CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 84: VIGILANT_1

After dealing with the six black skeletal ghost creatures, Qin Wudao and Zhang Yangtian faced each other across Changkong, each seeing a spark of fighting spirit in the other’s eyes.

Neither of them made a move. One positioned ahead and the other behind, they released their powerful divine senses, covering a radius of several hundred feet to prevent other ghost creatures from appearing.

The other four black skeletal ghost creatures were killed by the disciples of the three factions.

"*Ghost King Shadow!*"

The strongest disciple of the Changeable Mansion launched an attack on two black skeletal ghost creatures. The ghostly shadow behind him struck down, and the Void seemed to be torn apart.

"Block it!" The black skeletal ghost creatures’ eyes widened, their blood-red light scattering as their bodies began to tremble.

They felt a great threat from this strike.

BAM!

The palm print descended, carrying the power to destroy everything. It killed the black skeletal ghost creatures, which burst into a sky full of black mist, utterly powerless to resist.

Another two of the four black skeletal ghost creatures were slain!

"*Falling Petals!*"

Hundreds of feet away, Hua Lin Yue led more than a dozen disciples of the Ten Thousand Flowers Sect, fighting the remaining black skeletal ghost creatures. Petals fluttered, showering down in an exceptionally beautiful sight.

BOOM!

As these petals drifted down and neared the black skeletal ghost creatures, they detonated with a deafening roar.

Black mist billowed. The Transcendent Realm ghost creatures had no way to resist and perished.

"Die!"

Not far away, a savage roar erupted from Qin Xiaolong, his momentum continually increasing as dazzling beams of divine light shot out from him.

BAM!

The black skeletal ghost creature battling him instantly perished.

"Great, we finally found you guys!" an urgent voice called out from the now-quiet battlefield, followed by a series of footsteps. From their left, about twenty figures appeared.

Lin Jiewen was at the front, his splendid clothes torn to shreds, his face pale.

Of those following him, aside from Duan Yonghui, the rest looked worse. They all had wounds of varying degrees, and their auras were faint.

It was clear that they had just experienced a major battle and had suffered heavy losses.

"Why are you guys here too?" Zhang Yangtian asked in surprise.

How did they all happen to bump into each other in this ruin that was neither too large nor too small?

He had a vague feeling that there was some mysterious force at work behind the scenes, pushing them together, and perhaps even orchestrating the appearance of the ghost creatures they encountered along the way.

"We just wandered over. We ran into five Transcendent Realm ghost creatures just a moment ago, and it took a lot to kill them!" Lin Jiewen plopped down on the ground, breathing heavily. He took advantage of the lull to circulate his Cultivation Technique and restore his Spiritual Energy.

Upon hearing this, both Qin Wudao and Zhang Yangtian furrowed their brows, sensing that something was wrong.

However, there was no turning back now. The puppeteers behind the scenes wouldn’t allow it, and they didn’t want to abandon potential treasures either. Their only choice was to see this through to the end.

"Rest here!" Zhang Yangtian spoke in a deep voice, his eyes once again turning to the Stele under the towering mountain of blades, a hint of greed flashing within them.

If he could obtain the Level Four Mustard Seed World, his cultivation would improve dramatically.

The clan’s legacy records stated: "Kill the foreign creatures and irrigate the Stele with their fresh blood to open a path to the outside world, granting us freedom..."

Under the Stele, the Skeletal Ghost King stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes glinting with keen anticipation.

Countless years! We have lived for countless years in this grim environment! Now, we finally have a chance for rebirth. To ensure our ultimate plan succeeds, I cannot afford the slightest negligence, even if it means using our Transcendent Realm kin as bait. The Spiritual Energy in the Ghost Tomb ruins is thin; most ghost creatures can only cultivate to the Nirvana Realm. Precious few can break through to the Transcendent Realm. Even so, I still had to sacrifice some of our Transcendent Realm kin.

Soon, once the five armies are in position, our clan can leave these ruins! Then, I will conquer a vast territory for our people to thrive and multiply, allowing all our kin to live under the sun and roam freely in a vibrant world...

Thinking about this, a faint smile touched the Skeletal Ghost King’s lips, as the scepter hovering beside him emanated a billowing black mist, filled with endless oppression.

In his inherited memory, fragments of the outside world were depicted, including green mountains, clear waters, sunshine, and the changing seasons...

That is the world I yearn for!

"Quick, speed up and flank those foreign beings!"

In Male Mountain, a Ghost General yelled, a murderous intent swelling in his eyes, clutching a golden energy sphere that pulsed with a unique aura.

This aura was able to obscure the tracks of the 20,000-strong ghost army, allowing them to go undetected.

Behind him, the 20,000-strong ghost army marched at a rapid pace, their crimson Evil Qi swirling around, bursting with an incredibly brutal momentum that suppressed the nearby azure sky.

Four more such contingents were positioned nearby, gradually forming a vast encirclement.

Four hours later, Zhang Yangtian once again declared their departure.

This time, the disciples of the major powers were even more cautious. They advanced within their reinforced Formation, ready for battle at any moment, as if they were facing a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, the very maw of a ferocious beast.

WHOOSH...

A gust of wind stirred the hazy air, which swirled and transformed into myriad shapes: a soaring dragon, a dancing phoenix, a pack of stampeding wolves.

"Kill!"

After advancing three miles, a cold voice echoed from high above in the heavens, followed by a suffocating murderous aura that seemingly froze the Void itself.

When everyone looked up, they saw more than thirty black skeletal ghost creatures hovering in the Void. The one leading them clutched a golden energy sphere.

"Prepare for battle!" Zhang Yangtian shouted coldly.

BOOM!

The six major factions sprang into action, the brilliance of their Formation illuminating the world. After the previous bloodshed, though some had fallen, those who survived were the elite; and having absorbed numerous energy spheres, their strength had grown even greater.

Among everyone, only Qin Wudao, Zhang Yangtian, and Duan Yonghui fought alone.

"Kill!"

The black skeletal ghost creatures roared in unison, swooping down, their bone weapons radiating a dazzling divine light as a dense ghostly mist instantly covered a ten-mile radius.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!...

The terrifying aftershocks of the battle spread, a terrifying, fierce aura permeated the air, and brilliant Spiritual Energy flared, illuminating all directions.

The earth shook and mountains swayed, dust and debris flying everywhere. Rotten ancient trees shattered, and the ground split apart with deep fissures. In an instant, the surrounding miles of land were devastated, not an inch left unscathed.

Even the great mountain of myriad blades at the center of the ruins was affected, shaking slightly and sending much rubble flying.

A few moments later, over a dozen battlefields had formed in the Void.

"*Yin-Yang Cosmo Finger!*"

"*Dark Demon Flame!*"

"*Five Elements Sword Art!*"

Among them, three battlefields were particularly eye-catching.

With every move unleashed, a skeletal ghost creature was shattered, their unending wails reverberating between heaven and earth.

Fighting across cultivation tiers? I’d like to see just how much Spiritual Energy you can sustain!

The Skeletal Ghost King stood atop the great mountain of myriad blades overlooking the battlefield, raising his scepter high and unleashing five streams of energy that landed beyond the battlefield.

"Pass on my command: the main army will advance!"

The hidden gambit was officially set in motion.