Chapter 39 Part 2

Suddenly, massive yin qi surged back like a river or sea, sweeping toward her madly. She felt like a wave in a torrent, about to be swept away. Wang Ya formed the Lotus Seal with her hands, focusing her mind and silently reciting the Pure Heart Tranquil Qi Mantra in her heart, striving to keep her consciousness undivided. She knew that under such surging yin qi assault, one’s soul could be ripped from the body; when the Yellow Springs closed, the body would stay in the Yang Realm while the soul entered the Underworld. If the body endured the yin qi without instant death, it would become a vegetable.

Even protected by the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation, the surging yin qi chilled her to the bone, freezing her body numb, as if she might freeze to death. Worse, the yin qi battering her was like ocean surges and undercurrents, or a typhoon, tugging desperately to yank her away.

Fortunately, the force didn’t last; after about ten seconds, it vanished. But to Wang Ya, it felt like a century. She hadn’t even dared breathe, as the yin qi was densest then—a single breath of pure yin qi into her body might not just freeze her numb, but kill her outright.

Wang Ya felt the surrounding yin qi thin, the howling wind stop. She opened her eyes, gasping deeply. Though shivering cold, she was drenched in sweat, the passing cold breeze making her feel even colder as the yin chill seeped through pores and breath. The yin qi here was so potent even her ancient bronze coins couldn’t fully suppress it. Opening her eyes, she saw the world pitch black, the sky above pure darkness without a hint of light. The Yellow Springs Other Shore Flowers by the roadside emitted a faint, soft red glow, illuminating the entire Yellow Springs Road with dim light.

Wang Cheng’an, sitting in front of her, had stood up and was curiously looking around. “Such a big wind earlier! I didn’t dare open my eyes.”

Seeing Wang Cheng’an fine, Wang Ya closed her eyes again to circulate qi through a full cycle, warming herself. From childhood, training with Grandma, she could at best gather a small qi flow—good for health, stronger strikes in fights, endurance, and now, dispelling cold and resting efficiently; one cycle equaled hours of deep sleep.

After a full cycle, expelling the yin qi from her body, Wang Ya felt much warmer. She stood, turning toward Old Tang’s group. The dim light and distance let her barely make out their silhouettes. In their direction, one figure stood holding something like a meter-long stick—Old Tang, undoubtedly. The other two sat cross-legged: Zhang Qingshui and Zheng Yanxia.

A gritted-teeth voice came from behind Wang Ya: “Wang Ya!”

Wang Ya didn’t turn. Wandering souls haunted the Yellow Springs Road, unable to reincarnate; turning back to one could trap her in eternal illusion at the roadside. Feeling stickiness on her hand, she looked: her palm was bloody from slashing it deeply on the old man’s blade in agitation, not much blood but unstopped. She used her own blood to draw a Soul Fixing Blood Talisman on her forehead, then bandaged the wound with several Band-Aids from her sling bag before turning. Twenty meters away, a seventy-ish old man sat cross-legged, panting and glaring furiously, as if he’d slap her dead if he could—though injured or yin qi invaded. Wang Ya sneered, “What? Blame me for pulling you into the Yellow Springs? You didn’t come to rob my stuff, would I drag you in? Now you blame me?”

Old Tang’s voice rang again: “Wang Ya!” He yelled angrily, “You asked us to help, and this is how you treat us?” Soaked in sweat and panting, he looked battered, holding the Tang Dao with trembling legs.

As Old Tang stood, several others rose nearby—men and women, old and young. Wang Ya counted nine besides Old Tang’s group. No Ghost Family ferocious souls or malevolent ghosts in sight, but the darkness buzzed like a disturbed hive with their fighting sounds.

The seventy-something old man who spoke earlier shakily stood, declaring loudly, “Everyone, we’re trapped in the Yellow Springs. Only by taking the Yin-Yang Scroll from Wang Ya can we hope to leave alive. At this life-or-death moment, let’s unite and overcome this crisis.”

A young man shouted, “Right! So young and ruthless already—what if she grows and avenges the Feng Family by killing us all? Didn’t you see how she treated the Ghost Family?” He yelled at Old Tang, “Old Tang, you helped her—see how this ungrateful wretch treats you? Let’s join forces, kill her, and study the Yin-Yang Scroll together for a way out.”

Zhang Qingshui opened her eyes, softly calling, “Uncle Tang!” She shook her head at him, then told the speakers, “We three wait here for clan elders to find a way to open the Yellow Springs Road and rescue us. From the start, we didn’t want to touch the Yin-Yang Scroll, and we still don’t.”

Huang Qi opened her eyes, asking, “What’s going on?”

Zhang Qingshui briefly explained to Huang Qi, then asked, “Why’d you come?”

Huang Qi said, “I saw your car followed by over a dozen others near the ring road and followed, fearing trouble.”

The seventy-something old man said, “Eldest Miss Zhang! The Zhang Family was behind the Feng Family extermination—now you claim no interest in the Yin-Yang Scroll? Who’d believe it!”

Zhang Qingshui slowly stood, saying, “Old Sun, want the Yin-Yang Scroll? Take it yourselves—why drag us in? Tonight I acted because I owed Wang Ya a favor; this was just repaying it.”

The old man’s face darkened: “So you’re siding with Wang Ya?”

Zhang Qingshui said, “Favor repaid, why help her?” She chuckled lightly, “That said, Old Sun, so aggressive—are you trying to force me to help her? Consider carefully: a Feng Family Descendant in the Yellow Springs Yin Realm is hard enough; add us three, and you have no chance.”

Old Sun snorted heavily: “If you stay neutral, we won’t trouble you.” He turned his gaze back to Wang Ya.

Wang Ya pulled the Yin Spirit Scroll from her sling canvas bag, smiling at Old Sun’s group: “You want the Yin Spirit Scroll? Before you rush to grab it, let me show you what it looks like—lest you fail to get it and feel depressed, even more so without a glimpse.”

Seeing Wang Ya take out the Yin Spirit Scroll, Zhang Qingshui’s face changed sharply, unable to suppress a low curse: “This lunatic!” As soon as she spoke, Wang Ya unfurled the Yin Spirit Scroll toward Old Sun’s group with a “whoosh,” unleashing a flood of yin spirits and undead. Wang Ya’s action was too fast; Zhang Qingshui couldn’t even shout to stop her, her face instantly paling as she yelled furiously, “Wang Ya, you’re insane!”