Chapter 168: Soul Severance Mountain

"Demon Prison?"

Hua Changxi's expression shifted upon hearing the two on the city wall mention Demon Prison.

Previously, when she unlocked No. 7 Qihuang Hall, the stone wall of that hall had displayed the evolutionary history of the Four Spirit Realms, which included a mention of Demon Prison.

However, the illustrations of the Four Spirit Realms' evolutionary history were rather rough and not fully revealed, so she only knew that there was a place called 'Demon Prison'.

The things Eunuch Lin and his group were about to do would destabilize Demon Prison—could Demon Prison be nearby?

Hua Changxi's eyes flickered. Since she had already followed them here, she definitely wanted to see Demon Prison for herself. Moreover, the divine hammer that Eunuch Lin and the others were trying to seize should be a decent magical artifact. If she got lucky, she might even play the role of the mantis-stalking oriole.

The mist around Ganmen Fort was thicker and more sinister than elsewhere. Seeing that Eunuch Lin and his group were about to disappear from her line of sight, Hua Changxi quickly followed.

But just as she moved east of Ganmen Fort, a fierce, eerie wind suddenly struck from behind.

The attack came suddenly and silently. Hua Changxi narrowly dodged it. When she turned around, she saw that the two who had been on the city wall were now floating in the mist, launching another attack at where she had just stood.

"General, no one is there."

Liu Chengxiong ignored his deputy's words, staring fixedly in the direction Hua Changxi was. Though he couldn't see anyone, he sensed ripples of spiritual energy.

Someone who could evade his attack and quickly conceal their aura again was at least a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Liu Chengxiong's mood wavered. Which old monster’s family had come to the Netherworld?

Deputy Wan Kun, seeing Liu Chengxiong silent, asked in confusion, "General, what's wrong?"

Liu Chengxiong thought of his own situation. The newcomer must have come from a top-tier cultivation family to have reached Nascent Soul. Coming to Ganmen Fort at this time was undoubtedly aimed at the divine hammer. Perhaps he could cooperate with this person.

"Tell me, how many of those who just passed by do you think will survive?"

Wan Kun was surprised that Liu Chengxiong cared about this. The nine major forts guarding the four arrays of Demon Prison had never lacked intruders, but the general had never paid them any heed before.

"Recently, the yin wind at Soulsever Mountain has been erupting. The yin wind erodes souls, and the mountain paths are treacherous. Those people probably won't make it to the array."

Liu Chengxiong chuckled: "Don't underestimate the means of cultivators. But it’s true that Soulsever Mountain is dangerous. Actually, if they want to seize the divine hammer, rather than risk crossing Soulsever Mountain, it would be better to go through Ganmen Fort."

Hearing this, Wan Kun looked at Liu Chengxiong in shock. Ganmen Fort was garrisoned by Demon Suppression Guards, tasked with guarding the array and preventing all intruders from crossing.

What did the general mean just now?

Liu Chengxiong didn't look at his deputy but said to himself, "In a few years, my term as general will end." Without the protection of Ganmen Fort, his primordial spirit would dissipate into the world.

Hearing this, Wan Kun fell silent, then said sadly, "General, now that spiritual energy is fully reviving, there must be other ways."

Liu Chengxiong sighed: "I just want to see the mortal world one more time."

Seeing no response from the mist, Liu Chengxiong's eyes darkened. After a moment of silence, he chose to retreat: "Let's go back."

Though his primordial spirit was powerful, without a physical body, if he truly fought that Nascent Soul old monster hiding in the shadows, and if the old monster knew soul-attacking techniques, he would definitely not fare well.

Now that his soul body was weakening, it was better not to invite trouble.

"General, the Duke of Xingguo's mansion has sent someone again."

Just as the two flew back to the city wall, another person arrived outside Ganmen Fort.

Delighted, Liu Chengxiong quickly glanced toward Hua Changxi's direction and thought, Let the hidden Nascent Soul old monster know that the Duke of Xingguo's mansion also has its eyes on the divine hammer—maybe it will hasten their cooperation.

With the help of a Nascent Soul cultivator, whether finding a suitable physical body or forging a new one, it would be much easier.

"General Liu."

"Hereditary Prince Gu."

In the mist, Hua Changxi watched the newcomer fly into Ganmen Fort, her expression fluctuating.

That General Liu's words were clearly meant for her, as if he wanted to make a deal with her, but she was completely baffled.

No help for it—she knew too little.

Hua Changxi glanced at the Hereditary Prince of the Duke of Xingguo's mansion, who was already in conversation with Liu Chengxiong on the city wall. Uninterested in their affairs, she looked toward where Eunuch Lin and the others had disappeared and stealthily followed.

On the city wall, Hereditary Prince Gu had intended to take the opportunity to enter the fortress for a look, but unexpectedly, Liu Chengxiong kept standing on the wall and talking to him.

Liu Chengxiong did not regard Hereditary Prince Gu as highly as he did that Nascent Soul cultivator who had dodged his attack.

Simply because, though the Duke of Xingguo's mansion was powerful, it could not compare to the long-established, old-line cultivation families.

Liu Chengxiong thought that the Duke Xinguo's mansion had come to him about the Divine Hammer as well, with the same intent as the hidden Nascent Soul cultivator. Discussing matters openly was meant to make the hidden Nascent Soul cultivator anxious.

Unfortunately, he did not know that Hua Changxi, after guessing that he could sense spiritual energy fluctuations, had already restrained her aura and left. He also never expected that Hua Changxi would be completely clueless and ignorant.

According to Liu Chengxiong, a Nascent Soul cultivator would certainly know more about this world than others, and would definitely understand that the Demon Suppression Guards stationed at the nine major fortresses could endure only because the fortresses protected them, preventing their soul bodies from dispersing during their term of service.

His words just now had already revealed that he wanted to return to the mortal world, to possess a physical body. For that, he could open Qianmen Fort and allow people to pass through.

Unfortunately, this was just his own wishful thinking.

Hua Changxi sped through the mist for a while, and then a black stone mountain like a skyline appeared in her sight.

"Whoosh~"

A fierce, biting yin wind kept blowing through the mountain, making one feel bitterly cold. But because of the yin wind, the mist in the air was blown away.

"This should be the Soul Severing Mountain those two mentioned."

Hua Changxi condensed a spirit cloud and soared into the air, intending to fly within Soul Severing Mountain.

But as soon as she entered the high altitude, she shivered, and then she frighteningly discovered that her body was somewhat out of control.

To be precise, it felt as if her soul body was frozen, unable to control her physical body's movements.

Even more horrifying, she found that her divine sense was rapidly decreasing.

The yin wind in Soul Severing Mountain could weaken divine sense!

Hua Changxi suppressed her fear, quickly descended with her spirit cloud, and as soon as her feet touched the ground, flames burst out around her with a "boom" to drive away the yin cold.

Unfortunately, even with flames clinging to her body, the cold sensation on her soul body did not diminish, until she condensed a fire lotus.

Hua Changxi stood at the center of the fire lotus. Whenever the yin wind blew in, a fire bird would fly out and spew Vermilion Bird Flame.

As soon as the Vermilion Bird Flame collided with the yin wind, a sizzling sound immediately arose, as if something was being burned to ashes.