Chapter 1376: 1014: Eight-direction Ghost-Gathering Wealth Array (Part 2)

The people of the Ancient Ten Great Sects, seeing this, now looked at Jiang Yuan with even more awe and respect. With the largest group in number and territory wiped out, the vast prisoner yard suddenly felt much more empty.

"These remaining ones have all awakened intelligence and cultivated some Cultivation Techniques, but they never managed to become Demon Cultivators." Wan Mingchuan was long used to his master’s miraculous methods, and immediately introduced the remaining, even more burly Demon Beasts.

Jiang Yuan walked over with his hands behind his back, strolling leisurely as he went, checking System Appraisal along the way.

"This one, this one, and this one..." Whenever he pointed one out, Wan Mingchuan would form a seal with his right hand and haul one beast out.

Very soon the Demon Beasts were divided into two groups. Jiang Yuan looked at the group on the right and asked, "Those of you who have never done evil for Snow Cloud Valley may choose your own destination.

You can either go with your race to the world where Demon Beasts reside, and from today on walk the path of Demon Beast Body Forging; or go to the world where Demon Cultivators live, continue cultivating your Techniques and attempt to transform into human form. Think it through, then line up according to your choice and I’ll send you over. As for the rest of you..."

He turned and looked at the group on the left. "You all, more or less, have worked for Snow Cloud Valley and harmed people. Some of you even served as bait, covering for Evil Cultivators. Your crimes deserve death.

I have no right to forgive you on behalf of the victims. So, as to how you will be dealt with, I’ll wait until I find an Array that can suppress souls, release their spirits, and let the victims judge you collectively."

The many Demon Beasts, full of wild ferocity, clearly refused to accept this, but with the big shots from Chenxi Valley personally suppressing them, they couldn’t make a sound, only glare fiercely to show their rage.

All the Demon Cultivators in the city had cultivated the Bone-Dissolving Evil Technique; every one of them had human lives on their hands. They were bound, netted, trembling as they awaited judgment.

"Master, this Snow Cloud Valley is really filthy rich!" Ling Di happily stuck out his tongue, dog ears flopped to one side, and he rushed over like a whirlwind to rub against Jiang Yuan, exclaiming excitedly, "Little Eight, Miss He and I filtered through everything, and even found a few strange Arrays. Do you want to take a look?"

Old Dog waggled his brows, signaling that all the loot should be piled into his master’s little space.

After all, wealth should not be flaunted; he knew how to use Space Technique, and his master’s methods were even more profound. The two sides hit it off at once, and Jiang Yuan granted him access to the little Immortal Peak space he carried with him. Ling Di then operated fiercely like a tiger, and now the Treasures inside that little space were piled like mountains.

"It should be an Array for suppressing souls. Let’s go take a look." Leaving sect elites to guard the prisoners, everyone else followed Jiang Yuan into the city.

Miss Little Eight withdrew her Spider Web Divine Power; Yuan Man also retracted her vines. In the grand mansions and wide streets, traces of battle still remained.

[Eight-direction Ghost-Gathering Wealth Array: based on geomantic Life Hexagrams of the city that was built, it calculates detailed positions and is an Evil Treasure Gathering Array nourished by the souls of the dead. All that is gained is windfall wealth. The more souls are suppressed, the stronger they are, the heavier their resentment, the more powerful this Wealth Array becomes]

A small Array barely more than two meters in diameter, hidden inside a secret chamber.

If You Lai hadn’t marked it on the blueprint, even Ling Di, proficient in Space Technique, would’ve had great difficulty finding such a hidden place.

In the cramped space, besides this slowly rotating pale-gold Array, there was nothing else. If System Appraisal hadn’t written the details so blatantly, Jiang Yuan wouldn’t even have known such an evil Array existed in the world, one that looked so bright and harmless on the surface.

[Use Skill "True Exam 100" to break this Array?]

[Note: countless souls with sky-soaring resentment are suppressed beneath this Array. Once the Array is broken and they are released, you are highly likely to be attacked]

"Everyone be careful. Once this Array is broken, the suppressed souls will swarm out." Jiang Yuan explained as he turned back, "The Evil Cultivators of Snow Cloud Valley wanted to boost their fortune, so they deliberately tortured innocents, then used Secret Techniques to drag out their souls, ensuring they died with resentment soaring to the heavens. Maddened by hatred, these spirits are very likely to attack indiscriminately."

"In that case, I’ll set up a Barrier so no resentful souls can escape. Today those with grudges can seek revenge and those with resentment can have it settled. It’s time to bring this to an end."

"Those of you who aren’t good at resisting attacks from ghosts, step back. Once resentful souls break free, it’s no joke."

"It’d be perfect if Daoist Qu were here. He’s Leopard Tail of Fengdu in the Netherworld—he’d be especially effective at intimidating resentful souls."

"It’d be the same if Miss He were here. She used to be a Ghost Messenger of Fengdu as well, and her Realm is high. She could naturally assist Mister..."

......

Amid hushed discussion, the Cultivators not adept at dealing with ghosts all withdrew; the Barrier was raised.

Only then did Jiang Yuan tap to break the Array.

"Wong~"

This Eight-direction Ghost-Gathering Wealth Array was obviously much more formidable than the one that confined the Spider Demon, its HP bar absurdly long.

He repeatedly clicked "True Exam 100," grinding it down bit by bit. After more than two minutes, there was a soft "bang," and the Array was successfully broken!

"Whoo!"

Right when the Array was broken, nothing happened aside from some new materials dropping into his Storage Bag. A few seconds later, a jet-black aura surged skyward, emitting a deafening howling gale.

Sounds of slaughter, shouts, weeping, screams—every kind of soul-shaking Ghost Roar blended together. That mass of black smoke slammed into the Barrier and was bounced back. Jiang Yuan noticed his Ghost Immortal Scripture Skill lighting up again, meaning all these Wandering Ghosts could be devoured.

"Where are the disciples of the Ancient Ten Great Sects?" The Cloud Concealment Sect Leader, Cang Rui, stood near the front. Faintly sensing familiar voices of his sect members within the smoke, he shouted loudly at once.

That mass of black smoke, previously crashing about like a headless fly, paused ever so slightly.

Then, more than ten semi-transparent figures drifted out, bowing as they spoke, "Disciples present!"

"Wei Ting!" The Pavilion Master of Qingfeng Pavilion recognized one of the figures and stepped forward. "You—you too..."

"This disciple has been unfilial and caused Master worry." The Sword Cultivator named Wei Ting was stunned for a moment, then bowed. "As per Master’s orders, I led the junior brothers and sisters to investigate the massacre case in the Human Race towns. Following the clues, we found our way to Snow Cloud Valley and fell into an ambush."

The Pavilion Master had long suspected that his Direct Disciple, who’d vanished without a trace, had likely met with misfortune, but seeing it with his own eyes, the pain in his heart was beyond words.

Master and disciple met again, yet they were separated by life and death; such a scene stirred deep lament.

Miss Little Eight, whose tears came easily, burst into tears; even Old Dog sighed, hanging his head. The joy of looting earlier had completely vanished.

"Um..." In the heavy atmosphere, Jiang Yuan felt slightly uncomfortable, so he lowered his voice and said, "Everyone, my condolences. Does anyone have a Treasure that can nurture souls? Could you first collect their souls? To be frank, I do have some methods that can let them continue living."

With those words, the sorrowful mood instantly dissolved.

This was only the first soul-suppressing Array; there were seven more afterwards! Disciples of the Ancient Ten Great Sects—who among them didn’t have several victims among their ranks? Since there was a way for the broken souls to keep on living, they couldn’t favor one over another. The Sect Leaders all looked at him with eager eyes.

The youthful Wei Ting was taken aback for a moment, then looked at Ghost Cultivator He Miancun and at Jiang Yuan, bowing as he reminded, "Senior, our souls were forcibly dragged out by Snow Cloud Valley’s Evil Cultivators using Secret Techniques. They’re not the same as the souls of Mortals after death, so we cannot cultivate Techniques to become Ghost Cultivators."

"I understand that part. Just set your minds at ease and focus on nurturing your souls. Once we go back, I’ll explain to you in detail." Jiang Yuan thought to himself that the Heavenly Dao wouldn’t allow such an easy bug. If simply extracting the soul could turn one into a Ghost Cultivator, ordinary Cultivators wouldn’t need to fear death and the annihilation of their Dao.

So the souls of Cultivators cannot become Ghost Cultivators—but they can live on in a Puppet body!

If the relationship was close enough and truly necessary, he could find a suitable body and then grant it 200 points of Life Origin. Reviving the dead wouldn’t be impossible. However, right now he had only around 1500 points of Life Origin. Even if he immediately found suitable bodies for them, he couldn’t possibly spend it all on resurrection.

Unless he struck it rich and earned ten or eighty thousand points of Life Origin, then he could revive these Righteous Cultivators who had dedicated themselves to protecting the Human Race.

"As long as there’s a way, that’s enough. Wei Ting, you and the others go inside first to have your souls nurtured." The Pavilion Master of Qingfeng, eyes full of hope, looked at his beloved disciple and unfurled an ancient Scroll contributed by Cang Rui, Sect Leader of Cloud Concealment Sect.

Dozens of semi-transparent souls drilled into it. He rolled up the Scroll and respectfully asked, "Mr. Jiang, how should we handle the remaining souls?"

"Naturally, those with grudges seek revenge, those with resentment have it settled—then dust returns to dust, earth to earth." Jiang Yuan gave He Miancun a meaningful look.

She understood, stepped forward, let her Ghost Cultivator aura burst forth to cow that mass of black smoke, and said loudly, "I know you are all victims who were tortured to death.

Now the entire Mi Family of Snow Cloud Valley has been captured—every last one. Those who behave themselves can have their chance to take revenge and vent their hatred; if you keep on making a pointless mess, I’ll have to get angry."