9: eerie village, physical exorcists

Demon Suppression Division, Mission Hall.

A massive black jade wall was covered densely with mission plaques.

The plaques were divided into four colors: White (Normal), Yellow (Dangerous), Red (Extremely Dangerous), and Black (Nine Deaths, One Life).

Gu Yang stood before the wall, ignoring the white and yellow missions, his gaze fixed directly on the red area.

"Petty demons that steal chickens and dogs are boring; they don't have enough meat."

His eyes landed on a scarlet plaque, which read:

[Fengmen Village Disappearance Case]

Rank: Red Urgent

Location: Thirty miles outside the city, Fengmen Village.

Description: One hundred and thirty villagers vanished overnight, with no sign of the living or the dead.

The two previous teams of Iron Plaque Guards sent to investigate have all lost contact. It is suspected that a 'Bizarre-type' demon is responsible, specializing in Illusion Techniques and Mental Attacks, making physical methods extremely ineffective.

Recommendation: Only those at Viscera Refining Realm Late Stage or above, and who possess an evil-repelling Magical Artifact, should proceed.

"Physical methods are extremely ineffective?"

Gu Yang curled his lips into an amused smile. "That's only because the physical damage output isn't high enough."

He reached out and snatched the plaque.

"This is the one."

"Are you crazy?"

A clear, pleasant, yet anxious voice sounded beside him.

Gu Yang turned his head and saw a girl in tight black clothes and a high ponytail staring at him with wide eyes.

The girl was petite and delicate. She carried a massive Magical Artifact box on her back, and her waist was covered with various Talismans and Luopans.

One of the few Female Divine Constables in the Demon Suppression Division—Shen Linger.

She was also the temporary partner assigned by the Division to Gu Yang, the "Super Rookie."

"This is a Bizarre-type mission! Those things have no physical body. No matter how hard your muscles are, what use is hitting cotton?"

Shen Linger looked at Gu Yang's terrifying 2.2-meter height. Although it gave her a sense of security, against ghosts, this big guy would probably just be a sitting duck.

"Moreover, the previous two teams failed inside. We should plan this carefully..."

"No need to plan."

Gu Yang hung the plaque on his waist and strode out. "I'll go beat them to death, and the problem will be solved."

Shen Linger froze in place, stamping her feet in frustration. "Hey! Wait for me! This Brute!"

...Fengmen Village.

What should have been a picturesque little village was currently shrouded in a layer of dense, impenetrable white mist.

Even at noon, the sunlight couldn't penetrate the heavy fog. The air was filled with a chilling coldness that seeped into the bones. It was silent all around, without even the chirping of insects or birds—a deathly stillness.

As soon as Shen Linger reached the village entrance, the needle of the Luopan she held began to spin wildly.

"The Yin Qi is too heavy! This is the nascent form of a Ghost Domain!"

Shen Linger's expression was grave. She quickly pulled several yellow Evil-Repelling Talismans from her waist and said nervously, "Gu Yang, don't move around! This fog is poisonous and causes hallucinations. I need to set up a 'Heart-Cleansing Evil-Breaking Array' first, and proceed cautiously..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Gu Yang striding into the mist.

"Hey! What are you doing! Come back!"

Gu Yang stopped in front of a boundary marker at the village entrance.

He took a deep breath, his chest swelling high. The blood in his body began to flow faster, making a rushing sound like surging rivers.

"Setting up an array? Too much trouble."

"If I can't see the path, then I'll just blow away this obstructing fog!"

The next second.

Gu Yang suddenly opened his mouth and let out an earth-shattering roar:

"Scram!!!"

ROAR—

This was not just a sound wave; it was infused with the unique "Demonic Tiger Evil Qi" from the Great Dark Heaven Demonic Tiger Fist!

Behind the 2.2-meter tall Gu Yang, a phantom of a black Demonic Tiger seemed to materialize, letting out a long howl toward the sky.

The terrifying sound wave transformed into a tangible shockwave, sweeping wildly in all directions with Gu Yang at its center!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The dense white mist was instantly torn apart and scattered, as if it had encountered a Category 12 typhoon!

Within a hundred meters, the area suddenly cleared up!

Sunlight shone down once more, illuminating the dilapidated village entrance.

The Talismans in Shen Linger's hand were shaken loose. Her mouth slightly agape, she stared blankly at the scene.

"This... is this the Lion's Roar Skill? No, is this just pure lung capacity and Evil Qi?"

To disperse the Ghost Domain mist with just one roar? How vigorous must his vital energy and blood be?

"Come out, stop hiding."

Gu Yang's gaze was like electricity, locking onto an old locust tree in the center of the village.

There, a red shadow was trembling.

"Hehehe... such vigorous vital energy and blood... such a magnificent man..."

A grating laugh rang out.

The red shadow slowly floated out, transforming into a pale-faced woman wearing a wedding dress. Her feet did not touch the ground, and her body was semi-transparent.

A Red-Clothed Malevolent Ghost! And one that was about to Breakthrough to the Fierce Rank!

"If I eat you, I can also cultivate into a Ghost King!"

The female ghost shrieked, and her figure instantly dissolved into countless afterimages, with the sounds of wailing ghosts filling the air in all directions.

If it were an ordinary Martial Artist, they would already be paralyzed by this Mental Attack.

But a golden light flashed in Gu Yang's eyes; the Dragon-Elephant Golden Bell Shield automatically protected its master, making his spirit as firm as a boulder.

"Flashy nonsense."

Gu Yang sneered. His right arm instantly turned pitch black, and faint dark red flames seemed to flow across it.

Great Dark Heaven Demonic Tiger Fist—Poison Fire Attacks the Heart!

Just as the female ghost thought this clumsy giant couldn't catch her and prepared to launch a sneak attack from behind.

Gu Yang didn't even turn his head, smashing a backhanded punch backward!

This punch was incredibly fast and incredibly fierce!

"You can't hit me! I'm incorporeal..."

The female ghost was still laughing mockingly.

However, the instant the pitch-black fist touched her soul body, her laughter turned into a bloodcurdling scream.

Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!

It was like a scorching hot branding iron pressed onto lard.

The "High-Temperature Poison Fire" and "Heart-Shattering Hidden Force" attached to the fist completely bypassed physical immunity, acting directly upon her soul!

"AHHH—!!!"

The female ghost was sent flying by the punch, half of her soul body shattered, emitting bursts of black smoke.

"How is this possible! What kind of fist technique is this?!"

Terrified, she tried to flee, turning into black smoke and drilling into the ground.

"Trying to run?"

Gu Yang gave a sinister laugh, took a step, and the ground trembled.

His massive hand stretched out like a shadow covering the sky, grabbing the female ghost's remaining leg (forcibly grasping her even in her soul state).

This was the "Yang Vigor Field" generated when vital energy and blood reached their peak, specifically countering Yin Evil!

"Get down here!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The scene that followed made Shen Linger, standing nearby, unable to watch.

How was this exorcism? This was simply one-sided bullying!

Gu Yang grabbed the female ghost and violently slammed her against the ground like a broken ragdoll. With every slam, a large pit was smashed into the earth, and a portion of the Yin Qi surrounding the female ghost was dispersed.

"Mercy... Daoist Master, mercy... I won't eat anymore... Wuwuwu..."

The female ghost was beaten until she cried, she truly cried.

After being a ghost for so many years, she had never encountered such a ferocious human!

This guy was more like a ghost than a ghost!

"Mercy?"

Gu Yang picked up the female ghost, who had been beaten down to a faint red glow, and peered at her closely.

"I'm sorry, those two words aren't in my dictionary."

"Also... you look delicious."

Splat!

Gu Yang suddenly clenched his five fingers.

The last trace of Yin Qi dissipated.

[Killed Intermediate Bizarre Entity (Red-Clothed Vengeful Spirit), Plunder successful!]

[Obtained energy points: 25 points!]

"Satisfying."

Gu Yang shook his hand, feeling the energy inside his body replenish once more.

He turned his head toward the completely petrified Shen Linger and flashed his signature 'Nuclear-Kind' smile:

"Done, time to clock out."

"Oh right, there should be some private stash money hidden by that thing in the village. Shall we go look for it?"

Shen Linger swallowed hard, looking at the mess and the huge pits all over the ground, then glanced at the innocent-looking Gu Yang.

She silently revised her evaluation of Gu Yang in her heart:

This isn't a Brute.

This is a demon... wearing human skin!