Chapter 42 Xie Xun never kept anything that didn't obey his orders.

After saying that, he stuffed a yellow talisman folded into a triangle into Xie Xun's hand and then lowered his voice to remind him.

"Remember the rules of the ghost market: never touch any pottery jars filled with black soil. Those are stalls set up by corpse breeders and will do you no good."

Xie Xun nodded, watching Liu Xiuyuan and his apprentice disappear into the depths of the mist.

He did not rush to act, but stood still, his gaze calmly sweeping over his surroundings.

The yin energy here is much denser than outside, mixed with various kinds of spiritual energy that are difficult to distinguish. Ordinary people would probably feel uneasy if they stayed here for too long.

But for him, there was an indescribable sense of comfort. It was like soaking in a warm, cozy hot spring.

The little green cat on my shoulder seemed to like the environment quite a bit, its slender body twisting slightly as it slowly flicked its tongue.

Fu Qinghuai was even more at ease. Although he had not fully manifested, the black mist surrounding Xie Xun had clearly solidified.

"Look, the third stall clockwise from the left."

Fu Qinghuai's deep voice sounded in his ear, "This seems interesting. Shall we go take a look?"

Xie Xun looked in the direction he was told.

It was an inconspicuous corner. The stall owner was huddled in a large black robe, his face obscured. In front of him was only an old black cloth with a few items casually placed on it.

An ancient sword with a mottled scabbard, a chain of unknown material, an old compass covered in cracks, and the rest are just some inconspicuous little things.

However, Xie Xun's gaze was immediately drawn to the chain.

The chain was dark and heavy, resembling iron but not quite, with thick, long links that emitted a cold, icy gleam. Most striking of all was the chain's end, which was not an ordinary ring, but a huge, menacing hook.

The hooks are sharp and have a sinister, ghostly aura, as if they were designed to tear apart and capture ghosts.

Just looking at it sends chills down your spine.

Xie Xun stepped forward, but instead of taking the chain first, he picked up the ancient sword.

As soon as he held the sword, it felt slightly heavy. When his fingertips touched the hilt, a chilling aura quietly permeated his meridians. He slowly drew out half of the sword, and the seven copper nails inlaid in the order of the Big Dipper faintly gleamed with cold light.

"Seven Star Sword".

A hoarse, dry voice came from beneath the black robe, as if it had been repeatedly rubbed with sandpaper: "The sword of the former dynasty's city-guarding general has drunk blood and suppressed evil; it is full of righteousness. Young man, you have a good eye."

Xie Xun had already made up his mind.

This sword has a solid foundation and exudes righteousness, making it perfect for his current use. It can regulate the yin energy in his body to some extent.

He drew his sword completely and slashed it several times in mid-air. The sword wind was so fierce that it could cut through a hair. Cutting down ghosts should be as easy as chopping melons and vegetables.

I am satisfied.

He put down his sword and then reached out to pick up the dark chain.

The moment I held it, it felt extremely heavy, and the icy coldness penetrated straight into my palm, making it feel as if I were holding a large block of ice that had just been taken out of the freezer, so cold it was piercing to the touch.

But then, the hook at the end of the chain seemed to sense something and began to vibrate slightly, emitting a barely audible hum.

With a thought, he tried to infuse a tiny bit of spiritual energy into it.

With a clang, the entire chain shone with a cold light, especially the ferocious claws, which exuded a fierce aura.

"The Soul-Locking Chain is forged from Netherworld Cold Iron and modeled after the weapon of Wuchang. It is specifically designed to capture souls and suppress evil spirits."

The man in the black robe paused, then pointed to the worn-out compass. "It goes well with this tracking compass. The chains hook the soul, the compass points the way—a perfect match."

"However, this plate is old and in disrepair, so it sometimes doesn't work and sometimes it doesn't work. It depends on fate."

Upon hearing the words "soul-snatching, spirit-locking, and evil-suppressing," Xie Xun was immediately intrigued.

It's done!

Holding the Soul-Locking Chain is like holding the reins of a dog.

Fu Qinghuai, this thousand-year-old vicious dog, has sharp teeth and claws, and is untamed. In the past, he always acted according to his own preferences.

They protect their master when they are happy, but turn a blind eye when they are unhappy.

This won't do.

Even though he said a few words that he liked to hear now, it cannot erase the fact that Fu Qinghuai refused to help him when he was in danger.

Xie Xun couldn't guarantee that Fu Qinghuai wouldn't stand by and watch him suffer again, only to become a hero when he was on the verge of death.

Xie Xun never kept anything that didn't obey his orders.

Now, those days of doing whatever you want are coming to an end.

He wanted to completely tame this unruly dog ​​into a good dog that would obey his every command and protect its master.

This soul-locking chain is both a collar around a dog's neck and a whip to be used to lash it when it misbehaves.

Just as Xie Xun was about to put down the chain and pick up the compass beside him to examine it closely, a rude voice suddenly broke in from the side, carrying a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world).

"This chain is interesting, I want it!"

A burly, bald man with a face full of scars and an incongruous string of Buddhist beads around his neck reached out and grabbed the Soul-Locking Chain from Xie Xun's hand.

His hands exuded a strong aura of malevolence, clearly indicating that he was a skilled practitioner who frequently dealt with evil spirits.

However, just as his fingers were about to touch the Soul-Locking Chain, the chain seemed to possess a spirit, flashing with light and unleashing a tremendous amount of chilling energy.

"hiss!"

Caught off guard, the burly man recoiled from the shock, feeling his fingertips go cold and numb, as if countless fine needles were piercing his flesh.

"Hey, does this thing recognize its owner?" He was momentarily embarrassed and angry.

Just then, perhaps drawn by the strong pull of the Soul-Locking Chains, a sharp and mournful ghostly howl suddenly came from a black cloth bag that the big man was carrying.

A dark shadow filled with resentment suddenly leaped out of the bag; it was his tamed little devil who had suddenly gone out of control and turned on him, lunging straight at his own face.

The incident happened suddenly, and several suppressed gasps could be heard from the surrounding area.

The burly man was clearly caught off guard by this turn of events. In his haste, he frantically tried to form hand seals to suppress it, but the little devil was too fast and extremely ferocious!

Just as the claws wreathed in black energy were about to grab the burly man's face, Xie Xun pointed his fingers like a sword. A wisp of spiritual energy mixed with a unique pure yin aura emanated from his fingertips, striking the barely visible line between the vengeful spirit and the burly man in an instant.

"break!"

He gave a low shout, and the thread snapped.

Having lost its target of resentment, the vengeful spirit hovering in mid-air suddenly froze, letting out a bewildered howl. Then, Xie Xun used a talisman to stick it on its forehead, and it instantly fell to the ground and fell silent.

The entire process took only a breath, and was fast, accurate, and steady.

The burly man, holding the half-finished incantation, froze on the spot, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Several people around who noticed what was happening also cast surprised glances at them.

To be able to so easily sever the connection between someone else and the spirit, without even harming the spirit itself, demonstrates a level of control over spiritual power that is beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.

Xie Xun's expression remained unchanged, as if he had merely helped an old lady cross the street without being bothered by any worldly dust.

He turned to the stall owner in black robes, his voice still calm, "I want all three of these items. Can we talk about the price now?"

The man in the black robe was silent for a moment, then let out a hoarse laugh, “...Of course.”

The burly man, his face pale, looked at the little ghost on the ground, suppressed by the talisman, and then looked at Xie Xun with a mixture of shock and fear.

Although this person is beautiful, she is by no means an easy person to deal with.

He had been a seasoned figure in the martial arts world for many years, and if it hadn't been for the other party's intervention just now, he would probably have been badly injured, if not killed.

"Thank you so much for your help, fellow Daoist!"

He clasped his hands in a salute, his tone becoming much more respectful, no longer arrogant as before, "It was only because I was blind and offended you, fellow Daoist."

Xie Xun glanced at him indifferently, then his gaze fell on the little ghost that had been temporarily sealed away.

“Nurturing a vengeful spirit with one’s own blood and essence will eventually backfire. This creature is filled with malevolent energy; it would be better to send it away to be reborn.”

"Well... to be honest,"

The burly man looked troubled. "I have no choice. My elderly mother is seriously ill and I need..."

"Need to extend your lifespan?"

Fu Qinghuai's voice suddenly broke in. He had appeared out of nowhere and was now leaning against the stall, playing with the head of the Soul-Locking Chain. He chuckled, "The lifespan stolen by this inferior vengeful spirit is probably not enough to offset the essence it absorbs every day. No wonder it's so fierce."

As he spoke, he glanced at Xie Xun, as if to say that he was not like that little devil, and that Xie Xun was very well-behaved in front of him.

"Fellow Daoist, aren't you also raising ghosts..."

The burly man looked at the tall figure of Fu Qinghuai standing beside Xie Xun, surrounded by thick black mist. He could tell at a glance that Fu Qinghuai was not on the same level as the little ghost he had raised.

But so what? This person raises ghosts himself, why should we meddle and criticize him?!

These words amused Fu Qinghuai. He flicked his finger, and the talisman on the little ghost's forehead floated up half an inch, revealing a ferocious fanged face underneath.

"Look at him, he's killed at least three people. You're manipulating him to do evil, aren't you? You think you're qualified to compare yourself to me?"

The burly man was speechless, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

But how could he possibly lower his head and admit his mistake in front of everyone?

The burly man picked up the little devil and stuffed it back into his bag, glaring at Fu Qinghuai with a fierce but weak expression. "Hmph! A mere evil spirit has no right to point fingers at me!"

After saying that, he turned and strode away, his steps quick and hurried, as if some ferocious beast was chasing after him. The cloth bag twisted and turned with his steps, and the sound of chewing could be faintly heard from inside.

Fu Qinghuai watched his flustered back and shook his head with a light laugh, "He's so disoriented from the backlash that he's still being stubborn."

After saying that, he turned to Xie Xun, his peach blossom eyes still holding a mocking smile.

"Look at this, this is what happens if you don't sign a contract properly."