"Why is your magistrate doing this?"
Suppressing the urge to kill these beasts on the spot, Gojo continued questioning.
"We don't know either! We just follow the magistrate's orders!"
The man answered quickly, afraid that even a moment's delay would cost him his life.
"And the rest of you?"
Gojo pulled the cloth from the others' mouths and asked.
"We're just following orders too!"
"Whatever the magistrate tells us to do, we do it!"
The others hurried to echo the same answer.
"Then where is the magistrate now?"
"He usually stays in the rear courtyard. We only wait at the entrance for instructions—we're not allowed to go inside."
Desperate to live, the men spilled everything they knew.
"Then when you've been capturing people like this… no one resisted?"
After hearing them out, Gojo asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.
The men shuddered at the memory.
"Someone did, once… but that entire family was wiped out that very night."
"Over a hundred people—no one survived."
"After that… no one dared anymore."
"Using slaughter to instill fear…"
"It seems certain now—the magistrate is indeed from All-Extremity."
Gojo took a deep breath and raised his hand once more.
Since he had already obtained all the information he needed—
There was no reason to let these monsters live any longer.
A streak of golden light shot out, splitting into multiple rays mid-flight and piercing each of their foreheads.
Their lives ended instantly.
With the ninefold talent amplification now in effect, Gojo's understanding of the Golden Light Spell had grown far deeper and more refined.
In his hands, it could now take on countless forms—both offense and defense had become exceptionally powerful.
As the men died—
A plume of black smoke suddenly rose from the center of the prison.
The next moment, the vengeful spirits surged toward it at incredible speed.
As they collided with the smoke, it swelled, thickened, and gradually became more solid.
"This is…?"
Gojo frowned.
Though he didn't know exactly what this black smoke was—
He knew one thing:
If it fully formed, it would be nothing good.
Without hesitation, he activated the qi within his body. Golden light surged across his form as he rushed forward.
But just as he reached the smoke—
A bluish-purple arm suddenly formed and slashed toward him.
"So it's… a spirit taking form?"
Gojo immediately reinforced his Golden Light defense, his mind racing.
In this world, both spirits and creatures existed.
For example, the northern spirit mediums—beings cultivated from animals—were a type of supernatural entity.
What stood before him now—
A being formed from countless vengeful souls—
Was a ghostly entity.
"In that case…"
Gojo inhaled sharply, channeling his qi into both hands.
Blue lightning crackled into existence in his palms, flickering violently.
Against ghosts—
Thunder Arts were the most effective.
Raising his lightning, Gojo charged straight at the arm.
The moment they collided—
Lightning exploded, and dust filled the air.
When the smoke cleared—
The once bluish-purple arm was now charred black.
Four of its five fingers had already burned to ash and fallen away. The last one hung loosely, ready to drop at any moment.
"Pretty tough… to withstand my Thunder Arts and still remain."
Gojo narrowed his eyes, increasing the flow of qi. The lightning in his hands intensified, blazing brighter.
"Die!"
At that moment—
A powerful force suddenly struck from behind.
Only after the impact landed did the furious voice follow.
"You must be the magistrate!"
Reacting instantly, Gojo spun around and slammed the lightning in his hand toward the attacker's head.
The entire motion was completed in a single breath.
"Golden Light Spell… Thunder Arts!"
"You're one of those Daoists from Tianshi Mansion!"
Seeing the golden glow block his strike and the lightning rushing toward him, the magistrate leapt back, widening the distance.
"Tell me—why kill so many strong men?"
Gojo pressed forward, lightning crackling in his hand as he demanded,
"What's your purpose?"
"Purpose?"
"Daoist, I'm from All-Extremity!"
"What kind of purpose do you think I have?"
The magistrate laughed wildly, qi surging through his body as he charged forward.
"Let me see just how capable you Tianshi Mansion Daoists really are!"
Black energy erupted from his body, spreading outward.
His skin turned a sickly bluish-purple—clearly, his body had been enhanced by some method.
"If you're All-Extremity…"
"Then die!"
Gojo struck with his palm.
As his hand neared the magistrate—
The lightning surged violently.
A torrent of electricity flooded the magistrate's arm, charring it into blackened carbon in an instant.
Without pause, Gojo raised his hand again, aiming for the man's head.
But at that moment—
The magistrate held his breath and unleashed all the qi in his body at once.
A violent shockwave exploded outward.
Tiles from the ceiling and stone from the ground were ripped up and flung away.
Even Gojo, standing closest, was forced back several steps.
"You're strong, Daoist. I'll give you that."
"But here—no matter how strong you are…"
"You're going to die."
A twisted grin spread across the magistrate's face.
Then—
Right before Gojo's eyes—
He grabbed his own charred arm and tore it off.
The black smoke formed from the vengeful spirits surged into the wound—
Replacing it with a brand-new arm.
Empowered by the black mist, the magistrate felt every part of his body surge with exhilaration.
It was like a dried-up riverbed finally receiving water again.
His qi skyrocketed, multiplying several times over in mere moments.
At this moment—
He felt overwhelming power.
The power he had long dreamed of—
Was now his.
"So this is the power I've been seeking…"
"So this is what strength feels like…"
"Incredible! This feels incredible!"
"Die, Daoist!"
With a manic laugh, the magistrate charged at Gojo once more.
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