Chapter 160: 159. The World That Cannot Be Broken

159. The World That Cannot Be Broken

Li Yi rode a tall yin horse, wielding a demon-headed greatsword, galloping through San Yang City.

Throughout the city, all manner of ghosts roamed freely, chaos rampant; though all civilians hid indoors, afraid to step out, this act was useless—staying still made it easier for the Life-Draining Ghosts to siphon their yang life.

But Li Yi refused to tolerate it—he spurred his horse forward, his demon-headed greatsword slashing through the air.

One Life-Draining Ghost was instantly split in two, dissolving into yin energy that vanished into the heavens, leaving only two white ghost bamboos lying on the ground.

Two white ghost bamboos represented two years of yang life; according to Li Yi's knowledge, on the first day of each month, ghost deities collected one month of yang life per person—these two years meant twenty-four citizens had already lost their yang life.

Li Yi was not noble enough to return these years of life to others—he picked up the two white ghost bamboos and immediately charged toward the next Life-Draining Ghost.

The yin horse galloped forward, the demon-headed greatsword descending in a swift strike.

No flashy techniques were needed—just a casual slash, and the greatsword effortlessly slew ghosts, reducing them to nothing, a perfect tool for killing ghosts, far superior to the guiding technique Li Yi had used before.

Killing Life-Draining Ghosts and collecting ghost bamboos also indirectly saved others from losing a month of yang life.

"Kill!"

Li Yi's bloodlust had risen—he raced through every corner of San Yang City, slashing every Life-Draining Ghost he saw. Each ghost slain granted him several months to several years of yang life; though each amount seemed small, accumulated, it totaled at least decades.

This was only the beginning—if Li Yi waited another hour or two, each Life-Draining Ghost would carry three to five years of yang life; a single circuit of the city could net him hundreds of years.

But Li Yi refused to do so—otherwise, how would he differ from the inherently evil ghost deities?

Another Life-Draining Ghost was instantly cleaved to death.

Several white ghost bamboos fell; Li Yi snatched them up, storing them away. Already, several bundles of white ghost bamboos lay atop his horse, yet countless Life-Draining Ghosts remained—he could not possibly kill them all before dawn, even if he worked nonstop. Worse, as time passed, he noticed their numbers were increasing.

Their rate of increase outpaced his rate of slaughter.

"Tonight is the first of the month—celestial changes favor ghosts. Eradicating them is nearly impossible unless we strike at the source—but that's not my concern now. All I can do is kill more ghosts, collect more yang life, and return it to my Master, Zhao Qian, and Rong Niang—perhaps they, too, can live a hundred years like me."

Li Yi's power was limited—he could not care for everyone, only himself and those close to him.

Yet as he rode past a mansion in San Yang City, a voice suddenly called out: "Is the rider on the yin horse Master Da, Li Yi of the Zhao Clan Martial Hall?"

A room in the city governor's mansion glowed with light.

A young man in brocade robes opened his window, gazing outside, and spoke up.

"Fan Zhizhou, the governor of San Yang City?" Li Yi narrowed his eyes—he recognized the man—but strangely, few ghosts roamed near the governor's mansion, and no Life-Draining Ghosts were visible.

Curious, he reined his yin horse around and galloped over, landing on the mansion's rooftop in seconds.

"It truly is Brother Li! I knew it—on the first of the month, deep night, when ghost deities collect life, every civilian and martial artist hides indoors asleep. Only someone like you, a master from beyond the Four Seas and Eight Provinces, would dare ride a yin horse, wield a demon-headed greatsword, kill ghosts, and seize yang life without fear."

Fan Zhizhou spoke with genuine admiration—such defiance of royalty, such disrespect for ghost deities, could not be bred in the Four Seas and Eight Provinces.

Whether commoner or martial artist, all were born with fear of authority and reverence for ghost deities—who would dare such treason?

"Governor Fan, you're saying you know about the ghost deities collecting life?" Li Yi's vertical pupils glowed as he stared at him.

"Of course I know. I am a descendant of the Eight Kings, a scion of a noble house—ghost deities collecting life has existed since ancient times. I understand it well." Fan Zhizhou did not hide it—he nodded outright—but such a great secret, he dared reveal only to Li Yi, not to others, or he would pay a heavy price.

Li Yi spurred his horse forward: "If you know, why let the ghost deities continue? Are martial artists of the Four Seas and Eight Provinces so weak they dare not resist? Do you let ghosts run rampant?"

Fan Zhizhou's lips curled into a bitter smile: "We cannot resist. Ghost deities and noble houses rule the world—it has always been so. Brother Li, do you remember when I mentioned the Three Upper Realms to you before?"

"I remember," Li Yi said.

"After Qi Condensation comes Spirit Refinement. Once one becomes a Spirit Refinement master, even after death, their essence, energy, and spirit do not dissipate—they become yin spirits. Ghost deities collecting life? They are among the originators." Fan Zhizhou sighed helplessly: "Each Spirit Refinement master becomes one yin spirit. Tell me—how can one fight one's own kind? I won't hide it from you, Brother Li—my Fan family also venerates our ancestral yin spirit. Not just us—each of the other seven noble houses does the same."

"To endure in this world, yin spirits require the yang life of the living to sustain them; otherwise, they dissolve into the heavens. But who, having achieved a yin spirit body, wishes to perish? Who does not seek immortality? Thus, the people of the Four Seas and Eight Provinces suffer—yang life is constantly harvested, lifespans shortened, until death at fifty."

"Truly a world that devours its own," Li Yi said grimly—he now understood.

Fan Zhizhou continued: "Brother Li, you must restrain yourself tonight. Your actions are like stealing food from the yin spirits' mouths. If they notice you, they will send experts to eliminate you—they will not allow someone like you to exist."

"I restrain myself? Ha!" Li Yi laughed loudly. "Those cowardly yin spirits are the ones who should restrain themselves. I only regret I've trained too short a time—if only I had more, I'd slaughter every yin spirit in the Four Seas and Eight Provinces and restore peace to heaven and earth."

He understood—he had little power to change anything. For now, he could only protect himself.

But he refused to believe—on Earth, countless cultivators existed, even cross-world travelers—surely someone had found a way to defeat yin spirits and malevolent ghosts?

"Brother Li, you have great courage. But before the tide turns, I urge you—not to oppose the thousand-year yin spirits yet. Doing so will invite great disaster," Fan Zhizhou warned sincerely.

Li Yi's gaze shifted: "Governor Fan, you're a martial artist too—why haven't I seen any ghost deities come to take your life?"

"If a noble house has a Spirit Refinement master residing within, all ghost deities grant them a measure of respect and refrain from collecting life from their family or clan. My Fan family still has a Spirit Refinement master in residence, and we venerate our yin spirit—our disciples are exempt from life collection." Fan Zhizhou answered honestly.

"No wonder no one rebels in your world—ghost deities and noble houses are one and the same. The living pay taxes; the yin spirits collect life. All people of the Four Seas and Eight Provinces are livestock—generation after generation, no chance of rising up." Li Yi sighed.

Fan Zhizhou added: "Though noble houses live better than commoners, they are still livestock. Spirit Refinement masters become yin spirits after death—but the supreme masters of the Law Form Realm? They are born as ghost deities. They are the true rulers of the Four Seas and Eight Provinces. Since they seized power, not a single new Law Form master has emerged in hundreds of years. Whenever a Spirit Refinement master attempts to break through, the ghost deities unite to kill them."

"Such a thing exists?" Li Yi's face darkened. "Why? Don't they fear being killed by the new master in desperation?"

"Thousand-year yin spirits are supreme masters themselves—and they strike in unison. Defeat is impossible," Fan Zhizhou said. "Three hundred years ago, my Fan family produced a martial genius—he reached the peak of Spirit Refinement at only fifty. He then forced his breakthrough, attempting to shatter the legend that no one in the Four Seas and Eight Provinces could reach Law Form. He failed."

"Five thousand-year yin spirits came together and slaughtered my ancestor. Fortunately, they feared driving the Eight Kings to total rebellion, so they offered him a choice: abandon the breakthrough, end his own life, and become a yin spirit."

"My ancestor, with no other option, agreed—he severed his martial path and became one of the Fan family's venerated yin spirits."

Fan Zhizhou looked at Li Yi, his gaze complex: "So, Brother Li—as long as you remain within the Four Seas and Eight Provinces, this thousand-year yin spirit trap cannot be broken. The only way to break it is to cross worlds—to achieve Law Form elsewhere, or surpass the ghost deities in power. Only then can you remake heaven and earth, reorder yin and yang."

Li Yi said: "Governor Fan, these are absolute secrets—you're telling me so freely?"

"To anyone else, I'd say not a word. But you're different—you came from beyond, not of the Four Seas and Eight Provinces. And your talent is extraordinary. In ten years, you could crush mountains and rivers, dominate the ghost deities. I only wonder if you're willing to do it," Fan Zhizhou said.

"If I truly did that, every yin spirit your Fan family venerates would perish," Li Yi said calmly. "You're a Fan family disciple—would you allow this?"

Fan Zhizhou smiled: "The Fan family is vast. Frankly, whether it prospers or falls is not my decision. All I desire is to escape this world—to see a broader universe. If my vision is confined to one family or clan, how tragic. A frog at the bottom of a well looks up at the moon—if it refuses to leave the well, it will remain a frog forever."

"You want to cross worlds?" Li Yi's gaze sharpened as he studied him.

He hadn't expected Fan Zhizhou to harbor such thoughts.

"Brother Li, can you fulfill this wish of mine? If you help me, ask for anything—anything at all—I will not refuse." Fan Zhizhou spoke earnestly, using this moment to openly reveal his true desire to Li Yi.