Yan Shouyi continued to push forward, rescuing people as he went.
This black mist was likely Bai Shixi's ghostly energy, which had infected the bodies of the living. Ordinary people couldn't withstand it.
However, because he was in the body of a Tian Sha Corpse Puppet, he was immune to this dark aura.
To his surprise, A Gong and Luo Ning were also charging in as if unaffected.
"Are you alright?" Yan Shouyi quickly asked.
A Gong pointed to his mask. It seemed the mask was a magical artifact capable of blocking the corrosion of ghostly energy.
Luo Ning explained, "I grew up with corpses since childhood. The corpse qi in my body is even heavier than a ghost king's. Bai Shixi's ghostly energy can't get close to me."
Yan Shouyi breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, Lu Jing suddenly shouted from the outer perimeter, "Yan Shouyi, Bai Shixi is using his ghostly energy to suppress us, but this also weakens his own main body's strength. Try to find Bai Shixi's true form. Perhaps there's still a chance to fight!"
Hearing Lu Jing's reminder, the three of them perked up.
Perhaps there was a chance after all?
But the ghostly energy covered a vast area. Their visibility was less than five meters, and Bai Shixi wouldn't be foolish enough to stay in one place.
How could they find him?
Luo Ning asked, "Only the three of us can enter the ghostly energy now. Should we split up?"
A Gong immediately shook his head, "No, splitting up will give Bai Shixi the opportunity to pick us off one by one. We must stay united!"
"A Gong is right," Yan Shouyi said. "Give me some time, I can find Bai Shixi!"
"How?" Luo Ning asked.
Yan Shouyi let out a whistle.
A gust of wind swept through. A Gong and Luo Ning looked up, vaguely seeing a figure circling overhead.
It was San Yuan!
San Yuan was no ordinary wooden bird. Its gaze was sharp, and its sense of smell keen. Finding Bai Shixi's true form wouldn't be difficult!
Moreover, San Yuan and Yan Shouyi were connected by intent, essentially giving Yan Shouyi an extra pair of eyes!
Soon, Yan Shouyi sensed San Yuan's intent.
"Follow me!"
The three moved forward in the darkness, navigating through the ghostly energy.
Before long, they saw a black figure kneeling on the ground ahead!
Was it Bai Shixi?
But why was he kneeling?
All three were deeply puzzled.
As they cautiously approached, they were surprised to find that this black figure was not only Bai Shixi, but his expression was also one of extreme pain!
What was going on?
A Gong whispered, "Bai Shixi looks to be in a bad state. Why don't we strike while he's down..."
Without another word, Yan Shouyi swung his Zanpakuto towards Bai Shixi's head!
If not now, then when?
But at the critical moment, Bai Shixi suddenly turned around and headbutted Yan Shouyi!
Caught off guard, Yan Shouyi was knocked to the ground. A Gong and Luo Ning rushed to intervene, but Bai Shixi was even faster!
He first lunged at A Gong, grabbed him by the neck, yanked him into the air, and then slammed him fiercely onto the ground!
A Gong's body was not as robust as Yan Shouyi's. This impact nearly left him paralyzed.
As for Luo Ning, she was merely a woman skilled in corpse manipulation and possessed no real combat abilities.
After Bai Shixi landed, he kicked Luo Ning out of the range of the ghostly energy with a single blow. Even Yan Shouyi couldn't find any trace of her.
The small team of three was still powerless against the weakened Bai Shixi!
Yan Shouyi struggled to stand up, trying to comfort himself and insist there was still hope.
His divination couldn't have been wrong.
Bai Shixi was destined to die today!
"Yan Shouyi... you brat..."
After repelling A Gong and Luo Ning, Bai Shixi staggered towards Yan Shouyi.
"You truly surprise me. Compared to my useless descendant, Bai Yusheng, you are far more capable!" Bai Shixi said coldly. "I'll give you a chance. Submit to me, and I won't kill you today!"
Yan Shouyi sneered, "Are you worthy?"
The Lu Ban successor of the past would not bow before the Son of Heaven. How could Yan Shouyi, in his generation, bow to a mere ghost king?
Bai Shixi was enraged by his response, "Don't be ungrateful!"
Yan Shouyi tightened his grip on the Zanpakuto and said coldly, "Bai Shixi, don't think I can't guess. There's another reason why you've been delaying killing me, isn't there?"
Bai Shixi snorted, "Don't overthink it. I simply have a bit of appreciation for talent."
"Although you try your best to hide it, your previous demeanor gave you away," Yan Shouyi said with a smile. "Let me guess, what other lingering concerns do you have?"
Bai Shixi remained silent, his eyes filled with killing intent, yet he still did not strike.
Suddenly, Bai Shixi let out a scream of agony, kneeling on the ground and clutching his head as he struggled.
His body also shook and trembled, like an unstable transmission feed, even displaying afterimages.
In that instant, Yan Shouyi saw a Dao Talisman within Bai Shixi's soul!
How could there be a Dao Talisman inside Bai Shixi?
Moreover, looking at the symbols drawn on the talisman – it was the Heavenly Sound Soul Shifting Spell from the Lu Shan Sect?
This was a Dao Talisman used by Lu Shan Sect Daoists to control ghosts, designed to remove the ghost's consciousness and turn it into a puppet that would obey commands.
However, few Lu Shan Sect Daoists used such talismans nowadays; they were more inclined towards making deals or cooperating with ghosts.
Who possessed such skill to place a Heavenly Sound Soul Shifting Spell within the body of Bai Shixi, a ghost king?
After a brief moment of surprise, Yan Shouyi didn't forget his objective.
He swung his blade towards Bai Shixi again!
This time, Bai Shixi's reaction was half a beat slower. The Zanpakuto fell, forcefully embedding itself into half of Bai Shixi's neck.
But a ghost king's body was not so easily dealt with.
Despite Yan Shouyi's repeated efforts, he couldn't push the blade any further.
"Ah—"
Bai Shixi let out a pained roar, batting away the Zanpakuto with a slap and pinning Yan Shouyi to the ground!
Yan Shouyi's eyes widened in alarm, thinking Bai Shixi was going to kill him.
However, to his surprise, Bai Shixi spoke with a pleading voice:
"Yan Shouyi, help me... help me remove the Soul Shifting Spell!"
Bai Shixi knew in his heart that if he lost his consciousness, what was the point of becoming a ghost king?
Wouldn't he just be someone else's puppet?!
Yan Shouyi snapped back to his senses and couldn't help but ask, "Who cast this spell on you?"
Bai Shixi's face contorted with fury, "Bai Yusheng!!"
It was Bai Yusheng?
Even a tiger wouldn't eat its cubs. Had Bai Yusheng set his sights on his own ancestor?
"He mixed a Heavenly Sound Soul Shifting Spell into the remnant souls he sent me. Just now, to save my life, I absorbed all the remnant souls into my body at once. I never expected to fall into that little bastard's trap!"
Bai Shixi said with immense anger, "Yan Shouyi, if you remove the Soul Shifting Spell for me, I swear I won't kill you!"
Who would have thought that a moment ago Bai Shixi was trying to recruit Yan Shouyi, and the next he was crying and begging Yan Shouyi for help.
Yan Shouyi couldn't help but smile.
He figured the Bai family never intended for Bai Shixi to truly become a ghost king.
Otherwise, wouldn't it affect the status of the legitimate ancestor?
That's why they sent Bai Yusheng to set a trap, ensuring that even if Bai Shixi became a ghost king, he would only be a puppet of the Bai family.
But they never expected that this trap would end up benefiting Yan Shouyi!
Bai Yusheng, oh Bai Yusheng, you truly are something!
You managed to ruin a perfectly good hand!