Chapter 48: Devouring the Malevolent Spirit

Hearing the Enchantress's words, Yang Xuan felt a jolt in his heart and hurriedly put away the Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

The evil ghost's body was expanding, wreathed entirely in black mist.

Heavy, ragged breathing echoed through the air.

As the evil ghost swelled in size, Yang Xuan's expression grew increasingly solemn, and he backed away step by step.

"Heh heh! I'm going to tear all of you to pieces and swallow you whole!" the evil ghost cackled hideously.

"Get out of here!" the Enchantress barked in a low voice.

By now, the evil ghost had fallen into a state of utter madness, desperate to exact revenge on everyone present at any cost.

The Underworld Ghost King, well aware of the destructive power of a self-destructing evil ghost—knowing that the resulting blast would inevitably destroy everything in the vicinity—immediately followed Yang Xuan in making his escape.

"Heh heh... Trying to run? Too late!" The evil ghost emitted a piercing, bizarre screech, its eyes flashing with a crimson light.

The next moment, the self-detonation finally erupted.

A deafening roar reverberated through the air, and a terrifying shockwave swept outward, causing the surrounding mountains to instantly collapse into ruins.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Though Yang Xuan and the Enchantress managed to evade fatal danger, they were still caught in the aftermath.

"Master, are you alright?!" the Underworld Ghost King cried out in alarm, hastily rushing forward to steady Yang Xuan.

"I'm fine. Just need a moment to rest."

Gazing at the remnant soul of the evil ghost, Yang Xuan had been wondering how he might consume it, never expecting it to deliver itself right to his doorstep.

Without a second thought, Yang Xuan devoured the evil ghost.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for devouring the evil ghost!]

[Congratulations to the host for acquiring the Soul of the Evil Ghost. Please continue to strive in your cultivation.]

"Huh?" The system's voice suddenly chimed in his mind.

[Because the Soul of the Evil Ghost belongs to a malicious entity, the host cannot digest it directly at present. A period of refinement is required.]

"What the hell? It needs to be refined?" Yang Xuan asked, dumbfounded.

[The Soul of the Evil Ghost is the crystalline culmination of the entity's lifelong cultivation. Therefore, unless the host's strength is sufficiently formidable, it cannot be easily digested. Should the refinement fail, the host will suffer a backlash, which in severe cases could prove fatal,] the system explained.

Yang Xuan's expression shifted; he had not anticipated that the soul he had just absorbed would carry such risks.

[The system detects that the host's current strength is far too weak to guarantee safety. It is recommended that the host increase their power as soon as possible.]

Yang Xuan curled his lips in a silent grimace, muttering inwardly: How the hell am I supposed to know when I'll be able to boost my strength?!

"Since I can't digest it right now, I'll just leave it be. I'll refine it whenever my strength reaches a level where I can safely consume the ghost soul," Yang Xuan thought for a moment, deciding to temporarily set the soul aside.

"Hoo—"

Taking a deep breath of turbid air, Yang Xuan slowly rose to his feet and cast his gaze toward the Underworld Ghost King.

At this moment, the Underworld Ghost King was exceedingly weak, but regardless, it was one of his own; he couldn't just let it truly perish. Consequently, Yang Xuan retrieved a few medicinal pills from his storage ring and tossed them over.

"These pills will help you recover your vitality. Eat them."

The Underworld Ghost King did not stand on ceremony; it caught the pills and swallowed them immediately.

Half an hour later, the Underworld Ghost King opened its eyes, its pale complexion gradually regaining a healthy flush.

"Thank you, Master, for saving my life," the Underworld Ghost King said gratefully to Yang Xuan.

Yang Xuan waved a hand dismissively. "Enough with the formalities, let's get out of here first."

He had no desire to let the Enchantress linger with him here in Xihua Valley, otherwise there was no telling what else he might lose.

"Enchantress, let's go. We're heading to the Special Operations Division together—I happen to have some things to ask anyway." Yang Xuan deliberately put on an act to distance himself from any ties to Xihua Valley.

"Alright," the Enchantress agreed with a nod.

With that, the two of them hurried toward the Special Operations Division.

Along the way, Yang Xuan questioned the Enchantress about various details regarding Xihua Valley, and she answered a portion of them.

Before long, the pair arrived at the Special Operations Division.

At this moment, the interior of the Special Operations Division was completely deserted, giving off a somewhat desolate vibe.

"Huh, why is it so quiet here?" Yang Xuan glanced around, asking in confusion.

He had originally expected the Special Operations Division to be bustling with people!

"Perhaps they're out on a mission," the Enchantress replied with a faint smile.

She didn't find it strange at all; such occurrences were possible every single day.

Soon, the Enchantress led Yang Xuan to the core area of the underground base.

There was a secret prison located here, specifically designed to detain malevolent ghosts that were too troublesome to handle otherwise.

"I see you're capable of devouring evil ghosts. Why don't you swallow all of these as well? That way, the merit points our Special Operations Division owes will be settled," the Enchantress said with a mischievous grin.

Since her feminine charm hadn't worked, she would simply try a different approach.

Hearing this, Yang Xuan's eyelid twitched slightly. "What the hell! Are you trying to trap me? The ghosts in here are several times more powerful than the ones outside!"

"Haha, I'm just teasing you. Let's chalk this one up as me owing you a favor; I'll make it up to you next time." The Enchantress covered her mouth with a delicate chuckle, looking utterly charming and alluring.

Yang Xuan rolled his eyes, too lazy to bother with her.

The Enchantress continued her introduction, "Do you see those cells over there? That's where we keep some other prisoners."

"Why did you bring me here?" Yang Xuan asked suspiciously.

Pointing to the wall nearby, the Enchantress said, "The prisoners locked up in here are all heinous scoundrels, thoroughly accustomed to slaughter. If you can devour them all, it will definitely boost your power."

"Are you sure?" Yang Xuan asked skeptically.

Although his current strength was weak, it still far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Moreover, he didn't consider himself a saint; what if devouring those utterly wicked individuals drove him insane?

"You mustn't hesitate, otherwise you'll regret it for the rest of your life," the Enchantress said, her tone dripping with temptation.

"Fine, since that's the case, I'll give it a try," Yang Xuan said through gritted teeth.

Afterward, he stepped into the prison and carefully scrutinized the vicious individuals within.

Yang Xuan locked his targets onto two men who appeared rather handsome yet robust, both clad in black robes.

"The physiques of these two are extraordinary!" Yang Xuan frowned inwardly.

"Hey, kid, you new here?"

Abruptly, the two burly men strode up to Yang Xuan, and one of them demanded an answer.

"So what if I am?" Yang Xuan replied calmly.

"You've got a death wish?" the other muscular man asked with a gloomy expression.

"If I were afraid of death, I wouldn't have come," Yang Xuan shrugged.

Hearing this, the two burly men froze, exchanging glances with each other.

"Hmph, we don't care who you are or where you came from. Anyone who dares step foot in here must follow the rules," the two muscular men said in unison.

"Rules? What rules?" Yang Xuan asked with vested interest.

"Hah, you want to know?"

The two muscular men sneered, "It's simple. Whoever has the hardest fists calls the shots."

As the words fell, the two figures flickered, instantly appearing by Yang Xuan's side as they launched a coordinated strike.

Their speed was blinding, and their offensive was fierce, leaving no room for Yang Xuan to dodge.

Faced with their assault, Yang Xuan showed not a hint of panic. Tipping off his toes, his entire body vaulted into the air, gracefully evading their attack.

"He actually dodged it!"

The two muscular men stared at Yang Xuan in astonishment, clearly failing to anticipate that his footwork would be so profound and mystical.

"Is that all the strength you've got?" Yang Xuan taunted playfully.

Seething with rage, the two muscular men roared and lunged forward once more, fists hammering toward Yang Xuan.