Chapter 18: Midnight Ambush

After handing the magical artifact to Ye Qingqing, the man did not linger and soon left her room. Only Ye Qingqing remained, standing dazed with the artifact in her hand.

The artifact was dark and unassuming in appearance, yet it exuded a dense aura of spiritual energy. It was even more potent than the pair of twin bracelets Ye Manman had obtained from the secret realm.

Yet Ye Qingqing felt an eerie sensation emanating from it. Simply holding it caused her heart to race.

The artifact was shaped like a small teapot. Curious, she shook it gently, and the teapot suddenly trembled violently. Startled, Ye Qingqing dropped it immediately.

“You little girl, such bad manners,” a voice chided.

The teapot did not fall to the ground but hovered midair. A translucent figure drifted out from its spout and stretched leisurely.

“W-what are you?” Ye Qingqing asked in surprise.

The figure glanced at her disdainfully. “I am the spirit of this Curved Waist Jade Teapot and can assist you in cultivation.”

Ye Qingqing was astonished. She had heard that ancient magical artifacts might develop spirits, but this was her first time encountering one. Though she was unsure of the man’s intentions, she was willing to pay any price to become stronger.

Greed sparkled in her eyes as she grasped the teapot firmly. “From this day forward, I am your master!”

The spirit sneered coldly. “Of course, I will do my utmost to assist you, Master.”

Elsewhere, Gu Liuyun had been cultivating at home for an entire day and night, solidifying his cultivation to the late second layer of the Golden Core stage.

His recent progress had been rapid; without diligent practice, his unstable foundation could easily undermine his strength.

He slowly opened his eyes. It was already deep into the night, and a faint layer of grime coated his skin.

Each breakthrough in the Golden Core stage was akin to a spiritual cleansing, expelling impurities from the body and enhancing constitution.

“Filthy,” Gu Liuyun muttered as he rose and headed to the bathroom to wash himself clean.

Opening the refrigerator, he found it empty—food had long since been consumed.

“Well, I guess I have to go out and buy something,” he said with a helpless smile.

After changing clothes, Gu Liuyun went downstairs. Just as he was about to cross the street to the 24-hour convenience store opposite to buy some instant noodles, he suddenly sensed an unusual energy fluctuation nearby.

His vision blackened momentarily, then cleared.

The scene around him had changed. He now found himself in a dim space.

“Well, well, welcome. We’ve been waiting for you!” a sinister laugh echoed.

Suddenly, over a dozen figures emerged around him.

They were grotesque, sporting horns atop their heads, dark red skin, and wielding bizarre weapons—clearly malevolent beings.

“Evil cultivators?” Gu Liuyun frowned slightly.

Each of these sinister cultivators had strength no weaker than his own. Moreover, they were physical cultivation heretics who had enhanced their bodies with forbidden techniques, transforming into monstrous forms.

“Attack! Tear him apart!” the leader screamed, his shrill voice like that of a night owl.

At once, the others charged like wild horses toward Gu Liuyun, their speed incredible. A faint black aura swirled around them, exuding a strong corrosive scent.

“Petty tricks,” Gu Liuyun smirked disdainfully.

With a blur, he moved like a ghost, effortlessly evading their assaults.

But their numbers were overwhelming. Their attacks rained down like a violent storm, a terrifying spectacle that would send ordinary cultivators fleeing in terror.

Yet Gu Liuyun remained leisurely, sidestepping their encirclement as if watching a clumsy performance.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he murmured, shaking his head. With a mere gesture, he sent one of the heretics flying several meters.

Seeing their comrades fall back, the leader summoned the others and maintained a cautious distance, stalemating.

“What? Is this the extent of your strength, daring to trap me in a spatial illusion?” Gu Liuyun scoffed.

“Kid, don’t celebrate yet. The real show is about to begin!” the heretic leader sneered coldly.

With his eerie laughter, a black mist rose from the ground, enveloping Gu Liuyun completely.

The mist churned like a vast net, trapping him firmly. Around him, the surroundings blurred, while ghostly wails filled the air, chilling his spine.

Frowning, Gu Liuyun realized these heretics had deployed a formation.

“Heh, kid, this is our strongest formation, ‘Specter’s Shadow Kill.’ Once ensnared, even immortals can’t save you! Just wait and die!” the leader boasted maliciously, savoring the thought of Gu Liuyun’s demise.

Gu Liuyun glanced around; within the black mist, countless symbols flickered, radiating a sinister glow, pressing down on him with overwhelming force.

He tried to summon his spiritual energy, only to find the formation seemed to absorb it, leaving him unable to muster even a fraction.

“Interesting,” Gu Liuyun thought. The complexity of this formation far exceeded his expectations. In his current state, it was indeed troublesome.

No matter how he attacked, his spiritual energy dissipated like a tiny droplet lost in an ocean, unheard and unseen.

“No matter how you fight, you can’t break ‘Specter’s Shadow Kill!’ It’s all in vain! Hahaha!” the heretics mocked.

“Am I really going to be trapped here to die?” Gu Liuyun’s forehead began to glisten with fine sweat.

To be killed by a mere monster’s formation—how humiliating.

Since attacking was futile, then...

His gaze sharpened. Suddenly, he activated all his spiritual energy.

The heretics assumed he was a cornered beast, struggling in a final desperate attempt.

But in the next moment, a powerful suction burst forth from within him, drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy like a breaking dam flood.

“What is he doing?!” the leader’s eyes widened in alarm, sensing danger.

“He... he seems to be absorbing the formation’s spiritual energy!” one heretic muttered uncertainly.

As vast spiritual energy surged into him, red veins began to glow faintly on Gu Liuyun’s body, making him appear wildly demonic, like a living volcano ready to erupt.

“Break it!” Gu Liuyun roared, his spiritual energy surging violently, striking the formation’s weak points with fierce force.