【5】CultivatigBuddistArts,StrikigDowteEvilofteGostPa

Aswordformedbymeritenergywassharperthanawoodehoughstilbittooweak.Evenamid-stageQiRefiningcultivatorcouldbreakit,soIoincreasemyprofidbuildmoremerit.

    Andthere’sonlyooear—doinggooddeeds.

    SoIasked,“Isthereataskthatgrantsalotofmerit?”

    Shecheckedthemissionlist.

    “Asamatteroffact,there’soneperfectforyou—syinganevilspirit.Likezombies,they’realsospawnedfromreseanddarkenergy.”

    Ghosts—remnantsofsapientbeingsthathavedied.Somearebenevolent,somemalevolent.TheirstrengthrangesfromStage1to9,correspondingtotheninemajorcultivationrealms,fromQiRefiningtoGreatAssion.TherearealsoWanderingSouls—weaker,harmlessentitieswithoutcultivation.

    ThismissietedaStage-2EvilSpirit.Itsoundedeasyenoughatfirst…untilIgotthere.

    “WhythehellisitStage2peak!?”Ishoutedindisbelief,staringattheghostfiftymetersahead.

    Iexpectedearlyormid-stage,maybete-stageatworst—butpeak?

    Tootetopin.Onlybychallengingstrrow.

    Itriedtotakeitbysurprise,suppressingmyauraasIapproached.Maybeitdidn’tknowIcouldseeit,ormaybeitthoughtIwastoughtodealwith—itjustsme.

    Itsfacewashorrifying—crackedopenwoundsrevealingbosmouthtorntotheearswithjaggedteethexposed,twincrimsonghost-firesburninginitshollowsockets.Itlookedexactlylikeademonthathadjustcrawledoutofhell,radiatinganicymalevolechilledmyspine.

    Icouldn’ttakeitanymore.Fearsurgedthroughme—ifIdidn’tmovenow,I’dc