Trap

At this time of night, most of the city's inhabitants were asleep, and the bustling streets were deserted. Silence had returned, except for the occasional flicker of torchlight, indicating the presence of patrolling guards. These guards were Qi Gathering cultivators at the ninth stage, but each group had a leader who had reached the first stage of Foundation Establishment.

In an isolated alley, a drunken man staggered, holding a gourd. He appeared neither poor nor wealthy.

"Huiwen," he slurred, swaying unsteadily. "Please forgive me. I was foolish to stray from the path of righteousness, betray your trust, and succumb to temptation. I know I am not worthy of your forgiveness, but I promise to make amends and prove my devotion to you. You are the light of my life, and I cannot bear to live without you." His voice broke with emotion. "Please, Huiwen, find it in your heart to forgive me."

He raised the gourd to his lips and drank deeply before resuming his walk.

Behind him, dark particles began to gather, forming a strange entity.

The ghost was shrouded in a tattered black robe that floated and rippled like an unfelt breeze. His eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and his twisted mouth curled into a malevolent grin. A cold aura radiated from the ghost, chilling the air and causing the hairs on the back of the drunk man's neck to stand on end.

Feeling that something was amiss, the man turned to look behind him, only to see the ghostly figure.

"I am so drunk that I am seeing things. I am so pitiful," he muttered before continuing on his way.

"Your death will not be in vain. Be honored that a mere mortal like you will be used as a sacrifice for the greater good," the ghost whispered in a chilling voice. Each word dripped with malice and malevolence, and every syllable seemed to scrape against the listener's soul like a cold, sharp knife. The voice carried an aura of darkness and despair, and his very voice seemed to drain the warmth and light from the surrounding area. It promised pain, suffering, and eternal torment, sending shivers down the spines of those who heard it.

Dark energy soon surrounded the man, ready to envelop him and absorb his life energy.

But before it could happen, a golden fist aura shattered it. The surrounding temperature rose by 20 degrees Celsius due to the immense spiritual pressure. The poor mortal had collapsed unconscious; he was only a mortal and couldn't withstand it.

"Who dares to disturb me?!" The evil ghost's voice echoed through the alley.

"Although I've only mastered about 10% of the Top-grade Earth-rank Nine Suns Burning Fist martial technique, the power it holds surpasses any ordinary martial art," Quan Feng muttered to himself, bracing himself for the ghost's attack.

Enraged that his plan had failed, the ghost lunged at Quan Feng with lightning speed, wielding a dark energy sword.

But before it could land the blow, Peanut appeared with a lightning paw to block the attack, shattering the sword and creating a dense explosion fog.

Impressed by Peanut's strength, Quan Feng nodded in approval before turning his attention to the approaching patrolling guards.

"What is going on here?!" A guard's voice rang out, their footsteps growing louder by the second.

The evil ghost realized it had no chance against Quan Feng and his powerful companion, and fled into the nearby woods, vowing to remember this encounter.

The sound of leaves rustling underfoot filled the forest as Quan Feng and Peanut pursued the evil ghost.

As they chased the ghost, it suddenly stopped and began to laugh maniacally. "A bunch of weaklings like you don't stand a chance against me," it sneered.

Quan Feng frowned. The ghost's confidence was unusual for its stage. He wondered what made it so sure of itself.

Peanut leaped at the evil ghost, intending to kill it with his lightning claws. But before he could strike, the ghost dissipated into dark particles, which quickly integrated into a figure that had been observing them from the side.

The figure had the same appearance as the previous evil ghost, but Quan Feng could sense a much stronger power emanating from it. He felt a knot form in his stomach.

Upon seeing this, Quan Feng grabbed Peanut and jumped back, putting some distance between them and the figure.

"I didn't even sense its presence!" he thought in horror.

The previous evil ghost must have been a weak clone, meaning that this one was likely much stronger.

"Now that you are standing in front of my main body, I can see that you are just a sixth stage Core Formation realm, while that dog is at the second stage. No wonder you could easily block my clone's attack. Unfortunately, you were overconfident and fell into my trap. Both of you will make great sacrifices for me."

Quan Feng cursed himself for his overconfidence. He didn't feel confident in fighting the ghost's main body and had no intention of sacrificing his life for the inhabitants of Xianwu city. With that in mind, he grabbed Peanut and ran as fast as he could, intending to alert the sect master of the danger once they were safe.

"Trying to run away from me?" the evil ghost chuckled.

Despite his best efforts, Quan Feng suddenly found himself locked in mid-air by dark prison chains. The chains were cold and heavy, and they seemed to suppress his spiritual power. Panic rose within him as he struggled to break free.

As he writhed in the chains, Quan Feng took a deep breath and focused. He needed to find a way out of this situation.