Chapter 496: Lady Chi Yan

As the procession carrying white bone lanterns slowly emerged from the Ghost Village, nearby ghosts hastily retreated; none dared approach or provoke them, appearing deeply apprehensive.

Upon seeing this, Hua Changxi immediately withdrew deep into the ghost crowd lining the road, concealing herself among them.

Ghost A (shrinking his neck): "Hiss... Lady Chi Yan has not stepped out of Ghost Yan Village for many years. Today, she marches so ostentatiously toward Ghost Fortress; one wonders what matter drives her?"

Ghost B (trembling, voice faint): "What else could it be? In my view, the appearance of the Yellow Spring Lord just now must have alarmed Lady Chi Yan."

"With the avatar of Lady Paramita Flower destroyed, the Yellow Spring Lord will absolutely not let matters rest. Since Ghost Yan Village borders the Ancient Path of the Yellow Spring, should the Yellow Spring Lord truly seek trouble with the ghost clans, our village will bear the brunt."

"Lady Chi Yan, nine times out of ten, is entering the city to investigate the situation."

Ghost C (eyes flashing with terror): "The pressure unleashed by the Yellow Spring Lord just now was truly terrifying. Had our village not been protected by a formation array, many low-ranking ghosts within would have had their souls scattered."

Ghost D (voice pressed extremely low): "Let us hope the Ghost King finds the culprit soon and provides an explanation to the Yellow Spring Lord; otherwise, I fear we shall never again set foot on the Path of the Yellow Spring!"

"Once the Yellow Spring Lord erupts in anger and seals the river channel, we shall not even have a chance to flee."

Ghost A (shuddering, the ghost fire in his eyes flickering bright and dim as if recalling some extremely horrific scene): "Indeed."

"Do you still remember a hundred years ago, when Ghost Fortress fell out with the Yellow Spring Lord? During that period, any ghost clan member who stepped onto the Path of the Yellow Spring was devoured by the Yellow Spring Lord, without even room to resist."

Ghost B (shrinking his neck, continuing with lingering fear): "How could I forget? During that time, it was not only the ghosts of the Ghost Realm who suffered calamity; the Yellow Spring Lord went utterly mad, devouring even the fresh souls of the living who had just died in the Yang Realm and newly entered the Nine Netherworlds."

"During that period, the Ghost Realm received no influx of new souls; numerous villages and towns dissipated on their own due to the lack of fresh soul energy."

"In the end, had it not been for the combined pressure exerted by Youdu City and the Hall of Reincarnation, who knows how many ghost clans and living souls the Yellow Spring Lord would have devoured."

Ghost C (indignant yet not daring to speak loudly): "Alas, the Yellow Spring Lord is truly too overbearing!"

Ghost A (casting a faint glance at the surging waters of the Yellow Spring River in the distance): "Who can blame him, given his profound foundations? Wherever the waters of the Yellow Spring flow, that territory belongs to him. As long as the river waters do not dry up, he is omnipresent."

"We little ghosts had best pray that this turmoil passes soon..."

Blending in among the ghosts, Hua Changxi listened to the multitude chattering in the ghost language she could not understand, her expression becoming somewhat wooden and stiff.

She had not expected that upon venturing deep into the heart of the Nine Netherworlds, the most difficult obstacle she would encounter would be—the language barrier!

Observing the ghosts 'whispering', she could at most perceive the emotions they revealed; then, through their body language, she could roughly guess that the ghosts were discussing the aftermath triggered by the Yellow Spring Lord's appearance.

Hua Changxi concealed her aura without making a sound and, using the gray mist as cover, quietly slipped away from that crowd of whispering ghosts.

She dared not linger.

Even though she had used ghost fire to mimic the ghostly chill of the clans, should any ghost approach to speak, her silence might still arouse suspicion; if she opened her mouth, she would be exposed instantly.

"I must find a way to overcome the language barrier..."

Otherwise, upon entering Ghost Fortress, should an unexpected event occur requiring her to speak, her inability to use the ghost language would leave her with only one path: flight.

Learning the ghost language served not only to facilitate disguise but also for another reason: having struggled so hard to enter Ghost Fortress, it would be too great a loss if she could 'hear' nothing and gathered no intelligence.

But how was she to learn?

Hua Changxi recalled that within the 'Twelve Styles of Soul Control' she had previously exchanged with Wei Zhenjie for the 'Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art', there happened to be a technique called 'Soul Control Art' capable of manipulating and governing souls.

Perhaps she could manipulate a few ghosts to teach her the ghost language; with her divine sense being far from weak, she should learn quickly.

Just as she began scouting for suitable 'teachers'...

That procession of white bone lanterns, originally marching grandly straight toward Ghost Fortress, came to a halt without any warning.

Immediately after, guided by that piercing suona sound, the scarlet palanquin slowly turned around. It did not move forward nor sideways, but headed directly toward Hua Changxi's location!

"Hmm?"

Hua Changxi's heart gave a sudden leap; she immediately sensed something amiss.

Her current location was completely opposite to the direction of Ghost Fortress; why would the red palanquin procession, perfectly fine as it was, suddenly change course and advance toward her?

Especially upon seeing the surrounding ghosts also display expressions of surprise and confusion, Hua Changxi, disguised as a 'ghost', grew increasingly vigilant, carefully retreating toward a more remote area.

To verify whether the red palanquin procession was indeed targeting her, Hua Changxi deliberately changed direction several times while retreating.

However, no matter how she changed direction, the speed of that scarlet palanquin remained like a maggot clinging to bone, following like a shadow, and growing ever closer...

Hua Changxi confirmed it—she had been discovered!

Taking a deep breath, Hua Changxi ceased futile probing and instead retreated deeper into the chaotic stone forest, toward areas more remote and darker.

The terrain there was complex and the gray mist dense; should the opponent truly make a move, she could at least gain a bit more room to maneuver.

After entering the chaotic stone forest, Hua Changxi allowed her figure to merge completely into that impenetrable darkness, then, like a hunter, quietly awaited the arrival of that scarlet palanquin.

A quarter of an hour later, that suffocating procession of white bone lanterns finally halted outside the chaotic stone forest.

The wind seemed to freeze at that very moment.

The curtain of the scarlet palanquin moved without wind, slowly lifting at one corner. A pair of eyes radiating grim coldness, like two ghostly lanterns, pierced directly through layers upon layers of chaotic rocks and gray mist, locking precisely onto the corner where Hua Changxi hid.

"Heh... What a fragrant living soul."

A lazy yet bone-chilling voice exploded in the void, carrying a hint of mockery and greed.

The moment the words fell, red light burst forth from within the palanquin!

Lady Chi Yan transformed entirely into a blood-colored rainbow, tearing through the gray mist and flying straight into the chaotic stone forest.

Hua Changxi's expression turned grave; the power emanating from the woman in red exceeded even that of Lady Paramita Flower's avatar encountered earlier.

She did not wish to use the black broken blade, yet she truly did not want to cause a major disturbance outside Ghost Fortress; thus, when the figure of the woman in red attacked, she did not dodge but instead feigned being paralyzed with fear, awaiting her approach.

She stood rigidly in place like a lamb awaiting slaughter, quietly waiting for the predator to draw near.

One hundred meters...

Ten meters...

The beautiful yet ferocious face of the woman in red was now clearly visible before her eyes; her extended claws radiated bone-chilling cold, pointing directly at Hua Changxi's face, her eyes filled with the ecstatic joy of one about to enjoy a feast.

One meter!

Now!

In Hua Changxi's empty right palm, the black broken blade suddenly materialized.

Raising the blade, she slashed down.

There were no fancy movements, only ultimate speed and ruthlessness.

"Nether Nether..." Lady Chi Yan could have dodged, yet upon seeing the black broken blade, she froze in shock.

When experts clash, life and death are decided in an instant.

Puchi!

A black streak of light sliced through the vast sky like lightning, carrying an unstoppable edge as it slashed down fiercely!

A sound like tearing silk exploded; the red-robed female ghost could not even let out a scream before she was cleaved in two!

However, the expected dispersal of soul and spirit did not occur.

This red-robed female ghost's cultivation far surpassed that of the Parrot Flower clone slain earlier; the two halves of her body did not collapse and vanish, but instead, the moment they touched the ground, erupted with intense, blinding crimson light!

"Roar~"

A piercing howl rose simultaneously from both severed halves of the corpse.

Surging ghostly qi writhed madly like living creatures; in merely the blink of an eye, the severed body began rejoining at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi's expression changed, and she swung her blade once more.

Outside the Chaotic Stone Forest, the procession bearing white bone lanterns still stood silently in place.

Half an hour later.

A slightly wavering red light shot out from the Chaotic Stone Forest, cutting through the night sky and flying straight into that scarlet palanquin.

The curtain fell, shielding everything within from view.

"My Lady~"

The maid on the left of the scarlet palanquin had just stepped forward when her words were cut short by a clear, ringing bell tone that suddenly pierced the silence; the sound waves spread like ripples on water, instantly engulfing the entire procession.

Upon hearing the bell, the eyes of all the ghost race immediately became hazy and empty.

When the bell ceased, the emptiness faded, and brilliance reignited in the eyes of the ghost race, reflecting their absolute submission to the red-robed woman inside the scarlet palanquin.

Then, the suona horns, silent for so long, sounded once again; the procession slowly set out, heading directly toward the towering and gloomy Ghost Realm Fortress.