Embrace Of The Abyss— 6

After Xia Feng made a move it was not only the little ghostly girl that howled.

The ghosts' screams pierced the air with an eerie chilling intensity that seemed to reverberate from the depths of the underworld.

Their wails were filled with a haunting sorrow and a sense of anguish, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who dared to listen.

In the bright morning, the ghosts let out piercing screams, each one filled with an otherworldly sorrow that seemed to tear through the air.

Their cries were haunting.

It was a sound that evoked a primal fear, leaving an eerie feeling.

Xia Ling felt cold all over her body but all her prayers were unheard. The howling did not stop, instead, it seemed to increase a step further.

Cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

Despite her fear, she was hesitating whether to go and find Xia Feng. She was worried, worried that something had happened to him.

No!

She had to go find him! What if he needed her help?!

Her pure nature wouldn't allow her to sit quietly while her brother might be in danger. The soul-tearing screeching was invoking her greatest fears but with her palms still on each of her ears she ran down the living room and climbed the stairs.

She followed the ghostly howls and burst into the room where Xia Feng was.

"Gege!" Just as she yelled her face froze as she took a view of the room.

Xia Feng stood in the middle of the room with an expressionless face.

But what made her feel horrified was the 'thing' in the middle of his palm.

A bunch of white illusionary figures were crying miserably and howling in pain. As if they were facing the world's worst torture.

And the torturer Xia Feng was silently watching the spectacle.

Xia Ling felt a chill go down her spine as she locked her gaze with her brother's dull pitch black eyes, devoid of light.

All of a sudden a smile broke out on his face.

"Did you get scared?" His voice was calming but to Xia Ling, it was no different than the devil's whisper.

Yet she forced a smile and scratched her cheek ignoring the terrifying screams.

"I got worried about you gege..." Subconsciously she glanced at Xia Feng's palm but just before she could take another glance Xia Feng clenched his fist and the ghosts disappeared.

Before she could question him he reopened his fist and in the middle of his palm were four floating spirits with blank expressions.

As if emotionless dolls, as if the previous scene was just an illusion.

"Are you curious?" He asked and Xia Ling nodded hesitantly.

She couldn't help but feel sympathy for the ghosts. Weren't they just a poor family that died due to a mishap?

Did they deserve whatever Xia Feng was doing?

"Don't feel sympathy for lingering spirits. They cause nothing but harm to living beings." Xia Feng didn't explain in detail, causing Xia Ling to find it hard to accept.

"So what now?" As soon as the ghosts were captured the chill in the house had reduced considerably and Xia Ling returned to her normal demeanour.

"It's time for you to officially become a cultivator." Xia Feng smiled and motioned for her to sit down.

Xia Ling obeyed and sat cross-legged on the burnt wooden surface. The ghosts flew from Xia Feng's palm to Xia Ling and she stared at them nervously.

"Utilitise the scripture, try to control the spirit I'm about to give you." Saying this Xia Feng let the spirit of the youngest boy float over to Xia Ling.

Xia Ling curiously held the soul of the young boy.

Its blank look prompted her to question Xia Feng, "What exactly did you do gege?"

"I erased the lingering resentment. Do you think you'll be able to cultivate peacefully with souls full of grievances? I'll help you in the initial phase but you'll have to do this by yourself later on."

Knowing the thoughts of the young girl, Xia Feng shook his head, "Letting the dead move on, without causing trouble for the rest of the living. Consider it a good deed."

"Oh..."

Xia Ling closed her eyes and started using the Nine Yin Refining Method. Apparently, what she had comprehended from the technique was that lingering spirits and ghosts were just a form of Qi.

Also known as Yin Qi or Cold Qi. 

But due to the 'resentment' mentioned the Cold Qi was impure and corrupted. If her guess was correct then what Xia Feng just did was refine the Cold Qi and give her the purest form of them. 

She circulated the technique and the young boy's figure started flickering. An invisible chill started spreading in her body.

At first, it was near her stomach, then it started spreading to all her body parts. Xia Ling clenched her teeth as Xia Feng had told her before that it might be painful.

Yet fascinated by this magical world introduced to her she pushed forward.

Soon the spirit of the young boy disappeared and she felt a relaxing sensation all over her body. The cold chill was still in her body but it wasn't unpleasant anymore.

A joyful spread across her face and Xia Feng looking at her nodded in pleasant surprise.

"As expected of the Nine Yin Body. Looks like she'll only need another spirit to step into the completion of Qi Gathering."

A few strands of her hair had turned icy blue and her skin had become fairer. The loose fat on her face that made her look adorable slowly disappeared as the Qi in her body started expelling any impurities present.

This was the benefit of having a Special Physique. Body Cleansing was a phase that occurred after the completion of Qi Refining yet this young girl who knew nothing of the world could be considered an incredibly talented genius.

If not for the Heaven Refining War there would be a lot of sects willing to fight for her.

"A pity..." Xia Feng muttered before waking Xia Ling up, "How does it feel?"

"...Amazing." Xia Ling spoke in a dreamy state. Her body was full of energy and she felt like she could win the Olympics while running backwards.

Usain Bolt who?

Xia Feng knocked her head and stopped her silly thoughts. He didn't need a mind-reading technique to guess what she was thinking.

"We're not done yet." He then made the spirit of the father of the dead family float over. Xia Ling pouted but continued to refine the spirits.

What she did not express was her reluctance to use these human-shaped ghosts for her cultivation. For some reason, there was a faint sense of fear towards Xia Feng in her mind.

Xia Ling had a few guesses about his sudden change and the so-called 'Awakening' and 'Cultivating Immortality'.

But she remained silent.

After refining the next spirit Xia Ling felt a burst of energy through her. Not to mention she could now look inside of her body!

That wasn't to say she could suddenly see her internal organs or the nervous system.

But instead near her stomach was a circlish container. In that container was pure light blue colored energy calmly sitting and rolling around. 

This was Qi!