Chapter 3: Legion of the Ghost Domain

The eerie howls pierced the air, and the powerful sword aura, spinning rapidly, generated an extremely domineering destructive force. The hundreds of sword shadows formed by Luyun's divine sword, carrying the sacred aura of the Heavenly Sword, shimmered with a crimson light as they collided with the countless ghost soldiers charging forward. With a deafening roar, accompanied by the mournful cries of countless evil spirits, the scene was terrifying. All around, various black lights flickered amidst the billowing black smoke, only to disappear in an instant.

As the rotating sword aura dissipated into the rolling black mist, the countless ghost soldiers charging forward were annihilated by Luyun's powerful strike. On both sides, Ao Xue and Cangyue wielded their divine swords, flashing with dazzling light, sweeping away countless ghost soldiers with sword auras several zhang long. The only one struggling slightly was Ziyang Realman, but he also repelled the approaching ghost soldiers with his formidable cultivation.

With a cold drink, the ghost general suddenly recalled the attacking ghost soldiers, gazing coldly at the group. His eyes swept over the divine swords in the hands of Ao Xue and Cangyue, and he sneered, "I didn't expect the legendary Shadow Moon Twin Swords, among the three great divine swords passed down in the human realm, to be here. But it's a pity. This is the Ghost Domain, not a place for you cultivators to act recklessly. Now, let's see if you cultivators from the human realm can survive under my army. Form up, Ghost Feather Piercing Heart Formation!"

As he spoke, all the ghost soldiers around him instantly divided into four groups, forming four quadrilateral formations. In the front row, six ghost soldiers stood with long spears, arranged in five layers, with the number decreasing on each successive layer until only one ghost soldier stood at the top. A total of twenty-one ghost soldiers formed a regular triangular formation with their spears extended forward, aimed at Luyun and the other three. Behind them, countless ghost soldiers stood in the same formation. Suddenly, four triangular formations, like four black dragons, appeared neatly in front of Luyun and the others.

The green eyes of the ghost general flickered with a sinister light as he glared at the group. He then shouted fiercely, "Attack!" His eerie voice, like the north wind of winter, struck at the hearts of the group. After the command to attack, the four groups of ghost soldiers suddenly began to rotate as a whole, and the triangular spear formations transformed into circular formations. Due to the speed, the formations formed by the four groups of ghost soldiers instantly turned into four black dragons, roaring furiously as they began to attack Luyun and the others.

With a slight change in expression, Luyun shouted, "Be careful, everyone, this formation is extremely formidable!" With that, his Mindful Soul Sword flipped and soared, emitting a piercing sound along with a dazzling red light. His powerful True Fire essence erupted tenfold, forming a fiery dragon that madly charged towards the approaching black dragons. Meanwhile, Ao Xue and Cangyue transformed their divine swords into a purple dragon, and a fire phoenix, respectively, employing a pincer attack against the black dragons formed by the ghost soldiers. Behind them, Ziyang Realman's entire body emitted a red glow as he wielded his sword, clashing fiercely with the ghost soldiers.

A thunderous roar echoed as the powerful impact turned into countless strong air currents, sweeping across the surroundings. All around, light and shadow flickered incessantly, and the powerful attacks of both sides gradually faded into nothingness amidst the thunderous noise. Luyun, Cangyue, and Ao Xue's bodies trembled slightly but managed to stabilize themselves, while Ziyang Realman, due to the disadvantage of his weapon, was forced back two steps by the powerful attacks, but he managed to steady himself.

On the other side, the four groups of ghost soldiers suffered heavy losses under the group's powerful counterattack, with at least one-fifth of their forces being eliminated. Seeing this, the ghost general's green eyes flashed with anger. After a cold glance at Luyun and the others, he took a step forward and shouted, "Change formation, Ghost Transformation!" He then ordered the attack, and all the surrounding ghost soldiers roared in unison. Countless black shadows instantly began to rotate around Luyun and the others. From a distance, it looked like a surging black tide enveloping them. As the rotation speed increased, the entire area within a hundred zhang was filled with rolling black mist, gradually shrouding the group in a sinister ghostly aura.

Ziyang Realman looked at the rolling black mist with a heavy heart. After glancing at Luyun and the others, he said in a deep voice, "Everyone, be careful. This ghost general is not simple. It's obvious that he must have been a seasoned veteran of countless battles and is extremely skilled in the use of formations. Dealing with such an enemy with our individual cultivation methods will be difficult. Remember to cooperate closely, or it will be hard to withstand their attacks."

In the swirling black mist, countless ghostly hands and claws flickered before Luyun and the others, making it difficult to distinguish between real and illusory. The black light flashed intermittently, always launching a fierce attack when Luyun and the others relaxed their guard. Countless evil spirits emitted terrifying screams, accompanied by the ghostly hands and shadows, making the entire encirclement seem extremely sinister and terrifying, truly living up to the reputation of the Ghost Domain.

A brilliant light burst from Luyun's eyes as his Mindful Soul Sword flew rapidly in front of his chest. His True Fire essence surged geometrically, rising frantically. A red light spread around Luyun, and his powerful True Fire essence formed a blood-red lotus around him, shining brightly.

With a loud roar, Luyun's aura erupted, and his rotating Mindful Soul Sword instantly shot out a red pillar of light over six feet in diameter, fiercely attacking the rotating black mist. Instantly, a red-black light burst forth, and the powerful impact erupted into a terrifying destructive force. Under the collision of the red pillar of light, the rolling black mist exploded, and countless black mists, accompanied by the terrified cries of ghosts, turned into gusts of eerie wind, dissipating in the blink of an eye.

On the periphery, the ghost general's expression was cold and fierce, showing no concern for the dead ghost soldiers. After taking a look at the rolling black mist surrounding them, the ghost general gave a cold shout, and his long spear flicked. In an instant, he launched a total of 108 spears in mid-air. After these 108 spears flashed past, all the surrounding black mist gathered into 108 ghost fires, floating in the air, flickering with a sinister green flame.

With a cold smile, the ghost general said, "Indeed, you have some skills. Let me show you what I'm capable of and see if you can still rampage in my Ghost Domain." After speaking, the black figure landed lightly on one of the ghost fires, preparing to launch an attack.

Luyun looked at the ghost general and said in a deep voice, "Who are you

 exactly? Since you call yourself a general, you must have a considerable status in the Ghost Domain. I wonder how many generals like you there are in the Ghost Domain. Can you just capture a bunch of them at random?"

The ghost general sneered, "Trying to trick me with words, but unfortunately not subtle enough. But I can tell you, it depends on whether you have the ability to listen. Now, prepare to die. Since you've come to my Ghost Domain, I'll make you true ghosts. Ghost Transformation, Soul Separation!" After his words, the 108 ghost fires around them began to rotate rapidly, following a strange and peculiar route. The ghost general's figure intermittently appeared within the rotating ghost fire, and his black spear launched powerful attacks against Luyun and the others without warning.

As a glimmer of light flashed, a strong aura suddenly appeared in front of Ziyang Realman. Seeing the sudden appearance of the black spear shadow, Ziyang Realman shouted loudly and attacked with all his might. The red and black lights collided in mid-air, resulting in a muffled sound. Following that, Ziyang Realman staggered back three steps, his face pale. The ghost general also exclaimed, and his figure hid among the rotating ghost fire.

Luyun, on the one hand, defended vigilantly and on the other hand, pondered how to repel these ghost soldiers and extract the whereabouts of the Ghost King City from them. After observing the other three, he realized that there was no immediate danger, but if they continued like this for a long time, they would eventually be unable to escape the clutches of the ghost army. Turning back, Luyun said to the three, "Everyone, be alert. The rotating airflow is becoming heavier with ghostly aura and is beginning to erode our protective True Qi. We won't be able to hold on much longer like this. I plan to break through forcibly. You just need to protect Yun Feng and prevent him from being affected. Be vigilant, everyone, I'm starting."

The red light burst forth, a dazzling radiance accompanied by a wild and fierce momentum, erupted from Lu Yun in an instant. His eyes shimmered with a strange light, alternating between blue and red, while his entire body exuded a radiant aura, like a raging wave spreading outward. The Heart and Soul Sword gleamed with dazzling red light, interspersed with faint multicolored radiance, flying above Lu Yun's head and hovering automatically.

Lu Yun's eyes flickered with a hint of coldness, and the radiance of the Heart and Soul Sword above his head suddenly intensified. A towering pillar of crimson light soared into the sky, accompanied by dozens of yards of brilliance, fiercely descending in a vertical strike. From afar, it looked like a band of light scattering down, shining brightly amidst the swirling black currents around. The powerful radiance, contrasted against the black background, appeared even more dazzling. With a sudden strike, incredibly precise, the sword landed directly on the rapidly moving head of the ghost general. Everything was so accurate, without the slightest error.

A look of astonishment flashed in the green eyes of the ghost general as he raised his spear, a black light rising to block Lu Yun's sword. Amidst the fluctuating radiance, the powerful ghost aura and blazing true essence erupted into thunderous explosions. Immediately, strange lights and colors scattered in all directions, with dark shadows and red light spreading like colorful clouds, creating a beautiful scene. Around, the ghostly aura weakened considerably, while the red light broke through the encirclement of black ghost aura, illuminating the surroundings brightly.

The ghost general's entire body flickered with black light, and he was sent flying three zhang away by this strike, his aura significantly weakened. Lu Yun's body was also pushed back three steps, his eyes showing a hint of shock. Glancing at the remaining eighty-seven clusters of ghost fires, Lu Yun's body swayed, instantly appearing nine Lu Yuns simultaneously. Each of the nine Lu Yuns wielded their swords simultaneously, with nine dazzling red lights carrying the majestic aura of divine swords, attacking the eighty-seven clusters of ghost fires from different angles.

The sky was filled with dazzling red light, and the sword energy crisscrossed, accompanied by the roaring of the cold wind, everything appeared mystical. Amidst the rising and falling of sword shadows, the green ghost fires disappeared one after another, turning into bursts of black smoke, dissipating around Lu Yun and the others. In mid-air, the nine Lu Yuns converged into one in an instant, leaving everyone shocked by the mysterious and astonishing sight.

However, just as Lu Yun reunited, the ghost general smirked and appeared a zhang away from him. With a swift thrust of his black spear, a black light, flashing with black radiance, shot straight towards Lu Yun's chest. Lu Yun's eyes turned cold, a mysterious smile playing at the corner of his mouth, and in the instant the spear struck his protective true qi, his entire body turned invisible, disappearing into thin air.

The ghost general's face changed, quickly turning to defend himself with all his might. A cold sneer echoed, and Lu Yun's sword fiercely struck the ghost general's spear. As the sword and spear clashed, the tremendous force shook both sides, but neither retreated, opting for a head-on confrontation. The divine sword in Lu Yun's hand emitted a five-colored radiance, exuding an aura that suppressed the ghostly spirits, gradually forcing the ghost general's spear downward. Around them, as Lu Yun restrained the ghost general, Ao Xue, Cang Yue, and Ziyang True Person launched their attacks, sweeping away the remaining ghost soldiers. Amidst the cold wind and the screams of the ghost soldiers, chaos reigned in the wilderness.

Coldly watching the ghost general, Lu Yun held his sword in his right hand, increasing the pressure while speaking sternly, "Speak, what is your identity, and what position do you hold in the ghost domain? Also, where is the Ghost King City located, and which direction should we head from here?"

A look of panic flashed in the green eyes of the ghost general as he gazed at Lu Yun's sword, feeling extremely uneasy. His entire body flickered with black light as he resisted Lu Yun's attacks with all his strength, roaring, "What kind of sword is that in your hand, and why does it contain the essence of fire dragons and the heavens? This is impossible!"

Lu Yun's expression turned cold, and he spoke sternly, "I don't have time to talk with you now. Either answer my questions, or you'll perish. Consider carefully." With that, he exerted even more force with his right hand, causing the ghost general's black aura to fluctuate wildly.

With a loud roar, the ghost general exerted all his strength, and with a slight retreat from Lu Yun's sword, his entire body turned into black smoke, disappearing into the air. Lu Yun's eyes turned cold, and the Heart and Soul Sword automatically flew above his head, completely protecting him. With a thought, all the hidden auras around him instantly appeared in Lu Yun's mind. He discovered that the ghost general was currently six feet to his left, gesturing with strange hand signs, apparently casting some sinister ghost domain secret technique.

With a cold sneer in his heart, Lu Yun's thoughts vibrated at a frequency of ninety-eight thousand times per moment, launching a silent attack on the ghost general. Time seemed too short at this moment. In less than the blink of an eye, the ghost general's hidden body appeared in front of Lu Yun and the others. The ghost general's entire body emitted black aura in all directions, his sinister face contorted beyond recognition, and his ghostly cries and howls were heartbreaking.

Ao Xue, Cang Yue, and Ziyang True Person had basically annihilated all the remaining ghost soldiers by now and had turned their attention to Lu Yun. Seeing the ghost general in such a miserable state, they were all puzzled. They didn't understand why the ghost general would scream like this when Lu Yun was just standing there without showing any sign of attack. They looked at Lu Yun strangely, but none of them asked anything because they understood Lu Yun's character. If he had something to say, he would say it, and if not, he wouldn't, even if asked.

Glancing at everyone, and then at Yun Feng who was still sitting quietly, Lu Yun spoke, "What do you all think we should do to get the information we want from this ghost general? Although I am currently locking its soul with my mental power, preventing it from escaping, once I relax, it may flee. If Yun Feng wakes up now, everything will be much easier. His Yin-Yang technique, I believe, can easily trap this creature, and it's also easier for us to eliminate it. This ghost general has a terrifying cultivation base, but fortunately, my divine sword happens to be able to restrain it. Otherwise, if we had to fight it head-on, it would be quite a struggle." He spoke calmly, concealing many things. He understood that although some things would eventually be impossible to hide from everyone, it was not yet time to reveal them.

Ao Xue glanced at Lu Yun and said softly, "If I use my Purple Shadow Divine Sword to trap it and use it to interrogate, do you think it will be effective?" Lu Yun smiled inwardly, but he ponder

ed for a moment before saying, "This seems feasible. I remember that day, the ghost fairy was also very afraid of your divine sword. I believe this so-called general will be the same. Now, you should use your divine sword to trap it first, and then I will release it."

Ao Xue smiled faintly, gazing at Lu Yun with a hint of intoxicating charm in her eyes, which made her exceptionally alluring. With a light shout, a burst of purple light erupted, and the divine sword Purple Shadow suddenly appeared above the ghost general's head, rotating automatically. A pillar of purple light emerged from the rotation, instantly trapping the ghost general completely in the center. Immediately, the ghost general let out a horrified scream, curling up and thrashing around in all directions.

Lu Yun withdrew his mental wave, speaking softly, "Now we can ask it some questions. Remember to ease the pressure a bit, give it some time to catch its breath, so it can answer our questions." After saying this, he glanced at Cang Yue, Ziyang True Person, and the others, and then back at Ao Xue.

Ao Xue seemed to understand his intention as she opened her mouth and asked the ghost general, "Now, answer our questions from earlier. If I increase the pressure, you might not even have the chance to speak. Hurry up, we don't have time to waste with you."

Feeling the pressure lessen, the ghost general glanced at the divine sword Purple Shadow above and a strange light flickered in its eyes. Its gaze shifted to Ao Xue as it began to speak, "You've played hardball this time, but next time, you'll all perish in the ghost domain just the same. No one has ever left the ghost domain alive, no one. As for my identity, I am the second-grade general of the Third Legion of the ghost domain, commanding two thousand ghost soldiers. And as for the Ghost King City you asked about, it's located by the Black River in the ghost domain, to the south of here."

The group exchanged glances, showing a hint of surprise. Lu Yun carefully analyzed its words, sensing something vague. Looking at the ghost general, Lu Yun spoke coldly, "Ao Xue, increase the pressure. I don't think its words are entirely truthful. I want to ask it again."

Ao Xue nodded slightly and, with a thought, the divine sword Purple Shadow suddenly emitted a stronger brilliance. Immediately, the ghost general let out a piercing scream, its black aura dissipating, gradually revealing its true form.

Lu Yun coldly asked, "Now let me ask you, you claimed to be the second-grade general of the Third Legion, then are there first-grade generals above you? If so, how many? How many second-grade generals like you are in the Third Legion? Also, since there's a Third Legion, then there must be First and Second Legions, how many legions are there in the entire ghost domain, and how is their strength distributed?"

The ghost general thrashed wildly, too preoccupied with its pain to answer Lu Yun's questions. Ao Xue gently reduced the pressure and said, "It's time to go. If it doesn't speak now, it won't have the chance."

With its weakened aura, the ghost general spoke softly, "In the ghost domain, there are only three major legions. The highest commander of a legion is called the Ghost Marshal, below whom there are three first-grade generals and nine second-grade generals. The main forces are distributed at the Black River, Yinshi River, and Wuhun River. These three rivers form a triangle, flowing into the Ghost Sea. The Ghost King City is located by the Black River and can be reached by flying south for about three hours. I've answered your questions. Please give me a swift end."

Ao Xue looked at Lu Yun and Cang Yue, asking, "Do you think its words are credible? Should I increase the pressure and ask again?" Cang Yue shook her head slightly, "To be honest, no matter what it says, we can't be sure if it's true or false because we are completely unfamiliar with this place. If we ask three times and get three different answers, how can we know which one is true, or if all three are false?"

Lu Yun glanced at Ziyang True Person, asking, "Master, what do you think? If you don't have any opinions, let Ao Xue handle it and refine its soul with the divine sword."

Ziyang True Person thought for a moment, about to speak, when suddenly, the suppressed ghost general suddenly exerted all its strength, rebounding forcefully. Ao Xue was slightly shaken, and the divine sword wavered. In an instant, the ghost general turned into black smoke and broke free from the encirclement of purple light.

Ao Xue's expression changed slightly as she exclaimed, her graceful figure rising without wind, a strong purple light slashing down in the blink of an eye. The ghost general's body began to transform, its handsome face growing fangs, and its green eyes turning dark red. In the rolling black mist, countless lost souls appeared intermittently, a terrifying sight. With a smirk, the ghost general said sinisterly, "Now you'll never catch me again. Let me show you my power. Ghost Transformation!"

As it spoke, hundreds of terrifying ghostly figures suddenly appeared all around. Each ghost had a sinister face with fangs, and their dark red eyes emitted extremely frightening red light. Countless spear shadows, accompanied by countless dark red lights, combined with the eerie ghostly aura, created a terrifying scene.

Lu Yun and the others immediately spread out, forming a square formation to protect Xue Jie and Yun Feng in the center. Facing the onslaught of spear shadows and dark red light, Lu Yun, Ao Xue, Cang Yue, and Ziyang True Person defended with all their might, their swords dancing vigorously, temporarily resisting the ghost general's attack. Due to the ghost general's speed and increased strength, Lu Yun and the others were momentarily unable to deal with it.

Cang Yue calmly said, "This situation is very unfavorable for us. If we're just being dealt with by a second-grade general, then we don't even need to go to the Ghost King City. Now, you three guard the two in the middle, and I'll take care of this ghost. This time, I won't give it a chance to escape." After speaking, Cang Yue erupted with a powerful golden light, like a blazing sun rising amidst the dark clouds.

With a light shout, Cang Yue's body emitted fluctuating light and shadows, a series of figures moving as fast as flowing light, instantly spreading out in all directions. The sky was filled with Cang Yue's figures, accompanied by countless Howling Moon divine swords, occupying the entire surroundings with black and golden hues. The scene was dazzling and stunning, with various dazzling lights flashing in the dense explosions, presenting an enticing scene.

A roar resounded, and the ghost general suddenly appeared three zhang away, and all the surrounding ghost figures disappeared completely. Cang Yue stood still in mid-air, with the Howling Moon divine sword spinning rapidly above her head, locking onto the ghost general with a powerful momentum, preparing for a powerful strike. The ghost general seemed to have given up on escaping, its body enveloped in black mist, dark red eyes occasionally shooting out red rays. Each time the red ray hit Cang Yue's protective true qi, the glow of her protective shield dimmed slightly, indicating that this red ray had a strong erosion effect.

When the Howling Moon divine sword, emitting a dazzling light, fiercely struck down, the ghost general

's body turned into a black nebula, its pair of enchanting red eyes shooting out dark red rays. Facing the descending sword pillar, the eyes emitted two dark red light beams, instantly colliding with the sword pillar. The two different lights hovered in mid-air for a moment, but the sword pillar broke through the ghost general's counterattack and struck down instantly.

With a thunderous explosion, a ten-zhang-deep crater was blasted into the ground, terrifyingly shocking. After a brief scream, everything disappeared without a trace, returning to calmness. On the side, Lu Yun's body suddenly shot into the air, his hands together with a black gas enveloping them.

A reluctant roar came, "Impossible, why would you turn into—?" In just a few short moments, Lu Yun clasped his palms together, and everything disappeared. Landing gently beside Ao Xue, Lu Yun said lightly, "We've expended quite a bit of energy. Let's see if we can recover some. This trip to the Ghost Domain is extremely dangerous. If just a second-grade general has caused us so much trouble, then when we get to the Ghost King City, we might not even enter before being dealt with."

Looking at Lu Yun, Ziyang True Person couldn't understand him more and more. He looked at Yun Feng, who was sitting quietly, and said, "When should we leave? Shall we wait for Yun Feng to wake up before we go?"

Lu Yun whispered, "Yes, let's wait for him to wake up, then we'll leave, heading directly south." After saying this, he looked up at the black sun, realizing it had moved slightly. With a faint smile, Lu Yun instantly understood something, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.