Zhou Huan entered Xiao He’s room and instantly sensed the atmosphere was wrong. Tonight, a wisp of malevolence would coalesce from the child in Xiao He’s belly, and that bothersome Ghost Master would be reborn.

“Master, what’s wrong with Shiniang’s stomach?” Tian Xiong had never seen a stomach like Xiao He’s. Although he had returned with a mission, he remained completely unaware of Xiao He’s actual condition.

“The child in Xiao He’s belly is mine, and the child has been held captive by the Ghost Master. We’ve tried every method but cannot save the child’s body, but the most detestable thing is that Ghost Master; his soul is set to be reborn within the child.” Zhou Huan spoke, his expression deeply dejected, with something—unsure what—flickering in his eyes.

Dongzi leaned close to Zhou Huan. “Brother, please don’t cry. If you cry, I won’t be able to hold back either.”

“I’m fine, can’t cry. It was just the wind blowing into my eyes earlier.” As Zhou Huan spoke, he heard the midnight bell chime again.

Tian Xiong glanced at his watch, his brow furrowing instantly. “Master, this isn’t right. What time is it? Why is the great bell ringing?”

Zhou Huan took Tian Xiong’s watch and stared at it. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes filled with an indescribable indignation. “Tian Xiong, you go downstairs with Shi Bingyuan and stand guard. Hong Kun, guard the main hall. Dongzi, prepare the Blood Net. I think it’s time for this Ghost Master to show himself. Otherwise, I’m always too passive, and how can I possibly save Xiao He in the end?”

Hearing Zhou Huan’s instructions, the golden pairing of Shi Bingyuan and Tian Xiong swiftly went downstairs, further refining the already taking shape Nine Palaces Heavenly Gate Array, then positioned themselves, one to the south and one to the north.

Zhou Huan burst into Xiao He’s room and saw her stomach was so swollen it looked ready to split her skin. The blue veins across her abdomen were clearly visible. Zhou Huan immediately took a blanket, wrapped Xiao He’s body, and then unleashed his Soul-Suppressing Palm. He bit his finger until it bled, then drew an Yin-Yang Fish on his other hand. With the bright red blood, combined with the demonic incantation, and the powerful internal energy naturally within Zhou Huan, he pressed one palm onto Xiao He’s abdomen and channeled his qi.

“Old Madam, Green Tara? Come out. We know who you are. What’s the point of hiding?” Zhou Huan incessantly taunted. Looking at Xiao He again, her expression seemed to have forgotten the pain; she was entirely listless, staring blankly at Zhou Huan. Her eyes held no trace of hope, nor any sign of suffering or pleading.

“Zhou Huan, you are too late to act. Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you have a broken mirror. And bringing a monk here, hmph. Tonight, I’ll let you watch closely as I devour your child.” This old woman seemed to have gone mad; her words were utterly inhuman.

Zhou Huan immediately increased his internal energy, pushing it into Xiao He’s body. If this internal energy encountered any ghost Zhou Huan had met before, they would have instantly died within Xiao He’s body. But this Green Tara was another matter; this alone demonstrated just how profound the Green Tara’s magical cultivation was.

Zhou Huan exerted himself until he was covered in sweat, watching helplessly as the light gradually faded from Xiao He’s eyes, her pupils slowly shrinking. Up to this point, Zhou Huan had no idea what was truly manifesting in Xiao He’s mind, but for him, this was undeniably a crushing blow.

“Ghost Master, come out!” As Zhou Huan uttered these words, a red light flashed at his lower dantian. On his palm, white qi and black qi converged, generating two streams of true energy that spiraled like a coiling dragon into Xiao He’s navel, then were seen swirling inside her belly.

In truth, Zhou Huan knew this move was one of desperation. If these two streams of true energy were suddenly pushed into a normal person, that person would likely be burned to death, or at the very least, reduced to an imbecile. But given Xiao He’s current state—where the Ghost Master’s soul refused to be forced out, leaving Xiao He to suffer alive—it was better to take this gamble. If the Ghost Master was forced out, Xiao He wouldn't die; whether she became an idiot or not could be addressed later.

“You, Zhou Huan! You don’t even care about your wife and child anymore, do you? You’re willing to risk everything!” The Ghost Master’s voice was surprisingly loud as he shouted Zhou Huan’s name. Zhou Huan did not stop.

At that very moment, a mass of black-green gas suddenly drilled out of Xiao He’s stomach, swirling around Zhou Huan’s room. Zhou Huan knew perfectly well that the Ghost Master’s soul was being forced out; if its spirit didn't leave now, it would turn into mere withered soul-stuff, amounting to nothing later.

“You old idiot, you can’t hold it in anymore, can you? I wonder if you can still go back.” As he spoke, Zhou Huan snatched down a mirror from the room and placed it directly over Xiao He’s abdomen. The green glow from the bronze mirror, combined with that segment of the Myriad Buddha Mantra, meant that no matter how powerful the Old Ghost Master was, he could not return.

The Ghost Master’s voice grew louder and increasingly irrational. “Zhou Huan, even if I could get out, I don’t want to go back. Then just wait and see what happens to your wife and child. That’s their fate. Since you didn’t let me consume the child, you won’t have it easy either. I’ll fight you to the death!”

“Master, if it’s a fight, then let’s fight!” As he spoke, perhaps having taken the wrong medicine, Dongzi charged in wielding his specialized small shovel. He leaped up and fiercely stabbed the ground, causing dozens of lonely, wild spirits to appear instantly.

It was unclear what had gotten into Dongzi this time, as he suddenly called Zhou Huan ‘Master,’ which made Zhou Huan himself quite uneasy.

“Hahahaha! You think you can conquer me with a few useless ghosts? Thank you for the grand feast. If I can’t consume the essence of an infant, I’ll eat these wandering spirits instead. Let’s see how you, Zhou Huan, reincarnate in the next life carrying such karma!” It turned out this Ghost Master was no ordinary being; he could actually perceive the karma of the mortal world—seeing the cause and knowing the eventual effect of rebirth. However, the one thing he failed to see was his own consequence.

Zhou Huan’s eyes were bloodshot. Xiao He, having suffered energy depletion, had already passed out. Zhou Huan raised the talisman in his hand and pushed out with one palm, slamming it hard against the wisp of black smoke. But he discovered the black smoke had absolutely no reaction. Zhou Huan immediately sensed the extreme danger of the situation. He donned all his gear, exhausted the true energy within his body, thrust both palms out fiercely, and then executed an Inverse Heaven and Earth Hand posture, striking out with a Limitless Hand Seal that obliterated the wisp of black smoke.

“Brother, where’s the smoke?” Dongzi shouted, still holding his shovel.

Zhou Huan surveyed the room carefully, then used his own blood to draw a stack of simplified talismans derived from the spell inscribed on the mirror. He threw these onto the ground, buried Xiao He beneath the talismans, then strapped on his bag and flew downstairs swiftly. He saw Hong Kun already struggling, barely able to hold on; in this short span, Hong Kun was drenched in sweat, dodging and retreating.

Zhou Huan was truly enraged this time. He launched himself off the second floor, moving like a missile, cleaving with one hand toward the wisp of black smoke entangled with Hong Kun. Just as the black smoke finally left Hong Kun’s side, at that instant, Zhou Huan heard a muffled cry of panic erupt from Xiao He’s room on the second floor.

“Roar! Zhou Huan, you are so venomous! Fine, then let’s take this outside!” The Ghost Master flew straight out of the second-floor window. The window sash in Xiao He’s room flapped back and forth violently, the glass panes clattering together as if a great wind were truly blowing.

Zhou Huan ignored everything and immediately asked Hong Kun, “Can you still manage?”

“Master, no problem! Entering the formation to anchor the base is no issue at all!” Hong Kun replied cleanly and decisively.

Zhou Huan then instructed Dongzi, “Take your gear immediately and wait at the second-floor window. Learn how to draw those talismans like the ones for Xiao He—draw as many as you can. The four of us will enter the formation to suppress the ghost!”

“Don’t worry, Brother. I’ve never been good at drawing, but I’ll draw them well this time. Just for tormenting Sister Xiao He, this ghost deserves a good thrashing.” Dongzi said confidently, grabbing a woven sack full of talisman papers and running upstairs to start furiously drawing the talismans.

Zhou Huan went outside with Hong Kun; one took the West position, the other the East. All four master and apprentices were now in their designated spots.

“Apprentices, did you all memorize the talismans we studied yesterday? And that mantra—can you recite it?” Zhou Huan believed that even last-minute cramming was better than nothing.

What comforted Zhou Huan was that his apprentices answered in unison: “Don’t worry, Master, we’ve kept it in our hearts the whole time. As long as that old ghost dares to show its form, we dare to put it down.” While this wasn’t some grand declaration, it truly moved Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan called out to Shi Bingyuan, “Among us here, only you and I went through the Second Training of the Great Qing. Our true energy must not be disrupted. Continue along the Yin-Yang, Black-and-White lines of true energy, slowly enveloping the environment within the entire formation.”

“Understood, Master, rest assured. Look, that black smoke is still lingering by the second-floor window, hesitating to dare come down for a round.” Shi Bingyuan pushed his body’s true energy to its peak; his eyes looked like Fiery Sight, staring fixedly at that plume of black smoke.

“Zhou Huan, don’t push us too far! I’ve seen all your formation diagrams in your study. They’re nothing new. Watch how I break your formation in a moment,” the Old Ghost Master shouted arrogantly from the air.

The corner of Zhou Huan’s mouth twitched slightly, and he chuckled. “That’s good then. We are all waiting for you here. Come down, let me see what kind of fowl you are. It’s the perfect chance for us to test our new formation on you, an odious ghost. Come on!”