"I am from the Dragon God Sect."
Luo Li tilted her chin slightly, her youthful face revealing a touch of pride.
The white-haired old man paused, blinked, and searched his memory, but he couldn't recall ever hearing of a Dragon God Sect. Could it be a power from the outside? he wondered.
Beside the old man stood a young cultivator at the fifth level of the Origin Sea Realm. Hearing Luo Li's words, he couldn't help but scoff. "Dragon God Sect? Is that a sect from the Ancient Moon Dynasty? How come I've never heard of it?"
Luo Li gave him an indifferent glance and stated calmly, "My Dragon God Sect is merely a minor sect, incomparable to your prestigious Wuji God Sword Sect."
The young man chuckled. "Good that you know your place. Our Wuji God Sword Sect is one of the top ten sects in the Ancient Moon Dynasty, currently ranking among the top five in strength."
Seeing his disciple speak so unguardedly, the old man turned and glared fiercely at him. This stunningly beautiful young girl is clearly from an extraordinary background. Never mind anything else, the Emperor-Level Robe she wears alone is beyond the means of an ordinary sect. Even the Sect Leader of our Wuji God Sword Sect doesn't possess an Emperor-Level Robe. Thus, the old man dared not underestimate the young girl before him.
"Young lady, did you come here alone?" the old man asked, his face wreathed in smiles.
Luo Li nodded but said nothing.
At that moment, a peculiar glint appeared in the eyes of almost everyone present. The more experienced experts had already fixed their gazes on the Emperor-Level Robe Luo Li wore. Now that the old man's probing words had seemingly revealed the girl's solitary status, they felt fewer reservations. They could directly attempt to seize the Emperor-Level Robe from her. Besides, they could simply blame the Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge afterward. Surely, no one would be so foolish as to challenge the Ridge over it.
However, with over a dozen major powers present, any attempt to seize the robe would undoubtedly lead to a brutal struggle.
The old man, his face a mask of benign innocence, stared at Luo Li and said with a kindly smile, "Young lady, that's an Emperor-Level Robe you're wearing, isn't it?"
Luo Li shot the old man a cold glance, understanding his intentions perfectly. Having struggled and survived in the Jianghu for so many years, Luo Li naturally understood the meaning hidden in their gazes. Wealth incites avarice. No one could feign disinterest in such an Emperor-Level treasure.
"What? Are you planning to rob me of my Emperor-Level Robe?" A chill flashed in Luo Li's eyes as she drew her Supreme Golden Dragon Sword, its tip pointed at the old man.
Although the old man was a powerful cultivator at the Shaping God Realm, Luo Li was no pushover. She possessed the Eternal Level Dragon God Sect's swordsmanship, the God-level Supreme Golden Dragon Sword, and her Nine Changes of the God Dragon, an incredibly unpredictable movement technique. It was certainly possible for her to contend with this Shaping God Realm expert.
Even if I can't defeat him, isn't Ancestor nearby? Luo Li wasn't worried at all. In the eyes of her Ancestor, a True God Realm master, these people are no more than ants. He could probably annihilate them all with a single breath.
Over a dozen major powers slowly closed in on Luo Li. A battle seemed on the verge of erupting.
「Just at this moment」
A sound like crashing waves suddenly came from within the ghost carriage. Then, a deep RUMBLING sound emerged from the depths of the pool. The powerful evil ghosts positioned around the pool roared in excitement.
What happened?
At that moment, everyone stopped, their expressions turning grave as they stared at the pool. The ritual of the Sky Lanterns had continued for millennia without such an astonishing change.
A vortex slowly began to form within the ghost carriage. The humans around, who were being used as Sky Lanterns, were swept to the edge of the pool by the vortex. Then, a sinister cackle echoed from the depths of the vortex.
Everyone held their breath, watching the scene with nervous intensity. The expressions of some Shaping God Realm experts, in particular, shifted subtly. They were surprised to sense an indescribably powerful aura emanating from the vortex.
Ye Yun, standing beside the ghost carriage, opened his eyes and silently observed the vortex.
The Ghost King, born from the earth's depths, its soul now fully restored, is preparing to emerge. Ye Yun had been waiting for this moment. His meticulous planning had one simple goal: to ensure this little imp died knowing exactly why. Otherwise, if he simply obliterated it and it died in ignorance, there would be no meaning to it. He had signed in for one hundred thousand years in that mysterious Dark Space. What he feared most now was loneliness. If even killing could be done with flair, that would be right up his alley.
A terrifying aura suddenly surged from the vortex. The moment this aura appeared, the howling evil ghosts nearby instantly prostrated themselves, their faces alight with fanatical devotion. The nearby Shaping God Realm experts' expressions changed drastically. They retreated repeatedly, staring at the vortex in utter shock.
"What... What cultivation base is this?" a middle-aged man asked, his voice trembling.
"It's the Divine Bridge Realm," the white-haired old man stated, his expression grim.
What? A Divine Bridge Realm expert!
Hearing the old man's words, everyone present was dumbfounded. In the next moment, a chill ran down their spines. The aura was clearly not human; instead, it was sinister and palpably thick with the energy of evil ghosts.
This was a powerful Ghost King. A Ghost King of the Divine Bridge Realm.
At this realization, everyone's face turned ashen, and they prepared to turn and flee.
A black ghostly mist suddenly surged from the massive vortex. In mid-air, it writhed and coalesced, transforming into a colossal black figure. It stood a good fifty to sixty feet tall, wreathed in black mist. This supreme Ghost King had blood-red eyes, a green face, and protruding fangs, giving it an incredibly ferocious appearance.
"HAHAHA… I, your King, have finally recovered!" After millennia, seeing the light of day once more, this Ghost King couldn't help but throw its head back and laugh.
"Run!" All around, the human cultivators shrieked in terror, scattering like frightened birds and beasts.
A voice like rolling thunder echoed throughout the Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge: "I, your King, have reemerged! Should you not offer your congratulations?"
Immediately, some people froze, turned, and knelt, trembling in fear.
"Congratulations, Ghost King!"
"All hail the Ghost King!"
One by one, human cultivators knelt, stammering out congratulations from hearts gripped by terror. Some other human cultivators, however, were already fleeing rapidly.
The Ghost King, enraged by this sight, stretched out a massive hand and shot out rays of black light. The black light whizzed through the air, ensnaring the fleeing human cultivators and dragging them back. The Ghost King seized these humans and tossed them into its mouth.
CRUNCH! CRUNCH!
It crushed them and swallowed them whole.
Seeing the Ghost King so brutally devour their fellow humans, the remaining cultivators were so terrified they nearly fainted. A Divine Bridge Realm expert was too powerful! They were simply no match for such a being.
After devouring dozens of human cultivators, the Ghost King wiped its bloodstained mouth and roared with laughter. "It's been too long since I've enjoyed myself this much!"
Just as its laughter died down, a gentle voice suddenly resonated throughout the space.
"Ghosts are merely ghosts—the lowest form of existence. They can never grace the grand stage!"