"Emily little sister, I think the scenery here is quite nice. Mind if I come over and sit as well?" William Carter said to Emily Parker with a beaming smile.

Lucas Brooks immediately stood up. "Listen, William Carter, stop sticking to us like a plaster. You guys picked that side, so just wait over there."

"Tsk, dear brother Lucas, this place isn't yours, is it? Why can't I come over?" As William Carter spoke, the half-gray-haired, fierce-looking Gavin behind him stepped forward, then silently retreated. With that single step, he crushed a bluestone tile into powder.

Lucas Brooks took a slight breath, but was about to speak when Emily Parker stood up and interjected, "Everyone, we still have things to do later. For now, let's settle down, adjust ourselves, and conserve our energy."

Seeing the beautiful woman smoothing things over, everyone could only agree, then sat down separately, closed their eyes, and began to regulate their breathing. When William Carter and his group sat down, Blake, who had a scar on his face, struck down with his palm. The gust he created was even stronger than what Ryan Clark had done earlier, blowing away a good amount of dust.

Ryan Clark saw this and secretly thought: No matter how strong your wind is, you can't clear the dust as thoroughly as I did.

At this moment, Ryan Clark didn't dare to visualize anything. He first closed his eyes to regulate his breath and restore his energy, then used the "Clear Wind and Bright Moon Illuminates the Spirit" method to control and gather his thoughts, keeping himself in a clear and lucid state.

In this state, Ryan Clark found his senses becoming sharper. For example, he could sense William Carter sometimes looking over with malice, and at other times hesitating and shifting about. It seemed William Carter, confident in his group's strength, wanted to do something bad to their side, but hesitated due to other concerns.

This heightened sensitivity felt novel, and William Carter's state let Ryan Clark see how various factors influence a person's decisions. In the end, even if a decision is made, it might not truly reflect one's genuine will. Actually, the same applied to himself. Although he had learned methods to control his thoughts with his true nature, he was merely following the steps and couldn't truly perceive his own nature yet. He was still influenced by the patterns and experiences formed since birth, and this influence permeated everything he did. That's why there's the saying "seeing one's nature is an achievement." If one could truly break free from external influences and perceive their own nature, perhaps they would have already achieved the Primordial Spirit. Therefore, the path of cultivation is still long and arduous.

Behind William Carter, Blake and Gavin were also sitting with eyes closed, regulating their breath. Seeing this opportunity, Ryan Clark secretly activated a Disaster-Dispelling and Blessing Talisman inside his sleeve. This talisman was just a general auxiliary one, mainly for calming the mind and dispelling evil energy—perfect for use on Blake and Gavin. Although their evil energy had already fused with their souls and could only be truly removed with their cooperation, visualization, and a large ritual using the power of an altar, for now it could only be temporarily suppressed. Of course, Ryan Clark only needed to suppress it. Moreover, this talisman was beneficial, so Blake and Gavin only felt their minds becoming clearer and their energy recovering faster during meditation, at most attributing it to their own improved skills.

Time was approaching midnight. The main hall doors had long been destroyed, and the wind whistled through the corridors. Even with everyone's martial arts cultivation, they still felt a slight chill.

All was silent except for the howling wind. Suddenly, the wind changed, becoming eerie and filled with coldness. Grace Brooks and Eric Bennett both shivered, their teeth chattering.

Suddenly, a white shadow lunged straight at the two women in the center. Grace Brooks screamed, while Lucas Brooks and Blake and Gavin on either side each struck at the white shadow, and William Carter turned pale with fright, retreating continuously.

Chapter 10: The Attack of the Yin Ghost

Lucas Brooks and Blake and Gavin struck the white shadow with six palms, but only felt emptiness as their attacks passed right through. The white shadow seemed unharmed, passing through the three and pouncing on Grace Brooks. Although Grace Brooks was pale with fear, she had been in the martial world for years. Forcing herself to endure the terror, she executed a textbook "Black Tiger Steals the Heart" move.

Her delicate fist had just struck the white shadow when it suddenly dove into the ground, then with a swoosh, emerged again in front of Grace Brooks. She saw a faceless head lunging at her. Just as she was about to react, a bloody mouth appeared on the blank face and bit her own face. Grace Brooks only had time to scream before fainting, while William Carter on the other side was so terrified by the scene that he too screamed and fainted.

At this point, the others rushed over. Emily Parker had been right next to Grace Brooks and had also struck out earlier, but her attack was neutralized when the white shadow dove underground. Now, as she tried to leap toward Lucas Brooks and the others, she found she couldn't lift off. Looking back, she saw a child holding onto her hem. When she turned, the child lifted its eyeless face and smiled at her. Emily Parker's body went limp, and she fainted on the spot.

After dodging Lucas Brooks and the other three, the white shadow lunged at Eric Bennett. Eric Bennett rolled aside like a lazy donkey, and as he got up, he found himself face-to-face with a white-faced, slanted-browed person with blood streaming from their mouth. Eric Bennett's eyes widened, and he collapsed.