“Boom.”
Two figures in black robes burst from the ghostly mist, landing at the Torchfire Tower’s entrance, kicking up dirt and stone.
The one on the left stood over ten feet tall, wielding a trident demon halberd, its body covered in iron-like muscles, eyes blazing with cyan flames.
The one on the right bore dragon horns and black dragon wings, humanoid yet walking on two legs, dragging a bone whip—a peerless harbinger of death.
They were two Six-Tribulation Ghost Kings, having devoured billions of souls to reach their current power.
Among the Hell Realm’s ten ghost clans, Six-Tribulation Ghost Kings were the mightiest below Great Saints, with solidified ghost bodies and intelligence rivaling human Saint Kings.
One step further, Seven-Tribulation Ghost Kings could challenge Great Saints.
Their auras turned Chen Liuli’s face pale, a primal intimidation from higher to lower beings.
With the tower door blocked, escape became near impossible.
Chen Liuli took a deep breath, calming herself, “The Torchfire Tower mustn’t fall to foreign cultivators. Zhang Ruochen, use your spatial powers to protect yourself later—I’ll handle them.”
Zhang Ruochen guessed her intent, sighing, “Forgive my bluntness, Senior, but even self-detonating your saint source won’t kill a Six-Tribulation Ghost King.”
“At least I can destroy the Torchfire Tower,” Chen Liuli said.
Zhang Ruochen replied, “The Torchfire Tower has stood in the Eastern Domain Holy City for countless millennia. If it were so easily destroyed, it’d be long gone.”
Chen Liuli bit her lip, a self-mocking smile forming, “Is reality this cruel? Even dying with the enemy is beyond me.”
“Reality is cruel, but that cruelty forges willpower,” Zhang Ruochen said. His arms ignited, the Fire God Gauntlets and bracers glowing with crimson patterns.
“Whoosh, whoosh.”
The two Six-Tribulation Ghost Kings streaked into the tower like black lightning.
With them came hordes of ghostly shadows.
These shadows radiated deathly yin energy, wailing as they flew through the tower.
The trident-wielding Ghost King scanned Zhang Ruochen and Chen Liuli, its voice raspy, “Did Lord Canghai die by your hands?”
A mere glance from it plunged Chen Liuli into an icy abyss, her body trembling faintly.
The gap in power was vast—her standing unbowed was a testament to her resolve.
Flame threads flared from Zhang Ruochen, repelling the Ghost Kings’ aura, “Since you know Jie Canghai died out there, you still dare come in to die?”
“Hmph!”
The left Ghost King ignited ghostly fire in its trident, thrusting at Zhang Ruochen’s chest.
“Bang, bang.”
Air blasts echoed, churning the tower’s airflow violently.
Zhang Ruochen struck with a palm, meeting the trident’s tip, sending the ghostly fire surging back onto the Ghost King.
The Fire God Gauntlets unleashed flames alongside his palm force, hurling the Ghost King out of the tower.
“Ah… fire… what fire…”
Before landing, it was incinerated by the gauntlets’ flames, its soul scattering.
The dragon-horned Ghost King, alarmed, fled the tower at top speed, vanishing into the swirling mist outside.
“Swish.”
A white arrow shot from the tower, piercing the mist.
“Boom.”
Unable to dodge, the dragon-horned Ghost King was struck by the White Sun Arrow, its ghost body shattering into an inky black cloud.
It didn’t die, soon reforming, though far weaker. Staring at Zhang Ruochen outside the tower, its eyes filled with shock and fear, all traces of disdain gone.
This young human was too powerful!
“Zhang Ruochen’s grown this strong?”
Chen Liuli’s eyes widened in disbelief.
One palm killed a Six-Tribulation Ghost King; one arrow crippled another—unimaginable feats. How many years had passed?
No wonder Old Ancestor Yuhua passed him the Torchfire Token. In this era, perhaps only Zhang Ruochen could hold up the Eastern Domain’s sky.
“Swish.”
The White Sun Arrow returned to Zhang Ruochen’s hand.
His gaze domineering, he notched it again. At the arrow’s aim, the mist recoiled.
“Shadowless Fairy, still not showing yourself?” Zhang Ruochen called.
Thirty feet above, the mist parted, forming a path.
Grand Dawn King, the “Shadowless Fairy,” entered his sight.
A leader of the Soul Realm’s new generation, she was ethereal, supremely gifted, exuding mystery. Even standing before him, she felt like she might vanish with the wind.
“Twang.”
The bowstring sang.
Zhang Ruochen fired without hesitation, the White Sun Arrow streaking forth with a fifty-foot tail, piercing Grand Dawn King’s chest.
Her exquisite form shattered like porcelain, merging with the mist.
But moments later, she emerged again, her jade-like fingers holding the arrow, voice graceful, “Zhang Ruochen, your progress is astonishing. If you don’t fall, your future achievements will be limitless.”
“Thanks for the praise, Fairy,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Chill radiated from her hand, freezing the arrow, which she stored in a necklace at her throat.
She sighed softly, “Pity you were born in Kunlun Realm. It’s doomed to perish, and you’ll fade into history’s dust. In ten thousand years, even I might forget I once killed a prodigy named Zhang Ruochen. Without godhood, nothing lasts.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled, “You’re too confident, Fairy. Think I’m still the easy prey from the Truth Heavenly Domain? Even there, you couldn’t handle me. I owe you for Qing Jin’s saint soul—it fed my evil spirit well.”
Grand Dawn King’s face remained impassive, but a cold glint flashed in her eyes.
Then, Zhang Ruochen formed palm seals, striking the void.
Two fire clouds surged, dispersing the mist and annihilating countless undead.
Grand Dawn King summoned a crystal saint staff—phoenix-tailed at one end, spear-sharp at the other, a divine stone embedded in the tail.
She stabbed it into the ground.
Instantly, wriggling inscriptions poured forth, forming a thirty-three-yard-wide array.
The surrounding mist converged, creating a Ten Thousand Ghosts Grand Array.
The crimson fire clouds clashed with it, but the violent flames were swallowed by the mist, vanishing like stones in a pond.
“Grand Dawn King’s spiritual power must be fifty-ninth rank—and not just entry-level.”
A spiritual Saint King and master of ghosts, she was formidable.
Yet spiritual cultivators feared close combat. Get near, and she might falter.
But her array made that difficult.
Zhang Ruochen strode forward, ten yards per step, charging the ghost array. Nearing it, he clawed the void, tearing a dozens-of-yards-long spatial rift.
The rift, a dark, hollow maw, brimmed with danger.
Grand Dawn King, anticipating spatial power, pressed five snowy fingers forward, her lips parting, “Close.”
The rift, barely entering the array, was forced shut by a chilling force.
“Spatial arts are impressive, but the world holds forces to counter them. Zhang Ruochen, to fight me, show your true strength—or this ends in ten moves,” her voice echoed, vast and lingering.
“Fine, today you’ll witness my full power.”
Zhang Ruochen entered the array, plunged into pitch darkness, unable to see his hand.
Ferocious ghost shadows attacked.
“Mere ghosts dare block me?”
He unleashed Pure Extinguishing Divine Fire, encasing himself.
A wave of flame roared outward, incinerating every attacking ghost, their screams filling the air.
Vision cleared, revealing Grand Dawn King at the array’s centre, flanked by over fifty Ghost Kings.
Five were Six-Tribulation.
Led by them, all charged Zhang Ruochen.
They wielded potent yin soldier ghost weapons.
“Nine Heavens Thunder.”
Zhang Ruochen raised the Abyss Ancient Sword, its intent surging. Dozens of electric serpents formed overhead, streaking down to strike the Ghost Kings.
In moments, thirteen were obliterated.
A Six-Tribulation Ghost King closed within five yards, swinging a ghost-patterned chain. It spun, forming seven circles.
The chain could bind a cultivator’s saint soul, stripping their combat ability if caught.
“Time Sword Technique, Fourth Layer: Zhou Tian Reincarnation Sword.”
Lifting the Abyss, Zhang Ruochen summoned time marks around it.
Dozens of glowing marks danced with the blade.
The chain and Ghost King froze, as if petrified.
“Slash.”
The Abyss severed the chain into segments, its tip piercing the Ghost King’s brow.
Pure Extinguishing Divine Fire flowed from Zhang Ruochen’s palm through the sword, incinerating the Ghost King’s body with crackling flames, reducing it to smoke.
