Chapter 145: Ba Snake Yue You

The turbid wind whistled, lashing against his face.

The black mist was dim and hazy...

Nearly a hundred hideous and terrifying Nether Omen Ghosts—displaying miserable appearances such as rotting corpses, blood-soaked bodies, pus-filled forms, and disheveled hair—made one shudder just to look at them.

At this moment.

They were surrounding the tall, thin, browless cultivator who had just spoken, clearly acting under his command.

Seeing the dragon carriage pause in the clouds for about half a quarter of an hour.

Ding Wei immediately drove a gust of yin wind out of the carriage, and with a light shout, the armored soldiers straightened up and set off, escorting Chen Hang, who was inside the dragon carriage, as they slowly drove into the Yellow Mud Sea.

This scene.

Made the tall, browless ghost cultivator's eyelids twitch, his heart filled with restless agitation.

That stretch of turbid, yellow, fishy-smelling Yellow Mud Sea was a famous, uniquely perilous place in the Earth Abyss.

Without specific protective measures, entering rashly—

Within an hour or two, one would be bewildered by the miasma in the Yellow Mud Sea, lose one's soul, and crash into it.

Moreover, at the bottom of this Yellow Mud Sea slept a divine monster named "Huo Luo."

Its abilities were incomparably high, possessing the power to crush mountains and snap peaks, and its intelligence was not low either, far beyond that of ordinary, ignorant divine monster beasts.

If any unusual noise were made on the Yellow Mud Sea.

A single moment of carelessness.

Waking that sleeping "Huo Luo" and angering it.

Not to mention that the tall, thin ghost cultivator would definitely not survive, all the subordinates under his command would be swallowed as bait.

Even if his master, Lord Shan Hu, arrived in person.

It would likely be a clean and swift death...

The tall, thin ghost cultivator hesitated for a moment, a look of struggle and difficulty appearing on his face, but finally, he let out a helpless, long sigh and waved his hand, saying:

"Then let's return! No need to throw our lives away! I know that over these days, you have all been somewhat annoyed with me in your hearts, and you also fear the potential displeasure of Master Shan Hu, having no intention of fighting to the death.

This time, consider it my incompetence! I cannot avenge Miss Yue!"

The crowd of subordinates, who had been staring eagerly at the tall, thin ghost cultivator, cheered and leaped for joy upon hearing this, ignoring his ugly expression, all of them dancing with excitement.

Afterward, they folded their bodies, intending to burrow into the earth caves, unwilling to wade through this muddy water any longer.

The tall, thin ghost cultivator was named Gao Pi, and he was indeed Lord Shan Hu's prized warrior.

And they were private soldiers raised by Lord Shan Hu, driven by him to fight and risk their lives in battle.

In reality.

They did not belong to Gao Pi's command...

It was only after Miss Yue's soul-bound tablet shattered that Gao Pi, having received the news, was overcome with grief, kneeling and begging Lord Shan Hu for days until he finally grew impatient and assigned a troop of soldiers to him, letting Gao Pi go off to settle the matter himself.

Because Miss Yue was coarse, dull, and fierce by nature, she was never liked by Lord Shan Hu or Madam Fei Hua.

As soon as she grew up, she was kicked out of the house.

Sent far away to a remote territory, out of sight and out of mind.

Her death.

Was truly insignificant...

Even Lord Shan Hu did not care, having no intention of seeking revenge.

It was just that Gao Pi had a strange temperament and peculiar tastes, obsessed with the way of thin horses pulling large carts.

Upon seeing Miss Yue just once, he had secretly pledged his heart to her, admiring her endlessly and worshiping her as a divine goddess from the Heavenly Palace.

And upon hearing that Miss Yue had been murdered.

In the entire mansion, he was the only ghost to wail and weep, biting his finger to swear an oath of vengeance.

Although Lord Shan Hu looked at Miss Yue as if she were nothing more than a lump of fat and rotting meat.

He still cared quite a bit for Gao Pi, his prized warrior.

Unable to withstand Gao Pi's desperate begging, he finally assigned him a troop of private soldiers to use, allowing him to vent the frustration in his chest.

This action, while fulfilling Gao Pi's wish, brought disaster upon the Omen Ghosts who followed him.

They had thought it would be a small matter—capture the person who killed Miss Yue and hand them over to Gao Pi to deal with, and the matter would be finished.

But unexpectedly, Chen Hang, whom they were pursuing, had been one step faster, entering the Five Clouds Wild first.

And the master of the Five Clouds Wild, Ding Xian, was also a great ghost god.

His supernatural abilities were not necessarily weaker than Lord Shan Hu's.

Omen Cultivators and Scenery Cultivators were already at odds due to their different cultivation principles, so Gao Pi naturally dared not lead his troops into the Five Clouds Wild to make an arrest.

If he really acted that way, even if Ding Xian were kind enough not to kill him, Lord Shan Hu, upon hearing of it later, would never spare him and would peel a layer of skin off Gao Pi.

After waiting bitterly for several days, these Omen Ghosts finally saw Chen Hang leave the Five Clouds Wild.

However, this time, Chen Hang was sitting in Ding Xian's dragon carriage, accompanied by a group of armored guards, with Ding Wei leading the personal guards to clear the way—the momentum was grand, and the display was astonishing.

Just seeing this scene, those Omen Ghost private soldiers already felt timid, not daring to step forward to fight.

Yet Gao Pi was obstinate and unwilling to give up, even killing a few who wanted to retreat secretly, only then barely stabilizing the morale of the ghosts.

This time.

Seeing that Gao Pi was finally willing to use his brain and abandon his plan for revenge.

These Omen Ghost private soldiers were all overjoyed, feeling as if they had escaped death.

In an instant.

They scattered like birds and beasts, not even waiting for Gao Pi, intending to return to the ghost domain under Lord Shan Hu's jurisdiction.

In this situation, there was still one red-bodied ghost who had not followed them away.

He carefully observed Gao Pi's expression and said:

"Big Brother, could it really just end like this? Do you have any other methods?"

"Methods? At this point, what else can I do?"

Gao Pi looked coldly at the crowd of Omen Ghost private soldiers fleeing in disarray and said:

"At first, I thought it would just be a matter of sending them on their way and then returning home. At that time, I would have at most sacrificed my life to perish with this human cultivator! But now, these little ghost brats from the Five Clouds Wild seem to have the intention of seeing the Buddha all the way to the West! The soldiers I brought are likely not even enough for those two Nether Dragons to fill their stomachs!

Furthermore..."

He pointed his hand and said:

"These private soldiers fear Ding Xian and also know that Master Shan Hu dares not offend Ding Xian, so they have long been timid! How would they be willing to throw their lives away? If I were to force them, I fear they would be the first to turn their blades and kill me!"

The red-bodied ghost was momentarily dazed, unable to say anything else.

He knew that Gao Pi was deeply in love with Miss Yue and was also stubborn by nature.

If it weren't truly impossible, he would not have abandoned his thoughts of revenge.

"To be honest, I don't understand what is so special about that human cultivator? To be worth such generous treatment from Ding Xian, even giving up his carriage—what a great honor!"

After a long while.

The red-bodied ghost blinked enviously and said:

"Big Brother, they actually want to cross the Yellow Mud Sea. Where are they going? And what makes them worth such an escort?"

Gao Pi shook his head, saying nothing, remaining silent.

And looking at his own side.

At those Omen Ghosts who had fled and scattered, the red-bodied ghost actually felt a sense of relief in his heart, secretly thinking:

"It's good that Big Brother abandoned his plan for revenge. If this matter really spread out and Ding Xian got angry, none of us would escape death..."

However, seeing Gao Pi's expression grow even gloomier, he racked his brain for words, wanting to say a few comforting things.

Just at this moment, Gao Pi's expression suddenly changed, as if he had seen something incredible.

The red-bodied ghost ignorantly followed his gaze, only to see a strange crow with a brilliant, shining body perched on a withered branch at some unknown time.

Seeing the two ghosts looking at it together, the strange crow used its beak to lightly scratch its wings, let out a hoarse cry, and turned into a streak of firelight, flying away into the sky.

"Not good!"

Gao Pi felt a sense of foreboding in his heart, hurriedly opened his mouth, and spat out a mouthful of poisonous smoke, pinning the fiery red strange crow to the sky in an instant.

And when the strange crow fell, it did not reveal blood and flesh, but turned into a streak of pure essence, burrowing into the ground and escaping in a flash.

"What kind of ghost thing is this? When did it get so close?" The red-bodied ghost was startled.

"Fire Crow? It seems to be a method of the orthodox Immortal Dao..."

Gao Pi's face was ashen, and he shouted in his heart: "But I clearly used ghost arts to obscure my aura, how could I still be detected?!"

Just at this moment, screams of ghosts suddenly came from the distant earth cave.

Fire Crows flapped their wings and flew up, spitting out flames capable of melting gold and cutting iron, catching the unprepared Omen Ghost private soldiers off guard and killing them until they were in total disarray.

Seeing this scene, Gao Pi was even more shocked and suspicious. He reached out to hold the panicked red-bodied ghost, hurriedly pinched a seal, and turned into a streak of yellow smoke to flee, not caring about anything else, intending to escape far away before making further plans.

But before that yellow smoke could sweep out even a mile, it was forcibly intercepted out of thin air by an invisible force—

The spell was obstructed, and they were scattered in an instant.

Gao Pi dragged the red-bodied ghost and appeared from the yellow smoke in a sorry state, only to see bone flags breaking through the air one after another, operating a formation to circle all the Omen Ghosts within it.

It was clear that preparations had been made long ago, just waiting for this moment to close the net.

"When did this happen?"

Gao Pi's face grew even uglier.

Just at this time, a burst of loud laughter came from far to near.

Looking from afar, Ding Wei, riding a giant white-furred bat, was also holding a bone flag in his hand, a playful smile on his face.

"Brother Chen, I said these Omen Ghosts are ignorant and would never know any tactics of dividing forces or conspiring; they would only rush forward to kill! You were still suspicious, thinking they might have an ambush to lure the snake out of the hole and wipe us all out!"

Ding Wei laughed and spoke to the dragon carriage:

"But they have all been eating blood food, their brains ground dull by those resentful qi of punishment and killing—how could they understand the treacherous ways of soldiers? Brother Chen, you think too highly of these Omen Ghosts!"

A light laugh came from the dragon carriage, and a young Daoist with a tall, upright figure and a bearing like pine and bamboo turned out from the carriage, holding a delicate small pot in his hand, the mouth of the pot shining with brilliant flames.

Chen Hang shook his head and said:

"It was I who worried too much. Had I known, why go to such trouble."

The two Nether Dragons pulling the carriage were spiritual pets that Ding Xian had painstakingly tamed, naturally possessing unique divine properties.

Long before these Omen Ghosts had secretly pursued them, they had already sensed it.

They thought they had hidden themselves extremely well, not revealing a trace of their tracks, but in reality, they had long been full of flaws...

"I still have to thank Ding Xian for lending me the dragon carriage; otherwise, facing this group of Omen Ghosts, while it wouldn't be difficult to escape, it would have left behind trouble."

At this moment.

Under Ding Wei's command, the three hundred armored soldiers acting as guards had already entered the fray, fighting with the Omen Ghosts led by Gao Pi.

"However, this Fire Crow Pot obtained from Yan Ping, while not as sharp as the Green Law Sword in terms of attacking and killing, has a unique use in clearing out weak troops and miscellaneous soldiers."

Chen Hang looked over.

Seeing hundreds of Fire Crows galloping through the battlefield, shuttling back and forth, leaving behind scorched red firelight and successive screams wherever they passed, he couldn't help but nod slightly.

This Fire Crow Pot was indeed searched from Yan Ping's Qiankun bag by Chen Hang.

This item, along with the Floating Jade Mirage Pearl and the Blood River Carriage Treasure Wheel obtained from Yan Jia, could all be called sharp weapons, each with its own function.

For Chen Hang, it was also no small help.

At this moment.

The two Nether Dragons pulling the giant carriage suddenly let out a low roar, their vertical pupils, as large as washing basins, turning to look at Chen Hang, carrying a hint of inquiry.

Below, Gao Pi was driving a flying awl, repeatedly chiseling at the formation, and it looked like he was about to break through and escape to safety.

"I'll have to trouble the two of you to take action."

Chen Hang bowed slightly and performed a salute.

The two Nether Dragons swung their tails, and with a "whoosh," their internal organs vibrated, each forcing out a mouthful of yin fire, which roared toward Gao Pi.

As soon as that arrogant yin fire was spat out, Gao Pi, who was chiseling the formation, had his expression change violently. He cursed secretly and hurriedly took out a skull resembling some ancient beast to sacrifice, protecting his whole body.

Within a few breaths, the skull was burned through by the yin fire, and with a "crack," it shattered into bone powder that flew all over the ground.

At this time, the wilderness was already full of raging yin fire, with nowhere to escape.

Helpless, Gao Pi could only continuously take out ghost artifacts to resist the flames.

But these two Nether Dragons were not ordinary, even Ding Xian was cautious and careful when facing them, so how could Gao Pi handle them?

Half a stick of incense later, following a scream, Gao Pi's figure was suddenly swallowed by the yin fire, dying completely.

And at the moment of his death, a shrill, ancient roar also suddenly erupted, containing a tremendous power. Chen Hang felt his eardrums prick, and his blood and qi surged uncontrollably.

"It seems the rumors were true after all..."

Ding Wei, not far away, was even more uncomposed, nearly falling headfirst from the giant bat, only regaining his senses after a long while with a pale face.

"What rumors?" Chen Hang frowned.

"It is said that in order to cultivate secret arts, Lord Shan Hu planted a strand of his own soul in every one of his house generals. Just now, Old Dragon burned Gao Pi to death, which also incidentally slaughtered that strand of Lord Shan Hu's soul..."

Ding Wei shook his head, then laughed loudly, not caring, and said:

"But this matter was the little ghost's own doing; Lord Shan Hu would never dare to touch my father's bad side, so Brother Chen need not worry!"

At this moment.

After Gao Pi died, those hundreds of Omen Ghost private soldiers were also wiped out one by one.

Chen Hang flicked his sleeve slightly, and the Fire Crows flying all over the sky were retracted into the pot.

"By the way, Brother Chen, Lord Shan Hu is but a minor ailment, so don't take it to heart, but the Yellow Mud Sea ahead is not something to be taken lightly..."

Looking at the Fire Crow Pot in Chen Hang's hand with some curiosity.

Ding Wei shook his head, regained his composure, and said:

"In that Yellow Mud Sea, there sleeps an Innate Divine Monster named Huo Luo!"

"Huo Luo?" Chen Hang asked.

And at the same time Gao Pi died, thousands of miles away, in a gloomy and eerie hall.

Lord Shan Hu, who was dozing with his eyes closed, suddenly had his expression shocked, springing up from his seat and violently throwing the teacup in his hand to the ground, shattered porcelain splashing everywhere.

"Stupid! Fool! You died, fine, but you actually brought me the trouble of Ding Xian? You truly deserve to die!"

At the moment Gao Pi died, the strand of soul he had planted also transmitted everything it saw and heard to the main body, one by one.

It was just a pity that the soul was usually dormant and confused, possessing no wisdom, knowing only how to absorb Gao Pi's five senses to feed.

It was not until it was finally burned away that Lord Shan Hu vaguely felt something was wrong, urging his spell to wake that strand of soul.

It was just a pity that it was too late; under the Nether Dragon's yin fire, it didn't even have time to offer an explanation before being destroyed in an instant.

"Where is the Madam? Gao Pi has caused a great disaster, and this is exactly the time to discuss it together. Where has she gone to play? Could it be she is still hunting snakes?"

Although he wished he could drag Gao Pi out and kill him again.

But at such a juncture, Lord Shan Hu still forcibly suppressed his anger and shouted coldly to the servants around him.

"Madam Fei Hua..."

The servant stammered, not daring to speak.

"Forget it! Quickly call her back! Do not go catching any more big snakes; do not be too obsessed with gluttony. Settle the trouble first, then discuss other things!"

Lord Shan Hu's face darkened, and he waved his hand impatiently.

The servant, as if granted amnesty, hurriedly kowtowed a few times and ran out.

One hour later.

Madam Fei Hua had not yet returned...

Just as Lord Shan Hu was becoming increasingly restless and uneasy.

Suddenly, a fishy wind crashed violently, and in the blink of an eye, there were countless sounds of houses collapsing and walls falling, as if countless thunderbolts had exploded on flat ground! It made the ghosts in the mansion panic, and the sounds of crying and screaming were endless!

"Which little rascal dares to come here to run wild? Don't you want your life?!"

Lord Shan Hu let out a shrill roar, leaped out of the collapsed hall, and shouted.

"It's your good grandfather whom you've never met, Yue You!"

A sinister voice rang out coldly.

Lord Shan Hu looked in surprise, immediately panicked, and a chill rose in his heart! ===== CHAPTER 146 =====