"Late-stage... Tier 3."
Zhao Qiyang's expression changed drastically.
The Dark Green Flood Dragon slithered through the air, arriving above the Zhao Family's Protective Clan Array, and violently whipped its tail.
The massive tail carried the explosive sound of tearing air as it ruthlessly smashed into the protective array.
"Crack—"
The Zhao Family's Protective Clan Array shattered on impact. The barrier of light exploded like fragile glass, turning into a sky full of motes that quickly dissipated.
In the next instant, countless Demonic Beasts surged into the Zhao Family Ancestral Grounds.
"No!"
Zhao Qiyang roared hoarsely.
"Ahhh—"
Dozens of Zhao Family Disciples were utterly powerless to resist. Swept up by the suction, they screamed as they flew straight into the dragon's waiting jaws.
Whether they were Qi Refining Cultivators or martial artists, they were all as helpless as ants before this overwhelming power.
The flood dragon snapped its mouth shut and chewed. Fresh blood seeped from between its teeth and dripped down its long whiskers.
"You beast!"
Zhao Qiyang's eyes practically split open in fury. Abandoning the Gale Eagle, he spun around and charged at the Dark Green Flood Dragon.
The Azure Flying Sword transformed into a streak of light, stabbing directly toward the dragon's eyes.
Seeing this, a flash of disdain crossed the dragon's eyes. It casually raised its front claw and swatted at the attack.
"Bang!"
Zhao Qiyang felt as if a mountain had slammed into him. His protective spiritual light shattered instantly, and his chest caved in. He plummeted like a meteor, crashing into the mountains below and carving out a deep crater.
"Ancestor!" the surviving Zhao Family Disciples cried out in grief.
Down in the crater, Zhao Qiyang struggled to his feet, feeling as though his internal organs had all shifted out of place.
He coughed up mouthfuls of fresh blood but still forced himself into the air.
"Zhao Family Disciples, hear my command!" Zhao Qiyang's voice was hoarse but echoed across the entire battlefield. "The Great Trend is Irreversible, flee! Whoever can escape, do so!"
At the same time, he secretly sent a voice transmission to the Black Cloud Spirit Leopard. 'Black Cloud, the Zhao Family Main Lineage is doomed. Hurry and leave as well.
The Dongxi Branch Lineage is counting on you!'
The Black Cloud Spirit Leopard paused in its tracks and gave Zhao Qiyang a deep look, complex emotions flickering in its eyes.
It let out a long howl, transforming into a dark cloud as it took to the sky and sped off into the distance.
The Crimson Flame Lizard roared in pursuit, but the Black Cloud Spirit Leopard was incredibly fast. It dashed into the Mountain Range, utilizing its innate talent for concealing its aura.
In the blink of an eye, the Crimson Flame Lizard lost track of its prey and had no choice but to return in frustration.
On the battlefield, Zhao Qiyang watched the tide of Demonic Beasts swarming into the ancestral grounds.
Seeing the Zhao Family Disciples being torn apart and devoured one by one, and watching the terrified women and children scramble for a sanctuary that didn't exist, two trails of bloody tears streamed down his face.
He suddenly burst into laughter, a sound that was both shrill and tragic.
"So this is the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation!"
Only now did he truly understand why the Xu family, despite their immense power, acted with such overwhelming caution.
The forces his Zhao family faced were likely less than a single percent of the calamity's true might.
Yet even that mere fraction was enough to completely annihilate the entire Zhao family.
"Thankfully, my Zhao family allied with the Xu family. I only hope they can truly preserve our bloodline!"
At this thought.
The aura around him began to wildly surge.
Early-Stage Golden Core... Mid-stage Golden Core... Late-stage Golden Core!
Zhao Qiyang's aura finally stabilized at the late stage of the Golden Core realm. Although he still couldn't compare to the Dark Green Flood Dragon, he now had the power to fight.
"Vile beast, die!"
Zhao Qiyang turned into a streak of light and charged at the Dark Green Flood Dragon once more.
Pushed to the absolute limit, the Azure Flying Sword finally managed to carve scratches into the dragon's scales, yet it still couldn't truly breach its defenses.
Demonic Beasts excelled in their physical bodies and their mighty bloodlines.
Without a powerful magic treasure, very few human cultivators could clash head-on with a beast of the same tier.
Zhao Qiyang felt a bitter pang in his heart. He had only recently formed his core, and his newly forged Lifeforce Magic Treasure was too weak to inflict any real damage on this dragon.
About five minutes passed in a flash.
Zhao Qiyang could feel that his lifespan was burning down to its embers, his strength beginning to wane.
Down below.
More than half of the Zhao Family Disciples had been massacred.
Blood stained the entire ancestral grounds red, with severed limbs scattered everywhere.
The sounds of weeping, agonizing screams, and the roaring of Demonic Beasts intertwined into a symphony of a living hell.
"So be it, so be it."
Zhao Qiyang smiled miserably and suddenly dropped all of his defenses, allowing the flood dragon's claw to pierce straight through his chest.
The Dark Green Flood Dragon was momentarily stunned, before warily trying to pull its claw back and retreat.
But it was already too late.
"Vile beast, perish with me!"
Zhao Qiyang's eyes bulged as he fiercely hugged the dragon's forelimb. The Golden Core inside his body spun madly before violently detonating.
"Rumble—"
A massive mushroom cloud surged into the sky. A frenzied Energy Shockwave swept outward, flattening the surrounding mountains.
Dozens of Tier 2 Demonic Beasts that couldn't flee far enough were instantly vaporized by the sheer force.
Even the Crimson Flame Lizard and the Gale Eagle were sent flying, suffering severe injuries.
At the epicenter of the self-detonation, the Dark Green Flood Dragon let out an agonizing screech.
Large patches of its scales peeled off, exposing the mangled dragon flesh underneath.
One of its front claws was nearly blown off, hanging on by a mere thread of skin and muscle. Its belly had been blown open to reveal a gruesome gash, with its internal organs faintly visible.
However, it ultimately survived.
The Dark Green Flood Dragon struggled to stabilize its body, its vertical pupils igniting with monstrous fury.
It looked down at its own ghastly wounds, then glared at the terrified Zhao family survivors fleeing below, and unleashed a heaven-shaking roar.
"Kill! Leave none alive!"
The heavily injured flood dragon vented all of its rage on the remaining Zhao Family Disciples.
Once the slaughter was complete, it devoured a large amount of the heavenly resources the Zhao family had hoarded, coiling up in the ruins to heal its wounds.
The rest of the Demonic Beasts charged in the direction of the Imperial City.
——————————
Daliang Northwest, Pingwu Commandery City.
This major border town, once bustling with an endless stream of merchants and travelers, had now been reduced to a hellscape.
The sky was blanketed by heavy, dark clouds that blotted out the sun and moon. Only a suffocating, gray aura of death permeated the entire city.
The gloomy clouds hung low, looking as if they might crush the towering watchtowers and temples of the city at any moment.
The wind was bone-chillingly cold, carrying a biting yin chill. As it swept through the streets and alleys, it emitted a whimpering sound, like tens of thousands of vengeful spirits weeping all at once.
Throughout the city, countless Ghostly Creatures—some translucent, others solidified into physical forms—prowled the main roads and narrow lanes.
Most of them were obscured by gray yin energy, lacking any distinct features.
A middle-aged man cowered behind the counter of his rice shop, trembling uncontrollably.
Through the crack in the door, he watched an elderly man who couldn't run fast enough get pierced straight through by three Yin Souls simultaneously.
Before the old man could even scream, he crumpled to the ground.
His face instantly turned as pale as paper, and his body shriveled up at a visible rate. It was as if all of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit had been drained dry, leaving nothing behind but skin wrapped around bones.
The shopkeeper covered his mouth tightly, not daring to make the slightest sound.
However, the Ghostly Creatures had a terrifyingly acute sense for Life Energy.
In the blink of an eye, a mass of gray fog slipped through the crack in the door.
After a single agonizing scream, the rice shop fell dead silent.
Tier 2 Ghostly Creatures were already capable of taking on physical form.
Wherever they passed, doors and windows shattered and walls collapsed; they could physically attack the living.
Large numbers of martial artists and cultivators had their bodies torn apart by them.
Among the horde were also special apparitions, such as the Headless Ghost that specialized in decapitation, or the Skin-Stripping Ghost that delighted in flaying human faces.
These types of ghosts could only be born under very specific circumstances.
In contrast, the Yin Soul creatures controlled by Xu Chuan were mostly ordinary, free from such grotesque mutilations.
"You monsters!"
The commandery city only housed three or four Foundation Building cultivators in total, without a single expert in the Origin Martial Realm.
Faced with this army of ghosts, they had practically no ability to fight back.
In the city's bustling downtown area.
A phantom giant thirty feet tall stood clad in shattered ancient general's armor, wearing a soaring crown. Its face was gaunt like a skull, and eerie green ghostly flames burned within its eye sockets.
It wielded a massive ghost-headed broadsword, the blade wreathed in countless wailing, resentful souls.
It opened its jaws and let out a terrifying shriek.
The sonic wave shook the very souls of those nearby as it rapidly rippled outward.
Within a radius of a thousand feet, everyone simultaneously clutched their heads and screamed in agony.
A moment later.
Illusory souls were forcibly torn from their bodies, flying straight into the Ghost King's mouth like rivers flowing into the sea.
Even Qi Refining Cultivators and Mortal Transcendence Realm martial artists couldn't resist.
A massive number of souls were devoured by the Ghost King.
Yet it remained unsatisfied, continuously devouring more and more.
It was a late-stage Tier 3 Ghost King, merely a single step away from reaching Peak Tier 3.
If it had a Golden Core cultivator to gorge on right now—even just one—it might be able to cross the threshold into Peak Tier 3.
Lacking that, it had no choice but to rely on sheer quantity.
By eating enough, there was still a chance to overcome the Bottleneck.
Meanwhile, high above the Commandery City.
A black-robed old man stood motionless in the air, holding a massive ten-foot ghost banner. The banner's surface depicted a scene of a hundred ghosts marching in the night.
The old man was one of the Golden Core Demonic Cultivators from the Blackwater Region, named Rong Yang.
The banner in his hands was the Hundred Ghost Banner, standard-issue gear of the Heavenly Ghost Sect.
Most Foundation Building disciples of the Heavenly Ghost Sect commanded the Ten Ghosts Banner.
Those in the Nascent Soul realm wielded the Thousand Soul Banner.
Furthermore, the Heavenly Ghost Sect possessed a supreme Ten Thousand Soul Banner, whose might was even more terrifying than ordinary spiritual treasures.
"Once this city is devoured, my Main Soul should be able to advance to Peak Tier 3, and I might even be able to cultivate another Tier 3 Ghostly Creature.
It's just a pity that the quality of these souls is too low."
Rong Yang muttered to himself.
He had a sinister face with deeply sunken eye sockets and lips as thin as blades, appearing to be in his sixties.
Pingwu Commandery City had a population exceeding several million.
And he had already annihilated three other commandery cities just like this one.
Not to mention several County Cities and a vast number of Villages.
In the blink of an eye, two hours passed.
Before long.
Pingwu Commandery City lost all traces of sound. The silence was dreadful, transforming the area into a literal ghost town.
The only disturbance was the occasional sweep of a yin breeze, letting out a mournful whimper.
"Still missing a little..."
Rong Yang scrutinized the Tier 3 Ghost King before him, frowning slightly as his withered fingers gently stroked the banner's pole.
"Forget it. I'll go check elsewhere. If there's one thing this place doesn't lack, it's living creatures."
He lightly waved the Hundred Ghost Banner and muttered an incantation.
Instantly, the ghostly entities scattered throughout the city rushed toward him, pouring back into the Hundred Ghost Banner.
Just as he had traveled a dozen miles away from the Commandery City.
Suddenly, two ripples of spiritual power emanated from behind, rapidly closing in on him.
Rong Yang immediately stopped and turned to look.
A moment later.
He saw a cyan and a yellow streak of light arrive, coming to a halt roughly a thousand feet away from him.
The light faded, revealing the figures of Xu Chuan and Xu Mingxuan.
"Who might you two Daoist Friends be? Could it be you've come for me?"
As he spoke, he tightened his grip on the Hundred Ghost Banner.
Xu Chuan swept his gaze over it, instantly sensing that the Hundred Ghost Banner was exquisitely crafted. It even seemed capable of drawing upon the power of the ghosts stored within.
In contrast, his own Soul-Gathering Banner was merely a magic treasure used to nourish Yin Souls and Ghostly Creatures.
If he had that Hundred Ghost Banner, given the number of ghosts within his Soul-Gathering Banner, he could absolutely unleash power comparable to the Early Nascent Soul Stage.
'It seems highly likely this person hails from a prestigious sect. Could he be a Golden Core elder of the Heavenly Ghost Sect?'
Xu Chuan pondered for a moment before offering a faint smile. "Is this Daoist Friend from the Heavenly Ghost Sect?"
Rong Yang didn't find the question strange. After all, the Hundred Ghost Banner was the signature magic treasure of the Heavenly Ghost Sect's elders; nearly every one of them possessed a banner.
"I am Rong Yang of the Heavenly Ghost Sect. How should I address you two?"
Although they were conversing, the guard in Rong Yang's heart didn't lower in the slightest.
"The Soul Banner in your hand is quite nice, Daoist Friend Rong. Why not lend it to me for a look?"
Rong Yang's pupils contracted. "You two truly came courting death! A mere Early-Stage Golden Core and Mid-stage Golden Core dare to play tricks in front of me!"
He hoisted the Hundred Ghost Banner.
The Soul Banner immediately erupted with monstrous black energy, condensing into a torrential flood of ghostly aura over a hundred feet wide.
Its might was astonishing, absolutely comparable to the full-strength blow of an expert at Golden Core Consummation who had mastered their Divine Abilities.
Seeing this, Xu Chuan's expression didn't change at all as he lightly patted his Corpse Bag.
A streak of bloody light shot out.
It was the Profound Yin Blood Corpse, which was nearing the half-step Tier 4 realm.
Blood Fiend Qi erupted from its body, forming a massive bloody claw that directly blocked the torrent of ghostly energy.
"A half-step Tier 4 blood corpse!"
Rong Yang cried out in shock, watching as the flood of ghostly energy was firmly halted by the giant claw formed of pure Blood Fiend Qi, completely unable to advance another inch.
Ghostly aura and Blood Fiend Qi clashed violently in mid-air, producing a teeth-setting sizzle.
"Just who are you to possess such an overbearing Corpse Puppet?!"
Rong Yang's expression constantly shifted, a trace of unconcealable suspicion seeping into his voice. "Anyone with a Corpse Puppet like this cannot be a nameless nobody.
Could it be that you hail from the Corpse Yin Sect?"
Xu Chuan stood suspended in the air, his azure robes fluttering in the wind. Hearing the question, he merely offered a faint smile and remained silent.
His right hand gently patted the Corpse Bag at his waist once more.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Four streaks of equally terrifying bloody light shot into the sky, landing around Rong Yang to form an encirclement alongside the first Profound Yin Blood Corpse.
The auras of the five blood corpses connected, their Blood Fiend Qi forming a prison that sealed off all of Rong Yang's escape routes.
Furthermore, every single one of them was at Peak Tier 3.
Although they couldn't compare to the very first corpse, they were all on par with a Golden Core Consummation cultivator.
Rong Yang's expression completely fell apart.
Five Peak Tier 3 blood corpses!
Such a lineup was something even the Sect Master of the Corpse Yin Sect might not be able to produce!
But Xu Chuan's methods were far from over.
With a flick of his sleeve, multiple Array Flags shot out with rapid swishes.
Realizing his opponent was setting up an Array, Rong Yang immediately erupted with his full power.
He unleashed all of his Divine Abilities and magic treasures, desperately trying to break out of the blood corpses' encirclement and escape before the grand formation could envelop the area.
However, he had underestimated the sheer power of five Peak Tier 3 blood corpses.
Not only did he fail to escape, but he also suffered minor injuries under their combined assault.
Of course, if he hadn't had a Mid Grade defensive magic treasure protecting him, his injuries would have been far worse.
In just a few moments.
The Cloudy Heaven Illusion Formation was successfully deployed.
An area spanning five miles was completely swallowed by clouds and mist, isolating it like a separate world.
"Don't push me too far, Daoist Friend!"
Rong Yang glared furiously, but soon an ugly smile was plastered across his face.
"Daoist Friend, there's no need for us to fight to the death. Since you've cultivated such blood corpses, you must surely wish for them to progress further.
If you could obtain a Tier 4 blood corpse, you'd be able to reach the heavens in a single bound.
As it happens, I am privy to some crucial information.
Old Demon Wu of the Blood Demon Grotto has also entered this region. He possesses several meticulously raised blood corpses of his own, two of which have already reached Peak Tier 3!
Furthermore, I've heard that the Blood Demon Grotto holds a Secret Method that can use multiple blood corpses to forge a true Tier 4 blood corpse.
If you can seize his corpses and steal his Secret Method, you could absolutely cultivate a genuine Tier 4 Zombie King!
If you are willing to let me off the hook, I can help you locate Old Demon Wu and slay him."
Upon hearing this, a strange, amused smile spread across Xu Chuan's face.
"Are you referring to these?"
Rong Yang was slightly taken aback. Xu Mingxuan, meanwhile, snickered secretly, thinking to himself, 'What an absolute idiot!'
Xu Chuan patted his Corpse Bag once more, and two more blood corpses instantly appeared.
However, they looked distinctly different from the previous five.
These two radiated an overwhelming aura of malevolent demonic energy.
"Fiend Blood Corpses!" Rong Yang's pupils constricted, his voice cracking. "These belong to Old Demon Wu... You've already killed him?!"
Decades ago, Rong Yang had clashed with Old Demon Wu over a Yin-Sha Land.
Those Fiend Blood Corpses had left an incredibly deep impression on him.
He looked up again at the array space shrouded in thick fog, completely blinding him from the outside world.
"It seems Daoist Friend has no intention of sparing my life."
Knowing there was no longer any room for negotiation, a vicious glint exploded in Rong Yang's eyes. "I've roamed this world unchallenged for centuries! If you want to kill me, these mere blood corpses aren't going to be enough!"
He immediately formed hand seals, releasing all the ghosts contained within the Hundred Ghost Banner.
Following that, a Bone Staff—a Mid Grade magic treasure—flew out of his Storage Bag.
The late-stage Tier 3 Ghost King led the ghost army to entangle one of the Profound Yin Blood Corpses and the two Fiend Blood Corpses.
Meanwhile, Rong Yang himself pushed his magic treasures to their limits and unleashed his Divine Abilities, engaging the remaining three Profound Yin Blood Corpses.
For a brief moment.
Despite being besieged by six blood corpses, they actually failed to take him down.
It was clear that his strength was indeed formidable.
However, there were seven blood corpses on the battlefield!
The final one was the strongest of the pack, the very corpse nearing half-step Tier 4.
It had been observing.
In the very next heartbeat, it appeared directly behind Rong Yang.
A sharp claw wreathed in Blood Fiend Qi silently plunged toward his heart from behind!
The hairs on the back of Rong Yang's neck stood on end. He managed to block the strike with the Hundred Ghost Banner, but the tremendous impact sent him staggering backward.
Distracted for a split second, the other three blood corpses ruthlessly seized the opening and launched their offensive!
He immediately triggered his Divine Abilities with all his might, forcing them back once again.
But the strongest blood corpse condensed another bloody claw and viciously swatted down.
Rong Yang parried it with his Bone Staff.
In that moment of deadlock, the other corpses launched sneak attacks from three different directions.
Their flawless coordination left Rong Yang not even a second to catch his breath.
"You forced my hand!"
A ruthless gleam flashed through Rong Yang's eyes, and he fiercely slammed a palm against his own chest.
"Pfft!"
A large mouthful of core Essence Blood spurted out, transforming mid-air into a bizarre blood rune, which he then swallowed in a single gulp!
Following that, Rong Yang's aura explosively swelled, instantly reaching Golden Core Consummation, and it was still climbing.
"A blood-burning Secret Method?" Xu Chuan remarked coolly.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
Rong Yang roared, sweeping his Hundred Ghost Banner in a wide arc while controlling his Bone Staff to viciously smash into the strongest blood corpse.
The five blood corpses were simultaneously blown back hundreds of feet!
Seizing this fleeting opportunity, he moved like a phantom, diving straight for Xu Chuan!
As long as he killed the puppet master, these Corpse Puppets would collapse into a disorganized mess!
"A mere Mid-stage Golden Core—die for me!"
Xu Chuan remained as unhurried and composed as ever.
Judging by the power Rong Yang was currently unleashing, it was enough to rival a Golden Core Consummation cultivator who had mastered their Divine Abilities.
Yet Xu Chuan had already surpassed that level when he was only at the Early-Stage Golden Core.
Now that he had stepped into the Mid-stage Golden Core, while it didn't spark a fundamental transformation, it had undeniably deepened his foundation.
Xu Chuan had no intention of exposing his true strength.
In the event that Rong Yang transmitted knowledge of his attack methods right before dying, the signature traits would simply be too obvious.
As for using blood corpses, even if someone else found out, they would only assume it was the handiwork of some Demonic Cultivator.
The blood-burning Secret Method Rong Yang employed wouldn't last for long.
Having these blood corpses was more than enough to obliterate him.
Facing Rong Yang's murderous charge.
Xu Chuan merely flicked his sleeve. A massive black seal, carrying the heavy momentum of a mountain, violently crashed forward.
"A High Grade magic treasure!"
Rong Yang's expression drastically changed. Gripping his Bone Staff tightly, he unleashed its full power to meet the colossal seal.
"Boom!"
Struck directly by the fully powered seal, Rong Yang was blown away.
The four blood corpses that had been forced back earlier swiftly closed in once more.
Xu Chuan intermittently smashed him with the Heavy Profound Seal. As a result, Rong Yang completely lacked the strength to break through the blood corpses' encirclement and reach him.
"He is absolutely not a Mid-stage Golden Core!"
Rong Yang's face was painted with horror. "Anyone capable of drawing out the full might of a High Grade magic treasure must be at least a Golden Core Consummation cultivator!
To think there's such a sinister and deceptive person in this world! No wonder even Old Demon Wu fell by his hand."
As time ticked by, the effects of the Secret Method began to fade.
His aura plummeted like a receding tide, rendering him three times weaker than before he had even activated the technique. His face was as stark white as paper.
'It seems I won't escape death today, but I won't let my opponent off easy either!'
Rong Yang thought to himself, waiting for the perfect opportunity to rush in front of Xu Chuan and severely wound him via self-detonation.
Given his strength, if he self-detonated at close range, even an Early Nascent Soul Stage expert would sustain heavy injuries.
However, the moment the thought crossed his mind.
A dark light flickered at the center of Xu Chuan's brows.
Sensing the timing was right, he instantly deployed a Divine Sense Secret Art.
"Ahhh!"
Rong Yang clutched his head and wailed miserably as blood seeped simultaneously from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
Although he didn't black out, in that split second, he lost all capability to even control his magic treasures.
And precisely in that instant.
Three of the Profound Yin Blood Corpses struck together, shredding the defensive barrier of his magic treasure.
"Squelch!"
A sharp claw dripping with Blood Fiend Qi pierced right through his dantian.
It belonged to the strongest Profound Yin Blood Corpse.
Rong Yang's movements froze. He looked down at his abdomen, watching as the bloody claw viciously gouged out his Golden Core.
"No..."
His lips moved weakly, and the light in his eyes rapidly faded into nothingness.
Xu Chuan's figure appeared before him. With a beckon of his hand, the Hundred Ghost Banner flew directly into his grasp.
Then, forming a one-handed seal, he extracted Rong Yang's divine soul.
The Profound Yin Blood Corpse presented the Golden Core with both hands.
Even though it hungered for the core, it didn't dare disobey Xu Chuan's commands.
However, with Rong Yang's death, the ghost entities he had been controlling became like runaway horses, immediately throwing the area into total chaos.
A black light flashed in Xu Chuan's hand, revealing a long banner similar in shape to the Hundred Ghost Banner.
From within the long banner.
A figure shrouded in black and red shot out.
It was none other than the half-step Tier 4 Blood Fiend Ghost King.
"Roar!"
The Blood Fiend Ghost King threw its head back and bellowed at the sky. Its roar carried the majestic authority of a true king, intertwined with endless ferocity.
Upon hearing this sound, the rioting ghosts began to shiver violently, none daring to move a single muscle.
There was only a single exception.
It was the late-stage Tier 3 Ghost King. With the eerie green flames dancing wildly in its eyes, it locked its gaze onto the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
"Devour its soul origin,"
Seeing this, Xu Chuan commanded indifferently.
Receiving its orders, a flash of cruelty passed through the Blood Fiend Ghost King's scarlet eyes. It morphed into a bloody shadow and lunged forward.
The two Ghost Kings instantly collided in a frenzied melee.
However, the battle ended at breakneck speed.
Having just fought a grueling battle, the late-stage Tier 3 Ghost King's strength was severely depleted. How could it possibly match the Blood Fiend Ghost King at its absolute peak?
In a mere three or five exchanges.
It was torn limb from limb by the Blood Fiend Ghost King, its soul origin swallowed entirely in a single gulp.
Having consumed a late-stage Tier 3 entity, the Blood Fiend Ghost King's aura intensified another fraction.
Below, ten thousand ghosts bowed in complete submission.
Afterward, Xu Chuan vacuumed up the entirety of Rong Yang's ghost army into his Soul-Gathering Banner, planting Restrictions on every single one of them.
Although the Hundred Ghost Banner was far more precious than the Soul-Gathering Banner, Xu Chuan needed to fully refine it before he could even attempt to use it.
There was no need to rush it at this very moment.
Next came the matter of sorting through Rong Yang's belongings.
His haul included Rong Yang's primary Cultivation Method, several Ghost Dao Records, over a hundred thousand spirit stones, and four magic treasures—such as the Bone Staff—all of which were Mid Grade.
Additionally, he found a Ghost Control Secret Art, an immense stock of souls, and the refinement blueprints for both the Hundred Ghost Banner and the Thousand Soul Banner.
Although the Thousand Soul Banner was merely classified as a High Grade magic treasure, its explosive power multiplied with every ghost stored inside. At its peak limit, it could even touch the threshold of a true spiritual treasure.
"Father, how was the harvest?" Xu Mingxuan leaned in, curiosity piqued.
"Passable, but the greatest prize was his ghost army. They've all fallen right into my lap."
"Congratulations, Father. Fostering a Tier 4 Ghost King is practically right before our eyes."
"It's far too early to be discussing that. Nurturing a Tier 4 Ghost King is significantly more difficult than raising a Tier 4 Zombie King. For now, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"Then what's our next move? Should we hunt down the other Demonic Cultivators from the Blackwater Region, or head to the Daliang Imperial City?"
Xu Chuan mused for a moment before replying, "Wandering around aimlessly hunting is hardly worth the effort. Besides, quite a few Golden Core Demonic Cultivators will likely be making their way to the Daliang Imperial City.
Many Tier 3 Demonic Beasts will do the same."
"Father speaks reason," Xu Mingxuan nodded. "I also sense that considerable opportunities await us there."
Xu Chuan remained silent, recalling the deep foundational strength of the Cao Clan that Lei Yunchao had spoken of—a Black Lamp.
This lamp was suspected to be a damaged spiritual treasure.
The logic was simple: easily annihilating a late-stage Tier 3 Demonic Beast was something a peak-grade magic treasure could achieve, but a mere damaged peak-grade magic treasure certainly could not.
'Swirling with fiendish aura, it must be a Demonic Treasure. Perhaps it would be suitable for De Wen.'
A short while later.
Xu Chuan retracted the Cloudy Heaven Illusion Formation and set off toward the Daliang Imperial City.
In just two hours, he crossed over half of Great Liang and arrived in the vicinity of the Imperial City.
Suddenly, Xu Chuan brought his light of flight to a halt.
"Father, what's wrong?"
"Let's pay the Zhao family a visit first."
The two men immediately altered their course.
By the time they arrived, all they saw was absolute devastation.
Ruined walls and shattered courtyards were visible everywhere.
The thirty-foot-tall Bluestone Wall had largely collapsed, its rubble littered with broken Weapons and scorched scraps of clothing.
Hall after hall was reduced to mere foundations and a few lonely, supporting pillars.
Hanging from one of those very pillars was the tattered Zhao Family Banner, fluttering weakly in the wind. The fabric was soaked through with dark, dried bloodstains.
Blood was quite literally everywhere.
Massive splashes of dark crimson decorated the standing walls.
Between the grass and trees, on the stone steps, and across the snapped wooden beams—every surface was marred by gory stains.
Countless craters scarred the earth.
Some were massive pits tens of feet deep, the soil around their edges scorched jet-black.
There were long ravines stretching hundreds of feet, looking as though some gargantuan entity had plowed through the earth. Even more terrifying were the dense arrays of claw marks and teeth indentations branded deeply into the bluestone pavements and surviving walls.
The air was still thick with the heavy stench of blood and charred meat.
Xu Mingxuan swept his gaze across the dead ruins and sighed softly. "To think the Zhao family would be wiped out so quickly."
"If they had been able to set up a Tier 3 grand array, they might have lasted a bit longer."
"Judging by these traces, it was Demonic Beasts that brought down the Zhao family."
Xu Chuan nodded and replied, "The numbers in this Demon Tide are anything but small. This was likely just a mere fraction. One portion flooded into Great Liang, while another is probably advancing toward the Immortal Martial Alliance or Great Wei."
The Zhao family could be considered a Golden Core Aristocratic Family now. If they had been given a few more decades to develop alongside their Tier 3 Demonic Beast, the Black Cloud Spirit Leopard...
They might have truly been able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Cao Clan, the Sima Family, and the Liu Family.
'Thank goodness our Xu family's grand array is high-grade Tier 3, with Eldest Brother, Fifth Younger Brother, De Ling, and several other Golden Cores standing guard.
Even if they were besieged by a dozen Golden Cores or Tier 3 Demonic Beasts, we wouldn't have anything to fear.'
Xu Mingxuan thought to himself.
If he had come out on a trip only to return and find Dongxi reduced to a wasteland like the Zhao Family Ancestral Grounds, the sheer horror of it would likely drive him mad, causing his cultivation to deviate.
After a brief silence.
Xu Mingxuan sighed once again. "It's a shame they couldn't hold on a little longer. If they had managed to survive for even half a day more, perhaps..."
"It's not too late."
Xu Chuan suddenly spoke.
He stood suspended in the air with his hands clasped behind his back, his azure robes swaying gently in the breeze. His gaze calmly scanned the ruins below.
"What do you mean, Father?" Xu Mingxuan looked at him, completely puzzled.
Xu Chuan stated indifferently, "Come out, you vile beast."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange oscillation that seeped into the ground like ripples on a pond.
The very next second—
"Boom!!"
The earth violently exploded, sending dirt and shattered stone rocketing into the sky!
A colossal dark-green silhouette burst from beneath the soil, kicking up a towering cloud of dust and smoke.
It was the chief culprit behind the Zhao family's annihilation, that late-stage Tier 3 Dark Green Flood Dragon!
Only right now.
This once majestic and imposing dragon was clearly in a miserable state.
Its body revealed multiple mangled, bloody wounds. One of its front claws was contorted and deformed, and there were visible cracks along the horns on its head.
Yet even so, to someone who had only recently stepped into the Golden Core realm like Xu Mingxuan, the dragon's aura remained somewhat shocking.
The Dark Green Flood Dragon hovered in the air, its vertical pupils glaring coldly at Xu Chuan and his son as a glimmer of greed flashed in its eyes.
From what its senses could pick up, these were merely two Human Cultivators—one Early-Stage Golden Core and one Mid-stage Golden Core.
If it could devour them and siphon their flesh, blood, and Golden Cores, its ghastly injuries would undoubtedly recover by a significant margin.
"Roar—"
The dragon unleashed a heaven-shaking draconic bellow.
The sound wave was practically tangible, blowing apart the surviving walls and forcing them into a second collapse.
Hesitating no longer, it gaped its maw to bare its ghastly white fangs and morphed into a dark-green blur as it threw itself directly at Xu Chuan!
"A late-stage Tier 3 flood dragon?"
Xu Mingxuan was slightly stunned but didn't lose his composure. "No wonder the Zhao family fell.
But to have wounded it so severely, the Zhao family truly proved their mettle."
"The potential humanity unleashes in desperate straits is naturally extraordinary."
Xu Chuan replied evenly. Facing the oncoming onslaught, he didn't so much as shift his footing.
Instead, he raised both hands, his ten fingers blooming like a lotus flower as they formed an ancient, profound set of hand seals.
"Death Intent, Explode!"
With three words softly uttered, a wave of Death Intent flooded over the dragon like a rising tide.
The dragon's forward-charging momentum locked up entirely!
The horrific injuries it had forcefully suppressed using its mighty Demonic Power were violently agitated by this Death Intent, erupting instantaneously!
"Aooo!"
The flood dragon howled in blistering agony, its massive body thrashing and contorting wildly in mid-air. With every violent roll, hunks of flesh and scales rained down onto the ruins.
The sheer greed in its eyes had long since been utterly eclipsed by absolute terror.
Yet Xu Chuan's offensive had only just begun.
With a sweeping flick of his sleeve, the Heavy Profound Seal shot forth.
A faint, ink-black light visibly shrouded an area a thousand feet in diameter, locking the very space in place until it felt as solid as rock.
The flood dragon felt as though a ten-thousand-foot mountain had been dropped right onto its back.
Every single scale on its body shrieked under the pressure, its bones loudly cracking and snapping beneath the unbearable burden.
It writhed and fought back with everything it had, but it was like wading through neck-deep mud; its movements slowed by more than tenfold!
"Suppress."
Xu Chuan flicked his finger.
The Heavy Profound Seal rocketed forward as a streak of ink-black light, slamming precisely into the deepest, ugliest wound on the dragon's spine!
"Boom!"
Accompanied by a truly bone-chilling cracking sound, the dragon bone along the beast's spine cleanly snapped in two!
Its gargantuan frame plunged toward the earth like a falling meteor, plowing yet another ravine hundreds of feet long right through the already ravaged ruins.
Amidst the swirling cloud of dust and smoke.
The flood dragon lay completely paralyzed at the bottom of the trench.
A mixture of blood and pulverized internal organs bubbled unceasingly from its mouth. Its life force dwindled to an absolute crawl.
Whether it was a Tier 3 Demonic Beast or a Golden Core Demonic Cultivator of the Blackwater Region, they were all walking calamities for the myriad lives within the Land of Imprisonment.
But for them, Xu Chuan was their calamity!