Chapter 3086

On the second floor of the Red Pool Inn, the scene before his eyes was one of desolation. Su Xiao gripped the throat of the red-clad female ghost with one hand, and as he exerted force, her spectral form began to turn transparent, as if it would be crushed in the next moment.

This is the benefit of having a strong soul—he could directly harm the spirit body without needing any soul-related abilities to assist.

With a crack, Su Xiao crushed the red-clad female ghost. For ghosts whose consciousness leans toward chaos, he would not believe a single word they said.

A piercing wail echoed out. Su Xiao took out a hollow crystal shell from his storage space, and the scattered light particles around him were drawn in, all sinking into the semi-transparent crystal shell.

Putting away the crystal shell, this was an unexpected gain. Su Xiao pressed one hand against the stained wall, carefully sensing. He needed to confirm one thing: was this still Winter Spring Town, or had he already entered some kind of other space?

As Su Xiao's perception spread, a gray light film appeared in his awareness. This light film, covered in blood-red threads, enveloped the entire Red Pool Inn, isolating the hot spring inn from the outside world.

Su Xiao tried to break through the gray light film with his perception, but a stabbing pain appeared between his brows—the breakthrough failed. Yet he faintly sensed something: cold wind and snowflakes.

Though vague, Su Xiao indeed sensed it, confirming that he was still within Winter Spring Town, merely trapped by that dangerous object in the Red Pool Hot Springs.

"Woof~"

Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Bubu Wang let out a low whine. It now dared not even breathe the air, but it had not forgotten to search for enemies.

Bubu's way of searching for enemies is special—it does not rely on perception, but on its halo ability. When it fully opens the halo's blessing, it can bestow the halo effect on enemies. As the leader of the halo, Bubu can confirm the position and aura of every beneficiary of the halo.

Bubu just meant that there are six targets in total inside the Red Pool Inn: three are Am, Bah, and Liechao.

The other three are Granny Qian and a weak aura, and finally an unknown aura. This aura feels very elusive to Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Bubu Wang.

The remaining auras were ignored by Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Bubu Wang—they are merely not-too-strong spirit bodies.

Su Xiao temporarily ignored Granny Qian, and that weak aura should be the little boy he encountered earlier—this too is temporarily ignored. The final unknown aura is the focus; this might very well be that dangerous object.

"Where is it located?"

Su Xiao decided to go directly find that unknown aura. Dragging his feet is not his style—intelligence has been gathered enough; it's time to deal with this dangerous object.

"Woof."

"Lead the way ahead."

"Woof?!"

Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Bubu Wang's canine body shuddered. It first put on a garlic scarf, then hung everything from Eight Trigrams mirrors to crosses and holy spikes around its neck—a blend of East and West. Though it knew it was useless, it could still bring some psychological comfort.

Fully equipped, Bubu raised its dog head and strode forward with a slightly stiff gait.

Crack crack crack~

Ice suddenly appeared on the ceiling—this is Am's ability. Am's side has encountered enemies.

According to Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Bubu Wang's earlier detection, Am, Bah, and Liechao are all on the third floor. The dangerous object clearly intends to trap them there, then later engage Su Xiao in a standoff.

The first floor of this hot spring inn is the most dangerous—the hot spring is in an inner room on the first floor. Merely touching the water in the hot spring equals making contact with that dangerous object, which will instantly kill you.

This is what Su Xiao must guard against—even he cannot avoid this lethal certainty; a moment's carelessness would bury him here, losing everything.

Following the wooden corridor, Su Xiao reached the wooden stairs leading down to the first floor. The stairs have over ten steps in total, and the lowest four are submerged in a pale red water that still emits heat—this is the hot spring water.

Seeing this hot spring water flooding the first-floor ground, Su Xiao understood why the dangerous object trapped Am, Bah, and Liechao on the third floor—their main target is Am, whose ice-freezing ability can counter this dangerous object.

"Bubu."

"Woof."

Bubu blended into the environment. In self-preservation, Bubu is very experienced—it has followed Su Xiao to victory against many powerful foes.

Su Xiao took out a test tube from his storage space and threw it into the hot spring water flooding the first floor, about 50 centimeters deep.

With a pop, the test tube exploded, releasing a cold current that spread at visible speed, freezing the hot spring water on the first floor. The dangerous object is located in the inner room on the first floor.

Su Xiao leapt onto the ice layer, but just as he was about to move forward, he stopped in place. This dangerous object is dark enough—it has the ability to flood the entire Red Pool Inn with hot spring water, yet it did not do so. It fears that Am will freeze the incoming hot spring water, making its medium difficult to achieve.

Around Su Xiao at this moment are threads of water finer than hair. If his perception is not sharp enough, even slight contact with these water threads equals touching the medium—then life and death will be in the hands of that dangerous object.

With a swish, the water threads around Su Xiao gathered and sliced through his entire body. He did not dodge—instead, he charged forward at full speed.

The Dragon Shadow Flash ability has already activated—Su Xiao can enter a spatial penetration state for 2 seconds. During this time, the water threads formed by the dangerous object cannot touch him.

After Su Xiao's speed is fully unleashed, he nearly glides at ultra-low altitude. After piercing through one wooden wall after another, he stands before two opposing sliding doors.

The moment Su Xiao disengaged from the spatial penetration state, he crushed a test tube in his left hand and drew his sword with his right.

The test tube shattered, and cold air gathered in Su Xiao's left palm. He rubbed his left hand along the blade, and the Dragon Flash instantly covered the blade in frost, drifting down fine ice mist.

Clang, clang, clang.

Su Xiao slashed three times in succession—the blade cut through the incoming water threads. The low-temperature enchantment on the blade froze them on contact, turning them into ice threads even finer than hair.

Boom!

Su Xiao's blood and qi erupted, shattering the surrounding ice bars, with debris scattering everywhere.

Su Xiao kicked forward with one foot—the wooden door in front instantly exploded into powder, like shrapnel from an activated shotgun, scattering into the inner room and blasting large holes in the innermost wall.

Stepping onto the icy surface, Su Xiao entered the inner room. Beneath the ice is a hot spring pool surrounded by round stones. The room's ceiling is pointed, with an opening at the very top, allowing those bathing to enjoy the night view—yet not so much that too many snowflakes fall into the room.

The furnishings here are no different from those of a typical semi-open-air hot spring, except that there is an offering table on the side of the room, with red strings tied full of bells.

Ding ling~

All the bells rang, and Su Xiao felt a sharp pain in his head.

【Warning: You have suffered the dizziness effect, lasting 3~20 seconds.】

【This control effect has been exempted by the Swordsmanship Master ability.】

【Warning: You have suffered the frenzy effect, lasting 5~16 seconds.】

【This control effect has been exempted by the Swordsmanship Master ability.】

【Warning: You have suffered the consciousness severance effect.】

【This control effect has been exempted by the Swordsmanship Master ability.】

……

Su Xiao had exempted three types of control abilities in succession, but because too many control effects were exempted at once, his brain experienced a brief feeling of dizziness.

He stepped forward toward the offering table ahead, and a strong sense of ill omen came from it, making his cheeks feel a stabbing pain.

He had previously wondered why the dangerous object's displayed danger level did not reach S-rank—now it seems the dangerous object had been hiding.

The previous clash, due to Su Xiao twice exempting himself from instant soul death, caused this dangerous entity to suffer backlash, so it could only retreat into its lair.

The current offering table, and the bells tied all over it, are not the dangerous entity's true form; this dangerous entity uses the offering table as a medium, hiding somewhere.

What this dangerous entity is remains unknown, but its known abilities are three: first, killing people using hot spring water as a medium; second, when facing it directly, one suffers instant soul death; third, it can bind and enslave ghosts to do its bidding.

The red-clad female ghost encountered just now is such a ghost; Qian Po Po is also one, and Qian Po Po crawled into a corpse, thus having a different aura.

This Red Pool Inn is practically a ghost nest; the only living person is that little boy, who earlier told Su Xiao how to escape the Red Pool Inn—he's quite an interesting little fellow.

The note left by Qian Po Po told Su Xiao to save someone, and that person is referred to as 'she'; this needn't be dwelled on, for Qian Po Po herself is a ghostly old pigeon with ill intent; bringing Su Xiao to the second floor is to give this dangerous entity a chance, so as to set layer upon layer of traps on the first floor, trapping Su Xiao to death here.

Su Xiao came here not to solve puzzles, nor care about the grievances or tragic beauty of the ghosts here—it has nothing to do with him; he's not that literary; his purpose here is simply to deal with this dangerous entity and reap benefits, simple and pure.

After observing the offering table for a moment, Su Xiao swung down the long blade in his hand, chopping off a small corner of the offering table; a painful sensation came from his forearm, and a piece of severed flesh fell from his sleeve.

Su Xiao's left hand grabbed the falling piece of flesh and skin; crystalline layers spread, wrapping his right forearm inside the sleeve to prevent blood from dripping down and touching the ice layer, thus contacting the hot spring water.

This ice is frozen hot spring water; Su Xiao doesn't know whether his flesh touching this ice layer will achieve the medium or if caution is better; though he came here recklessly, it's not because his head is hot that he did this.

After the piece of flesh was wrapped in the crystalline layer, Su Xiao tucked it into his clothing pocket and continued observing the offering table ahead.

His first thought was that this offering table had achieved some kind of connection with him; after reconsidering, he thought impossible, for if it were so, the dangerous entity would have already killed him by destroying the offering table.

Or perhaps the offering table's trait is that whoever destroys it suffers equivalent injury; if a rash person came here and smashed the offering table, it would become a fancy suicide; dealing with dangerous entities requires constant caution and prudence—think before acting.

The offering table cannot be easily destroyed; to get that dangerous entity out, one must think of another way; Su Xiao glanced at the many bells hanging on the offering table, then looked at a wooden bowl on it, the bowl filled with shallow red hot spring water, like diluted blood.

Su Xiao, with his crystal-layer-wrapped fingers, pinched a bell and pulled it down—nothing unexpected happened.

At this moment, Amu, Bahu, and Liechao walked into the room; Amu had several arrows embedded in his body, Bahu likewise, and it had become a ground-running chicken.

Liechao's left hand was covered in bruises, his neck wrapped in bandages, the bandages at the nape stained red with blood—this is Bahu's favorite attack position.

Needless to say, they three had just fallen into an illusion, then fought each other PK; Amu took several arrows, reliving the Origin·God's Hometown journey; Liechao was badly injured by Bahu; Bahu has entered the rising stage, and the Void Bloodline begins to exert power at the eighth level.

"Liechao, throw this bell into the bowl."

Su Xiao threw the bell in his hand to Liechao; Liechao is a temporary summon, likely to exist 15–30 days, yet she still hesitates, for she has died once before.

"Don't fear; as long as the water-attribute Origin is not destroyed, your flesh can be reformed; what truly limits you is the maximum duration of the summoning contract."

Hearing Su Xiao's words, Liechao came before the offering table, still feeling some resentment, for she is a Tianba warrior, the Drowning Tianba, yet used as cannon fodder.

"Am I cannon fodder?"

Liechao glanced sideways at Su Xiao, a faint smile on her face.

"No, you're one of us; act quickly, don't dawdle."

As Su Xiao spoke, he gestured for Amu to raise his shield; Amu formed a three-meter-wide, nearly five-meter-high ice shield, almost touching the ceiling.

Su Xiao retreated to the outer side of the room; Bahu landed on his shoulder; Xiang Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Ignoring Bubu Wang, with dog paws wrapped in crystalline layer, stood beside Su Xiao's leg; in front was Amu holding the shield.

After seeing this, Liechao's mouth twitched slightly.

After a moment, she took a deep breath; she wanted to stay aloof and maintain proper elegance, not quarrel with that black-hearted bastard, for she has already 'reborn'; she must find a way to escape her current predicament and continue living in this wonderful world, live long, and if possible, return to her homeland, Origin·God's Hometown.

"Begin; we're right behind you."

"?"

Liechao almost lost control of herself; after taking several deep breaths, she finally threw the bell in her hand into the wooden bowl.

The bell fell, just touching the hot spring water in the bowl, and a ripple spread.

Ripple~

Water ripples appeared; Liechao vanished from the spot; almost simultaneously, the water ripples in the wooden bowl stilled, as if nothing had happened.

After waiting about five minutes, Liechao suddenly appeared, she retreated several steps, nearly kneeling on one knee, she propped herself on the ice with her left hand's fingernail tips, for Su Xiao had already told her her body must not touch this ice.

"What did you see."

Su Xiao chewed the soul crystal in his mouth; though he had already guessed, he wanted a clearer answer.

"I saw a large mass of water, very much like a shapeless spiritual body; I scattered it, but this cannot kill it, for it is only a part of it; I just entered its 'domain' within, where my combat power was weakened, yet it grew stronger; I barely won; the bells on the offering table, each thrown into the water bowl, reveal a part of it; destroy all its parts, and though it cannot be utterly annihilated, its true form can be forced out."

Liechao's information is very important; she discovered that this dangerous entity's hardest aspect to deal with is its immense concealment and extreme difficulty to destroy.

The bells on the offering table number over a hundred; only by throwing one into the water bowl can a part of the dangerous entity be seen; only by defeating a part of it can a bell be shattered.

Only by shattering all over a hundred bells can the dangerous entity's true form be forced out.

Under the blessing of 'Origin', Liechao's strength in this world is in the upper echelon; with cover, she could slay many strong foes in a short time; yet even so, Liechao merely resolving one bell already left her severely injured.

Destroying the offering table is unwise; the small piece Su Xiao chopped off earlier recovered in just a few seconds.

To deal with this dangerous entity, one must only grind it down, letting many strong ones come here in turns to throw bells into the water bowl; this rule is set by the dangerous entity itself, for it is hunting.

After understanding this, Su Xiao gained confidence in facing this dangerous entity; he stepped forward, pulled off a bell, took out an ordinary Apollo, and pressed the bell into the Apollo.

In many situations, people have a misconception: that thermal weapons are ineffective against ghost-type enemies; actually, this is wrong.

If encountering a fierce ghost and shooting it with ordinary bullets, they indeed have little effect; RPG rocket explosions likewise are not strong; this leads many to mistakenly believe using thermal weapons against fierce ghosts is wrong.

But if one fires a nuclear bomb at a fierce ghost? If so, not to mention the fierce ghost, even Sadako would be vaporized.

In short, it's merely insufficient firepower, insufficient energy released; with sufficient firepower, all evil spirits are trash.

Thus it can be concluded: exorcism rituals, holy objects—all fake; to deal with ghosts, one still needs Apollo; though this method is overly devilish, it works fast.

Su Xiao activated the Apollo in his hand; 13 seconds later, he released the Apollo, the Apollo wrapped with the bell falling into the water bowl, immediately vanishing, just as he expected; as long as the attack's kinetic energy is sufficient, the enemy lacks the energy to drag him into that hiding place.

After waiting a few seconds, Su Xiao pulled off another bell, took out an Apollo, and began repeating what he just did.

One by one, the activated ordinary Apollos thrown into the water bowl initially made no sound for the first eight; at the ninth, Su Xiao felt tremors underfoot, indicating that the place where the dangerous entity resides had been blasted through.

Ding ling ling……

All the bells on the offering table began to tremble; from many signs, this dangerous entity possesses intelligence.

"Containment"

Characters formed of red liquid appeared on the offering table; Su Xiao basically ignored it; contain this dangerous entity? Of course not; containing it only yields a treasure chest, while killing it yields World Origin + treasure chest—this needs no consideration.

Su Xiao pulled off a bell, pressed it into the Apollo, and was about to throw it into the water bowl.

With a clatter, the offering table shattered; numerous semi-transparent tentacles shot out, rushing straight at Su Xiao.

Su Xiao sidestepped to dodge, the Dragon-Slicing Flash entangled by a pale blue electric arc; he thrust forward with his blade, piercing numerous translucent tentacles before finally penetrating the skull wearing a bamboo basket.

Su Xiao's hand broke through the mass of twisted translucent tentacles, grabbed a shoulder, and yanked hard.

The bell-wearing girl with a bucket-shaped bamboo basket on her head, whom Su Xiao had encountered earlier, was pulled out by him; at this moment, the Dragon-Slicing Flash had already pierced her skull.

Su Xiao drew his longsword and thrust forward with another powerful strike.

Pfft.

The longsword pierced the bell-wearing girl's neck; her true form was not a wraith, but a flesh-and-blood body with a soul.

"Do you... hear... the bell sound? Such a pleasant... sound."

In the bell-wearing girl's pallid eyes, pupils appeared, but immediately, the light in her eyes began to fade.

With a plop, an ancient bell fell from her bosom; its sound had already begun to dull, and the bell-wearing girl collapsed with a thud, blood spreading beneath her like vivid flowers.

"Ah!!!"

A shrill, furious shout came from afar; the old woman carrying a firewood axe shattered the wooden barrier and staggered toward Su Xiao, her expression both angry and eerie.

Clang.

A slash mark traced across, and the old woman suddenly halted in place; a blood line appeared on her face, the upper part of her skull slid diagonally and fell with a thud to the ground, and the spirit residing within her decaying body was also slain by a single strike of severe soul damage.

Su Xiao flicked the blood from his blade, used the tip to lift the ancient bell from the ground, wrapped his hand in a crystalline layer, and grasped the ancient bell.

【Tip: You have caused the 'Calamity Bell' to enter a weakened state; in 30 minutes and 24 seconds, the 'Calamity Bell' will exit this weakened state, making it extremely difficult to completely eradicate.】

Su Xiao exerted force with his hand, and the ancient bell shattered in his grip.

【Tip: You have completely eradicated the 'Calamity Bell'; assessment in progress...】

【Assessment complete; this is an S-rank hazardous object.】