Translator: CinderTL
Five fierce ghosts emerged from the black mist in a single breath.
These were not ordinary ghosts; they possessed form but lacked substance, their bodies ethereal and their faces twisted with malice, yet their eyes remained blank—mere animated corpses.
"Aooo!"
The fierce ghosts roared and charged forward, the billowing black mist blotting out the sky, threatening to engulf Xu Sanyan.
Xu Sanyan twisted his waist, leveraging the momentum to swing his great halberd in a sweeping arc. A dark, ghostly light flashed like lightning across the ghosts' bodies. With a thunderous shout, he roared,
"Die!"
Crimson Mist coiled around the halberd as it cleaved through the ghosts, splitting them in two. A piercing shriek echoed through the void as the ghosts were instantly severed at the waist.
"Aaaah!"
The bisected ghosts lingered for a moment, their severed halves writhing in the nourishing black mist, attempting to merge anew. But a crimson mist, clinging like a bone-burrowing maggot, clung to the wounds, preventing their reunification.
The martial constable's expression darkened. With a sweeping gesture of his sleeves, a torrent of black mist surged forth, aimed directly at the ghosts' wounds, attempting to dispel the crimson mist.
But it was futile. He could only watch helplessly as the ghosts shrieked and dissolved into nothingness.
"Aaaah!"
The martial constable howled in anguish. Each of these five fierce ghosts had cost him immense effort to create. Losing one now was a devastating blow.
"I'll forge you into a fierce ghost!" he snarled, his eyes burning with malice.
"Hmph! If your skills are lacking, go home and train harder! Stop barking like a rabid dog here!"
Xu Sanyan grinned, his fangs shifting as he seized the fierce ghost before him. Crimson Mist swirled in his palm, and with a sizzling hiss, the ghost shrieked as it rapidly dissolved.
In mere moments, two ghosts had been annihilated.
The martial constable's eyes turned bloodshot. Helpless, he reluctantly recalled the remaining ghosts to avoid further losses, realizing his methods were ineffective against Xu Sanyan.
"You little bastard! I'll make you beg for death but never find it!"
Enraged, the constable gritted his teeth. His fingertips suddenly sharpened into razor-sharp points, which he plunged straight into his own chest.
Xu Sanyan stared in stunned disbelief before bursting into laughter. "Can't win? No need to mutilate yourself!"
Instantly, a dense black mist erupted from the constable's chest, accompanied by a chilling wail that sent shivers down Xu Sanyan's spine. It felt as if some great terror was about to manifest.
Xu Sanyan's expression shifted dramatically. Damn it! This ghost really had tricks up its sleeve. Ghost generals aren't this easy to deal with after all.
Without hesitation, he sheathed his great halberd, dispelled his dao body, and with a gust of wind beneath his feet, shot away into the distance.
He wasn't going to fight anymore. There was no point in risking his life against this ghost for no reward.
"Ah!"
Seeing Xu Sanyan flee, the martial constable roared skyward, torn between pursuit and inaction. The misty energy in his chest churned violently as two pitch-black hands emerged from his heart, slowly crawling outward.
If he rose to give chase, he would have to interrupt his spell. If he didn't, he would have to watch the boy escape, losing two fierce ghosts for nothing.
In that moment of hesitation, Xu Sanyan vanished without a trace. By the time the constable decided to pursue, it was already too late.
"Ah... Don't let me see you again!!"
Hearing the impotent roar behind him, Xu Sanyan curled his lip. Next time they met, the circumstances would be very different.
Once Xu Sanyan broke through to the Soul Refining Realm, everything would change.
This battle had also exposed Xu Sanyan's weaknesses: his lack of offensive techniques and his deficiency in mystical arts for long-range combat. All his strength lay in his physical body.
In contrast, Fang Qingge's sword intent, Jingyi's Buddha Dharma Aspect and Demon Subduing Palm, Mo Xianxian's Curse Arts, and the ghost general's finger techniques and ability to summon fierce ghosts were all methods for engaging enemies from a distance.
Yet Xu Sanyan possessed none of these.
Well, not entirely none. The Lu Clan's Spirit Refining Force could be used for ranged attacks, but its range was limited, and he could only use it two or three times before his body began to strain.
"Looks like I'll need to choose a mystical art after returning to the mountain..."
Xu Sanyan made a silent decision as he flew southward.
In the underground tunnels beneath Endless Central City, Zuoqiu Shu led her group in a fierce battle against corpse demons. Most of the Zuoqiu Clan members had already gathered, numbering over forty.
Glancing at the fallen corpse demons littering the ground, Zuoqiu Shu wiped her longsword clean, sheathed it, and turned to Zuoqiu Zhen. "Sixth sister, is there truly treasure hidden in these tunnels?"
Zuoqiu Zhen appeared perfectly composed, nodding firmly. "Yes, there is."
She offered no further explanation, and Zuoqiu Shu didn't press for details, trusting her sixth sister wouldn't joke about such a matter.
"Which way now?" Zuoqiu Hui stepped forward, eyeing the two branching paths ahead.
"This way," Zuoqiu Zhen said after a moment's thought, pointing to the left.
"Move out."
Zuoqiu Shu and Zuoqiu Chen took the lead, scouting ahead, while Zuoqiu Xin and Zuoqiu Hui brought up the rear. The forty-odd members advanced in a single-file line, like a long, winding snake.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the tunnels, like the stampede of ten thousand beasts, its force overwhelming.
Zuoqiu Shu's expression darkened. She swiftly drew a round shield from her storage pouch, planted it before her, and roared, "Close ranks!"
The round shield emitted a faint azure glow, enveloping the group. The cavern was too vast to be fully shielded, so Zuoqiu Shu settled for protecting her sisters behind her.
As the thunderous stampede drew closer, Zuoqiu Shu finally made out the creatures ahead: a horde of corpse demons resembling calves. Individually, they weren't particularly formidable, but their sheer numbers were overwhelming.
Zuoqiu Shu's brow furrowed deeply as she gazed at the endless tide of corpse demons, her anxiety growing.
Not just many—there are far too many!
They stretch beyond the horizon!
"Third Sister, Fourth Sister, come help me!" Zuoqiu Shu called out urgently, fearing her Spiritual Power wouldn't hold.
Boom!
In an instant, the lead corpse demon slammed into the azure barrier. Its skull shattered, its horns collapsing inward as foul-smelling blood splattered across the shield.
The death of the first corpse demon seemed to trigger a flood. Wave after wave of the creatures surged forward like a relentless torrent.
Deafening crashes echoed endlessly as the azure barrier gradually stained crimson with blood.
As time wore on, Zuoqiu Shu's face grew increasingly grim, yet she gritted her teeth and stubbornly held her ground.
Time passed, and the number of corpse demons visibly dwindled, though still numbering no fewer than a thousand. The critical issue remained: the magic artifact was on the verge of collapse.
The round shield was crisscrossed with hairline fractures, as if it would shatter at any moment.
Zuoqiu Shu's face was deathly pale. Unbeknownst to her, the artifact's imminent failure mirrored her own dwindling reserves. Her Spiritual Power had dwindled to less than a tenth of its original strength.
Beside her, her second sister, third sister, and four other sisters, along with several clan members with higher cultivation levels, had already collapsed to the ground, clutching spirit stones to replenish their Spiritual Power.
Zuoqiu Zhen frowned deeply, her gaze fixed on the advancing corpse demons.
I don't remember ever encountering this type of corpse demon before... she thought. Where did this new species come from?
Crack—
A faint cracking sound pierced through the chaotic din. Though barely audible amidst the surging chaos, Zuoqiu Shu heard it clearly. The sound rang sharply in her ears.
"Prepare yourselves! The artifact is about to shatter!" Zuoqiu Shu shouted.
Her warning was barely out of her mouth when a deafening boom erupted. The protective barrier shattered completely, leaving the group exposed to the corpse demons.
(End of the Chapter)
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