Chapter 248: Going Home

"Just this..." Ding Dalang and Zhang Erwa were both dumbfounded. They never imagined that after becoming Ghost Soldiers, their daily training would consist of using Embroidered Needles to poke at crotches. This training was just too despicable and shameless.

Fang Cheng looked at the expressions on Ding Dalang and the other's faces and knew exactly what they were thinking. Fang Cheng had long since grown accustomed to this and smiled, saying, "Don't feel embarrassed. You are currently only First Grade Ghost Soldiers with limited Yin Power. The Blood Qi of Martial Artists and Demon Beasts is vigorous; to you, it is like a raging fire that would burn you to ashes the moment you got close."

"Tell me, if you were to face them head-on, what use could you be? It's different with a sneak attack using an Embroidered Needle. By gathering all your Yin Power onto a single Embroidered Needle, you can pierce through the protective Blood Qi of Martial Artists and Demon Beasts, dealing them fatal damage."

Ding Dalang and Zhang Erwa nodded repeatedly as they listened, feeling that what the Squad Leader said made a lot of sense.

In battlefield slaughter, everything is for the purpose of eliminating the enemy. As for what methods are used, it doesn't matter. Whether it's head-on combat or a sneak attack from behind, poking at crotches—as long as it's useful, it's a good skill.

"Haha, you've figured it out, haven't you? Practice with us." Fang Cheng taught the new soldiers hand-in-hand how to use Yin Power to control the Embroidered Needles.

Zhang Erwa and Ding Dalang quickly got the hang of it. When it grew dark and the night was deep and quiet, the Ghost Soldiers left the camp, once again performing the Hundred Ghosts Night Walk to patrol the entire Luolong County city.

Walking on the familiar streets, Zhang Erwa and Ding Dalang were both filled with excitement. When Ghost Soldiers travel, ordinary people with their mortal eyes cannot see them.

However, Martial Artists of the Second Grade or higher, when approaching the Ghost Soldiers, would have their protective Yang Fire disturbed, allowing them to keenly sense a mass of cold, Yin energy in their vicinity.

At this time, if a Martial Artist circulates their True Qi and stirs up the Blood Qi throughout their body, the protective Yang Fire will flare up, and the nearby Yin Souls will not dare to approach.

However, the Second Grade Martial Artists within Luolong County all knew that the Ghost Soldiers under Meng Yifan would patrol the city at night, so even if they sensed the Ghost Soldiers passing by, they would not stir their True Qi to harm the Ghost Soldiers.

After turning a corner, they arrived at Ding Dalang's home.

"Squad Leader, I'd like to request leave to go home and say a few words," Ding Dalang said.

"Go ahead, return early," Fang Cheng agreed. Being able to go home and reunite with family was one of the benefits and perks for the Ghost Soldiers.

The Ghost Soldier squad stopped nearby, and Ding Dalang detached from the group and walked toward his home.

In the dead of night, the doors and windows of Ding Dalang's home were long since tightly shut, but this did not stump him. The Yin Soul Body is naturally formless and can gather or disperse at will. Furthermore, after becoming a Ghost Soldier, Ding Dalang had learned some techniques from the camp that Ghost Soldiers could use; not only could he turn into black mist, but he could also pass directly through walls.

Ding Dalang formed a seal with his right hand, quickened his pace, and rushed toward the concrete wall. He felt a slight resistance, and then, with a flash before his eyes, he had already entered his home.

Upon returning home, Ding Dalang saw his wife looking at his portrait on the wall, her eyes red and swollen, silently shedding tears. On the table sat a bowl of rice, topped with Monster Cured Meat that was a mix of fat and lean.

This was a rare and good meal, but unfortunately, the food had long since gone cold, and Ceng Lanhua hadn't even touched her chopsticks.

"Sigh!" Seeing this scene, Ding Dalang felt great heartache. He knew that if he didn't go to comfort his wife, her health would soon collapse, let alone being able to bear a child.

"Whoosh!" Yin Power surged on Ding Dalang's body, and a cold Yin wind suddenly blew through the room. Ceng Lanhua was just an ordinary person; her body's Blood Qi was not vigorous to begin with, and coupled with her illness caused by worry and her distracted state of mind, she was even more susceptible to being invaded by Yin evil.

Ceng Lanhua felt her head growing heavy and couldn't help but fall asleep slumped over the table.

Just as she was in a daze, she suddenly saw Ding Dalang's figure appear more than ten meters in front of her.

Ceng Lanhua was overcome with excitement and said, "Dalang, is it you?"

Ding Dalang nodded and said, "Lanhua, it's me. I have now become a Ghost Soldier under Lord Meng and can practice Ghost Cultivation Technique. After reaching the Fourth Grade, I can manifest in the daytime and be no different from a living person. In the future, I may even attain the Dao and become an immortal."

"You don't need to grieve for me. We husband and wife still have a day of reunion. What you need to do now is to rest assured and nurture the fetus, letting the child in your belly grow up healthy."

"I am still carrying out a patrol mission, and the Squad Leader is still waiting for me outside, so I must go first. You must take good care of yourself. In the future, when I patrol at night, I will still find time to come and see you."

After Ding Dalang finished speaking, his body vanished from Ceng Lanhua's dream. Ceng Lanhua also woke up suddenly at this moment. Seeing the curtains moving without wind in the room, she was certain that Ding Dalang had truly been there just now.

Thinking of what Ding Dalang had said, Ceng Lanhua was no longer sad. She heated up the food on the table and then ate the entire large bowl of rice and meat.

She now had a child in her belly; if she didn't eat her fill, how could the child grow up strong?

Seeing Ceng Lanhua eating, Ding Dalang finally set his mind at ease. He once again controlled the Embroidered Needle to shake the curtains, then transformed into a wisp of black mist and flew out through a crack in the window.

That night, the twelve Ghost Soldiers, including Ding Dalang, all appeared in their families' dreams to tell them that they had become Ghost Soldiers, letting their families rest easy.

Word spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred. Soon, all the common people in the city knew that Meng Yifan possessed great Supernatural Ability, and their loyalty to Meng Yifan rose steadily.

And the soldiers knew that even if they died on the battlefield, their Yin Souls would have a place to settle, and they could even become Ghost Soldiers and practice Ghost Cultivation Technique. This gave the soldiers increased courage, making them unafraid of death.

This was precisely the purpose of Meng Yifan allowing the new Ghost Soldiers to go home and take a look. Watching the loyalty of his subjects continuously rise on the Game Panel, Meng Yifan smiled; it seemed this tactic was very useful.

At this very moment, Meng Yifan was sitting cross-legged in his cultivation chamber, holding a walnut-sized Demon Core in his hand.

This was the Third-grade Demon Core of the Toad leader. It was a Yin Attribute Demon Beast, and the Demon Core contained rich Yin Attribute Demon Power.

Demon Power and Spirit Power are both types of energy. Immortal Cultivators absorb Spirit Qi and, after refining it through their techniques, convert it into Spirit Power that they can use themselves.

Likewise, Demon Beasts inhale and exhale Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, refining it through their bodies to become their own Demon Power.

From this, it can be seen that Demon Power and Spirit Power are fundamentally the same type of energy; it is just that after being refined differently by Immortal Cultivators and Demon Beasts, the characteristics they exhibit are somewhat different.

Meng Yifan was pondering whether it was possible to use the Demon Core for cultivation. On Earth, Zhang Sanfeng's Spirit Power was nearly exhausted; if he didn't replenish his Spirit Power, he would truly die and his soul would dissipate.

For an Immortal Cultivator, the best way to replenish Spirit Power is to use Spirit Stones to assist in cultivation.

Meng Yifan's original plan was to wait until the development of Luolong County was on the right track before going out to find Spirit Stones, but he ended up encountering a Demon Beast siege.

Through this great battle, Meng Yifan had harvested a batch of Demon Cores. If Demon Cores could assist in cultivation, it would allow Zhang Sanfeng to recover some of his Spirit Power.