The little ghost shrouded in black mist had just entered the passage when a “poof” sound was heard, and it inexplicably exploded on its own, dissipating into a wisp of yin energy without a trace. Wang Tiangu, who was mentally connected to the ghost, paled instantly, suffering a minor setback.
“What’s going on? Does this passage have some hidden mechanism?” Wang Tiangu demanded angrily from the scholar.
“Do you think the entrance to the Ethereal Spirit Garden is an ordinary passage? Forget about a barely formed ghost—even a ghost king or malevolent spirit would be crushed to nothingness upon entering. Even I need the painting scroll as a vessel to enter this space. Now that the entrance is open, whether you proceed is up to you.” By now, the scholar seemed composed. After speaking indifferently, he transformed into a green light and flew into the scroll still hovering in midair.
Wang Tiangu’s expression darkened instantly. From the scholar’s words, it seemed intangible beings like ghosts couldn’t enter the passage directly. He exchanged a glance with the Ghost Spirit Sect Master, both showing surprise.
“I’ve already probed the other side of the passage with my divine sense. Though it’s blurry due to spatial rifts, it’s undoubtedly an unknown space. I have no patience to hesitate here—lest the passage becomes unstable—so I’ll take the lead.” Wei Wuyan pondered briefly before speaking decisively. Without waiting for the others, he transformed into a green streak and shot into the passage.
The Ghost Spirit Sect Master’s expression shifted slightly.
“You three, stay here. Junior Brother Wang, let’s not dawdle. For the sake of the Ethereal Spirit Garden, taking some risks is worth it. Besides, I’ve placed a Soulstartle Curse on that spirit—it wouldn’t dare play tricks.” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master issued orders while coldly observing the floating scroll. Seeing no anomalies, his eyes flickered.
He reached out and pulled the scroll into his hand with a void grasp, then tucked it into his sleeve. He and Wang Tiangu transformed into two streaks of light, shooting toward the passage. The Ethereal Spirit Garden was said to be overflowing with spiritual herbs—if they arrived late and fell behind Wei Wuyan, the loss would be immense.
Thus, the figures of Wei Wuyan and the other two vanished one after another into the black passage, crossing the spatial barrier into another realm.
“This is definitely not the Ethereal Spirit Garden!” The speaker was Wei Wuyan, the first to emerge from the passage. He surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings with a grim expression.
The space was devoid of color except for shades of gray. Low, dark stone piles stretched as far as the eye could see, with gray mist obscuring the sky. Wei Wuyan’s divine sense revealed an area spanning over ten miles, but nothing more.
If this place was the legendary Ethereal Spirit Garden—where spiritual energy was several times denser than the human realm and spiritual herbs grew abundantly—not only Wei Wuyan but even the Ghost Spirit Sect Master and Wang Tiangu, who had just emerged, wouldn’t believe it for a second. Yet, as they took in their surroundings, their expressions turned peculiar—a mix of fury and delight.
Wei Wuyan, glancing back at them, was momentarily stunned before growing wary. He had expected them to be furious upon realizing this wasn’t the Ethereal Spirit Garden, perhaps even summoning the remnant soul of Frost Li the Transcendent from the scroll for interrogation.
“Junior Brother, do you feel it? The demonic energy here is at least twice that of the human realm. In battle, my demonic arts would be 30% more potent.” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master broke the silence.
“Senior Brother, we cultivate the same demonic arts—of course I sense it. If we stay and train here, we might break through our current bottlenecks to the next realm.” Wang Tiangu’s eyes gleamed with complex emotions.
“Fellow Daoists, shouldn’t you summon that fellow for questioning? Don’t tell me I went through all this trouble just to end up in such a place.” Wei Wuyan, finding nothing of note, crushed a rock underfoot and spoke coldly.
“Naturally. If he doesn’t give us a satisfactory explanation, I’ll make him suffer soul-refining torment.” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master’s face twisted with rage at the deception. He flung the scroll to the ground, preparing to summon Frost Li’s remnant soul.
But before he could act, the scroll flashed, and a green light shot out. Wang Tiangu, standing nearby, reacted swiftly, conjuring a black spectral hand to seize it. Yet the green light accelerated, evading capture and darting into the distance.
Wei Wuyan, maintaining his composure, didn’t intervene. The Ghost Spirit Sect Master, enraged, produced a blood-red token and shook it fiercely toward the fleeing light. Bloody rays erupted, causing the green light to falter mid-air.
Just as the sect master smirked, the green light stabilized and shot away even faster, soon vanishing into a speck. Stunned, even Wei Wuyan and Wang Tiangu were left speechless.
“Am I seeing things? The Soulstartle Curse of the Ghost Spirit Sect has no effect on a mere wisp of a soul? How intriguing. I’ll capture him and see what he’s scheming.” Wei Wuyan sneered before transforming into a green streak and giving chase.
“Sect Master, you…” Wang Tiangu, recovering from shock, began to ask.
“You saw the curse take effect earlier. It worked then—why not now? I’m curious too. Let’s follow. I want to know why he lured us here.” The sect master’s eyes gleamed with malice as he transformed into a streak of light and pursued. In such a confined space, escape was impossible.
Wang Tiangu sighed and followed.
Soon, they found Wei Wuyan near the center of the space, facing the scholar, who showed no fear. But when Wang Tiangu looked past the scholar, he gasped.
Amid the mist stood a thirty-zhang-tall monstrosity encased in a fiery crystal. With two heads, four arms, a single horn, and jet-black scales, its grotesque visage and bared fangs were terrifying.
“What is this? Such dense demonic energy!” Wang Tiangu blurted out.
It wasn’t the monster’s size that shocked him but the overwhelming demonic energy radiating from it—far denser than the surroundings and laced with an aura of dread.
“Let’s land first and hear what he has to say.” The sect master, though wary, descended with Wang Tiangu to stand beside Wei Wuyan. With a late-Nascent Soul cultivator present, he felt somewhat secure.
“Ah, both fellow Daoists are here. Saves me the trouble of repeating myself.” The scholar smiled upon their arrival.
“State your purpose for luring us here,” the sect master said calmly, though inwardly shaken.
The scholar’s body still flickered with crimson runes—proof the Soulstartle Curse was active. His skin twitched with each flash, yet he showed no pain, his ghostly form stable.
“Brother Wei may not say it, but Fellow Daoists Wang and Sect Master, don’t you find the demonic energy here vastly different from the human realm?” The scholar’s words surprised them.
“So what? Are you claiming this is the Ethereal Spirit Garden?” Wang Tiangu said coolly.
“Heh, the Ethereal Spirit Garden! Perhaps it is, perhaps not.” The scholar chuckled.
“What do you mean? Are you mocking us even now?” Wang Tiangu’s face darkened.
“Do you truly believe ancient cultivators would leave a land of abundant spiritual herbs for later generations? Long ago, places like the Ethereal Spirit Garden existed—multiple, in fact. But now, they’ve been stripped bare and ruined in ancient battles. This might well be one such ruin. But today, it’s merely a spatial rift between the human realm and our Sacred Realm.” The scholar spoke leisurely, a strange glint in his eyes.
“Sacred Realm? You’re a Demon!” Wei Wuyan, previously calm, turned pale. He swiftly formed hand seals, green toxic mist billowing around him.
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