txolops Chapter 261 First Encounter with the Mysterious Bone
Chapter 261 First Encounter with the Mysterious Bone
"go!"
At Luo Ming's command, a dozen Core Formation demon souls, clad in Yin Demon Armor and with their auras surging, charged forward like black vanguard blades, piercing straight into the horde of Yakshas! Following them, dozens, even hundreds, of Foundation Establishment demon souls, also covered in slightly thinner Yin Demon Armor, surged forward like a tidal wave! They no longer scattered, but under the subtle guidance of Luo Ming's divine sense, they subtly formed a formation, covering each other as they rushed toward their respective targets.
In an instant, at the entrance of the canyon, a cold wind howled and ghostly wails shook the heavens!
Although his demon souls had no physical form and were no match for the yakshas individually, they were able to temporarily hold their own against these powerful yakshas thanks to the assistance of a group of fearless low-level demon souls.
Luo Ming hovered at the rear of the battlefield, the Zhiyang Bird beside him fluttering its wings slightly, eager to try. Its crimson-gold eyes were fixed on the battle, especially the yakshas that spewed green fire. If Luo Ming hadn't given the order, it would have already rushed into the battle and burned these evil creatures to ashes with its true fire.
Although he still had many ways to quickly deal with these ghosts, he didn't know what he would encounter next in this land of ghosts and vengeful spirits. Naturally, Luo Ming would not casually reveal his trump cards or waste his magic power.
Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on Luo Ming's lips. His gaze wasn't focused on the fierce battlefield, but rather he tilted his head slightly, as if addressing the empty depths of the gray mist, and spoke loudly. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the wailing and howling of ghosts:
"Fellow Daoist, you've been watching this commotion for so long, aren't you going to lend a hand? Or perhaps you're hoping to reap the benefits without lifting a finger?"
The sound echoed through the canyon, with no other response except for the sounds of the demons and yakshas fighting, as if he were just talking to himself.
Luo Ming didn't care. A golden light flashed in his eyes, with mysterious patterns flowing within them. He had activated some kind of spiritual eye ability. He precisely focused his gaze on a massive stone pillar dozens of feet away, half-hidden by thick gray fog and jagged rocks.
"Since you are unwilling to show yourself, then I, Luo, have no choice but to 'invite' you out."
Before he could finish speaking, the Zhiyang bird beside him, which had been unable to contain itself any longer, let out a high-pitched cry that could pierce through gold and split rocks, and suddenly opened its mouth and spat out!
A fist-sized, yet incredibly condensed, crimson-gold fireball radiating terrifying heat and pure Yang energy pierced through the gray mist like a meteor, shooting straight at the massive stone pillar with lightning speed! Wherever the fireball passed, the gray mist churned and melted like boiling water, leaving behind a clear, scorching trail.
A crimson fireball, aimed directly at the hiding place of the spy! Just as the crimson fireball was about to collide with the massive stone pillar—
"what?"
Behind the stone pillar came a very soft voice of surprise and doubt. The voice was not loud, but it carried a hint of disbelief, and it clearly reached Luo Ming's ears amidst the fierce fighting and howling wind.
"How did you manage to see through my 'Shape-Changing Technique'?"
Before the words were finished, a green figure appeared out from behind the stone pillar like a ghost. Almost simultaneously, the figure darted to the side and back without hesitation, instantly widening the distance between itself and the stone pillar.
The moment he dodged, the crimson-gold fireball, carrying terrifying heat and about to shatter the stone pillar, abruptly stopped just three feet from its surface, hovering in mid-air! The fireball burned silently, its intense light illuminating the surrounding gray mist and rocks, making it appear even more eerie.
Then, an even more astonishing scene unfolded: the hovering fireball trembled slightly, and with a speed no less than when it came, it drew a beautiful crimson-gold arc, flew back, and precisely entered the slightly open beak of the Fat Sun Bird, which swallowed it whole. The flames rising around it then intensified, and it emitted a pleasant chirping sound.
The green-robed cultivator who had just appeared had already taken his position several dozen feet away. His brows were furrowed, his gaze fixed on the Fat Sun Bird, his surprise barely concealed: "Fellow Daoist, this spirit bird! Its control over its own divine power, fire element, has reached a level of complete mastery, as if it were an extension of its own arm!"
Luo Ming could now clearly see the newcomer's appearance. He was dressed in a dark green robe, and his face appeared quite young at first glance, with delicate features and even a scholarly air. However, his eyes were as deep as an ancient well, and when they occasionally flickered, they lacked any of the vigor that a young person should have, instead revealing a sense of indifference that came from years of experience.
"The Mysterious Bone Demon..." Alarm bells rang in Luo Ming's mind, and he almost instantly matched the person in front of him with that troublesome name in his memory.
Luo Ming said coldly, his tone unfriendly, "If it weren't for the fact that my spirit bird is naturally sensitive to qi and happens to possess some rudimentary spiritual eye ability, I would have truly been deceived by you, fellow Daoist. You've been hiding to the side, observing for so long; what are your intentions? Shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Upon hearing this, the green-robed cultivator quickly concealed the surprise on his face.
Instead, a warm smile appeared on his face, as if the previous spying and confrontation had never happened. He cupped his hands towards Luo Ming, his posture composed: "Fellow Daoist Luo, please calm down. I was indeed just passing by by chance. I only sensed that the Yin energy fluctuations in this canyon were unusually intense, far exceeding the ordinary, and out of curiosity, I came to investigate. I had absolutely no intention of following you."
His gaze swept over the Thousand Demon Banner above Luo Ming's head, which was still emitting silver energy and exuding an astonishing aura. A trace of undisguised heat and greed flashed across his eyes, but his tone remained calm, even with a hint of admiration: "Fellow Daoist, your magic weapon is truly remarkable. It can actually control so many demon souls and make you feel right at home here."
He shifted his tone slightly, his smile widening, carrying a hint of probing and recruitment: "Our meeting is indeed predestined. Given the abundance of ghosts and spirits here, the power of your magical treasures, and my rudimentary understanding of ghostly techniques... if we could cooperate, we would surely achieve twice the results with half the effort in this land of vengeful spirits, and even in the subsequent challenges, seizing even greater opportunities. What do you think, my friend?"
Cooperation? Luo Ming sneered inwardly. This old guy talks a good game, but as far as he knew, he was the kind of person who wouldn't do anything without a profit. He was probably just pretending to cooperate; his real intention was to scheme against him and the demon soul together.
"Oh? So it's Fellow Daoist Xiao." Luo Ming's face was still cold, his tone ambiguous, carrying obvious distance and rejection. "Since it's a misunderstanding, Fellow Daoist Xiao, please make yourself at home. I'm used to traveling alone and don't have the habit of casually joining forces with unfamiliar fellow Daoists. I'll handle these Yakshas ahead myself, no need for you to worry."
The implication was that the guest was being directly asked to leave.
The green-robed cultivator's smile remained unchanged despite Luo Ming's blunt order to leave, but his eyes grew even more profound. Instead of leaving, he chuckled softly and suddenly moved!
With a flick of his sleeve, a streak of dark light, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, shot silently yet swiftly towards a yaksha at the edge of the battlefield, locked in combat with a demonic spirit and about to spew green flames! As the dark light approached, it suddenly unfolded, transforming into several jet-black chains formed from pure yin energy. With a crisp "clatter," as if possessing a life of their own, they instantly bound the yaksha's neck, arms, and waist tightly!
Caught off guard, the yaksha abruptly withdrew the green fire it was about to unleash, letting out an angry hiss. Its green fur stood on end as it struggled violently, but the jet-black chains were exceptionally strong, their runes flashing, able to absorb the yaksha's own yin energy to reinforce itself, making it difficult for it to break free for the time being.
At the same time, Xiao Zhen's gentle yet slightly hoarse voice rang out again: "Fellow Daoist Luo, the 'Azure Phosphorous Ghost Fire' spewed by this Yaksha is extremely insidious, specifically designed to corrupt the spiritual light of magical treasures and corrode the soul. Ordinary methods are insufficient for a quick victory. To defeat this fiend, we must first use the force of thunder to restrict its movements, cut off the source of its ghost fire, and then find an opening to sever its head—this is where its essence and remaining intelligence converge; destroying it will cause its stiff body to collapse on its own."
Before he finished speaking, he flicked his other finger, and another incredibly condensed black light shot out. This time it was a small black knife about an inch long. It grew as it faced the wind, transforming into a sharp black blade of light. At a tricky angle, taking advantage of the moment when the yaksha was bound by chains and his movements were restricted, it precisely circled around to the back of his neck!
"Sizzle—!"
With a muffled thud like tearing leather, the yaksha's neck, as tough as refined iron, was severed in half by the dark blade's edge! No blood splattered, only a large amount of murky, grayish-black yin energy, accompanied by a few specks of dark green phosphorescent light, shot out. The eerie green flames in the yaksha's eyes flickered violently before quickly dimming, its struggling strength instantly waning. Its body, bound by black chains, swayed and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
The entire process, from the initial restraint to the decapitation, took only two or three breaths. The green-robed cultivator put away his magic weapon, his face still bearing that enigmatic smile. His gaze returned to Luo Ming's face, and he spoke leisurely:
"Fellow Daoist Luo seems somewhat wary of me, which is perfectly normal." He changed the subject, his tone becoming more meaningful. "Although I don't know the specifics of your conflict with that extremely Yin old ghost, since you've been targeted and seen as a thorn in his side, we're essentially in the same boat here in the Void Heaven Palace. The enemy of my enemy may well become a temporary ally. Let's cooperate, each getting what we need—wouldn't that be mutually beneficial?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Ming showed a hint of surprise and inquiry, frowning as he looked at the other party: "What do you mean by this, Fellow Daoist Xiao? Could it be... that you also have a grudge against that Extreme Yin Ancestor?"
"Enmity?" Xuan Gu chuckled softly, but there was no warmth in his smile, only cold mockery and deep-seated hatred. "More than just enmity. To tell you the truth, that extremely yin old ghost was originally a worthless nominal disciple under my tutelage!"
His words were startling. His gaze, deep and unfathomable, fixed on Luo Ming as if observing his reaction. He continued in that calm voice, laced with suppressed, overwhelming hatred, "Fellow Daoist Luo should be well aware of Ji Yin's vengeful and ruthless nature. Although that barbarian has your eye on you, will that old demon truly let it go? Rather than passively waiting for him to find us, living in constant fear, it would be better... for us to strike first!"