The cold wind howled, and the demonic energy in the small village seemed to grow thicker. The chirping of insects around them had ceased, and Yan Jiaojiao could even hear her own heartbeat in the quiet.
The streets were dark. Yan Jiaojiao glanced at the moon, estimating that it was indeed nearing the hour of Yin.
She paced back and forth on the streets, which were covered in formations, her senses heightened to the extreme, ready to activate them at the slightest disturbance.
As the demonic energy intensified, Yan Jiaojiao knew the Night Ghost Demon was drawing closer. Yet, she felt something was still amiss with the demonic energy, and for a moment, she couldn't place it. She then dispelled her purification technique, took a deep breath of the demonic energy, and suddenly had a realization.
"Not good!"
Yan Jiaojiao cursed inwardly. Just as she was about to retreat, a colossal black figure attacked with lightning speed. Countless thin strands split off from the figure, fluttering in the wind like a massive head of hair. Each strand, however, ended in a cold, green ghost fire, making it appear even more spectral and terrifying!
Seeing this, Yan Jiaojiao’s suspicions were confirmed. This was a Night Ghost Demon, one that had achieved demonic form through a ghost!
In this world, besides naturally born demonic creatures, some individuals could fall into demonic cultivation. This was already rare. Once a person descended into the demonic realm, they usually became a creature steeped in demonic energy, making them difficult to deal with.
But there was an even more formidable type of demon: one that achieved demonic form through a ghost!
This required a living being with an extremely deep obsession to transform into a vengeful spirit after death. Such a spirit would then have a minuscule chance of developing a heart demon, slowly descending into the demonic path, becoming a ghost demon that fused vengeful spirit and demonic creature!
Once transformed into a ghost demon, its demonic level immediately reached that of a high-tier demonic creature, far beyond the capabilities of Yan Jiaojiao and the other two ordinary cultivators. Even the sect leader of Ge Nan Academy would need two or three such individuals to handle it.
Unfortunately, before Yan Jiaojiao could even identify the trace of ghost energy within the demonic miasma, the Night Ghost Demon had already swept in!
"So fragrant, so fragrant!" The Night Ghost Demon circled Yan Jiaojiao, sighing greedily. "Ah, your bones are so fragrant."
Yan Jiaojiao knew that the Ten Lifetimes of Virtuous Bones within her were a great tonic for demons, ghosts, and monsters. However, ordinary monsters couldn't sense her virtuous bones, indicating the profound demonic power of this Night Ghost Demon.
As it circled, Yan Jiaojiao felt that before the Night Ghost Demon could kill her, she would suffocate from the putrid demonic energy.
As if sensing Yan Jiaojiao's disgust, the Night Ghost Demon let out a guttural sound, its voice tinged with slight anger. "Why aren't you afraid? You should be afraid; it tastes better then."
"A tangled mess, nothing to fear," Yan Jiaojiao's clear voice remained steady, betraying no tremor. She gripped Ziyan at her waist, her only option now that she had missed the chance to activate the formations. She could only wait for Sheng Mobai and Jiang Yiling to notice something was wrong and arrive.
Moreover, even if the formation were activated, it likely wouldn't be able to trap the Night Ghost Demon.
Tonight, their fate would depend on the luck of the three of them.
To her surprise, Yan Jiaojiao's words enraged the Night Ghost Demon. The hair-like tendrils all over its body erupted, and it lunged at Yan Jiaojiao with fury!
Remembering the tragic sight of women pierced by the tendrils in the Soul-Recalling Orb, Yan Jiaojiao's heart turned cold. She immediately sprang into the air, pushing off with one foot and using Ziyan to sever the attacking tendrils.
The Night Ghost Demon laughed. "Afraid, you're afraid! Good, the more afraid, the tastier!"
Under normal circumstances, Yan Jiaojiao wouldn't have felt fear. At most, she would have felt pity for the other girls. However, the Night Ghost Demon emitted a magnetic field that amplified the fear in one's heart. Thus, the slightest waver in Yan Jiaojiao's resolve was magnified, and her inner fear multiplied several times over.
The Night Ghost Demon grew more audacious. Just as it swelled with a dense mass of bucket-thick tendrils to ensnare Yan Jiaojiao, Sheng Mobai and Jiang Yiling arrived.
Seeing Yan Jiaojiao in danger, Sheng Mobai was frantic. He raised his hand and sent a fireball towards the tendril-like mass. However, instead of burning, the flames were engulfed by the cold green ghost fire at the tips. The ghost fire burned even more intensely, chilling the surrounding air by several degrees.
Fortunately, the fireball managed to slow the attack of the demonic threads, allowing Yan Jiaojiao to land on a rooftop, narrowly escaping death.
Jiang Yiling had also landed on the eye of the Heavenly Net Formation, his hands forming seals to activate it.
The Night Ghost Demon immediately sensed the danger. Its demonic threads, burning with fierce ghost fire, lunged at Jiang Yiling.
"Night Ghost Demon!"
Sheng Mobai now realized the severity of the situation and shouted.
Jiang Yiling was startled. He opened his eyes to look, and his hand seal slowed by a beat. At that moment, the demonic threads, like sharp swords, pierced towards Jiang Yiling, forcing him to leap backward, away from the formation's eye.
The demonic threads struck the center of the formation's eye, creating a large pit in the ground. The Night Ghost Demon cackled, "Two more have arrived. Though I despise men, your cultivation is substantial, and I can bear to consume you."
Jiang Yiling, unable to activate the formation and agitated by the Night Ghost Demon's words, felt a pang of despair. "How could it be a Night Ghost Demon? Will we mess things up? Will we implicate these innocent villagers?"
"I will devour all of you, and then I will slowly devour this entire village, bit by bit."
"How could the three of us possibly deal with a Night Ghost Demon? If we die, we won't be able to save these people either."
The Night Ghost Demon's relentless words plunged Jiang Yiling into greater despair.
Sheng Mobai continued to fend off the demonic threads, stealing a moment to glare at the stunned Jiang Yiling. "What are you talking about? You're demoralizing yourself before we even begin! Jiang Yiling, pull yourself together and activate the formation quickly!"
But Jiang Yiling couldn't hear him. Seeing this, Yan Jiaojiao knew that the Night Ghost Demon had seized Jiang Yiling in that earlier strike, amplifying his fear.
Without regard for her own safety, she flew to Jiang Yiling's side and slapped him hard on both cheeks. The force of the blows immediately left both sides of Jiang Yiling's face red and swollen.
Even Sheng Mobai, engaged in combat, was startled.
However, a hard slap proved effective. Jiang Yiling truly woke up, his panic, fear, and guilt dissipating. To Sheng Mobai's astonished gaze, he even thanked Yan Jiaojiao before leaping back to the formation's eye. He channeled spiritual energy into his hands, mending the damaged formation lines.
Sheng Mobai was now overwhelmed. Several parts of his body had been cut by the Night Ghost Demon's demonic threads. The wounds began to sprout fine demonic threads that burrowed back into Sheng Mobai's body, causing him immense pain and slowing his movements!