing all power in his body, did he gradually sober up. Looking at Ning Qi, his gaze was full of fear.
“How can there be such a powerful Heavenly Human Realm in the world?” Ghost Face nearly suffocated. In one exchange, he was gravely injured. If not for Ning Qi holding back, he would have been instantly killed.
This power made him involuntarily think of… Martial Saint.
He coughed blood continuously, his soul trembling.
“This is Heavenly Sword True Person’s true appearance?” Looking at Ning Qi’s excessively young handsome face and that incredibly vigorous vitality, his heart shook. He would rather believe Heavenly Sword True Person was an old monster who returned to youth than believe he was really a young person.
But he had just heard Jiang Baishan’s call. Jiang Baishan called Heavenly Sword True Person Ninth Junior Brother.
This discovery gave him a dizzying sense of the world spinning.
At this moment.
Everything was calm.
Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua had long been dumbfounded. They thought there would be an earth-shattering battle, but unexpectedly it was a crushing defeat. The Demonic Sect Vice Sect Master, enough to make them despair and suffocate, had no resistance at all before Ning Qi.
The impact of the scene before them turned them almost into statues.
Ning Qi’s gaze was ice-cold.
He held back not out of softness, but because this Demonic Sect Vice Sect Master, as a high-level figure, surely knew some secrets. Perhaps he could follow the vine to find intelligence on the Demonic Sect Martial Saint’s secret land. It wouldn’t be late to kill after squeezing out all value.
But right now, there was something more important to do.
He took a deep breath, with some hope, and dug open Qin Yun’s grave.
Unless he saw Qin Yun dead with his own eyes, he absolutely wouldn’t believe it.
