Chapter Eight: Ominous Underworld Qi

luyun's face gradually returned to calm, he looked at Lin Yunfeng and asked, "Yunfeng, what do you think happened? Who is this lady, and why is her cultivation so strong? Why did she attack us? What exactly happened between you and her? Why do your eyes show panic?"

Lin Yunfeng looked at the snowy-white clad girl and a slightly embarrassed expression appeared on his face. He chuckled, "Luyun, why are you asking me? How would I know? If you want to know, you should ask her. Hehe, what can I do with her being so powerful? I barely had time to dodge. How could anything happen between us?" After speaking, he avoided Luyun's gaze, not daring to look at him.

Zhang Aoxue quietly observed the two, her gaze briefly lingering on Luyun before shifting to Lin Yunfeng. A cold and beautiful expression appeared on Zhang Aoxue's face as she slightly parted her lips and said, "You dare to come again. It seems like you're not giving up." This was directed at Lin Yunfeng.

Luyun, hearing this, looked at Lin Yunfeng and noticed his uneasy expression. He understood that there must be something Lin Yunfeng was hiding from him. Luyun couldn't help but curse Lin Yunfeng for being untrustworthy, deliberately leading him into trouble.

Luyun walked to Lin Yunfeng's side, grabbed his shoulder, and asked, "Tell me, what's going on? Who is this girl, and why did she attack us? What are you hiding from me? You called me here today, not to visit the Cold Pond, but to help you in some scheme. Is that it? You shameless guy." Luyun's tone carried a hint of anger, clearly showing his dissatisfaction.

Lin Yunfeng stole a glance at Luyun, seeing his angry expression. He quickly turned away, speaking in a low voice, "Luyun, don't be angry. There's really nothing. We came to Yi Garden together, and we're supposed to be best friends. Now that I'm in trouble, it's only natural for you to help, right? I know you're the best; hehe, I can only rely on you."

Luyun looked at Zhang Aoxue and then shifted his gaze back to Lin Yunfeng, asking, "Alright, in the name of our friendship, tell me what happened between you and this girl. If it turns out you're in the wrong, you'll have to apologize to her. I can help mediate, and we can resolve this matter. Now, speak up!" After saying this, he grabbed Lin Yunfeng's shoulder, urging him to speak.

Zhang Aoxue watched Luyun with a calm expression, although her eyes briefly lingered on Luyun. She then shifted her gaze to Lin Yunfeng, maintaining her cold demeanor. "You called me here today because you've planned this, not to enjoy the scenery of the Cold Pond, but to involve me in some trouble. You're not being honest," Luyun accused.

Lin Yunfeng sneaked a glance at Luyun, noticing his intense gaze. His face showed a hint of embarrassment as he explained, "It's really nothing. I just heard a few days ago that there's a grove here, and rumors say that disciples are not allowed to enter. Out of curiosity, I came alone to check it out. When I arrived, I noticed a cold spring in the deep part of the grove, but nothing else caught my attention. I didn't pay much mind and entered. Little did I know she was also there. At that moment, a faint purple light was shimmering in the cold pool. Intrigued, I approached to take a look. It was just curiosity, not intending to claim it for myself. Unexpectedly, when I appeared, the purple light vanished. This caused misunderstandings between us, and we ended up in a fight. She was too powerful, and I had to run away."

"Today, I asked you to come here because I wanted you to help me apologize to her and clear up the misunderstanding. I know you're good at this, and when I saw her, I didn't know what to say. So, I thought of asking for your help. Please, say a few good words for me. If you don't, and my master finds out, I'll be in big trouble. Trust me on this, Luyun." Lin Yunfeng looked embarrassed, clearly feeling awkward about the situation.

Luyun scolded Lin Yunfeng in his mind, thinking he was not trustworthy for dragging him into this situation intentionally. Luyun stared at Lin Yunfeng, grabbing his shoulder and demanding, "Explain what happened between you and this girl in front of me. I'll decide whether to help you or not after hearing the whole story. If you're at fault, apologize to her. I can mediate, and we can resolve this matter peacefully. Now, speak!"

Zhang Aoxue observed the interaction silently, her eyes moving between Luyun and Lin Yunfeng. She seemed uninterested in the conversation until Lin Yunfeng mentioned the cold pond. Then, she looked at Lin Yunfeng with a bit more attention.

Luyun took a glance at Zhang Aoxue, then turned his gaze back to Lin Yunfeng, asking, "Alright, tell me the whole story. If there's anything you're hiding from me, it's better to come clean now."

Lin Yunfeng glanced at Zhang Aoxue, saw her indifferent expression, and felt a bit relieved. He then looked back at Luyun and said, "There's really nothing. I was just curious about the grove, and I had no intention of causing trouble. It was a misunderstanding. I came here to apologize and hoped you could help. You know I can't handle these situations well."

Luyun, hearing this, gave Lin Yunfeng a stern look and said, "Fine, since we're friends, I'll help you this time. But remember, don't involve me in such situations in the future. Now, let's talk to the lady and clear up the misunderstanding."

Zhang Aoxue, observing their conversation, remained silent, showing no particular reaction.

Luyun walked over to Zhang Aoxue, cupped his hands, and said, "I apologize for any misunderstanding. My friend here didn't have any malicious intent. It was all a mistake. I hope you can forgive him."

Zhang Aoxue's gaze shifted between Luyun and Lin Yunfeng. She spoke in a calm tone, "Since it's a misunderstanding, I won't pursue it further. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

Luyun nodded, relieved that the situation seemed to be resolving peacefully. He turned to Lin Yunfeng and said, "You should thank the lady for her understanding and kindness."

Lin Yunfeng quickly expressed his gratitude to Zhang Aoxue, and she nodded in acknowledgment. Luyun, sensing that the tension had eased, suggested, "Since everything is clear now, why don't we leave this grove? There's no need to linger here."

Everyone agreed, and they started to leave the grove together. As they walked, Luyun couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy, wondering if there was more to the story than Lin Yunfeng had revealed.

Zhang Aoxue glanced at Lin Yunfeng and was surprised that he actually called her Aoxue. His expression seemed casual, as if nothing was amiss, making him appear quite peculiar. Looking at Luyun, Zhang Aoxue softly said, "I don't know the origin of this sword for sure. I'll have to inquire with my master when I return; I believe she knows. I obtained this sword from the cold pool, and it's quite extraordinary. I happened to notice a faint purple light in the pool while it was occasionally visible, so I came to investigate. Originally, I was about to get it last time, but unfortunately, he diverted my attention, delaying my acquisition of this treasure until today."

Luyun, upon hearing this, walked to the edge of the cold pool and carefully examined the place. The cold pool was not large, only about three zhang in diameter, with dark and deep water. Luyun stood by the pool, silently watching the water. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you feel anything strange about this cold pool? Yunfeng, take a close look. You're the most skilled at dealing with ghosts and monsters. Examine this pool and see if there's anything unusual."

Lin Yunfeng, at Luyun's words, approached the cold pool slowly, calming his mind and observing the pool. Zhang Aoxue also walked to the side, focusing on the cold pool. Over the past few days, she had been paying attention to the whereabouts of the sword, so she had some understanding of the pool, but unfortunately, she didn't find anything.

As Lin Yunfeng took a step back, he formed strange hand seals with his hands clasped in front of his chest, and his feet moved slightly within a three-foot radius. Uttering an incantation, he said, "Yin and yang, the five elements, changes of heaven and earth, all things return to their origins, manifest everything. Open!" With these words, two mysterious lights shot out from his eyes, instantly piercing the cold pool, creating a mysterious scene.

Luyun and Zhang Aoxue watched him, showing a hint of surprise on their faces. Lin Yunfeng's eyes emitted a dark blue light as he performed his Yin-Yang Secret Technique to explore the secrets of the cold pool. Seeing this, Luyun was intrigued and subtly avoided the gazes of Zhang Aoxue and Lin Yunfeng. Luyun activated the Mo Clan's "Heart Desire Without Trace" technique, his thoughts rapidly fluctuating at a speed of 3,600 times per breath, carefully probing the situation inside the cold pool.

As Zhang Aoxue gazed at the pool, a strange feeling suddenly arose in her heart. She clearly sensed a significant change in the cold pool compared to before she obtained the sword. The pool was now filled with strong ghostly aura, hinting at a profound and eerie evil presence.

Lin Yunfeng suddenly shouted, his face changing dramatically, and he took a step back. Luyun and Zhang Aoxue looked at him anxiously. Lin Yunfeng, with a surprised expression, said, "Based on my investigation, there is a powerful and eerie aura at the bottom of the pool, as if it conceals some ghostly creature. Be cautious. There is a cold spring eye at the bottom of the pool, and within that spring eye, there is a jade talisman that seems to have developed cracks. It appears to be due to the suppression of the strong ghostly aura, causing it to crack. However, it has probably been eroded by the ghostly aura over time and is slowly breaking apart."

Luyun, upon hearing this, frowned, and Lin Yunfeng's findings matched his own. More importantly, Lin Yunfeng discovered a strong and growing evil aura inside the cold spring eye. Next to the spring eye, there was a sword slot, indicating that there used to be a sword there, but it was now missing.

Luyun looked at Lin Yunfeng and said, "Yunfeng, you are most skilled in dealing with ghosts and monsters. What do you think we should do? This ghostly aura is intensifying, and if we let it continue, the consequences could be even more severe. Since we've discovered it, we should find a way to stop it. Now is the time for you to use your abilities. We will rely on you."

Lin Yunfeng, with a cold and resolute expression, said, "This ghostly aura is extraordinary. I've never encountered such a powerful one before. Let me try something."

Zhang Aoxue's calm voice interrupted, "This matter is probably related to me. Let me handle it. The sword in my hand was taken from this pool, and I believe it has the power to suppress evil. Once removed, the sinister entity suppressed in this pool will begin to stir. Since this situation started because of me, I should be the one to end it." With these words, she gracefully stepped towards the edge of the cold pool.

Luyun, however, objected, "Senior sister, your words are too formal. We are all disciples of the same sect, learning under the same master. We cannot draw such clear distinctions. Moreover, in such situations, we should work together and eliminate this sinister entity together. What do you think, Yunfeng?" In the last sentence, his tone shifted, directing the question to Lin Yunfeng.

Lin Yunfeng quickly agreed, "Right, right. We should work together to eliminate this evil creature. I'm most skilled at this kind of thing, so you can all watch how I deal with this monster. I'll make it regret crossing paths with Lin Yunfeng!" With that, Lin Yunfeng took a step forward, preparing to take action.

Luyun, however, approached Zhang Aoxue and asked softly, "Senior sister, let's watch Yunfeng first. He is very skilled in this matter. If he can't handle it, then senior sister can step in. Can I ask how many years senior sister has been cultivating here, and how did you attain such a high level of cultivation?"

Zhang Aoxue looked at Luyun, their eyes locking in a brilliant burst of light. They both maintained their gaze for a moment, neither avoiding the other. Luyun's last question, however, shifted the atmosphere, and Zhang Aoxue replied calmly, "I've been here for fifteen years, learning under our master since childhood."

Luyun smiled and continued, "No wonder senior sister's cultivation is so profound. I heard there is another senior brother here, Li Hongfei, who is said to be on par with senior sister. I assume he, like senior sister, has been cultivating here since childhood."

Zhang Aoxue glanced at him, her expression hiding a hint of something, but Luyun couldn't decipher it. She said, "He came before me. They say he arrived here when he was one year old. It's said that both of his parents died, so he has been diligently cultivating. He should have surpassed me by now." After speaking, she looked at Lin Yunfeng.

Now, Lin Yunfeng had activated his abilities, a layer of blue light covering his entire body. With his left hand forming seals and his right hand tightly gripping the peachwood sword, he moved around the cold pool, using an eight-trigram step technique. Lin Yunfeng chanted incantations, and his right wooden sword swung rapidly, resembling a folk ghost catcher, appearing quite comical. Luyun, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh softly. He found this guy extremely peculiar. On the other hand, Zhang Aoxue's eyes revealed a hint of contemplation, as if she had realized something and felt somewhat surprised.

Lin Yunfeng shouted loudly, and his peachwood sword erupted with a strong green light. With a swift strike, the powerful sword energy hit the surface of the pool, creating a loud bang, and water splashed several zhang high. Immediately, numerous black smoky Qi slowly emerged, disappearing invisibly under the "Demon-slaying Sword" wielded by Lin Yunfeng.

After the sword strike, Lin Yunfeng quickly took out a talisman with his left hand, bit his right index finger, and swiftly wrote a long string of blood spells on the talisman. He then immediately slapped it towards the cold pool. The blood talisman transformed into a cyan dragon, instantly entering the cold pool. As it entered, the water in the pool surged, and countless black smoky threads turned into fine strands, dissipating into the air. The entire water surface experienced intense vibrations. From the pool bottom, a black light burst forth, breaking through the pool's suppression, breaking Lin Yunfeng's spell, and rapidly shooting towards the air. However, as it emerged from the treetop distance, it suddenly converged into a dazzling red light, forcefully pressing the black light back. It was extremely peculiar.

Lin Yunfeng stepped back several paces, a look of surprise on his face, continuously making strange shouts. Meanwhile, Luyun and Zhang Aoxue had their expressions changed dramatically. Both drew their long swords, a red and a purple light appearing instantly, swirling and slashing towards the cold pool. At this moment, next to the cold pool, a black gas formed a shadowy figure, eerie and ghost-like.

Seeing the black specter, Lin Yunfeng's expression changed, and he loudly warned, "Be careful! This is an extremely rare and powerful ghostly entity. It's not easy to deal with. Everyone, be cautious." With these words, he swung the peachwood sword, and the "Demon-slaying Sword" emitted a mysterious dark blue light, slashing towards the ghostly figure. The specter chuckled eerily, instantly transforming its body into light smoke, disappearing from its original location.

Luyun's face shifted slightly; it was his first encounter with such a ghostly entity, and he didn't know how to deal with it. The best method was to use the Ghost Sect's "Soul Transformation Technique," but he dared not reveal his true cultivation level at the moment. Thus, he had to rely on the "Heavenly Dao Scripture" and the Sword Technique of Celestial Gang to confront the specter. Zhang Aoxue, with a beautiful but cold expression, held her purple sword, radiating an incredibly dazzling light that enveloped the entire forest, displaying astonishing power.

The ghostly figure, seeing the intense purple light, roared in frustration, avoiding the dense sword energy of Zhang Aoxue. However, it didn't dare to directly confront the purple light, appearing extremely cautious. Meanwhile, Lin Yunfeng's "Demon-slaying Sword Technique" seemed to have some effect.

Lin Yunfeng, covered in a dark blue light, exclaimed, "Land of the universe, Yin and Yang of heaven and earth, three realms and five elements, all bow to my command. Yin-Yang Sword Technique, vanquish ghosts and slay immortals! Break!" Suddenly, there was a wave of air fluctuations around him, and strong winds converged into a peculiar space. A sword, shining with red and green colors, appeared above the three, rotating rapidly. This magical Yin-Yang Sword, three zhang in length, hovered in the air, and the red and green dazzling lights, like two sharp swords, turned countless black ghostly Qi into ashes wherever they passed. The forest echoed with countless eerie cries, sounding terrifying and ghostly.

Luyun stepped back, watching the miraculous Yin-Yang Sword above, and realized that Lin Yunfeng summoned it using some Yin-Yang technique. The world was vast and filled with wonders, and this was truly mysterious!

Seeing that the ghostly figure was cornered in a dead end under the Yin-Yang Sword and Zhang Aoxue's relentless attacks, Lin Yun's face showed a hint of joy. On the ground, Lin Yunfeng and Zhang Aoxue also felt the same way, thinking that the ghostly figure was doomed. However, at this moment, the specter suddenly shot up, directly colliding with Lin Yunfeng's Yin-Yang Sword, seemingly desperate and ready for a final showdown.

Luyun suddenly had a strange thought in his mind. He sensed that the black true Qi around the ghostly figure was spinning rapidly, rotating at a speed of 2,800 revolutions per breath, swiftly searching for vulnerabilities in the Yin-Yang Sword. It seemed to be aiming to escape from the attacks of Lin Yunfeng and Zhang Aoxue. Luyun looked at Lin Yunfeng and Zhang Aoxue, who were focused on the rapidly rotating ghostly figure, and realized they had no time or energy to pay attention to themselves.

Suddenly, a strange idea arose in Luyun's mind. He perceived that the ghostly figure's black true Qi was spinning rapidly at a rate of 2,800 revolutions per breath, diligently searching for weaknesses in the Yin-Yang Sword. It appeared to be attempting to escape from the joint attacks of Lin Yunfeng and Zhang Aoxue. Luyun observed the two, engrossed in dealing with the spinning ghostly figure, and understood that they were too occupied to notice anything else.

Looking at the ghostly figure being pushed into a corner under the relentless assault of the Yin-Yang Sword and Zhang Aoxue's attacks, Lin Yunfeng's face revealed a hint of joy. On the ground, Lin Yunfeng and Zhang Aoxue shared the same sentiment, thinking that the ghostly figure was about to meet its end. However, at that critical moment, the specter suddenly soared into the air, directly colliding with Lin Yunfeng's Yin-Yang Sword in what seemed like a desperate final confrontation.