172: Chapter 171 Soul Ghost Storm 5 [Added for 1500 votes] 172: Chapter 171 Soul Ghost Storm 5 [Added for 1500 votes] Anhe Daoist Sect and Huncheng Sect had finally converged.
The situation on the side of the Anhe Daoist Sect wasn’t too bad, with only two people injured, while out of the fourteen from the Huncheng Sect, two had already died, and several others were injured, because they lacked someone like Hou Niao who could resolve difficult situations.
“I don’t care how you arrange the formation, my demand is that you hold out for one hour, stay right here, and go nowhere!”
One hour was likely the latest time for reinforcements to arrive.
He didn’t know if Uncle Zheng had sent a distress signal, but given Wang Mian and Fang Yazi’s cleverness, it was impossible that they hadn’t reported to their superiors.
They had discussed that one hour should be the slowest response time after factoring in bureaucratic delays.
Any later, and the sect could not be sustained.
They couldn’t retreat!
On one hand, their level as minor cultivators did not yet afford them the ability to perfectly deploy formations while moving.
This was evident from their recent movements—it was clear that their coordination was lacking and vulnerabilities frequently appeared.
They could only exhibit seventy to eighty percent of their strength when stationary.
Obviously, these Daoist disciples came from different lineages and did not usually train together.
On the other hand, they couldn’t lead the Soul Ghosts out!
With them dragging the situation here, the stronger Soul Ghosts would focus on attacking them.
If they broke out of West Mang Mountain, it would mean shifting the pressure to the human fortresses.
With Wang Mian, Fang Yazi, and even the patrollers scattered across dozens of fortresses, how could they possibly withstand it?
In private, Qu Xiaoman from the Huncheng Sect asked, “Lan Re, what right does this person have to command us?
He’s just a mere Fasting disciple after all.”
Lan Re didn’t want to waste time arguing with her at such a moment, so she began flattering,
“He is a True Inheritor of the Quanzhen Sect under Tongxuan, specifically responsible for ensuring our safety.
Our convergence was under his command; the masters are too tied up to help, and we’re unfamiliar with the terrain and environment, so it’s better for everyone to trust the leader.”
Qu Xiaoman was puzzled, but given the urgency of the situation and the practicality of defending in place, she complied with the command.
The formations of Anhe Daoist Sect and Huncheng Sect merged.
Since their formations and Daoist intent were rudimentary, they didn’t have major issues coordinating; Anhe Daoist Sect’s Qingxu Mysterious Light and Huncheng Sect’s Holy Fire Heavenly Prison combined, suppressing the Soul Ghosts to the greatest extent!
Suddenly, the situation stabilized, and the increased defensive power kept even Wandering Souls and fierce ghosts from breaking through their guard.
With this rhythm, not to mention an hour, even holding out until dawn seemed possible?
Hou Niao timely threw cold water on them, “Each of you provide two people skilled in close combat, stay on standby within the formation!
I anticipate that apparitions and specters will arrive soon, and that will be our real test!”
The group was shocked yet aware that this possibility existed, especially when it was spoken by the guide, the so-called True Inheritor, which made it particularly persuasive.
The two Sects proceeded with the plan.
Lan Re discreetly asked, “Brother Hou, are they really going to come?
Is it possible they’ve driven the Soul Ghosts out of West Mang Mountain?”
Hou Niao sighed, “Normally, my premonitions are accurate only when they’re bad.
No one can fully understand the thoughts of Soul Ghosts, but one rule never changes—higher-level beings act less impulsively and more rationally.
Ordinary Soul Ghosts might attack ordinary humans indiscriminately to vent their hatred, but higher-level beings will not.
They act only for profit.
To them, absorbing the souls of cultivators strengthens them, so they will definitely come here.”
He smiled slightly, “So right now, we are like Buddha, burning ourselves to attract hatred!
We must hold them with light and fire!
I don’t like it either, but there’s no alternative—no one else can take our place.”
As they were speaking, a Daoist disciple on the perimeter suddenly flew up and fell into the inner circle, spewing blood from his mouth, evidently severely injured!
Under the illumination of the Light Formation Holy Fire, such a situation was highly abnormal.
Everyone was still unreactive when Hou Niao had already drawn his sword and leaped out, shouting, “Trap it!”
It was a sly ghost mingling among the Soul Ghosts, using other Soul Ghosts as cover to stealthily approach the formation, and with a sudden cruel attack, it seriously injured the Anhe Kun cultivator; for these newly arrived disciples from the two sects, it was very difficult to spot it in an instant, but for Hou Niao, it was easy.
Soul Ghosts, dealing with them every day.
He shot out with his sword, and now everyone understood the target’s location.
In an instant, the Qingxu Mysterious Light intensified, and the Holy Fire Heavenly Prison erupted.
Their formation also had means to focus attack on a single target.
With this trapping, the strength of the ghost specter was immediately reduced greatly.
Although its realm was not high, with everyone’s combined strength and the most authentic and targeted Mysterious Light Holy Fire suppression, it gave Hou Niao the best opportunity!
The sword radiance soared into the sky, Qi surged powerfully, and Sword Intent resounded decisively, giving the ghost specter no chance to dodge, pinning it along with a Wandering Soul in front of it onto the longsword.
The ghost specter, already materialized, with a body hard as steel and strong defenses, but under the weakening of various factors and Hou Niao’s Qi Gang Sword Intent thrust, its defense was instantly broken.
Experience played a great role at this moment.
Hou Niao did not continue the killing blow but left ten percent of Qi Gang lurking inside the body of the ghost specter, stepped back to dodge the ghost specter’s frenzied attack after being wounded, and after it vented, detonated the Qi inside it to make its body pause.
He then rushed forward and chopped off the head of the ghost specter with one sword.
The greatest advantage of a Soul Ghost that has just solidified its body is gaining a physical form, robust and powerful; however, the downside is that its Ghost Core is fixed within the skull and can no longer hide.
The whole process flowed smoothly, as if there were no differences from slashing ordinary Wandering Souls and fierce ghosts, but the real changes were not visible to anyone, which involved a multitude of factors and was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.
“Formation trapped, close-range beheading, indiscriminately internal and external, and also, be prepared to face multiple ghosts and specters at the same time.”
He killed effortlessly and spoke calmly, instilling tremendous confidence in everyone.
It seemed that perhaps ghosts and specters were not as troublesome as the legends suggested?
Does the vast chasm really exist between humans and Soul Ghosts?
Soon, the truth gave them a harsh lesson.
Two ghosts charged straight at them, and with the experience already gained, the formation defended steadily with no opportunity exploited; then Hou Niao stepped out of the formation to block one, while the remaining one was intercepted by two Anhe Kun cultivators wielding swords, almost the standard equipment in the Daoist Sect, and immediately they clashed.
The formation still operated normally, firmly trapping the two ghosts with Light and Fire, but the effects were drastically different!
On Hou Niao’s side, progress was still swift, with the ghost suffering under his sword—a matter of time before it succumbed; but in the hands of the two Anhe Kun cultivators, the longsword wielding seemed hardly effective, like dancing versus killing, worlds apart.
Two breaths later, one of the Anhe Kun cultivators had already had their neck bitten through by the ghost, with no chance of survival; frightening the other two backup Huncheng Sect cultivators who had to step in, but even three against one, they were retreating step by step in the face of the ghost’s formidable strength, surrounded by dangers.
Sword cultivators and those who merely carry swords are entirely different creatures.