Chapter Twelve: Xue Dan, the Ghost Doctor

As night fell, a clap of thunder echoed across the horizon. Fierce winds arose, and black clouds billowed ominously in the distance. The impending storm drew near; a streak of azure sword light, trailing a long tail, slashed across the sky, splitting the dark clouds as it passed.

"Hmph! You want to compete with me for the position of sect master? Just wait until I find a disciple with outstanding aptitude—then let's see how you dare contend with me!" Ghost Doctor Xue Dan seethed with anger as he thought of his disappointing disciples. Fortunately, he had received word that the eldest son of the Lei family in Yicheng, Jiangzhou, possessed the rare Nine Yang physique.

Suddenly, a surge of intense resentment soared from the horizon, piercing the heavens and interrupting Xue Dan's thoughts. Resentment, typically invisible, could only be detected by cultivators attuned to the Dao. Though Xue Dan had just entered the Nascent Soul stage, his insight into the Dao enabled him to sense the potent resentment lingering in the sky.

"Damn it! With resentment this strong, isn't he afraid of divine retribution?" Xue Dan cursed under his breath, for this was the first time he had witnessed such powerful animosity.

His azure aura beneath him accelerated abruptly, streaking across the sky like a bolt of lightning toward the source of the resentment.

A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, momentarily revealing a village steeped in blood and malice. In the center stood Lei Wanchun, deftly weaving intricate incantations with his hands. The small blood-red banner above spun ever faster, and in an instant, the inky black mist was drawn into it. Even the drying blood nearby was swept away.

Lei Wanchun beckoned with his right hand, and the blood-red banner obediently flew into his grasp. "Even more perfect than I imagined!" He gazed at the banner, a surge of desire to test its power rising within him.

"A cultivator?" Lei Wanchun frowned, glancing toward the horizon, his brows knitting tighter. Judging from the speed, Lei Tiechuan deduced that the newcomer's cultivation was not inferior to his own.

Suddenly, black mist erupted from Lei Wanchun's body, enveloping him entirely before spiraling skyward toward the direction of Lei Yan. He had no intention of greeting this sudden visitor; now that he had gathered the resentment, he preferred to avoid further trouble. All he needed was a secluded place to refine Lei Yan as the main soul for his Blood Soul Banner.

Wrapped in black mist, Lei Wanchun arrived above Lei Yan within a few breaths. Observing Lei Yan standing motionless within the formation, eyes half-closed, Lei Tiechuan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, "If this boy weren't a cripple, he would be excellent material!"

As the distance between him and the approaching cultivator shrank, Lei Tiechuan wasted no more time. With a wave of his right hand, the black fog surged downward, sweeping up Lei Yan and several small flags and fleeing into the forest.

Xue Dan, a Nascent Soul cultivator, was faster than a late-stage Golden Core cultivator burdened with Lei Yan. Within moments, he arrived at the slaughtered village. Sweeping it with his spiritual sense, he found not a single survivor. Gazing at the pale, fragmented corpses strewn across the ground, Xue Dan cursed in outrage, "Beast!"

His expression darkened, hands rapidly shifting through incantations. The azure light beneath him reached its maximum speed, streaking straight toward the black mist in the forest. Within a few breaths, he caught up to Lei Wanchun, wrapped in black mist, and noticed a child within the fog.

Believing the child to be the sole survivor of the massacre, Xue Dan acted without hesitation. He guided the azure light beneath him, directing it at Lei Wanchun.

"Boom!"

After a thunderous crash, Lei Wanchun was startled to find cracks appearing on his fiery red sword—a sign that his opponent's cultivation was superior. Yet, the sword had not broken, suggesting their abilities were not vastly different.

Several muffled collisions followed. The black mist dispersed abruptly, leaving Lei Wanchun hovering in midair, while Xue Dan landed slowly, holding Lei Yan under his arm. Xue Dan's azure robe was torn at the shoulder, exposing some decaying flesh.

Frowning at the corrupted wound, Xue Dan retrieved a pill from his waist, crushed it, and sprinkled its powder over the injury. As a Ghost Doctor, he was adept at handling blood poison.

By the faint light of the night, Xue Dan saw that Lei Yan's eyes remained tightly shut, his breathing steady. The fierce battle, though brief, had been more than Lei Yan's frail body could bear; clearly, the shock had rendered him unconscious.

Gently laying Lei Yan down, Xue Dan looked up at Lei Wanchun, who hovered above. "You would unleash such cruelty on innocent villagers and children—do you not fear divine retribution?"

"Bah!" Lei Wanchun spat disdainfully. "Divine retribution? If heaven cared, would I have fallen to this state? Enough nonsense! Hand over that worthless brat, if you know what's good for you!"

"Our Ghost Doctor Sect is devoted to kindness and virtue. Today, I will not stand by and watch this child fall to your wickedness!" Xue Dan stepped forward, blocking Lei Yan.

"Courting death!" Lei Wanchun snarled. Despite recognizing his opponent's superior cultivation, he had absolute confidence in the Blood Soul Banner he had just forged. Though it lacked a main soul, it was more than sufficient against a cultivator whose power was not much greater than his own.

With Lei Wanchun’s words, a blood-red glow erupted from his body. The forest was instantly swept by chilling winds and intense ghostly energy.

"Blood Soul Banner!" Xue Dan instantly recognized the crimson banner, his face contorted with fury. "You beast! No wonder your heart is so cruel—you seek to refine such abominable evil! Today, I must ensure you do not continue to plague the world!"

Lei Wanchun sneered from above, offering no reply. As his incantations changed, the blood-red banner whistled, its crimson glow expanding until it reached nearly two meters in length. A wave of blood stench washed forth, and the cries of ghosts grew ever more harrowing. It sounded as if countless vengeful spirits wept through the night, their wails interspersed with the snapping of bones—truly a chilling sound.

"Die!" Lei Wanchun roared. From the Blood Soul Banner, a hideous ghost face suddenly emerged, its fanged maw straining to break free from the banner’s confines. With a series of cracking bone sounds, the ghost's eyes abruptly opened.

"Howl!"

With a furious bellow, the tangible ghost face surged from the Blood Soul Banner, reeking of blood as it hurtled toward Xue Dan.

Xue Dan's face grew grave. He knew this Blood Soul Banner had surpassed the realm of spiritual artifacts; the more innocent lives sacrificed in its creation, the greater its power. For a banner glowing this crimson, it must have been forged from the gathered blood and resentment of nearly a hundred souls.