159 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

## Chapter 159: Emotionless (VII) "Hold on just a little longer... dawn is almost here!" A disciple swiftly took over from a nearby exhausted comrade, injecting spiritual energy into the defensive array that enveloped the outskirts of the Qingban Forest in a crescent-shaped barrier. The seal had broken deep into the night. Based on the youths' experience and imagination, they believed once the sun had risen, the sunlight would decrease the ghosts' gloom significantly. Perhaps the three elders pursuing the chaos at the heart of Tianqian could wipe them out completely. However, things rarely turn out as people imagine. As the distant sky slowly turned blue, what lingered above was still the unknown green light and the eerie purple aura that spread across the night. The camp was established on the edge of a flat land, with defenses built in the mountains, relying on the disparity in terrain to buffer against attacks and gain some advantage. Earth and wood practitioners created complex formations on towering walls and platforms, holding up that crescent-shaped network of spiritual energy. Weaker disciples rotated on these platforms to replenish the energy, stopping the hordes of beasts from crossing over. The frantic, fleeing beasts mostly had low cultivation levels, mainly because Xiang Shi Yan and the others managed to seal the ghosts emerging from the Gorge of Wails in the heart of the forest. The beasts in the inner and core circles were disturbed by the sudden surge of ghostly yin energy, yet not overly frightened. If the three elders could no longer hold on and the rampaging ghosts drove out more terrifying beasts from the inner circle, or if they couldn't hold on themselves here... The disciple couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. It's already been a full hour since the Tianqian seal broke, and the calamity hasn't ended. From the shadowed forests continuously emerged agitated beasts. At the mountain defense front, the elders and teachers in charge of clearing out the beasts were exhausted. Though rampaging beast herds posed a significant threat, wanton slaughter did little good in quelling the situation afterward. If they could subdue without killing, it was naturally best. Between waves of beasts, when they had some breath left, more captured or knocked-out beasts accumulated on the blood-stained earth. The blood nearly red-dyed the flat land before the mountains, yet the scent of danger didn’t stop the fleeing beasts. Life inherently fears death, and sensitive to crises as these beasts were, they panicked. Before the swords-wielding practitioners at the outskirts could catch their breath, another wave of frenzied beasts rushed out from the forest, prompting everyone to brace themselves. "The next wave is here! Everyone, be on alert!" Even with the insurmountable barrier before them, beasts driven by fear wouldn’t halt, and they charged headlong into the sturdy barrier. The disciples on the platform maintaining the formation initially felt their teeth on edge at the close impact, their hearts faltering at the sounds of bones snapping, shivers at the spraying blood. But after weathering three or four waves, they became numb. The initial impact was always the fiercest. Beasts of all kinds and shapes jostled and crushed forward, savagely ramming, biting, attacking with their various powers at the barrier, as though they would burst through the transparent wall and tear into the practitioners at any moment. One young disciple stumbled back from a dull "thud," and when he looked up again, a large grey wolf was at the barrier, maw agape, nearly breaching the wall to reach him. Frightened out of his wits, his legs gave, and he turned to find his companion frantically. In his distraction, the already compromised spiritual barrier was torn open further. The sharp fangs seemed about to close on him when a spiritual sword fell from above, piercing through the grey wolf's head, pinning it to the ground. His companion, having regained composure, pulled the pale disciple back and formed seals to reinforce the array. The breach sealed instantly, and the intangible wall of energy sliced off the grey wolf’s protruding head cleanly. Gripping the same fear, they glanced at the wolf's smooth severed head, then thanked Huai Ye, who descended to reclaim her sword. Huai Ye nodded and charged to another front. She had received Xiang Shi Yan's message and rushed here from miles away. Despite her adept spirit absorption, exhaustion crept in. The girl gazed anxiously afar, where a faint pale blue seemed to bind the scattered ghostly energy. At least for now, Xiang Shi Yan and the others, just like them, were still holding on. Their condition, however, was uncertain. One hour earlier... Yu Zi Ming's eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the figure of the white-robed woman in the distance, an unshakeable unease gnawing at her heart. Her connection with her master was incredibly tight, even allowing a certain level of sensation sharing. The previous encounter felt as if she had merely pierced through a thin sheet of paper—a false impression. Meanwhile, the cold, weighted feeling of the sword at her neck remained acutely clear. Yu Zi Ming exhaled a breath of relief, watching the white figure transform mid-fall into a red-clad ghost girl, embroiled in conflict with the pursuing ghost. "Interesting. How are you controlling her?" Yu Zi Ming chuckled lightly. "Since when did Lian Zha teach ghost-taming techniques?" "Have you undone the seal entirely? Where is the array's eye?" Xiang Shi Yan held her sword leveled at Yu Zi Ming's throat. Her icy rebuke seemed to fall on deaf ears. Secretly, she signaled Elder Yu Qi, alerting her about the mischievous ghost cultivator she had tracked down. As the blade quivered, blood seeped from the fine edge, trailing from Yu Zi Ming's neck along to her white robe, staining it with a blotch of crimson. "There's no way I could completely undo such a complicated seal; I merely forced an opening," the woman replied with apparent ease. Now it was Xiang Shi Yan who grew tense. The woman in her grasp appeared frail and exhausted, as if she had just endured an arduous battle. Seeing Yu Zi Ming’s now flattened abdomen, Xiang Shi Yan wondered how she had managed to shatter the seal shortly after childbirth and still had the stamina to fight. She now noticed Yu Zi Ming's bare feet, her lower garments soiled, a sight of utter disarray. "Where is the array's eye?" she demanded harshly. Lian Zha's artifact was indeed formidable, but with cultivation similar to Xiang Shi Yan's, Nascent Soul's completion, it was uncertain how long they could maintain this barrier. The immediate task was to seal the breach quickly. Lin Zhao Di couldn’t handle the ghost baby that Yu Zi Ming had crafted. Defeated after only a few bouts, she had only been a ghost for five to six years, incomparable to a ghost nurtured meticulously through hundreds of years and once a powerful cultivator's spirit. A mere human girl transformed into a ghost couldn't contend. The red-clad girl, though ranked among ghost generals, still required growth, and in an instant, the ghost's shadow tore her asunder with black beams. Seeing that immeasurably powerful, shadow-enveloped ghost turn her way, Xiang Shi Yan realized she couldn’t afford to press Yu Zi Ming further—solving this formidable menace was crucial, as its demise would mean the end of its co-linked ghost. Despite appearing delicate like a parasitic vine, this woman was indeed a master-level cultivator. With most of her spiritual power depleted from childbirth, the crafty ghost cultivator had kept a trump card for emergencies. The woman leaning tiredly on Xiang Shi Yan suddenly stirred, her face flushed as she widened her eyes in surprise. Xiang Shi Yan reacted instantly with a blast of spiritual energy, flinging her away. But not before Yu Zi Ming's swelling ghost aura already ensnared Xiang Shi Yan's limbs. Yu Zi Ming had concealed an assembly of ghosts within herself. Unlike nurturing a ghost fetus, which is already challenging, possessing another's body is strenuous because a human body naturally rejects foreign souls. Yu Zi Ming had endured excruciating pain without breaking composure, likely all to lure Xiang Shi Yan closer... Xiang Shi Yan struggled fiercely, yet the ghostly hands in the mist continued to draw her in. Her last sight was of the hastily arriving Yu Qi, finally allowing her a sigh of relief. Clambering weakly up from the ground, Yu Zi Ming felt as if her entire body—bones, muscles—had been crushed and reconstituted, causing her face to contort in pain. She struggled to stand, but strength eluded her. Bitterly smiling, she bowed her head, her cheek pressing into the damp, sour-smelling earth. Although an opponent was rushing her way, she surprisingly felt a peculiar sense of ease. A hand hoisted her up, as cool and smooth as ice, distinct from a human’s touch, familiarly delicate yet firm. It lifted her bodily off the ground. "Master... it hurts," she murmured, unknowingly accustomed to this inhuman embrace. Half embraced by the woman, Yu Zi Ming sniffled. As the ghostly armor dissipated, a familiar, beautiful face revealed itself. Without an answer for a while, Yu Zi Ming sighed softly and commanded, "Kill her." Compared to whispered grievances, commands were better understood. The shapeless ghost surged forward, a flowing shadow racing toward Yu Qi. Yu Qi quickly rushed over upon receiving Xiang Shi Yan’s signal, aware that although they were all within the massive dome-like barrier, the chasm at its center filled with intertwining blue and purple light obstructed their view. Everyone kept a safe distance from the mysterious blue light, fearing entanglement similar to the fragmented ghosts that had crawled from the canyon. She shouldn't have let Xiang Shi Yan act alone from the start. That ghost cultivator possessed mastery reminiscent of the Great Ascension stage and likely had tamed numerous fierce ghosts over the years. Should anything happen to Xiang Shi Yan... Yu Qi watched helplessly as Xiang Shi Yan was engulfed by ghostly mist. For Yu Zi Ming, who had cultivated these ghosts to obey her every command, the ghostly mist seemed to disperse into mere yin energy. However, in reality, it was a swarm of fierce ghosts woven together—Xiang Shi Yan was effectively swallowed whole by a giant ghost. Ghost cultivators possess an array of shadowy and diverse means, often drawing from hidden sects’ heritage. Their true capabilities remain unbeknownst, catching Yu Qi unprepared when receiving their attack. The art of prediction seemed futile now, as Yu Qi was forced to continually retreat before the menacing shadow, finally finding a respite to keenly observe her foe. The ghost cultivator appeared exceedingly weakened, relying solely on the major ghost she commanded to entangle with Yu Qi. The ghost, even as its master seemed to exhaust her strength, didn't lose control, demonstrating formidable strength unlike any unrestrained ghost thralls seen with other cursory cultivators. It seemed this person was indeed a true heir of a millennium-old ghost cultivation tradition, driving Yu Qi to elevate her vigilance a hundredfold. Yu Zi Ming’s ghost servant, comparable at least to a ghost general in rank, wielded a bright-silver spear with deadly prowess, leaving no room for human thought between its moves. Before Yu Qi realized it, the silver spear had grazed her cheek, leaving behind a streak of blood. Forced to employ her life-bound treasure, she held a disk aloft, conjuring nearly blindingly bright lightning in hand. A ghost general was intangible, capable of navigating energy fields, swifter than the living who were shackled by physical forms. Even though Yu Qi weaved a net of burning flames in midair to press down, the opponent shifted forms and slipped through the tiniest gap. Indeed formidable... Yu Qi regretted not insisting her injured junior sister remain at the camp. Even if the ghost general might not overpower her directly in cultivation, it held the advantage with the terrain and circumstances, effectively facing two adversaries at once. If Yu Zi Ming recovered her senses and first eliminated Lian Qiao maintaining the barrier, it would leave her in an even more precarious position. The overwhelming yin energy here might barely lessen even under the glaring midday sun. As dawn approached, how much longer could they endure? Yu Qi glanced briefly at the blue light along the horizon, steeling her focus. At that moment, as if to spite their struggles, when the sunlight was about to pierce through, dark clouds unexpectedly gathered, swirling over the Gorge of Wails, forming a vortex. Thunder rolled within the black clouds, and before Yu Qi could react, a lightning bolt as thick as a barrel struck down with blinding speed.