C59 Absorb

The Yin Tiger Talisman in the hands of the Evil Taoist flashed once more with an ominous black light, seemingly issuing a command to the tens of thousands of Ghost Soldiers.

The intent behind the command was unmistakable: they were to reduce us to shreds.

In a flash, the Ghost Soldiers emitted muffled, piercing roars that left me reeling with dizziness. In that moment, I found myself envying Deaf Zhang.

Then, like floodgates bursting open, the horde of Ghost Soldiers that had been hovering nearby charged at us. There was no longer time to glance at the shackles behind Deaf Zhang; we were instantly engulfed by the Ghost Soldiers.

Perhaps due to my absorption of an excess of Yin Qi, my vision sharpened until I could clearly make out the ghosts' features. The Ghost Soldiers were clad in black armor, their faces twisted into sinister, eerie snarls. Their long spears thrust toward us!

In such a situation, dodging was futile. Even if we could evade one spear, we couldn't escape the tens of thousands of blades.

I had resigned myself to a grim fate, but to my astonishment, a miracle occurred!

This miracle didn't involve a savior in white; it manifested within me.

I can't begin to explain what happened, but as the spears flew toward me like a volley of arrows, they vanished just before striking me.

Even more astonishing, it wasn't just the Ghost Soldiers' weapons that disappeared—it was the soldiers themselves!

In that moment, I was akin to Deaf Zhang's Pond Collecting Talisman, drawing in all the Ghost Soldiers. Bewildered, I watched their souls stream into my body without end.

I surmised that the Ghost Soldiers were not simply vanishing but were being absorbed by me, as my body swelled with power. I could feel its immense strength, enough to slay the Evil Taoist in an instant.

"My... My heavens! My dear mother! Chang... Changsheng, you... you..." Deaf Zhang was so astounded by the sight that he was at a loss for words. I imagined the Evil Taoist's face must have been a sight to behold.

But my sense of triumph was short-lived. I soon felt a bone-chilling cold envelop me, my veins throbbing as if on the verge of bursting, and my skin turning a ghastly shade of blue and purple...

This is bad; it must be because I've absorbed too many spirits that my body just can't handle it anymore. I need to figure out a way to get back to normal.

But my body isn't like a vacuum cleaner that stops working when you unplug it. No matter what I tried, I couldn't make this miracle vanish.

When I was completely out of ideas, the Evil Taoist sprang into action. He wielded the power of the Yin Tiger Talisman once more, and quickly, the Ghost Soldiers that had been encircling us began to disperse in retreat.

It appeared the Evil Taoist was no longer willing to take risks. He feared that if I absorbed the tens of thousands of Ghost Soldiers, my strength would surge and I might kill him.

In that moment, both the Evil Taoist and I breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, my body was still far from recovered, wracked with pain beyond imagination.

"You... what on earth are you? This isn't the protective golden light your father left inside you, nor is it a power he could wield! Who... who are you really? What... what is happening?" the Evil Taoist cried out in terror, his usual sly and cruel demeanor replaced by sheer panic.

"Looks like you've miscalculated this time," I called out boldly. In the face of the Evil Taoist, I had to maintain an air of composure, to instill fear in him and deter any reckless attacks.

My hopes were pinned on Deaf Zhang, wishing for his strength to return. If the Evil Taoist hesitated to use the Yin Tiger Talisman again, we might stand a fighting chance.

"Changsheng, you're incredible. I never would have thought..." Deaf Zhang said, slapping my back in his excitement, but his slap was too strong. It sent me, who was already barely enduring the severe pain, tumbling to the ground.

But what took me by surprise even more was that brief physical contact had a devastating effect on Deaf Zhang, who was already frail. The surge of Yin Qi knocked him to the ground with a thud, and he passed out, taking my last shred of hope with him.