Chapter Nine, Waiting for the Shadow Ghost

Xu Jinyi's eyes widened in surprise, and after a long moment, she stepped forward and said: "Senior Brother Shi, you just tricked me. I was still feeling proud in front of you. You are too mischievous!"

Shi Xuan was somewhat impressed by this guy, who, in pursuit of a woman, was quite willing to humble himself. He truly grasped the essence of the word "small" in the five-character phrase "Pan Lu Deng Xiao Xian." The difference between an internal martial arts master sweeping away dust with a palm wind and someone disregarding their own image to tear off their clothes to wipe a chair lies in the level of sincerity involved.

Xu Tianqi chuckled twice and said: "That guy, apart from having a thick skin, has no talent for martial arts. His father is the current clan leader of the Xia family, a top-tier expert. From childhood to adulthood, he has no idea how many precious medicinal materials he has used, yet he only broke through to the Nourishing Qi stage this year at the age of twenty-five"

Yes, rest assured, as long as they do not achieve the Great Perfection of the Later Heaven, there will be no problem. By the way, how is Xia Wenhui's martial arts? For Shi Xuan, as long as they are not masters with the subtlety of the Subtle Realm who engage in underhanded tactics, even top experts will only suffer losses. Moreover, there are so many talismans left by Xu Laodao, a master of the Out-of-Body Realm, so if a master does come, there is no need to fear.

Although Meng Yuqiong did not respond out of consideration for Xu Tianqi's feelings, her facial expression relaxed from the earlier tension upon hearing about snakes, insects, mice, and ants.

Suddenly, a white shadow lunged towards the two women in the center. Xu Jinyi screamed, while Xu Tianqi and Dao Jian both launched their attacks at the white shadow. Meanwhile, Xia Wenhui, terrified, retreated continuously, his face pale.

Upon witnessing this, Shi Xuan secretly scoffed: No matter how strong the wind blows, it cannot clear the dust as thoroughly as we do

Seeing this, Xia Wenhui stepped forward and said, "Sister Yuqiong and the books, that area is the cleanest place I have observed for a long time, and I even wiped the chairs clean." He proudly waved a piece of cloth, as if it had been torn from his own clothing.

Upon seeing the pleading gaze of the beautiful woman, Xu Tianqi felt his body soften somewhat. He immediately spoke, "The individuals who have encountered ghosts in the past have mostly done so in the main hall. We should wait here. Come, Sister Yuqiong, let us sit over there."

Xia Wenhui is indeed thick-skinned. Seeing that everyone here was settled, he simply spoke to the two elders, moved a chair, and the three of them came over.

Xu Tianqi suddenly stood up: "I said, Xia Wenhui, don't be like a sticky plaster. You chose that side, so just go wait over there."

Shi Xuan was also unconcerned, directly sitting cross-legged. The others, noticing the debris and dust flying up, shifted their attention. Except for Xu Tianqi, who was aware of Shi Xuan's background, the others were quite surprised. Given Shi Xuan's age, he should at most be a novice internal martial artist, yet the current effect was comparable to that of a seasoned expert who had accumulated internal energy for many years

Xu Tianqi took a slight breath, but still wanted to speak. It was at this moment that Meng Yuqiong stood up and spoke first: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have matters to attend to later. For now, it would be better to quiet down and adjust ourselves in all aspects, conserving our energy and preparing ourselves."

In the martial world, achieving the opening of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and attaining the postnatal Minor Circulation can be considered as reaching the level of a first-rate master. Furthermore, opening the remaining eighteen minor meridians leads to the postnatal Major Circulation, which is regarded as the pinnacle of mastery. The difference in strength and realm between these two breakthroughs is vast. As for the masters at the Subtle Realm, their breakthroughs represent a significant leap in level, with an even greater disparity from the previous stages. It is said that only eighteen minor meridians are known in the martial world, and these are typically found only in the authentic teachings of prestigious sects. Common manuals may only contain a few, making it nearly impossible to cultivate into a top-tier master. The "Return to Truth Classic" mentions thirty-six meridians, highlighting the rarity of the "Treasure Record".

Upon hearing this, Xu Jinyi shifted from anger to joy, saying, "Hehe, at least you know how to speak the truth."

Upon entering the main hall, one could see Xia Wenhui and the duo of the Sword and Sabre standing on the left side of the hall. Noticing everyone coming in, Xia Wenhui stepped forward and, with a smile, said to Meng Yuqiong: "Sister Yuqiong, let us wait here until midnight. The area behind has not been entered for a long time, and there are all sorts of snakes, insects, rats, and ants everywhere."

Shi Xuan thought that misunderstandings were acceptable, and then said: "Jin Yi, when I was your age, I certainly wasn't as capable as you are."

Everyone saw the beautiful lady come to mediate the situation, and could only respond with repeated acknowledgments before sitting down, closing their eyes to adjust their breathing. However, when Xia Wenhui and the others sat down, a scar on one person's face was struck down with a palm, the force of which was somewhat greater than what Shi Xuan had just produced, blowing away a considerable amount of dust

In this state, Shi Xuan found that his senses had become more acute. For instance, he could feel Xia Wenhui casting malevolent glances in this direction one moment, and then hesitatingly shifting his gaze the next. It was likely that Xia Wenhui, confident in his own strength, was contemplating doing something unfavorable here, yet was hesitant due to concerns from other aspects.

The time was approaching midnight, and the main hall's door had long been destroyed. The wind whistled through the hall, and even with everyone's martial arts skills and knowledge, a slight chill could be felt.

Xu Jinyi suddenly realized: "Oh, so you are also on the verge of breaking through the first channel of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. It's nothing, Brother Shi. My fifth brother has been wandering in the martial world for many years, and his experience in combat is richer than yours. Sigh, I was just feeling quite proud a moment ago"

Although Meng Yuqiong and Xu Jinyi are both children of the rivers and lakes, they still slightly changed their expressions upon hearing about snakes, insects, mice, and ants. The two girls turned their faces towards Xu Tianqi, their eyes and expressions conveying that they did not want to proceed any further, especially Xu Jinyi, who was on the verge of exclaiming it. Nevertheless, they still wanted to give Fifth Brother face, allowing him to make the decision.

"Sister Yuqiong, I see that the scenery here is quite beautiful. Would you mind if I join you?" Xia Wenhui said with a smile to Meng Yuqiong

The matter of cultivation, apart from a very few individuals, remains largely unknown to others. Therefore, not only did Xu Jinyi not consider this aspect, but from the expressions of Meng Yuqiong, Mu Jin, and also Xia Wenhui along with the two elders, it is evident that they accepted Xu Jinyi's statement. However, everyone's attention towards Shi Xuan has noticeably increased.

Shi Xuan smiled and said, "I did not deceive you; my martial arts skills are indeed no match for Senior Brother Xu."

This keen sense is quite refreshing, and the state of Xia Wenhui has made Shi Xuan realize the various factors that influence a person's decisions. Ultimately, even if a decision is made, it may not reflect one's true inner will. In fact, I am the same; although I have learned to use my nature to control my thoughts, I am merely following the method and have not truly seen my nature. I am still influenced by the thought patterns and experiences formed since birth. This influence, akin to a diagram or text, permeates the process of everything I do, which is why there is the saying "seeing one's nature is功." If I could truly free myself from external influences and see my own nature, I fear I would have already achieved the state of the primordial spirit. Therefore, the path of cultivation remains long and arduous.

At this moment, Shi Xuan dared not indulge in visualization. He first closed his eyes to regulate his breath and restore his energy. Then, he employed the method of controlling thoughts through the technique of clear wind and bright moon to consolidate his thoughts, ensuring that he maintained a state of clarity.

Xu Tianqi glared fiercely at Xia Wenhui, but there were no further actions taken. It seems this fellow lacks experience in this regard; no wonder a young master ranked among the top twenty in the martial world would suffer setbacks in front of someone like Xia Wenhui, who clearly lacks strength.

Because there were only about four or five chairs left in the entire hall, Shi Xuan noticed that Xu Tianqi was busy flattering others, while the rest treated him as if he were invisible. Taking a dust-clearing talisman from his dark pouch, he quickly walked a few steps to a spot not far from Meng Yuqiong's chair, with his hand hidden in his sleeve. He directly activated the talisman using his soul power, then pretended to gather his palm strength and swept it across the ground. Various debris and dust on the floor were swept away by a gust of palm wind towards the corridor, revealing a large area of clean ground.

As Shi Xuan cleared a large area, Xu Tianqi and Mu Jin also sat down cross-legged, but Xu Tianqi still maintained a half-step distance from the chairs of Meng Yuqiong and Xu Jinyi. He then whispered to Shi Xuan: "By the way, a few years ago, it was rumored that the Twin Blades had opened five of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians on the Ganlong Road. With the passage of time, their cultivation must have improved significantly. Even if they are not top-tier experts, they are likely not far from that level."

Fortunately, Xu Tianqi has a good younger sister. The young girl Xu Jinyi pulled him towards the area where the two elders, Xia Wenhui, were located, but closer to the corridor. She then gestured for Xu Tianqi to wipe a chair with his sleeve before turning around to beckon Meng Yuqiong, saying: "Sister Yuqiong, come over here, it's very clean."

Meng Yuqiong smiled slightly, cupped her hands towards Xia Wenhui, and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Brother Xia." She then walked towards Xu Jinyi, while Xia Wenhui's face grew increasingly pale behind her

The night was eerily silent, with only the sound of the wind howling. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the hall, bringing with it a chilling atmosphere. Xu Jinyi and Mu Jin both trembled, their teeth chattering.

The dual killers, Dao and Jian, behind Xia Wenhui were in a state of closed-eye meditation. Seizing this opportunity, Shi Xuan activated a talisman for disaster relief and blessings from within his sleeve. This talisman was merely a general auxiliary type, primarily aimed at clearing the mind and dispelling malevolent energy, making it perfectly suitable for the dual killers. Although their malevolent energy had already fused with their souls, it could only be eliminated through personal visualization and the simultaneous conduct of a large-scale ritual, utilizing the power of the ritual platform. For now, it could only be temporarily suppressed, which was all that Shi Xuan needed. Moreover, this disaster relief and blessing talisman was beneficial; the dual killers could only feel their minds becoming increasingly clear during their meditation, and their energy recovering more rapidly, at most attributing it to their own effective meditation and progress in their skills.

"Ah, Tian Qixian, this place is not something you have purchased, so why can’t I come over?" Xia Wenhui said, as Jian Cong, who had half of his hair white and a fierce appearance, stepped forward and then silently retreated. With that one step, he crushed a piece of bluestone brick into powder.