Clearly, Ghost Head Infant’s cultivation was far higher than Lu Zheng’s. When he cast spells using his origin aura, his true form could not be discerned.
This differed from the situation in Wei Prefecture.
Back then, Xuanxin Mo had focused entirely on concealment, revealing only a mortal aura outwardly. If he had endured when Lu Zheng observed him with the treasure mirror, Lu Zheng would not have seen through Xuanxin Mo’s true nature.
Unfortunately, upon discovering he was being observed, Xuanxin Mo panicked and erupted with power, exposing himself instead.
This time, however, Ghost Head Infant’s aura was evidently far deeper than the one used for the searching spell, so the treasure mirror could not…
After relocating Ghost Head Infant, Qi Fengyun waved a hand to dispel the curse seals on the children in the city. Then, without pause, he flew straight north.
Chu Jin and the other eight followed. The group of ten transformed into streaks of light, hurrying after him.
From start to finish, the entire process took less than ten breaths. Only the array flags flickered faintly, concealed by an illusion spell. The city’s common folk likely remained unaware anything had happened.
“Quite the flashy display.” Lu Zheng remarked in admiration.
Shen Ying shook her head with a smile. “I suspect Ghost Head Infant never imagined he would be discovered.”
“Then he was far too arrogant.” Lu Zheng curled his lip. “With that personality, how has he survived safely until now?”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Lu Zheng suddenly felt a tightening sensation, as if something had glanced at him.
His pupils contracted sharply. He immediately circulated his true qi throughout his body, drew the lightning-struck peachwood sword with a reverse grip, and spread his divine sense in all directions.
Shen Ying sensed Lu Zheng’s actions. A crystalline peach blossom on its branch appeared in her hand. Wisps of peach blossom malevolence permeated the surrounding dozens of zhang, infiltrating everything.
“Lu lang?”
Lu Zheng frowned. “Just now, it felt as if someone… covertly glanced at me.”
It was like being eyed by a ferocious beast. Only another beast could sense it. Shen Ying’s cultivation was slightly lower, so she had not noticed.
“Is it one of Ghost Head Infant’s subor…” Shen Ying began, but her eyes shifted.
She exchanged a glance with Lu Zheng. Without lingering, the two immediately soared into the clouds and caught up to the distant figures of Qi Fengyun and Chu Jin’s group.
Three hundred li passed in moments. The two soon saw a valley shrouded in array formation profound light. Fifteen people hovered outside the valley, holding array flags to maintain the formation.
Chu Jin and the Rong Prefecture pacification commissioner were among them. Lu Zheng and Shen Ying arrived just moments after, joining the formation to bolster its power.
“Lord Chu!”
Lu Zheng and Shen Ying flew over.
“Young Master Lu! Immortal Shen!” Chu Jin manipulated his array flag while turning back with a smile. “Ghost Head Infant is already trapped in the formation. Lord Qi and Lord Wen are inside exterminating the ghost. We must thank you for discovering Ghost Head Infant without alerting him, allowing us to set the trap calmly.”
Lu Zheng nodded, then said immediately, “I sensed a gaze in Jinnan County just now. I suspect it was Ghost Head Infant’s companion.”
Chu Jin’s expression hardened. “Snow Robe Ji?”
When Lu Zheng and Shen Ying had captured Ghost Head Infant’s subordinate Lord Lian earlier, they learned Ghost Head Infant had conversed as an equal with a white-clothed female ghost. Later, Chu Jin mentioned Ghost Head Infant had allied with Snow Robe Ji of the same Xuanyin Mountain lineage.
The hidden observer had nearly evaded even Lu Zheng’s detection. Their cultivation was likely no less than Ghost Head Infant’s, so Lu Zheng strongly suspected it was Snow Robe Ji.
“Unlikely.” the Rong Prefecture pacification commissioner said. “Ghost Head Infant came to the yang world. Snow Robe Ji has remained guarding Holy Infant Mountain, has she not? Perhaps another anomaly hidden in Jinnan County?”
Lu Zheng said, “Everyone must be cautious of Snow Robe Ji arriving to attack from both sides with Ghost Head Infant.”
The several pacification commissioners exchanged glances. Chu Jin scanned around. “Brother Lu, rest assured. We have intelligence that Snow Robe Ji has not left the netherworld. You may relax.”
“Hmm?”
Lu Zheng blinked, truly puzzled why Chu Jin was so unconcerned.
Unless…
“In that case, I am relieved.” Lu Zheng nodded. “My wife and I will watch from the side and guard for you all.”
Then Lu Zheng pulled Shen Ying to a nearby mountain peak.
At that moment, Qi Fengyun and the Yinan Prefecture pacification commissioner were dealing with Ghost Head Infant inside the valley. The formation maintained by Chu Jin and the others was a unified whole. Lu Zheng and Shen Ying could not intervene, so they could only observe.
Shen Ying transmitted, “Lu lang, the Anomaly Suppression Department would not be so careless. They have likely set a trap.”
Lu Zheng nodded. “Definitely. Not telling me gave me quite a fright.”
Shen Ying covered her mouth with her sleeve and smiled. “Is this not the Anomaly Suppression Department’s standard procedure?”
Lu Zheng recalled how Qi Fengyun had once placed a protective sword talisman on him before using him as bait.
“They do not trust our acting skills.” Lu Zheng sighed, realising that around Jinnan County just now, another powerhouse was likely hidden, awaiting Snow Robe Ji’s appearance.
“Do you think Snow Robe Ji will show herself?” Lu Zheng glanced around.
“That depends on how deep her bond with Ghost Head Infant runs.” Shen Ying said.
The two fell silent, simply preparing themselves quietly as they watched.
…
Outside the valley, profound light flickered. Inside, mana surged violently.
Lu Zheng and Shen Ying waited outside. A day later, they received hundreds of strands of fortune light.
Lu Zheng: “…”
Moments later, the formation opened. Qi Fengyun and another elder emerged together.
“That… Ghost Head Infant is dead?” Lu Zheng could not help asking, somewhat stunned.
The one who called himself the Myriad Transformations Holy Infant, who ravaged two prefectures a century ago yet escaped back to the netherworld, who emerged after a hundred years to hold a thousand-child banquet and unite Xuanyin Mountain’s ancient ghosts. Dead just like that?
Too hasty. Lu Zheng struggled to accept it.
Qi Fengyun nodded with a smile. “After receiving news of Ghost Head Infant, old man Wen began setting up the Nine Palaces Inversion Array. The formation includes virgin boy blood from nine yang boys specifically to counter him, ensuring he cannot escape this time and cause further harm.
We must also thank Young Master Lu for locating Ghost Head Infant without alerting him, allowing us to deploy the Nine Palaces Inversion Array calmly and relocate him here unwittingly.”
Lu Zheng was speechless. He hardly considered Qi Fengyun’s earlier sword qi probe as “not alerting” him.
But Lu Zheng now understood why Ghost Head Infant fell so quickly this time. When the Anomaly Suppression Department prepared seriously, it was no force a mere millennium-old vicious ghost could toy with.
However…
He had not even glimpsed Ghost Head Infant’s face, yet the ghost died because of him. Did the Xuanyin Mountain lineage lack all prestige?
Lu Zheng recalled the ghost that blocked him outside Wei Prefecture city. At least that one exchanged a few words before being slapped to death.
Two consecutive ghosts from the Xuanyin Mountain lineage dying so unceremoniously gave Lu Zheng the mistaken impression that Xuanyin Mountain was full of weaklings.
“Ahem!”
Regardless, fortune light obtained was what mattered. The process was unimportant.
“Good that he is dead.” Lu Zheng nodded with a smile.
Then he noticed a flicker in space above. A man in silver armour suddenly appeared, descending on a cloud.
“This is Yinan Prefecture Flying Crane Army general, Ding Yi.” Qi Fengyun introduced. “This is Yinan Prefecture Anomaly Suppression Department pacification commissioner, Wen Dongyue.”
Lu Zheng cupped his hands in salute. “Baiyun Temple’s Lu Zheng. Greetings to both lords.”
