Inside the Zhao Manor.
A gloomy demonic aura permeated the air, as sharp Sword Qi crisscrossed the grounds. The sounds of their earth-shattering clash were immense and overwhelming.
Outside the Zhao Manor.
It was deathly quiet, devoid of any people.
After all, ever since the Zhao Manor was destroyed, all residences within several hundred meters had been used in a blood sacrifice, terrifying the entire Maple City.
Many commoners who had originally lived near the manor, having barely escaped with their lives, dared not linger in the area anymore and had temporarily moved away.
Even sleeping on the streets elsewhere was safer than staying near the Zhao Manor!
Amidst the gloomy ghostly fog.
A figure slowly walked out. He was draped in a black cloak, his aura cold and sinister.
"Suppressing Evil Flags?"
The Thousand-Face Evil Lord glanced at the flags planted around the Zhao Manor and a faint smile appeared on his lips: "These young ones are quite cautious, I must admit."
Unfortunately, in the face of an absolute gap in strength, caution was meaningless.
The Thousand-Face Evil Lord slowly extended his right hand. Instantly, a giant palm print, condensed from Yin-Qi energy, materialized and shot towards the several Suppressing Evil Flags.
Bang!
Silver light screens erupted from the surface of the flags, attempting to resist the palm print. However, they were completely crushed in a few moments, and the formation flags were ripped out directly.
Boom!
In an instant.
The Yin-Qi energy within the Zhao Manor lost its restraints and began to surge wildly once again.
"Still not enough, it's almost there!"
The Thousand-Face Evil Lord grinned sinisterly as he took out seven black banners and planted them around the Zhao Manor. They emitted a mysterious aura, pulling Yin-Qi energy from all directions to converge.
Instantly, the already surging Yin-Qi energy became even more frenzied, like adding fuel to the fire, skyrocketing without limit!
The Seven-Star Yin-Gathering Formation!
The formation flags that the Thousand-Face Evil Lord had spent a great price to acquire from the Ghost King Sect not only doubled the Yin-Qi energy within their range.
They could also seal the heavens and lock the earth, cutting off all external communication.
As long as one was trapped within this great formation.
Even if those few disciples from the Three Purities Immortal Sect sensed something was wrong and tried to call for reinforcements, it would be absolutely impossible!
"Nie Linglan!"
"Enjoy the feast I've prepared for you!"
"Three Core Formation Stage cultivators, and they are even True Transmission Disciples of the Sword Vein from the Three Purities Immortal Sect."
"Devour their blood essence and souls completely, and your power will reach its peak, becoming my most perfect masterpiece."
"Hehehehe~"
The Thousand-Face Evil Lord revealed a confident smile and slowly walked into the Zhao Manor: "You all stay outside and protect the formation flags for me."
"If there is even the slightest mistake, I will ensure you never find peace in the afterlife!"
As soon as his words fell, ghostly figures condensed and knelt before the Thousand-Face Evil Lord: "As you command!"
• • •
At the same time.
Inside the Zhao Manor.
As the Li brothers put aside their arrogance and began to fight in unison.
The Nine Yin Ghost, despite having a significant advantage of the terrain, was still hard-pressed, perilously close to being defeated under the Three Powers Sword Formation.
Her paper doll art and red silk art were directly shredded by the indestructible Three Powers Sword Qi.
Her ghostly, unpredictable movement techniques could not break the formation's defense.
On the contrary, every combined strike from the Li brothers could hack the ghost until her Yin energy scattered and dissipated. If not for her 'Ghost Domain' innate ability, which allowed for instantaneous dodges.
She would have been severely wounded long ago.
But even with the 'Ghost Domain' enhancement, Nie Linglan could not last much longer. Having just absorbed a large amount of Yin-Qi energy, she could no longer perfectly conceal her aura.
As long as one attacked the place where the Yin-Qi energy was the most concentrated, they could accurately pinpoint her location.
Her defeat was merely a matter of time.
A cold and resentful voice echoed throughout the Zhao Manor: "They say that disciples of the Three Purities Immortal Sect protect the people and distinguish right from wrong. So why are you three venerable elders so aggressive?"
"When I was being persecuted by the Zhao family, none of you stepped forward."
"Now that I have become a ghost to enact my own revenge, and have shown you all forbearance time and again, you respond with every move being vicious, refusing to relent even when you are in the right."
"Is this the righteousness of your so-called orthodox sects?"
Li Longyou glanced at his elder brother beside him, who was spitting up large mouthfuls of blood yet was incomparably excited, and his second brother, who was yawning and drowsy. The corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.
He said helplessly: "Every grievance has its source, and every debt has its debtor. If the Zhao family's son wronged you, killing him for revenge is justifiable. We had no intention of interfering."
"But the moment you became a ghost, you annihilated the entire Zhao family in a single stroke. That was far too cruel, and involving the innocent common folk nearby is an act that Heaven and Earth cannot forgive. How could our Daoist Sect possibly tolerate you?"
Nie Linglan said softly, "The Zhao family used their power to oppress others and prey upon the common folk."
"The majority of the evil servants in their manor were scoundrels who died with justice served. As for the innocent, I let them leave long ago. I did not harm them."
Li Longhao swung his sword, and in an instant, houses collapsed and crumbled as ghostly energy erupted and shattered.
His face was filled with rage as he scoffed, "A pack of lies!"
"Hundreds of meters from the Zhao Manor, not a single living thing was spared. All the common folk were killed, not even their souls were spared."
"You wicked fiend, do you still dare to argue?"
The resentful energy around the Ghost Domain grew even denser. The red-robed ghost shadow, slandered, said resentfully, "Whether you believe it or not, I did not kill the others near the Zhao Manor."
"Seven days ago, after I killed the chief evildoers of the Zhao family, I did not kill anyone else."
"As for spreading the Ghost Domain out from the Zhao Manor, it was because I detected someone commanding vengeful spirits to slaughter people on a large scale outside the manor."
"I tried to stop him, but that person's strength was immense; I was no match for him at all."
Li Longhao sneered, "What a fine story!"
"You wicked fiend, you have committed boundless slaughter, and now that your judgment is near, you begin to argue?"
Wait a second!
Li Longhao raised his greatsword, about to charge forward, but was stopped by Li Longyou, who frowned, his face grim.
Something's not right!
As a swordsman who 'always seeks stability,' Li Longyou had felt from the very beginning that the Zhao family massacre was full of strange inconsistencies.
But his foolish older brother only ever wanted to charge ahead recklessly, and his foolish second brother just wanted to sleep.
Furthermore, in many previous missions, his worries had indeed been unfounded.
So.
He hadn't insisted on calling for reinforcements and had followed Li Longhao directly into the Zhao Manor.
But now, hearing the explanation from the young lady of the Nie family, though it was only one side of the story, it still sent a great alarm through Li Longyou's heart.
The next second, he sensed something.
Li Longyou's expression changed abruptly: "No good! The demon-suppressing banners I placed outside the Zhao Manor have been pulled. There are enemies outside the Zhao Manor!"
Enemies outside?
Li Longhao's fury boiled over: "I'll go and chop him to pieces!"
Chop your sister's ass!
Li Longyou rolled his eyes. At a time like this, and he's still thinking about charging in blindly!
He didn't bother explaining further to Li Longhao and directly took the communication token from his waist, sending out a distress signal at top speed.
However.
The clear light of the signal had not even left the Zhao Manor before it was blocked by a black barrier. It was obvious the distress signal had been intercepted.
"Damn it!"
Li Longyou's face grew even paler: "I said this mission was fishy. Now we're in real trouble."
• • •
As the black barrier enveloped the entire Zhao Manor.
In an instant.
The already extremely dense Yin-fiend energy within the manor began to multiply tenfold, a hundredfold.
An endless torrent of Yin-fiend energy poured into the body of the red-robed vengeful ghost, causing her aura to begin strengthening at a ridiculously fast pace, reaching its limit.
At the same time.
From all directions around the Zhao Manor, cold, sinister laughter echoed out.
Ji ji ji ji~
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