Chapter 4

I originally hadn't even thought about visualizing any demons or ghosts.

But then I remembered that a few days ago, I had watched "A Nightmare on Elm Street" from beginning to end, using footage from decades ago. That's when I understood!

Liu Buyi's heart stirred, and his visualization immediately dissipated. Freddy's shadow lingered in the Qingyang Divine Lamp for a moment before dispersing.

Zhenyangzi didn't ask what ghost Liu Buyi had visualized. He simply said to Liu Buyi, "Go and practice this spell until you are familiar with it. When the enemy arrives, use the spell to implant the visualized ghost into their consciousness."

Liu Buyi responded with a "Yes," now understanding. This spell involved using the image of a ghost in one's mind, empowered by the Qingyang Divine Lamp, to penetrate the enemy's mind and cause fear and chaos. It was a very powerful and unorthodox technique!

He retreated and began to focus his mind again, visualizing Freddy. Slowly, Freddy appeared in the light before him.

At first, Freddy was somewhat stiff and motionless. But as Liu Buyi's visualization deepened, Freddy began to move in various ways.

An ordinary person, without mental training, would be unable to visualize and maintain such an image. Even if an image were placed before them, they would be unable to clearly visualize it in their mind's eye when their eyes were closed.

Only someone like Liu Buyi, who had entered the path of Daoism and practiced various Daoist rituals, which included visualization, could do this.

Moreover, with the vivid images from the movie to recall, Freddy became even more lifelike and lively.

"Enough, enough. No need to practice anymore!" Zhenyangzi was secretly amazed, not expecting Liu Buyi to have such talent and to visualize the ghost so clearly so quickly.

It seems that the Confucian method of meditation also has its unique uses!

Zhenyangzi said, "Rest for a moment. If you exhaust your mental energy through visualization, you won't be able to help when the enemy arrives!"

Liu Buyi responded with a "Yes," still feeling unsatisfied.

Zhenyangzi encouraged him a bit more and chatted casually. At that moment, Zhenyangzi's expression changed. "They're here!"

Liu Buyi was startled, but it took a full two or three minutes before he heard a faint rumbling, like thunder.

They were in the deepest part of the prison, where no sound had ever reached them. This sudden noise naturally made Liu Buyi's face change.

He didn't know how many enemies there were.

"The demons of the Qingyang Sect! Your crimes have been exposed. Don't think that hiding in this prison will save you. You dared to rebel and break into the prison, so you knew this day would come. Come out now, and we'll give you a quick death!"

The voice was loud and resonant, echoing like rolling thunder in the narrow prison.

Zhenyangzi sneered, not responding, and said to Liu Buyi, "These guys have finally come. Kill them all, and we can leave!"

Liu Buyi was worried. This was the power of the government! In any place where the government has a firm grip, there is enough military force to suppress any individual.

This is the foundation of any regime!

While he was lost in thought, Zhenyangzi opened his mouth and blew into the Qingyang Divine Lamp.

The lamp emitted a brilliant light, revealing a circle of light that clearly showed the surroundings of the haunted house. It was like a bird's-eye view or a computer-generated transparent image, allowing them to see the enemies from all directions.

In front of them, many constables, armed with bows, arrows, and swords, had already rushed into the haunted house. There were about fifty to sixty of them.

Behind them, there were even one or two hundred regular troops, with a strict formation, their arrows and crossbows aimed at the prison gate.

Strangely, in the circle of light, the outlines of these people were surrounded by a layer of light, roughly divided into white and green, with varying intensities!

Before Liu Buyi could figure out what these lights represented, Zhenyangzi pointed his finger and said, "Attack!"

He pointed at the area with the most people, and the circle of light suddenly flickered. In the dark and eerie prison, a fierce wind howled.

Countless ghosts and spirits, who had been suppressed by the prison god for years, howled out.

"Are these real ghosts that Master has collected, or are they visualized?" Liu Buyi wondered, feeling immense admiration for Zhenyangzi's skills.

He thought that even if these constables were just ordinary people, they would either die or be scared out of their wits.

However, in the circle of light, it was clear that the constables suddenly emitted a red and white glow, expanding three to five times. They swung their weapons and cut down the approaching ghosts.

Zhenyangzi smiled slightly and explained to Liu Buyi, "This prison has always been the darkest place in the world. Over the years, countless wrongfully dead spirits have died here. Originally, they were suppressed by the prison god, preventing any major chaos. Now that the prison god has been slain by me..."

Liu Buyi was impressed, realizing that Zhenyangzi had planned everything in advance, not acting rashly.

He asked, "Master, why aren't the constables affected by these ghosts?"

"These are the essence, energy, spirit, and intent cultivated by human warriors, which are no different from those of us who practice Daoism. As long as they are strong enough, they can still kill ghosts!" Zhenyangzi didn't seem anxious and even had the time to explain to Liu Buyi.

Liu Buyi watched silently and indeed saw that this was the case. He couldn't help but ask, "Master, there is a white and black light above their heads. What is that?"

Zhenyangzi praised him, "Good, you observe carefully. That is the aura of their official status. The white light is for ordinary constables, and the black light is for official constables, known as 'zao yi'!"

The terms "qing," "hong," "zao," and "bai" refer to the colors blue, red, black, and white, respectively. "Zao" means black!

As they spoke, the constables began to suffer casualties. Despite their essence, energy, spirit, and intent, the ghosts kept coming, and one of them, a half-visible hanged ghost with a long tongue, pounced on a constable from behind.

The constable's glowing aura, which had been boiling like a flame, suddenly dimmed as if doused with cold water.

He then clutched his throat, his tongue extended, gradually suffocating, his face turning purple, and he fell to the ground, unable to get up.