"That's right. Given the current situation, we shouldn't proceed with the original plan. We don't have enough people, and it's extremely dangerous. With the Night Parade of Hundred Demons happening repeatedly, we'd have to split our forces for intense battles. I doubt many of us would make it out alive."
"But just sitting here waiting to die is no solution. We came all this way into the Ghost City, only to be completely passive and accomplish nothing. What will the sect elders think of us?"
Zhuang Li said. Then, as if struck by a thought, she turned to Zhao Xuanqi, who had been silent all this time. "Zhao, do you have any suggestions?"
All eyes immediately fell on Zhao Xuanqi.
Zhao Xuanqi had been listening to the others' discussion, so he had a good idea of their general consensus.
'Given the circumstances, there aren't many survivors. There are twelve districts in Guming County. Even if I can use the Rebirth Jade to restore my Primordial Qi, there's no way I can cover them all in time.'
'I can't possibly convince everyone to throw their lives on the line.'
"Even if the odds of success are low, we can't just do nothing. With the strength we've gathered, dealing with the Night Parade of Hundred Demons in a single district should be relatively easy. I suggest we split everyone into two groups. One group will stay behind and figure out how to defend themselves during the Night Parade, while the other group will act as a strike team to hunt and eliminate as many of the city's special Evil Spirits as possible."
"Based on our past experience, once a special Evil Spirit is eliminated, it stays gone for the next Ghost City event. This approach also serves as preparation for our next entry."
Zhao Xuanqi proposed.
"That's a good proposal. Those who want to focus on survival can stay behind and defend themselves, while those with energy to spare can keep fighting. At the very least, we'll weaken the forces of the Evil Spirits in this city."
Hearing this, Ren Fei nodded in agreement.
"That really is a good idea."
The others agreed it was a viable plan, and after a short deliberation, they began discussing how to assign personnel.
...
...
Just as the group was gathering at the rendezvous point,
the figure of a bizarre, three-headed child slipped past the sentries placed by the experts from the various sects. Without anyone noticing, it secretly spied on their movements, a strange smile spreading across its faces.
"Found you!! Found you!!"
The child's three heads muttered to themselves in an almost inaudible whisper, as if also transmitting a message through some unknown means.
At the same time, the Sword Soldier Ghosts pouring out from Anyuan Street appeared to be under command. They began to flank the group, gradually weaving a great net to surround their position before slowly closing in.
「Elsewhere, in a cave on Heqing Dao.」
"So the survivors have all gathered? What do you think they'll do next?"
The tall, cloaked figure said with great interest, watching the overhead view on the screen of light.
"It can only be one of three things. First, they dig in and defend. Second, they continue the attack, betting everything on one last push. The third and safest option is to hunker down while clearing out some of the nearby Evil Spirits."
"But it doesn't matter which one they pick. I don't plan on giving them the chance to act freely."
The child-like cloaked figure said with a laugh.
"To what extent can the consciousness of the Evil Cult Statue you partially awakened act?"
The tall, cloaked figure inquired.
"Controlling the Evil Spirits within Anyuan Street to act on their own is no problem at all. Plus, the Blood Food collected from the Night Parade of Hundred Demons was all top-quality Martial Artist's Essence Blood. That's enough for the Evil Cult Statue to awaken several more guardian Evil Spirits."
The child-like cloaked figure said with a laugh.
「Inside the Ghost City.」
「Anyuan Street, Huang Mansion.」
The largest estate in Guming County now appeared incredibly bizarre.
The ground and walls were crawling with an unknown black-red substance. It looked like some kind of vine, yet it also resembled countless blood vessels, squirming faintly.
These vein-like vines were densest in the Huang Mansion's rear courtyard. Statues stood one after another, and the vines coiled around them, creating a grotesque sight.
In the center of the statues stood a black mud sculpture in the form of the Daoist Mother. Her expression was serene and benevolent, but the smile on her face emanated a strange, sinister aura. All the vein-like vines originated from this very sculpture.
On the brow of this Evil Cult Statue, a hollow cavity gaped where the Blood Jade had once been. A dim, crimson light was coalescing within the hole.
As the death toll in the Ghost City rose, crimson threads materialized out of thin air and converged in the hollow on the Evil Cult Statue's brow, causing the ball of bloody light to grow brighter and more intense.
Simultaneously, the black-red, vein-like vines pulsed with light. The Evil Cult Statue released the gathered Blood Food Power, which flowed through these conduits into several of the other sculptures.
The Evil Cult Statue had previously suffered a devastating blow. Even though the child-like cloaked figure had re-formed its Primordial Form, its Primordial Qi was still severely damaged. The Evil Cult's consciousness had fallen into a deep slumber, and the Realm it manifested could only operate on instinct.
But now, the Evil Cult's consciousness had been partially awakened, and an unknown transformation was underway.
CRACK! CRACK!!
As the Blood Food Power surged in, a dense web of cracks began to spread across the surfaces of four of the dozen or so statues in the courtyard.
One was a gaunt woman in plain white robes, her long hair hanging loose to hide her face, holding a paper umbrella.
Another was shaped like a mirror. Faintly visible on its surface were what looked like bas-reliefs of numerous pained, ghostly faces, as if countless vengeful souls were sealed within its depths.
A third was a Bone Demon, around two meters tall, with a thick-boned frame and barbs sprouting from its joints.
The last was a tall zombie covered in welts, its ten fingers sharpened to points. A bloody light seeped from the statue's surface.
These were the special Evil Spirits of Anyuan Street, guardians of the Evil Cult statue. They were incredibly powerful and, having been nourished by the statue, had recovered a great deal. They usually remained dormant, only awakening when the living invaded Anyuan Street.
When Zhao Xuanqi and Zhuang Li had first entered Anyuan Street and were discovered, Zhao Xuanqi had constantly sensed a terrifying danger emanating from deep within the street. That danger had come from these guardian Evil Spirits.
Now, some of these Evil Spirits had been awakened.
Upon being awakened, they immediately received a command and began rushing toward the district where Zhao Xuanqi's group was gathered.
...
...
It didn't take long for the assembled group to finalize their plan. They were just about to set it in motion, hoping to eliminate this district's special Evil Spirit before the next Night Parade of Hundred Demons arrived. However, at that very moment...
THUMP THUMP THUMP!!
"Everyone, we have a problem! Our comrades from the Five Elements Gang on watch just discovered that a large number of Sword Soldier Ghosts have appeared around us out of nowhere! They're moving in an organized fashion, not just wandering. It looks like they're closing in to surround us! It's as if... something is commanding their actions!"
A disciple from Miaoyin Hall came rushing over. Before he even arrived, his voice, transmitted via a cultivation technique, was already reverberating around the group.
Upon hearing his words, everyone's expressions changed, and they were instantly on high alert.
'Another unexpected change?!'
DRIP! DROP!
Just as everyone was preparing to move, a light drizzle suddenly began to fall from the gloomy sky.
SSSSSS!!
As the raindrops landed on them, they were struck by an instant, sinister chill. The flow of Qi and Blood within their bodies seemed to stagnate.
'Rain?'
'This isn't ordinary rain. It's condensed from Yin Qi!'
'An Evil Spirit?'
At that very moment, Zhao Xuanqi seemed to sense something, his head snapping toward a particular direction.
Dimly, he saw several figures rapidly approaching their position. One of them was dressed in plain white robes, with long hair hanging loose, holding a paper umbrella.
As this figure drew closer, the light rain falling from the sky rapidly grew heavier.
The raindrops fell, the sinister cold in the air growing ever stronger. The circulation of Qi and Blood in everyone's bodies was severely affected.
The Night Parade of Hundred Demons hadn't begun, yet their position had been inexplicably exposed. The Evil Spirits of the Ghost City were attacking them of their own accord!