The Martial Saint begins by collecting corpses.

In the Black Prison, on a high platform, Li Ming and the old Taoist priest sat together, a rare sight, looking down at the ghosts and monsters below.

"Nothing seems to be happening today," Li Ming said casually after observing the six ghosts.

The old Taoist priest nodded. "As long as a new corpse is delivered today, we can keep that 'Divine Doctor Ghost' in check. Wait, no, that unconscious death row inmate is dead, and that monk ghost has stopped performing the ritual for the deceased."

Upon hearing this, Li Ming's gaze sharpened, and he immediately stood up to examine the object closely.

Sure enough, the death row inmate who was perfectly fine just moments ago has now stopped breathing.

Clearly, after a prolonged coma, the death row inmate finally succumbed and passed out.

Although they were fed every day, it is quite normal for them to die suddenly under such high pressure.

Seeing the monk ghost stand up, seemingly lost and wandering aimlessly around the room, Li Ming and the old Taoist priest both tensed up.

The old Taoist priest said in a deep voice, "You stay here and keep watch. I'll go and have them send over new death row inmates immediately."

Li Ming nodded quickly, "Go now."

Without hesitation, the old Taoist priest got up and walked away, even using his lightness skill to quickly reach a small, dark courtyard in the corner.

There are ten rope bells inside, each numbered and corresponding to one of the ten rooms used to suppress ghosts.

He found the rooms corresponding to the Divine Healer Ghost and the Monk Ghost, and quickly started shaking them.

They then released the rope bells and waited. They saw the two corresponding rope bells suddenly start shaking on their own, and knew that the people outside understood their needs. Only then did they breathe a slight sigh of relief.

He turned and walked out, returning to the high platform. Meeting Li Ming's questioning gaze, he nodded slightly, "There's a reaction outside."

Upon hearing this, Li Ming couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The two regained their composure and continued to observe from the high platform.

Although they have lost their target for salvation, the monk ghosts will not immediately riot.

Based on experience, he will likely remain in the room for at least another hour before attempting to force his way out.

This period of time is sufficient for them to change the death row inmates. The changes of death row inmates are also controlled by the authorities, without their intervention.

"Now we just have to wait."

As Li Ming spoke, his mood relaxed, and he suddenly remembered that there was now an additional garrison commander. He turned to look at Lu Ming's courtyard and said:

"I'll go and call that kid out so he can experience an emergency and avoid making mistakes later."

The old Taoist priest remained expressionless, giving off an "it's up to you" vibe.

Li Ming then turned around and went to Lu Ming's courtyard gate, and knocked on the door.

He vaguely heard the sounds of martial arts practice inside, and immediately spoke up:

"Lu Ming, there's an emergency. Come out for a moment."

There was still no response from the courtyard.

Li Ming frowned slightly, shook his head, turned back to the platform, and said with some helplessness:

"He was probably so engrossed in practicing martial arts that he didn't hear me calling him."

The old Taoist priest chuckled coldly and said, "With his abilities, it's good enough if he doesn't cause trouble; it's best to stay away!"

Li Ming sighed.

He didn't expect that Lu Ming, who spoke so confidently, would actually cower in the face of trouble.

He didn't say anything more at that moment, but simply stood on the high platform with the old Taoist priest, waiting patiently.

They had been stationed here for two and a half years, living the same routine every day. An hour would pass quickly for them.

But today was different. Time passed slowly, and Li Ming felt somewhat tormented because there was no sign of any mechanism moving in the room below.

The monk ghost was gradually becoming agitated, pacing rapidly around the room, and even starting to run wildly, circling around while roaring:

"Salvation for all sentient beings, salvation for all sentient beings... Benefactor, you need salvation. Benefactor, you need salvation! Benefactor! Where is the benefactor? Benefactor!"

The terrifying voice used some kind of dark demonic technique, carrying a soul-stirring power that even made the pure yang glazed tiles on the ceiling of the room tremble slightly.

The scene inside the room became somewhat blurry for both of them, and they immediately frowned.

To make matters worse, the healer in the other room had also finished stitching up all the wounds on the corpse, and seeing that there was nothing more healable, he stood up, frowning, looking for a new patient.

"What's going on? It should be here soon! It's been more than an hour, right? Usually, there's movement in less than fifteen minutes."

Li Ming turned to look at the old Taoist priest with some anxiety.

There were no timekeeping devices inside the Black Prison, but having lived there for so long, they could roughly estimate the passage of time.

The old Taoist priest also sensed that something was amiss. Seeing Li Ming looking at him suspiciously, he immediately said in a deep voice:

"I did get a response just now. Try it yourself if you don't believe me."

Bang bang bang!

Suddenly, a loud noise came, and Li Ming turned his head to look. The monk ghost was trying to break out of the room.

His heart tightened immediately, and an unprecedentedly solemn expression appeared on his face as he said:

"Okay, you keep a close eye on it, I'll go take a look."

He strode into the dark room in the corner and frantically pulled the rope bells corresponding to the monk ghost and the divine doctor ghost. After a long while, he released them and waited for the rope bells to ring.

However, after a long while, the rope bell did not move.

He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and had a deep sense of foreboding. Without thinking twice, he started shaking all the rope bells frantically.

However, there was no response, not a single one.

The prison was usually stuffy and hot, but at this moment he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, making him feel as if he were in an ice cellar.

"What's going on? Why? Why isn't it responding? For over two years, the rope bell has always been responsive!"

Li Ming trembled slightly. In such an important place as the Black Prison, it was impossible for them to transfer the guards who were watching the rope bells outside, leaving no one to respond.

What on earth is going on?!

"Bang!"

"Drink it!!"

Just then, he heard a loud bang outside, followed by a shout from the old Taoist priest.

His expression changed slightly. Ignoring the strange change in the rope bell, he immediately turned around, ran out of the black house, and came outside.

The monk ghost had broken through the wall and emerged, while the old Taoist priest was pale and bleeding from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, he had been seriously injured in the exchange of blows with the monk ghost.

However, he was forcing himself to stay upright, holding a lit incense stick in his hand, and walking quickly in circles in the dark prison.

The monk ghost stared intently at the incense in his hand, and for a moment he did not launch an attack, but simply followed him, and the two drew closer and closer.

"Soul-attracting incense." Upon seeing this, Li Ming immediately recognized the old Taoist's technique. This was his trump card, capable of temporarily attracting ghosts and monsters with the soul-attracting incense.

However, the effect will gradually decrease, lasting at most half an hour. For level B ghosts, the effect may be even worse.

"How is it? Any response from outside?" the old Taoist priest shouted as he saw Li Ming come out.

He coughed twice, then spat out another mouthful of blood, his face turning even paler. His eyes were filled with anxiety and unease.

"No, I rang all the rope bells, but there was no response. What's going on?" Li Ming shouted anxiously.

"Something's happened! Something must have happened to the Night Watchmen outside! Heaven has forsaken me!" Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest's face showed a look of despair.

If something happens outside, even if he has the Soul-Guiding Incense, it will be of no use. He will still be killed by the ghost after half an hour.

Even Li Ming's expression turned extremely ugly in an instant.

How could something have happened so suddenly? What exactly happened outside? He was completely baffled.

"Was that Senior Li looking for me just now?"

Suddenly, a voice came.

Li Ming turned his head and saw that it was Lu Ming, who had opened the courtyard gate at some point and came to his side to ask him questions.