Hei Qin turned back. With assured steps, he passed the creepy tree and walked deep into the forest, as the curses of the eye still echoed around his ears.
"Damn brat! You will regret your decision."
The eye didn't turn from the direction Hei Qin vanished. Slowly, its expression changed from agitation to an eerie smile.
***
After a few minutes of walking, a strange uneasiness crept into Hei Qin's mind. Suddenly, the crunching sound of the leaves halted, along with Hei Qin's steps. His eyes darted to all sides to confirm his contemplation.
'How come I returned to this path again? It seems that spirit really has the power to control the mind. Thankfully, it is not to the extent of fully taking over my mind and making me a puppet. Maybe because it is bound by the barrier.'
Hei Qin crept over the thought of someone controlling him like a puppet and reading the deepest parts of his memories like a book.
Hei Qin sighed deeply, as his legs walked towards the creepy tree where the eye was swinging upside down happily.
As Hei Qin's mind worked fast to come up with a plan for this situation, he again reached the creepy tree and stood with a distressed expression. Conversely, the creepy eye smiled creepily.
This time, the eye did not speak. Instead, it looked down at Hei Qin with a mocking expression.
Hei Qin cleared his throat and said flawlessly, "I just took a walk to relax my mind. That really enabled my mind to think. Suddenly, the thought of your deal came to me, and I realized how foolish my actions were. So, I decided to accept your deal."
The eye looked at him deeply, as if it wanted to tear him into a thousand pieces so no one could identify his body.
Hei Qin continued, "There is a small problem. This barrier… I don't have the ability to destroy it. So, I have another favor to ask. Before I can break it, I must become strong enough to do so. If Senior can tell me where to find strong Yin energy, and it must be within my ability to reach… because you wouldn't want me to die before I can help you, right?
"If my cultivation is sufficient, then destroying this barrier will be easy. After we successfully break it, you will show me the exit. How does that sound, Senior?"
Finally, Hei Qin concluded his long speech. The eye did not blink even once.
"Hmm. Alright, I will tell you the place."
The eye gave him directions to a place rich in Yin energy. Hei Qin carefully memorized every detail before setting off toward the destination.
***
After a few minutes, he had already walked nearly half the distance. The location was only about one kilometer away. As he walked, his thoughts drifted back to what the eye had said and the information it had revealed.
'The place the eye mentioned is within one kilometer. That means its power only extends within that range. Another obvious point is that it does not know any safe exit. It is clear that there is no such thing as a safe path in this forest. Anyone with a bit of common sense would know there isn't even an inch of safety here, let alone a safe exit.
'That was the main reason I suspected the eye was lying. Furthermore, there must be someone with high cultivation in this forest. This person is likely human, otherwise they would not have used a seal to bind that eye. Perhaps they did not kill it because they are at the same stage of cultivation.'
Another question surfaced in Hei Qin's mind.
'Why did that person come here?
'Maybe they are a righteous cultivator. If so, did they come to destroy the Blood Phantom Sect while the Master is away?'
His thoughts continued for a while before he finally sighed inwardly. 'Forget it. This is all just speculation. I do not know how much of it is true.'
After another few minutes of walking, he noticed a change in his surroundings. The Yin energy slowly rose as he walked further. Soon, the wails of souls reached Hei Qin's ears. He remembered the details that the eye had told him.
'The eye said this place is relatively safe compared to others and that the ghosts here are all within the Specter stage. But I can't let my guard down.'
Hei Qin soon discovered the place with high energy, along with a whirlwind of ghosts. They were all absorbing the Yin Qi. Seeing this, Hei Qin's face didn't pale; instead, his mouth curved up into a smile.
Without any further thought, Hei Qin activated the Lantern of Parting, which hung from his hand. Soon, a calming fragrance enveloped the surroundings. A sense of peace arose within the surrounding ghosts.