Chapter 65 – Cultivating Soul Pouch
When Liu Ming saw the protruding bones spikes on the bone ball transform into a blurry black awn, his heart shivered in fear. He performed a single hand technique and specks of green light appeared on his fingers. His other hand and wrist shook and the Tiger’s Bite Bracelet started trembling as a yellow tiger’s head subsequently manifested.
However, before he could release his attack, from behind, a whooshing sound occurred. A foot long scarlet streak of light rapidly flew forward and smashed into the bone ball.
“Hong!”
The scarlet streak exploded and morphed into a scarlet flame that engulfed the bone ball.
The bone ball’s rolling attack came to a sudden stop and it proceeded to emit a low roar of anguish. When the surrounding flame faded, it had returned to its vaguely human form.
The Bone Corpse’s body was now riddled with scars and it had clearly suffered large injuries from the previous attack.
Currently, this ghost’s green blooded flame eyes pulsated and it fiercely glared at Liu Ming. Yet, it seemed to contain a trace of fear and despite being at such a close range, did not immediately pounce on him.
Liu Ming’s gaze faintly flashed and he quickly turned his head.
He saw Jia Lan pointing a light green longbow at the Bone Corpse while hanging on the bow was a scarlet arrow arrow. Jia Lan held a cold and prepared expression while the arrow was notched; the blood wound on her shoulder had already completely healed and only a faint red line was left.
“Don’t be distracted Junior Bai. This Bone Corpse’s intelligence is quite high and unlike most Warrior Level ghosts, is extremely cunning. However, if the two of us combined forces, we should be able to fend it off for a while.” When the charming young girl saw Liu Ming distractedly looking at her, her eyebrows creased as she warned him.
“Contend with it for a while?! Does Senior not plan on taming such a powerful ghost?” After hearing her reminder, Liu Ming returned his attention to the Bone Corpse, but was somewhat baffled.
“Although this naturally intelligent ghost that was transformed from a human is extremely ferocious, it is substantially different from other innate Miasma ghosts. Relying on the Spirit Communication Technique to intimidate and subdue it is impossible unless one’s strength largely surpasses it. Otherwise, it may temporarily be tamed, but it can someday retaliate and devour you. Many masters in our sect have perished this way. Thus, I definitely do not plan on subduing this ghost.” Jia Lan lightly replied after listening to Liu Ming’s question.
“I understand now. Then our only option is to thoroughly slaughter it.” When Liu Ming heard Jia Lan’s comment, he sighed in pity before replying.
“Slaughter it?” Even with Jia Lan’s naturally calm demeanor, after listening to this, she couldn’t help but be startled.
The opposing Bone Corpse seemed to understand Liu Ming’s words and after listening to the conversation, the blood flame in its eyes suddenly flourished in anger. Its two hands moved and subsequently pulled two black protruding bones from its body. An instant later, the bones turned into two bone lances and the ghost took a large stride forward before rushing at Liu Ming and Jia Lan.
The delicate young girl’s pupils contracted, her hand loosened and the scarlet tip on the longbow fiercely shot out.
“Hong!”
Amidst the surging flame, the large body of the Bone Corpse which had already charged quite close was repelled a few feet.
However, this ghost had been thoroughly provoked and was emitting a vicious expression. Despite the added wounds on its body, it didn’t even pause before it threw the two bone lances in its hands and charged forward again.
“Sou, sou”! Liu Ming performed two one handed techniques and two wind blades instantly shot out. The wind blades skimmed the edges of the bone lances and whizzed by them. However, that was enough to deflect the lances away from Liu Ming.
Behind him, Jia Lan’s face darkened and her two hands moved. The longbow impressively shot another scarlet streak.
Another loud sound rang, but this time, the Bone Corpse slightly shook. It unexpectedly withstood the might of the flame and continued to charge forward.
Liu Ming’s vision congealed and he saw that a large unknown bone plate had appeared before the Bone Ghost’s body. The ghost was holding the plate in front of its body like a shield as it charged forward. Within a few steps, it had already arrived in front of Liu Ming and with it came a fishy smell.
“Junior, quickly retreat!” Jia Lan saw this scene and her face darkened. She yelled in a low voice as her sleeves shook and the longbow in her hands disappeared. A light silver Glyph replaced it and started to vitalize.
However, what instantly made her startled was that Liu Ming had seemed to not hear her. He continued to stand in his original position without the intention of dodging. Instead, he raised his arm and the Tiger’s Bite Bracelet produced an image of a tiger head roaring. A vast white sound wave then blitzed toward the Bone Corpse’s head.
The Bone Corpse merely tilted its head and dodged the Tiger’s Bite Bracelet’s attack. The blood flame in its eyes jumped and its two large hands attempted to grab Liu Ming.
With the ghost’s malevolent protruding bones all over its body, even if a Spirit Master were hugged, he or she would perish.
The delicate young girl’s face underwent a genuinely drastic change. Despite her thoughts of saving him, there was not enough time.
“Pu, pu!”
Two large claws suddenly flew out from the sand under the Bone Corpse and in a flash, they clamped down on the Bone Corpses two bony white ankles. Although they did not separate the Bone Corpse’s feet from its body, the Bone Corpse’s charge came to a screeching stop and it nearly tumbled and fell.
This ghost was greatly alarmed and immediately grabbed a black protruding bone from his chest. It then immediately lunged at one of the large black claws.
However, a “Pu” sound suddenly rang through the air.
A black streak shot up from the sand and in a flash, it pierced the Bone Corpse’s bony arm like lightning. It made the ghost shake and the bone lance fell powerlessly to the ground. Simultaneously, a black ink-like solution rapidly spread throughout its bony body.
Astoundingly, the black streak was a fierce-looking black hooked tail.
The Bone Corpse immediately felt a powerless feeling spread from its arm. Flustered, its remaining arm furiously clawed at that hooked tail.
However, the hooked tail was abnormally tenacious and despite the Bone Corpse’s sharp claws, only an insipid white scar materialized.
At the same time, Liu Ming muttered to himself, put his two hands together and then slowly drew them apart; a half foot enormous wind blade instantly manifested.
“Go.”
Liu Ming let out a low shout and both his wrists shook. The enormous wind blade transformed into a green light as it shot right through the Bone Corpse.
“Peng!”
The originally struggling Bone Corpse suddenly froze. Ensuing, its upper body lightly swayed and then separated from the waist and fell to the ground.
Liu Ming let out a light breath of air and his face exposed a smile.
However, concurrently, a “hong” sound echoed through the air.
The upper half of the Bones Corpse had exploded and a couple dozen black protruding bones immediately morphed into a dense black net of spikes that rapidly shot at Liu Ming and Jia Lan.
At such a close distance, even if Liu Ming wanted to, he was unable to put up any defenses. His mood darkened and he could only rapidly move his arms in front of his body.
However, at this time, a smothered sound emanated and broad layer of white light abruptly appeared in front of his body.
When the black bones smashed into this light shield, a muffled sound like rain falling on bamboo was transmitted through the air. Afterward, these vicious spikes helplessly fell onto the ground.
Liu Ming was slightly startled before turning around.
He saw that Jia Lan’s hands were holding a silver Glyph that was exuding a white halo of light while she was softly mumbling a phrase.
When Jia Lan saw Liu Ming looking at her, her incantation stopped and she said while faintly smiling, “These Bone Corpses are extremely fierce and once they perish, their body will self detonate and attempt to take the opponent down with it. It seems that Junior Bai is not too familiar with this.”
“Thank you Senior Apprentice for your help. I truly did not know about this.” Liu Ming breathed in a deep breath before bitterly laughing.
“I heard this from my master, otherwise I would not know about this. However, Junior’s strength completely surpassed my expectations. With your own strength, you were unexpectedly able to almost execute a Warrior Level ghost. One more thing, was this White Bone Scorpion tamed by Junior Apprentice?” Jia Lan stored her Glyph and spoke. Her eyes then fell to the White Bone Scorpion who was gnawing on the Bone Corpse’s remains near Liu Ming.
“My strength is nothing. If not for Senior’s help just now, I’m afraid that I really would have been taken down with that ghost. This White Bone Scorpion really was tamed by me during a stroke of luck. However, how did Senior provoke this Bone Corpse? Were you not traveling with Martial Aunt Bing?” Liu Ming asked back.
“When teacher entered this area, she got caught up in an external affair and had to leave me for a bit. As for this Bone Corpse, I unintentionally bumped into it and it ended up incessantly chasing me. Another thing, I also gathered one of our sect’s disciple’s name plates near the Bone Corpse. This Bone Corpse could very well be one of our sect’s seniors who perished in this area.” Jia Lan spoke before lifting her hand and tossing a jade plate at Liu Ming.
After catching it, Liu Ming carefully looked at it. It really was a special Barbarian Ghost Sect’s nameplate. He couldn’t help but let out a light sigh and threw it back at the pretty young girl. He then said, “The Ghost Hell Region’s human shaped ghosts are extremely few so this must be the case. If we were to perish here, we would presumably also end up like this. This area is exceptionally dangerous so I will be preparing to return to the base. What does Senior plan on doing?” Liu Ming calmly asked while looked at the remains of the fallen Bone Corpse.
“I still have some other business so I will stay here for another two days. Thus I will not return with Junior. One last thing, I was saved this time by Junior Bai so I have a present for you. Treat it as a gift for saving my life.” The pretty girl slowly said. Her eyes then flashed and she suddenly grabbed a black leather bag from her waist. She proceeded to throw it at Liu Ming.
“This… this is a Cultivating Soul Bag!” Liu Ming was stumped after he caught the bag. He promptly felt the cold feeling on his fingers and involuntarily cried out.
“That’s right. With this item, Junior Bai should be able to keep the White Bone Scorpion alongside him for a long period of time. Moreover, you do not have to worry about a lack of Miasma and have the scorpion’s strength slowly deteriorate.” The pretty young girl faintly smiled as she talked.
“This Cultivation Soul Pouch’s value is similar to that of Totems; each one of them costs over ten thousand Spirit Stones and are quite expensive. Junior cannot afford the cost.” After hearing her talk, a peal of glee lit up Liu Ming’s face but he couldn’t help but bitterly laughing as he said this.
“If the item were even more expensive, how could its value compare to my life? Moreover, I still have another one of these items. From what I have seen, Junior is not an effeminate person, so why are you talking like this?” Jia Lan said indifferently. Afterward, she fished out another leather bag which was even more refined than the one that Liu Ming had in his hands.