Chapter Fifteen: The Apparition of the Ghostly Infant

Gu Xian tried to intervene, but the other party was too resolute—it was already too late.

At the very moment the old woman’s cane broke through the beautiful woman’s lower abdomen,

a sudden burst of infant cries echoed from within her belly. The cries were cold and sinister, like the wails of a vengeful ghost after death, sending chills down one’s spine. At the same time, faint strands of dark energy began to gather around.

The old woman cast a resentful glance at Gu Xian, then unexpectedly showed a trace of relief on her face.

She uttered a final incantation.

The dark, malevolent energy swirling around her surged like a tide toward the unborn child. Soon, the sinister aura around the old woman was completely absorbed, and she vanished into ashes.

But before dying, her eyes still burned with malice as she stared at Gu Xian.

The once fair skin of the beautiful woman grew withered, and her once lustrous black hair turned dry and gray.

Gu Xian swiftly summoned his flying sword, aiming at the emerging ghost infant.

Yet, at that moment, a pitch-black baby crawled out from the woman’s abdomen.

This ghost infant was enshrouded in black mist, nearly solidified; the flying sword plunged into the mist but could not penetrate, as if trapped in a quagmire.

Gu Xian focused his gaze. The infant’s body was covered in eerie and terrifying talismans, glowing faintly with an otherworldly light. Its eyes were blood-red, fixed intently on the man in the azure robe.

From its lips came a whispered murmur: “Such fresh flesh and blood.”

Gu Xian’s expression darkened like still water. He shook the bell in his hand continuously, sending out golden ripples that spread outward.

The ghost infant’s movements faltered momentarily.

He quickly withdrew the flying sword from the black mist.

But in the next instant, the infant slowly rose, and with each breath, the villagers nearby had their vital energy drained into him.

The ghost infant’s body grew larger and larger.

Gu Xian’s eyes remained calm as he flung out talisman after talisman, which transformed into fiery serpents, lunging at the ghost infant with snarling ferocity.

The flames flickered, and waves of scorching heat radiated around.

The ghost infant’s dark aura was gradually eroded, but its growth far outpaced their efforts.

Xia Qinghe leapt onto the sacrificial altar. Without the old woman’s control, the villagers no longer attacked them spontaneously.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing shock reflected in the other’s eyes.

A resolute expression crossed Xia Qinghe’s face. “If this is hopeless, you must take the chance to escape and seek help at the nearest Demon-Slaying Bureau.”

Gu Xian spoke in a low voice, “We might still have a chance to fight.”

Seeing the surprise on Xia Qinghe’s face, he transmitted his voice silently.

“My senior brother once taught me a divine technique that is especially effective against these kinds of ghostly spirits. However, it takes time to activate, so you must hold off the ghost infant for a moment.”

Hearing that hope remained, Xia Qinghe’s fighting spirit surged. She stepped forward confidently.

“Leave it to me.”

In the next moment, the ghost infant vanished from where it stood and instantly reappeared before Xia Qinghe. Its fingers curved like hooks, emitting a chilling glow as it tore at the red silk in front of her, producing a sharp, grating sound.

Gu Xian dared not delay. He seated himself on the altar and withdrew a peach talisman crackling with lightning from his cosmic pouch.

Meanwhile, the red silk began to split under the ghost infant’s relentless tearing.

Xia Qinghe folded the red silk away, grasped her sword with both hands, and leapt high, striking down like a mountain-cleaving blade.

Sword qi swirled around the blade smoothly, cleaving the ghost infant in two. Yet, the woman’s face showed no joy—only deepening solemnity.

In the next instant, the severed halves of the ghost infant slowly rejoined and reformed. It let out a low, guttural roar:

“Delicious blood feast.”

Xia Qinghe’s vision darkened; she was flung backward. The ghost infant, like a phantom, appeared instantly before her again.

A light palm strike landed, and Xia Qinghe felt her internal spirit energy ripple like a tidal wave, forcing a mouthful of fresh blood upward.

Just a brief encounter shattered her previously unimpeded spiritual energy.

Grinding her pristine teeth, she roared fiercely as her spirit energy began to coalesce once more. Then she swung her sword fiercely.

In a mere moment, dozens of sword strikes were unleashed, weaving sword qi into a dense, impenetrable net before her.

The ghost infant was instantly shredded by this sword net, but the next moment, its form reassembled once again.

Now, the ghost infant was as large as a child of four or five years.

It emitted a sinister laugh.

It flickered again, appearing before Xia Qinghe.

The woman swung her sword once more, but the ghost infant’s power was terrifying. At birth, it already possessed peak Qi Sea Realm cultivation. Having absorbed so much living yang energy, it had advanced further, likely stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm with one foot.

Xia Qinghe was flung backward again, suspended midair. Gazing at the ghost infant’s dreadful countenance, her thoughts drifted away.

Was this really going to be the end?

She was truly unwilling.

Just then, strands of blue light suddenly illuminated her face.

Xia Qinghe landed heavily, but she had no time to attend to her wounds. She quickly turned her head.

Gu Xian hovered midair, lightning crackling in his palms. Upon closer inspection, it was a formidable thunder formation.

At its core was a finely crafted peach talisman.

Expressionless, Gu Xian resembled a solemn immortal as he lifted the thunder formation, pressing it down upon the ghost infant’s head.

In an instant, the entire altar was engulfed in crackling lightning and flickering arcs, the terrifying energy exploding in every inch of space.

This fearsome display lasted a full quarter-hour before finally subsiding.

Xia Qinghe stood there dazed, watching Gu Xian hovering and drifting above the altar.

Doubt crept into her heart.

Could all this really be caused by a mere fetal breathing stage?

The ghost infant’s body and soul had been utterly shattered by the lightning.

Only then did Gu Xian, who had been exerting himself relentlessly, finally falter and fall from the sky.

Seeing this, Xia Qinghe hurried to rise and catch him, but the pain from her injuries prevented her from even standing.

At that moment, a burly figure suddenly appeared from somewhere, catching the falling man in blue robes steadily.

Gu Xian struggled to open his heavy eyelids. Upon seeing the newcomer, a faint smile curved his lips.

“Senior brother.”

Before the words could fully leave his mouth, his head tilted, and he lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, on a mountain outside Yujia Village, two figures cloaked entirely in black robes witnessed the scene.

One sighed deeply, “I never expected Zhou You to appear here.”

The other said grimly, “Our plan here has failed. It’s time to leave.”

With that, the two vanished into thin air.

Zhou You abruptly turned his gaze toward the mountain outside the village, a trace of gravity darkening his features.