The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

Ahead, another demon was carrying the unconscious Ah Gui, her scaly ankles peeking out from under her beast-skin skirt.

"Ugly ghost, hand the weapon over to the priest."

He spoke to the demon clan member who had his back to him.

“That shield is strange; when I touched it, I heard the wailing of wronged spirits.”

The companion who called him "Ugly Ghost" sneered.

"The number of ghouls at Mushroom Spring is increasing; if we don't deal with it soon..."

Before he could finish speaking, a muffled drumbeat suddenly sounded in the distance.

Jiang Chuan felt the arm supporting him tighten.

The village was larger than I had imagined.

Thatched huts are stacked along the rock face, and nine stone pillars covered with runes stand in the central square.

The passing ghost woman had a pottery jar on her head, and when she saw the captives, she revealed her jagged fangs.

Jiang Chuan noticed that they only had a single ghost horn on their foreheads.

"arrive."

The ugly ghost kicked open the animal skin curtain of a large house.

Jiang Chuan immediately closed his eyes and let himself be thrown onto the musty haystack.

Cold metal pressed against his neck—someone was inspecting his ethereal shield.

"Human cultivators?"

The aged voice echoed strangely.

"The suppression array of Mushroom Spring has weakened..."

Jiang Chuan's heart stopped beating suddenly.

The voice sounded strangely familiar, like...

Jiang Chuan and A Gui were taken by Chou Gui and Shen Gui to the residence of Tian Gui, the leader of the ghost clan.

The fluorescent grass cast a swaying, eerie light on the stone wall, and Jiang Chuan was slammed heavily onto the damp ground.

He saw the ugly ghost take out a pottery jar sealed with a talisman from the animal skin bag. The jar was constantly bulging and denting, and something was thrashing wildly inside.

"The corpse demon that Mr. Shi wants."

The ugly ghost, with a fawning smile, handed the pottery jar to the person in the shadows.

"Following your instructions, the rope was soaked in the spring water..."

The earthenware jar was taken by a pair of pale hands.

Jiang Chuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

The jade thumb ring on that finger was clearly the mark of a formation master from Thousand Caves City!

He quickly closed his eyes, his heart pounding like a drum. Three months ago, in the library of Thousand Caves City, he had seen this thumb ring on the hand of that old man with the goatee.

"These two cultivators..."

The voice of the Heavenly Demon came from above, carrying a nonchalant cruelty.

"The corpse is perfect for Mr. Shi to use for experiments."

Jiang Chuan felt a cold gaze sweep across his face.

He secretly circulated his inner energy and discovered that most of the toxins remaining in his meridians had dissipated.

Just as he was planning his escape route, Ah Gui beside him suddenly let out a sob.

"You...it's you!"

The roar of the Heavenly Demon caused rubble to fall from the top of the dungeon.

"You're not dead?!"

Jiang Chuan risked opening his eyes a crack.

Under the glow of the fluorescent grass, Ah Gui's eyes, peeking out from his messy hair, had an eerie silvery-white hue, his pupils contracting into two vertical lines.

Even more horrifying was her forehead—beneath the originally smooth skin, something was slowly bulging up!

"Take him to the dungeon!"

The voice of the Heavenly Demon was filled with unprecedented panic.

"Gag him! No one is allowed to come near without my order!"

The rough animal hide rope cut into Jiang Chuan's wrist, and the hemp seed mixed with the juice of fluorescent grass was stuffed into his mouth. The bitter juice immediately made his tongue numb.

He was being dragged backwards through the corridor, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mr. Shi stroking his goatee thoughtfully.

"Does Lord Tiangui seem to know this girl?"

"Internal affairs of the Ghost Clan."

The demon abruptly interrupted.

"Shen Gui, take Mr. Shi to Gu Mu Quan."

Amidst the deafening crash of the slamming iron gate shut, Jiang Chuan heard Mr. Shi's final whisper.

"interesting."

The moment the gold chain wrapped around Jiang Chuan's wrist, he almost cried out.

This metal, which originates from deep within volcanoes, can burn away the practitioner's vital energy.

The ugly ghost secured the other end of the chain to the rack, and sparks flew as the iron rings tightened.

"Tell me! What's your relationship with that girl?"

The ugly creature's fangs almost poked Jiang Chuan's nose.

"Why was she able to alarm Lord Heavenly Demon?"

Jiang Chuan spat out the blood foam from his mouth.

The dungeon walls were covered with instruments of torture, the most striking of which was a whip covered with barbs and broken bones, with dried bits of flesh and blood still clinging to its tip.

In the corner, Ah Gui was bound in a cocoon shape by chains, and even his eyes were covered by strips of cloth covered with talismans.

"You won't say it, right?"

Shen Gui pulled the red-hot branding iron out of the charcoal brazier.

"I'll take out one of your eyes first..."

As the scorching air rushed towards his eyes, Jiang Chuan suddenly coughed violently.

"stop!"

A loud shout rang out in the torture chamber, and the red-hot branding iron stopped right in front of Jiang Chuan.

A wave of scorching heat hit him in the face, and he could almost smell the burnt smell of his eyelashes being roasted.

The executioner reluctantly withdrew the branding iron and turned to look at the person who had spoken.

"Master Ugly?"

"The leader said he wants them alive."

The ugly ghost's scarred face looked even more ferocious in the torchlight.

"Lock him in the dungeon first, and prepare the Heart-Eating Gu. Tomorrow, let him witness firsthand the agony of ten thousand Gu devouring his heart; I don't believe he won't open his mouth then!"

Jiang Chuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief as the turbulent pure yang energy within his body gradually subsided.

If it weren't for Ugly Ghost's shout, he would have already killed Xing Ghost—at the cost of completely exposing his strength and having no chance of escape.

"Consider you lucky."

The executioner spat and roughly tore off the chains from the rack.

Jiang Chuan was dragged through the dark tunnel by two demon minions, leaving long trails of blood on the bluestone slabs.

He endured the excruciating pain and secretly circulated the Dragon Elephant Technique to protect his heart meridian.

These superficial wounds may look horrific, but they don't actually damage the underlying tissue.

"boom!"

His body was thrown heavily into a damp cell.

Jiang Chuan grunted and slowly propped himself up against the corner of the wall.

"Jiangchuan?"

A trembling female voice came from the next cell.

Jiang Chuan turned his head and saw A Gui chained to the wall, his once delicate face now covered in bruises.

She struggled to crawl over, but was trapped in place by the heavy shackles.

"I am fine."

Jiang Chuan forced a smile, his teeth still stained with blood.

"I can't die for the time being."

"Jie Jie Jie..."

A strange laugh suddenly came from the opposite cell.

"What a tragic couple."

Jiang Chuan squinted and, by the dim firelight, saw a disheveled old man huddled in the shadows.

The man was dressed in rags, and all that remained of his eyes were two dark, hollow holes.

The old blind man had lived in this dungeon for ten years, and this was the first time he had ever seen a tough guy who could survive three days under the torture of the executioner.

The old man groped his way up to the fence.

"Boy, the pain of the Heart-Eating Gu is a hundred times worse than being branded with a hot iron. Why not confess honestly and suffer less?"

Jiang Chuan sneered.

"Since you know the power of the Heart-Eating Gu, you must have experienced its effects yourself?"

"The bone-crushing whip lashed out three hundred times, and the branding iron blinded his eyes."

The old blind man touched his empty eye sockets, but his tone was surprisingly calm.

"But compared to the secrets guarded by the demons, this torment is nothing."

Jiang Chuan was startled.

He had long suspected that the ghost clan's presence here was for some hidden reason, and now it seemed that was indeed the case.

"Does the senior know the origins of the Ghost Clan?"

"They are not the original inhabitants of the sinkhole."

The old blind man lowered his voice.

"They only settled here seven hundred years ago, and have been guarding something for generations. That Mr. Shi from the Demonic Sect is probably here for this thing too."

Jiang Chuan seemed to be deep in thought. No wonder Mr. Shi was willing to cooperate with the Ghost Clan to enter the depths of the sinkhole; he had other plans.

"Since you know so much, why are you still locked up here?"

Jiang Chuan suddenly asked a question.

The old blind man's withered fingers gripped the fence tightly. "Because I've discovered an even more astonishing secret—ah!"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly curled up in pain.

Jiang Chuan keenly noticed a strange blue pattern glowing on the back of the old man's neck.

"Heart-Eating Gu".

The old blind man was convulsing all over.

"They are activating the Gu worms."

Jiang Chuan's pupils contracted sharply. It seemed that the Ghost Clan not only used the Heart-Eating Gu to extract confessions, but could also remotely control Gu worms to torture prisoners.

He must recover from his injuries as soon as possible.

Taking advantage of the old blind man's painful struggle, Jiang Chuan leaned against the wall and quietly took out a piece of jade from the chess pieces.

A warm green light flowed in his palm, and the voice of the nine-colored deer echoed in his mind.

"The master's injuries are quite serious and will take two hours to heal."

"too long."

Jiang Chuan gritted his teeth inwardly.

"That ugly devil says he's going to use the Heart-Eating Gu tomorrow, and we can't wait."

He tore open his tattered shirt, revealing his bloodied and mangled chest.

When the jade was applied to the wound, a cool sensation immediately seeped into the skin.

The skin and flesh began to heal at a visible rate.

"what?"

The old blind man suddenly stopped convulsing, and his empty "gaze" turned towards Jiang Chuan.

"Boy, do you have a healing treasure on you?"

Alarm bells rang in Jiang Chuan's heart.

This old monster, despite having no eyes, could sense the presence of jade, making him no ordinary being.

"Senior is joking."

Jiang Chuan discreetly concealed the jade in his sleeve.

"They're just some hemostatic herbs."

"Hehehe... Although I am blind, my mind is very sharp."

The old blind man gave a sly smile.

"How about we make a deal—you take me out of the dungeon, and I'll tell you the whereabouts of the thing guarded by the demons."

Jiang Chuan paused slightly as he bandaged the wound.

This suggestion was exactly what he wanted to hear, but he didn't show it on his face.

"Senior, you overestimate me. How can I possibly escape from this impregnable dungeon?"

"You have a way."

The old blind man was resolute.

"I can tell from your breathing rhythm that you have recovered about 30% of your injuries. An ordinary person would be barely breathing after suffering such a serious injury."

Jiang Chuan secretly admired the old monster's keen observation skills.

Bringing the blind old man along certainly carries considerable risk, but his understanding of sinkholes could be a crucial asset.

"it is good."

Jiang Chuan finally nodded.

"But you must make a solemn oath to your inner demons, promising not to harm me after you are released from prison."

"happy!"

The old blind man grinned.

"I swear by my inner demons, I will never—"

"and many more."

Jiang Chuan suddenly interrupted.

"One more thing. You must help me rescue Ah Gui."

The old blind man's expression froze, and he chuckled strangely.

"He's quite the romantic. Fine, let's add that one."

After the old blind man finished making his vow, Jiang Chuan took out a spirit stone from the chess pieces.

This is his last trump card—the art of turning beans into soldiers.

With limited spiritual power, creating an illusion should be enough to buy time.

"Master, the Shadow Cloak technique is only one step away from completion."

"The Nine-Colored Deer reminded me."

Jiang Chuan closed his eyes and concentrated, recalling the secrets of escape techniques recorded in "The Collection of Flower Picking".

His innate Dao embryo endowed him with extraordinary comprehension; spells that ordinary cultivators would take months to learn, he could often master in a moment.

"Shadows are like water, my body transforms into a swimming fish..."

Jiang Chuan closed his eyes and concentrated, circulating his internal energy along specific meridians. Suddenly, his figure swayed, and he disappeared into the darkness of the corner.

"It's done!"

He was secretly delighted; the feeling of moving through the shadows was incredibly strange, as if he had become a ghost without a physical form.

The stone walls of the prison cell appeared as a translucent film to him, which he easily squeezed through.

The cell next door was even darker and damper than his, with a small, thin figure huddled in the corner.

As Jiang Chuan emerged from the shadows, the figure suddenly looked up, revealing a pair of bright eyes through the disheveled hair.

"Shadow Cloak Technique?"

Ah Gui's voice was hoarse but filled with undisguised surprise.

"You actually learned it."

Jiang Chuan crouched down and checked on A Gui's condition by the dim light.

She had two more chains on her body than when we last met, and her wrists were chafed raw with deep bloodstains.

"I promised to teach you."

Jiang Chuan said softly, his fingers brushing over the wounds, the touch so cold it felt like they weren't from a living person.

"But now, let's leave here first."

Just as he was about to unlock the chains, a chill ran down his spine, and a murderous intent swept across the back of his neck.

Jiang Chuan turned around abruptly. In the empty corridor outside the cell, only a few eerie green will-o'-the-wisps flickered.

"what happened?"

Ah Gui keenly sensed his unusual behavior.

Jiangchuan shook his head.

"It might be an illusion."

But a sense of vigilance arose within me.

He quickly examined Ah Gui's injuries and was surprised to find that the deep, bone-revealing wounds had already scabbed over, and the healing speed was astonishing.

"Your constitution..."

"Just the bloodline of the demon race."

Ah Gui interrupted him, his voice laced with self-mockery.

"There's a reason they're afraid of me."

Jiang Chuan didn't ask any further questions. He tapped the chains a few times with his fingers, and the shackles opened with a click.

Ah Gui flexed his wrists, feeling a mix of emotions.

"You shouldn't have come."

she whispered.

"You can't escape if you take me with you."

"I never do anything I'm not sure of."

Jiang Chuan took out several spirit stones from his pocket and quickly shaped them into a small human figure.

"Give me a moment."

He placed the spirit stone figurine on the ground, made hand seals and chanted incantations. The figurine gradually swelled and deformed, eventually transforming into a spirit soldier exactly like Jiang Chuan.

Ah Gui was dumbfounded.

"It's just a smokescreen; it won't last long."

Jiang Chuan gently wrapped the chains around A Gui's body again.

"I'll go back and get ready. Wait for my signal."

Ah Gui suddenly grabbed his wrist.

What if I'm not the person you think I am?

Jiang Chuan paused for a moment, then laughed.

"I never consider status when making friends."

Before he could finish speaking, his figure had already disappeared into the shadows.

After returning to his cell, Jiang Chuan quickly gathered a few small items hidden in the cracks in the wall and glanced at the spirit soldier clone sitting in the corner.

"Hopefully we can fool the guards for two hours..."

Just as he was about to use Shadow Cloak again, a muffled thud came from the next cell, followed by the old blind man's hoarse voice.

"Your Holiness, this old servant has finally waited for your return!"

Jiang Chuan paused, held his breath, and pressed his ear against the stone wall.

There was a thud, as if someone had knelt down.

"Ten years have passed... Ding Ghost of the Ten Heavenly Stems pays respects to the Holy Maiden!"

Saint?

Jiang Chuan's pupils contracted slightly.

Ah Gui is the Holy Maiden of the Ghost Clan? He remembered what she had said—"They are all afraid of me"—and suddenly everything made sense.

After a long silence next door, Ah Gui's deliberately lowered voice finally came through.

"Don't make any noise."

"Why did you come back? And who is that kid?" (End of Chapter)