Chapter 128: Divine Mantra of Purification

The Great Emperor’s massive frame hit the ground with a dull thud, leaving him dazed and disoriented.

I scrambled to help him up, asking, "What happened? Why did you suddenly fall from the iron gate?"

With a look of sheer terror, the Great Emperor pointed at the gate. "There’s a wall there. I couldn't pass through it at all."

Startled, I instinctively reached out to touch the outer surface of the iron gate. Almost immediately, I felt a transparent energy barrier. Activating my Yin-Yang eyes, I discovered that this barrier was forged from concentrated Yin energy.

It was essentially a minor boundary. Any ghost that reached the level of a malevolent spirit could condense such a barrier using its own Yin essence. Had I not just fought the Corpse Matriarch, I might have had the strength to shatter it, but I was currently exhausted, and in my weakened state, I couldn't think of a way to overcome it quickly.

Just as we stood there in a panic, unsure of what to do, a piercing, shrill laugh echoed from the fourth-floor corridor of the laboratory building: "Junior, didn't I tell you earlier? You aren't as fast as I am!"

Following the sound, I saw Cheng Hao standing on the edge of the balcony, his face covered in blood. He kept clawing at his center-parted hair, and after a twisted, toothy grin, he threw himself off the fourth floor without the slightest hesitation.

Although I already knew this wasn't the first time he had jumped from that balcony, I still felt a jolt of horror.

Two seconds later, Cheng Hao hit the stone slab below with a heavy thud, his body bouncing twice before coming to a rest. His bones seemed to have shattered upon impact, and his skull had burst open; blood and brain matter splattered across the ground, staining the area around him a deep, vibrant red.

Liu Yi and the others screamed. I felt goosebumps rise all over my skin. Yet, at that very moment, a series of sickening cracking sounds erupted from the mangled body on the ground. Cheng Hao then staggered to his feet, swaying, and began to lurch toward us.

The women—Liu Yi and the others—were crying in terror, and the Great Emperor and his companions were equally panicked. I hurriedly stepped in front of them, shouting, "Don't move!"

I quickly drew a Palm Thunder talisman in my palm and charged toward Cheng Hao.

"Heaven is round and Earth is square; the law commands nine chapters. Palm Thunder Fire, let all ghosts be hidden!"

As I finished the incantation, I struck Cheng Hao square in the face. Just like before, the blow landed solidly, but this time, he didn't fly backward. He didn't even flinch, despite half of his skull being completely caved in. He let out a strange, guttural laugh, grabbed my arm, and bit down hard.

"The three wonders of heaven—Sun, Moon, and Stars—terrify all ghosts and gods. If evil spirits or demons approach, the hungry ghosts of the earth shall not pass! Three Pure Ones Evil-Suppressing Spell, obey this command!"

As Cheng Hao gnashed his teeth into my arm, I hurriedly invoked the Three Pure Ones Evil-Suppressing Spell and struck him again. The power of this spell was naturally greater than the Palm Thunder. With one blow, Cheng Hao was sent flying. He landed with a shrill, piercing scream, but soon enough, he stood up once again.

"Great Emperor, use the Taoist Body Purification Spell!"

I knew Cheng Hao wouldn't be easy to finish off. I lacked the strength to destroy him, so my only option was to stall him while the Great Emperor used the purification spell to break the boundary.

The Body Purification Spell is one of the eight great Taoist incantations. While it doesn't cause significant damage to demons or ghosts, it allows the practitioner to align their inner spirits and cleanse their physical form, thereby calling upon divine power to dispel surrounding filth. Since the barrier was made of condensed Yin energy—a form of spiritual filth—the spell might just be able to tear it open.

The Great Emperor nodded reflexively, but then looked at me with a blank expression. "What is the Taoist Body Purification Spell?"

I was speechless. It seemed he hadn't studied the Maoshan Secret Records at all during this time. Realizing I couldn't rely on him, I struck Cheng Hao with the Three Pure Ones spell one more time and ran back to the gate.

"Lingbao Heavenly Lord, soothe my form; let my soul and five viscera be mysterious and calm. Green Dragon and White Tiger, stand guard on either side; Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise, protect my true self. Obey this command!"

As I finished, a faint white mist rose from my body. I reached out and pressed my palm against the barrier. The white mist clashed with the black Yin energy, and I could clearly feel the barrier weakening.

I turned to the Great Emperor. "Did you memorize it?"

He nodded and began to chant the spell. Soon, a faint white mist emerged from him as well. I felt a sense of relief; it seemed he had some talent for Taoist arts after all. If we survived tonight, I might even introduce him to Peng Li.

I told the Great Emperor to focus on breaking the barrier while I did my best to buy us time. Cheng Hao was already charging back toward us. As I turned, he grabbed my collar and, with a roar, hurled me to the ground.

My insides felt as though they were tearing apart. Seeing Cheng Hao lunging toward Liu Yi, I rushed over and slammed my palm into his back just as he gripped her throat.

Liu Yi looked at me with newfound intensity, but I had no time for that. I glared at her and turned back to face Cheng Hao. For the next five minutes, I gave everything I had, but I couldn't gain the upper hand.

Though I was stronger than when I first returned to school, I realized a grave problem: even with the complete Maoshan Secret Records and the Yellow Springs Tome, I lacked the cultivation base to unleash their true potential. Worse, I was still fundamentally an ordinary human. My strength and speed couldn't match the supernatural agility of the entity I was fighting.

I made a silent vow: if I survived this, I would train my body properly. If I could master martial arts like Wing Chun or Hung Ga, and combine them with my Taoist arts, the thought alone made my blood boil.

By now, the Great Emperor had torn a gap in the barrier. He would be out soon. I realized Cheng Hao was a mid-level malevolent spirit. Had I not fought the Corpse Matriarch, I could have finished him, but I was spent.

As I struck him one last time with the Palm Thunder, I collapsed to the ground. Cheng Hao was thrown into a corner, twitching. I didn't know if he would rise again.

"Great Emperor, are you done?"

"Done!" In that critical moment, the Great Emperor let out a guttural roar. He grabbed the edges of the rift in the barrier, recited the purification spell one last time, and with a final, desperate heave, tore the entire barrier in two.