Volume Two - The Map of the Nine Provinces Revealed, Entering the Spirit Ruins Chapter Ninety-Four: The Brutality of the Ghost Shade

The master of the Nether Ghost Sect had only been driven back half a step, yet he still dealt with the three who pressed in on him with ease. His pair of claws blurred into more than a dozen afterimages. In the space of a few clangs, the three were already flung apart.

“Haha... so these are disciples of the Spirit Ruins? Nothing special,” the sect master sneered. “Today I shall send you all into the depths below, to keep one another company on the road to the Yellow Springs.”

“Arrogant...” Zhao Ying roared, swinging his longsword down. “Sky Vault Sword Art.”

His sword seemed able to pierce straight into the heavens, all of its sharpness laid bare.

“The Sky Vault Sword Art, one of the nine great sword arts of the Spirit Ruins—let me see just how formidable it is.” The master of the Nether Ghost Sect flashed forward, moving to crush Zhao Ying.

Green corpse qi coalesced into a nine-headed serpent monster to meet Zhao Ying’s sword edge head-on. The serpent monster let out a shrill howl as it gnawed ceaselessly at Zhao Ying’s sword energy.

“What?” Zhao Ying’s expression changed. He could clearly feel his sword energy being devoured at great speed.

“Senior Brother, let us help you...” Chu Shu leaped up at once, unleashing the Supreme Pure Spirit Scripture.

“Bold little thing, get back!” the Nether Ghost Sect master bellowed, and at the same time his brow furrowed slightly. The Supreme Pure Spirit Scripture was the Spirit Ruins’ foundational scripture; if he killed Chu Shu, the Spirit Ruins would surely pursue him to the death. There would be no place left for him in Yellow Province.

But very soon the master’s expression turned dark as he thought, So what? At worst, I’ll leave Yellow Province. The world is vast; it is not as though the Spirit Ruins can reach everywhere. So long as I lie low and cultivate for ten years, or several decades, even the Spirit Ruins will not dare touch a single hair on my head.

“Hehahaha... good... very good. So long as I kill you all, I can advance another step and refine my body into flying-corpse form,” he said with a cold, eerie laugh.

Sensing the overwhelming killing intent, Chu Shu could not help but tense. Yet his character would not allow him to retreat. Chu Shu charged forward without hesitation and shouted, “If you dare lay a hand on my Spirit Ruins disciples, I’ll see that you die without a burial place!”

“Jiejie... what a boastful, overreaching brat. This master will start with you.” The Nether Ghost Sect master knocked Zhao Ying aside with one palm, then his claws darted fiercely toward Chu Shu.

“Bad...” Chu Shu’s face changed; gritting his teeth, he raised his sword to block and strike back.

Boom... Chu Shu was blasted away.

“Junior Brother Chu!” Li Qing and another Spirit Ruins disciple cried out.

“Cough... I’m fine...” Chu Shu spat out a mouthful of blood, his expression changing again. The arm that had held his sword was numb from the impact.

“Kill them!” Zhao Ying, Li Qing, and the others rushed forward in fury, battling the Nether Ghost Sect master in a fierce melee.

Seeing this, Wang Ji and the others joined the fray.

But it was not long before they discovered that the Nether Ghost Sect master’s strength had not weakened at all—in fact, it was growing stronger and stronger.

“Not good... he’s using this yin and baleful resentment to refine his flying-corpse body!” Chu Shu saw through the problem and shouted alarmed warnings.

“Damn it... we have to kill him as quickly as possible. Otherwise, once he reaches the flying-corpse stage, none of us will escape,” Zhao Ying said bitterly.

“Hahaha... only now have you noticed? Pity it’s too late. Today shall be the day you all die.” The Nether Ghost Sect master howled to the sky, and a surge of powerful corpse qi crashed outward like monstrous waves in every direction. Everyone was sent flying in an instant.

Like a ravening wolf, the Nether Ghost Sect master pounced. With one hand he sent Li Qing flying, blood gushing from her mouth without end. Then, shifting his form, he lunged to another Spirit Ruins disciple in the Yin-Yang Realm. His vicious claws pierced the man’s chest and tore through his innards.

“Senior Brother!” Chu Shu, Zhao Ying, and the others cried out in shock.

“No... you fiend!” Liao Kai bellowed furiously. Those were all senior brothers who had guided him in cultivation.

“Junior Brother Liao, come back!” Li Qing also screamed in alarm.

But it was all too late. The Nether Ghost Sect master let out a shrill howl, and a savage sweep of claw-force severed Liao Kai’s head.

“Aah... fiend!” the Spirit Ruins disciples roared.

The other disciples from the various sects, along with the loose cultivators, were even more panicked. If even the Spirit Ruins disciples had been defeated so completely, how could they possibly win? To flee... that was the only thought in their minds now.

Yet before any of them could react, the Nether Ghost Sect master had already lunged at them, growling, “I told you all—you must die.”

In an instant, flesh and blood flew everywhere, and one cultivator after another was devoured by the master until only dried husks remained.

“Aah...” Such a brutal and horrifying sight made Yuan Shan and Yuan Ya cry out in terror before they could stop themselves.

“Kill him!” Zhao Ying and the others knew the Nether Ghost Sect master would never let them leave. At this point, only a desperate battle could perhaps win them a sliver of survival.

“Kill!” Chu Shu and the others shouted, plunging furiously at the Nether Ghost Sect master.

“Heh... this is nothing more than the struggle of the dying.” After a round of intense combat, Zhao Ying and the others were each beaten down. The Nether Ghost Sect master said with a demonic smile, “It’s time to send you on your way.”

His claw shot toward Ding Mu.

“No!” Ding Mu cried out in panic.

But just as the Nether Ghost Sect master was about to kill Ding Mu, a sword light burst from the opening at the top of the tomb chamber, streaking straight for his head.

The Nether Ghost Sect master also sensed the threat in that sword light. He did not dare hesitate, and swiftly dodged to one side. At that very moment, a transcendent figure in white descended from the entrance.

“Senior Sister Xia Ruo...” Li Qing recognized the newcomer at a glance.

Xia Ruo gave a slight nod. She swept a glance around the chamber, her brows drawing together faintly, and said, “Leave at once.”

“Senior Sister Xia, be careful. The Nether Ghost Sect master is nearly done refining his flying-corpse body,” Zhao Ying warned.

“Do not worry. I can handle it,” Xia Ruo replied calmly.

The Nether Ghost Sect master fixed his blood-red eyes on Xia Ruo, his expression growing grave.

“I have not agreed to it. Who among you can leave?” the master shrieked. Corpse qi once again turned into a nine-headed serpent monster and surged toward Zhao Ying and the others.

“Seeking death...” Xia Ruo said coldly. With a sweep of her silver sword, spiritual energy from heaven and earth converged, transforming into rain-like sword needles that flew out and instantly shattered the corpse-qi serpent monster.

Zhao Ying and the others were overjoyed, yet they still dared not linger. They hurriedly withdrew from the tomb.

“A magical weapon...” The Nether Ghost Sect master stared coldly at the silver sword in Xia Ruo’s hand. “Pity the water force engraved within it is still useless against me.”

“Is that so? Perhaps you overestimate yourself,” Xia Ruo said icily.

The Nether Ghost Sect master’s face darkened. He knew he could not wait any longer; if time dragged on, the Spirit Ruins people would likely arrive. By then, he too might have no way to escape.

With a furious roar, he threw himself directly at Xia Ruo. This time he held nothing back, striking with all his strength.

Xia Ruo naturally sensed his intent, and faced with the Nether Ghost Sect master’s violent assault, even she, newly entered into the Four Symbols Realm, had no choice but to remain on guard.

Boom... the fierce battle erupted. Before long, the entire tomb chamber was shattered by the force of their power.