Chapter 543: “True Lord Tianshuang Presents Ning the Long Ballad of Demon-Slaying”
“Tiānshuāng, you actually fell for it!” Earth Ash’s face became extremely ugly.
They had been partners for many years, and his extremely reliable companion was now standing on the opposite side of him. Such a thing had never happened before.
Just a moment ago, Earth Ash had been laughing at Tianshuang’s misfortune, but now he could not laugh at all.
Heavenly Ghost ignored how heavy Earth Ash’s mood was. He opened his mouth and spat out a bone sphere.
The ghastly white bone sphere flew into the air and rapidly extended and expanded, transforming into a skeletal gate frame.
Inside the frame, a vortex formed, connecting space to a snowy Underworld region and forming a Ghost Gate.
Tianshuang raised his head and let out a shrill wail.
The crying sound reached the other side of the gate frame and immediately attracted a large number of Snowbone Rakshasa and Ice Crystal Ghost Spirits.
The two types of ghosts formed a mixed ghost horde and surged out, joining the battlefield.
The moment they entered the battle, they immediately used their methods and charged toward the underground groups of Fire Fiend Ghosts and Earth-Molten Ghosts.
A fierce slaughter erupted underground. Explosions rang out one after another, flames scattered everywhere, and ice crystals shot in all directions.
Large numbers of ghosts perished in the internal struggle. Without the advantage of terrain, the ice-type ghost horde suffered slightly heavier losses.
Yet Tianshuang’s face shone with Buddhist light. Without the slightest hesitation, he clasped his hands before his chest and murmured:
“Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth. You fierce ghosts and baleful souls may die in the place meant for you, settling your karmic debts and returning to the natural order of Heaven and Earth. Go now, go.”
“You idiot!” Earth Ash could not help but curse aloud. The losses were so heavy that it pained him greatly.
Tianshuang smiled faintly and turned his head slightly toward Ning Zhuo and the others.
“You must understand. The Heaven and Earth Combined Strike between Earth Ash and myself is a combination of Divine Abilities. Because its power is enormous, our bodies are extremely difficult to sustain it.”
“Therefore, in battle we often prepare the battlefield in advance and use the Ghost Gate treasure to connect to a certain place in the Underworld, releasing ghost hordes captured earlier. The more of these ghosts remain on the battlefield, the more they can bear the pressure for us.”
“We have already used the Heaven and Earth Combined Strike once. If these ghosts are eliminated beforehand, we will be unable to endure a second time.”
“In that case, it would be equivalent to abolishing the second Heaven and Earth Combined Strike. Even if I fall back into the demonic path later, the catastrophe from before will not appear again.”
“Alas… cultivation is not easy. To reach the Nascent Soul level requires untold hardship and effort. Yet these cultivators have died because of me. My sins are truly grievous!”
Tianshuang openly explained his own combat secrets while continuously repenting. Liu Er, Guan Hong, Zhang Hei, and Ning Zhuo all listened in stunned silence.
Earth Ash flew into a rage.
“Shut up!”
He did not want Tianshuang to keep exposing their secrets. Immediately forming a hand seal, he unleashed a spell.
Poison Fiend Flame Streams!
Toxic qi surged and baleful energy rolled violently, converging into hundreds—nearly a thousand—lines of flame that rushed up from deep underground like serpents and pythons.
The flame streams rampaged across the battlefield, slaughtering many Snowbone Rakshasa and Ice Crystal Ghost Spirits. Yet when they struck the Fire Fiend Ghosts and Earth-Molten Ghosts, they instead nourished them and strengthened their combat power.
At first there were only several hundred flame streams. Soon their number surged past a thousand and they began slightly reshaping the battlefield.
Tianshuang sighed with compassion.
“Earth Ash, if you can reshape the battlefield, I too have such means.”
Spell—Profound Yin Frost Realm.
In an instant, the barrier that had left such a deep impression on Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Ning expanded again, covering a radius of ten li.
Inside the barrier, frost energy raged wildly and the atmosphere became eerie and unpredictable.
The flame streams that had been so rampant were immediately suppressed within the barrier and became weak and sluggish.
The Snowbone Rakshasa and Ice Crystal Ghost Spirits received boosts from the frost and yin energy. Their momentum surged as they clashed once more with the Earth-Molten Ghosts and Fire Fiend Ghosts, the two sides now evenly matched.
Tianshuang raised his arm and shouted. Thousands of ice spikes shot down from the sky, piercing into the ghost hordes and causing massive casualties.
The Earth-Molten Ghosts and Fire Fiend Ghosts suffered devastating blows. Many were instantly destroyed by the ice spikes, while others had their souls swapped and were imprisoned inside newly formed ice spikes.
“Tiānshuāng, you fool!” Seeing this scene, Earth Ash cursed furiously.
It had not been easy for him to subdue those Earth-Molten and Fire Fiend ghost hordes.
Now they were suffering heavy losses under the attacks of his own ally.
This made Earth Ash extremely agitated, his expression twisting with ferocity.
He took out a lantern and held it in his hand.
Treasure—Ghost Lantern!
As a Nascent Soul–level Ghost Cultivator True Lord, Earth Ash naturally possessed this classic ghost cultivator treasure.
However, his Ghost Lantern was very different from Tianshuang’s.
Tianshuang’s lantern imprisoned frost-type spirits and ghosts, while Earth Ash’s contained ghosts of the Fire Element and Earth Element.
Tianshuang’s lantern was made of white paper and ice bone, while the one in Earth Ash’s hand was made from charcoal bone and human skin.
On the yellowed human skin were embossed images of torture scenes.
The lantern slowly rotated. Wherever its light shone, phantom images of various torture devices appeared, inflicting continuous damage on all targets within range.
Tianshuang did not hesitate. He also took out his own Ghost Lantern.
For a time, the icy prison lantern light and the scorching torture lantern light clashed and harmed each other.
Tianshuang’s face was filled with bitterness.
“Earth Ash, you are still harming others and stubbornly resisting. Wake up. Awaken the goodness deep in your heart. You have fallen into the demonic path for far too long.”
Earth Ash cursed loudly.
“Tianshuang, do you even know what you are saying and doing?!”
Tianshuang raised his head, wearing an expression of sacrifice and compassion—like one who would willingly descend into hell for the sake of the people.
“I fight for the countless living beings under Heaven!”
As he spoke, he summoned another treasure—a pipa.
The pipa was entirely made of ice crystal. Though no one touched it, it began to play by itself, producing waves of mournful Ghostly Wailing Sound.
The sound reached Earth Ash, chilling his soul body and causing him to shiver.
Enraged, Earth Ash took out a waist drum and began striking it repeatedly. Deep booming sounds echoed directly into everyone’s hearts.
Many soldiers of the Three Generals Camp were already at their limits. Hearing the drumbeats, they clutched their chests as their hearts suddenly ignited, burning to ashes inside their bodies within a few breaths.
Treasure—Heart-Scorching Drum!
Tianshuang flew into anger.
“These demonic cultivators are far too arrogant!”
Earth Ash grew even angrier and instead laughed coldly, gnashing his teeth as he stared at Tianshuang.
“You fool! When you recover your senses, I’ll see how you apologize to me!”
Tianshuang sighed toward the heavens.
“You do not understand. I am redeeming myself—and redeeming you.”
At these words, Tianshuang released yet another treasure.
The Profound Yin Ice Coffin.
Seeing the ice coffin, Earth Ash’s pupils shrank violently and his expression changed drastically.
“Tianshuang, have you gone mad?! You’re actually releasing that Profound Heaven Ice Corpse! Are you truly trying to kill me, you prodigal lunatic?! Forget it—I won’t accompany you in this madness!”
Earth Ash realized the situation could not continue.
He could not keep fighting like this. Immediately, he escaped underground and retreated rapidly.
Since he could not quickly save Tianshuang, there was no need to fight to the death. By widening the distance, he could buy time—and time could bring opportunity.
It had to be said that the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts had become famous across many nations for a reason. Their combat instincts were truly exceptional.
The mutual destruction that Ning Zhuo and the Three Generals had hoped for did not occur.
Earth Ash simply did not give them the opportunity.
Tianshuang clasped his hands together and lowered his head with a sorrowful sigh.
“My Buddha above.”
He turned slightly and looked back at Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Ning.
“Earth Ash and I once traveled together, bringing calamity upon the world. Now it is time to repay those sins.”
“I will continue the pursuit. Either he dies—or I perish.”
Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Sun: …
The situation was far too strange. For a moment, none of them knew what to say.
Meanwhile, Ning Zhuo struggled to maintain Divine Ability—Life Hanging by a Thread while desperately urging the Buddha Heart Demon Seal within his Sea of Consciousness.
He bent forward slightly as if carrying a mountain upon his shoulders.
It was precisely his relentless effort that kept Tianshuang’s Sea of Consciousness filled with Buddha Thoughts and bathed in Buddhist light.
Otherwise, the intense battle would have forced Tianshuang into rapid thinking, consuming enormous numbers of thoughts.
Without Ning Zhuo’s constant replenishment, Tianshuang might already have returned to normal thinking.
To influence Tianshuang’s true body through the Heavenly Ghost Mask before him, Ning Zhuo had already exhausted all his strength.
Tianshuang’s gaze finally settled on Ning Zhuo.
He bowed deeply.
“Little friend Ning Zhuo, you helped awaken me and made me realize the depth of my past sins. You allowed me to start anew. You are truly my good teacher and friend.”
“This pursuit of Earth Ash may very well be a journey from which I never return. Yet I have decided to do my utmost to rid the world of this scourge!”
“This is also my path of redemption.”
“My sins are too great. Even if I succeed in killing Earth Ash, I would have no face to remain in this world. Thus this farewell is final.”
As he spoke, Tianshuang took out a blank jade slip and rapidly engraved it using his spiritual sense.
He handed the jade slip to Ning Zhuo.
“If I lose this battle, this contains the cultivation methods, spells, Divine Abilities used by Earth Ash and myself, my understanding of Earth Ash, and a great deal of intelligence on the Soul-Devouring Sect.”
With great difficulty, Ning Zhuo extended his hand and accepted the jade slip.
Tianshuang then took out a storage bag. After organizing his possessions, he handed the fully packed bag to Ning Zhuo.
“This is the accumulation of my entire life.”
“Ning Zhuo, you are the light of the righteous path.”
“These assets are my gift to thank you for saving me.”
“And… I believe you will use them for the benefit of all living beings.”
“Of course, I must keep the treasures, talismans, and pills needed for battle against Earth Ash.”
Tianshuang’s Sea of Consciousness was filled with Buddha Thoughts. Endless remorse had already given rise to a firm will to die.
Ning Zhuo knew he could not persuade him. If persuasion succeeded, it would actually be dangerous—it would mean Tianshuang still possessed normal thoughts.
Ning Zhuo could only stretch out his other hand and barely accept the storage bag.
It was heavy.
Storage bags at the Nascent Soul level normally had weight-reducing properties. Yet Ning Zhuo still struggled to hold it, showing that the treasure materials inside were extremely numerous—so many that even the storage bag could barely bear them.
Seeing this bizarre scene, Liu, Guan, and Zhang all fell silent.
Liu Er stared fixedly at the bag.
Inside the Puppet Dragon, Sun Lingtong was completely stunned.
“Wow! Wow! Little Zhuo, we’re rich! We’re rich!!”
Even Ning Zhuo himself looked astonished and did not know what to say.
The situation had changed far too quickly.
Just a moment ago, they had been on the brink of death. Now the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts had turned on each other, Earth Ash had retreated, and Tianshuang had directly given Ning Zhuo his life’s wealth and thanked him profusely.
“Oh, right,” Tianshuang added. “Inside the storage bag are Qi Bai’s belongings. Using them, I divined your location.”
“Earth Ash also possesses some of them. If I lose this battle, be careful.”
Before leaving, Tianshuang glanced at the Heavenly Ghost Mask in front of Ning Zhuo.
After a moment of hesitation, he said:
“I will give this ghost mask to you.”
“I believe it will be of help.”
“If I no longer exist in this world, please take care of it. Let it perform good deeds in my stead and repay my karmic debts.”
Ning Zhuo’s eyelids were extremely heavy. Blood seeped from his nose.
Driving the Buddha Heart Demon Seal had pushed him to his limit.
He slowly nodded, unable to speak. Using all his strength, he barely managed to say four words:
“You may go.”
Tianshuang nodded.
The next moment, he soared upward into the sky.
His figure vanished into the distance, leaving only his voice echoing across the battlefield.
“Little friend Ning Zhuo, before we part, I gift you a poem.”
“Ning strikes once and breaks the haze,
Shattering frozen skies to reveal the blue.
Iron armor gathers frost to chase old sins,
Cold blades bathed in blood sever broken oaths.
This body would become the Dragon-Spring Sword,
Even in death guarding the abyss of evil wyrms.
May you bear the torch and shatter the long night,
And forever secure the righteous chapter of the realm.”
“The Long Ballad of Demon-Slaying Gifted by True Lord Tianshuang to Ning.”
Thud.
Ning Zhuo collapsed to the ground, his mind sinking into darkness.
His exhaustion was too great.
Liu, Guan, and Zhang hurried forward to support him.
Zhang Hei praised him repeatedly.
“Incredible! The strategist’s methods are truly formidable!”
Guan Hong said gratefully, “Without the strategist, we would have died here. I owe you my life.”
Liu Er sighed.
“That Tianshuang could repent and turn over a new leaf is entirely thanks to the strategist. ‘May you bear the torch and shatter the long night, forever securing the righteous chapter of the realm’… With the strategist’s extraordinary talent and youth, your future is limitless. Even a demonic cultivator like Tianshuang recognized you as one who may one day uphold the righteous path for all living beings.”
Liu Er felt deep envy.
He knew that after this battle, Ning Zhuo’s fame would spread across nations.
Ning Zhuo knew he could no longer hold on.
Using the last of his strength, he grabbed Liu Er’s arm and weakly urged:
“Retreat quickly.”
“Before leaving… clean the battlefield. There are many treasures.”
After saying this, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
Liu, Guan, Zhang: …
At the same time, in the main camp of the Liangzhu Kingdom army—
“What?!”
The commander’s hall erupted in shock.
“Our carefully assembled team was actually counter-killed by the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts? Only two or three escaped?”
“These were the pillars of our main army!”
“The losses are far too heavy.”
“If the Thousand Peaks Forest coalition launches a counterattack now, what will we do?”
“Not if—certainly! If I were the Thousand Peaks Forest Alliance, how could I miss such a perfect opportunity? After all, Dragon King Giant Tree Mountain is right beside us.”
The generals argued loudly.
Then someone spoke in a cold tone:
“Who exactly planned this pursuit and caused our army such devastating losses?”
Though the voice was soft, it clearly reached everyone’s ears.
The supervising officer Zhao Xi, seated at the main seat, immediately frowned.
“Who said that? Stand out!”
No one responded.
Yet the gazes of the generals slowly shifted—toward Zhao Xi.
Their expressions were calm, but their eyes carried deep meaning.
Zhao Xi’s hair stood on end as cold sweat instantly covered his back.
“This is bad…”
Ever since arriving in the main army, he had seized power, using the Three Generals Camp and Ning Zhuo’s cooperation to establish authority.
When he learned Ning Zhuo and the Three Generals were in danger, he quickly organized a force of Nascent Soul cultivators to support them.
On one hand, it was to save Ning Zhuo and the Three Generals Camp.
On the other, it was to wash away his previous humiliation and earn massive military merit by defeating the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts.
Unexpectedly, it had failed.
“Heaven and Earth Combined Strike…”
For a moment, Zhao Xi could only sigh inwardly, his limbs weak and powerless.