Chapter 13 ：In a desperate situation

"In the green world, wisps of black smoke twisted into various shapes, slowly closing in on Lu Yun. With a solemn expression, Lu Yun surrounded himself with seventeen waves of mental energy, firmly protecting himself within.

Exerting force, Lu Yun suddenly increased his power by three levels. The black vacuum sphere in his hand immediately shone brightly, emitting countless talismans outward. Inside the sphere, the ghostly fairy let out a miserable scream as swirling masses of energy fluctuated wildly, clearly in extreme danger. Just as the ghostly fairy cried out in horror, dark green lights flickered around Lu Yun, accompanied by countless explosions, eroding the mental waves he had set up.

As the green light flashed, twelve ghosts and a ghostly fairy appeared around Lu Yun, launching a fierce attack in a peculiar formation. In the distance, a dark mass appeared blurry in the green world, like clouds and mist.

Lu Yun trembled slightly, looking around with a hint of vigilance. This time, the enemy's attack was extremely peculiar, far stronger than the combined power of the twelve ghosts. Watching the continuous attacks from the ghosts, Lu Yun naturally understood their intention to rescue the trapped ghostly fairy. With a cold sneer, Lu Yun suddenly retracted the eerie vacuum sphere, and his mental waves, oscillating at a rate of 213,600 times per instant, launched a devastating blow at the trapped ghostly fairy. The fairy's luminous aura dimmed in an instant, and its cry vanished in a mere moment, dissipating into strands of black smoke in the air.

With a single blow dealt, Lu Yun's body spun rapidly, dodging the relentless attacks of the twelve ghosts. However, after a hundred and twenty consecutive shifts, Lu Yun finally realized that the formation formed by these ghosts was incredibly mysterious, making it impossible to break free. Halting his movements, Lu Yun coldly watched the intertwining ghostly shadows, his eyes showing a hint of solemnity. Forming an intersecting grid with his mental waves, he partitioned the surrounding space.

The sky was filled with ghostly shadows, and eerie howls echoed as if spirits of the underworld were wailing, doubling the horror. The twelve ghosts launched their most ferocious attack using the Twelve Evil Spirits Formation. Sensing Lu Yun's evasions, the ghosts couldn't help but emit sinister laughs. Above, the ghostly fairy howled, 'Human, don't delude yourself into thinking you can escape. In the Twelve Evil Spirits Formation, one cannot survive. Even with the Ghost King Armor on, you won't escape. Hehe. Prepare to taste death. Increase the attack intensity.'

Lu Yun's lips tightened, his eyes cold. His mental waves outside his body were rapidly analyzing the principles and weaknesses of this ghostly formation. As the ghosts approached, Lu Yun's entire body radiated with light, and his mental waves, now partitioning the space, intensified threefold, fully blocking the enemy's attack. Ghostly energy burst forth, lights flickered, and screams pierced the air, tearing through the void. Finally, the twelve ghosts collided with the invisible mental waves, being flung away by the high-speed rotating true energy. In that moment, a loophole appeared before Lu Yun.

In a flicker, Lu Yun traversed through the siege of the ghosts and appeared in front of the ghostly fairy. Seeing the faint energy in the fairy's hands, Lu Yun couldn't help but sigh at the formidable strength of the ghostly fairy, almost indestructible. Even under his high-frequency mental wave attacks, the fairy remained unscathed.

With a contemptuous smile, Lu Yun extended his hands, wielding the Soul-Devouring Technique, emanating the most sinister and evil aura, attacking the ghostly fairy. The ghostly fairy's green eyes emitted a green light, and its black figure suddenly split into nine ghostly shadows. Each shadow then transformed into nine black shadows, surrounding Lu Yun in all directions. At that moment, green light filled the surroundings, countless ghostly shadows, and eerie laughter echoing in the green space. The ghostly fairy sneered, 'Well done, you are the most powerful human to enter the Ghost Domain in many years. However, you shouldn't have come here. Now, prepare to die! Lethal Ghost Soul Refinement!' The final words were incredibly sinister, shaking the heavens.

All around, the dispersed ghostly shadows briefly revealed a hint of melancholy in their pale green eyes, but it vanished in an instant. Only the twelve ghosts let out a collective eerie howl, then transformed into twelve clusters of green light, revolving around Lu Yun in a complex pattern. From afar, it looked like a massive sphere of flickering green light, encasing Lu Yun within.

A powerful force, carrying a soul-devouring power, began to compress. Lu Yun, trapped within, felt the abnormality of the surroundings and couldn't help but pay attention to the movements around him. In just a moment, the green light sphere shrunk to about three zhang in diameter, pressing Lu Yun so tightly that he couldn't even breathe. Sensing the ferocity of the enemy's attack, Lu Yun's body erupted with black light, using the Soul-Devouring Technique to its utmost, trying to absorb the strange power around him.

However, to Lu Yun's astonishment, the Soul-Devouring Technique, which could swallow all ghostly energy, completely failed at this moment. Horror filled Lu Yun's eyes hidden beneath the ghost mask as he keenly felt the increasing pressure around him, as if he were being crushed to pieces. With a raise of his hands, a powerful aura burst forth, and Lu Yun instantly unleashed ten layers of power, attempting to break through this mysterious and powerful attack.

From afar, a black light spread from the green light sphere, expanding until it reached a diameter of one zhang, but it was immediately pushed back as if encountering great resistance. Within the light sphere, Lu Yun spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes dimming significantly. Lu Yun never expected that the strange formation formed by the twelve ghosts would be so resilient, causing him to be injured by the rebound force.

On the periphery, the speed of the twelve clusters of green light spinning around accelerated, completely enveloping Lu Yun within. Not far away, the ghostly fairy let out a cold laugh, its green eyes flashing with evil light. Inside the light sphere, Lu Yun kept probing for a counterattack, but the increasingly strong pressure gradually rendered him stiff, almost unable to move. At that moment, Lu Yun finally realized the danger and understood that he had underestimated the situation. He had thought that mastering the Soul-Devouring Technique to perfection would make him fearless of any ghosts in the Ghost Domain, but now he realized he was gravely mistaken.

With his lips tightly closed, Lu Yun's eyes kept flashing with light as he pondered how to break through this powerful and mysterious attack. Time flew by rapidly, pressure mounting with each passing moment, and panic began to show in Lu Yun's eyes. Suddenly, Lu Yun's eyes flashed with light, his left hand flipped and turned outward, while his right palm emitted a rainbow-colored light, also striking out.

A silver light flashed, and the Soul-Subduing Talisman appeared out of thin air, quietly imprinting on the layer of green light. On the right, the 'Limitless Heaven and Earth' technique was fully unleashed. In this critical

 moment, Lu Yun no longer cared about concealing his abilities and simultaneously displayed the Soul-Subduing Talisman and the Limitless Heaven and Earth technique. The silver light flickered with strange brilliance, and the words 'Soul Subduing' shimmered with a peculiar silver light, resisting the encroaching green light. On the right, the rainbow-colored light emitted a strong attraction, devouring the surrounding green light with all its might.

Lights flickered, the green light and the silver Soul-Subduing Talisman fiercely collided, countless strange lights scattering, thunderous sounds becoming increasingly deafening. The Soul-Subduing Talisman was said to subdue all ghosts, spirits, and other incorporeal beings, belonging to its domain. The Lethal Ghost Soul Refinement was reputed as the most dominant art in the Ghost Domain, collectively cast by twelve ghosts possessing formidable strength. Once this technique was activated, the twelve ghosts casting it would transform into Lethal Ghosts, completely losing their memories until death.

With these two decisively opposing techniques colliding, who would emerge victorious remained unknown until the encounter. At this moment, the powerful green light sphere fluctuated rapidly, layers of green light undulating, constantly changing shapes. A silver light shimmered within the green light, gradually strengthening. Simultaneously, Lu Yun's right hand, containing a rainbow-colored light, gathered a peculiar black light. The black light, like a half-inch diameter sphere, rotated rapidly, carrying immense suction force, crazily absorbing all the surrounding energy.

On the outskirts, a hint of surprise flashed in the green eyes of the ghostly fairy, silently appearing behind Lu Yun, focusing entirely on him. In the distance, the black shadow flickered with a red and green light. At the same time, a strange voice sounded in the air, as if hinting at something. With the emergence of this voice, the ghostly fairy glanced briefly at the black shadow, its body instantly fading, blending into the night sky.

"The silver light suddenly burst forth, and the Soul-Subduing Talisman erupted with a powerful brilliance, fiercely resisting the gradually fading green light. At the same time, the rotating sphere of light in Lu Yun's right palm was gradually expanding. Around him, the dazzling green light spheres were gradually dimming, their faint green light slowly being absorbed into Lu Yun's right palm. Within the sphere of light, Lu Yun's body trembled slightly, blood continuously flowing from the corners of his mouth, his dim eyes containing a stubborn and unconquered look, coldly resisting the Lethal Ghost Soul Refinement technique. Feeling the increasing pressure around him, Lu Yun's eyes shot out cold light, but instantly dimmed.

At this moment, Lu Yun's body was in extreme danger. First, he was severely injured by his own powerful rebound force, and then in this strange light sphere that devoured everything, he was pressed by the powerful force, rendering his entire body unable to move, and his internal organs were once again severely injured. At this point, fully exerting the Soul-Subduing Talisman and the Limitless Heaven and Earth, his already heavily injured body was almost at the end of its strength. Now, his only hope was to see who could hold on until the end. He understood that while the Soul-Subduing Talisman could suppress the Lethal Ghost Soul Refinement, whether he could hold on until that moment was unknown. Encountering such a domineering and sinister technique for the first time, Lu Yun, in his negligence, fell into an unprecedented crisis.

Seeing the green light sphere gradually thinning, even the hidden ghostly fairy couldn't help but change his expression, never expecting someone could resist within the Lethal Ghost Soul Refinement. Sensing the boundless power of Lu Yun's Soul-Subduing Talisman, a trace of cunning flashed in the ghostly fairy's eyes, its body suddenly appearing, hands forming a powerful ghostly energy in front of its chest, forming a bright black sphere, invading and eroding souls.

With a flash of silver light and a roar, the twelve ghosts let out a final miserable cry. Then, the tough green light sphere disappeared. However, at the moment the light sphere disappeared, a chilling and sinister laughter, as cold as polar frost, entered Lu Yun's ears. Before Lu Yun could react, a mass of black light, carrying an evil aura that devoured everything, viciously struck Lu Yun's back.

With no chance to evade, the powerful and evil force instantly hit Lu Yun's body. Only to see Lu Yun's whole body shimmer with black light, the Ghost King Armor at this moment displaying its unique defensive effect, blocking a portion of the attack. With a muffled groan, Lu Yun's body was hit by the powerful force, flying forward. In the air, blood splattered like lotus flowers, fluttering and dancing.

As his figure swayed, before he could stabilize, Lu Yun's mind showed a scene of the ghostly fairy attacking from behind. At this moment, Lu Yun had no time to dodge; his speed was definitely no match for the ghostly fairy's, so he chose to counterattack. With severe injuries, his best weapon at this moment was his unique Mental Wave. Without much thought, Lu Yun instantly released three Mental Waves, attacking the ghostly fairy with all his might.

With a scream, the ghostly fairy's figure trembled, struck three times in the brain by Lu Yun's powerful and mysterious Mental Waves, causing significant damage, and the attack ceased instantly. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Yun stabilized his figure and shot out with all his strength. A strange cold snort sounded, and the entire Ghost King City suddenly rotated, the directions around becoming blurry, leaving Lu Yun in confusion.

With no time to hesitate, Lu Yun arbitrarily chose a direction and took out the Heart and Soul Sword, flying on the sword. Behind him, the ghostly fairy let out a roar and chased after him, while a figure flashed, and a sinister laugh came from mid-air. Lu Yun felt a little uneasy; it was the first time in his life that he had been so severely injured and trapped in a dangerous situation, making him feel angry and mad. He was very confident in his cultivation, but he didn't expect that this time, it was his overconfidence that led him into a desperate situation.

As he fled, Lu Yun observed the surroundings, not familiar with the place. His Mental Waves automatically searched for any movement around him, while the approaching ghostly fairy forced him to continuously boost his power, hoping to break out of the Ghost King City, cross the Black River, and seek help. However, at this moment, Lu Yun had no idea that he was heading in which direction.

In the sky, a black shadow quietly watched the frantic fleeing Lu Yun, unable to help emitting a faint, deep chuckle. Watching Lu Yun sink deeper and deeper, gradually entering the depths of the Ghost King City, the shadow faded and disappeared in an instant. The pursuing ghostly fairy suddenly stopped, turned around to look behind, a hint of cunning flashing in its green eyes. Then, its figure turned and went in another direction.

Lu Yun's body swayed, stopping at a corner, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood, his eyes dull and lifeless. Above, the Heart and Soul Sword automatically hovered, quietly guarding him. Lu Yun looked around, feeling strange that the ghostly fairy didn't pursue him. He didn't understand what it was plotting. He glanced unintentionally at the wall shimmering with green light, and was momentarily stunned, but soon let out a bitter smile. On the wall, a clear figure appeared, under a ghost mask, those eyes that had lost their focus, the traces of blood at the corners of the mouth, all indicating that the person before him was on the brink of death. After carefully checking the meridians in his body, Lu Yun found that those above the eighth level were severely damaged, and his true essence was almost depleted. At this moment, Lu Yun was completely an empty shell, standing only with the support of his stubborn will.

Sending out a Mental Wave, Lu Yun carefully searched for any movement around him, his body slowly moving forward. Sensing the dense ghostly aura around him, Lu Yun took a deep breath, fully exerting the Ten Thousand Return to One technique, trying his best to absorb the surrounding ghostly aura to replenish his depleted true essence. Slowly, a faint black gas appeared around Lu Yun's body, and many ghostly auras began to converge towards him.

Lu Yun's speed was not fast, but it didn't take long for him to reach a fork in the road. His body shook, firmly standing on the ground, the Heart and Soul Sword above his head began to spin faster, a layer of red light emitting from the sword, enveloping Lu Yun. Looking at the black ghostly figure ahead, Lu Yun's heart sank slightly, his mind spinning rapidly, trying to figure out how to shake it off. Without turning back, Lu Yun's Mental Wave detected another ghostly fairy on the path he had just taken, and this ghostly fairy's aura was very familiar—it was the one who had been dispersed by Lu Yun earlier but still retained a trace of vitality. Lu Yun didn't expect it to recover so quickly; it was truly incredible.

"Raising his head, Landy cast a glance at the sky, a tinge of sadness in his eyes. The black shadows hovering above seemed to mock him, thwarting his plans of escape from above. A faint, weary smile played on his lips, as at that moment, Landy keenly felt the threat of death. Casting a glance back into the distance, his gaze held a faint indifference, a silent farewell echoing into the distance.

Ahead, a ghost sneered, 'Heh, quite impressive, breaking through our Ghost Domain's formidable Ghost Refining Art. But alas, this is the Ghost Domain, where all souls and spirits dwell, and you, an outsider, are fated to leave your life here. Now, let us send you on your way. It's time to depart.'

Ignoring it, Landy's gaze shifted slightly towards the shadow above. Since its appearance, he had sensed something peculiar about it. Landy was almost certain now that the black shadow above him was the Ghost King of this Ghost City. Though he couldn't discern its form, Landy had a vague sense that the Ghost King's cultivation surpassed that of the ghosts, which was his primary concern. Facing only the ghosts, Landy believed he had a good chance of breaking free with his Soul-sealing Talisman and the Ruyi Soul Sword. But with this mysterious Ghost King present, Landy felt resigned, with nothing left to say but a sigh.

Illusions shattered, shadows intertwined. Two ghosts launched simultaneous attacks from the front and rear, their powerful assaults making it difficult for Landy to breathe, his body swaying violently. Attempting to muster his strength, Landy tried to use the 'Five Thunder Ascension Technique,' only to find his meridians blocked, unable to summon his most potent yang energy. With a wry smile, Landy's eyes turned cold. The trials of childhood had forged his strong will, and even in this dire situation, Landy refused to give up. His proud spirit, filled with unyielding determination, sustained him.

Unable to use the Five Thunder Ascension Technique, Landy continued to rely on the Soul-refining Art. Black light shimmered in the palm of his right hand, while the Soul-sealing Talisman gleamed with silver light in his left, meeting the attacks of the two ghosts head-on. With a cold sneer, one ghost swung its palm, unleashing a beam of light that met Landy's right palm head-on. The tremendous force sent Landy's body flying with ease. The other ghost, knowing the power of Landy's talisman, dodged aside, launching ninety-six claws in rapid succession, each carrying formidable power, and struck Landy relentlessly.

In mid-air, Landy groaned in pain, as the Ghost King's armor absorbed much of the attack, mitigating the damage. Unable to counterattack, Landy's body was enveloped in a silver glow as he suddenly executed the Spatial Jump Technique, appearing hundreds of feet away, riding his sword frantically. The two ghosts roared, chasing after him. They hadn't expected Landy to endure so much, even with his injuries, and still execute such miraculous techniques to escape. 

Amidst the frantic escape, Landy used his extraordinary Mind Wave to evade the pursuit of the two ghosts while heading in different directions. However, the strangest thing was that, at this moment in the Ghost King's City, the entire place seemed to be spinning, making it impossible to discern directions. Landy had no choice but to flee randomly. Feeling the rapid depletion of his true energy, Landy's eyes flashed with determination, his defiant spirit supporting him.

After what seemed like an eternity of spinning, Landy found himself unable to shake off the pursuit of the two ghosts. Finally, in a strange alleyway, he was caught by them. The oddity of this alleyway was a peculiar stone stele with faintly engraved characters, obscured by a layer of black light, making it indistinct. Beside the stele was a well, its octagonal mouth adorned with eight ferocious ghostly faces, each bearing a sinister expression, creating an eerie sight.

Raising his head, Landy glanced at the black shadow above as if it were a looming specter, relentlessly tracking him. With a touch of resignation, Landy's gaze shifted to the two ghosts, then finally settled on the strange well. One of the ghosts spoke up, 'You've been fleeing for so long, but in the end, you couldn't escape. It's quite unexpected that you'd end up here. Perhaps it's destined for you to die here without doubt. You're curious about this well, aren't you? I can tell you. This well, in the Ghost Domain, is unique. We call it the Soul-locking Well. No ghost, including the supreme Ghost King, dares to approach within three feet of it. Once approached, they'll be devoured, with no chance of survival. Inside this well lies the legendary Soul-sealing Orb of the Ghost Domain. Anything that enters it will be crushed into powder, their souls scattered and destroyed. Legend has it that the well also contains one of the two fiends of the Ghost Domain, the Blood Shadow Seductress. Throughout history, all the disobedient ghost soldiers have been thrown into it. There have been tens of thousands of them, yet none have escaped. Since you've chosen this as your burial ground, let us fulfill your wish. Before you die, is there anything you'd like to know? I'll make you a knowledgeable ghost. Heh heh.' The eerie smile on the ghost's face appeared particularly terrifying.

Landy's mind trembled as he looked at the Soul-locking Well, then shifted his gaze away, asking the ghost, 'Since we've reached this point, I'm not intending to escape anymore. I just want to ask about the origin of this Ghost King Armor on my body. At the same time, I want to inquire about the Soul-sealing Talisman snatched by the expert from the Demon Domain, said to have been placed in the Soul-refining Pool. Do you know where the Soul-refining Pool is?'

The ghost who spoke before sneered, 'The so-called Ghost King Armor, also known as the Ghost King Battle Armor, can resist all attacks of yang energy, primarily referring to attacks from the mortal realm. For the Ghost Domain, although it has some defensive capabilities, its effectiveness is not very good. This Ghost King Battle Armor is said to be attainable by those who have reached the pinnacle of Soul-refining Cultivation and coincidentally break through the twelfth realm, granting them access to the mysterious realm of the 'Battle Armor.' As for the specific functions of this armor, no one can say for sure, as you are the first to cultivate it to completion, a phenomenon unprecedented in history. It's a pity, though; you're already doomed; otherwise, you might have discovered some new capabilities. As for the Soul-sealing Talisman and the Soul-refining Pool, that's not something you should know. Now, let us send you on your final journey. Heh heh.'

With that said, the two ghosts exchanged a glance, both advancing. Two black auras, laden with sinister energy, slowly closed in on Landy, their formidable momentum creating two whirlwinds around them. Landy's body shook violently, as the chilling aura relentlessly eroded his body

.

Gripping the Ruyi Soul Sword tightly, a warm surge of true energy emanated from the sword, nourishing Landy's withered body. With a steely gaze fixed on the two ghosts, Landy was enveloped in a black aura, forming a thin shield of ghostly energy around him, fiercely resisting their powerful aura. With his right hand slightly raised, the divine sword gripped horizontally, Landy prepared for his final battle.

All around, the howling wind and pervasive ghostly energy filled the air with a terrifying atmosphere, saturating the surroundings with the scent of death. Without looking up at the Ghost King, Landy merely glanced back into the distance, where his heart still lingered. Without time for farewells, that parting smile became eternal. Perhaps, at this moment, he realized how fleeting that smile was."