Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Transporting Locust Spirit, Ink and Water Starving Bone
"Ssssss!"
The surface of the Hungry Ghost Evil Bone, splashed with Qi Fortune Shining Gold, began to sizzle and change as if doused in oil, revealing faintly flickering white specks drifting skyward along the wind.
The dark clouds and black qi were stirred by the white specks, starting to drizzle cool raindrops, which grew into a lush green grassland on the ground.
Having witnessed the soul ascension within eroded Hungry Bones before, Li Ye clearly understood what was happening.
However, those Hungry Bones appeared one at a time, while here the specks were densely packed, probably in the thousands.
Su Ya put away the bottle and said to Senior Sister Liu, "Junior Sister, these were mainly meant to be sent to the Heavenly River City territory for ascension by the Uncle Master. You’ve benefited from Junior Brother Li this time."
Senior Sister Liu beamed brightly, "Indeed, thanks are due to Junior Brother Li. With so many souls, we might have some new recruits next year."
"..."
Li Ye was speechless on the side, "Senior Brother Su, what exactly is going on? Explain it to me clearly!"
Su Ya laughed heartily, "This involves the sect’s handling of Hungry Bones, but Junior Brother Li, take a look around first."
He winked.
"Huh?" Li Ye looked around at his words, only to see gloomy figures with a malice aura appearing unnoticed in the shadows of the towering locust trees.
The aura matched the "Evil Ghosts" described in the scriptures.
This was a spirit body equivalent to a cultivator’s Qi Refining Stage.
Generally, they were formed by unresolved grudges before death, turning into such entities capable of tricks like the Ghost Wall illusion technique.
To ordinary people, they were terrifying beings to be avoided, being targeted by such an Evil Ghost was extremely unlucky, potentially deadly.
"Did Senior Sister and Senior Brother call me here to be a free hitman?"
Li Ye casually pointed at a distant Evil Ghost, then the Cyan Bird on his shoulder transformed into a ray of light, flying out to spew Flint Fire at the ghost.
These Evil Ghosts no longer had the possibility of salvation; their spirituality and soul had long been shattered by the Resentment Qi.
Instead of salvation, this gave them a chance to enter reincarnation.
"Of course not."
Su Ya shook his head mysteriously:
"When the souls ascend here, there’s a chance they combine with the incense legends of this world, producing some interesting little fellows."
"Junior Brother Li, just see if you can catch them, be careful not to burn them all."
Now that he was familiar with Su Ya, Li Ye no longer felt the cautiousness he used to.
He spoke in a wistful tone, "Senior Brother Su Ya, has anyone ever told you that being so cryptic might get you punched?"
"Ah?" Su Ya was briefly stunned, then understood Li Ye’s point, laughing gracefully:
"At worst, when you can beat me, I’ll apologize.
If I don’t bully the Junior Brother just entered the sect, what fun is it?"
Senior Sister Liu beside them chuckled aloud.
At these words, Li Ye was utterly speechless.
He simply walked toward those shadowy Evil Ghosts, casually summoned Flint Fire, then unleashed the Buddha’s Light bestowed by the Beaver.
The interplay of fire and the rainbow-colored Buddha’s Light formed a fiery lotus blossom.
The scene was indeed grand and beautiful, yet the accompanying "chirps" of the beaver with the brilliance had a somewhat bewitching sound.
Su Ya and Senior Sister Liu exchanged glances, the latter couldn’t help but ask, "Buddha’s Light? What cultivation technique did this Junior Brother actually practice?"
"And why are there ’chirping’ sounds in the Buddha’s Light? Shouldn’t it be sounds of wooden fish or scripture chanting?" Her expression was a bit odd.
Su Ya shot her a glance, "He has a Spirit Beast genuinely devoted to him, naturally willing to offer its hard-cultivated spiritual and magical power to its master."
"I see." The girl cultivator surnamed Liu realized, nodding.
...
Now within the locust forest.
Though Li Ye had the protection of Buddha’s Light and Flint Fire, the shrill screams of those Evil Ghosts were still troubling, so he had the Cyan Bird spew more fire.
He pondered, according to Su Ya, there might be some special spirit bodies or souls present, thus he should be careful to avoid "burning them."
"Help me find if there’s any special soul."
"Be careful, make sure not to harm it!"
Li Ye instructed the Cyan Bird, which chirped twice, circling in the air, seemingly observing momentarily.
"Chirp!"
It discovered something, then swooped down like an eagle, snatching a slender little soul body with its claws and dropped it before Li Ye.
A flash before his eyes, Li Ye extended his hands forming a cage with Buddha’s Light and Flint Fire, he saw what was captured—a walking locust sapling!
It grew with human-like arms and legs, with frightful eyes on its trunk, mouth agape, trembling as it curled within the cage of light and fire.
[Name]: Transporting Locust Spirit
[Mood]: Fear
[Status]: Just born, unclear Divine Sense
[Bindable]: Any "Yin" attribute Spirit Plant capable of housing souls.
"Senior Brother, is this what you were referring to?"
Though Li Ye already knew through the interface what this was.
But he acted ignorant, carrying the cage to Su Ya’s side.
Meanwhile, the Cyan Bird continued purging those irredeemable Evil Ghosts, threads of white fragments ascended with the Fortune and Shining Gold glittering on the large Hungry Ghost Evil Bone.
Su Ya handed him a spiritual artifact that could hold souls before saying, "Indeed, this is the one."
"This is a unique spiritual object birthed from the Five Ghost Transport Technique under the nourishment of the Incense Fire Divine Dao’s power.
This fellow can pass through walls and the earth, once you tame it and register with Uncle Master Ling Ji Vine, it can carry things and convey messages for you quite conveniently.
Some confidential matters can only be entrusted to such a fully owned spiritual object; you must remember this."
This last remark clearly had a deeper meaning, which Li Ye understood and nodded gratefully.
"I understand."
Then Li Ye placed the Locust Spirit into the spiritual artifact given.
Suddenly sensing something, he looked aside—seeing that giant Hungry Ghost Evil Bone nearing disintegration, some black dust only visible to him scattered.
Within contained an alluring power that drew him in, guided by the Life Breath Spirit Transformation Scroll’s Divine Technique, it tempted him.
If he could depict it, he could control the power of the Hungry Bone!
He couldn’t help but inquire:
"Senior Brother Su."
"This Hungry Bone should be useless now, right? I have a magic that needs its remnants, is it safe to go now?"
"Of course it’s safe, you can proceed."
Su Ya was quite curious what magic of Li Ye’s could utilize the Hungry Bone.
He watched Li Ye approach, seemingly reaching out to grasp something in the air.
Without any Spiritual Power fluctuation, a brush of ink and water appeared in Li Ye’s hand, who readily moved it, splashing ink liberally.
Though facing away from them, and Li Ye’s expression unseen, his movements were bold and fluid, each ink drop perfectly measured.
A lifelike Ink and Water Starving Bone manifested directly in front of Li Ye!
This scene left the two cultivators momentarily stunned.
Senior Sister Liu opened her mouth, "Senior Brother, earlier Junior Brother Li used Buddha’s Light, and now he paints with ink...could he have a Confucian Spirit Beast too?"
Su Ya maintained his composure, calmly saying, "Perhaps that is so, but do not let this slip."
He squinted at the Ink and Water Starving Bone, could this painted Hungry Bone capture any of the original’s "spirit," and if so, could it crack the Hungry Ghost Path’s Divine Technique?
If it indeed cracks it...Junior Brother Li might have accomplished a great feat even before fully joining.