Chapter 367

Zhang Taixuan: "Being a ghost isn't so bad either. With the ancient immortal cultivation system I obtained, plus the methods for cultivating the Primordial Spirit in this fantasy world, I can easily create a cultivation art for ghosts. If you're willing, I'll give it to you."

Xiao Mai: "Wow, free cultivation art!"

Su Xiao: "Hey, lab rat!"

Chihata Airu: "Could she really be a lab rat?"

Nie Xiaoqian: "【Afraid】"

Zhang Taixuan: "You do resemble a lab rat, but don't worry—even if something goes wrong, I can pull you out of time and space."

Yue Buqun: "I wonder what kind of ghost cultivation art you plan to create? If it's one that leads straight to a realm like Hunyuan, even I'd want to cultivate it."

Ying Zheng: "+1, free top-tier cultivation art, saves so much money. And with a Dao Lord guarding you, the danger is negligible. @Nie Xiaoqian, Miss Nie should seriously consider this—it's a chance to ascend instantly. The rest of us have to hoard points for ages just to buy a Hunyuan cultivation art!"

Ying Zheng No. 2: "It really is a good opportunity."

Huang Rong: "I think Miss Nie can trust my husband's methods."

Su Xiao: "Indeed, Brother Taixuan is still very reliable."

Nie Xiaoqian: "Mm, your advice is excellent, Dao Lord—I've decided: I'll cultivate the ghost cultivation art!"

Zhang Taixuan: "You won't regret it. Open the permissions, and I'll come over."

Nie Xiaoqian: "Alright!"

Lanruo Temple.

Once, this was a grand temple with abundant incense offerings, housing hundreds of monks; during temple fairs, pilgrims flooded in, incense smoke rising straight to the heavens like wisps of cloud, a magnificent sight.

But decades ago, a great upheaval turned this sacred Fomen site into ruins, and all the monks vanished overnight.

Some said ghosts were to blame; others claimed demons were responsible.

In any case, it had become a terrifying forbidden land that made people shudder at the mere mention.

Yet within the temple ruins stood one man, hair and beard bristling like spears, eyebrows sharp as blades, radiating a bold and unrestrained aura.

This man was Yan Chixia.

"Living next to ghosts and demons is far better than living next to humans."

"Everyone knows demons harm people; living beside them, you're always on guard—and thus safer. Humans harm humans, but only those with experience understand this; by the time you realize it, you've already passed the point of no return."

"Hard, hard, hard—it's hard to be human!"

"The world is hard; all living beings suffer!"

Yan Chixia held a gourd, drinking as he danced with his sword.

Swordlight rose, slicing every falling leaf in midair.

"Ah, how hard, hard, hard indeed!"

At that moment, a loud, cheerful voice rang out from within the temple, and a man in white Daoist robes, enveloped in five-colored immortal light, stepped forth.

"A god?!"

Zhang Taixuan smiled: "You could call me a god, yes. But you may address me as True Person Taixuan."

"Honor to the Immortal!" Yan Chixia sheathed his sword and straightened his attire. "I didn't realize an immortal from the upper realm had descended—forgive my lack of propriety."

"No need for formalities," Zhang Taixuan smiled, glancing aside. "Miss Nie, come out."

In the next instant, a woman with a delicate aura, exquisite figure, and beautiful features appeared beneath the tree shade.

Yet her body was wreathed in yin energy, slightly translucent—anyone could tell at a glance she was not human.

It wasn't night; ghosts appearing in daylight revealed too many flaws—they couldn't fool anyone.

"Honor to the Dao Lord!" Nie Xiaoqian bowed gracefully. "Forgive me for not approaching closer."

"No matter," Zhang Taixuan waved his hand, and a stroke of Creation Light descended—immediately, Nie Xiaoqian's form solidified, her skin still pale but otherwise indistinguishable from a True Person.

Yan Chixia stared, dumbfounded.

What kind of being is this? One wave of the hand, and a ghost advances tremendously—can gods really be this powerful?

"Honor to Great Hero Yan, honor to the Dao Lord!"

Nie Xiaoqian's face glowed with joy; she stepped forward into the sunlight, overjoyed.

Since becoming a ghost, the sun had been like blades—any step beneath it felt like being sliced a thousand times.

Now, with her body solidified, the sun felt warm.

She hadn't felt this in a very, very long time.

"Though being human is hard, at least being human lets you bask in the sun—that's joy enough."

Only after experiencing the chilling dread of ghosthood did Nie Xiaoqian truly appreciate the sun's value.

"Miss Nie knows a celestial?" Yan Chixia exclaimed in surprise. "What extraordinary fortune! At your current state, even without cultivation, you'll live for thousands of years."

"Just luck," Nie Xiaoqian replied humbly, gazing at Zhang Taixuan with hopeful anticipation. "Dao Lord, what should I do next?"

"Your matter can wait—we'll deal with the great demon in this temple first," Zhang Taixuan smiled. "Then you won't have to be so cautious all the time."

With a distant grasp, he yanked a colossal locust tree from the ground.

The tree towered and robust, its trunk bearing a withered, hideous, utterly terrified human face.

Beneath it, a dense tangle of roots emerged from the earth, writhing like living serpents through the air.

Boom—

As the roots were fully torn free, the earth trembled; vast sections collapsed, exposing huge stretches of bedrock.

The locust tree's roots had spread over ten li; their removal naturally caused massive terrain shifts.

The entire tree was lifted into the sky, its roots thrashing, blotting out the sun.

"What a massive ghost locust tree! No ordinary person could subdue such a demon!"

Yan Chixia marveled—the thousands of roots each bore the demon's mark; if even one escaped, decades later another great demon would rise.

Truly, fire burns it down, but the wind brings it back—extremely stubborn.

What shocked Yan Chixia even more was that the massive roots, blotting out the sky and sun, were strung with countless pale skulls, their eye sockets hollow like beads of white bone prayer beads—deeply chilling.

At a glance, thousands of skulls adorned the roots, enough to trigger severe trypophobia.

"Bold demon! How many have you killed?!"

Yan Chixia knew the tree demon was killing people.

But those people themselves had corrupt hearts; he had no intention of intervening on their behalf.

Yet he never imagined the tree demon had claimed so horrifying a number of lives!