Chapter 102: The Five Ghosts Transport Talisman

Suddenly, a black light condensed into a talisman and appeared on his forehead, seemingly containing some kind of violent energy.

Seeing that the situation had changed, Ling Chi instantly released lightning to shroud himself, then knocked Wei Si unconscious with a single punch. The entire process took less than a single breath.

Looking at this fellow lying on the ground, Ling Chi fell into deep thought. That black talisman looked incredibly dangerous; if he wasn't careful, it might cost Wei Si his life. He had gone to great lengths to find a cultist, and he couldn't let him die so pointlessly.

Ling Chi focused his divine sense on Wei Si and tapped his finger. A bolt of electricity transformed into countless tiny arcs that burrowed into the man's body, searching everywhere for the hidden black talisman. As the tiny arcs drilled into Wei Si, they searched methodically along his meridians.

In his unconscious state, Wei Si’s limbs twitched from the electric shocks, and blood spilled from his nose and mouth. His eyelids trembled, about to open.

"Bang!"

Ling Chi punched him unconscious again.

More electric arcs flooded in, scouring every corner of his body. During the process, the man was shocked awake twice more, only to be knocked out again immediately. The tiny electric arcs acted like scouts, rampaging wildly within Wei Si's body.

Ling Chi split off a small wisp of electricity to search upward, finally making a discovery in the head. The black talisman was actually branded directly into his brain. Ling Chi immediately mobilized more electric arcs to surround it. As the arcs made contact with the talisman, wisps of black smoke were slowly ground away by the lightning.

Ling Chi felt increasingly annoyed; if it weren't for the fact that he was reluctant to lose the intelligence, he would have squeezed the man to death right then and there. He had a premonition that the internal hierarchy of the Ghost Cult was extremely strict; this black talisman might well be a trump card used by the Cult Master to control his followers.

He hesitated. If he broke this talisman and the unknown Cult Master sensed it, it could lead to a major disaster. If a master's own trump card was broken, not only would their tool for ruling the followers be exposed, but it would have been dismantled by someone else—it was even possible the Cult Master might arrive in person.

No, he couldn't let the talisman be destroyed while it was still inside him. Ling Chi pondered for a moment and immediately came up with a plan. He hid all the electric arcs and slapped Wei Si awake. Poor Wei Si, constantly toggling between unconsciousness and wakefulness, was already on the verge of death.

"Speak. Where is your stronghold in Yu County?"

Ling Chi focused his full attention, staring at the black talisman, waiting for the right moment.

"It's... it's outside the city at Huwei Manor..." Before Wei Si could finish, the black talisman immediately surfaced on his forehead.

Ling Chi, who had been waiting for this for a long time, unleashed countless tiny electric arcs to block the talisman's retreat. With lightning surging in his palm, he pulled the talisman out of Wei Si's body bit by bit.

Wei Si let out a series of miserable screams; he felt as if his brain were being torn away. As soon as the black talisman left his body, the violent spiritual energy within it began to churn. Ling Chi’s lightning plasma surged to wrap it tightly.

"Clang!"

A loud noise echoed through the cave, and Wei Si fainted once again. Ling Chi’s hand was torn open, and pale golden blood welled from the wound as tiny arcs of electricity helped mend it. He felt shaken; this was definitely not the power of the Spirit Bead Realm. The Ghost Cult was unfathomably deep and certainly not something he could contend with at the moment. He could not afford to have too much contact with them yet.

He quickly wiped away the traces, grabbed Wei Si, and bolted out like a lightning strike. He needed to find a new place to continue the interrogation. He had stayed here too long; although he couldn't be sure if anyone was pursuing him, he dared not gamble, especially after witnessing the power of the black talisman.

After darting out of the cave, Ling Chi stomped on the top of the cave entrance, causing it to collapse immediately. He picked a direction and sped away while carrying Wei Si. In the blink of an eye, the two appeared at the bottom of a canyon. The canyon was exceptionally deep, making it perfect for hiding. With his worries eased, he felt relatively more at peace.

"Slap!"

"Now, say it again. Where is your stronghold?"

Ling Chi’s voice crackled with lightning as he slapped Wei Si awake. Wei Si opened his eyes weakly. Recalling his previous encounter, he felt a lightness in his head—the black talisman was actually gone. Having joined the Holy Cult for so long, he had never heard of anyone who could expel the black talisman. This obscure person before him possessed such incredible means.

With his heart in turmoil, he immediately answered, "It is at Huwei Manor outside of Yu County. There are sixteen followers guarding it, one at the second level of the Qi Sea Realm, while the others are all in the Pulse Opening Realm."

"The Holy Cult’s stronghold in Yu County is led by me. I am an envoy, and I lead sixteen followers under me."

"Above me are the Incense Masters, Hall Masters, and Elders. I don't know what lies beyond that."

"My superior, Incense Master Qi Haichuan, is at the eighth level of the Qi Sea Realm. He is in Shengzhou. He has at least four or five envoys like me under him, but only he knows where they are."

"I have heard that one must reach the Spirit Bead Realm or perform a major service to be promoted to Hall Master. As for the Hall Master, I only know he oversees the entire thirteen states of the Northwest Circuit. I don't know exactly where he is."

Wei Si’s soul trembled as he adjusted his breathing, pouring out more and more information.

"What kind of cultivation technique does your Ghost Cult practice?" Ling Chi was very curious; this related to whether he could operate under the guise of the Ghost Cult in the future.

"The Holy Cult is divided into inner and outer gates. The inner gate is the Holy Apostles, and the outer gate is the Holy Slaves."

*Bullshit 'Holy Apostles' and 'Holy Slaves', they are clearly Ghost Apostles and Ghost Slaves.* Ling Chi looked at the dying Wei Si and did not interrupt him.

"Those who cultivate Yin energy are the elite Holy Apostles. Incense Master Qi says only the direct followers of the Cult Master are allowed to practice it."

"They rely on consuming flesh and blood to strengthen their Yin energy and reinforce their ghost bodies. Some can even cultivate profound power."

"Holy Slaves like me practice martial techniques. In the Holy Cult, we Holy Slaves are sent out to earn money and refine human pills to support the cultivation of the elite Holy Apostles."

"The 'Five Ghosts Transporting Technique' we use is performed with the 'Five Ghosts Transporting Talisman' issued from above. As long as we provide blood sacrifices, we can command the five ghosts to transport items. I have two talismans on me, and there are five more in the stronghold."

"Only the Holy Apostles who cultivate Yin energy can practice these ghost arts. Every year, meritorious Holy Slaves are absorbed into the inner gate to become Holy Apostles."

"Those Holy Apostles are all in the south. I hear that the imperial court is suppressing them there, and they have to fight against rival factions."

"What is the cultivation level of the five ghosts summoned by the transporting talismans? How are they used? How do you contact Qi Haichuan?" Seeing him pause, Ling Chi continued to ask.

"You just ignite them with spiritual energy. There are differences between the talismans. Most of the ones issued are at the Qi Sea Realm. I hear that higher-level ones can summon five ghosts at the Spirit Bead Realm."

"It is always Incense Master Qi who comes to find me. I don't know where he is."

After Wei Si finished speaking, he hung his head. He knew he would not survive today.

Ling Chi took two red talismans of unknown material and some silver banknotes from him, then cleanly snapped his neck. Four hundred wisps of lightning spiritual energy flowed back into him. Ling Chi took a deep breath; this Ghost Cult was truly a behemoth.

"You shall all become my sustenance."

The power of Extreme Yang seeped from his fingertips, and Wei Si turned into a pile of ashes, scattered by the wind. After destroying the scene, Ling Chi also vanished from the spot.

Fingering the two transporting talismans in his hand, a bold idea formed in Ling Chi's mind.

*Isn't this just a buffet? The kind where one ticket gets you five ghosts to eat.*

Storing them away, he now had important business to attend to. Before long, Ling Chi’s figure appeared in front of a dilapidated manor a few dozen miles outside of Yu County. Along the way, he had already taken out several hidden sentries; the defense could be described as tight.

"Daring to call yourselves Huwei Manor, quite an arrogant claim."