"H-how do… you have… it!"
Hei Qin didn't have time to explain. He quickly activated the artifact. The compass's pointer began to spin like crazy. Then the two pointers locked in the direction of Gui Ling and the Ghost General.
When Hei Qin activated the compass, the small artifact in his hand suddenly trembled. The two pointers that had locked onto Gui Ling and the Ghost General began to shine with a faint silver light.
Soon, a large phantom image of the compass appeared in the air. It was many times bigger than the one in Hei Qin's hand and was formed entirely from his qi.
The enormous compass slowly rotated above the cave like a silent judge. A heavy pressure spread across the surroundings. Thin lines of qi extended from the compass toward the two pointers, locking onto Gui Ling and the Ghost General like invisible chains.
The moment the lock was complete, a prison-like force descended upon them. The qi compass surrounded them from all directions, preventing them from escaping. No matter how they struggled, they could not easily break free from the binding force.
Soon after, the true power of the artifact began to reveal itself. The compass slowly started to absorb their qi. Streams of dark energy flowed out from their bodies and gathered at the center of the spinning pointers. The energy condensed there like a swirling pool.
Hei Qin could later extract this stored essence and refine it for his own cultivation. This was the terrifying ability of the compass—to trap its targets and slowly drain their power.
The ghoul became terrified and slowly began to shrink back into Gui Ling's neck. Gui Ling bit his teeth hard and silently groaned in pain. The ghoul probably didn't know that even if it hid inside Gui Ling's body, the compass would still extract it Qi.
Gui Ling thought,'What a cowardly and foolish ghoul.'
Even among ghost cultivators, there is more than one path. One of these paths is to choose a ghost, ghoul, or spirit and form a parasitic relationship with it, using its cultivation to strengthen one's own. However, it is very dangerous. There is always a chance that the cultivator will lose control over their mind, just like Gui Ling did during the battle. This path is called the Parasitic Branch of Ghost Cultivation.
Generally, ghost cultivators use the yin qi of ghosts to cultivate. Most of them follow this method. Even in this branch, all the third-rank disciples cultivate using this method, and Hei Qin also cultivates in the same way. This path is called the Yin Qi Refinement Branch of Ghost Cultivation. And there are many more.
Hei Qin lay on the ground, battered, and his wounds were leaking blood. His state was far worse than that of the losers of the battle, Gui Ling and the Ghost General. He used his remaining qi to close some of his wounds so he wouldn't die from blood loss.
"I still can't believe I lost to you." Gui Ling's calm words reached Hei Qin.
Hei Qin dragged his head up to look at his senior and said, "Do you think I look like a winner to you?"
"Stop your sarcasm! Kill me quickly. I don't want to die slowly like this," Gui Ling said angrily.
"Sorry, I can't do that. If I do, our master will immediately know that you are dead, and he will dispatch others to see what happened. Don't worry, I will kill you after I take care of the tracking talisman inside me." Hei Qin laughed.
"What do you mean? I thought you wanted a higher position… haha… I see… this is your plan. Brat! You want to escape from this place. No wonder you dare to defy the words of our master." Gui Ling finally came to the conclusion of why his junior had confronted him.
"That's right, Senior Brother. I am sick of this place where I have to constantly live in fear and guilt because of the people I killed. I don't want to do this… anymore," Hei Qin said.
"I know what others call people like you… do you want to know? It is hypocrite. Yes, a hypocrite. And you are the biggest hypocrite of them all." Hei Qin said vengefully, like a ghost. And he didn't stop. He continued, "You lived as a ghost cultivator. You absorb the yin qi of dead people and improve your cultivation. And formations...yeah, you are good at them, right? The same formations you used to defeat me. Where did you learn them? In this sect. The Blood Phantom Sect. A truly nefarious sect. And you are a disciple of that. Do you remember any of this?"
"What do you expect from me!? Loyalty? To the sect that destroyed my village. My family… and my friends? Do you think our master would have given me a chance to live if not for my Nether Yin Physique?"
Hei Qin completely lost his composure and began shouting the words he had buried deep inside himself for years.
"Is this all about revenge? Haha… do you think you can defeat them?" Gui Ling said.
"Revenge… that's too big a word. I don't want revenge, and I know I can't defeat even the other higher-ranked disciples without putting my life on the line like I did to defeat you. Let alone our master and the other higher-ranking members... " Hei Qin breathed heavily, then returned to his usual composure and spoke calmly. "...All I want… is to see the sky without this bloody mist."