Chapter 48

The traveling merchants of Holy Dragon Village went to this city every month to purchase goods.

At the same time, they brought back information about cities in the outside world.

This was what kept Holy Dragon Village from being completely cut off from the human world.

"When I have the time, maybe I should go take a look at a big city!"

Gazing at Ancient Zhoucheng in the distance.

Chen Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Roar!

The Nine Heavens Storm Dragon let out a howl.

It flew off in the direction Chen Xuan had indicated.

That was the direction of Purple Fire Valley.

…

"Wh-what!"

"What is going on!"

On the side of the Green Dragon Mountain Range near Ancient Zhoucheng.

This was an area called Shenshan Ao.

At this moment!

The lush, verdant forest had vanished!

An area several kilometers across was shrouded in a black fog.

"Come on, come play with me!"

A terrifying voice rang out from within.

"Ah! Ah!"

Accompanying it were the agonized screams of humans.

Their voices carried a deep terror.

The beast-tamer who had been driving the Iron-Beak Bird earlier.

Had long since collapsed onto the ground.

And at this moment!

The environment before their eyes had undergone an enormous change.

From the forest earlier, this place had now become a giant amusement park.

However!

The entire amusement park exuded a grayish-white atmosphere.

Many beast-tamers wore looks of terror.

"Hee-hee-ha-ha, come play!"

"Come play!"

Before a group of beast-tamers.

A dozen or so figures kept laughing as they drew closer to that group of beast-tamers.

And that group of beast-tamers, along with their phantom beasts, kept retreating.

"Dammit, what the hell are these things!"

"Ghosts? How is that possible—how could such things exist in this world?"

Before them!

Those dozen or so figures were actually a group of half-human-tall cloth dolls.

But the cloth dolls looked extremely creepy.

Their bodies were tattered, with bloodstains upon them.

Their pupils had no eyeballs.

They stared at everyone, laughing in eerie voices.

Around their bodies, a thick black qi emanated.

It looked like a kind of resentful energy.

Looking closer!

Those beast-tamers collapsed on the ground.

Pale-faced, their eyes rolled back white.

From their terrified faces, a faint black qi also emanated.

"Damned things, don't panic!"

"These aren't any ghosts—this is a kind of phantom beast!"

Just as everyone was afraid.

A burly beast-tamer stepped forward.

His upper body revealed knotted muscles.

Growl!

Beside him, a three-meter-tall giant golden lion let out a low growl.

As if warning those approaching cloth dolls.

"It's him, Gao Baigong!"

"A Gold-rank beast-tamer, and that's his Gold-rank phantom beast, the Golden Lion!"

He saw the solidly-built, muscular middle-aged man.

The crowd immediately cried out in alarm.

"Lord Gao Baigong, what is going on here?"

"Are these all Phantom Beasts?"

Hearing his words, the crowd calmed down a little.

After all, there was a Gold-rank Beast Tamer here holding the line.

"That's right, this is a peculiar kind of Phantom Beast!"

"It should be a Domain-type Phantom Beast — it has turned this place into its playground!"

As expected of a Gold-rank Beast Tamer, his experience far surpassed that of the other tamers.

And his composure was remarkably steady.

"Moreover, this might also be a Curse-type Phantom Beast!"

"Those tamers have all been cursed by its ability!"

"We must not be afraid — let's join forces and defeat it!"

"Otherwise, within this domain we will be consumed by it, becoming the food that fuels its level-ups."

Gao Baigong's expression turned grave.

Some Phantom Beasts do not need to rely on devouring spirit herbs and spirit fruits to level up.

For instance, Function-type Phantom Beasts can even level up by cooking or sweeping the floor.

And the Phantom Beast before them was likely a strange one that leveled up by instilling fear in the creatures around it.

"That Phantom Beast is probably called the Terror Doll!"

Gao Baigong's expression was stern, a wary glint flashing in his eyes.

A Terror Doll Phantom Beast, once fully grown, could reach Platinum rank.

And its ability was extremely vexing to deal with.

If they did not find its true body, they would be trapped within this domain forever.