Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

"The Heartless Ghost Mansion?"

A glint of light flashed in the eyes of the Ghost King, who was slumped on the ghost throne:

"You are... from the Heartless Ghost Mansion?"

"Wrong."

Jiang Ran waved his hand. "You’re all muddled, you blithering idiot. If the Heartless Ghost Mansion only had these few rotten apples, I’m afraid it would have been wiped out long ago.

"These few... they’re just wandering ghosts who escaped from the Heartless Ghost Mansion."

"You!"

The Ghost King glared at Jiang Ran.

"Can’t you speak properly? Who are you calling a blithering idiot?"

"And you have the gall to say you’re not an idiot?

"More than half of your subordinates betrayed you, and you were completely oblivious.

"Besides, which brainless fool was it that started screaming to kill me on sight?

"If not for that, would we have ended up in this state?"

As he spoke, he seemed to think of something and began to cough violently. COUGH, COUGH, COUGH! He ended with a sigh, his face growing even paler.

"Now what are we supposed to do?

"We’re both grievously injured... now we’re just fish on the chopping block. When you kill me in a bit, can you make it quick?

"I’ve been afraid of pain since I was a child."

"Rest assured, Young Hero Jiang."

The scholar spoke coolly.

"In a moment, I will be sure to use every technique I learned in the Heartless Ghost Mansion on you.

"I’m rather curious... just how did you master the Scripture of Creation and the Righteous Heart."

"The Scripture of Creation and the Righteous Heart?"

The Ghost King was also startled to hear this.

"No wonder... you were able to handle my Eternal Hundred Floating Diagrams with such ease... To think you’ve cultivated such a legendary, ancient art!"

"Lord Ghost King, you’re talking a bit too much."

Quan the Seventh sighed and strode over to the Ghost King.

"Quan the Seventh... you dare act so presumptuously before this king?"

"A tiger in the plains is bullied by dogs, and a grounded phoenix is less than a chicken... Lord Ghost King, there’s no need to put on such airs in front of this old man."

With that, he reached out to drag the Ghost King from his throne.

But unexpectedly, the moment his palm touched the Ghost King’s wrist...

His entire body trembled.

Extreme terror filled his face, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

At the same time, a withered, deathly color spread from his palm, covering his whole body in the blink of an eye.

Following that, a pattern of cyan and black markings spread over him.

Quan the Seventh’s eyes flew wide open. His body went rigid on the spot, then he staggered and collapsed face-first onto the ground.

He was no longer breathing!

The turn of events was truly shocking.

When Jiang Ran had fought the Ghost King just moments ago, they seemed evenly matched. He hadn’t seen what was so incredible about the Ghost King’s Eternal Hundred Floating Diagrams.

At least in terms of Inner Strength, he hadn’t seen the Ghost King gain any sort of advantage.

But Quan the Seventh was no slouch in martial arts. As one of the last of the Ghost King Palace’s ’Four Ghosts,’ he could have been a formidable figure if he roamed the martial world on his own.

Yet, who would have thought? He had merely tried to drag a severely injured, immobile Ghost King from his throne, and he died with a single touch.

"So this is... the Eternal Hundred Floating Diagrams?"

The scholar’s face darkened, and he slowly exhaled.

"How formidable. You are truly worthy of the name Ghost King.

"Thousand Silk Ghost Concubine, to be safe, you should be the one to act."

"A trivial matter."

Liu Xiao’e took a step forward and walked toward Jiang Ran.

"Hand over the antidote for the Defeat Powder."

"Stop!"

Ruan Yuqing moved to stand in front of Jiang Ran. With a sharp SHING, her long sword was already unsheathed.

"Take one more step, and you’ll die right where you stand."

"What a fine Gentle Water Sword."

The Daoist standing beside the scholar flicked his Duster and performed a Daoist salute.

"Before this humble Daoist entered the Ghost Mansion, I had some dealings with the Shuiyue Sword Sect."

"A few of my closest friends are in the Shuiyue Sword Sect... I wonder, after all these years, if my old friends are still well?"

"...The Shuiyue Sword Sect has always associated with righteous heroes of the martial world. Since you, a Daoist, have joined the Heartless Ghost Mansion, I fear you didn’t form a bond with my Shuiyue Sword Sect... but a grudge."

Ruan Yuqing sneered. "State your name. Ruan Yuqing does not kill nameless ghosts with her sword!"

"HAHAHAHA."

The old Daoist burst out laughing, but then his face darkened.

"Insolence!

"Even your Shuiyue Sword Sect Leader, Shui Xiyin, wouldn’t dare speak to this humble Daoist in such a manner.

"For one so young, you have quite the nerve!

"It seems this humble Daoist will have to teach an ignorant junior like you a lesson."

As he spoke, he swept his Duster straight for Ruan Yuqing’s neck.

Ruan Yuqing leaned back just enough to perfectly dodge the sweep of the Duster.

"You brazen scoundrel! Is my Eldest Martial Sister’s name something you can utter so casually?"

But the old Daoist’s movements were incredibly fast. With a twist of his wrist and a HUM, the countless strands of the Duster spun into a single, tight cord. He thrust it forward, aiming for the vital point on Ruan Yuqing’s chest.

Ruan Yuqing’s expression turned grim. She pressed down with one hand, and her Soft Sword instantly coiled like a Spiritual Snake, winding itself around the Duster.

The tip of the sword was like a snake’s head, darting in and out, about to ’bite’ the old Daoist’s wrist.

The old Daoist was taken aback and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration:

"Excellent Swordsmanship!"

Despite his words, he suddenly released his grip on the Duster.

Having just dodged the sword’s tip, Ruan Yuqing’s thoughts shifted. Her Soft Sword was about to retract and shred the Duster.

But the old Daoist made a grasping motion in the air. Before the Soft Sword could bind it, the Duster leaped away and flew right back into his palm.

Immediately after, the old Daoist opened his right hand. A faint green glow emanated from his palm as he struck at Ruan Yuqing.

Ruan Yuqing’s expression changed drastically.

"’Verdant Haze Overlapping Cyan Mountains’!? You’re Master Bi Chen!!"

She didn’t dare try to block it.

For that palm strike was saturated with a deadly poison.