yuán dà hǎi de huà yǒu xiē dào lǐ ， bù guò lín xuān zǒng jué de shì qíng bù xiàng tā xiǎng xiàng de nà me jiǎn dān ， yòu fēi le yuē bàn gè shí chén ， jǐ zuò xiǎo shān yìng rù le yǎn lián 。
袁大海的话有些道理，不过林轩总觉得事情不像他想象的那么简单，又飞了约半个时辰，几座小山映入了眼帘。
Yuan Dahaibei's words had some merit, but Lin Xuan still felt that the situation was more complex than he imagined. After flying for about half an hour, several small mountains came into view.
zhè xiē shān dōu bìng bù tài gāo ， yě jiù bǎi zhàng zuǒ yòu ， yuǎn yuǎn wàng qù ， gèng xiàng shì yí gè yí gè yǒu xiē yōng zhǒng de tǔ qiū 。
这些山都并不太高，也就百丈左右，远远望去，更像是一个一个有些臃肿的土丘。
These mountains weren't particularly tall; they were only a hundred zhang or so high. From afar, they looked more like swollen mounds of earth.
shān shàng de zhí bèi yě hěn xī shǎo ， suī rán bìng fēi guāng tū tū de ， dàn yě jǐn yǒu yī xiē kū huáng de bài cǎo 。
山上的植被也很稀少，虽然并非光秃秃的，但也仅有一些枯黄的败草。
The vegetation on these mountains was sparse. Although not completely barren, there were only some withered and yellowish grasses.
“ yí ， zhè lǐ ……”
“咦，这里……”
"Eh? Here..."
lín xuān fàng chū shén shí ， lüè lüè yī sǎo ， yǎn zhōng liú lù chū yī sī chà yì ， bié kàn cǐ dì bù qǐ yǎn de yàng zi ， jū rán hái shì yī chù bù cuò de yīn mài zhī dì 。
林轩放出神识，略略一扫，眼中流露出一丝诧异，别看此地不起眼的样子，居然还是一处不错的阴脉之地。
Lin Xuan released his divine sense and scanned the area briefly, his eyes showing a hint of surprise. Despite its unremarkable appearance, this place turned out to be an excellent source for yin veins.
guài bù dé nà guǐ wáng huì jiāng dòng fǔ xiū jiàn yú cǐ 。
怪不得那鬼王会将洞府修建于此。
No wonder that ghost king had chosen to build his lair here.
zài zhè lǐ xiū liàn de xiào guǒ bìng bù bǐ yīn hún xiá gǔ xùn sè ， huán jìng què hǎo shàng le xǔ duō 。
在这里修炼的效果并不比阴魂峡谷逊色，环境却好上了许多。
The effects of cultivation in this valley were not inferior to those of the Yin Spirit Canyon, but the environment was much better.
tōng cháng xǔ duō rén de rèn shí cún zài yí gè wù qū ， tā men yǐ wéi yīn hún jiù xǐ huān hēi àn ， cháo shī ， yīn sēn kǒng bù de huán jìng ， qí shí bìng fēi rú cǐ 。
通常许多人的认识存在一个误区，他们以为阴魂就喜欢黑暗，潮湿，阴森恐怖的环境，其实并非如此。
Many people's understanding often contained a misconception: they believed that ghosts liked darkness, dampness, and eerie environments. In reality, ghost entities also detested harsh living conditions. This was why, after an elder had opened a passage between the mortal world and the Netherworld, those yin spirits immediately rushed through in droves.
qí shí guǐ wù yī yàng tǎo yàn wù liè de shēng cún huán jìng ， zhè yě shì wèi shén me dāng chū nà wèi qián bèi dǎ tōng rén jiān jiè yǔ yōu míng jiè de tōng dào yǐ hòu ， nà xiē yīn hún lì kè jiù fēng kuáng de yǒng le guò lái 。
其实鬼物一样讨厌恶劣的生存环境，这也是为什么当初那位前辈打通人间界与幽冥界的通道以后，那些阴魂立刻就疯狂的涌了过来。
However, after several failed attempts to battle against cultivators, their activity remained confined to the Yin Spirit Canyon. Of course, some ghost entities, with their formidable magical power, had built lairs outside as well.
zhǐ bù guò yǔ xiū shì dòu guò jǐ cì fǎ hòu què yǐ shī bài gào zhōng ， gù ér huó dòng fàn wéi yī rán bèi xiàn zhì zài yīn hún xiá gǔ ， dāng rán ， yě yǒu yī xiē guǐ wù zì chí fǎ lì gāo shēn ， zài wài miàn xiū jiàn le dòng fǔ 。
只不过与修士斗过几次法后却以失败告终，故而活动范围依然被限制在阴魂峡谷，当然，也有一些鬼物自持法力高深，在外面修建了洞府。
"Senior brothers, this is where that monster's nest is. Let's work together and try to capture it alive if possible. If not, we can still kill it," Li Haipeng said with a greedy expression on his face.
“ zhū wèi qián bèi ， zhè lǐ jiù shì nà guài wù de cháo xué le ， wǒ men yì qǐ dòng shǒu ， néng gòu huó zhuō zuì hǎo ， dāng rán ， shí zài bù xíng de huà ， zhǎn shā yě shì kě yǐ de 。” liè hǎi péng liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī tān lán zhī sè 。
“诸位前辈，这里就是那怪物的巢穴了，我们一起动手，能够活捉最好，当然，实在不行的话，斩杀也是可以的。”列海鹏脸上露出一丝贪婪之色。
A living ghost king was indeed invaluable. Even if he were killed, the inner core nourished by a thousand years of yin energy would be enough to drive any cultivator mad.
huó dì guǐ wáng gù rán shì wú jià zhī bǎo 。 rán ér jí biàn shì guà le 。 nà qiān nián yīn qì zī yǎng chū lái dì nèi dān yě zú yǐ ràng xiū shì men fēng kuáng 。
活地鬼王固然是无价之宝。然而即便是挂了。那千年阴气滋养出来地内丹也足以让修士们疯狂。
"Alright!"
“ hǎo ！”
“好！”
The cultivators, confident in their numbers, revealed themselves and advanced towards the opponent without hiding their forms. There were no prohibitions at the entrance; only some illusionary spells had been cast. These experts easily dispelled them with a few palm strikes, reducing the small magical effects to nothingness.
xiū shì men zì chí rén duō shì zhòng 。 yě bù yǐn cáng shēn xíng 。 jiù zhè yàng guāng míng zhèng dà dì xiàng duì fāng shā le guò qù 。
修士们自持人多势众。也不隐藏身形。就这样光明正大地像对方杀了过去。
White mist swirled, quickly retreating, revealing the scene inside the valley.
mén kǒu bìng méi yǒu shén me jìn zhì 。 jǐn jǐn shì shí shī zhǎn le yī xiē mí huàn lèi dì zhàng yǎn fǎ ér yǐ 。 zì rán nán bú zhù yǎn qián dì zhòng gāo shǒu 。 shèn zhì lián fǎ bǎo yě bù yòng 。 jǐ gè zhǎng xīn léi xià qù 。 jiù jiāng yǎn qián dì xiǎo fǎ shù hōng dì qī líng bā luò 。
门口并没有什么禁制。仅仅是实施展了一些迷幻类地障眼法而已。自然难不住眼前地众高手。甚至连法宝也不用。几个掌心雷下去。就将眼前地小法术轰地七零八落。
"What is this..."
bái wù yǒng dòng 。 xùn sù tuì qù 。 shān ào nèi dì qíng jǐng 。 yìng rù le yǎn lián lǐ 。
白雾涌动。迅速退去。山坳内地情景。映入了眼帘里。
The sight before the cultivators left them speechless. The entire valley wasn't large, but it was filled with various flowers. Even in such a cold season, they still bloomed magnificently, clearly under some magical influence. This ghost king truly knew how to enjoy himself; he had set up his lair like an earthly paradise.
“ zhè shì ……”
“这是……”
The cultivators were taken aback, but soon they rushed into the valley with shouts and cries.
kàn zhuó yǎn qián de yí mù ， zhòng xiū shì dōu yǒu xiē dāi le ， zhěng zuò shān gǔ bìng bù suàn tài dà ， rán ér què zhǒng mǎn le bǎi huā 。 jí shǐ shì zhè yàng hán lěng dì jì jié ， yī rán kāi dé zhēng qí dòu yàn ， xiǎn rán shì shī zhǎn le shén me shén qí de fǎ shù zài shàng miàn ， zhè ge guǐ wáng ， hái zhēn dǒng de xiǎng shòu a ， jū rán jiāng zì jǐ de dòng fǔ ， bù zhì dé yǒu rú xiān jìng yì bān 。
看着眼前的一幕，众修士都有些呆了，整座山谷并不算太大，然而却种满了百花。即使是这样寒冷地季节，依然开得争奇斗艳，显然是施展了什么神奇的法术在上面，这个鬼王，还真懂得享受啊，居然将自己的洞府，布置得有如仙境一般。
Such a commotion would have stirred even a deaf person. With thunderous roars, a black fog emerged from a cave in the mountain wall, transforming into a massive black cloud over ten zhang long and seven or eight zhang wide, blocking their path.
zhòng xiū shì yǒu xiē è rán ， bù guò suí jí ， jiù dà hū xiǎo jiào de shā le jìn qù 。
众修士有些愕然，不过随即，就大呼小叫的杀了进去。
"Who are you? How dare you intrude into the Valley of Flowers?" The voice within the black cloud carried anger but also a hint of fear. After all, facing so many condensation core cultivators, it was understandable why he felt intimidated.
zhè me dà de dòng jìng 。 bié shuō lǐ miàn jū zhù de shì shí lì jīng rén guǐ wáng ， jiù suàn shì gè lóng zi ， yě huì bèi jīng dòng le 。 hōng lōng lóng ， bàn suí zhe léi míng bān dì jù xiǎng ， yī tuán hēi wù cóng shān bì shàng de mǒu gè dòng xué zhōng yǒng chū ， huà wèi yī zhǎng shí yú zhàng ， kuān qī bā zhàng de jù dà hēi yún ， lán zhù le zhòng rén de qù lù 。
这么大的动静。别说里面居住的是实力惊人鬼王，就算是个聋子，也会被惊动了。轰隆隆，伴随着雷鸣般地巨响，一团黑雾从山壁上的某个洞穴中涌出，化为一长十余丈，宽七八丈的巨大黑云，拦住了众人的去路。
The experts present were no strangers to such situations and could easily discern his inner fear. Li Haipeng sneered: "What are you talking about? Evil ghost, I'm here to take your life."
“ ěr děng hé rén ， jū rán gǎn shàn chuǎng bǎi huā gǔ ？” nà hēi yún zhōng de shēng yīn dài zhe bào nù ， bù guò yǐn yǐn yě yǒu yī sī sè lì nèi rěn de yàng zi ， bì jìng miàn duì nà me duō níng dān qī gāo shǒu 。
“尔等何人，居然敢擅闯百花谷？”那黑云中的声音带着暴怒，不过隐隐也有一丝色厉内荏的样子，毕竟面对那么多凝丹期高手。
He then spat out a short rod-shaped spiritual artifact, grabbing it tightly and striking the opponent with all his might.
zài chǎng de dōu shì lǎo hú lí 。 nǎ néng kàn bù chū duì fāng xīn zhōng de wèi jù ， liè hǎi péng níng xiào yī shēng ：“ fèi huà shén me ， è guǐ ， běn dà yé shì lái yào nǐ mìng de 。”
在场的都是老狐狸。哪能看不出对方心中的畏惧，列海鹏狞笑一声：“废话什么，恶鬼，本大爷是来要你命的。”
With money in hand, one must repay the debt. Since they had been invited and promised generous rewards, no one could afford to sit back and watch. Spiritual energy surged as everyone revealed their treasures.
shuō wán yī zhāng kǒu ， pēn chū yī duǎn bàng mú yàng dì líng qì ， zhuā zài shǒu lǐ ， hěn hěn de xiàng duì fāng dǎ qù 。
说完一张口，喷出一短棒模样地灵器，抓在手里，狠狠的像对方打去。
Lin Xuan also opened his mouth, spitting out the Divine Fire Spirit Pearl.
ná rén qián cái ， tì rén xiāo zāi ， qí tā rén jì rán shì shòu yāo ér lái 。 qiě bèi xǔ xià le fēng hòu de bào chóu ， zì rán bù hǎo yì sī lěng yǎn guān zhàn ， líng lì yǒng dòng ， fēn fēn jiāng gè zì dì fǎ bǎo qǔ chū lái le 。
拿人钱财，替人消灾，其他人既然是受邀而来。且被许下了丰厚的报酬，自然不好意思冷眼观战，灵力涌动，纷纷将各自地法宝取出来了。
Although he didn't know if each cultivator was using all their strength, the combined attack of eight condensation core cultivators was astonishing. The best choice for that ghost king would have been to avoid the brunt of the attack, but he chose to withstand it.
lín xuān yě zhāng kāi zuǐ ， tǔ chū le xuán huǒ shén zhū 。
林轩也张开嘴，吐出了玄火神珠。
With a roar of anger and fear, the black cloud rapidly churned, becoming even darker. It suddenly contracted before expanding outward, spewing out several dozen large black energy balls.
suī rán bù zhī dào gè rén yǒu méi yǒu jìn quán lì ， dàn bā wèi níng dān qī xiū shì de yī jī ， yě jīng rén wú bǐ ， nà guǐ wáng zuì hǎo de xuǎn zé ， mò guò yú bì qí fēng máng 。 rán ér què xuǎn zé le yìng káng 。
虽然不知道各人有没有尽全力，但八位凝丹期修士的一击，也惊人无比，那鬼王最好的选择，莫过于避其锋芒。然而却选择了硬扛。
The light intersected with everyone's magical defenses.
bàn suí zhe jīng nù de hū hè zhī shēng 。 nà hēi yún jí sù fān yǒng ， yán sè gèng nóng 。 měng yī shōu suō ， rán hòu zài xiàng wài yī tǔ ， pēn chū le shí jǐ gè liǎn pén dà xiǎo de hēi sè guāng qiú 。
伴随着惊怒的呼喝之声。那黑云急速翻涌，颜色更浓。猛一收缩，然后再向外一吐，喷出了十几个脸盆大小的黑色光球。
After a massive explosion, Lin Xuan's body was enveloped in green light as he activated his Nine Heavens Qi Shield, blocking the surging qi waves from entering.
guāng máng jiāo cuò ， yǔ zhòng rén de fǎ bǎo zhuàng zài yì qǐ le 。
光芒交错，与众人的法宝撞在一起了。
Others also displayed their abilities, casting colorful barriers that dazzled the eyes. At the same time, they were shocked by the ghost king’s formidable strength. Although most of the earlier attack seemed to be probing, with eight people working together, this ghost entity had managed to withstand it. The black cloud stopped churning and slowly dispersed, revealing a shadow.
jù dà de bào liè shēng zhī hòu ， lín xuān hún shēn qīng máng yī shǎn ， yǐ jiāng jiǔ tiān líng dùn dǎ kāi ， jiāng xiōng yǒng de qì làng dǎng zài le wài miàn 。
巨大的爆裂声之后，林轩浑身青芒一闪，已将九天灵盾打开，将汹涌的气浪挡在了外面。
It was a bald, naked man with a face full of coarse hair. On his forehead, there was a two-inch-long horn.
qí tā rén yě gè zhǎn shén tōng ， wǔ yán liù sè de jìn zhì hù zhào ， ràng rén yǎn huā liáo luàn ， tóng shí xīn zhōng hài rán ， zhè guǐ wáng dì shí lì guǒ rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， suī rán gāng cái de gōng jī duō bàn yǒu shì tàn xìng zhì ， dàn bì jìng yǒu bā rén lián shǒu ， zhè guǐ wù jū rán káng xià lái le 。 nà hēi yún tíng zhǐ le fān yǒng ， màn màn sàn kāi ， lù chū le yí gè yǐng zi lái 。
其他人也各展神通，五颜六色的禁制护罩，让人眼花缭乱，同时心中骇然，这鬼王地实力果然非同小可，虽然刚才的攻击多半有试探性质，但毕竟有八人联手，这鬼物居然扛下来了。那黑云停止了翻涌，慢慢散开，露出了一个影子来。
Although he was a yin spirit body, he showed no fear in the sunlight but lacked an actual shadow; only a ghost emperor could reassemble their physical form at that level.
shì yī guāng tóu chì shēn de dà hàn ， mǎn liǎn héng ròu ， yǔ rén bù tóng ， tā de é tóu yǒu yī gēn yuē liǎng cùn lái zhǎng de jiǎo 。
是一光头赤身的大汉，满脸横肉，与人不同，他的额头有一根约两寸来长的角。
Then, he raised his head, and a piercing screech echoed like a tidal wave.
suī shì yīn hún zhī tǐ ， rán ér zài tài yáng xià què yī wú suǒ jù ， bù guò què méi yǒu yǐng zi ， zhǐ yǒu dào le guǐ dì nà zhǒng děng jí ， cái néng chóng xīn níng jù chū zì jǐ de shēn tǐ 。
虽是阴魂之体，然而在太阳下却一无所惧，不过却没有影子，只有到了鬼帝那种等级，才能重新凝聚出自己的身体。
"Bad news, he wants to call for reinforcements!" Li Haipeng's face changed: "Senior brothers, don't hold back. Take advantage of this guy being alone and deal with him first."
rán hòu tā yáng qǐ tóu ， cì ěr de jiān xiào rú pái shān dǎo hǎi bān de chuán chū 。
然后他扬起头，刺耳的尖啸如排山倒海般的传出。
However, before the words were fully spoken, ghostly cries filled the air from deep within the valley as seven more shadowy figures emerged.
“ bù hǎo ， tā xiǎng yào jiào bāng shǒu ！” liè hǎi péng liǎn sè yī biàn ：“ gè wèi qián bèi bú yào liú shǒu ， chèn zhe zhè jiā huo shì dān lì gū ， xiān jiāng gěi jiě jué le 。”
“不好，他想要叫帮手！”列海鹏脸色一变：“各位前辈不要留手，趁着这家伙势单力孤，先将给解决了。”
Linguis!
rán ér huà yīn wèi luò ， sì zhōu guǐ míng zhī shēng yǐ rán dà qǐ ， cóng shān gǔ de shēn chù ， yòu cuàn chū le qī bā gè xū yǐng ， yí gè gè pī tóu sàn ， xíng mào kǒng bù 。
然而话音未落，四周鬼鸣之声已然大起，从山谷的深处，又窜出了七八个虚影，一个个披头散，形貌恐怖。
These creatures were equivalent to cultivators at the foundation stage.
lì guǐ ！
厉鬼！
But the cultivators were not worried; they rejoiced because capturing them alive would fetch extremely valuable crystals.
zhè zhǒng děng jí dì guài wù xiāng dāng yú zhù jī qī de xiū zhēn 。
这种等级地怪物相当于筑基期的修真。
Shadows darted through the air, and the cultivators engaged in battle with the yin spirits.
rán ér zhòng xiū shì què bù yōu fǎn xǐ ， zhǐ yào néng gòu jiāng men huó zhuō ， ná chū qù jiù kě yǐ mài chū tiān jià de jīng shí 。
然而众修士却不忧反喜，只要能够将们活捉，拿出去就可以卖出天价的晶石。
Lin Xuan joined the attack on the ghost king as well.
guāng máng chuān suō ， zhòng xiū shì yǔ yīn hún zhàn zài le yì qǐ 。
光芒穿梭，众修士与阴魂战在了一起。
He didn't want to stand out, so he didn't use his full strength. The Divine Fire Spirit Pearl spat out fiery flames that seemed powerful but were merely a facade. Nevertheless, this still drew the cultivators' attention; after all, there weren't many condensation core cultivators who possessed ancient treasures at the initial stage.
lín xuān tóng yàng jiā rù le wéi gōng nà guǐ wáng de háng liè 。
林轩同样加入了围攻那鬼王的行列。
Alongside Lin Xuan was Yuan Dahaibei and an eagle-nosed cultivator, while middle-aged beauties fought with the厉鬼.
tā bìng bù xiǎng xiǎn de yǔ zhòng bù tóng ， gù ér gēn běn jiù méi yǒu shǐ chū quán lì ， xuán huǒ shén zhū pēn chū yī piàn piàn de liè yàn ， kàn shì wēi lì bù xiǎo ， qí shí zhǐ bù guò shì zài yìng fù bà le ， rán ér jí biàn rú cǐ ， yě yǐn dé zhòng xiū shì lián lián cè mù ， bì jìng ， níng dān chū qī jiù yōng yǒu gǔ bǎo de rén kě yǐ shuō shì fèng máo lín jiǎo 。
他并不想显得与众不同，故而根本就没有使出全力，玄火神珠喷出一片片的烈焰，看似威力不小，其实只不过是在应付罢了，然而即便如此，也引得众修士连连侧目，毕竟，凝丹初期就拥有古宝的人可以说是凤毛麟角。
On the surface, the cultivators were in a dominant position. However, Lin Xuan felt uneasy inside. Earlier, Li Haipeng had clearly stated that the ghost king's strength could not be underestimated; he was at the superior grade, equivalent to late-stage condensation core cultivators. But this guy seemed no more than top-grade lower level, with limited abilities. Under the four of them' attack, he barely held his ground. In contrast, those equivalent to foundation stage厉鬼 were ferocious and used strange treasures that made two of them nearly match a condensation core cultivator.
yǔ lín xuān yì qǐ chū shǒu de hái yǒu yuán dà hǎi ， zhǎng zhe yīng gōu bí de xiū shì yǐ jí zhōng nián měi fù ， qí tā de rén zé yǔ nà xiē lì guǐ dòu zài yì qǐ le 。
与林轩一起出手的还有袁大海，长着鹰钩鼻的修士以及中年美妇，其他的人则与那些厉鬼斗在一起了。
Could the intelligence from Seven Extremes Heaven be incorrect?
biǎo miàn shàng xiū shì zhè biān shì dà zhàn shàng fēng ， rán ér lín xuān xīn zhōng què yǐn yǐn gǎn dào yǒu xiē bù tuǒ ， chū qián ， liè hǎi péng shuō dé hěn qīng chǔ ， nà guǐ wáng dì shí lì bù róng qīng rǔ ， yǐ jīng dào dá le shàng pǐn dì jìng jiè ， xiāng dāng yú níng dān qī hòu qī de xiū zhēn ， kě zhè jiā huo ， zuì duō xià pǐn dǐng jiē ér yǐ ， shén tōng yǒu xiàn dé jǐn ， zài sì rén dì wéi gōng xià bù guò shì kǔ kǔ zhī chēng bà le ， fǎn ér nà xiē xiāng dāng yú zhù jī qī de lì guǐ ， yí gè gè xiōng měng fēi cháng ， shǒu zhōng shǐ yòng de bǎo wù ， gèng shì guǐ yì jí le ， liǎng rén lián shǒu ， jū rán miǎn qiǎng yǔ yī níng dān qī xiū shì píng fēn qiū sè 。
表面上修士这边是大占上风，然而林轩心中却隐隐感到有些不妥，出前，列海鹏说得很清楚，那鬼王地实力不容轻辱，已经到达了上品地境界，相当于凝丹期后期的修真，可这家伙，最多下品顶阶而已，神通有限得紧，在四人地围攻下不过是苦苦支撑罢了，反而那些相当于筑基期的厉鬼，一个个凶猛非常，手中使用的宝物，更是诡异极了，两人联手，居然勉强与一凝丹期修士平分秋色。
Lin Xuan shook his head inwardly. The Ghost State was one of the top commercial alliances in Youzhou, and they had invested such significant resources into this operation; there was no reason for them to make such crucial errors. If they even got the opponent's strength wrong...
Yuan Dahaibei's words had some merit, but Lin Xuan still felt that the situation was more complex than he imagined. After flying for about half an hour, several small mountains came into view.
These mountains weren't particularly tall; they were only a hundred zhang or so high. From afar, they looked more like swollen mounds of earth.
The vegetation on these mountains was sparse. Although not completely barren, there were only some withered and yellowish grasses.
"Eh? Here..."
Lin Xuan released his divine sense and scanned the area briefly, his eyes showing a hint of surprise. Despite its unremarkable appearance, this place turned out to be an excellent source for yin veins.
No wonder that ghost king had chosen to build his lair here.
The effects of cultivation in this valley were not inferior to those of the Yin Spirit Canyon, but the environment was much better.
Many people's understanding often contained a misconception: they believed that ghosts liked darkness, dampness, and eerie environments. In reality, ghost entities also detested harsh living conditions. This was why, after an elder had opened a passage between the mortal world and the Netherworld, those yin spirits immediately rushed through in droves.
However, after several failed attempts to battle against cultivators, their activity remained confined to the Yin Spirit Canyon. Of course, some ghost entities, with their formidable magical power, had built lairs outside as well.
"Senior brothers, this is where that monster's nest is. Let's work together and try to capture it alive if possible. If not, we can still kill it," Li Haipeng said with a greedy expression on his face.
A living ghost king was indeed invaluable. Even if he were killed, the inner core nourished by a thousand years of yin energy would be enough to drive any cultivator mad.
"Alright!"
The cultivators, confident in their numbers, revealed themselves and advanced towards the opponent without hiding their forms. There were no prohibitions at the entrance; only some illusionary spells had been cast. These experts easily dispelled them with a few palm strikes, reducing the small magical effects to nothingness.
White mist swirled, quickly retreating, revealing the scene inside the valley.
"What is this..."
The sight before the cultivators left them speechless. The entire valley wasn't large, but it was filled with various flowers. Even in such a cold season, they still bloomed magnificently, clearly under some magical influence. This ghost king truly knew how to enjoy himself; he had set up his lair like an earthly paradise.
The cultivators were taken aback, but soon they rushed into the valley with shouts and cries.
Such a commotion would have stirred even a deaf person. With thunderous roars, a black fog emerged from a cave in the mountain wall, transforming into a massive black cloud over ten zhang long and seven or eight zhang wide, blocking their path.
"Who are you? How dare you intrude into the Valley of Flowers?" The voice within the black cloud carried anger but also a hint of fear. After all, facing so many condensation core cultivators, it was understandable why he felt intimidated.
The experts present were no strangers to such situations and could easily discern his inner fear. Li Haipeng sneered: "What are you talking about? Evil ghost, I'm here to take your life."
He then spat out a short rod-shaped spiritual artifact, grabbing it tightly and striking the opponent with all his might.
With money in hand, one must repay the debt. Since they had been invited and promised generous rewards, no one could afford to sit back and watch. Spiritual energy surged as everyone revealed their treasures.
Lin Xuan also opened his mouth, spitting out the Divine Fire Spirit Pearl.
Although he didn't know if each cultivator was using all their strength, the combined attack of eight condensation core cultivators was astonishing. The best choice for that ghost king would have been to avoid the brunt of the attack, but he chose to withstand it.
With a roar of anger and fear, the black cloud rapidly churned, becoming even darker. It suddenly contracted before expanding outward, spewing out several dozen large black energy balls.
The light intersected with everyone's magical defenses.
After a massive explosion, Lin Xuan's body was enveloped in green light as he activated his Nine Heavens Qi Shield, blocking the surging qi waves from entering.
Others also displayed their abilities, casting colorful barriers that dazzled the eyes. At the same time, they were shocked by the ghost king’s formidable strength. Although most of the earlier attack seemed to be probing, with eight people working together, this ghost entity had managed to withstand it. The black cloud stopped churning and slowly dispersed, revealing a shadow.
It was a bald, naked man with a face full of coarse hair. On his forehead, there was a two-inch-long horn.
Although he was a yin spirit body, he showed no fear in the sunlight but lacked an actual shadow; only a ghost emperor could reassemble their physical form at that level.
Then, he raised his head, and a piercing screech echoed like a tidal wave.
"Bad news, he wants to call for reinforcements!" Li Haipeng's face changed: "Senior brothers, don't hold back. Take advantage of this guy being alone and deal with him first."
However, before the words were fully spoken, ghostly cries filled the air from deep within the valley as seven more shadowy figures emerged.
Linguis!
These creatures were equivalent to cultivators at the foundation stage.
But the cultivators were not worried; they rejoiced because capturing them alive would fetch extremely valuable crystals.
Shadows darted through the air, and the cultivators engaged in battle with the yin spirits.
Lin Xuan joined the attack on the ghost king as well.
He didn't want to stand out, so he didn't use his full strength. The Divine Fire Spirit Pearl spat out fiery flames that seemed powerful but were merely a facade. Nevertheless, this still drew the cultivators' attention; after all, there weren't many condensation core cultivators who possessed ancient treasures at the initial stage.
Alongside Lin Xuan was Yuan Dahaibei and an eagle-nosed cultivator, while middle-aged beauties fought with the厉鬼.
On the surface, the cultivators were in a dominant position. However, Lin Xuan felt uneasy inside. Earlier, Li Haipeng had clearly stated that the ghost king's strength could not be underestimated; he was at the superior grade, equivalent to late-stage condensation core cultivators. But this guy seemed no more than top-grade lower level, with limited abilities. Under the four of them' attack, he barely held his ground. In contrast, those equivalent to foundation stage厉鬼 were ferocious and used strange treasures that made two of them nearly match a condensation core cultivator.
Could the intelligence from Seven Extremes Heaven be incorrect?
Lin Xuan shook his head inwardly. The Ghost State was one of the top commercial alliances in Youzhou, and they had invested such significant resources into this operation; there was no reason for them to make such crucial errors. If they even got the opponent's strength wrong...