Chapter 91

A flash of dazzling green light, a completely emerald-green skeleton emerged from the mire, vigorous vitality appeared, the surrounding hundred meters of carrion ghost wood all retreated, not daring to approach in the slightest.

Xiao Ding's breath caught, something strange, how could a vibrant skeleton appear in such a place?

This is clearly telling people there's a problem, isn't it.

Xiao Ding didn't hesitate, using Wood Shadow Escape, he flashed a few times and broke out of the encirclement.

Within his body's blood furnace, several blood pills had already condensed.

These carrion ghost woods are feeble, even among first-rank magical beasts they are extremely weak, naturally they could do nothing against Xiao Ding, a Fighting Master-level cultivator.

"Good thing I learned Wood Shadow Escape, otherwise I'd surely have to endure a bloody battle."

Xiao Ding secretly rejoiced, yet his gaze involuntarily drifted to the swamp's center, where an emerald-green skeleton glowed brightly, especially conspicuous in the dark swamp.

He tossed several blood pills into his mouth, Xiao Ding sat cross-legged on the spot; although this place was a bit strange, the number of carrion ghost woods here was enough for him to make a leap in strength.

After the blood pills were absorbed, he would hunt some more carrion ghost woods; there are likely over ten thousand of them here, and fortunately their activity range is limited, otherwise Xiao Ding couldn't have slaughtered them so easily.

……One month later

Having broken through to two-star Fighting Master, Xiao Ding gazed at the nearby emerald skeleton and fell into contemplation.

"Why not? Go take a look?"

Immediately after, Xiao Ding rejected the idea again; the vitality on the skeleton was extremely vigorous, appearing… as if it had drained all the life force from this forest.

He touched the dark bark of the nearby big tree, deathly qi entwined within, and his suspicion grew firmer.

This skeleton must have sucked dry the vitality of those big trees, but why would it do that?

Gazing at the tattered clothing in the distance, Xiao Ding fell into thought.

"Cloud-Out Empire? Poison Master?"

"Could it be the work of that poison master's bizarre methods?"

Xiao Ding probed with a sword strike at the emerald skeleton; sword qi surged, directly sending it flying several meters, lying across the swamp.

Seeing the skeleton show no reaction at all, Xiao Ding's eyes shifted, his thoughts raced, and he suddenly spoke.

"I don't know which senior resides here; I apologize for the sudden disturbance."

Seeing the skeleton still unresponsive, Xiao Ding snorted inwardly; he had seen Yao Lao and knew a powerful soul could inhabit an object.

If this skeleton were some heaven-and-earth treasure, why would it lack a guardian beast?

"Carrion ghost wood?"

Xiao Ding shook his head; carrion ghost woods are definitely not the guardian beast of this thing—they dare not even approach the skeleton, looking more like cowardly hunters who dare to attack but then retreat.

Moreover, what heaven-and-earth treasure looks like a skeleton? Xiao Ding almost certainly concluded this was man-made; combined with Yao Lao's example, it's highly likely a soul resides within.

After waiting a while, seeing the skeleton still unresponsive, Xiao Ding felt no fear; since the carrion ghost woods stay beyond a hundred meters of the skeleton, this thing likely only affects within a hundred meters, so as long as he keeps his distance he'll be fine.

Xiao Ding took out two bottles from his storage ring: one was Xiao Li's blood-thunder bottle, the other Xiao Yan's fire-spirit bottle.

Xiao Yan's Qing Lotus Earth Core Fire is an exotic fire, highly effective against plants, while Xiao Li's Blood Slaughter Heavenly Thunder carries an invasive blood slaughter resentment; combined, they are perfect for probing this skeleton.

Xiao Ding didn't mind wasting; at his peak Fighting Master level, Xiao Yan had left him only five fire-spirit bottles, each capable of harming a Fighting Master.

Meanwhile, Xiao Li was a Fighting Spirit, leaving behind dozens of blood-thunder bottles, each with power approaching a full strike from a low-rank Fighting Spirit.

As Yao Lao said, even if a soul has a dwelling, without replenishment it will continually weaken; his earlier slumber is a good example.

Combining the timing of the previous Cloud-Out Empire and Gama Empire war, Xiao Ding could be certain that if there truly was a soul inside, it would be extremely weak.

A jade bottle emitting green flames was thrown; the surrounding hundreds of carrion ghost woods were caught in the blast, reduced to ashes by the aftereffects of the Qing Lotus Earth Core Fire.

Xiao Ding felt a pang of regret; that represented hundreds of blood pills.

The fire-spirit bottle landed precisely on the skeleton; green flames rose, the emerald skeleton creaked, its green hue seeming refined, turning even more verdant.

Xiao Ding didn't hesitate, tossing another blood-thunder bottle; thunder cracked, and he seemed to hear a mournful soul wail, his mind and spirit trembling.

To retain a soul for so many years in this swamp, Xiao Ding estimated it must be at least a Fighting Emperor-level expert, and the soul is still strong, having undergone special tempering.

Above the distant red-and-green intertwined skeleton, a blurry gray figure rose and lunged toward Xiao Ding.

"Young friend, I come to aid your cultivation!"

Xiao Ding gave a cold snort; indeed something was odd—this ghostly thing claims to help me cultivate, what a joke, do you think you're Yao Lao? With that rushing appearance, you're likely trying to seize my body.

From his storage ring, three blood-thunder bottles flashed out; the gray phantom paused, gestured with both hands, and the emerald skeleton appeared before him.

Xiao Yan's fire-spirit bottle was still somewhat weak; relying on powerful soul energy, even a Fighting Master-level exotic fire was neutralized.

But facing the greater power of the blood-thunder bottle, the gray phantom didn't dare be careless, directly burrowing into the skeleton.

The three blood-thunder bottles heavily bombarded the skeleton.

Xiao Ding didn't hesitate in the slightest; his form flickered and he appeared directly a hundred meters away.

Amid rolling thick smoke, the swamp's foul stench surged, and the emerald skeleton appeared once more.

The skeleton moved with extreme speed; the gray phantom burned its soul, its speed comparable to a Fighting King.

Xiao Ding's expression changed; in the next instant, the emerald skeleton drilled into his body.

Lustrous green light flashed within his body; the emerald skeleton merged with his own bones, and the two produced a soul‑touching friction.

Xiao Ding grimaced in pain, quickly sat cross-legged, and exerted all his strength to resist the soul's battle.

"Hand over your body to me, and I can help you reach the Fighting Emperor realm!"

Xiao Ding gritted his teeth; a Fighting Master‑level soul could not resist the gray phantom at all, and if the earlier blood‑thunder bottles hadn't wounded that soul, he would surely have been crushed.

Feeling his soul domain being gradually devoured, Xiao Ding's face grew grave; with a thought, a blood‑thunder bottle appeared in his hand,

the next moment, the stopper burst open, and Xiao Ding gulped down the crimson lightning within in one breath.

"What are you doing? Even if this lightning can harm my soul, it will destroy your flesh!"

Sensing the fear of the soul within his body, Xiao Ding gave a bitter laugh; the blood‑thunder rolled inside, resentment tearing at the soul, lightning ravaging the flesh.

"My Xiao clan has no cowards!"

Thanks to reader 333***599 for the reward.

(This chapter ends)