Chapter 101: Fragments and Breaking Through the Formation

“Fragments of the Investiture of the Gods? Mingyue, you can’t be joking. Could there really be an Investiture of the Gods in this world?”

Not only Zhang Shouzheng, but Jiuer beside him also showed a look of surprise. The Investiture of the Gods was something from myth and legend.

“What’s the big deal? Of course the Investiture of the Gods exists, though it’s not as exaggerated as you imagine. The Investiture is very important to our Jiang family. Many years ago, it shattered into twelve pieces due to a great catastrophe. Our Jiang family has only managed to collect six of these pieces so far. To prepare for the next great calamity, our ancestors have been gathering them. Just recently, my cousin Jiang Wu happened upon the seventh piece by chance. Now he has entered the Great Killing Formation, and the fragment should be inside. But this matter is extremely confidential. Unless someone is very close to us, I won’t tell anyone else.”

After Jiang Mingyue finished speaking, she glanced thoughtfully at Jiuer, noticing a trace of displeasure on her face.

“It doesn’t matter if others know about the Investiture fragments. Besides those of our Jiang bloodline, no one else can use them anyway.”

Jiang Putai rolled his eyes at his sister, speaking dismissively, unaware that Jiang Mingyue immediately shot him a sharp glare, causing him to fall silent.

“Heh, only close relations, you say? Don’t worry, we’re not interested in the Investiture.”

Jiuer gave Jiang Mingyue a cold look and spoke icily.

“Shouzheng, Mingyue, Putai!”

A blood-curdling scream tore through the distance. In the moonlight, Zhang Shouzheng seemed to see a moving little mountain approaching them.

The voice belonged to Fan Xiaopang. That guy—how did he end up here?

Jiang Putai raised his phone, turned on the flashlight, then quickly turned it off. Fan Xiaopang followed the light until he reached them, panting heavily. “My dear grandmother, how come this school has so many vengeful spirits? I, this little fatty, almost couldn’t make it. Huh? And there’s a little beauty here too?”

Seeing Jiuer, Fan Xiaopang straightened up immediately, his eyes shining brightly.

“What are you doing here? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t come?”

Jiang Mingyue stared at Fan Xiaopang in puzzlement. She had told him earlier that day not to come, yet now he had changed his mind. It was good to have him here, though; one more person meant one more ally. Moreover, Fan Xiaopang had shown remarkable abilities earlier. Although the disciples of the Mountain Moving Sect were few, each had unique talents.

“I wasn’t planning to come, but that old man of mine said many outstanding Taoist disciples died here, and maybe some treasures remain. So he forced me to come,” Fan Xiaopang chuckled, his eyes narrowing at the mention of treasure.

“Treasure? Even if there’s treasure, it’s probably been taken by the evil disciples unless we snatch it back by force.”

Zhang Shouzheng stared down a quiet path nearby, beginning to reckon. Breaking the Nine Directions Ghosts’ Soul-Seizing Formation this time might yield many benefits. He had many precious items stored at the Azure Dragon Taoist Temple, but it was far from Hulu Village; just because they could reach here didn’t mean they could easily claim them.

“Let’s hurry inside.”

Jiang Mingyue glanced at the sky and whispered. Feeling the time was right, the group, led by Jiang Putai, headed toward the quiet path.

The area was surrounded by trees, and on both sides of the path were waist-high shrubs. The path was paved with cobblestones, but after a short distance, the road ended abruptly. Two extraordinarily strange trees blocked their way ahead, arching like a massive gate.

Zhang Shouzheng picked up a stone from the ground and flicked it forward. When the stone struck the “gate,” a faint blood-red light flickered, and the stone was bounced back.

“An illusion!”

Fan Xiaopang snorted lightly, then grinned. Suddenly, he pulled out a yellow talisman and muttered incantations: “Mountain Moving Technique, break!”

He tossed the talisman at the “gate’s” void. It ignited into flames, which spread in all directions before vanishing. After the flames faded, a dark red vortex about a person’s height appeared before them. Inside, wisps of black mist exuded a bloody and sinister aura.

“This is the entrance to the Nine Directions Ghosts’ Soul-Seizing Formation. I don’t know exactly what it’s like inside, but to break this great killing formation, we must destroy three formation cores. The formation surely changes its appearance, and the cores lie within the ghost realm. There are ghosts here, so be careful.”

Zhang Shouzheng drew his broken sword, his face grave.

“Heh, I’m not bragging, but Jiang Putai here doesn’t know the meaning of fear. Second sister, let’s go.”

Jiang Putai rolled up his sleeves, grinning broadly.

“Shouzheng, be careful too.”

Jiang Mingyue glanced at Zhang Shouzheng, pressed her lips, and then stepped into the vortex with Jiang Putai.

“Fatty here will go first. If I don’t, those treasures inside will be taken by others, and that would be a big loss for me. I never do anything without profit.”

Fan Xiaopang, carrying a large yellow sack on his back, waved to Zhang Shouzheng before diving into the vortex.

“Jiuer, hold my hand tightly.”

Zhang Shouzheng reached out and grasped Jiuer’s hand, then stepped into the vortex. The scenery changed abruptly. The sky was a dark red, mists swirling with a fierce aura. They stood on a mound of earth but saw no sign of the Jiang siblings or Fan Xiaopang. Because Zhang Shouzheng held Jiuer’s hand firmly, she remained by his side.

“What a sinister aura, such strong killing intent. Senior Brother, are we going straight into the core of the formation? Xiaoling is also a ghost and can sense where the ghost energy gathers in the killing formation.”

Jiuer glanced around, her brows furrowing slightly. She noticed no formation cores nearby or any particularly special places.

Inside was utterly silent, without a single sound—only swirling mist in the void and scattered trees. Further beyond was rolling black mist stretching into the distance.

“No, I can use the Azure Dragon Spirit Eye Technique. Xiaoling is our trump card and can confront the evil ghosts within the formation cores. For now, don’t summon Xiaoling. If the hidden evil disciples sense it, they’ll become cautious, making it very hard to find the cores.”

As Zhang Shouzheng spoke, a faint azure light flickered in his eyes. He glanced ahead, then suddenly smiled and started running forward.

After a while, a faint voice reached their ears.

“Help!”

The somewhat familiar voice came from nearby. They hurried over, and their expressions changed instantly. Jiang Mingyue lay on the ground, covered in blood, a dazzling long blade pierced through her chest. Blood poured from the corner of her mouth. Weakly, she looked at Zhang Shouzheng and tried to speak, but more blood spilled from her lips.