217: Junior brother, you call this a spring cleaning?

Outside the woodshed.

Wang Duojin looked at that pale white void spot, feeling a chill run down his spine.

He was at the Early-stage Profound Immortal realm and possessed the Innate Formation Body, making him extremely sensitive to the Laws of Space.

It was precisely because of this sensitivity that he felt even more terror.

That wasn't a spatial fracture; a fracture could be repaired.

That was "nothingness."

The very concept of "existence" at that location had been completely erased.

"Third... Third Senior Brother?"

Seeing Wang Duojin staring blankly, Shen Nanxi called out somewhat tentatively.

"Ah? Oh!"

Wang Duojin snapped back to his senses, his round face quickly piling on his signature enthusiastic smile, though a trace of lingering shock remained deep in his eyes.

"Junior Brother Shen, your Senior Brother has brought you some 'equipment'."

He waved his hand.

A red sandalwood table appeared out of thin air, covered with a dazzling array of talisman-making supplies.

"This is 'Dragon Blood Cinnabar' ground from the reverse scales of an East Sea Flood Dragon; it contains the most masculine and sun-like Qi."

"These are 'Purple Lightning Talisman Papers' made from the bark of ten-thousand-year-old lightning-struck wood. They are incredibly tough and carry an inherent lightning charm."

"And this brush..."

Wang Duojin picked up a pure white talisman brush with a tip glowing with golden light, his tone solemn.

"This is the 'spirit fox brush' made from the tail hair of a Nine-Tailed Sky Fox. Although it is only a Peak Grade Spiritual Artifact, it excels in spirituality and is perfect for a beginner to control."

Shen Nanxi's hands trembled as he looked at the table full of glowing treasures.

"Senior Brother... this... this is too precious."

Back in his village, he couldn't even bear to use a piece of scrap paper.

"Precious my foot."

Wang Duojin waved his hand dismissively, casually popped a High Grade Immortal Stone into his mouth, and crunched it with a loud snap.

"In our Myriad Dao Divine Sect, this stuff is just trash."

"Revered Master said to let you practice freely."

"If you run out, just come to me for more. I've got plenty!"

Just then.

Atop the Divine Mountain, within the mind of Chu Xuanjin who was lying on a rocking chair, the System's notification sound rang out pleasantly.

[Ding! Host has gifted Disciple Shen Nanxi 'Dragon Blood Cinnabar' (Earth Rank High Grade) through Disciple Wang Duojin. Triggering 10,000x Critical Hit Rebate!]

[Congratulations, Host has obtained: Divine Grade · Chaos Origin Blood!]

[Ding! Gifted 'Purple Lightning Talisman Paper' (Earth Rank Peak Grade). Triggering 100,000x Critical Hit Rebate!]

[Congratulations, Host has obtained: Innate Spirit Treasure · Void Dao Pattern Paper (One Stack)!]

[Ding! Gifted 'spirit fox brush' (Peak Grade Spiritual Artifact). Triggering 1,000x Critical Hit Rebate!]

[Congratulations, Host has obtained: Immortal Grade · Judge's Brush (Authentic Fragment)!]

The corners of Chu Xuanjin's mouth curled slightly.

Comfortable.

Passing items from one hand to the other, trash turns into Divine Artifacts... In front of the woodshed.

Shen Nanxi carefully put away those Materials as if he were holding rare world-class treasures.

"Right, Junior Brother."

Wang Duojin remembered Revered Master's instructions and pointed toward the Lower Realm.

"Revered Master said that if you practice on the mountain, you'll likely tear the house down."

"He wants you to go to the Lower Realm to practice."

"I've already picked out a place for you: 'Myriad Ghost Ridge' on the border of the Eastern Desolation."

"That place has heavy Yin Qi and lots of 'dirty things.' It's perfect for your... ahem, Cleaning Talisman."

Shen Nanxi's eyes lit up.

"Lots of dirty things? That's great!"

He was just worrying about not being able to find enough "stains" to practice on.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

...Half an hour later.

Eastern Desolation border, Myriad Ghost Ridge.

This was a Forbidden Ground for Mortals, shrouded year-round in black Yin-Fiend Qi.

It was said that a thousand years ago, this was an ancient battlefield where hundreds of thousands were buried. The resentment was sky-high, giving rise to countless malevolent ghosts and zombies.

Even Cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage did not dare to easily step into its depths.

Buzz.

Space distorted for a moment.

Wang Duojin appeared out of thin air, bringing Shen Nanxi with him.

"Alright, Junior Brother, this is the place."

Wang Duojin covered his nose, looking at the surrounding black mist with a face full of disdain.

"This place is dirty enough, right?"

Shen Nanxi looked around.

In his special eyes, this place was simply a massive garbage dump.

Distorted black lines were everywhere, like clumps of moldy tangled hemp pasted over the originally clear textures of heaven and earth.

"So dirty."

Shen Nanxi frowned, his obsessive-compulsive disorder practically flaring up.

"Senior Brother, I'll start cleaning right away."

"Sure, take your time. I'll act as your Protector from up there."

After saying that, Wang Duojin flew directly into the sky a thousand meters up, pulled out a handful of melon seeds, and prepared to watch the show.

No joke.

If he stayed too close, what if he got "cleaned" away too?

Shen Nanxi stood on the black earth, which was covered in rotting leaves and withered bones.

He took a deep breath, spread out a sheet of 'Purple Lightning Talisman Paper,' picked up the 'spirit fox brush,' and dipped it into the 'Dragon Blood Cinnabar.'

There were no fluctuations of spiritual power.

Only a fully concentrated essence, energy, and spirit.

"It's too dirty here; I need to use a large dose."

He muttered to himself.

His brush moved like a dancing dragon.

This time, with good Materials to carry the intent, he drew even more smoothly.

That distorted, hideous "Cleaning Talisman" pattern looked exceptionally eerie on the purple talisman paper.

"Roar—"

A gust of Yin wind blew past.

Several green-faced, fanged malevolent ghosts charged out of the black mist.

They smelled the scent of a living person and hissed excitedly, opening their bloody maws to pounce on Shen Nanxi.

"Where did this Mortal brat come from! So tender and fair, just right for this great one's snack!"

Shen Nanxi looked up at the several clumps of "black stains" flying toward him.

He felt no fear.

Only a kind of disgust one feels when seeing stubborn grime.

"Don't move."

He said softly.

Then, with a backhand motion, he slapped the freshly drawn talisman paper onto the forehead of the leading ghost.

"Swiftly obey the command! Powerful Cleaning!"

Buzz!

The pale white light shone once again.

No screams.

No explosions.

That malevolent ghost remained in its lunging posture, but it was like an ink stain on a painting being violently wiped away by a wet cloth.

Swish.

Gone.

Completely and utterly gone.

Along with the ghosts behind it, and the black mist, withered trees, and soil within a ten-meter radius of them.

Everything vanished.

In its place remained only a ten-meter diameter, pale white, absolutely smooth spherical void.

The remaining ghosts slammed on the brakes.

Though they had no physical bodies, they possessed intelligence.

They looked at that void in terror; it was a nothingness that could erase even "ghosts."

"This... what kind of Spell is this?!"

"Run! Run quickly!"

The ghosts shrieked, trying to flee.

"Don't run."

Shen Nanxi got a bit anxious.

"It's not wiped clean yet."

He grabbed a handful of talisman papers and threw them out like scattering flyers.

"Cleanse! Cleanse! Cleanse!"

Swish! Swish! Swish!

On the outskirts of Myriad Ghost Ridge, a dozen pale white voids instantly appeared.

Anything touched by the talisman papers—be it ghosts, trees, or stones—all disappeared.

It was like a clumsy photo editor using an eraser to haphazardly rub out parts of a picture.

High in the sky.

The melon seeds in Wang Duojin's hand dropped in fright.

"Holy crap..."

"You call this cleaning? This is freaking formatting!"

He looked down at the weak-looking youth holding a talisman brush, chasing a group of malevolent ghosts all over the mountain.

He suddenly felt that the ghosts of Myriad Ghost Ridge had truly run into eight lifetimes of bad luck today... Deep within Myriad Ghost Ridge.

Inside a palace built from white bones.

"Report—!!"

A small ghost scrambled in, its soul-body trembling violently.

"Great King! This is bad!"

"A lunatic has come outside!"

On the bone throne, a Ghost King wearing red robes, whose aura had reached the Soul Transformation Initial Stage, snapped his eyes open.

"What's the panic!"

"A mere human Cultivator, this King will swallow him in one gulp!"

"No... he's not a Cultivator!"

The small ghost had a face full of woe as it pointed outside.

"It's a Mortal! But he's holding paper, and he slaps it on every ghost he sees!"

"Once it's slapped on, they're gone, Great King! Not even a speck of dust is left!"

"Gone once it's slapped on?"

The Ghost King sneered.

"Playing tricks! This King wants to see just what kind of 'sacred being' this is!"

Boom!

The Ghost King's form turned into a streak of black smoke, rushing out of the Bone Hall.

The moment he stepped out.

He saw a scene that no ghost would ever forget.

Malevolent ghosts all over the mountains were fleeing frantically.

And behind them.

A seemingly frail youth, holding a stack of yellow paper, was with a serious face... "wiping" away a small hill.

Yes.

Wiping it away.

Right under the Ghost King's gaze, that small hill turned into a patch of pale white nothingness.

"This..."

The Ghost King's eyelids twitched wildly.

What kind of Divine Ability was this? Void Laws?

No! This kid clearly didn't have the slightest ripple of spiritual power!

Just then.

Shen Nanxi saw the Ghost King.

His eyes instantly lit up.

In Shen Nanxi's vision, this red-robed Ghost King was the largest, most stubborn piece of "ancient grime" in the entire area.

"As long as I wipe you away, it should be clean here, right?"

Shen Nanxi wiped the sweat from his forehead and revealed a simple, honest smile.

Then.

He pulled out an extra-thick version of the Cleaning Talisman drawn with 'Dragon Blood Cinnabar' from his robe.

"You... don't come over here!"

The Ghost King felt the eerie fluctuations radiating from that talisman paper; his scalp tingled, and he subconsciously took a step back.

"This King is the Lord of Ten Thousand Ghosts! If you dare..."

"Don't move, it'll be quick."

Shen Nanxi took a step forward.

It was clearly the pace of a Mortal, yet due to some kind of Karmic pull, he instantly appeared in front of the Ghost King.

Slap.

The talisman paper was stuck onto the Ghost King's forehead.

"Super Double! Cleanse!"

"No—!!!"

The Ghost King let out a desperate roar.

The next moment.

The pale white light swallowed everything.