Chapter 463: Why

"Boom—"

"Crack—"

Tribulation clouds churned, and lightning appeared frequently.

The sudden appearance of the lightning tribulation forced Hua Changxi, who had intended to go straight into the black mountain to save people, to stop dead in her tracks.

"What is the origin of this black mountain?"

She had only struck it once with the Floating Light Sword, and it had actually attracted a lightning tribulation!

A lightning python circled in the tribulation clouds, ready to strike.

Locked onto by the tribulation, Hua Changxi's heart pounded, and she dared not move a muscle, as if the tribulation lightning would strike the moment she did.

However, looking at the shattered stone gate ahead and feeling the aura of the Zhu Que soldiers wafting out from within, she hesitated.

If she didn't enter the mountain to save them this time, would the imprisoned Zhu Que soldiers be able to hold on until she came again?

At the same time, in the hinterland of Ghost Mother Mountain, the sudden thunderclap shook the entire dungeon, causing dust to fall and even the ghost runes carved on the walls to flicker uncertainly.

In the cells, the Zhu Que soldiers and human cultivators were also startled by the sound of thunder.

Song Weimin frowned: "Is a Ghost Clan member breaking through a realm?"

Gongshu Xingyan shook his head, thoughtful: "Impossible. Ghost Mother Mountain is the ancestral vein of the Ghost Clan, and the Ghost Infant River is the source of the world's turbid yin energy. Who would dare trigger a heavenly tribulation here?"

As they spoke, a flurry of panicked footsteps sounded outside the cell.

"Quick, something seems to have happened at the altar..."

In the blink of an eye, the ghost guards watching the cells all ran away, and the prison fell into an eerie silence.

An opportunity!

A glint of light flashed in Gongshu Xingyan's eyes. He quickly gave Song Weimin a look, signaling him to provide cover, while he took out a ghost chisel, preparing to break the restrictions in the cell.

He had been imprisoned in the Ghost Realm for over a hundred years and had been moved through many ghost prisons. The ghost chisel was the only ghost artifact he had heard of over the years that could break restrictions.

However, using a ghost to chisel through a restriction requires one's own essence, blood, and soul as a guide, and the price is immense—at best, one's cultivation is completely crippled; at worst, one's soul is torn asunder.

After breaking the restriction, he would inevitably fall into a state of weakness, and at that moment, he would need a companion he could trust.

Song Weimin was the companion he had chosen.

Although this man was a bit pedantic, he was reliable.

Song Weimin understood, but he didn't move, instead looking at the Zhu Que soldiers and other human cultivators in the cell, his expression hesitant.

Seeing him like this, Gongshu Xingyan knew things were going to go wrong. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Fang Zhuyue walk over.

"Now that the ghost guards have all left, can you take us with you?"

Seeing Gongshu Xingyan remain silent, Fang Zhuyue added: "Leaving the cell is only the first step. You will definitely encounter ghost clan blockades and pursuits later. If you take us, we can at least clear the way for you."

Song Weimin also helped speak up: "Just take them with you."

"Didn't you say that whether we can escape or not depends on heaven's will? Since that's the case, one more person is one more glimmer of hope."

In the cell, hundreds of pairs of eyes looked over—Zhu Que soldiers and human cultivators, all people imprisoned and on the verge of despair.

At this moment, a faint but burning fire of survival ignited in their eyes.

Gongshu Xingyan looked at those haggard faces, remembered his own hundred years of imprisonment, and his heart softened. He finally sighed.

However, just as he was about to activate the ghost chisel to break the cell's restriction, footsteps sounded outside the cell again.

Chu Tianye brought several subordinates and walked over quickly.

Fang Zhuyue's expression tightened. She immediately waved her hand, and the Zhu Que soldiers quickly gathered in front of the iron bars, using their bodies to block Gongshu Xingyan and Song Weimin.

They had expected another round of whipping, but Chu Tianye stopped outside the cell door, watching them quietly. His eyes surged with complex and unspeakable emotions—unwillingness, jealousy, madness, and a trace of deeply buried sorrow.

In the dead silence, he suddenly raised his hand.

The next moment, his subordinates began to pour a pungent, foul-smelling, black viscous liquid into the cell and all around it.

"Ghost Oil!"

Gongshu Xingyan's expression changed drastically. He lunged at the iron bars and shouted sharply: "Chu Tianye, what are you doing?!"

Seeing him so nervous, Song Weimin asked urgently: "What's wrong?"

"He wants to burn us to death!"

Gongshu Xingyan's voice trembled: "Once the ghost oil is ignited, it will draw the ghost energy and ghost fire from within Ghost Mother Mountain. When that happens, we will either be burned alive by the ghost fire or die from the invasion of ghost energy."

Fang Zhuyue also realized that Chu Tianye wanted them dead and roared: "We are the Ghost Clan's sacrificial offerings! If you burn us to death, how will you answer to the Ghost Clan?!"

Chu Tianye, however, laughed.

The laughter was manic and shrill, like a vengeful soul crawling out from the depths of hell.

Chu Tianye took a ghost fire torch from his subordinate and looked at the Zhu Que soldiers in the cell: "Did you hear the thunder just now?"

"Do you know what's going on?"

Chu Tianye's eyes were full of unwillingness and hatred: "A human cultivator has broken in. To split open the gate of Ghost Mother Mountain, they triggered a heavenly tribulation!"

Hearing this, everyone in the cell was shocked, and then they revealed looks of wild joy.

"It's the Hall Master!"

"It must be the Hall Master who has come to save us!"

The Zhu Que soldiers all shouted excitedly.

Gongshu Xingyan opened his mouth, his face filled with disbelief and astonishment.

Had the Lingguang Hall Master really come to save the Zhu Que soldiers?

But this was the forbidden ground of the Ghost Realm. Was the Lingguang Hall Master being a bit too fierce by breaking in?

Watching the excited Zhu Que soldiers, Chu Tianye's expression became increasingly twisted and ferocious.

"Bang—"

Chu Tianye threw the torch in his hand into the cell.

"Boom—"

Inside the cell, green ghost fire erupted instantly, licking the walls and floor like poisonous snakes.

Wherever the flames reached, even the air let out a wail.

The Zhu Que soldiers dodged in panic. Someone had their arm licked by a tongue of fire, and their flesh instantly turned charred black, their soul fire flickering.

Watching the Zhu Que soldiers fleeing in panic and desperately dodging the ghost fire, Chu Tianye roared maniacally.

"You all go to hell!"

"Why?"

"Why is it that when you are trapped, someone comes to save you?"

"Why did no one come to save me?"

"Why didn't the Chu Imperial Clan send anyone to save me?"

"If I can't live, don't even think about leaving Ghost Mother Mountain alive."

Fang Zhuyue protected her subordinates while roaring: "Chu Tianye, our Hall Master won't let you off!"

Hearing this, Chu Tianye sneered repeatedly: "Do you really think the Ghost Clan's forbidden grounds are a place you can come and go as you please? Perhaps the Lingguang Hall Master will die here too."

His voice suddenly dropped, carrying a trace of sorrow: "I did contribute to the Chu Imperial Clan after all. Bringing you Zhu Que soldiers into the Nine Netherworlds and using the Ghost Clan's hands to kill the Lingguang Hall Master can be considered revenge for Thirteen..."

Hearing his words, the Zhu Que soldiers were all shocked: "The Hall Master shouldn't have come to save us..."

Inside the cell, ghost fire spread, and wails arose everywhere.

"Forget about Chu Tianye for now, hurry and help Senior Gongshu!"

Gongshu Xingyan was holding the ghost chisel, breaking the cell's restriction.

Hearing this, Fang Zhuyue immediately lunged over, using her remaining spiritual power to help Gongshu Xingyan activate the ghost chisel.

Outside the gate of Ghost Mother Mountain, the moment the ghost fire in the cell was ignited, Hua Changxi sensed the aura of the Zhu Que soldiers weakening.

In an instant, she disregarded the threat of the heavenly tribulation, no longer hesitating, transformed into a firebird, and flapped her wings, charging toward the gate of Ghost Mother Mountain.

"Crack—"

A purple lightning python descended, striking her accurately the moment before she entered the mountain gate.

"Pfft—"

Fresh blood sprayed out, the firebird's figure stalled, and the scarlet flames dimmed like a candle about to go out. But she did not stop, plunging headlong into Ghost Mother Mountain. ===== CHAPTER 464 =====