Chapter 124: The Surging Might of Thunder

The thunderous shockwave instantly blasted the Five Ghosts and their thralls into the air. Those with weaker cultivation were immediately reduced to sparks of thunderous energy that fed back into Ling Chi; with this single strike alone, he harvested over a thousand strands of thunder essence.

Only a few experts at the late stage of the Qi Sea realm managed to barely hold their ground, their toes dug into the earth, blades and claws plunged deep into the soil as they struggled to halt their retreat.

The indiscriminate thunder technique devastated the entire battlefield. Even Yan Heng, the master of the Iron Mountain Martial Hall—whom Ling Chi did not recognize—was swept into the ruins and knocked unconscious.

"Incense Master Qin, Hezhou is your territory. What is the background of this youth who wields thunder?" a long-haired Incense Master of the Ghost Cult managed to steady himself and asked in shock.

They had received no intelligence that such a thunder cultivator, capable of suppressing the Five Ghosts so effectively, existed within the borders of He County.

"He is Ling Chi, a thunder cultivator from He County. He arrived so quickly," Incense Master Qin replied subconsciously.

"Oh no, if Ling Chi is here, his master must have arrived as well."

A shrill whistling of wind accompanied by an overwhelming blade aura descended from the sky, confirming Qin's fears. Before an Incense Master could even react, Zhao Qing had sliced him in two.

Zhao Qing did not move often, but once he did, he went all out, instantly killing a seventh-layer Qi Sea Ghost Cult Incense Master. The remaining six Incense Masters immediately scattered to evade.

Ling Chi drew his blade, "Evil Slayer," stood tall, and locked eyes with Zhao Qing. With a silent understanding, master and apprentice divided the battlefield.

With Cao Hubao at the center, Zhao Qing moved left and Ling Chi moved right, their respective hurricanes and thunder roaring as they charged at the Five Ghosts. Cao Hubao stood still, looking left and right, momentarily stunned and unsure of which side to join.

The blade styles of the master and apprentice were vastly different. Although Zhao Qing stood over seven feet tall and was dark-skinned and stout, his blade technique was agile and elegant—like a black bear dancing with a sword. Ling Chi, by contrast, had a tall, athletic build with broad shoulders and a narrow waist; his appearance was handsome, yet he employed a hard-hitting, open-and-shut style of iron-blooded combat.

The pair turned into a meat grinder, tearing through the battlefield. Having regained his senses, Cao Hubao joined the fray.

Ling Chi flicked his right arm, sending his broadsword spinning along the edge of the battlefield to reap lives. He did not remain idle; he leaped into the thick of the ghost horde. His knee struck like a cannonball, shattering the chest of a Ghoul, then he pulled his hands back and flashed in front of a ghost thrall.

[Baji: Earth-Closing Elbow]

His elbow tip, sharp as a spearhead, nearly impaled the fourth-layer Qi Sea thrall, who died instantly.

He grabbed a scurrying Wraith by the neck and tore it in two with raw strength. Dark green ghost blood splattered the ground; the surrounding Five Ghosts were so terrified by the brutal display that their legs went weak and they began to retreat.

As a gust of wind approached, Ling Chi reached out and caught his broadsword, immediately charging at another seventh-layer Qi Sea Incense Master. Seeing Ling Chi coming for him, the man was terrified. Between fighting and fleeing, he chose to kneel and beg for mercy.

"My lord, spare me! I haven't been in the Ghost Cult long and I've never done any evil! I have elderly parents and young children—you can't cut off my family's livelihood!"

The long-haired Incense Master recalled stories he had read, believing that these righteous young heroes were always indecisive. He thought that if he used his children to bind the youth's morality, he might survive. As for the mysterious black talisman in his mind, as long as he didn't reveal the cult's secrets, his life should be safe.

But Ling Chi was no justice-obsessed hero. He shifted his grip into an Yin-Yang style, twisted his waist and hips, and unleashed the full force of his blade. A flash of light erupted. The Incense Master had no idea the youth was so cold-blooded; he was prepared to kill without even a question.

"Incense Master Qin, help me!" His desperate shout startled everyone on the battlefield. He scrambled to his feet to make a final stand, but was struck in the face by a blade. Half his skull vanished, and seven hundred strands of thunder essence flowed back into Ling Chi.

Seeing the situation turn dire, Incense Master Qin immediately pulled a jade seal from his robes and crushed it—this was their final trump card.

Ling Chi, his divine sense covering the entire field, glanced toward Qin.

"You dare call for reinforcements!"

[Thunder Flash]

He instantly unleashed the technique, gripped his broadsword with both hands, and brought it down. Qin’s soul nearly left his body. His cultivation was on par with Ling Chi’s—both at the eighth layer of the Qi Sea—but Ling Chi’s true combat power was far beyond his own. He had seen Ling Chi kill a seventh-layer master in just a few blows; even if he faced him directly, he knew he wouldn't last a hundred rounds. He realized he was no match and desperately sought an escape.

The silvery blade light descended. Qin hastily raised his sword to block, but the fury behind Ling Chi’s strike was insurmountable, and he was sent flying. Ling Chi surged forward, merging dozens of blade auras into a single strike. Qin did not even have the chance to leave final words before he fell, a headless corpse twitching on the ground.

"Captain Cao, do you have any more tricks up your sleeve? He crushed a jade seal; it seemed to be for signaling," Ling Chi said, shouldering his blade and shouting to Cao Hubao.

"That was likely a Spirit-Rhino Jade," Cao Hubao said, smashing a minion's spine with his staff. "Commander Sun is on his way, but I don't know how much longer it will take." He felt a sense of unease; Commander Sun should have arrived long ago, yet there was no sign of him.

"I can't wait any longer. For the sake of my own life and the Jing'an Bureau, I cannot wait," Cao Hubao gritted his teeth, having made his decision. He chose to stop suppressing his cultivation and break through to the Spirit Pearl realm to handle the unknown situation. He had refrained from breaking through earlier to build a stronger foundation, but now, he had no choice. Heaven only knew what existence that Incense Master had summoned before his death.

Upon hearing that the Commander overseeing the entire Northwest Circuit of the Jing'an Bureau was coming to support them, Ling Chi felt relieved. Looking around the battlefield, few were left standing, and the Five Ghosts had been completely wiped out. He dived back into the fray, and the remaining minions were cleared in the blink of an eye.

The battle, while not intensely difficult, provided Ling Chi with about two thousand strands of thunder essence. However, his appetite had grown, and this return was no longer enough to satisfy him.

Zhao Qing appeared beside him like a gust of wind, looking him over to ensure he was unharmed before breathing a sigh of relief.

"You brat, your master's wife told you to keep an eye on me, and you ended up running off on your own." Zhao Qing slapped Ling Chi on the shoulder. He hadn't been able to keep up with Ling Chi's [Thunder Flash] and had to chase after him with the two horses. Ling Chi laughed sheepishly, knowing he was in the wrong.

Cao Hubao scratched his head, feeling as though he had forgotten something.

"It's a good thing you two arrived in time, otherwise it would have been a disaster today," Cao Hubao said, dropping his official airs and speaking with uncharacteristic ease.