25: Chu Yuan's First Battle

"That's not right?"

Zhang Xiangwen was puzzled, "Besides the windows being sealed and the light being a bit dim, is there anything else wrong?"

"Of course, it's the scent of incense!"

Chu Yuan nodded and spoke in a deep voice: "At this time of day, who would still be burning incense? If it's not for ancestors, then it must be..."

"For ghosts and gods?!"

Zhang Xiangwen reacted instantly, gripping his machete and scanning the room with his gaze.

Chu Yuan took out a small stone and flicked it towards the wardrobe.

The stone cut through the air, and the locked small door on the wardrobe instantly shattered into dust upon contact with the stone.

With the small door broken, both of them could clearly see the scene inside.

Within that small compartment, a wooden carving of a woman stood silently.

In front of the carving, in a small incense burner, were three burnt-out incense sticks.

At the same time, the room instantly grew several degrees colder, and a chilling voice emerged.

"You brat, I shouldn't have listened to that bastard elder brother back then; I should have drained you dry!"

As the voice faded, a woman in white appeared out of thin air.

Her figure was somewhat ethereal, her face as pale as paper, and her eyes were filled with venomous resentment.

Zhang Xiangwen gripped the machete in his hand, watching her vigilantly, and angrily said: "As expected, you were hiding here! Tie Lin truly deserves to die!"

The female Ghostly Creature looked at the machetes in their hands with apprehension, then her gaze fell on Zhang Xiangwen.

"Brother Xiang Wen, I am willing to leave Xiao Huang Village right now. Could you, for the sake of our past acquaintance, let me go?"

Hearing this, Chu Yuan looked at Zhang Xiangwen in surprise, "Uncle Zhang, you two know each other?"

Zhang Xiangwen was also startled. He looked up and carefully examined the female Ghostly Creature, his expression subtly changing.

"You are... Xiao Hua?"

The female Ghostly Creature nodded, "It seems Brother Xiang Wen still recognizes Xiao Hua. Xiao Hua is truly happy."

"Brother Xiang Wen, the mistake I made isn't that big. If you two leave now, I will depart Xiao Huang Village on my own tonight, how about it?"

Zhang Xiangwen's expression was complex, "How did you become a Ghostly Creature?"

Xiao Hua shook her head and smiled, "Back then, I was unwilling to die, so my obsession transformed me into a Ghostly Creature, relying on the wooden carving Tie Lin gave me to exist."

"Later, Tie Lin discovered my existence and began to Cultivate me."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiangwen's expression changed dramatically, and his heart suddenly cleared.

"The village protecting bell didn't detect your presence. So it was because you had the scent of incense on you, and this incense also came from within the village."

Chu Yuan glanced at the wooden carving and continued, "Perhaps it was also because Tie Lin nourished the Ghostly Creature with his blood, and the Ghostly Creature had his Qi on her."

Xiao Hua nodded indifferently upon hearing this. Her gaze turned to Chu Yuan: "You brat, how did you discover me?"

Chu Yuan smiled, "It's simple. You absorbed my Yang Qi, so I had a vague impression of your Qi, but not much."

"After I woke up, I felt something was off with Tie Zhu, but I couldn't pinpoint it at first."

"It wasn't until I Cultivated and Broke through to the Spiritual Enlightenment Realm Early Stage not long ago that, upon seeing Tie Zhu again, I once more sensed that something was amiss with him."

"That was the scent of incense, and a faint wisp of Yin Qi. I had a suspicion then."

"In the following days, I wandered around the village twice. Only this place gave me an unpleasant feeling. Coupled with Tie Zhu's problem and inadvertently seeing the lock on the outside gate, I finally confirmed it."

"The Ghostly Creature that harmed me is hidden right here!"

Hearing this analysis, the female Ghostly Creature Xiao Hua's eyes filled with venomous resentment, and she said in a chilling voice: "A single oversight in a hundred plans. I shouldn't have spared you back then!"

"Spared me?"

Chu Yuan's expression turned cold, "You must be joking. Back then, my Yang Qi was almost completely drained, and my body also contained Yin Fiend Qi. If I hadn't been incredibly lucky, I would have died long ago!"

"Today, you must be executed!"

With that, Chu Yuan swung his long saber, directly slashing at the female Ghostly Creature Xiao Hua.

"Presumptuous!"

"Do you really think this old woman is afraid of you two?!"

The female Ghostly Creature Xiao Hua let out a cold shout, her ghostly Qi erupting. The dense ghostly Qi instantly transformed into a giant, pitch-black hand, which slammed fiercely towards Chu Yuan.

"Be careful! This Ghostly Creature is stronger than me!"

Zhang Xiangwen cried out in alarm, stepping forward with his saber to confront the ghostly Qi hand alongside Chu Yuan.

The ghostly Qi hand came with fierce momentum, carrying bone-chilling coldness, and the room was small, making it impossible for Chu Yuan and the other to dodge.

The two swung their machetes, meeting it head-on.

As the machetes touched the ghostly Qi hand, a bloody light suddenly appeared, constantly searing the ghostly Qi.

The two swung several more times, and the ghostly Qi hand instantly shattered, re-gathering on the female Ghostly Creature's body.

"It's useless!"

The female Ghostly Creature's voice rang out in the room, "My strength has already reached First-tier Perfection. You two will not be my opponents."

As her voice fell, the ghostly Qi hand condensed again, and the female Ghostly Creature simultaneously vanished.

"Watch out for sneak attacks!"

Zhang Xiangwen quickly warned, dedicating a portion of his attention to his rear.

But at this moment, a bell chime suddenly rang out, actually dispersing the ghostly Qi hand.

"Damn it!"

"It's the village protecting bell!"

The female Ghostly Creature's exasperated voice rang out from the back right, and her figure appeared there.

"Chu Yuan, under the influence of the village protecting bell, she temporarily cannot conceal herself, and her strength is also weakened!"

"Attack with full force!"

Zhang Xiangwen let out a cold shout, swinging his saber at the female Ghostly Creature without the slightest hesitation.

Chu Yuan followed closely behind.

The ghostly Qi on the female Ghostly Creature quickly condensed, blocking in front of her body and stopping Zhang Xiangwen's strike.

"Bang!"

With a loud crash, both of them retreated, each hitting a wall with a tremendous sound.

Chu Yuan seized the opportunity, striking the female Ghostly Creature with his saber.

"Ah!"

Bloody light appeared on the saber, making sizzling sounds, and the female Ghostly Creature let out a scream.

"Damn it! You two are dead!"

The female Ghostly Creature was furious. She pushed Chu Yuan back with a palm strike, then her figure flickered, rushing fiercely towards the two.

Chu Yuan was quick-eyed and quick-handed, swinging his long saber. The saber wind whistled, forcing the female Ghostly Creature back.

Throughout the entire battle, Chu Yuan still hadn't used his full strength, only displaying his Middle Stage power.

He was waiting!

Waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow!

Zhang Xiangwen, however, was attacking with all his might, showing no restraint despite their past acquaintance.

Affected by the village protecting bell, the female Ghostly Creature's strength was weakened, making her barely able to fight the two to a draw.

For a time, the three were locked in fierce combat.

After several moves, Zhang Xiangwen was sent flying, breaking a hole in the wooden house.

Sunlight streamed in, and the female Ghostly Creature frantically dodged, seemingly afraid to touch the sunlight.

Seeing this, Chu Yuan's heart stirred, and he quickly shouted, "Uncle Zhang, her strength isn't high right now; she's afraid of light!"

With that, he advanced with his saber, engaging the female Ghostly Creature in combat.

Zhang Xiangwen, hearing this, swung his machete, cutting hole after hole in the wall.

Seeing this, the female Ghostly Creature roared, "Zhang Xiangwen, are you truly abandoning our past sentiments?!"

Zhang Xiangwen cleaved another large hole, jumped in, and attacked her, "Ever since you attacked the villagers, there has been no past sentiment between us."

The female Ghostly Creature roared and flashed into the main hall. Zhang Xiangwen followed closely.

Chu Yuan was about to follow but suddenly thought of something, quickly throwing the wooden carving out of the house.