C27 Losing Your Moral Virtue

The ghost soldiers of the old specter had retreated, but the red-robed specter arrived. I commanded fifty ghost soldiers to encircle the red-robed specter, and with a swift kick, I sent Wang Dali tumbling into the midst of them.

Wang Dali, his Yin Yang Eyes wide open, could see the red-robed ghosts with crystal clarity. Once he was amidst them, he began to scream in terror.

To describe the red-robed ghosts, they had ghastly green faces with sunken eyes, the sockets filled with an abyssal blackness, a manifestation of the undissipating resentment that clouded their vision of the afterlife. They were all clad in red robes woven from this very resentment, not just any red but a crimson hue that belonged solely to the boundless depths of hell, a sight that sent shivers down the spine.

"Wang Xu, cut it out and pull me out of here! I'm begging you, save me!" Wang Dali pleaded.

Despite his cries, I had no intention of rescuing him just yet. Wang Dali was essential in dealing with these red-robed specters.

Bai Xiaoxiao, observing Wang Dali amidst the ghosts, expressed her concern, "The Sky Sunflower may repel evil, but the ghosts' resentment is overwhelming. Given a target, they will attack relentlessly, even at the risk of their own annihilation. Dali might not last much longer..."

As Bai Xiaoxiao pointed out, the red-robed ghosts' ferocity stemmed not from their magical power but from their profound resentment. If a mere sanitary pad or vest could thwart the red-robed ghosts, then the world wouldn't be rife with tales of families ruined by their relentless hauntings.

I retrieved two packets of powder and, with a flick of my wrist, scattered it over the red-robed ghosts encircling Wang Dali. The powder took immediate effect, diminishing the ghosts' resentment and causing their red garments to fade, hinting at a transition from red to white.

Moreover, it wasn't just their color that changed. The red-robed ghosts, once as tall as humans, shrank by three inches each. A ghost's stature is indicative of their spiritual power; those with greater power stand as tall as humans, while those with lesser power are diminutive. Exceptionally powerful spirits loom like giants, akin to the Dali Ghost Kings of the netherworld.

In essence, the powder had drastically weakened the red-robed ghosts' spiritual power, rendering them incapable of harming Wang Dali for the time being.

Bai Xiaoxiao gasped in amazement,

"Wang Xu, I never knew you had such incredible skills. What kind of remedy are you peddling that's made these red-robed ghosts so tame?"

I laughed heartily,

"Truth be told, whether we're talking about red-robed ghosts or any other kind of demon, most of them possess a higher level of spiritual power than the mages of the mortal realm. Setting aside those who are reincarnated with their spiritual power intact, mages in the mortal realm can, at best, cultivate for a hundred years. Yet, many of these malevolent beings boast over a thousand years of spiritual cultivation, making them quite challenging to subdue.

But as the saying goes, for everything in the world, there is a counterforce. Once you find what they're vulnerable to, subjugating them becomes much easier. Even ordinary people can fend off certain ghosts with simple folk practices. No matter how formidable a red-robed ghost might be, it's still a ghost, and it fears objects that can cleanse and repel evil.

The two types of powder I scattered are quite special. One is made from the dried blood of a black dog, which can suppress even the deepest of grudges. The other is ground from dried willow branches, and there's a longstanding belief that willow branches can be used to strike ghosts, diminishing their stature and power with each hit, eventually driving them away...

I'd wager there are at least two or three hundred willow branches ground into that powder..."

Before I could finish, Bai Xiaoxiao shuddered and sidestepped, as if to avoid any accidental contact.

"But even with the powder, we can't completely eradicate the red-robed ghosts. What's our next move?"

Bai Xiaoxiao had hit upon another crucial issue. The black dog blood and willow branch powder could only weaken the red-robed ghosts. To truly destroy them, we would need a different approach.

I did have talismans on me capable of dealing with evil spirits, kept for dire situations. But even if I used all of them, I wouldn't be able to kill even half of the red-robed ghosts present. So, we were in quite a predicament.

I sighed and confided in Bai Xiaoxiao,

"Ordinary ghosts are manageable, but these red-robed specters are a whole different challenge. It looks like I'm going to have to sacrifice some of my spiritual merits today..."

Yin De is a mysterious account recorded in the ledger of life and death, said to determine one's fate in the next life—whether to be reborn as a human or an animal. It also influences a person's fortune; those with profound Yin De enjoy good luck, while those lacking it seem to be cursed with misfortune.

Hence the saying, "Bad luck can't always be blamed on society."

I haven't given much thought to what I'll be in my next life, but the downturn in my luck has been painfully real, forcing my hand in this matter.

From my bag, I pulled out red paper and swiftly began cutting. In moments, I had fashioned 50 pieces of red paper armor. I closed my eyes, murmured a few spells, and tossed the armor to the 50 Yin Warriors before us.

With a gust of wind, the armor settled onto the warriors, instantly transforming them. Typically, ghosts shun red, as it's a color of celebration and fire, symbolizing protection by the gods of joy and flame, and even capable of harming spirits.

Yet, I had our Yin Warriors don the red armor. Once armored, they grew over three feet taller, their aura of malevolence intensified, tinged with streaks of red. Their combat prowess now matched that of the original red ghosts.

I placed my hand on the talisman and issued a command to the Yin Warriors:

"Exterminate all the red-robed ghosts!"

Obediently, the Yin Warriors advanced with their weapons. Their formidable presence overwhelmed the weakened red-robed ghosts, who stood no chance against the empowered soldiers. The battle was one-sided; the Yin Warriors dispatched the red-robed ghosts as easily as slicing through vegetables. In no time, they were all vanquished, with the survivors fleeing, badly maimed.

The red-robed ghosts dissipated, revealing a bewildered Wang Dali, caught in the midst of the chaos. Bai Xiaoxiao watched in awe and said, "I can't believe you possess such power. How can those red robes be so formidable? I want to wear one too!"

I let out a wry smile, gesturing towards the ghost soldiers, then shook my head without uttering a word.

As soon as I shook my head, the fifty ghost soldiers clutched their heads as though they were in excruciating pain. They writhed on the ground, and before long, they were engulfed in a mysterious fire. The flames quickly spread over their entire bodies, and with a whoosh, not one ghost soldier remained. All that lingered in the air were a few wisps of their souls, and on the ground lay fifty red garments.

"Imbuing ghosts with the powers of the God of Happiness and the God of Fire might grant them a temporary surge in strength, but it inevitably leads to the shattering of their souls... Let's keep moving. This loss of virtue is my burden alone; it doesn't concern you."

Bai Xiaoxiao and Wang Dali looked at the fifty red garments on the ground, seemingly unable to snap out of their shock for quite some time.