Chapter 64: Wandering Spirits

Woooo…

Howling and crying like ghosts and wolves, countless wandering spirits fiercely rushed towards Mu Feng’s Spiritual Soul. They scrambled over each other, and innumerable resentments instantly flooded into his mind.

“Ah… I… died… so… horribly…”

“One thousand three hundred and fifty-seven years… over a thousand years… finally found a replacement! This person’s Spiritual Soul is mine, mine…”

…

The tidal wave of resentment nearly caused Mu Feng’s head to explode. He instinctively sensed unprecedented danger.

At this moment, he finally understood that the books were right; some people truly cannot reincarnate after death. Those who committed suicide, especially, did not find release after death. Instead, they remained eternally trapped in the moment of their suicide, constantly tortured by pain. Among the wandering spirits flooding in from all directions, those who had died by hanging, drowning, or cutting their wrists were the most numerous.

Not good!

Mu Feng’s Spiritual Soul, hovering in the air, jolted in alarm. It tried to descend swiftly to reintegrate with his body.

Yet, to his shock, he discovered his Spiritual Soul couldn’t move an inch in mid-air, as if frozen stiff by the high-altitude cold winds. As gusts of icy wind blew harder, the cold deepened, and boundless darkness rolled in. Simultaneously, his body seated below on the ground, cross-legged, was equally immobilized. It felt cold and stiff, his heartbeat slowing perilously, his breathing becoming a faint thread.

“No…”

Mu Feng’s Spiritual Soul let out a silent Soul Roar. He refused to die here like this.

Fortune and misfortune traveled hand in hand! How could he have anticipated that the elation of just breaking through his bottleneck would be immediately followed by such tragedy?

Mu Feng roared inwardly, but uselessly. Silently reciting the Clear Wind Method brought no results. Attempting the Blood Refining Art silently was equally futile. He could only watch helplessly as the hordes of wandering spirits drew closer and closer. His freezing Spiritual Soul could even feel the spirits’ sharp claws digging into him, seemingly intent on tearing him into ten thousand pieces to be devoured.

“Cackle cackle! Like a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger! Having no idea what he’s doing, yet daring to have his soul leave his body out in the wilderness and float up into the sky!”

Just as Mu Feng was convinced death was certain, a raspy burst of laughter suddenly rang in his ears. In the next instant, his Spiritual Soul was seized by an unseen large hand, examined briefly, and then shoved back into his own body. A deep warmth instantly spread from all sides. It felt like a drowning man finally finding solid ground, back on shore. He wiggled his fingers; sensation was gradually returning.

At the critical moment, Ghost Mother, who had been observing coldly, finally intervened, pulling Mu Feng back from the brink of death.

“Thank you, Granny!”

After a long while, once sensation had returned fully to his body, Mu Feng, still visibly shaken, stood up and bowed respectfully.

Though he understood fully that Ghost Mother’s action was purely for her own benefit—unwilling to lose the secrets within him—he still bowed courteously. Facing that life-and-death crisis just now, if the old witch hadn’t intervened, he would already be a cold corpse, his soul scattered to the winds.

The path of cultivation was fraught with unpredictable dangers. A single misstep could lead one into a state of irrevocable ruin. It seemed that after breaking through the bottleneck in one go, he had been too excited, too elated!

“Your comprehension is good enough,” Ghost Mother nodded, sizing Mu Feng up carefully. Sensing the clearer aura of the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada emanating from him, a flash of sly cruelty crossed her face before she continued, “Mu Feng, this is the Yinfeng Record. It holds some common knowledge basics recorded by disciples of our Yinfeng Sect. Take it. Go back and study diligently the mental cultivation method and the Yinfeng Formation I passed to you. Tomorrow night at this very time, don’t forget our appointment. I will continue by teaching you the complete Visualization Great Art. Once you achieve success in the first level of the Yinwind Great Art, you will possess the strength needed to protect Jing Wushuang, and you two can journey together across the Great Thousand World!”

“Yes, thank you, Granny!”

Mu Feng bowed in acknowledgment, accepted the task, and turned to leave. Soon, he vanished into the vast mountains shrouded by night, making his way back overnight to the Mu Manor at the mountain’s foot. He dared not linger overly long with Ghost Mother, terrified she might detect the anomaly with the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada.

“A solid foundation, outstanding comprehension, and mysterious cultivation arts… The Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada cultivated from such a vessel is truly something to look forward to, cackle cackle! Mu Feng, cultivate earnestly, no—cultivate day and night! Cackle cackle…”

Watching Mu Feng’s departing figure fade into the distance, Ghost Mother’s laughter echoed continuously through the sinister valley. On this pitch-black night, it sounded particularly terrifying.

The stronger Mu Feng became, the more powerful the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada nourished by his vital essence and blood would be. And that meant the day it would consume his Spiritual Soul and memories drew nearer. This was naturally more advantageous for Ghost Mother, who was practically itching to pour all the profound Yinwind Great Art into him at once, turning him into her puppet and gaining control of his mysterious, powerful cultivation technique. Lost in her excitement, she failed to detect the anomaly inside Mu Feng.

The soul fluctuation emitted when the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada was hidden within his body versus when it was carried on his person were nearly identical. Without paying close attention, it was simply impossible to distinguish.

Ghost Mother, confident she was undetected, had no idea that Mu Feng had long since seen through her hidden scheme!

Hu…

A night breeze rustled, and Mu Feng’s figure suddenly appeared within the small courtyard. Confirming his mother was fast asleep, he tiptoed quietly into his own room.

After breaking through to the Middle Mortal Realm, he could not only achieve soul projection and learn more witchcraft, but his physical power had undergone a qualitative leap. He had easily vaulted over the wall without disturbing a single patrolling guard or triggering the powerful Restriction surrounding Mu Manor. Compared to the days when every entry and exit required scrutiny by the gate guards, he now possessed much greater freedom.

“Still as mountains, swift as rabbits, invading like fire…”

Mu Feng silently recited the cultivation formula. He began practicing the most basic, simplest Mu Family Fist. Recalling Ghost Mother’s sinister and terrifying Yinwind Skeleton Claw, his heart suddenly stirred. His five fingers shot forward, sinking deep into the hard wall, leaving five profound finger holes.

Three dragon’s strength!

Putting all his strength into the strike, Mu Feng immediately sensed a stark increase in power compared to before. Compared to when he had just entered the Mortal Realm, it had nearly doubled.

If fingers driven by such force could penetrate solid stone walls, thrusting into an enemy’s skull would be nothing…

A grim expression flickered across Mu Feng’s face. He recalled the terrifying skulls atop Stone Mountain. Looking down at his own ten strong, capable fingers, he couldn’t help but feel a chill crawl over him.

The Eighteen Yin Wind Command Banners… the Yinfeng Formation… Impurity Contemplation… the Yinwind Skeleton Claw…

Ghost Mother’s cultivation arts were undoubtedly formidable, but each seemed steeped in darkness, radiating intense murderous intent. Following this path, Mu Feng couldn’t tell if it promised fortune or disaster. He fell into a silent contemplation.

A blade can kill, but also save lives.

The Art itself holds no distinction of righteousness or evil. Those distinctions lie solely within the human heart!

After pondering deeply for a moment, Mu Feng’s expression cleared. He slowly exhaled a puff of stale air. Pulling out a stool, he sat down at the desk, retrieved the Yinfeng Record gifted by Ghost Mother, and began reading it under the cover of night.