Savage Wolf, Lotus Heart [Never Let You Go, Again: Book 4]

6: Baby Wangji's Reward

A ghoulish spirit, eight feet in height, crashed into the village, stopping some feet away from the Demon Master who had his strongest weapon yet raised in the air. The Carmine Catastrophe.

Hua Cheng had long ago suggested sending the sceptre to the Ghost Realm for disposal, but Wei Ying hadn't let him take it yet. Sure, containing the object within himself was harming his temperament, but it was more useful than dangerous. Back when he had realised Meilien not sleeping well enough, he had decided to keep the sceptre for a while longer, until things were sorted out. And now this.

This was his Plan B. To use the sceptre's absorption abilities to let it absorb the dark energy that was possessing and haunting the innocent souls in the villages and cities, all the patients. No spiritual energy would have to be wasted on chasing the demons out. But of course, Lan Zhan wouldn't allow it, knowing the harm it'll bring upon Wei Ying's disposition.

But right now... Wei Ying had no other choice.

The ghoul in the air had nothing but black smoke below its neck, but its face was ashen and clear, with heinous red eyes and sharp black features of a nose, curling lips and a triangular chin, sparkling white teeth flashing as it sneered at Wei Wuxian.

"So it's you who's been causing all this, eh?"

More sneering.

"A formless ghoul who can distribute his energy into people? You're quite strong for your level of wrath, my friend," Wei Wuxian gripped the golden pole of the sceptre. Strings and fibres of scarlet drifted out of his fingertips and spiralled up the sceptre, sinking into the massive red ruby atop it, slowly igniting it up with demonic energy. "Tell me who sent you and you shall be left unharmed."

"Hmph, unharmed? You aren't going to let me off, you'll trap me whatever way!" The ghoul cackled, voice deep and growling, sending shivers like the winter frost had struck.

"Trapping and harming are two different things, pal," Wei Wuxian leered back. "I can torture you and trap you, or I can just trap you. Up to you to choose." Both the ruby and his eyes flashed a brilliant red. "Speak!"

"Never," the monstrous ghost snarled.

"Fine!" Wei Wuxian nodded and swung the sceptre across the air, sweeping the ground and the sky, letting waves of cerise flow out from the ruby. The ripples spread far and wide until they hit the beast unawares, and suddenly wrapped it up in a translucent red cage. "I did warn you," Wei Wuxian glowered at the ghoul.

"And I told you, I'll never tell on my master."

"Loyal dog," Wei Wuxian smirked and pointed the sceptre at the ghoul. The cage wrapping it up swathed its formless self completely, squeezing it, crushing it, scorching it. The being screamed in agony until the shrieks died out as the red cage was sucked back into the sceptre, taking the wailing beast along with it. The sceptre remained unaffected. To the Carmine Catastrophe, this was nothing but yet another evil it absorbed.

Once the formless ghoul was gone, Wei Wuxian sighed. "Tsk, I thought I could get something out of it. Loyal lackeys, tch," he kicked a rock in childish anger and planted the sceptre in the centre of the ground. While it stood there like a tree, he waved his hands and chanted to dismiss the ward around the patients and healers, and also called the villagers out. "THE THING'S GONE!" He shouted.

The people looked around happily, cheering and screaming Xingguang Xian's name and showering him with gratitude. The innkeepers of the two tavern offered towers of wine bottles, home-brewed specials, for him to take home and he accepted it all beyond just gladly. Home-brewed Lanling wines always had a rich savouriness to them.