Time often waits for no one.
Just as Lü Yang was deep in thought, the darkness surrounding the yellow-robed old man not far away had already spread to his side, carrying a strong corrosive force.
Lü Yang raised his head and looked at the other party with great interest.
"This is a witch ghost?"
The Witch Ghost Path was a major sect of the ancient demonic path.
At that time, every disciple of the Witch Ghost Path would refine a natal witch ghost as the foundation for their future cultivation.
However, with the emergence of the Golden Core Sword Qi, the Witch Ghost Path was exterminated.
These witch ghosts, without the control of cultivators, began to wander within the secret realm.
Depending on the strength of their former cultivators, the witch ghosts were classified into white-robed, yellow-robed, black-robed, and the most ferocious red-robed ghosts.
Their ancestors were either servants raised by the Witch Ghost Path in the past or disciples who decisively abolished their cultivation when the Witch Ghost Path suffered a calamity.
This was because within the secret realm, cultivation was forbidden.
Since the Golden Core Sword Qi aimed to destroy the inheritance of the Witch Ghost Path, anyone who set foot on the path of cultivation, even at the first level of Qi Refining, would be slain by the sword qi.
This was why Lü Yang, being an outsider and a target of the sword qi's "nesting," was not killed the moment he entered the secret realm. However, it was not much different, as long as the sword qi did not dissipate, his incarnation could not leave the secret realm, which was no different from being dead.
The outcome of the Witch Ghost Path was even more ironic.
Because only mortals survived and could not cultivate, they instead became the prey of the out-of-control witch ghosts, being constantly captured and devoured.
Those who controlled ghosts were ultimately devoured by ghosts.
"That being said, people always find a way out in adversity."
Although they could not set foot on cultivation, over a thousand years, generations of mortals in the secret realm risked their lives and finally found a way to resist the witch ghosts.
That was "controlling ghosts to serve Yama."
In simple terms, it was to use a secret method to offer oneself to the witch ghost, and while being devoured by the witch ghost, one could also borrow the power of the witch ghost.
"The cultivator who created this system called himself 'Ancestor Nether Wishper,' and the Nether Wishper Sect he established has now become the only sect within the secret realm, deeply rooted, and even has a systematic method of controlling ghosts, with different titles based on the grade of the ghost controlled."
Controlling a white-robed ghost was called a "ghost messenger."
Controlling a yellow-robed ghost was called a "Rakshasa."
Controlling a black-robed ghost was called a "Ghost Reaper."
As for the most ferocious red-robed ghost, whoever could control it would immediately become an elder of the Nether Wishper Sect and was referred to as the "Yama Walker" within the secret realm.
Although all cultivators who followed this path of controlling ghosts rarely lived beyond a year or so, as long as they were alive, their strength was undeniable.
At the highest, they could rival the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.
The yellow-robed ghost in front of him had strength at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.
However, what truly interested Lü Yang was that he actually felt a trace of mysterious aura related to "position" from this yellow-robed ghost.
"A bit like...a fragment of a divine ability?"
This feeling was like those superior divine abilities that made up a great divine ability, only the level was weakened countless times, making it extremely weak.
Lü Yang extended his hand and immediately captured the yellow-robed ghost, refining it in an instant.
"Sure enough, it's related to position, but not at the Foundation Establishment level."
"The witch ghosts wandering within the Witch Ghost Secret Realm should all be related to a certain great divine ability, and these witch ghosts are fragments of that great divine ability."
After a moment of thought, Lü Yang took out the Myriad Spirits Banner.
Immediately, the yellow-robed ghost was sent onto the banner by him, transforming into a banner spirit... Gradually, an unusual expression appeared on Lü Yang's face.
"This is truly...an unexpected surprise!"
The witch ghosts within the secret realm concealed a trace of positional aura, suspected to be related to a great divine ability, and his Myriad Spirits Banner could turn these witch ghosts into his own use.
Lü Yang was greatly delighted, his thoughts racing. It proved that he could completely subdue and refine all the witch ghosts within the secret realm through the Myriad Spirits Banner, thereby recombining these position fragments, and eventually, he might be able to condense a great divine ability that could help him break through to Foundation Establishment!
Thinking of this, Lü Yang's heart was immediately ablaze.
"The beings here have long suffered from the harm of witch ghosts. I am kind-hearted and always compassionate. I will reluctantly collect these witch ghosts and restore peace to this place."
Immediately, Lü Yang looked at the fainted young man.
With his cultivation, soul-searching a mortal would naturally not leave any aftereffects. He even left behind a martial arts cultivation method as compensation.
"I am truly a great philanthropist."
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from the distant sky.
Lü Yang looked up and saw a dark cloud, within which was a black-robed Daoist, followed by two child attendants and more than ten beautiful maids.
At a glance, the child attendants held treasures to guard the sides, the maids either held fans and incense or played flutes and pipes.
Behind them was a long procession in black and white, holding suonas, gongs, and drums, playing music and dancing as they walked, a grand spectacle.
"Hmm? Where are the witch ghosts here?"
The black-robed Daoist in the cloud fixed his gaze on Lü Yang and immediately frowned: "Are you the living being who reported the news? Where is the ghost messenger here?"
Upon hearing this, Lü Yang glanced at the other party and said indifferently: "Dead."
According to the memories obtained from the soul-searching of the young man, the ghost messenger had long been killed by the yellow-robed ghost, which was why he was hiding in the ruins to avoid the witch ghosts' search.
The black-robed Daoist in the cloud frowned even more upon hearing this, then suddenly reached out and had the child attendant beside him take out a round mirror, shining it down on Lü Yang.
Lü Yang raised an eyebrow upon seeing this, swept his spiritual sense, and saw through the mirror's function, but did not dodge, allowing the mirror light to fall.
The next second, the black-robed Daoist sneered:
"I wondered who it was. Turns out it's an outsider's wild fox Zen. You must have killed the ghost messenger and taken the witch ghosts here. It seems today I cannot spare you!"
Lü Yang found it utterly ridiculous.
A heretical path within the secret realm actually called him wild fox Zen? It was simply turning the world upside down!
On the other side, the black-robed Daoist did not feel anything wrong.
Although the Witch Ghost Secret Realm was hidden from the world, it was not completely isolated.
Over the years, some rogue cultivators occasionally stumbled into the secret realm by chance.
The black-robed Daoist had seen quite a few.
However, rogue cultivators were weak, with cultivation at most at the early stage of Qi Refining, or mid-stage if better, appearing too fragile in front of the Nether Wishper Sect.
Over time, the black-robed Daoist naturally looked down on so-called external cultivators.
Therefore, facing Lü Yang now, he was even more confident, not taking him seriously at all, just thinking of capturing him quickly to report back.
The next second, the black-robed Daoist focused his energy.
His originally ruddy complexion instantly turned pale, only his lips became plump and red, increasingly bright, exuding a strange Daoist charm.
He controlled a black-robed ghost named "Calling Name Fall." As the name implied, this witch ghost could, after locking onto a target, divine the other's name, and then the black-robed Daoist would call it out.
The person whose name was called would immediately have their soul taken by the witch ghost and die within moments.
Relying on this witch ghost, he had always been invincible in duels.
This time was no exception. He directly activated the witch ghost to start divining the name of this wild fox Zen in front of him. Almost simultaneously, Lü Yang also sensed it.
Lü Yang raised an eyebrow: "Interesting. These witch ghosts, as fragments of a great divine ability, are indeed tainted with a trace of positional aura, and can even involve causality..."
As he spoke, he formed a hand seal to obscure causality.
Although he believed that with his own position, it didn't matter what the other party divined, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, there was no need to take risks.
"How could this be!?"
Seeing that ‘Calling Name Fall’ had achieved nothing, the black-robed Daoist immediately panicked, unable to understand why his invincible witch ghost had encountered such a setback.
Lü Yang shook his head at the sight: “Truly lacking in challenge. Far inferior to Foundation Establishment.”
“But this is fine as well. Rising through rebellion has never been my style. I’m better at this kind of downward compatibility—killing across realms.”
On the other side, the black-robed Daoist seemed to have suddenly remembered something. He then reached into his robe and took out a deity statue carved from red wax. Its appearance was solemn and dignified, with a crown atop its head supporting three long incense sticks. Without a word, the black-robed Daoist lit them.
The next second, green flames ignited behind the deity statue’s head.
“I beseech the Ancestor to manifest!”
The black-robed Daoist bowed low.
In an instant, billowing auspicious clouds floated up from the top of the statue’s head. Even the deity’s brows relaxed.
Next came waves of celestial music, heavenly rain descending, golden lotuses blooming from the earth, and countless other phenomena highlighting the deity statue, making it appear even more sacred and majestic.
Its facial features became vivid, and though it was merely made of red wax, it looked almost alive as it gazed at Lü Yang and spoke with a loud voice:
“Who dares offend my sect’s orthodoxy?”
Lü Yang did not answer.
He quietly examined the figure, a strange look on his face, for in the eyes of those with or without positional aura, the deity's appearance varied greatly.
To the average person, the statue would appear lifelike, almost living.
Yet in Lü Yang’s eyes, the statue remained the same. What truly activated it was actually the divine light beneath the statue at that moment.
The light was profound, with seven floating seal characters that burst forth with vast magical power.
Lü Yang immediately understood.
This was precisely what he had speculated earlier—the great divine ability that could only be condensed after gathering all the witch ghosts in the Witch Ghost Secret Realm!
【Underworld Lord Xuanming's Ghost-Controlling Position】!