Chapter 88: Summoning Souls and Capturing Spirits

The howling wind roared past her ears as Jin Yu, who had just fainted, slowly regained consciousness. Instinctively, she opened her eyes and saw the trees beneath her shrinking rapidly, her field of vision expanding ever wider...

Am I in the sky? The thought flashed suddenly through her mind.

Memories from before she lost consciousness flickered across her mind—how she had sneaked out, how she had been pursued and hunted. Was she being rescued now, or had she fallen into the hands of another group of captors?

Confused and disoriented, she suddenly noticed a shimmering glow ahead, illuminating her surroundings.

She opened her eyes wide, almost unable to believe the scene before her.

Not far away stood an ancient, towering pine tree. Amid its branches, starlight glittered, casting a gentle radiance, and a bright moon hung low among the boughs.

The moon in the sky mirrored by the moon upon the branch.

The twin beams of moonlight shone together, bathing the mountaintop in silver clarity. Beneath this light, beside the ancient pine, stood a stately stone pavilion, its design both simple and grand.

At that moment, she felt her feet touch solid ground. Jin Yu realized she had been placed gently down, and beside her stood a burly figure clad in armor.

This person still held the withered, gaunt Daoist by the collar, ignoring his cries of pain, and strode directly into the pavilion, tossing him onto the floor.

"Reporting to the Master of Law! The people have been brought!" the armored figure knelt reverently, addressing a shadowy presence within the pavilion.

"Good," came the voice of a young Daoist from within.

As he spoke, a flash of light appeared, and the burly figure instantly transformed into a wooden figurine, returning to the young Daoist’s hand.

When the law holds power, the spirit abides; when the law is withdrawn, the spirit fades.

Curious, Jin Yu peeked inside. She saw two people seated opposite each other, apparently brewing and tasting tea.

The armored warrior who had just saved her was nothing more than a wooden carving in the hand of the young Daoist?

Startled, she heard the young Daoist’s voice ring out again from within the pavilion:

"Traveler, what urgent business brings you to the Chisong Daoist Palace so late at night?"

Jin Yu grew tense at these words. She knew she had encountered one of the legendary masters, and dared not show disrespect. Hastily, she recounted in detail her reasons for seeking medicine, explaining everything from start to finish.

—

When she finished, she stood in place, anxiety written on her face.

She had pinned her hopes on the spiritual fish she brought being enough to move them, but now she wondered if it was even worthy of their attention.

The Daoist in the pavilion listened to her story without comment, only nodding slightly. "So that is how it is. Indeed, it is a matter of fate. Please, enter and be seated."

At these words, Jin Yu felt her tension ease. She entered the pavilion hesitantly and saw a white-robed youth, graceful and elegant, sitting across from a blue-robed Daoist whose bearing was otherworldly, like an immortal beyond mortal cares. Fragrant tea steamed on the stone table, its scent immediately clearing her mind and calming her heart. Jin Yu, at last at ease, stood quietly to the side.

Lin You’s expression was calm as he observed the young woman and the shriveled Daoist on the ground.

He had sensed their approach as soon as the three of them drew near Mount Chisong. Noting the apricot seed the young woman carried, and her direct path to the Chisong Daoist Palace, he had acted on a whim to help—only to find an unexpected surprise.

The style of the Daoist robe on the gaunt man was strikingly similar to that of the Six Plague Daoist; the bloody lotus sigil upon it nearly identical to the mark once seen on the soul banner. What’s more, this man seemed to have ties to the Alliance of Outsiders.

All this information was highly intriguing.

After a moment, he asked, "Do you know the Six Plague Daoist?"

The shriveled Daoist lying on the ground was taken aback. "How do you know the True Lord of Six Plagues? Who are you, really?"

"You come to Mount Chisong and question me as to who I am?" Lin You replied with a light laugh.

"Are you the Daoist Yuchen?" the gaunt Daoist’s pupils shrank sharply, his voice trembling with shock.

That made no sense. When he had seized his quarry earlier, he had carefully checked the distances—he was at least several miles from Mount Chisong. Did this Daoist Yuchen truly possess such powers, able to sense everything within miles?

Now the gaunt Daoist was filled with regret. He should never have come. This Daoist Yuchen was infamous for having slain three envoys of the Plague Division and for saving an entire city from an epidemic, thwarting the Plague Division’s plans. His own master had come to Jinhua City precisely because of this.

Now, hearing his captor mention the True Lord of Six Plagues, he suspected even that vanished plague master had met his end at this man’s hands.

"Tell me your origins, and everything you know," Lin You asked calmly.

"If I tell you, will you let me go?" A glimmer of hope appeared in the gaunt Daoist’s eyes.

—

Lin You only smiled and shook his head.

Anyone entangled with those who spread pestilence was doomed to enter the cycle of rebirth today.

Despair flickered in the gaunt Daoist’s eyes. He sneered coldly, "Then I have nothing to say."

Seeing his refusal, Lin You shook his head, his gaze turning cold and deep.

Divine Art—Soul Summoning and Spirit Capturing!

Before the gaunt Daoist could react, his very soul was drawn forth from his body, left floating helpless in the air, its tiny features still twisted in terror, unable to move.

As Lin You’s eyes flashed, the soul dissipated into the world, leaving only a hollow shell behind.

This arcane art was sinister indeed—within moments, the gaunt Daoist’s entire life unfolded itself before Lin You’s eyes.

Having finished, Lin You frowned slightly.

The Grand Preceptor of Great Yu? The Lord of the Lifeless Sect?

He had not expected that the Alliance of Outsiders, like the plague demons, also had the shadow of the Grand Preceptor behind them.

But if the Grand Preceptor truly occupied such a position, why orchestrate the spread of pestilence far and wide?

Such a move would shake the very foundations of Yu—what possible benefit could it bring him?

Lin You pondered for a moment, then shook his head again.

It was a pity the gaunt Daoist held such a low rank, knowing little of the bigger picture. Otherwise, so much could have been clarified!

Even so, much had come into focus.

He had already felt there was something odd and abrupt about the Dan Ding Sect’s invitation to the alchemy contest. Now he saw clearly: Hu Sheng was nothing more than a pawn, a probe to test Lin You’s strength.

And the one behind it all was, most likely, the Lord of the Gu Division within the Lifeless Sect.

In the gaunt Daoist’s memories, this Gu Master’s power was extraordinary, having reached the terrifying ninth level of true qi, just a step away from perfection and establishing his Daoist foundation.

Perhaps rumors within the city had painted Lin You as a veritable immortal, leaving the Gu Master uncertain of his true strength—thus, this elaborate play had been staged.