Chapter 361: My Subjects |
Chen Shi and Wen Wuyu, small and nimble, were fast enough that they soon arrived at the base of the mountain split open on both sides.
The crack in the mountain was irregular, with rugged, winding terrain and overlapping sheer cliffs of extreme complexity.
Beneath the celestial hall, strands of radiant light drifted among the split mountain, shifting only slightly, not moving far.
Chen Shi walked beneath the radiant light and suddenly stopped.
He saw a corpse lying ahead. It should have been a Xanthium Clan ghost god. This race had human faces and mouse ears, small heads on large bodies—easy to identify.
The Xanthium Clan ghost god still had a basket hanging from its belly, and in the basket were three little yakshas, now also corpses.
The three little yakshas and the Xanthium Clan ghost god's bodies were only half-fleshed. The half where flesh had disappeared was nothing but bone—all other organs were completely gone, with no blood flowing out.
This death was identical to the previous ruler of Heavenly Pool Kingdom!
Clearly, they had all touched the radiant light before undergoing this bizarre transformation.
Chen Shi looked at the cascading rays of radiant light, trying to discern some secret, but the marvelous glow seemed to contain no mystery at all.
The light was mesmerizing, making one want to reach out and touch it.
This temptation was extremely dangerous. If one couldn't control themselves, they'd easily fall into the trap!
As they walked forward, they saw dozens more corpses. These bodies hadn't died at the same time—various races were represented—but oddly, none had rotted.
Like the earlier corpse, they were all missing half their bodies.
From the celestial hall above came a strange sound, like someone chanting inside.
The chains binding the celestial hall rattled occasionally, as if the hall was exerting force, trying to break free.
"Ah—"
A scream came from the air. Chen Shi looked up to see a ghost god plummeting from the sky, his body quite imposing. This man had deep cultivation, and though he'd been knocked down, he was still doing his utmost to dodge the chaotic rays of radiant light.
He was a Giant Boar Clan ghost god, with a pig's head on a human body, a big belly, and supreme divine strength. But his body was truly not agile. A ray of radiant light swept across him, and instantly half his body lost all its flesh, killing him on the spot!
Two little yakshas hung from his waist, holding incense, trembling as they fell with him from the air. Just as they were about to be swept by the radiant light, a small ox-head stepped on thunderlight, weaving through the dense rays, and grabbed the two little yakshas.
The two little yakshas trembled as the small ox-head caught them one in each hand, twisting in midair to avoid ray after ray, then crashed to the ground.
The small ox-head was none other than Chen Shi. After dodging the falling Giant Boar Clan ghost god's corpse, he finally set the two little yakshas down.
The two little yakshas' legs were still shaking.
Wen Wuyu stood on a mountain path, waving at him. "There's a road here!"
Chen Shi was about to walk over when suddenly one of the little yakshas rushed forward, stretched out its arms to block him, and shook its head. "Gua ji!"
Chen Shi stopped. The other little yaksha trotted ahead to another, barely noticeable mountain path. "Gua ji gua ji!"
Wen Wuyu came over, surprised. "What did they say?"
Chen Shi followed her onto the other path. "They said the road you took is a dead end. The radiant light will drift over and block it—many experts died there. The other road leads to the mountaintop."
Wen Wuyu exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't expect saving these little ones would have this benefit. They're still following us! And they're burning incense for you!"
Chen Shi looked back to see the two little yakshas following them step by step, each holding a stick of incense. The energy of incense offerings was drifting toward Chen Shi.
Chen Shi shook his head. "Your master is dead. You're free. You can leave."
"Gua ji!" The two little yakshas shook their heads stubbornly, insisting on following him.
Chen Shi took out some paper money and stuffed it into their hands, waving them off. "I don't need you. It's too dangerous ahead. Go, find a less dangerous job."
The two little yakshas shook their heads, refused his money, and continued holding their incense as they followed him.
Wen Wuyu smiled. "They want to repay you for saving their lives."
Chen Shi was puzzled. "Are little yakshas so loyal?"
Wen Wuyu said, "Some are especially loyal. These little ones rarely grow up. Out of a hundred little yakshas, three or five surviving is already remarkable. But if you're good to them, they'll follow you to the death."
She had once transformed into a little yaksha, so she knew the yaksha race well.
Sounds of fighting came from above—the two sides were still clashing.
The road to the celestial hall was extremely rugged. Radiant light swept across it frequently, blocking the path and making it very dangerous. They had to stop and wait for the light to drift by before continuing.
The two little yakshas were familiar with this place. They stopped them before the light arrived, making them wait a moment. Sure enough, the radiant light drifted over from the other side of the cliff. If they'd walked in carelessly, they'd have been cut in half.
As for flying through the gaps between the mountains, that was unthinkable. One wrong move and they'd be hit by the randomly shifting radiant light, dying instantly.
Wen Wuyu thought to herself, "If I hadn't saved the two little yakshas, we'd have wasted a lot of time."
Near the celestial hall, Xiang Kun was retreating step by step, all the way to the edge of the platform. He nearly fell off, hurriedly steadied himself, absorbed the recoil force, and spat blood.
His opponent flapped his wings, circled the platform that jutted out from the cliff, dispelled the recoil, and landed back on the platform.
This platform was where the chains were tethered. The chains were incredibly thick, passing beneath the platform from below.
The mountain path led to this platform, but now several winged ghost gods were also on the path, blocking Xiang Kun and the others' retreat.
Xiang Kun, Right Consort, and the others were trapped on this platform by many young experts from Yu Kingdom. Right Consort and the others were already wounded, their backs against the cliff. Xiang Kun stood in front of them, protecting them.
The hot-tempered Crimson Sovereign had a broken leg. Witch Yan's ghost dolls were mostly dead, and she had cuts all over her body. Right Consort's navel bell had been torn off, bloody. Gou Xi was poisoned, lying on the ground...
Blocking them were young experts from Yu Kingdom, mostly ghost tribes with bird wings. The leader was a Garuda Clan man, with a bird's head on a human body, his head and face covered in gray feathers.
There were also Serpentine Clan members, human-headed with snake bodies and bird wings.
The Xiang Hong Clan had human heads, bird feet, and wings.
"Xiang Kun, I heard your father is dead. The new ruler of Heavenly Pool Kingdom isn't you—it's some skeleton ghost clan."
The Garuda Clan man laughed. "Your Heavenly Pool Kingdom is doomed to decline. Even a little skeleton can be ruler! I overestimated you before. I didn't think you'd be worse than a little skeleton!"
Xiang Kun glowed with divine light, charging forward. "Lou Che, if you have the guts, face me one-on-one! Fight to the death!"
The Garuda Clan man smiled slightly. On his left and right, two experts, one from the Xiang Hong Clan and one from the Serpentine Clan, charged out. These two were only slightly weaker than Xiang Kun, and together, they suppressed his attack.
Xiang Kun was hard-pressed, using his physical body to withstand their siege. The Xiang Hong and Serpentine experts used their wings like blades, their tails like whips, their claws and venomous fangs all weapons, forcing him back repeatedly until he was nearly pushed off the cliff again!
He roared furiously, suppressing the urge to reveal his true form.
He was from the Xiang Fang Clan—thick-skinned and rough-fleshed, with unrivaled divine strength. They were a high-ranking ghost tribe, and his skin's texture had incredible defensive power.
His bloodline had awakened six times, making his bloodline power formidable. Revealing his true form would make him even stronger, but his true form was enormous. In a place like this, if he showed his true body, he'd definitely be hit by the radiant light, losing half his flesh.
Suddenly, the Serpentine Clan man's long tail whipped out, wrapping around one of his elephant legs. He pulled hard, dragging Xiang Kun forward.
The other Xiang Hong expert took the opportunity, thrusting his claws toward Xiang Kun's eyes.
Xiang Kun was furious, pushing his bloodline power to its limit. His massively thick right arm was covered in all kinds of beautiful textures, densely packed, twisting and rotating like bird script. He punched out at the Xiang Hong expert.
"Mountain-Shaking Force!"
With a thunderous roar, the space in front of him violently shook. This punch used a divine ability, and even the surrounding space was knocked forward, slamming toward the Xiang Hong expert!
This was the Xiang Fang Clan's innate divine ability. As their bloodline awakened, they would naturally comprehend this ability.
Xiang Kun had once used Mountain-Shaking Force to punch a small hill sideways—that showed its power.
The Xiang Hong expert's expression changed. Before Xiang Kun's ability even reached his claws, a crackling sound came from them. Several hooked claws snapped off. Even his bloodline power couldn't stop it!
He flapped his wings. Dark wind rose from beneath them, carrying a chilling air toward Xiang Kun.
"Xun Wind Roar!"
At the same time, the Serpentine expert also activated his innate divine ability, spitting a stream of venomous fire. The flame poured into the Xun Wind Roar, and the wind fueled the fire, making it even stronger!
Golden snakes writhed in the fire, crushing and incinerating everything!
These two were also six-bloodline-awakening experts, not much weaker than him. Working together now, their abilities merged, blocking the Mountain-Shaking Force.
Their abilities were incredibly powerful, but the recoil, when it struck the platform and the mountain beneath their feet, couldn't shake them at all.
This mountain seemed to be an immortal peak that had fallen into the underworld—indestructible!
Crown Prince Lou Che laughed loudly, flapping over and slashing down with both wings. "Xiang Kun, didn't you say you wanted to fight me one-on-one? Here I am!"
Xiang Kun was fending off the two experts' attacks and had no strength left to block Crown Prince Lou Che. His wings slashed across Xiang Kun's chest, blood gushing out, and he slammed backward, crashing into the cliff with a boom.
Crown Prince Lou Che flew in, claws aimed at his head. The sharp claws could directly pierce his skull, deep into his brain!
Excitement flashed in Crown Prince Lou Che's eyes. Then, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a pair of ox-head lesser ghosts leading two little yakshas, running up from the mountain path.
The two ox-head lesser ghosts were one male and one female. The male had a topknot between his two ox horns, while the female had two little braids beside her horns, bouncing as she ran.
"Two puny little ghosts, daring to come here?"
Just as Crown Prince Lou Che thought this, he saw the little bull grab the head of a young Yu Kingdom expert guarding the path, slam it into the cliff, and kick another Yu expert in the crotch with his right leg. Then he flipped over and appeared on Lou Che's left side!
"So fast!"
Crown Prince Lou Che was horrified. He already had Xiang Kun's head in his grip and was about to exert force, when the other little cow, a female, circled around the one unconscious and one severely wounded Yu experts. She moved in flashes, appearing almost instantly on his right side.
The two ox-head lesser ghosts—one kicked with his left leg, the other swept with her right—struck his head hard from both sides!
Although they were small ox-heads, their strength was astonishing. They kicked his head buzzing, leaving him dazed and confused.
Just as Crown Prince Lou Che was about to counterattack, the little bull clenched his hand halfway and punched his throat. On the other side, the little cow kicked again, hitting his chin.
Crown Prince Lou Che tumbled backward, his mind blank.
"I'm going to die!"
Suddenly remembering the radiant light everywhere, he shuddered. At that moment, his body slammed into a massive chain. The chain shimmered, absorbing the impact, and his body stopped.
The little bull darted over like lightning, his toe pressing on Crown Prince Lou Che's heart. Lou Che spat blood, watching the little bull leap back, crossing paths with the little cow with the two braids, and knock the other two Serpentine and Xiang Hong experts to the ground!
These two little ox-heads were terrifyingly fast, their bodies small and petite, moving like ghosts. In just a move or two, they severely wounded another Yu expert!
In the blink of an eye, all eighteen Yu experts lay defeated!
Crown Prince Lou Che endured his injuries, immediately getting up. He activated his innate divine ability, opening his mouth and inhaling. The space in front of him collapsed, and the two ox-head lesser ghosts, unable to stay steady, began falling into his mouth!
The Garuda Clan's bloodline ability was Devour. If one's bloodline reached Great Completion, with one open mouth, all life—plants, animals, people—for hundreds of li around would be swallowed!
Crown Prince Lou Che had only awakened six bloodlines, but it was still no small matter.
Unexpectedly, the two ox-head lesser ghosts suddenly manifested—one had a Blood Lake Hell appearing behind his head, spinning with a roar, his ghost god power surging. The other stood on a Dao Field, with a miniature shrine behind his head. The two stood like mountains, each slapping out a palm.
Crown Prince Lou Che raised his hands to block. He spat blood, his aura fading and weak.
The two small ox-heads each dispersed their visions, looked at each other, giggled, reached out their right hands, and high-fived.
Xiang Kun had been waiting for death with his eyes closed, but he hadn't expected this turn of events. He stared blankly at the two ox-head lesser ghosts.
Right Consort, Witch Yan, and the other young Heavenly Pool Kingdom experts were also staring dumbfounded at the two small ox-heads. Of course, they recognized them—these were the two randy ox-head lesser ghosts who had led them here.
But why were these two ox-head lesser ghosts so strong?
The other two little yakshas cautiously walked over, each holding a stick of incense, weaving between the sprawling figures of the adults, following Chen Shi and Wen Wuyu.
Chen Shi and Wen Wuyu headed toward the chains. Xiang Kun suddenly spoke up. "Chen Shi, why did you save us?"
Chen Shi glanced back at him, smiled, didn't answer, and stepped onto the chain.
The chain was incredibly thick. Walking on it was as steady as walking on a post road.
Crown Prince Lou Che's face was filled with terror. He watched Chen Shi and Wen Wuyu approach, hurriedly suppressed his injuries, and climbed upward. He turned back. "Who are you? Why do you oppose my Yu Kingdom?"
"Because they are my subjects!"
Chen Shi dispelled the Transformation Talisman spell, returning to his skeleton true form, and walked toward him, saying solemnly, "You killed my subjects. I didn't kill you right away—consider it your ancestors kowtowing so diligently at the gates of the underworld."
Crown Prince Lou Che's voice was full of shock. "You're the skeleton ruler of Heavenly Pool Kingdom!"
Wen Wuyu also dispelled her transformation spell, returning to her true form. "What a pity I can't keep pretending to be a little cow-head."
She couldn't help but laugh. "Now I can't pull your tail anymore!"
The two, with the two little yakshas, walked toward the celestial hall above.
Crown Prince Xiang Kun's face was dark, and he remained silent.
Right Consort sighed. "This is the true bearing of a ruler. I won't covet the ruler's seat anymore. Xiang Kun, Witch Yan, if any of you want to compete, go ahead."
You Huan shook his head. "I won't compete either."
Witch Yan said, "He saved us. If I still tried to contend, would I even be a ghost?"
The others all shook their heads. "No more competing."
Xiang Kun snorted. "Fine, no competing. But I'm going to compete for that immortal fate!"
——The Monthly Ticket Lottery Event results have been sorted. A single chapter will be posted later announcing the winners. Brothers, don't forget to check if your ticket stub won!