Chapter 321: Chapter 291: Underworld Invasion, Ghost King Conspiracy
「Capital City.」
Deep within the Imperial Palace, inside the dark Celestial Prison, engraved Runes roamed everywhere, occasionally sparking with flashes of electricity. Chains interwove, forming an impenetrable web from which even high-level cultivators specializing in body techniques had no chance of escaping.
THUD!
From the depths of the prison came a continuous, suppressed roar. Initially, the sound held a human quality, but over time, it became indistinguishable from that of a beast.
At the center of the Array in the prison was an eerily animated creature. Its entire body of flesh and blood squirmed, sprouting black tentacles that pierced through its skin. It resembled a massive, blood-colored starfish thrashing wildly in the air, its strength great enough to scrape iron filings from the chains. These cancerous tentacles, as if receiving ample nourishment, devoted all their energy to cell division. Divide, divide, and divide again... Eventually, the creature resembled an anemone with indiscernible features. It had spontaneously developed a vast will, and it clawed and slammed against the walls, twisting the iron chains imbued with Demon-Suppressing Power into Iron Skin.
This grim and bizarre scene left the observing cultivators awestruck and fearful. Their senses keenly perceived the terrifying pressure emanating from this lifeform, as if it were nurturing an ancient Beast, causing the very ground beneath it to crack.
"Suppress!"
A mass of golden flames rapidly spread, swallowing the entire fleshy organism and dispelling the leaked Ghostly Power. In no time, amidst the flames, the bizarre anemone form gradually receded. Only a handsome man with entwined feathers and monkey fur remained. He slowly opened a pair of ghastly green eyes, which then returned to normal.
Wei Wuyang felt the power integrating into his own system and was slightly surprised. Utilizing the White Lotus to consume part of the leyline’s seal, I only received a wisp of the inheritance, yet my strength increased significantly, and I even mastered a new system. What if I obtained the entire inheritance? Or even... the lost laws and authority, inheriting the destiny left behind after a Divine Spirit’s fall? As these thoughts raced through his mind, Wei Wuyang licked his lips, a surge of excitement burning in his heart. After planning for so long, the time to reap the rewards has finally come.
"Congratulations, my Lord! Felicitations!" a green-faced, tusked fiend approached. It was dressed as a monk, enshrouded in Ghost Qi, looking sinister and terrifying. Around its thick neck hung a string of Buddhist Beads polished from cultivators’ skulls. Despite its terrifying appearance, it was a powerful Yin God, a marshal under the Ghost Realm named Qing Chou, possessing the cultivation of a quasi-Ghost King. Its experiences were also legendary. It had once been a Demon Path Giant of a prominent faction, committing heinous crimes that landed it on the imperial wanted list. Later, it gained an opportunity and caught the Ghost King’s eye. It then switched to practicing the Yin Spirit Technique, abandoning its mortal body to become a significant figure in the Ghost Realm.
Several Golden Decree Divine Spirits, whose fates Wei Wuyang controlled, also put on fawning expressions. They joined in congratulating the mighty State Preceptor, wishing him an early ascension to immortality.
Of course, one side consisted of nefarious ghost gods, while the other comprised gods sustained by the incense and faith of the people; their relationship was inherently one of water and fire. But alas, following the State Preceptor was too rewarding. Protecting the people? Gathering faith? It’s all just sustenance for us! Since we’ve become Incense Fire Immortals, made significant contributions to the state, and benefited the populace, it’s only right that we consume you. Moreover, the State Preceptor’s policy of "herding the populace like livestock" and "cultivating them as sustenance"—a policy referred to by some as the Immortal Master’s way of "farming food stock"—aligned perfectly with their interests and resonated with the Ghost Realm’s own philosophies.
Wei Wuyang squinted, sensing the changes within his Beast Taming Space. Deep inside, a Pet Beast Egg enveloped in crimson mist lay guarded by his two main combat Pet Beasts. That Faceless Ghost King certainly has a considerable immortal destiny, even possessing a Divine Spirit’s Sequence Profession, yet he was too shortsighted to recognize it... Haha, the Yin Spirit Technique! What an excellent Yin Spirit Technique! He was immensely pleased.
He had been integrating the power of the Joyful Sect in the Mortal World, using the White Lotus to erode the rules of the leylines. Simultaneously, the Ghost Realm exerted its full force in the Underworld. The Ghost King himself had acted to bridge the Yin and Yang Realms, further weakening the leyline seal. However, the Princess of the Enchanting Demon Royal Court had also been working in the shadows. She had made private deals with him, selling members of the Ji-surnamed Imperial Family. This allowed him to reap a massive amount of draconic qi, which in turn helped the White Lotus endure a little longer.
Though they appeared to be opposing factions, it was, in reality, a complex power play involving multiple parties, each with their own schemes. War was a means of negotiation and compromise, a way to establish the weight of one’s participation. Before that door opened, after probing each other’s strength, everyone tacitly cooperated, contributing what they could. Because the prize behind that door was substantial enough for all the involved powers to have a hefty share.
The inheritance of a fallen Divine Spirit!!
As for rebel forces or fractured vassal states, they were utterly insignificant in the eyes of these grand schemers—mere pawns to be discarded at any moment, tools to divide the dynasty, carve up its draconic qi, and weaken the seals. Should any unexpected developments occur, they could be crushed with a single finger. Once the door opened, this world would be erased along with it...
Wei Wuyang pursed his lips, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He, and the Wei Family far away in the Federation Imperial Capital... their appetites are far from small. By now, it’s time for some of these self-righteous players to have their roles redefined.
In the shadows, a patch of darkness writhed. Two Snake Women attendants nodded to each other, preparing to report to Dan Yu.
...
「Taiping City.」
Ominous black clouds bared their fangs, swallowing the entire city, including the intricate network of waterways that crisscrossed along the river. Blood-soaked entrails drifted in the port as a sinister wind swept through, carrying the sounds of clashing swords and blades. Inside a manor, hungry growls echoed; a plump maidservant, belly bulging, hunched over and gnawed on what had once been her master’s "useless appendage," tearing away strips of bloody intestines. A cloud of admixed flesh and blood scattered dandelion-like fleshy spores. Like arrows, they pierced into the blood vessels of the living amidst terrified screams, instantly transforming them into grotesquely twisted, squirming creatures that fled in all directions, spreading pestilence.
Hulking ghost soldiers dragged living people from the ruins with one hand, stuffing them into their mouths to chew. Amidst despairing cries, the soldiers let out sounds of satisfied laughter. Ghastly, distorted ghostly faces dragged rotting corpses as they drifted through the falling snowflakes. They searched the ruins for any survivors who might have escaped the initial slaughter, silently exuding an aura of terror. Once discovered, these Living Dead would madly rush forward to devour their victims, tearing them apart until nothing remained.
Even more horrifying, these eerie beings could speak. They retained the intellect and personalities they possessed in life: cunning, ruthless, lecherous, bloodthirsty... They committed arson, pillaged, raped, and looted—every conceivable evil—without scruple. The ghosts rampaged, enacting one human tragedy after another, their actions painting horrific scenes that were enough to shatter the worldview of any living person.
On a pavilion, a youth in a Profound Robe, concealed by gray mist, scanned his surroundings. Beside him stood the Ninth Princess. Clad in practical, tight-fitting attire that couldn’t hide her remarkable figure, she witnessed the Purgatory unfolding on earth. A thirst for vengeance welled within her, and killing intent gathered in her beautiful azure eyes. She gritted her teeth, her hair stirring gently in the wind. If Chu Yi gave the order, she would charge out immediately and slaughter every last one of these vile ghosts. These foul abominations! These half-dead beasts from the Underworld! How dare they invade the Mortal World and take advantage of the chaos to plunder!
Chu Yi was momentarily dazed. In what felt like the span of a single thought, he found himself in this bizarre world. No... this is still Taiping City. Wait, ghosts? The youth paused, his eyes suddenly brightening as a hint of excitement flickered within them.