The Judge's initial arrogance followed by humble behavior was because he clearly understood the current situation.
After all, the strategic terrain originally crafted by their side was now entirely in the opponent's hands.
This wasn't just shooting oneself in the foot but rather putting on the very shackles one forged.
Who could have thought the opponent would understand their ancestral system better than they did?
Therefore, this battle was simply impossible to fight.
However, Li Zhiyuan had no intention of talking.
If it weren't for the protection under the Peach Forest, the opponent would have entered Nantong long ago.
Even so, it can't change the fact that they're blocked at their doorstep.
This account must be settled.
In the eyes of ordinary people, Liu Yumei's reactions might be seen as somewhat excessive at times, but Liu Yumei truly understood Jianghu. She knew all too well that if you didn't respond thunderously to provocations, you would face endless troubles.
The young man did not like trouble.
Except for Run Sheng, who stayed sheltered in front of Li Zhiyuan, everyone else lunged towards the nearest General.
The presiding Judge again threw a command token upwards, shouting, "Rise for me!"
The four Generals and eight Officers below once more exerted themselves collectively, trying to stand up.
Li Zhiyuan's gaze fell on the palm of his right hand, with a mist of blood swirling rapidly into the array flag, saying in a low voice:
"Suppress!"
"Buzz!"
The efforts of the four Generals and eight Officers once again ended in failure, and they all sat back in their chairs.
They were soul bodies; this miasma was meant to suppress such beings, while its effect on people from the mortal world was comparatively weaker.
Of course, the premise was that one shouldn't be so frightened by the sight of this setup that their legs go soft, causing them to kneel immediately.
Zhao Yi approached a Ghost General, who, compared to a Ghost Officer, had an additional cloak atop his armor, a command flag at the chair's armrest, and a treasure sword hanging behind.
At this moment, the Ghost General's body was still trembling violently, indicating he was continuing to resist the miasma intensely.
Zhao Yi flicked his sleeve, causing an ancient silver mirror to drop into his palm, his right hand forming a seal, his left holding the mirror.
First, he used a skill to break the barrier in front of the Ghost General, then pressed the silver mirror to the opponent's forehead.
"Yin and Yang, Wuxing, Mountain Ghost paves the way, break the array and emerge, life and death offer no fortune."
The silver mirror began to rotate and gradually projected a sheen.
This sheen emanated from within the Ghost General.
"Mountain Ghost Paves the Way Technique" is not a rare skill, widely spread in Jianghu. As the name implies, it fundamentally involves "exchanging goods for goods," seeking assistance from local mountain ghosts or spirit monsters for use when one is lost or set up. It can also be seen as paying protection fees.
But ordinary skills can lead to novel outcomes in different hands. That silver mirror, being a significant artifact, could amplify and magnify, and Zhao Yi used it as a conduit to extract the Ghost General's original Soul Power, effectively "bleeding" the Ghost General.
Thick ghost energy surged out, refined by the Ghost General himself, yielding high-quality ghost energy distinct from ordinary varieties.
From a diagonal ahead, the White Crane True Monarch, targeting a Ghost Officer, reflexively took a deep breath, looking enraptured.
The White Crane Child's former self was a Ghost King, and even after becoming a Yin God and transitioning to the True Monarch System, it retained its independent nature.
The child needed such pure Soul Power; it was a significant supplement.
But at the moment, everyone was busy fending off opponents, so naturally, the child couldn't simply go and feast.
Moreover, most techniques were generally straightforward and crude; achieving a successful "coconut-opening" was challenging enough, and only Zhao Yi could pierce a hole and insert a straw to draw out the coconut water.
Zhao Yi noticed this, tore open his clothes, revealing a peach blossom on his chest, which absorbed the emanating pure ghost energy.
The conspicuous peach blossom started to deepen in color, as did Zhao Yi's complexion.
He couldn't consume this ghost energy himself; accumulating it only increased his burden.
But for Lin Shuyou's sake, he chose to do this.
The Ghost General watched in disbelief at the blatant "takeout" attitude of his opponent, so angry that his facial flesh almost adhered together.
"Are you willing to fight me fairly?"
A dignified Ghost General, with a notable status in the Underworld, usually had the privilege of skinning and boiling other ghosts at will; who would have thought it would become a piece of meat on the chopping block?
Zhao Yi laughed and said, "You say that as if you intended for a fair fight from the start; it seems you lacked principles when living, and as a ghost, you're no better."
After the mockery, Zhao Yi rubbed his fingers, silently recited words, then placed both hands behind the Ghost General's head, pressing down with all ten fingers!
The light on the silver mirror grew more intense, the Ghost General voiced his agony, and his Soul Power spilled out even more rapidly.
The true bodies of the four Generals and eight Officers weren't present; they channeled their Soul Power through discovered bones as supports.
Theoretically, they could be defeated, and the broken bones might result in the remaining soul bodies simply returning, the cost being nothing more than severe damage to the true bodies.
However, Zhao Yi's "draining" method almost deprived the Ghost General of a chance to retreat. If all soul power projected this time were lost, the true bodies wouldn't just incur severe damage but degrade.
From a Ghost General back to an ordinary wandering ghost. Though "not dead," it was more unbearable than killing them.
The Ghost General realized the severity of the situation, caring no longer about maintaining his dignity, he spoke hurriedly:
