Chapter 18  : The Work of a Sacred Hand

“What are you doing?” Xiao Ran looked at them.

The two female ghosts were terrified. They struggled hard to stand up but couldn’t even lift themselves off the ground.

“This person’s abilities are at an advanced level. Quickly ask Sister Qian to come over,” one female ghost said.

The other female ghost hurriedly nodded.

The two ghosts opened their mouths at the same time and let out a peculiar cry that reverberated throughout the surroundings.

A tremendous presence approached and enveloped the room.

In an instant, the temperature dropped to freezing point. A cold ominous wind howled, and the furniture in the room shifted locations on their own. A chilling sound rang out.

Spectral aura surged as a female ghost appeared before the two fallen creatures.

She was dressed in a red bridal gown and embroidered shoes, looking rather demure.

“Young Master, do you find them too ugly and want me to accompany you?” The red-dressed female ghost smiled coyly.

Spectral force materialized and formed a bewitching charm that charged towards Xiao Ran.

Whoosh!

Golden light rippled outwards and decimated her charm.

“You have chosen the wrong prey,” Xiao Ran said.

The red-robed female ghost’s expression turned threatening. Immense spectral aura billowed outwards, forming a huge auric field that transformed the room into a spectral domain. She said icily, “I gave you a chance but you didn’t take it!”

She transformed into a red shadow and charged towards Xiao Ran.

She raised her hand which immediately turned into skeletal fingers. A terrifying spectral force swirled around her palm, then with a strong suction force, it shot towards his head in a ruthless grasp.

“Come here!” Xiao Ran struck out with his palm mercilessly.

He broke her skeletal palm, whacked it onto her head, and then slammed her body to the ground.

He stomped on her head and pressed her face down to the ground.

“Anymore ghosts?” Xiao Ran asked.

“Let go of me!” The red-robed female ghost struggled strenuously.

With a Master Realm Level 8 evolution, she couldn’t even raise a single ripple.

The two female ghosts were startled by the scene before them and fled outside.

“Where are you going?” Xiao Ran raised a finger and pointed at the fleeing figures.

Two beams of golden light shot out and caught up with the two ghosts in no time, annihilating them.

Their evolution was so low that their information did not even appear in the Golden Tome of Creation.

“Don’t kill me. I work for the Thousand-year-old Ageless Hag.” The red-robed female ghost frantically identified herself.

“Where is she?” Xiao Ran asked.

“The Matriarch will be arriving in the capital city in three days.”

“Oh,” Xiao Ran answered.

He then crushed her into fragments with his foot.

The Golden Tome of Creation appeared and revealed her individual information and the crimes she had committed.

After hanging out at the Chunfang Court for a month, she had absorbed the Yang energy of at least 200 people.

The golden pages flipped again, showing the three items, 50,000 Mastery Points, five years of martial arts evolution, and five years of soul evolution.

He added the 50,000 Mastery Points to the Phoenix Essence Sword Technique.

After the Attributes were refreshed,

Phoenix Essence Sword Technique: Minor Achievement

He was still 195 years away from breaking through to Level 2 of the Profound Realm.

The Spiritual Master Evolution had also advanced further. He could break through again in 145 years.

He left the room,

and bumped into Little Zhou and the others coming towards him in high spirits.

Their footsteps were a little feeble and they were wobbling badly.

“Brother Xiao, sorry to make you spend so much. I’ll give you a treat tomorrow night,” Little Zhou said.

“Look at all of you. You should get some tonics to nourish your bodies when you get back,” Xiao Ran said.

After making payment,

they left the Chunfang Court. He parted ways with the three of them and returned to his home in the Jingwen Square.

At dawn,

in the courtyard dwelling of the Chen Clan.

Chen Wenheng retracted his Immense Righteous Energy and frantically left the room, waking his father from his sleep.

“Father, quick, give me 20,000 taels.”

The Senior Chen glared angrily. “Get lost!”

“I’ve attained enlightenment of the Immense Righteous Energy.” Chen Wenheng unleashed his Immense Righteous Energy as proof.

Golden rays of Immense Righteous Energy emerged from the top of his head.

Golden light illuminated the whole room, and a righteous and holy aura descended upon everyone. It expelled all the negative emotions and relaxed the minds of those present.

“Y-You…”

“Quickly give me the money,” Chen Wenheng interrupted him.

“What do you need money for?”

“I don’t have time to explain. If I am delayed, it will be too late.”

“Get it yourself from the ledger.”

As soon as the Senior Chen finished speaking, Chen Wenheng dashed out.

With the twenty thousand taels in hand, he raced to the Qingyuan Bookstore anxiously.

The shopkeeper had not opened the store for business yet. He could not wait any longer and banged on the door. “Hurry up, open the door.”

A few minutes later,

the shopkeeper cursed and swore as he emerged from the interior. When he opened the door and saw that it was Chen Wenheng, his sleepiness dissipated immediately and he became clear-headed. He said with caution, “Once the goods are sold, we do not accept returns.”

“Those two paintings are still there?” Chen Wenheng asked anxiously.

“You are not here to return the painting?”

“I am here to buy paintings.”

“Oh…” The shopkeeper relaxed.

He glanced sideways. “Of course, the two paintings are still here. However, I can’t sell them to you at the same price as yesterday. It will have to be at the original price.”

“Here is twenty thousand taels of silver. Hurry up and give me the paintings.” Chen Wenheng shoved the banknotes over.

He waited until he got the painting and then left.

The shopkeeper looked at the banknotes in his hand in complete bewilderment. “Could this nerd have injured his head from studying too much?”

However, he was still worried, so he wrote a notice and stuck it on the wall, “Once goods are sold, no returns or refunds will be accepted.”

At the Dragon Lake Institute,

Chen Wenheng activated his Immense Righteous Energy and charged into the institute to look for his teacher, Wen Fuxian.

The Great Scholar of this generation had attained enlightenment of the Immense Righteous Energy and used it to evolve his skills. In the span of ten years, he had broken through to Level 3 of the Grand Master Realm.

“Teacher, I’ve attained enlightenment of the Immense Righteous Energy!” Chen Wenheng yelled as he charged into the room.

Wen Fuxian, who had the habit of drinking morning tea, was so startled by the yell that he almost choked on his tea.

He glared at him angrily and was about to reprimand him when he saw the Immense Righteous Energy swirling around his body. He stood up abruptly.

“This can’t be! With your abilities, you definitely won’t be able to attain enlightenment of the Immense Righteous Energy in this lifetime.”

“Teacher, you said a few days ago that as long as I work hard, I will be able to attain enlightenment of the Immense Righteous Energy sooner or later.”

Wen Fuxian was at a loss for words and muttered silently to himself, “I was just consoling you.”

“Tell me in detail the whole process of how you attained enlightenment of the Immense Righteous Energy.”

Chen Wenheng recounted everything that happened so far.

After hearing what he said, Wen Fuxian asked, “Where’s the painting?”

Chen Wenheng took out the two paintings from his robes. He eagerly unrolled them and looked at the sword and the sun.

With his level of mastery, he could tell with a single glance that the two paintings must have come from an incomparable Sacred Hand. His painting skills had reached the Perfection Level at the very least, perhaps even Genesis Level.

“Ten thousand taels for one painting?” Wen Fuxian asked.

“Yes.” Chen Wenheng nodded.

“Here is twenty thousand taels. These two paintings are mine now.”

“Teacher, you…”

Wen Fuxian’s expression was grave. “These paintings are extraordinary. One painting alone can help a person attain enlightenment of the Immense Righteous Energy. You have already attained enlightenment. They are useless to you now.”

Seeing that he was about to protest but held back again, Wen Fuxian consoled him, “You have made a big contribution. I’ll bring up this matter to the principal later and impart you the song of Immense Righteous Energy.”

“Thank you, Teacher.” Chen Wenheng was visibly excited.

“This matter is of great importance. We absolutely must not let the other institutes find out about it. Go to the Qingyuan Bookstore now and keep watch over it. If this kind of painting appears again, buy all of them regardless of their price. The Institute will reimburse you the money.”

“All right.” Chen Wenheng agreed.

Holding the two paintings, Wen Fuxian left the room in a hurry and rushed to the principal’s chamber.

Meanwhile, at the Celestial Dungeon,

Xiao Ran came in from outside and stood in the hall.

The atmosphere was stifling.

All the dungeon guards were here.

The lieutenant said with an icy expression, “These sects are getting more and more impudent. They have totally no respect for the Imperial Court at all. On account of their advanced level of abilities, they brazenly stir up trouble. Later on, a group of criminals will be sent here to be locked up. They are to be given one round of all the various punishments available.”