Chapter 786: Remove the Soul-Pinning Nails

Xue Shao also sensed the difference, curious: "The spiritual energy in this courtyard seems denser than elsewhere—and now it's even thicker."

"So that's why—it's why they buried it here. The spiritual energy is dense here; with a Yang-Yin Array, the results are doubled!"

Wang Cong glanced at Xiao Hong's skeletal remains, seeing the obvious wounds on them, then looked at her pained expression and sighed: "She died horribly. And with the Soul-Pinning Nail suppressing her for so many years, even though she never killed anyone, her body is saturated with malevolent energy. Fortunately, she stayed far from her own bones all this time—so the malevolent energy on the bones didn't overwhelm her. Otherwise, she would've lost her sanity long ago."

"Master Xiao chose the phoenix tree because the phoenix tree is yang—it purifies malevolent energy."

Xue Shao understood: "The Yang-Yin Array, the yang-yin wood, even the yinchenwood box—all are meant to nourish the bones so they can feed back to Xiao Hong. The phoenix wood is to purify the malevolent energy from her bones."

Wang Cong nodded.

"But why?" Xue Shao asked, puzzled. "Why not use these things directly on Xiao Hong? Why go through her bones to feed her?"

"Because this is the origin," Wang Cong said gravely. "Those who raise ghosts usually hide the ghost's bones. If the ghost turns rebellious, they can control her through the bones. Similarly, if you want to strengthen a ghost, the best way is to nurture it together with its bones."

Wang Cong looked at Xiao Hong, slowly merging with her own bones, and said gravely: "Her bones are too heavily corrupted, and the malevolent energy is too strong. If she returned directly without nourishment, she'd be injured worse—her soul and bones both damaged—and she might be controlled by the malevolent energy and lose her sanity."

Now, though Xiao Hong's face was twisted in pain, it was because she saw her own bones—memories she'd lost were returning. She was suffering from the pain of her past life.

At this moment, her soul was solid, showing no signs of damage. Her bones, though corrupted, did not reject her.

Xiao Hong lay down upon her own bones. The moment she merged with them, a faint glow shimmered over her, revealing glimpses of her former appearance.

Her bones slowly turned jade-like, then instantly rotted, endlessly shifting between the two states.

The Soul-Calling Banner trembled constantly in Pan Yun's palm, drawing countless spiritual energies toward the wooden box, absorbed simultaneously by the bones and Xiao Hong.

Yet among the countless spiritual energies, not a single trace of Xiao Hong's fragmented soul could be seen.

Seeing Miao Zhen frowned, impatiently quickened her recitation of the Soul-Calling Spell. Her chest tightened, her throat instantly filled with metallic sweetness.

Pan Yun tapped her twice on the body and pushed her out of the array.

She had anticipated this—Xiao Hong's fragmented soul wouldn't be easily summoned.

She pressed down on the trembling Soul-Calling Banner, drove it hard into the ground, then walked to the wooden box.

Xiao Hong, merged with her bones, flickered in and out of visibility. Pan Yun knelt on one knee, locking eyes with the two hollow sockets of the skull, and whispered: "Xiao Hong, this is your body. You must fully merge with it, or I can't find the Soul-Pinning Nail driven into your soul—and remove it."

She whispered: "Once I pull out the Soul-Pinning Nail, you won't suffer like this anymore."

Xiao Hong, lying within her own bones, opened her eyes—blood-red, filled with sorrow, staring at her.

They gazed at each other for a moment. Pan Yun gave her a slight nod.

Xiao Hong finally closed her eyes, focusing intently on her body.

This is me, this is me—even though it's filthy, even though it hurts—it's me. I must return. I must return…

This is my head, my eyes, my nose, my neck…

This is my arm, my fingers…

The skull shifted slightly, then the white finger bones twitched. The scattered bones slowly moved, aligning, piecing together, becoming more human.

Xiao Hong sank lower and lower until she fully merged with her bones. The moment her white toe bones twitched faintly, a flash of light passed—her entire soul reappeared, perfectly fused with the white bones.

Pan Yun finally saw the faint, shimmering nail embedded in her soul.

The Soul-Pinning Nail embedded in her soul had no physical form—the physical nail had already been pulled out by Pan Yun in Ji'an.

A non-physical Soul-Pinning Nail cannot be removed by hand.

Pan Yun sat cross-legged, formed hand seals and chanted. A golden light flowed from her fingertip, like golden sand surging toward Xiao Hong…

The merit-golden light, feared by all vengeful ghosts, had once frightened Xiao Hong. But now, as this golden light enveloped her, she felt only warmth.

Xiao Hong could sense it meant her no harm.

Thinking of Pan Yun, she relaxed further.

The golden sand flowed into her soul, drifting around the Baihui and Tiantong acupoints where the Soul-Pinning Nail resided.

The Soul-Pinning Nail flickered into view again—then the golden sand tightened violently, seized the nail, and yanked it out with a sudden jerk.

The invisible Soul-Pinning Nail was ripped free and flung outward. Wang Cong was about to form a seal to destroy it—when a figure suddenly appeared, holding a box that caught the invisible nail with a sharp snap.

Wang Cong's hand froze. His entire body stiffened.

He forced a stiff smile: "Brother Li…"

Li Wenying shoved the box into his sleeve, stared at him expressionlessly, then reached into his other sleeve, pulled out another box, stuck a talisman on it, and caught the next Soul-Pinning Nail as it was pulled out—sealed it, stored it.

Three Soul-Pinning Nails had been removed. Pan Yun exhaled, released her seals, and opened her eyes.

Seeing Li Wenying, she wasn't surprised at all—she greeted him warmly: "Brother Li, isn't Brother Zhang here?"

Li Wenying sneered: "Did you warn us ahead of time?"

Pan Yun: "The Academy is this small. There's only one gate in and out. How could you not know?"

Li Wenying pointed at her through the air, laughing bitterly.

But Pan Yun wasn't the first time causing them trouble. He was used to it. Ever since she took those bones away from Ji'an, he'd already prepared himself to clean up after her.

Especially since she'd dug that grave to bury the bones—he'd accidentally found out.

Li Wenying stepped forward, bent down, and glanced at the bones.

Xiao Hong lay tense, eyes tightly shut, not daring to move.

"In just half a year, you've turned that rotting corpse into this?" He touched the box, envious and jealous: "You used ten-thousand-year yinchenwood to nurture bones? How extravagant. I vaguely remember Zhang Liuzhen's private treasury had a piece of ten-thousand-year yinchenwood too…"

Li Wenying paused, then cracked his neck, turning to stare at Pan Yun.

Pan Yun nodded: "You're right. This is the same piece of yinchenwood from Brother Zhang."

Li Wenying's expression slowly turned blank. He scanned Pan Yun up and down, then shook his head: "No. I don't believe it. You're so young. Zhang Liuzhen couldn't possibly like you. Are you his secret illegitimate daughter? But the age doesn't match—he couldn't have fathered a child at eight or nine…"