Chapter 287 A demon knocks on the door, forcing a desperate situation, Li Xian saves the day, and the second turbid robe!

Ghosts... mysterious and eerie.

When Nangong Liuli saw the ghost knocking at the door, her hair stood on end. She remembered that her third uncle had died at the hands of a ghost for some reason. After his death, he left behind a "Ghost Record," which recorded information related to the "River Styx" and "ghosts," involving a great deal of information. It had been classified as a secret of the Nangong family and was considered a family secret.

The Records of Ghosts states that common ghosts include "Chang Ghosts," "Corpse Ghosts," and "Child Ghosts," etc. These ghosts possess physical forms. Chang Ghosts are transformed from tigers that have been swallowed alive; they are quite lowly and not particularly frightening. "Corpse Ghosts" and "Child Ghosts," though slightly different, are similar. Both have the character "ghost" in their names, but strictly speaking, they belong to the category of "monsters."

Even more powerful ghosts, their origins and causes shrouded in mystery, remained unknown to Nangong Liuli. According to the "Ghost Records," even as the legitimate daughter, she had no right to observe. A sense of dread crept in as she heard the knocking on the door grow louder. She felt a surge of bad luck, everything going wrong, even ghosts were coming to her door.

She hurriedly devised a plan to deal with the situation. Although she was learned in her family, she had little knowledge of ghosts and monsters, and had no knowledge of the nature of ordinary people. However, she happened to know a little bit about it. At this moment, she suppressed her fear and used her light footwork to land among the canopy of fruit trees.

She plucked seven leaves, bit her index finger, and traced talismanic patterns on them. She didn't understand the meaning of the patterns, but vaguely remembered they were related to ghosts. After finishing the patterns, she tossed the leaves away, nailing them to seven spots on the vermilion gate.

The knocking stopped abruptly, but then resumed, each knock causing a leaf to fall. Nangong Liuli frowned, racking her brains for another plan.

In the face of imminent danger, she didn't care whether it was real or not. She tried every possible method to deal with the evil spirit, but with little effect. As she pondered another opportunity, she suddenly noticed that the mansion was peaceful.

Nangong Liuli thought, "Could they be gone?" She relaxed slightly, gazing at the sky. The dark fog seemed to be dissipating, and the silver moon was gradually appearing. Nangong Liuli patted her chest lightly; though she didn't understand what had happened, she felt relieved. Coming to her senses, she realized her clothes were completely soaked.

Nangong Liuli was suddenly terrified. She noticed that although the dark fog had dissipated, the center of the full moon was tinged with crimson. The silvery-white moonlight, tinged with red, spilled onto the roof tiles. It was utterly still, utterly eerie.

Although the vermilion gate remained tightly closed, the door-worshipping ghost had already entered the courtyard. Sweat dripped down Nangong Liuli's face, soaking her clothes at the chest. She quickly hid in the hall, closed the door, and bolted it shut.

Although her martial arts skills were considerable, she was currently unable to use them at all. The attack was sudden and caught her completely off guard. She waited anxiously for a moment, and sure enough, a strange noise came from the hall door.

This time she heard it more clearly, separated only by a door. The chilling air made her feel cold all over. She was usually quite calm, but the misfortunes and dangers she encountered were beyond her ability to withstand.

She couldn't help but feel resentful and inexplicably wronged. Why did all these dangers seem to be directed at her? Of all the countless houses on Qingniu Street, why did she choose Qingniu Residence?

Suddenly, it occurred to him: "That's it... I've heard Hua Wucuo mention it before. Qingniu Residence has been abandoned for several years. Could it be because of this? Oh dear... cheap things really shouldn't be bought."

As the knocking subsided, the door-worshipping ghost stopped its actions, and the hall returned to silence. Nangong Liuli knew the ghost was about to enter the hall. She mustered her courage and noticed some unfinished tea. She squeezed out her blood essence, soaked it in the tea, and stained it red. Using the tea as a guide, she traced a magic array on the floor.

This is the "All Purities Cleanse the Turbid." Blood is used as a catalyst because in the Nangong family's tradition, blood is the bridge connecting the heavens and the netherworld. Adding blood may have wondrous effects.

She stood quietly by the array, waiting for the ghost to break through and step inside. She would observe its effect upon touching the array. If the effect was significant, she could then observe it further and gradually work her way up.

Suddenly, I felt a cold wind blowing.

Nangong Liuli was momentarily stunned, and subconsciously turned her head to look elsewhere. She saw the gauze curtains by the window swaying without wind, and in the interplay of shadow and moonlight, stood a ghostly figure. It was blurry and eerie, its reality indistinguishable from the real, and the feeling it evoked was extremely strange.

In her haste, she had mistakenly judged the ghost by common sense. Since the ghost was an intangible entity, why would it need to break down a door to enter?

Nangong Liuli painstakingly set up a blood array inside the gate. But it was all in vain. Sighing and annoyed, she picked up a teacup and threw it at the gate-worshipping ghost. This move, a hidden technique of the Nangong family, seemed like a desperate act, but it was actually a test.

With a "bang"...

The teacup ripped open the curtains and crashed into the nearby bookshelf. This bookshelf, carved from mahogany, was sturdy and thick; even a sharp knife could hardly leave a scratch. The moment the teacup hit it, the bookshelf shook violently, then collapsed completely with a loud crack.

Nangong Liuli snapped back to reality, her gaze sharpening as she observed the ghost intently. The ghost seemed to have been elsewhere, yet upon closer reflection, it was clearly there again. After a moment's thought, she felt even more terrified.

The ghost's appearance didn't seem like a phantom. Rather, it was a vague outline pieced together from what she could see in a blurry way. It was like "the grass appears green from afar but disappears up close"—the same object appeared and felt differently depending on the angle, direction, and distance.

It's more like... a painter with exquisite skills, whose paintings originally depict scenery, but through special arrangement, make the grass, trees, rivers, rocks... in the scenery appear to resemble people.

This ghost had no tangible form. The figures Nangong Liuli saw were all illusions; all she could see were curtains, tables, chairs, tea sets, and other furniture, but pieced together, they vaguely resembled a human figure standing there. This was even more terrifying. If it possessed tangible form, even if it was illusory and ethereal, its location and movements would be known... though untouchable, it would still be visible.

Nangong Liuli looked away again. She saw a lamppost. The lamppost was pitch black, vaguely resembling the body of a ghost, while the milky white candlelight vaguely resembled the face of a ghost. The surrounding seats, decorations, light and shadow... adding a tile here, a brick there, together they formed a ghostly shadow.

Normally, Nangong Liuli would see the surrounding furnishings a thousand times over and never discern a single ghostly trace. But now, they were crystal clear. She had glimpsed the pattern, and felt an overwhelming sense of despair. How could she possibly resist or withstand it?

Should she be ordered to charge and fight the lampposts, to battle the candles? Even if she wreaked havoc, she wouldn't be able to harm the ghost in the slightest. She thought, "Could real ghosts be even more terrifying, formless and intangible..."

She gritted her teeth and fled through the back door. Reaching the inner courtyard, she attempted to escape using her light-footed skills. But just as she gathered her strength and before she could leap, she saw a ghostly figure standing on the wall. In reality, it wasn't a ghostly figure; this creature lacked a tangible form, but rather a ghostly silhouette pieced together from the surrounding scenery in her vision.

Overwhelmed with fear, she turned and hid in the west wing. She slammed the door shut, her hands and feet trembling slightly. A moment later, the "thump-thump" sound rang out again. The ghost had reached the door.

At this point, Nangong Liuli had nowhere to go. The Green Ox Residence had been taken over by this ghost, which was encroaching and pressing in from the outer courtyard, the hall, and the inner courtyard… Nangong Liuli's gaze was fixed intently on the door.

The knocking on the door continued.

When things calmed down, Nangong Liuli looked around and once again saw the ghostly figure in her surroundings: this time, the ghost stood beside the bed, its silhouette formed by the gauze curtains, moonlight, and the dressing table. Nangong Liuli's mind went completely blank, her palms sweated, and she felt utterly powerless and defeated.

She was utterly helpless against this ghostly creature that was claiming her life. Suddenly, with a loud bang, the door was kicked open. The door shattered into pieces with a crack, broken apart by the internal energy.

The silver moon in the sky had turned completely red, exuding an eerie and sinister aura. The red light fell on Li Xian's left cheek, making his face appear even more menacing.

Li Xian shouted, "Get out!" His voice was extremely menacing, and the red mole between his brows flashed with a red light. His face was flawless, exuding an indescribable solemnity and majesty.

Li Xian shouted again, "Get out of here!" His voice shook the room. His authority was indescribable. The atmosphere in the room gradually changed, and the chilling, pressing feeling seemed to recede. It seemed that after a few more moments of hesitation, it would recede like the tide.

Nangong Liuli looked around the house; the ghost was gone. Overjoyed, she couldn't help but wonder. Could shouting really scare away a ghost? This ghost, without even a shadow, was afraid of being scolded or beaten by the living?

In her shock and fear, Nangong Liuli had no time to pay attention to anything else, and also because Li Xian did not want to show his eyes, so he did not notice the unusual double pupil phenomenon. She was suddenly out of danger, but her delicate body was tense and she remained sitting still.

Li Xian went over to help her up and comforted her, "Sister Liuli, are you alright?" Nangong Liuli replied gratefully, "No... I'm fine." Feeling Li Xian's approach, she felt incredibly at ease. Her beautiful eyes sparkled, and she stroked his cheek, saying, "Good little brother, how come I didn't know you were so incredibly brave?"

Li Xian laughed and said, "Didn't you already know about my Divine Martial Arts?" Nangong Liuli's pretty face flushed slightly. Knowing what Li Xian was referring to, she patted Li Xian's chest lightly and said, "You're so glib. I'm not talking about that kind of Divine Martial Arts. Ugh... I can't explain it to you, you silly little brother. Even at a time like this, you're still thinking nonsense."

Li Xian said, "Today was truly strange. Did that evil spirit harm you?" Nangong Liuli shook her head and said, "If you had arrived even a fraction later, I would have been in danger."

She added, "This house is eerie."

Li Xian said, "It's my fault... I had heard about ghosts before, but I didn't pay much attention. I was living there just fine before, but suddenly it started to haunt us, and it came on so suddenly."

Nangong Liuli said, "There's nothing we can do about it. We're new here and have very little money, so... so we can only afford to rent this haunted house." Thinking back to the eerie scene just now, she leaned closer to Li Xian and added:

"You little rascal, you're not being honest at all! Tell me the truth, why does that ghost obey your commands? You tell it to get lost, and it actually leaves?"

Li Xian laughed and said, "What's so great about this little ghost? Is it so hard to make it get lost?"

Nangong Liuli exclaimed in fear, "You...you're so arrogant. This thing is formless and invisible, you can't hit it or touch it, why should it be afraid of you?"

Li Xian said, "Formless and shapeless?" He then saw that as he rushed into the room, the ghostly figure jumped in fright and cowered in a corner. Seeing that it wasn't very powerful, he shouted loudly and slunk away.

turn out to be……

The ghost was not formless or shapeless; Nangong Liuli's eyes were blinded by the ghost, so she had no way to deal with it. The ghost dared not obscure Li Xian's double pupils, and thus naturally revealed its true form.

Ghosts do exist. Their origins are a mystery, and cannot be simply attributed to their transformation after death. Li Xian was too lazy to think about it further. Seeing that the courtyard had returned to peace after the ghosts were driven away, he decided to patrol the houses as a precaution to see if any ghosts remained.

Terrified by the ghost, Nangong Liuli dared not leave Li Xian's side for even a moment. The two left the room hand in hand and began to search the west wing. Nangong Liuli gripped Li Xian's hand tightly, still shaken. Amidst the heart-stopping experience, she felt extremely safe thinking of Li Xian, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Nangong Liuli said, "You little thief, there's something strange about our house. If we have the chance in the future, we must find out what's wrong and prevent the ghosts from coming back."

Li Xian said, "Sister Liuli, you are very knowledgeable. Have you ever seen these things before?" Nangong Liuli glared at her and said, "If I had seen them before, would I have been scared half to death?"

Li Xian teased, "I never expected Nangong Liuli, the eldest daughter of a powerful family, to be so afraid of ghosts. Wouldn't Bian Qiaoqiao laugh at you if she saw this?"

Nangong Liuli said, "You naughty little thief, you're already making fun of me now. Do you need to wait for Bian Mei to laugh at me?"

The two patrolled the area and saw that the dark clouds had dispersed. Everything had returned to normal; the ghosts had vanished, the doors were all tightly closed, and there were no external enemies lurking. They returned to the open-air hall and sat down hand in hand.

Nangong Liuli sighed, "I wonder how Bian Mei is doing. Did she die in the belly of a fish, or did she escape to safety?"

Li Xian said, "We should be able to escape." Nangong Liuli was slightly pleased upon hearing this and said, "How can you be so sure? Are you just trying to make me happy?"

Li Xian said, "Why would I lie to you? When you two were hanging in the cell, I was practicing martial arts on the deck. We came across a few fishing boats, which were full of fish."

"At that time, Ye Cheng ordered me to call the fishermen to the boat and buy their catch. If the fishermen had fruits, vegetables, or other food, even dried cakes and pickled vegetables, I would buy them at a high price. After all... everyone had been eating fish for several days. Their mouths were full of fishy smell, so they were naturally very happy to have other food."

"Once the fishermen boarded the boat, I would go and chat with them. Dongran Lake is a vast area, but it is also plagued by water bandits. However, it is extremely rich in fish, shrimp and crabs, and it is a treasure land on which countless fishermen depend for their livelihood."

"There are many fishermen fishing in the lake area we are passing through. If you, Bian Mei, escape by diving into the lake, you can get on the fishermen's boats and escape without any problem. These fishermen are good swimmers and know some clever ways to tell directions."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Liuli thought to herself, "I already knew that my younger brother was meticulous, but I didn't expect him to be so thorough."

Nangong Liuli said, "Now that you say that, I feel relieved." Li Xian said, "If I weren't afraid of water, I would have run away myself. I can't let you two have such a good opportunity."

Nangong Liuli's eyes widened, slightly annoyed, but she pretended to be pitiful and said, "Fine! You're going to run away, but are you willing to leave behind this poor woman like me?"

Li Xian said, "I was willing to give before, but I'm not now. Good sister... am I good to you?" Nangong Liuli's pretty face flushed slightly, and she cursed this boy inwardly. She found it hard to resist such sweet words. Her beautiful eyes flickered, and she leaned her head to lean closer, saying, "Not bad."

She retorted angrily, "But who knows if you'll change? I'm trapped here; there's no way I can escape."

Li Xian said, "Envious of Bian Mei? Why didn't you run away back then?" Nangong Liuli said, "To say I envy... of course I envy. As for not envying, well..." Her cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes glanced downwards, and she quickly changed the subject, saying:

“I didn’t run away back then…it was because I was forced by circumstances. You taught me the method to break free from the suspension. I know it, but Sister Bian doesn’t. So I had to help her break free, otherwise we would both be hanging in the air, looking very pathetic, and being shaken so much that we would be dizzy and disoriented. How could we possibly escape?”

Li Xian said, "That makes a lot of sense. But if Sister Liuli wants to solve this, it shouldn't be too difficult. You still gave Sister Bian the chance to escape."

“This girl is extremely reckless, only running eastward. I saw her running around like this, and once Ye Cheng paid a little attention, I immediately captured her. Then you two sisters will be staring at each other in confusion again. So I chased after her and forced her out of the cabin.”

"At that moment, if she had no backbone, she would have been in dire straits. I admire her for actually daring to jump into the lake."

Nangong Liuli said, "Oh! Bian Mei, she's always been reckless. I used my palm to convey my meaning, but she probably didn't grasp the essence. But I can't blame her. The situation was urgent, and using my palm to convey my meaning was ultimately just wishful thinking on my part. Expecting her to understand it would be asking too much of her."

Li Xian laughed and said, "So, dear sister, who should you thank?" Nangong Liuli's beautiful eyes sparkled with gratitude. She was truly grateful for her situation at the time, and how fortunate she was to have met Li Xian. It was truly a case of good fortune and misfortune going hand in hand. However, she scolded him, "I know, thank you, you little rascal, you naughty brother."

Her red lips lightly touched the ground, her cheeks flushed. Her appearance was captivating, exuding charm and allure. As a noblewoman from a powerful family, her innate elegance only added to her allure.

Nangong Liuli said worriedly, "But... Sister Bian is straightforward. Although you meant well, she doesn't know it and may be holding a grudge against you right now."

Li Xian said sarcastically, "That's alright, Sister Liuli can make it up to me." Then she said seriously, "It doesn't matter if she hates me or is angry with me, I don't care."

Nangong Liuli said, "You're quite dashing." Her beautiful eyes sparkled. This carefree spirit gradually attracted him.

Nangong Liuli said, "That's right... You said you're afraid of water, and your strength was quite good during the Grand Gathering. Can you raise your turbid clothes?"

Li Xian said, "Get up," looking quite pleased with himself. Nangong Liuli asked, "What kind of filthy clothes are you wearing?"

Li Xian thought to himself, "The matter of the turbid clothes is not a mystery at all. There's no harm in telling you." So he said, "Take a guess."

Nangong Liuli said, "I don't care to guess. That little thief is a peasant; he's probably wearing tattered clothes." With that, she got up and left. After a short while, she returned, sat back down beside Li Xian, and said angrily, "Fine! Why aren't you taking my provocation?"

Li Xian laughed and said, "You always use the same trick. It's hard for me to be provoked by you."

Nangong Liuli said, "It's all Bian Mei's fault. Usually, if I provoke her even slightly, she spills everything. But now, I'm at a loss when dealing with a little rascal like you. Please tell me quickly, I'm begging you."

Li Xian said, "It's fine to talk about it, but you need to agree to my conditions." Nangong Liuli said, "We've already agreed on three conditions, what other conditions do you need?"

Li Xian said, "No matter, just agree." Nangong Liuli sighed, "Fine... I've stumbled into a den of thieves. Just tell me quickly, and I'll do whatever you say."

Li Xianchao swung his sword in the air, and a sudden rustling sound rang out from his sleeves. The pure Qi robe, concealed within the turbid Qi robe, was extremely rare and hard to find. Nangong Liuli's beautiful eyes narrowed, noticing something amiss, and she said, "Ah...this...this...do it again, I didn't see it clearly."

Li Xian shook his head and smiled. After spending a long time with Li Xian, Nangong Liuli also knew his temperament; he always liked to play tricks. She pleaded, "Good brother, I'll do whatever you want, but if you keep hiding things from me like this, I won't talk to you anymore."

Li Xian said, "Alright." A slight tremor ran through the Hidden Qi Robe. A faint, surging force emanated from it. Nangong Liuli reached out and touched it, feeling a texture that was both tangible and intangible brush against her skin—this was the "Pure Qi Robe"!

Nangong Liuli was both surprised and delighted: "Good brother, good brother, you are a Pure Qi Robe? You are also a Pure Qi Robe?"

Li Xian coughed twice and said, "Who are you looking down on?" Nangong Liuli said, "Sister misspoke. You...you're very good. This talent is extremely rare!"

Li Xian said, "It's just a characteristic, what does it matter? We martial arts apprentices have no end to our pursuit, a long and arduous journey."

Nangong Liuli said happily, "You little brat, you've really gotten away with it. You're lucky; you've already gotten the biggest advantage of the second level of martial arts."

The four characteristics of the two realms of martial arts are: ethereal celestial music, three flowers gathered at the top of the head, turbid robes covering the body, and hair rooted to the ground. The phrase "turbid robes covering the body" stands out as unique in each instance.

Li Xian said, "Aren't there also the Golden Jade Robe, the Eternal Dragon Robe, the Myriad Flower Heavenly Robe, and the Mustard Void Demon Robe? What is mine compared to that?"

Nangong Liuli said, "You... are never satisfied. In terms of its wonders, the Golden Jade Robe may not be able to compare with the Pure Qi Robe. The Pure Qi Robe can be hidden within the Qi Robe, but the Golden Jade Robe cannot."

"Furthermore, if you practice the 'Primordial Qi Cultivation Technique,' concealing your inner Qi within your clothing, combining the characteristics of martial arts with those of martial arts philosophy, you will become extremely powerful!"

Li Xian casually asked, "Good sister, do you have the Hunyuan Gangqi Gong?"

Nangong Liuli said regretfully, "I haven't learned it yet, otherwise I could teach you." Li Xian asked, "Do you have any martial arts techniques you can pass on?"

Nangong Liuli sighed inwardly, suddenly realizing that Li Xian was a "money-grubbing" scourge, eyeing her entire fortune. She tried to coax him with sweet words, but knowing she couldn't easily pass on her family's martial arts techniques, she couldn't help but...reluctantly refuse Li Xian.

Nangong Liuli said, "I do know one or two martial arts techniques that are extremely suitable for the Pure Qi Armor. But... let me examine you first."

Li Xian said, "Huh? My character doesn't need to be examined." Nangong Liuli chuckled, finding it amusing that Li Xian was so certain of his excellent character, and said, "Your character is very good?"

Li Xian said, "Of course, it's excellent." Nangong Liuli wrinkled her nose and said, "Neither gentleman nor demon. To associate with thieves, what a load of rubbish."

Li Xian laughed and said, "Alright... so that's how you see me. Then let me show you what this flower thief is capable of."

Li Xianfang obtained the "Remnant Demon Diagram" and had a bet with Yan Hao. His immediate priority was to carefully study the diagram's mysteries. Nangong Liuli's suggestion that it aligned with martial arts principles pleased him greatly. He considered his sincere cooperation and the way it filled his free time a bargain. He rarely inquired about martial arts-related matters.

Nangong Liuli brought it up herself, saying that it wasn't obvious that she intended to keep these martial arts techniques to herself. If she were to be persistent and gentle, she might be able to get some information out of her. This would be an unexpected bonus.

Having experienced the ghost's fright, Nangong Liuli found herself with even more to talk about. The two chatted for a long time, and as the night deepened, with no one to disturb them and no external dangers looming, the topic shifted, so they changed locations to continue their in-depth conversation.

...

...

The rooster crows early, when the sun is high in the sky.

Nangong Liuli slept soundly late last night, unaware of day or night, and fell into a deep sleep.

Li Xian quickly put on his clothes, returned to his bedroom, closed the doors and windows, and quietly calmed the chaotic atmosphere. His pure Yang body was extremely strong; even with excessive indulgence, he remained robust.

Although Wen Caishang did not teach him advanced martial arts, she built a very solid physical foundation for him. This was likely for his future happiness.

[Proficiency +1]

[Proficiency +1]

...

...

[The Five Viscera Avoid Turbidity and Meet Yang Classic - Chapter on the Five Viscera]

[Proficiency: 1386/8000 Minor Mastery]

Li Xian worked tirelessly, never slacking off for a single day. From his initial achievement of minor success, he gradually accumulated [1386] points of proficiency. With this daily accumulation, how could he not reach the pinnacle of the Pure Yang Martial Arts Manual?

[You digest the essence of heaven and earth...]

Suddenly I felt something was wrong.

Li Xian frowned slightly, and signs of turbidity reappeared.

He was very curious. He already possessed the Pure Qi Robe. What kind of Robe would he get if he were to acquire the Impure Qi Robe?

Suddenly, black energy emanated from his body. Li Xian thought to himself, "Could it really be the Demon Robe of the Void? It seems that I am very destined to be with the lady. My Perfect Appearance and the Void Robe are both connected to hers. I will work hard to accumulate strength in the future and completely subdue this wicked woman. Then I will take revenge and stab her with my sword every day."

Faintly, one could hear ghostly wails and celestial music, which was quite strange. It also carried an indescribable sense of "evil".

Unlike the Mustard Seed Demon Robe.

This is an unrecorded, never-before-seen garment of the unseen world, a garment of great calamity...

It's called "The Ghostly Robe"!

(End of this chapter)