The Ghostly Favors and the Heavenly Sword’s Plight

A resounding thrum! The sword’s cry shook the very soul, echoing ceaselessly like a sound from the heavens. This was likely the reason behind the Heavenly Sword’s moniker. When in doubt, apply Thunder Arrow mechanics. Whoosh! Once an arrow was loosed, Su Mo deliberately refrained from looking, thus placing the Heavenly Sword in a superposition of being both dead and not dead. A quick glance confirmed it: the Heavenly Sword was not dead, but still alive and kicking. “My Lady, what is the origin of this Heavenly Sword…?” Mo Lian interrupted her, her expression indiscernible beneath the mask. “If you find it difficult to address me as ‘Little Mo,’ then simply call me Mo Lian, like the others.” She had not used her true voice, yet at this point, her intentions were an open secret. Without explicitly revealing her gender, Su Mo merely nodded, then raised her eyes and drew her bow. Before the Heavenly Sword could draw closer, she had to unleash a few more arrows. Whoosh! Whoosh! Two arrows flew in quick succession, one after the other. Had an expert archer been present, they would surely have discerned the nature of Su Mo’s two arrows: the first a feint, the second the true strike. This was considered a secret technique of archery, a testament to the Su family’s profound heritage. Cold sweat immediately broke out. The Heavenly Sword, considered half a prodigy, had traveled across vast lands and encountered many master archers. He had once met a powerful expert who had ‘entered the Dao through the bow,’ and among their techniques was precisely this: two arrows, one after the other. ‘The first arrow is a feint; the second is the crucial one,’ the Heavenly Sword chanted inwardly, his gaze fixed on the thunder arrow behind. As for the first arrow, he casually swatted it away… But it wouldn’t budge! His eyes widened abruptly, and the Heavenly Sword immediately employed his ‘Burst Qi’ secret technique. His spiritual energy surged, allowing him to react with lightning speed. With this returning sword strike, the sword’s hum rippled like tidal waves. He finally deflected the first arrow. Boom! Thunderous light exploded behind him. The Heavenly Sword, a true man, did not look back at the explosion. In the throes of life and death, his eyes bloodshot, he clutched his sword with both hands and unleashed his most ferocious strike. “Heavenly Sword Descending River!” As his sword swept down, the sword wind surged like a torrent. It was as if a river had descended from the heavens, suspended in the air. Its scale was modest, however, a river merely dozens of meters long, befitting a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator. Ooom… BOOM! The thunder arrow deflected downwards, eventually smashing into a house and exploding. In the center of Dangyang County, not a single house remained standing tall; all had collapsed. As everyone watched, amidst the whistling wind, a laugh, starting softly and growing louder, spread through the air: “Hahahahaha… Hahaha! I did it!” For a moment, the Heavenly Sword was filled with ambition. He raised his head, turned to look at the tall building, and met the gaze of Xiao Yao and the others. However, as he turned, revealing his back, his once elegant robe had been blasted with a large hole, exposing his lower back. “Perhaps this is the price of being a true man?” Su Mo muttered, then raised her hand and fired two more arrows. Just as the Heavenly Sword turned, saw the arrows, and froze in a daze, a black figure violently slammed into him, sending him crashing back to the ground with a thud. Amidst the thud and the cries, a fierce ghost bellowed: “Madam Su, I am Drunken Ghost, and I apologize for my late arrival!” Its enormous frame pressed down on the Heavenly Sword’s smaller body. It furiously swung its fists, its face alight with excitement. With both hands, he raised his sword to block the dual fists. He swayed like a candle flame in the wind, his hands trembling erratically. “…” Tears streamed from the Heavenly Sword’s eyes. Watching from afar, Su Mo couldn’t bear to keep her eyes open. After a long moment, she said with hesitation: “Um, the Heavenly Sword was already on the verge of death…” “Madam Su, no thanks are needed for such great kindness! Just remember it!” Drunken Ghost’s pale eyes seemed to glow. He vigorously kneaded the poor, gritting Heavenly Sword with both fists. Shrinking her neck and shivering, Su Mo certainly didn’t want to be pinned down by Drunken Ghost, so she reluctantly committed it to memory. One, two ghostly favors… Surely there aren’t more? “I am Blood Refiner, and even if I die today, I’ll still pluck a hair from you…” Boom! A black figure violently slammed into Blood Refiner, pinning them to the ground and beating them wildly. It cried out: “Madam Su, I am Cold Ghost, and I apologize for my late arrival!” Slap! She slapped her forehead, utterly speechless. Mo Lian watched, as if seeing ghosts, staring at Su Mo and the group of fierce ghosts. ‘Just how many fierce ghosts does this Miss Su have behind her?’ she mused inwardly. In the tall building, Xiao Yao had smashed a chair and, defying all odds, sent out one person. Fueled by extreme anger, he even personally enchanted and enhanced that person. “You’ve been enhanced by me; why aren’t you attacking yet?” Xiao Yao asked with a smile. “…Alright.” The person’s eyes darted, and they replied, lowering their head. As they flew above Su Mo, they drew their sword, nervously scanning their surroundings, fearing something might suddenly crash into them. “My Lady Mo Lian, I’ll handle this one,” Su Mo said, not even bothering to raise the bow in her hand. She suspected there were more fierce ghosts hidden. Having been fully concentrated earlier and utilizing the ‘Soul-Sensing Grass’ prescription, she had finally pinpointed a location. It was a highly peripheral area within Dangyang County’s center, almost extending beyond the central zone and bordering countless small dimensions. Ghosts suddenly appearing must have emerged from those small dimensions, returning to the sole space that was Dangyang County’s center. Those fierce ghosts must have emerged from those small dimensions too, right? “But why are they all hiding?” Su Mo guessed the answer, and smiled faintly, her eyes narrowed. “Oh? A movement?” She sensed a ghost approaching and quickly scanned her surroundings. Indeed, a black figure emerged from a narrow alley, rubbing its fists together in anticipation. It flew directly into the air, channeling its ghostly energy, and violently slammed into the encroaching cultivator. “Madam Su, I am Iron Ghost, and I’ve come to rescue…” “Stop, stop, stop! I’ve come to surrender…” The cultivator hastily dropped their sword, so anxious that tears welled up in their eyes. Iron Ghost did not appreciate these words. It was here to offer Su Mo a ghostly favor, not to perform charity. This cultivator lacked discernment and deserved to be beaten to death. Slap! A large, rust-covered hand swung out with a resounding slap. Iron Ghost was absolutely furious. One side of their face swelled. Had the cultivator not been airborne, they would have knelt. “I’m surren…” “Madam Su, this fellow has impure intentions; everything they say is a lie.” Iron Ghost, showing no mercy, slammed into them again, pinning them down and beating them. Watching from afar, Su Mo spread her hands and sighed. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to save him, but that she was powerless to intervene. After all, a whole group of fierce ghosts was still hidden in that peripheral area. **** Over there. Ooom… A soft hum echoed through the dim alley, drawing the attention of the gathered ghosts, who looked up. They pulled mud bricks from the walls to use as seats, gathering to talk and discuss the strange events of the day. “Oh, Flirtatious Ghost, you’re here?” An old ghost greeted him, patting a nearby mud brick. Flirtatious Ghost paused, startled, gazing at the dozens of brothers and sisters from the Underworld. He suspected a trick. Since when were they all so amicable with each other? “Come, sit. If you want Madam Su’s ghostly favor, get in line… We’ve agreed that the stronger ones go first. It’s not like before, where the quickest hand got it…” Upon this explanation, Flirtatious Ghost understood: they were all here to offer Madam Su a ghostly favor. “Even the Ghost General values this ghostly favor; how precious it must be!” Flirtatious Ghost’s eyes lit up, and he immediately looked up. He wanted to see what number he was in line. He saw a string of ghosts sitting bored in the dark alley, forming a long line. They sat or stood, occasionally glancing outside, quite anxious. “Sigh, when will it be my turn?” Flirtatious Ghost felt a bit lost. He sat with his legs apart, looking down, appearing disheveled and worn by hardship. Su Mo was unaware of the situation over there. If she had known, seeing Xiao Yao’s exasperation, she would have decided to go all-in with the horde of ghosts. “My Lady Mo Lian, they are coming,” Su Mo said in a low voice, mounting her horse. All eyes then turned to the colorless longsword. Life and death, the choice began. Ooom, ooom. In the distance, Xu Qingzhu brought Lu Yanling to the center of Dangyang County. He immediately saw Su Mo pulling a ghostly horse, surrounded by a horde of grinning, fanged ghosts. “…” Xu Qingzhu fell silent. What kind of hellish tableau was this?