Zhou Huan watched the so-called Ghost King jump about, his mouth splitting into a grin, hands planted on his hips as he burst into laughter. "Hey, Ghost King, you can pop out now!"

Indeed, the fellow was afraid of the pure Yang boy, just as he claimed. After charging in aggressively moments ago, he was violently repelled as if shot from a cannon, his shimmering black light drifting down like fallen leaves before dissolving.

"Zhou Huan, you..." A shadowy figure materialized from the dissipating black light upon landing—a ghost covered entirely in black fur.

"Good heavens, Master, why is it an ape?" Tian Xiong remarked deliberately.

Hearing Tian Xiong speak, Zhou Huan turned back. "Are things settled?"

"Settled. Oh right, the fellow at the cemetery, did you let him..." Tian Xiong asked this question.

Zhou Huan waved a hand dismissively. "Tell him to come to Fushou Hall tomorrow for the money. Let's go now!"

"Alright, I'll call right away!" Tian Xiong turned and scurried back inside the house.

"Very nice, Zhou Huan, Hmph hmph. Don't think you can take me down just like that. I rather want you to see the might of your Ghost King, to truly show you." As he spoke, the Ghost King propelled his feet, and his entire spectral form shot horizontally toward Zhou Huan with incredible speed. Zhou Huan didn't even have time to react before the entity phased straight through his body.

"What?" Zhou Huan hadn't expected the creature to pass through him so easily. Wasn't he afraid of the Shoushi blood within him? Zhou Huan slowly turned around. He saw the figure fly straight to the center of Fushou Hall's main chamber, landing gracefully.

Shi Bingyuan could no longer hold back. Seeing Zhou Huan phased through, he summoned all his might, clapping his palms together. He bit down, drawing blood, and thrust a handprint made of crimson liquid forward. "Still standing? Fall!"

A streak of blood-light shot out, forcing the Ghost King to retreat repeatedly, though he seemed unharmed. He shook the black fur from his body, shivered his shoulders, opened his mouth to reveal two long, white fangs, and lunged directly at Shi Bingyuan, biting down hard into the flesh of his forearm. Immediately, waves of dark brown ghostly miasma began to dissipate outward.

"Ah!" Shi Bingyuan hadn't anticipated the creature's speed; he had no time to react.

Zhou Huan felt a growing coldness permeate his body, every hair standing on end. He then shouted to Tian Xiong, "Stick to the plan. Find a way to take him down, but don't extinguish his soul. This is good material for cultivation."

Tian Xiong, clutching Xiao Yan'er, ran toward the second floor. Hong Kun had already written three large stacks of talismans. He then arranged these talismans in the pre-designed formation, drew his peach wood sword, began chanting incantations, and stomped within the cinnabar markings.

"Bingyuan, quickly apply cinnabar to the wound, and treat it later." As Zhou Huan finished speaking, he grabbed a handful of black medicinal powder from his waist, stuffed it into his mouth, and swallowed with difficulty. Moments later, the coldness radiating from Zhou Huan gradually receded.

Shi Bingyuan pushed back with all his strength, blocking the Ghost King's next lunge, and followed Zhou Huan's instruction to wrap his arm in cinnabar powder.

"Zhou Huan, hahahaha! Your cinnabar is all fake; what are you setting up a formation for? You're killing me, Ghost!" The Ghost King cackled incessantly. Seeing Tian Xiong ascend the stairs, he tried to intercept, but Shi Bingyuan blocked him with desperate resolve. Looking back, the Ghost King had bitten Shi Bingyuan's other arm as well.

Hong Kun's peach wood sword proved useless; the entire sword flew out of his hand, and the man himself was injured in the chaotic fight with Shi Bingyuan, tumbling down the stairs. Fortunately, Tian Xiong had carried Xiao Yan'er into Dongzi's room.

In truth, Zhou Huan knew from the start that the cinnabar was counterfeit. But if everything unfolded as he had planned, dealing with this Ghost King would be simple. However, the only, and most crucial, variable was the Ghost King's unpredictable speed and the unexpected force behind his attacks.

Zhou Huan frowned. He himself was injured. This was a direct challenge to Fushou Hall. For a Ghost King to act so brazenly within their walls was something Zhou Huan would not let slide.

"Bingyuan, Hong Kun, get over here to me first." The two stumbled over to Zhou Huan's side.

"Master, what do we do? How is this guy so powerful?" Shi Bingyuan spoke his honest fears.

Zhou Huan helped Shi Bingyuan bandage his second wounded hand, then told Hong Kun to sit down and regulate his breathing.

The Ghost King reached the second floor but was repelled again by the pure Yang energy emanating from Dongzi, the pure Yang boy. He stared furiously at Zhou Huan. "Fine! You have that boy sit upstairs meditating; I can't get to him. But even if I can't deal with them, I can still deal with you three." Saying this, the Ghost King suddenly zipped toward the trio, delivering three swift bites, and all three were struck.

"Hmph, truly weak. Dealing with you was too easy," the Ghost King sneered. After speaking, he raised both hands high above his head, forming a Double Crane posture, and swooped them down viciously.

"Disciples, dodge quickly! This is soul-plucking!" Zhou Huan thrust both hands out to intercept the Ghost King's hands, intending to block the strikes. However, the Ghost King's spectral energy was overwhelmingly Yin. Frost instantly coated Zhou Huan’s hands, spreading rapidly toward his neck.

Zhou Huan’s frozen body could no longer muster the strength to tremble; only the ragged effort of breathing remained. "Disciples, get out quickly! The moonlight will be here soon, and then he won't be able to harm you."

"Hahaha! Nonsense! Zhou Huan, you don't even know if today is a full moon or a new one. It seems your time is truly up, yet you call yourself a Shoushi? I don't intend to destroy you all; just hand over Xiao Yan'er, and I'll let you go." The Ghost King’s words were harsh. He turned back to add, "If you refuse, I still have ways to bring Xiao Yan'er out. Today happens to be the Lunar Eclipse—a 'Heavenly Dog Eating the Moon.' Taking them shouldn't be an issue, right?"

"Stop spewing your ghostly nonsense! How could we possibly trust you? I, Zhou Huan, will bring you down, even if it costs me the cultivation of two lifetimes!" Zhou Huan managed to utter these resolute words just as his entire body became encased in ice. The crystalline shards glittered under the moonlight.

Shi Bingyuan and Hong Kun were on the verge of tears, watching Zhou Huan freeze in the chilling aura. The two of them fought desperately, ignoring their own injuries, and charged forward for another fight.

Suddenly, the moonlight outside grew dimmer. Just as the Ghost King had said, this night was a Lunar Eclipse. If this was the case, Fushou Hall would turn into the Ghost King's training ground by morning. What were they to do?

Poof! Poof! The Ghost King grabbed Shi Bingyuan and Hong Kun by the shoulders twice and casually flung them behind him. The souls of both men flew out. By the time their souls tried to return to their bodies, it was too late. The Ghost King opened his massive mouth, preparing to absorb their spirits.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Two talismans flew in, sticking precisely near the Ghost King's mouth. In a fit of rage, the Ghost King redirected his gaze to where the charms originated.

It was Tian Xiong's talismans. He had written Buddhist scriptures upon them. Logically, these two charms should have been immensely powerful, but the Ghost King acted as if nothing had happened, merely tearing them off gently and tossing them aside.

"Kid, I let you run earlier, but this time I will turn your Fushou Hall into a Hall of Vengeful Spirits today!" The Ghost King finished speaking.

Li Tian Xiong felt the entire left half of his body instantly stiffen immovably, his body collapsing limply, devoid of any sensation.

"Ah!" Tian Xiong screamed again. The Ghost King swiped again from behind him.

Tian Xiong's eyes widened, his pupils constricted. His expression of agony was identical to that of the person who had just arrived at the doorway.

Slowly, a black sludge, similar to human discharge, began to ooze from Tian Xiong's mouth, and several silvery-white maggots wriggled within the muck.

"Hahahaha! Zhou Huan, you calculated everything, but you still fell at the hands of me, the Ghost King! Now I'm going upstairs to play with your woman too. Let's see what tricks you have left to challenge me!" The Ghost King sauntered slowly toward the second floor.

It was a testament to Dongzi's endurance that he had managed to sit in the full lotus position for nearly the entire night. Anyone else would have lost feeling in their legs by now, but Dongzi held firm.

"Dongzi, it seems quiet outside. Are Brother Huan and the others in trouble?" Xiao He was still worried about Zhou Huan.

Dongzi said with stern resolve, "Sister Xiao He, don't worry. My legs are already numb; I don't even feel the pain anymore. I just can't stand up. I must complete what Brother Huan asked. This is perfect; I don't need to move, and I can protect you here in the room."

"No, Dongzi, I can't rest easy. Go down and check quickly."

As the two were talking, the door to the room slowly opened. Standing outside was a figure covered in black fur with rather long fangs.

"I am the Ghost King. Your little plan for today has failed, hahahaha! Little lady, come down with me. As for this pure Yang fellow, I have no interest in him." Saying this, the Ghost King avoided Dongzi, instantly grabbed Xiao He, and dragged her downstairs, but he could not find Xiao Yan'er.

"Hmm? Where did you hide that little brat?" the Ghost King demanded of Dongzi.

Dongzi smirked. "Hmph, I am here. Don't even think about taking him!"

The Ghost King extended his other hand toward Dongzi. "Damn it, your Ghost Grandfather is going to risk testing a virgin boy today!" As his hand reached toward Dongzi's shoulder, it began to smoke before it even made contact. When his hand finally rested on Dongzi's body, it felt as if his hand was starting to dissolve.

"What's going on? Your Yang energy is so potent! Could the little girl be inside your body?" the Ghost King asked Dongzi in surprise.

Dongzi tilted his lips. "You guessed right. We are a pure Yang boy and girl; you can't handle this intense force. I advise you to release the people downstairs, or soon my stored energy will clean you up."

While things were lively upstairs, in the air near the cars downstairs, that faint white light began to brighten intensely until it became blinding. Then, a vast, echoing voice rang out: "Clouds disperse and mist clears, Heavenly Dog, retreat!"