Three fierce ghosts transformed into streaks of white, red, and black, charging straight into Peach Blossom Village.
Xiao Cui, clutching the lingzhi horse, huddled in the back courtyard, peeking through the side door with wide eyes, fixated on the front yard.
The young man in white scaled the wall, spewing black mist that enveloped the remaining fifty-plus ghost soldiers. With a flick of his fan, a column of black smoke shot toward Shen Ying’s old peach tree.
The red-dressed female ghost drifted into the yard, a blood-red whip sliding from her sleeve, casting shadows that scattered the surrounding peach blossom aura.
The black-robed crone morphed into a flickering, almost intangible shadow, weaving through the peach blossom aura, inching closer to Shen Ying with eerie, unpredictable movements.
In moments, Shen Ying’s peach blossom aura in the yard grew sparse. The young man’s black smoke loomed over her, and the crone was within two zhang of her.
“Jie jie, you wretch, daring to resist? Today is your doom!” The crone cackled, her hands weaving seals, strange runes flashing around her in green and black, exuding a chilling, sinister air.
“Is that so? I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. Spring has just arrived, and I’m not ready to surrender,” Shen Ying said, a smirk on her lips. She took a deep breath and softly commanded, “Break!”
*Buzz!*
The old peach tree behind her shook violently.
Three times the peach blossom aura from her peak surged forth, instantly surrounding the three ghosts and remaining soldiers.
“Ah!”
“Ah!”
The ghost soldiers wailed, most vaporised the moment the aura appeared, leaving only about twenty struggling in the pink sea.
“What?”
“Impossible!”
Shen Ying smiled faintly. “Nothing’s impossible. You underestimated my… well, since you’re here, none of you are leaving.”
The peach blossom aura spread, enveloping the village, swirling and dancing.
“Retreat!”
Sensing the shift, the young man’s pupils shrank. He shouted and leapt out of the yard, the red-dressed ghost flashing to his side.
But…
“Young Master Ji, save me!”
The crone, who’d rushed in first, was now trapped in the peach blossom aura’s onslaught.
Pink peach blossom shadows fell on her, seeping into her ghostly form, each hit making her shudder in pain.
“No! The Nether Heart!”
The crone, skilled in ghostly curses and a trusted follower of the Night King, held the Nether Heart to curse Shen Ying. But her earlier confidence now made retreat impossible.
“Save her!”
The young man assessed the aura’s power. He slapped his chest, his face paling further, splitting his black mist into twenty streams that flowed into the remaining ghost soldiers.
“Aaah!”
The soldiers, cloaked in black smoke, charged recklessly at the peach blossom aura.
The young man saw clearly: Shen Ying’s strength exceeded his expectations, but she wasn’t truly capable of trapping all three. She aimed to force him and the red-dressed ghost to flee, focusing her attack on the crone.
If they retreated, the crone was doomed.
The crone was the Night King’s confidante, holding the Nether Heart. If they returned empty-handed and lost it, they’d face the Night King’s wrath—souls extracted and tormented.
So, the young man and red-dressed ghost, already outside, had to plunge back through the layered peach blossom aura to rescue the crone and escape together.
“How has this peach ghost’s cultivation soared in such a short time? Even the King might only just suppress her,” the young man thought, shouting to the crone, “Use the Nether Heart to clear a path!”
The crone’s eyes sharpened. She raised the Nether Heart, the black organ turning solid, pulsing fiercely.
But in an instant, a slender tree root shot forth, piercing her defenses and snatching the heart from her grasp.
“No!”
The crone, horrified, tried to grab it back but was overwhelmed by the dense peach blossom aura.
The root coiled around the heart, pulling it down. Countless roots surged from the ground, wrapping the heart tightly before the earth churned, burying it.
“Wretch, give me back the Nether Heart!”
The crone, panicked and furious, unleashed curses frantically, desperate to reclaim it.
The young man and red-dressed ghost pressed forward from the outskirts, trying to salvage the situation.
…
Nearby, Lu Zheng and the thirty-plus underworld soldiers, just arriving at the wall, stared at the scene in shock.
Duan Zhong muttered, “Lady Shen… is formidable…”
Seeing Shen Ying safe, Lu Zheng’s worry turned to heartache. “A hundred ghost soldiers… my light of fortune…”
The crone fought desperately but was clearly on her last legs. The young man and red-dressed ghost seemed ready to give up.
No way, this won’t do! If one dies and two escape, didn’t I come for nothing?
He had to stop them from fleeing!
Lu Zheng surged forward, charging into the front yard to block the young man and red-dressed ghost before they could abandon the fight.
“Where did these ghosts come from, daring to invade Peach Blossom Village? Courting death?”
Sure, shouting like this felt cringeworthy in novels or shows, but in the moment, it was oddly thrilling.
Embarrassingly epic! Haha!
Lu Zheng advanced, the three patrol officers and their underworld soldiers swarming in.
The full-strength underworld soldiers surrounded the dozen remaining Night King soldiers.
The patrol officers, competent but not exceptional, formed a three-talent formation, smartly encircling the red-dressed ghost, fighting relentlessly.
Lu Zheng faced the young man in white.
Seeing Lu Zheng arrive with reinforcements, charging like a mad tiger, Shen Ying was deeply touched.
“Lu… Young Master, be careful! This one’s the Night King’s top fighter, the strongest of the three!”
As she spoke, the peach blossom aura blocking the red-dressed ghost and remaining soldiers surged toward the young man, aiding Lu Zheng.
The young man’s eyes lit up at Shen Ying’s slip of the tongue. This youth was clearly her lover!
If he could capture him, saving the crone would be easy, and reclaiming the Nether Heart and shrine’s incense energy wouldn’t be hard either.
The young man grinned wickedly, spewing endless black smoke to block the peach blossom aura, his body wreathed in it as he lunged at Lu Zheng.
