Chapter 22: Treasure of the Ghost Realm

With a sinister smirk, the Ghost King appeared beside the Ghost Immortal and the six Ghost Fiends, casting a chilling gaze at Soulless and the Ghost Immortal. Two beams of red and black light suddenly appeared, carrying the power to invade souls and corrode spirits. The Ghost King unleashed the mysterious Soul Invading Ghost Eyes, attacking Soulless and his underlings.

A cry of surprise and anger erupted from Soulless as his body flickered and transformed into nine figures, dodging the Ghost King's sudden attack. Simultaneously, he launched a powerful strike while swiftly moving. His tyrannical soul-eroding power instantly annihilated a hapless ghost among his ranks. However, Soulless's underlings, due to being fully occupied by the Ghost Immortals and Ghost Fiends from the Black River, were unable to evade the Ghost King's Soul Invading Ghost Eyes in time, emitting only a miserable scream before being severely wounded.

With a cold grin, the Ghost King spread his hands, and a black light shield immediately enveloped the critically injured Ghost Immortal. The trapped Ghost Immortal emitted terrified screams and struggled desperately for a while before turning into a wisp of green smoke and disappearing without a trace. At the same time, Soulless roared in fury, visibly enraged. His body flipped and bounced, performing three hundred and sixty revolutions within a radius of three meters while the jade pot in his hand emitted three hundred and sixty rays of eerie green light, forming a circular light shield that trapped the Ghost King, the Ghost Immortal, and five Ghost Fiends.

The green light flashed with strange brilliance, resembling three hundred and sixty whirlpools appearing simultaneously all around. With an immensely powerful suction force, accompanied by swirling air currents, it crazily engulfed the enemies within. Several screams of horror rang out, and three of the five Ghost Fiends were immediately sucked in, screaming before disappearing. Soulless and the remaining two Ghost Fiends were filled with shock and rage, struggling with all their might against the formidable swallowing force.

The expression in the Ghost King's eyes changed slightly, and he angrily exclaimed, "The Soul Collecting Pot of Soulless, how despicable!" With that, his entire body emitted ghostly energy, gradually forming a strange rotating air cone around him, rushing towards the mouth of the Soul Collecting Pot.

The black rotating air cone immediately blocked the mouth of the jade pot, but in just an instant, it turned into a stream of air and was absorbed by the Soul Collecting Pot. However, in that split second, the trapped Ghost Immortal and Ghost Fiends suddenly felt the pressure ease, seizing the opportunity to escape Soulless's attack range, while the Ghost King easily broke free from the pot's constraint.

Meanwhile, the Undead Blood Ghost, feeling slighted by the Heavenly Spirit Divine Sword, launched a vigorous attack against Sword Dust and his companions. Yin Li and his underlings also joined forces to besiege the Summoning Ghost Old Man, gradually pushing him to a point where he had no room to dodge and forcing him to counterattack.

In a dark corner far away, Land Yun and his companions were silently observing the intense melee. Proud Snow murmured softly, "Among these seven forces, the only one that hasn't acted yet is the Indomitable Ghost. It's probably the most difficult one to deal with. As for the Undead Blood Ghost, it's a bit foolish, completely forgetting why it came here and starting a fight with Sword Dust and the others. Truly clueless."

Cang Yue smiled calmly, "It's for the best. It'll temper the resolve of the Heavenly Sword Sect and let them experience the power of the Undead Blood Ghost. Currently, the most formidable ones here are the Ghost King, the Undead Blood Ghost, and that mysterious Indomitable Ghost. As for the others, while powerful, they probably don't match up to these three in terms of ferocity and dominance."

As they watched the battle, Land Yun's gaze kept shifting between the Ghost King and Sword Dust, occasionally glancing at the Indomitable Ghost. When the two women spoke, Land Yun softly commented, "Have you noticed any differences in Sword Dust compared to before? Also, why would Yin Li want to attack the Summoning Ghost Old Man? Is there some unknown secret between them?"

After observing Sword Dust for a while, the two women couldn't discern any differences and looked to Land Yun for answers. With a slight sigh, Land Yun replied, "It seems you haven't noticed anything yet. Perhaps when your cultivation improves in the future, you'll be able to see. By then, everyone will know what he's hiding."

Turning his gaze back to Sword Dust, Land Yun continued, "Pay close attention, and you'll notice a faint purple light flashing in his eyes from time to time, very mysterious. At the same time, I sense that he's hiding something on his person. Something very mysterious and powerful. Unfortunately, I can't figure out what it is." With a furrowed brow, Land Yun spoke with a hint of seriousness.

Shifting their gaze back to Sword Dust, the two women observed for a while but still couldn't discern any differences from before. Gently shifting their gaze away, Cang Yue suggested, "Perhaps our cultivation is still too shallow, and we can't see anything. Let's consider why Yin Li would attack the Summoning Ghost Old Man. Maybe there's something hidden about him?"

Before Land Yun could respond, a sudden change occurred in the battlefield. The Summoning Ghost Old Man let out a miserable groan as he was struck down by Yin Li. With a cruel smile, Yin Li's shadow followed closely, launching a Soul-eroding** attack that enveloped the Summoning Ghost Old Man. Meanwhile, Yin Li's underlings also unleashed their Soul-eroding** techniques, jointly attacking the Summoning Ghost Old Man.

Feeling the powerful and malevolent Soul-eroding** attacking his body, which was rapidly corroding his being, the Summoning Ghost Old Man couldn't help but roar in agony, emitting a ghastly scream. His eyes widened in fury as a blood-red light suddenly appeared, and at that moment, a transformation began to take place. With the flash of blood-red light, a sinister blood-red aura enveloped the Summoning Ghost Old Man's body, forming an evil shield that protected him. Then, the Summoning Ghost Old Man reached into his bosom and retrieved a piece of dark obsidian, his eyes gleaming wickedly as he stared at the approaching Yin Li, emitting a terrifyingly loud and malicious laugh. The eerie and malevolent laughter, filled with boundless bitterness and anger, sent shivers down the spines of all present.

"No! You can't do this!" Shocked and enraged cries erupted from all the ghosts present as they abandoned their fights and rushed towards the Summoning Ghost Old Man, attempting to seize the Obsidian Tablet from him and stop him from using its power. Even the Indomitable Ghost, which had remained motionless all this time, finally acted. Silently appearing before the Summoning Ghost Old Man, a sinister black mist surged towards his right hand.

As the ghostly experts closed in, the Ghost Summoner's eyes flashed with a sinister glint. After all the hardships he endured to obtain the Yan Wang Order, he couldn't allow it to be taken away so easily. Despite the dire consequences of unleashing the Yan Wang Order's power, he had no choice at this moment. With a bitter smile, his gaze turned cold and ruthless, and he spat out a stream of essence blood, hitting the dark iron plaque squarely.

"No! Don't!" A horrified roar echoed, and the once dark iron plaque, having absorbed the essence blood filled with endless curses, suddenly transformed into a sinister blood color. With a flash of blood, a vast blood mist engulfed the entire Ghost King City, turning the once green world into a blood-red hue in an instant.

The boundless aura of blood and resentment, akin to a hurricane, swept through the surroundings, causing all the souls in the Ghost King City to howl in terror. Within the blood light, a strong and eerie blood glow emerged around the Ghost Summoner, forming a malevolent light shield that repelled all the approaching ghosts.

Within the light shield, the Ghost Summoner's face twisted in pain and horror. His eyes, gleaming with blood, exuded a terrifying aura of resentment. In his hand, the once dark iron Yan Wang Order now emitted countless blood curses, forming various eerie ghostly figures swirling around him. The horrific and eerie atmosphere sent shivers down the spines of all the experts present, while Sword Dust and the others looked on with shock.

In a corner, Snow Pride and Azure Moon trembled, completely stunned by the terrifying scene before them. They couldn't believe that the Ghost Summoner harbored such an evil artifact. From the terrified expressions and voices of the Ghost King and Blood Reaper, it was evident that the Yan Wang Order was a highly important treasure of the Ghost Realm. Otherwise, they wouldn't have stopped everything to try to seize it. Unfortunately, they were too late; the Ghost Summoner had already unleashed its power.

Land Cloud's eyes darkened, and he spoke softly, "Be careful. This ghostly artifact harbors immense evil power. It's highly likely the supreme treasure of the Ghost Realm. Otherwise, the Ghost King and Blood Reaper wouldn't be so terrified. Now that the Ghost Summoner is still in the midst of transformation, no one can say for sure what he will ultimately become. Let's do our best to conceal our presence and avoid direct confrontation with him if possible. Let the other experts deal with the Ghost Summoner while we observe carefully. Hopefully, we can find a way to counter it in the future if we encounter it."

The two women nodded silently, carefully observing the situation in the field.

At this moment, the Ghost King, Blood Reaper, Abyssal Ghost, and the three Ghost Marshals, along with Sword Dust and the others, closely watched the Ghost Summoner. They pondered what he would ultimately become and how to deal with him.

It was clear that once he completed the transformation, the Blood Shadow Yan Luo would spare no one present.

Ghost Marshal Phantom Mirage glanced around at the other Ghost Realm experts and said solemnly, "At this critical moment, we must set aside our grievances and focus on eliminating the Ghost Summoner first. We can settle our disputes afterward. The Ghost Summoner is still in the midst of transformation. Once the Blood Shadow Yan Luo appears before merging with the Ghost Summoner, that will be our best chance to strike. Once we miss it, it will be nearly impossible to defeat him."

Upon hearing this, the experts exchanged glances and began to move closer to the Ghost Summoner, preparing for the critical strike.

At this moment, all the Ghost Realm experts temporarily put aside their grievances and joined forces to attack.

In the field, the blood mist surrounding the Ghost Summoner gradually condensed, and the Yan Wang Order, which had been rotating around him, transformed into a blood shadow that formed a vivid blood-colored figure behind him. The figure, with its stern ghostly face and eyes flickering with blood flames, exuded an aura of evil and terror. Surrounded by a flowing light, it emanated a boundless aura of blood and resentment, pervading the entire Ghost King City. Meanwhile, the Ghost Summoner's eyes kept changing between red and black, his face trembling constantly, clearly tormented by the transformation. Perhaps unable to bear the excruciating pain any longer, the Ghost Summoner waved his hands frantically, tearing at his own hair like a mad beast, relentlessly tormenting himself.

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed out, causing the hair of the ghost elder to fly wildly as his blood-red eyes stared into the sky, emanating boundless desolation and sorrow. But in just an instant, it transformed into boundless malevolence, glaring fiercely at his surroundings. Behind him, the blood-colored figure became clearer and clearer, slowly approaching his body.

"Attack, quickly, with all your might!" the Ghost King roared, channeling his energy to the maximum as he sent two surging waves of black energy crashing towards the ghost elder. On the other side, Blood Grim and the Grim Reaper also launched fierce attacks simultaneously, sending forth beams of red and black light filled with destructive power towards the blood-colored figure. In the periphery, Mirage, Yinmen, and Soulless simultaneously unleashed their respective abilities around the ghost elder.

Light and shadows intertwined, countless figures moving swiftly in the air, forming a strange network of dark red and black light waves that enveloped the ghost elder. The intense attacks converged into a massive dark sphere, exuding an aura of destruction that devoured the ghost elder. The formidable force of destruction clashed against the blood-colored sphere surrounding the ghost elder, creating thunderous explosions. Between the two spheres, countless beams of light collided, creating intense shockwaves.

Within the blood-colored sphere, the ghost elder's face twisted in a hideous expression, his ugly visage now appearing exceptionally terrifying. The flames dancing in his blood-red eyes emitted an aura of cruelty and malevolence, glaring evilly at his surroundings. Waving his hands, the blood-colored light around him vibrated, fiercely resisting the six powerful forces attacking him from all sides. Behind him, the fluctuating blood figure suddenly flashed with a brilliant light, forcefully breaking through the blockade and merging with the ghost elder.

As consciousness was destroyed, it was like losing the most important thing in one's life, a pain that was indescribable. With a twisted expression, the ghost elder looked at the sky, a faint shimmer of tears flickering in the blood light. In that moment, perhaps there was also sadness and helplessness in his heart. Unfortunately, survival is cruel, requiring one to lose much in order to live!

Turning back indifferently, the blood-red eyes suddenly turned cold. His icy gaze swept across his surroundings, like a chilling stream, sending shivers down the spines of all the high-level experts present. Retreating several feet with a swaying motion, the Ghost King roared angrily, his figure once again pouncing forward. With powerful attacks and fierce momentum, the airflow around him converged into a black whirlwind, swirling violently around the ghost elder. Nearby, Blood Grim and the Grim Reaper, seeing the Ghost King launching another attack, followed suit, unleashing a joint assault from the left and right. On the periphery, Mirage, Yinmen, and Soulless also launched a second wave of attacks together.

Light and shadow flickered, countless rapidly moving figures forming a strange light wave in the air, flowing layer by layer.

On the battlefield, winds and clouds roared as the six top experts of the Ghost Realm launched a joint attack against the ghost elder, or rather, the Blood Grim Reaper. The intense attacks and fierce counterattacks intertwined in mid-air, forming countless dazzling lights that made Jian Wuchen and the other five people's faces change drastically, as well as the three hidden in the shadows.

Looking at the rapidly moving figures, Jian Wuchen's face changed uneasily as he said, "Master, now that it's such a great opportunity, we should leave and go find the Soul-Refining Pool. Once the outcome of their battle is decided, no matter who wins or loses, it won't benefit us."

Liuxinghun's face looked ugly as he said, "Jian Wuchen is right. We should leave here as soon as possible. This place truly deserves to be the most sinister region in the world, full of boundless dangers. It's best to leave as soon as possible." With that said, he led the other four people to retreat quietly.

On the other side, Aoxue asked softly, "Luyun, do you think the six top experts of the Ghost Realm can eliminate that Blood Grim Reaper?"

"It's hard to say. So far, I've noticed that the Blood Grim Reaper still hasn't exerted his full strength and has been holding back. And it seems that the Ghost King has also concealed his strength. It's hard to guess what they're planning. As for the Blood Grim Reaper, I feel that the aura on him is extremely powerful, and it's still increasing rapidly. In my opinion, when the Blood Grim Reaper's strength stops growing, these six attacking experts might not be his match. The reason they're attacking now is probably because they know that the Blood Grim Reaper's strength hasn't reached its peak yet. Once the Blood Grim Reaper's strength recovers, I'm afraid they won't even have a chance to escape." With a slight sigh, Luyun's gaze fell on the falling tear in the wind. At this moment, a faint sense of emotion emerged in his heart.

Cangyue's face remained calm as she looked at the five people leaving secretly, a strange smile appearing in her eyes. Looking at Luyun, Cangyue smiled lightly and said, "Over there, the people from the Sky Sword Sect are escaping. What about us? Shall we choose to leave or continue watching?"

Looking at her beautiful smile, Luyun suddenly revealed a hint of joy in his eyes. How beautiful! His gaze swept over Aoxue, and suddenly he thought to himself, perhaps having this pair of extraordinary eyes in his life was enough.

"Let's watch for a while longer. Jian Wuchen and the others won't be able to escape. Ghost Immortals have already begun to intercept them." Cangyue and Aox

ue were initially stunned, but then they realized what was happening. They couldn't help but shift their gaze to Jian Wuchen, carefully observing him.

With a loud noise, the powerful sacred aura did not shatter the green light sphere as intended, but instead rebounded rapidly, causing Jian Wuchen's entire body to tremble. With a slightly pale face, Jian Wuchen calmed down, and his true energy began to rotate rapidly. Pointing his divine sword towards the sky, with a flick of his wrist, 187 swords suddenly appeared above his head, converging into a colorful sword pillar in the blink of an eye. With tremendous power, the colorful sword pillar rotated and surged, confronting the rapidly shrinking evil green light sphere.

With a sinister smile, the Ghost Immortal transformed into nine ghostly shadows, launching a fierce attack on Liuxinghun and the others to prevent them from rescuing Jian Wuchen. Liuxinghun and the other three's faces changed drastically as they realized that Jian Wuchen seemed to be in trouble. They each felt extremely anxious and began to counterattack with all their might, trying to break through the Ghost Immortal's defenses to go to his aid.