The ground trembled violently, and rocks fell all around. The celestial compass burst forth with a myriad of radiant beams, illuminating the entire chamber in an ethereal glow. The air reeked of blood, so strong that it felt as if one were submerged in an ocean of carnage.
Ghost Li did not know why this sudden change had occurred, but after the initial shock, he abruptly realized something and turned to shout: “Xiaohui!”
His voice echoed through the stone chamber, and soon, the reverberations were overwhelmed by a more intense rumbling and trembling. Dust flew from the ceiling, and the falling stones grew larger.
But there was no response. The familiar “chirping” sound did not come. An anxious expression spread across Ghost Li’s face. After a moment’s hesitation, his gaze fixed on the inner chamber. Nearby, Mr. Ghost had somehow moved closer, his features obscured by a black veil, but his tone seemed oddly calm, even excited.
“Your monkey should be inside, right?” Mr. Ghost said softly.
Ghost Li glanced at him, then without further delay, dashed into the inner chamber. He froze in place, staring at the empty room. The dark, ominous passageway on the stone wall seemed to be a deep, dark void, watching him coldly.
Behind him, a bright light appeared—Mr. Ghost had followed with the luminous “Celestial Compass.” When he saw the hidden passageway, he was visibly startled, as if he had not expected a secret door to open here. For a moment, he did not speak.
Both of them, being deeply versed in the mystic arts, quickly sensed the source of the overwhelming stench of blood coming from the dark passage.
Ghost Li’s expression hardened, and he gave Mr. Ghost a long, deep look. Mr. Ghost’s eyes flickered, and after a brief pause, he said coolly, “Don’t look at me. I haven’t left your side for a moment these days. I have no idea what is happening either.”
Ghost Li snorted, his mind filled with suspicion, but the quaking of the earth was growing more violent, and Xiaohui was clearly gone through this passageway. It was not the time to question, so he made a quick decision. “Let’s go in,” he said icily.
Mr. Ghost frowned, seeming hesitant and uncertain. Just as he was about to say something, Ghost Li’s figure vanished into the darkness of the hidden passage.
Mr. Ghost stood silently for a moment, looking at the glowing Celestial Compass in his hand, then at the hidden passageway. Suddenly, he let out a soft sigh, “Man proposes, but Heaven disposes. A mere monkey has spoiled everything…”
He shook his head and gave a low, bitter laugh. His black silhouette then drifted into the hidden passageway.
The narrow, long passage gradually sloped downward, and the surrounding walls began to grow damp. But the most repulsive thing was that the stench of blood grew stronger with each step downward.
Ghost Li continued down the passage, the walls trembling violently. If it were any ordinary person, they would fear being buried alive by the collapsing stones. But there was no trace of such worry on Ghost Li’s face. He moved faster, and soon reached the other end of the passage, where he emerged to find a long, red-lit platform ahead, surrounded by a red, fiery aura. From the direction of the platform, a faint but familiar roar could be heard.
Ghost Li’s expression changed. He recognized the roar as Xiaohui’s, but what could be in the red aura that could cause Xiaohui to transform into a beast ready for a life-and-death struggle?
Without hesitation, he dashed into the crimson shadows. Behind him, Mr. Ghost slowly floated down, and upon landing, he did not move. Instead, he looked back, seeing the entrance and another dark passage. Mr. Ghost gazed at the other passage for a moment, then slowly turned his gaze to the Celestial Compass in his hand. In the center, golden ancient characters flickered, glowing and fading, as if responding to something.
Mr. Ghost looked ahead, the crimson light flashing chaotically. Massive air currents surged, and the quaking earth and trembling walls seemed to herald a great danger. But his eyes showed a hint of amusement as he stepped lightly toward the red light.
Ghost Li rushed into the crimson shadows, and as the red light illuminated him, he felt a slight dizziness. Though he recovered instantly, the sight before him was shocking.
A massive pool of blood, a crumbling rock wall, and the stench of blood in the air. In the air, a giant, human-shaped monster formed from crimson blood energy, towering dozens of feet high, filling the cavern. At the end of the platform, the transformed giant monkey Xiaohui roared fiercely, showing no fear, but its size was comparable to the giant. Most importantly, Xiaohui seemed to have no strength to fight back, dodging the giant’s flames that rained down, melting even the hardest rocks.
At this moment, Xiaohui leaped with all his might, narrowly avoiding a stream of blood flame that swept past. Even in mid-air, he felt the burning sensation on his fur, and couldn’t help but roar. But he seemed to have dodged again, landing on the ground. However, the pain was unbearable, and Xiaohui found his feet burned, his fur singed, and flesh exposed.
Just as the blood flame descended, ready to crush Xiaohui, a loud whistle like a dragon’s roar echoed, and a blue light like a rainbow streaked across the sky, forming a shield of blue light before Xiaohui. The blue light shone with a sharp edge, forming a Tai Chi pattern, and with a thunderous boom, it blocked the seemingly invincible blood flame. This was Ghost Li, arriving just in time.
Though the strike was deflected, Ghost Li’s body shook, and his vision darkened. The shield almost dissipated, and he nearly fell into the blood pool. Fortunately, his profound cultivation allowed him to steady himself, and he flew over to Xiaohui, quickly grabbing the large monkey and lifting it off the ground.
Xiaohui yelped in pain, and as he floated, his bones creaked. Soon, his body shrank, and he returned to his usual small, gray-furred form.
The blood gas giant, angered by the sudden interference, turned its wrath on Ghost Li. It opened its mouth, and a five-zhang-long blood flame shot out, like a river of fire, burning toward Ghost Li.
Ghost Li placed Xiaohui on his shoulder and shouted, “Hold on!” Then, he flew, his movements far more agile than Xiaohui’s. Despite the powerful blood flames, he weaved through the gaps, appearing calm.
Xiaohui, though smaller, clung to Ghost Li’s robe, fanning his burned feet with his hands, making pained sounds. Ghost Li, reassured by Xiaohui’s actions, flew more calmly, observing the surroundings and the blood gas giant.
Below, the blood pool was a strange, eerie sight, especially when Ghost Li saw four spirit beasts submerged in it. Shocked, he recalled the efforts of the Ghost King, who had gathered these spirit beasts over the years, only to use them in this sinister array.
Ghost Li’s mind raced, and he suddenly looked up at the blood gas giant. A blood flame struck, and he dodged, but the impact left a huge hole in the stone wall. Floating in the air, he observed the giant, composed entirely of blood energy, with red light like clouds swirling around it. The giant’s energy seemed endless.
Ghost Li avoided the next attack, and this time, he charged straight at the giant. Xiaohui, on his shoulder, showed no fear, excitedly chirping and waving his fists, ready for a fierce battle.
The blood gas giant, unprepared for the counterattack, reacted too slowly. Ghost Li, a blue shadow, shot into the giant’s body.
Inside, Ghost Li felt immense pressure, and the air was filled with wailing voices. He activated his golden light, pushing back the blood energy. The giant’s body dissolved, forming a ten-zhang-wide ball of red light, like a red sun, radiating red beams.
From the depths of the ball, a blinding white light suddenly appeared, different from the violent red. The ball of light paused, then shrunk, revealing a red cloud. The red cloud, with its deep red light, emitted a white beam, which, despite its weakness, held firm. The blood energy around the white beam began to fade.
Suddenly, the earthquakes and tremors around the chamber subsided, and the blood-stained walls calmed. The only thing that remained was the oppressive stench of blood. High above, the floating Dragon Subduing Cauldron, the most valued treasure of the Ghost King, was revealed, with a white beam shooting from its demonic face.
“Dragon Subduing Cauldron!”
Ghost Li recognized it instantly. He turned, looking at the damaged chamber, the vast, terrifying blood pool, and the imprisoned spirit beasts. Was all this the work of the Ghost King? And the horrifying, inhuman force above, was it also summoned by him?
This act could only be described as “insane.”
Xiaohui, still perched on Ghost Li’s shoulder, pointed at the cauldron, and Ghost Li saw the pale, sorrowful faces of the spirit beasts. He hesitated, considering the powerful array and the possibility of angering the Ghost King. But at the mention of Biyao, his eyes dimmed, and he sighed, shaking his head.
Suddenly, a clear voice broke the silence. Ghost Li and Xiaohui turned to see Mr. Ghost, now standing on the platform behind them, holding the shining Celestial Compass. The compass emitted a brilliant light, forming a column that interacted with the Dragon Subduing Cauldron’s beam.
“Ghost Mister, what are you doing?” Ghost Li demanded.
Mr. Ghost, enveloped in the light, seemed to lose some of his ghostly demeanor, instead appearing solemn. He tapped the compass, and more ancient characters appeared, glowing brightly. The light from the compass intensified, and the Dragon Subduing Cauldron’s beam also grew, emitting a creaking sound, as if it were about to break free.
Ghost Li, realizing the danger, tried to stop Mr. Ghost but was repelled by an invisible force. Mr. Ghost, undeterred, continued to tap the compass, and the seventh character appeared, larger and deeper in color. The characters gathered, forming a golden beam that shot towards the Dragon Subduing Cauldron.
In the vast chamber, a sudden silence fell. All eyes, including those of the spirit beasts, focused on the imminent event.
A soft, crisp sound. The Dragon Subduing Cauldron’s beam dimmed, revealing a small hole, and a deep blue pearl rolled out, caught in the golden beam. The pearl, like a vast, endless sea, slowly descended, and the chamber was filled with a sense of ancient, eternal power.
The golden light faded, and the Celestial Compass returned to its original state, now adorned with a rotating blue pearl. The entire scene was a beautiful, cosmic display.
The chamber fell silent, but the peace was short-lived.
A deafening roar, accompanied by ancient, jubilant howls, filled the chamber with a blood-red aura. The Dragon Subduing Cauldron, now fully engulfed in blood, became a red, glowing demon. The blood climbed up the demonic face, covering the lips, nose, and eyes.
Finally, the blood howled, and the entire chamber resonated. The blood pool boiled, and the ground shook, raining rocks. The blood flowed like an unstoppable flood, staining the entire chamber.
On the mountain peak, the heavens darkened, and divine thunder crackled. The ice chamber shook, and rocks fell, but the Ghost King, his eyes now blood-red, remained unfazed. In his right hand, a blood-red symbol appeared, shaped like the cauldron.
The Ghost King, staring at the symbol, laughed, his voice filled with madness and triumph. “Success… finally, success!”
He clenched his fist, and a powerful force erupted, shattering the surrounding stone. With a wild, triumphant laugh, he walked out of the ice chamber, leaving behind the quiet, lonely form of Biyao, lying still on the stone altar, a soft, mournful chime ringing in the background.
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