Both Han Li and the others had been invited by Bi Ying to participate in this battle of the strong. Although they found it somewhat peculiar why he had agreed so readily to the opponent’s request, they naturally had no objections and immediately stood aside in silence.
On the opposite side, the Bone Buddha King glanced at Han Li and the others with two flickering green flames in his eyes before likewise falling silent.
Upon hearing Bi Ying’s agreement, the Wheel-Turning King revealed a faint smile and lowered his head once more to study the chessboard before him. After a long while, he finally placed a piece.
Seeing this move, Bi Ying’s expression turned solemn as he lowered his head to ponder the board.
Noticing this, Han Li also turned his gaze to the chessboard with some interest.
However, after just a few moments of careful analysis, he shook his head in astonishment.
Though his chess skills were mediocre, he could immediately see that the complexity of the current game was astonishingly high—far beyond his ability to decipher.
The chess prowess of Bi Ying and this Wheel-Turning King was undoubtedly the strongest he had ever witnessed.
No wonder both were so confident in using this game to decide such an important outcome.
Thinking this, Han Li couldn’t help but glance at Wen Xinfeng beside him.
The woman was also intently studying the board with shimmering eyes, though her delicate brows were slightly furrowed.
Her chess skills seemed far from ordinary as well…
Han Li inwardly sighed in resignation.
And so, Bi Ying and the Wheel-Turning King continued their game, each move requiring long deliberation before a piece was placed.
In the blink of an eye, nearly half an hour had passed.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from the distance. The two-layered barrier atop the farthest mountain flickered before collapsing, and two figures shot out—one chasing the other—streaking toward the central peak where Han Li and the others stood.
“Fellow Daoist Lei has actually lost,” Wen Xinfeng murmured, her jade-like face slightly paling as she recognized the figure fleeing ahead.
Han Li’s gaze sharpened as he swept his eyes over the scene.
The man in front was clad in silver armor, now riddled with holes. Half of his body was a mangled mess of flesh, with several pitch-black, grotesque ghost heads clamped onto his exposed wounds. His face was deathly pale.
The pursuer, however, was an exceptionally beautiful young woman.
She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen, draped in a violet robe, yet surrounded by hundreds of eerie ghost heads as she chased relentlessly amid gusts of sinister wind.
After a few flashes, the two arrived above the peak where Han Li and the others stood. Upon seeing Bi Ying and the others below, they paused momentarily.
But the silver-armored man quickly descended, while the young woman blinked her lovely eyes before floating down without hesitation.
The ghost heads surrounding her blurred before vanishing like bubbles.
“Brother Lei, are you alright?” Bi Ying asked, lifting his head to glance at the silver-armored man.
“Thank you for your concern, Brother Bi. I’m fine. However, I fear I’ve disappointed you in this battle. This woman’s abilities are too bizarre. Though I gave my all, I was slightly outmatched and had to break through the barrier to escape,” the silver-armored man replied with a bitter smile.
“No matter. Fellow Daoist Han and Fairy Wen have already secured two victories. Among the Ten Kings of the Underworld, their strength varies. I never expected to win all five battles. Focus on healing first, Brother Lei,” Bi Ying said gently, seemingly unperturbed by the loss.
“What? Fellow Daoist Han and Fairy Wen have already defeated their opponents? That’s truly a pleasant surprise. In that case, I can rest easier. I’ll recover my energy now,” the silver-armored man said, casting a surprised glance at Han Li and Wen Xinfeng before sitting cross-legged nearby.
Moments later, silver light erupted from his body, intertwined with arcs of lightning, completely enveloping him.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man exchanged a few silent words with the young woman, likely learning the details of the battle. His smile deepened slightly.
“Wheel-Turning King, you’ve now secured one victory as well. But as agreed, these two must remain on the peak and not interfere with the final battle,” Bi Ying declared after glancing at the young woman.
“Rest assured, that goes without saying. Ah, I nearly forgot to mention—the combatant on the final peak is the Seven Orifices King. His strength ranks among the top three of our Ten Kings, and his abilities are exceptionally domineering. Even I admit I’m far inferior to him. If his opponent is outmatched, the outcome won’t be mere defeat—they might lose their life as well,” the middle-aged man said with a chuckle.
“Does this Seven Orifices King truly possess such power? I find that hard to believe. Fellow Daoist Blood Fiend is also among the top ten strongest in our realm. It’s possible your companion might be the one slain instead,” Bi Ying replied, his expression flickering briefly before returning to normal.
“Is that so? Then let us wait and see,” the Wheel-Turning King laughed.
And so, the two returned their focus to the chessboard.
Time flew by.
This time, they waited an entire day and night—so long that even Han Li began to feel uneasy.
But what left him even more speechless was that Bi Ying and the Wheel-Turning King’s game showed no signs of concluding.
Now, each move took several times longer than before.
Just as Han Li thought this would continue for most of the day, Bi Ying—holding a chess piece—suddenly stiffened and raised his head toward the final mountain.
Sensing this, Han Li also extended his spiritual sense in that direction.
The barrier over the last mountain flickered before vanishing, and a half-human, half-scorpion monster slowly emerged.
The creature had the upper body of a burly man and the lower body of a black-red giant scorpion. In one hand, it held a strange sword rippling with dark waves; in the other, a shrunken, desiccated head—its eyes shut tight, its face frozen in disbelief, as if unable to accept its defeat even in death.
Though shriveled like a mummy, Han Li instantly recognized the head as belonging to Blood Fiend, who had set out with them earlier.
This renowned powerhouse of the Blood Sky Continent had truly been slain in a one-on-one duel with a Ghost King.
Not only Han Li and Bi Ying saw this—Wen Xinfeng and the silver-armored man also clearly saw the head in the monster’s grip, their expressions darkening.
The monster flashed through the air and soon hovered above their peak, pausing mid-air without descending.
“Heh, it seems the Seven Orifices King has prevailed. For your companion to last so long before being slain speaks volumes of his strength,” the middle-aged man remarked with a smirk.
“I never imagined Fellow Daoist Blood Fiend would truly fall. But it seems your side isn’t the victor of this battle,” Bi Ying said after a moment of contemplation, his face impassive.
“True. Even if the Seven Orifices King won, this chess game need not continue. This battle of the strong has ended with our underworld losing three to two,” the middle-aged man admitted frankly, pushing the chessboard aside.
“Then, according to our prior agreement…”
Bi Ying narrowed his eyes.
“We shall take only forty percent of this minor world’s resources, leaving the rest to you. Of course, if you’re dissatisfied, we could always resume battle until one side completely overwhelms the other to determine true ownership,” the Wheel-Turning King said lightly.
“That won’t be necessary. Our alliance is content with sixty percent. Though losing Fellow Daoist Blood Fiend is a heavy price,” Bi Ying replied calmly, his eyes glinting.
“At our level of cultivation, who doesn’t have a life-saving trick or two? Since they chose to participate, they must have prepared for all outcomes. Whether they’ve truly perished remains to be seen,” the middle-aged man said with a yawn, utterly indifferent to the supposed demise.
“Let’s hope so. Still, it’s a pity we didn’t get to spar properly. Perhaps another time,” Bi Ying said, his expression easing slightly.
“Indeed. Though I’d prefer a chance to face Fellow Daoist Han. To slay the Fierce Hell King without even allowing escape—his abilities must rival the Seven Orifices King’s,” the middle-aged man said, turning to Han Li with a deep gaze.
“I merely got lucky. Such praise is unwarranted,” Han Li replied casually with a laugh.
“Since the outcome is decided, we shall take our leave and immediately vacate the agreed-upon regions,” the Wheel-Turning King said, rising to his feet.
Bi Ying and the others naturally didn’t stop them, watching as the four Ghost Kings flew toward the distant “Bone Mountain.”
With a rumble, the mountain—now shrouded in black mist—retreated further into the ghostly domain after the four entered.
“It seems these Ghost Kings intend to honor their word. That spares us the need for contingency plans. Losing Fellow Daoist Blood Fiend is already a heavy blow—any more losses would render this battle pointless,” Bi Ying sighed, standing up.
“Brother Bi, has Fellow Daoist Blood Fiend truly perished? With his blood path abilities, even if outmatched, self-preservation should’ve been effortless. I once heard a rumor—he supposedly cultivated a terrifying doppelgänger, identical in appearance and nearly equal in power,” Wen Xinfeng suddenly asked, her expression odd.
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