Chapter 16: The Pools Fiend Against the Yin Attendants

Chen Changsheng asked, “Is that Wen family courtyard from the story still there in Autumn Moon Market?”

“That…”

Old Man Zhang replied, “I’m not really sure. It probably is. I heard the authorities even sealed it off with an official notice back then.”

“Where is it?”

Chen Changsheng had a feeling that the run-down courtyard he’d last been in might be the Wen family courtyard.

That dilapidated yard sealed off, the pond within, and the stone pressing down upon the pond!

Everything matched perfectly with the story.

“I think… near West Bridge?”

Old Man Zhang frowned, speaking hesitantly. “Or maybe not. My memory’s a bit hazy.”

“Sounds about right,” Old Man Zhang said, suddenly realizing. “Mr. Chen, have you been there?”

“I probably have…”

Chen Changsheng sighed inwardly. It seemed almost certain.

That ruined courtyard was the Wen family courtyard.

And the big stone in the pond must be the ‘Spirit Stone’ enchanted with restrictive spells and empowered by the worship offered the City God and Yin Attendants.

He’d actually been sitting in the same yard as a vicious ghost.

Chen Changsheng felt a chill of retroactive fear, but then a thought struck him.

He wasn’t an ordinary mortal anymore. Maybe there was no need to be afraid.

Though, he wasn’t entirely sure about his own power level. He didn’t know if he could defeat that fiend.

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and said, “I have some business to attend to today. I’ll come see you later at the tavern.”

Old Man Zhang didn’t know why Chen Changsheng was taking his leave so abruptly, but he nodded. “Take care of your matters, Mr. Chen. Don’t mind this old codger.”

Chen Changsheng stood up and left the teahouse.

He then headed towards West Bridge in Autumn Moon Market and, following his memory from last time, walked towards the dilapidated courtyard.

He wasn’t entirely sure of his own strength, so he wasn’t going there seeking a fight to the death. He just wanted to see it for himself. Truthfully, he’d never seen what a vicious ghost looked like.

However, as soon as Chen Changsheng reached the ruined courtyard, he spotted several Patrolling Yin Attendants at the entrance.

Chen Changsheng paused briefly but didn’t pay them undue mind.

The patrolling Yin Attendants also glanced in Chen Changsheng’s direction.

Chen Changsheng expected them to approach him; after all, he’d been noticed by Yin Attendants last time.

But the Yin Attendants started murmuring among themselves instead.

“Who is he? Why is he coming here?”

“Haven’t seen him before. Doesn’t seem like a resident of Autumn Moon Market.”

One of the Yin Attendants fixed his gaze on Chen Changsheng and muttered, “I get the feeling… he might be able to see us?”

“Impossible. A Mortal couldn’t possibly see us.”

“So what should we do? Chase him away? That thing in the pool is about to come out. We won’t be able to protect him when it happens.”

“Don’t worry. The City God will be here shortly.”

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Chen Changsheng overheard their conversation. Now he understood.

They didn’t recognize him.

Well, that suited him fine. Chen Changsheng simply went and sat down against a wall, ignoring the Yin Attendants and the patrol.

He’d just heard them mention the creature escaping the pool. That piqued his interest.

A perfect chance to finally see what a vicious ghost looked like.

Even if he couldn’t defeat it, his three years of Divine Refinement training meant escaping shouldn’t be a problem.

Chen Changsheng looked up and gazed toward the courtyard.

“Such thick Yin Energy…”

A ripple of alarm passed through him. The fiend wouldn’t be trapped much longer.

He extended his divine sense, enveloping the entire small courtyard.

Only then did he notice nearly twenty Yin Attendants already standing inside the yard.

And among them, he seemed to spot Hong Sancai.

Quite a gathering…

Just as he was struck by the scale of the reinforcements, movement erupted within the courtyard.

“Not good! It’s breaking out!”

Hong Sancai cried out urgently. “Form the Formation! Now!”

“Yes!”

At his command, every Yin Attendant stationed themselves around the pond. Chains imbued with the Power of Worship shot out from their hands, weaving together like a net descending upon the water’s surface.

The Yin Energy rising from the pool grew denser, heavier.

“Heh heh…”

A low, grating chuckle rose from beneath the colossal stone. It sounded like the creature was mocking the encircling Yin Attendants.

Hong Sancai’s brow creased tightly. His wrist snapped down, a ripple traveling through his chain.

Clink!

The chain chimed, a surge of Power of Worship channeled into it.

Hum!

The crisscrossed chains erupted with waves of Golden Light, pressing down on the swelling Yin Energy in the pool.

Tense concentration filled every Yin Attendant present.

Just when they thought they had it contained, a surge of icy, ghost-laden wind erupted from the pond.

“Amusing.”

The mocking voice rang clear.

CRACK!

The immense boulder pressing down on the evil scholar-fiend suddenly spider-webbed with fissures.

Hong Sancai’s eyes widened in horror. “Fall back!!”

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion ripped from the pond.

The giant stone shattered. The fiend erupted from the churning water, escaping its prison!

“Yin Attendants! Form the Spirit Binding Formation!” Hong Sancai commanded.

“As you command!”

Sitting outside the courtyard, Chen Changsheng felt the overwhelming wave of foul Yin Energy rushing outwards. Instinctive disgust twisted inside him.Follow current novᴇls on novel✶fire.net

The fiend turned into a roiling plume of black vapor, shooting upwards into the courtyard’s airspace.

Swiftly, over a dozen shackling chains lashed out, binding the dark cloud.

“Heh heh heh heh…”

Sinister laughter bubbled from the black miasma.

Then, countless skeletal Wandering Spirits began to rise from the murky waters of the pond.

“Zhang ghosts!”

Hong Sancai instantly recognized them.

These were the tortured souls of the Gao family, slain long ago by the wicked scholar-fiend. After their deaths, the fiend consumed their spirits, enslaving them into Zhang ghosts, existing only to serve his will.

Over ten Zhang ghosts shrieked and lunged, attacking the Yin Attendants.

The Yin Attendants were caught in a desperate struggle – straining to hold the Spirit Binding Formation against the fiend’s struggle, while simultaneously fending off the relentless assault of the vengeful spirits. Focus inevitably splintered.

“Hold the formation! Hold it!” Hong Sancai shouted frantically.

“Aagh!”

A scream tore from one Yin Attendant as a Zhang ghost sank ghostly fangs deep into his shoulder.

Clatter!

His chain slipped free from his grasp.

The entire formation shuddered violently like a ship breaking in a storm.

With a surge of terrifying power, the scholar-fiend unleashed a colossal wave of Yin Energy.

CRASH!

Every single chain binding him exploded into shards.

The backlash from the shattered formation sent Yin Attendants flying backward, one after another, scattered like leaves.

The great formation disintegrated utterly in an instant.

“So this… is a vicious ghost,” Chen Changsheng muttered, a strange awe mixing with his tension.

Yet, an inexplicable feeling arose within him.

Somehow… this fiend felt… weak?

The inky black vapor, freed from its bonds, instantly fixated on the disarrayed Yin Attendants.

To the fiend, they were nothing more than a feast! Prime nourishment!

ROAR!

With a deafening howl, the black vapor surged like a tidal wave towards the injured, scattered attendants.

Chen Changsheng coiled his energy, ready to test his strength against this thing. But before he could move…

A piercing beam of Golden Light shot towards the scene like a meteor, accompanied by a thunderous, aged voice.

“Damnable wretch! Cease!”

The Golden Light struck the core of the black vapor!

KREEEEE!!

An unearthly screech of agony ripped from the essence of the fiend – the sound itself was pure horror, grating on Chen Changsheng’s soul.

The Golden Light dissipated, revealing a figure robed in blue and gold.

The arrival was none other than the Autumn Moon Market City God!