Zhou Huan sensed something amiss with the presence behind him; it wasn't the chill of a specter, but rather the warmth of a human body, tinged with an indefinable killing intent.

“You few, what are you doing here? Who let you onto this property?”

Hearing this, Zhou Huan froze instantly. He brought the group to a halt and slowly turned his head, saying as he did so, “Big brother, please, don't make any rash moves. I won’t do anything sudden; we’re just passing through.”

“Passing through? You dare trespass even on the gates of the Lianyun Mountain Ghost Manor?” The voice behind Zhou Huan was undeniably assertive, sounding wholly human despite the mention of a ‘Ghost Manor.’ Zhou Huan had finished turning to see three figures masked, styled like the grim reapers, Heibai Wuchang.

“Esteemed ghost brothers, what is it you wish of us?”

“Hahaha, we have no use for you stinking men. But these two little lasses can stay behind to serve us.” As the speaker finished, their faces seemed to crease—a truly villainous expression crossed their features.

At this declaration, the two young women were immediately indignant. Xiaoyun and Xiaofang bristled, utterly refusing the suggestion. “What nonsense are you spewing? Believe it or not, we’ll skin your ghostly disguises right off!”

Admittedly, the actors playing these roles were quite convincing. At least, they managed to fool the two girls, who truly believed they were dealing with phantoms. However, one thing was clear: the girls were not scared.

“Oh, you two young ladies are quite fierce, are you? Then let us show you our Malicious Ghost Divine Art!” With that, the mysterious figures raised the implements they held and lunged directly toward the girls' chests and necks.

It was at this precise moment that Tianlang intervened, leaping up and delivering a powerful kick that sent the slowly thrusting blades flying aside.

“Hmph, another one trying to play the hero?” The speaker, who had just made the threat, swaggered, shaking his head dismissively. “I’ll teach you insolence. Today, you won’t leave this courtyard alive.”

“Hush!” A long whistle cut through the air, and from somewhere unseen, a large group—at least ten men—poured out, each brandishing cleavers. Waves of killing intent washed over Zhou Huan and his companions.

Zhou Huan felt a surge of panic. His own combat prowess stood no chance against this crowd; it was pure folly to even consider a fight. How could he face them? Two women, his disciples, Tianlang—even if they fought well, they couldn't overcome men armed with deadly weapons. And the rabbit? It was so old its fur was white; what power could it possibly muster against this mob? Zhou Huan’s mind raced, and a knot of tension tightened in his chest.

“Well, now I really intend to deal with you properly. The men will become our slaves, and the women, our captive maids. Doesn't that sound nice? I promise you good food and drink!” The man who had spoken first actually uttered such outrageous words.

It was this very detail that solidified Zhou Huan’s suspicion: these were likely the accomplices of the two mountain patrolmen they had encountered earlier. They were bandits, probably scouting the area.

With this realization, Zhou Huan’s initial alarm began to recede, and his worries gradually evaporated.

“Gentlemen, what exactly is your intention? Why don't we light things up and see who truly has the advantage?”

“Oh yeah?” Upon hearing Zhou Huan’s challenge, several figures immediately brought their blades down, aiming for Zhou Huan’s neck. Zhou Huan’s greatest asset right now was evasion; it would be impossible for any single blade to easily cut him down.

Zhou Huan dodged that strike with ease. This only infuriated the men who followed, and several of them simultaneously raised their weapons, hacking toward him.

Now there were more of them, but Zhou Huan still dodged, managing to evade every blow. The men behind him seemed driven mad and shifted their focus entirely toward those standing behind Zhou Huan.

Faced with real steel pressed against them, Zhou Huan’s companions were powerless to evade. They could only allow the blades to be pressed against their necks and bodies. One knife-wielder even used the tip of his blade to try and pry open the clothes of the two young women.

The two girls began to struggle violently. They were decent, honest young women; such an action was intolerable. They would rather lose their lives than their chastity.

Just as the tension peaked, two shadowy forms instantly drifted out of the lake water. They were a dazzling, deep crimson. Two enormous blood-red hands descended from the sky, instantly clamping onto the scalp of the impostor ghost who held a knife near Zhou Huan’s head and sucking. The man’s brain matter shot out of his skull in a geyser, spraying everywhere.

This single act terrified the remaining underlings. They froze, their weapons trembling so violently they couldn't hold them steady.

“Master, what is happening?” Tianxiong whispered in Zhou Huan’s ear, asking for clarification. Zhou Huan’s reply was starkly concise.

“They deserved to die!”

Zhou Huan’s words carried potent weight, and as he spoke, the two arriving spirits—the ghosts—seemed to grow fiercely animated. They realized they shared the same sentiment as the man who spoke. A flicker of camaraderie sparked between the two spirits, and they went into a frenzy, immediately moving to swiftly eliminate everyone left standing.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Huan and his group were faced with a ground slick with blood. Looking down moments later, they saw that all the corpses had withered into mummified husks.

This sight instantly brought to Zhou Huan’s mind the legions of animated corpses he had seen before arriving. Could this be the origin? He pondered it for a moment, deciding he was likely overthinking, but he sincerely did not wish to see this grotesque method used again to deal with these inhumane wretches.

“Esteemed Ghost Sisters, why do you harbor such deep hatred for these sorts of people?” Zhou Huan asked, not out of malicious intent, but out of a genuine desire to understand the feud between the two female spirits and the mountain stronghold. He simply wanted to dissuade them from solving their grievances with the bandits this way.

“Haha, you foolish mortals! We saved you, and instead of thanking us, you speak up for those villains? Didn’t you just say they deserved to die?” The two female spirits had now fully materialized; they were the same blood-souls Zhou Huan had glimpsed near the lake earlier.

Zhou Huan was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond. He finally managed, “I spoke rashly in the heat of the moment. However, their actions certainly warranted death. But even so, a man should meet a proper end, shouldn't he?”

Zhou Huan actually intended to completely soothe the lingering resentment of the two female ghosts, but it was difficult since he didn't understand the root cause of their rage-fueled killing. Hence, he pressed further.

Yet, what Zhou Huan hadn't anticipated was that after hearing his words, the resentment surrounding the two female ghosts intensified dramatically, sending thick plumes of noxious energy that enveloped the entire manor.

Zhou Huan and his party immediately felt deeply uncomfortable under the oppressive spiritual aura. Gradually, they all felt their breathing become labored, their own vital blood-qi surging chaotically within them, fostering a pervasive sense that they would not survive.

Zhou Huan reacted with alarm, crying out, “Ghost Sisters, what are you intending to do?”

“Hmph, you thankless fools! We thought you were decent folk just moments ago. Now, we'll let you truly savor the essence of the Great Tomb of Lianyun Mountain! There's nothing here anyway; it’s all just your own blood.” Following this declaration came a burst of manic laughter from the two ghosts, and in an instant, they vanished.

The moment the spirits disappeared, the grand estate surrounding Zhou Huan collapsed into heaps of yellow earth. Beneath Zhou Huan’s feet, all that remained were several large, heavy coffins, their lids missing. Ornate patterns carved into the baked clay surrounded the edges, yet the atmosphere was oppressive, making it truly difficult to breathe.

Zhou Huan turned back to reassure the others, then led his disciples to begin digging upward toward the ground above them. Having been buried twice since arriving in the Qing Dynasty era was truly unacceptable. Zhou Huan felt a genuine sense of unease, yet he managed to maintain a calm demeanor. The group worked for nearly half an hour before clearing most of the soil from the makeshift grave. Above them was a large, round stone lid, but none of them could budge it. Finally, in a burst of anger, Zhou Huan summoned an unknown source of inner strength and began to push against the stone cover overhead.