Chapter 124: The Youth Embracing the Bell

This was all thanks to the wisdom seal of the Great Radiance Immeasurable Immortal Art combined with the Eye of the Yellow Springs. Under the dual enhancement of these two, Xu Cheng was able to comprehend this so rapidly. Otherwise, even he could not have grasped and successfully integrated it in such a short time.

The current state of the two is known as a Primordial Spirit Dharma Form. However, after Xu Cheng merged with his own Dharma Form, a tremendous change occurred in his overall appearance. Originally, the Dharma Form’s face resembled a mortal’s, but as Xu Cheng merged into it, his skin melted away, and streams of black flames erupted from within. Ultimately, he transformed into a massive skeleton wreathed in black flames, though his black robe remained unchanged.

Ji Bairong’s pupils contracted sharply, and she murmured, "The most basic application of a Dharma Form is simply summoning it. Elevating it to the next level by merging with it is called a Primordial Spirit Dharma Form. If a cultivator can grasp the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, the appearance of their Primordial Spirit Dharma Form will change according to the characteristics of those truths! Could it be..."

Seeing the other party momentarily dazed, Xu Cheng took the opportunity to familiarize himself with his "new body." His Dharma Form, which had previously carried a trace of ethereal immortal essence, now signaled his identity as a denizen of the Underworld. Waving his bony claws, Xu Cheng ignored everything else and, trailing waves of black flame, lunged at Ji Bairong.

"I didn't ambush you, yet you come to ambush me!" Sensing the gusts of black wind, Ji Bairong snapped back to reality and cried out in resentment, blocking Xu Cheng's strike with her wings.

The two touched and immediately separated. It was, after all, hellfire; once touched, Ji Bairong had to expend a great deal of vital energy to scrub her wings clean before they returned to normal.

"Are you saying we should just let the one who devours the people of the Cangshan Sword Sect and the town residents go free?" Xu Cheng believed this to be the truth.

"Cangshan Sword Sect? It seems you haven't grasped the situation yet, pinning the blame for eating so many people on this young lady! It is the Black Lotus Sect that releases the demon patterns to claim lives. The people of the Cangshan Sword Sect only came to 'exorcise demons' as a mere formality; in secret, the two are in league, both serving the Xia Dynasty! I am the only ghost cultivator in this vicinity, so you just want to pin the blame on me?" At the end, Ji Bairong let out a cold snort.

If the facts were as she claimed, she had indeed been wronged. However, it was impossible to judge the truth for the moment.

"What, you don't believe me?"

Ji Bairong’s brow furrowed, a surge of anger brewing.

"I am indeed skeptical, but I have a method to prove your innocence!" Xu Cheng said quickly. The Eye of the Yellow Springs had the ability to peer into destiny; whether it was Ji Bairong’s doing would be clear at a glance.

"That would be wonderful. If you find out the truth, you must clarify my innocence—it would be best if you told the world I am a fairy! Otherwise, if I can't do anything to you, I'll go find my master, the Heavenly Capital Ghost King, and make you pay!" The joy on Ji Bairong’s face flashed and vanished.

The Heavenly Capital Ghost King! Xu Cheng forced a bitter smile. He had heard of the man’s fearsome reputation at the Celestial Master Path; he was a veteran Ghost King who had survived nine baptisms of heavenly lightning. Ten Xu Chengs combined would be no match for him. However, for now, he had to look closely. If it were Ji Bairong’s doing, even if he could only fight her to a draw now, he would have to send her into the cycle of reincarnation in the future.

He invoked the Eye of the Yellow Springs again, and an eye roughly three zhang tall manifested in mid-air. It was deep red, and within its pitch-black pupil, a whirlpool rotated with accelerating speed, forming a bottomless abyss.

Multicolor light streaked across, and then a scene emerged. It was exactly Ji Bairong, transformed into a massive black crow, devouring a group of Cangshan Sword Sect cultivators. Among them were several cultivators with black lotus patterns printed on their robes; having dealt with them many times, Xu Cheng naturally knew these were members of the Black Lotus Sect.

Knowing she hadn't lied, Xu Cheng patiently continued to observe. The scene extended to a previous discussion between the Cangshan Sword Sect and the Black Lotus Sect.

"This time, we shall be the ones to act, and it will be that 'Black Face.' When the time comes, your Cangshan Sword Sect will take a turn through the town and spread the word that it was the local ghost who did it. Then, you send someone back to inform the Great Han Kingdom to send cultivators for a purge. Once they fight each other to the death, we shall emerge to reap the benefits!" An old man with a black lotus on his chest conspired with a young man who had sword-like brows and starry eyes.

"Hahaha! The Sect Leader truly has a brilliant plan. If this succeeds, it might even shake the foundations of the Great Han Kingdom. Then we will be the pillars of the Xia Dynasty. I wonder if the Martial Emperor will grant us an official post!" The young man laughed heartily, a strange glint in his eyes.

Ji Bairong hadn’t seen this scene; she had been tracking the demon patterns to find their stronghold. That night, the moment her Primordial Spirit Dharma Form appeared, she instantly slaughtered several Primordial Spirit realm experts, and the lower-level lackeys were devoured by her before they could even react.

Until now, she hadn't realized that while sitting at home, disaster had fallen from the sky.

Xu Cheng quickly withdrew his gaze from the Eye of the Yellow Springs, as he sensed that if he continued to look, he would see the Martial Emperor, Xia Hao. Given that man's personality, if he came chasing across ten thousand miles to target him, he would truly be doomed!

The Eye of the Yellow Springs in front of the skeletal Primordial Spirit Dharma Form vanished. Xu Cheng stared at Ji Bairong and said solemnly, "You did not lie."

The latter’s smile blossomed like a flower, then she seemed to remember something: "By the way, many of the town's residents still carry those black lotus demon patterns. If we leave them unchecked, they will still die! I see you use Buddhist techniques, though not of the orthodox variety—do you have a solution?"

"Demon patterns?" Xu Cheng still remembered how the one on his own body had been handled—he had simply given it away. "Yes, I certainly do!"

"That is excellent. I leave the rest to you!"

With that, she dispersed the phenomena around her. Ji Bairong returned to her cold, composed self and disappeared into the bright moonlight.

Unexpectedly, the situation had shifted repeatedly. Xu Cheng, not knowing what else to say, retracted his Primordial Spirit Dharma Form. Their battle had been intense, but fortunately, they had deliberately avoided damaging the town, only destroying a few buildings.

He projected his spiritual sense and found Wan Ankang, who was hiding underground, and Boss Chi, who was tucked away at the bottom of his own cabinet.

"Master, have you subdued that fearsome ghost?" Boss Chi asked immediately upon emerging to see only Xu Cheng.

"No..." Xu Cheng replied, then recounted the twists and turns of the story, leaving Boss Chi and Wan Ankang gasping in astonishment.

"The two of you, notify all the residents of the town tomorrow. I will come to purge the demon patterns from their bodies!" With that, Xu Cheng gave his orders, and the two nodded in quick succession.

The next day, Wan Ankang, who resembled a giant lucky cat, did not show his face, instead using his influence to subtly guide the residents' thoughts so that their work could proceed smoothly. After all, the townspeople had never held Boss Chi’s weasel-like appearance in high regard.

Xu Cheng sat inside the Bright Moon Pavilion, leaving the running around to the other two. In half an hour, many people had arrived. Xu Cheng noticed one person who kept staying at the very end of the line; even when new residents arrived, he let them stand in front of him.

This person was truly strange; he appeared to be a young boy, yet his eyes held a trace of weariness. Even more peculiar, he was cradling a bell!