“ dì sì guǐ dì ？”
“第四鬼帝？”
"Fourth Ghost Emperor?"
“ bù cuò ， fú shí le nǐ děng jǐ rén de jīn dān yǐ hòu ， wǒ jiā zhǔ rén bì néng shùn lì jìn jí ！” liè hǎi péng mǎn liǎn yīn lì ：“ yán jǐn yú cǐ ， zhū wèi yě kě yǐ míng mù le ， jiāng nǐ men de xìng mìng jiāo yǔ zài xià rú hé ？”
“不错，服食了你等几人的金丹以后，我家主人必能顺利晋级！”列海鹏满脸阴厉：“言尽于此，诸位也可以瞑目了，将你们的性命交予在下如何？”
"Not bad. After ingesting your golden cores, my master will surely advance smoothly!" Li Haipeng's face was filled with a sinister expression: "That's all I have to say. You can close your eyes in peace now. Will you hand over your lives to me?"
shuō wán yī huī shǒu ， jiāng yī biān zi mú yàng de gǔ guài fǎ bǎo jì chū ， yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， guǐ kū zhī shēng dà zuò ， tā shēn hòu de nà jǐ wèi guǐ wáng yě chū shǒu le 。
说完一挥手，将一鞭子模样的古怪法宝祭出，与此同时，鬼哭之声大做，他身后的那几位鬼王也出手了。
With these words, he waved his hand and summoned an odd-looking magical treasure that resembled a whip. At the same time, the howling of ghosts resounded loudly as several ghost kings behind him also launched their attacks.
zhòng xiū shì zì rán bú huì zuò yǐ dài bì ， suī rán diào rù le duì fāng de quān tào lǐ ， dàn píng yǎn qián zhè xiē jiā huo ， xiǎng yào zì jǐ zhè xiē rén de jīn dān ， duì fāng wèi miǎn tài tuō dà ， shuí miè le shuí hái bù yí dìng a ！
众修士自然不会坐以待毙，虽然掉入了对方的圈套里，但凭眼前这些家伙，想要自己这些人的金丹，对方未免太托大，谁灭了谁还不一定啊！
The cultivators naturally would not sit idly by. Although they had fallen into the enemy's trap, with these fellows before them, trying to take their golden cores was too much for them to be so confident. Who would win in this battle remained uncertain!
yǔ gāng cái gè huái guǐ tāi bù tóng ， cǐ kè zhòng xiū shì míng bái xíng shì wēi jí ， rén rén jiē ná chū le kān jiā běn lǐng ， yī shí jiān bǎo guāng shǎn shuò ， dà zhàn shàng fēng 。
与刚才各怀鬼胎不同，此刻众修士明白形势危急，人人皆拿出了看家本领，一时间宝光闪烁，大占上风。
Unlike earlier when each had their own ulterior motives, now the cultivators understood the dire situation and everyone took out their most powerful techniques. In a short while, magical lights flickered, giving them a significant advantage.
rán ér lín xuān què méi tóu wēi zhòu ， xīn zhōng de bù ān gèng nóng ， duì fāng shuō shì yào qǔ zì jǐ zhè xiē rén de jīn dān ， kě zhēn dǎ qǐ lái què shì shǒu duō gōng shǎo ， yì diǎn yě bù zháo jí ， yán yǔ yǔ xíng dòng wán quán xiàng shì liǎng mǎ shì ， kàn tā men de biǎo qíng ， gèng xiàng shì zài děng dài shén me de yàng zi ， nán dào shì ……
然而林轩却眉头微皱，心中的不安更浓，对方说是要取自己这些人的金丹，可真打起来却是守多攻少，一点也不着急，言语与行动完全像是两码事，看他们的表情，更像是在等待什么的样子，难道是……
However, Lin Xuan frowned slightly, feeling more uneasy than before. The enemy claimed they wanted to take their golden cores but were actually defending more than attacking in earnest. Their words and actions seemed contradictory; it looked like they were waiting for something. Could it be...
dì sì guǐ dì ！
第四鬼帝！
The Fourth Ghost Emperor!
lín xuān xí guò xuán mó zhēn jīng ， cǐ nǎi yī děng yī de de guǐ xiū **， suī rán yǔ zhēn zhèng guǐ wù de gōng fǎ bìng bù xiāng tóng ， dàn yě yǒu yī xiē xiāng tōng zhī chù ， tōng guò ， lín xuān duì yīn hún guǐ wù de liǎo jiě yuǎn bǐ yì bān de xiū shì gèng duō 。
林轩习过玄魔真经，此乃一等一的的鬼修**，虽然与真正鬼物的功法并不相同，但也有一些相通之处，通过，林轩对阴魂鬼物的了解远比一般的修士更多。
Lin Xuan had studied the True Scripture of Profound Yin, a first-rate ghost cultivation technique. Although different from true ghost creatures' techniques, there was some overlap. Through this, Lin Xuan's understanding of yin-soul ghosts far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators.
jiù rú tóng xiū shì huì miè shā yāo shòu qǔ qí nèi dān liàn yào yī yàng ， xiū shì de yuán yīng ， jīn dān duì yú yāo shòu huò gāo jiē de lì guǐ ér yán ， tóng yàng shì dà bǔ zhī wù ， gù ér nà dì sì guǐ dì xiǎng yào dǎ tā men de zhǔ yì yě méi shén me hào qí guài de 。
就如同修士会灭杀妖兽取其内丹炼药一样，修士的元婴，金丹对于妖兽或高阶的厉鬼而言，同样是大补之物，故而那第四鬼帝想要打他们的主意也没什么好奇怪的。
Just as cultivators would kill beasts to take their inner cores for alchemy, the golden cores and元婴 of cultivators were also valuable to high-ranking厉鬼. Thus, it made sense for the Fourth Ghost Emperor to target them.
ér xiū shì de jīn dān yí dàn qǔ chū ， jiù bì xū lì kè fú xià ， fǒu zé huì xiào lì dà jiǎn ， nán dào duì fāng jiù shì zài děng dì sì guǐ dì dào lái ？
而修士的金丹一旦取出，就必须立刻服下，否则会效力大减，难道对方就是在等第四鬼帝到来？
Once a cultivator's golden core was extracted, it had to be ingested immediately or its power would diminish significantly. Could they be waiting for the arrival of the Fourth Ghost Emperor?
niàn jí zhì cǐ ， lín xuān liǎn sè dà biàn ， shǒu yǐ jīng shēn xiàng le chǔ wù dài ， zhèng zhǔn bèi jiāng shòu hún fān qǔ chū lái ， jiǎ rú zhēn shì rú cǐ ， kě bù néng jì xù dān gē xià qù ， lín xuān zhèng xiǎng quán lì shā kāi yī tiáo xuè lù 。 yī shēng cǎn hū chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
念及至此，林轩脸色大变，手已经伸向了储物袋，正准备将兽魂幡取出来，假如真是如此，可不能继续耽搁下去，林轩正想全力杀开一条血路。一声惨呼传入耳朵。
With this thought, Lin Xuan's expression changed dramatically as he reached into his storage bag, preparing to retrieve the Beast Soul Flag. If that were true, there could be no more delay. Just as he was about to fight his way out, a惨叫 entered his ears.
huí guò tóu 。 zhǐ jiàn yī guǐ wáng zhèng yòng shǒu wǔ zhe zì jǐ dì jiān bǎng 。 dì zuǒ bì yǐ jīng bèi qiè diào 。 yī shēn cái shòu xiǎo dì xiū shì shōu huí le chǐ lún xíng zhuàng dì fǎ bǎo 。 chèn zhe kōng dǎng 。 huà wèi yī dào zhǎng hóng 。 fēi xiàng gǔ kǒu dì fāng xiàng 。
回过头。只见一鬼王正用手捂着自己地肩膀。地左臂已经被切掉。一身材瘦小地修士收回了齿轮形状地法宝。趁着空挡。化为一道长虹。飞向谷口地方向。
Turning around, he saw one of the ghost kings holding his shoulder with his hand; his left arm had been severed. A thin cultivator withdrew his gear-shaped magical treasure and took advantage of the opening to transform into a long streak of light, heading towards the valley entrance.
shì tū rán 。 liè hǎi péng yǔ zhòng guǐ wáng yě yǒu cuò shǒu bù jí zhī gǎn 。 zhè táo yì zhī rén bù guò shì míng níng dān chū qī dì xiū shì 。 sī háo bù yǐn rén zhù yì 。 méi xiǎng dào què yǒu zhè yàng dì shén tōng yǔ shǒu duàn 。
事突然。列海鹏与众鬼王也有措手不及之感。这逃逸之人不过是名凝丹初期地修士。丝毫不引人注意。没想到却有这样地神通与手段。
The suddenness caught Li Haipeng and the other ghost kings off guard as well. The escaping person was merely a condensation core stage cultivator who didn't attract much attention. They never expected such power and skill from him.
zǔ lán yǐ jīng lái bù jí 。
阻拦已经来不及。
It was too late to stop him now.
guǐ wáng men bào nù bù yǐ 。 lín xuān yě mī le mī yǎn 。 yǎn zhōng lüè lù chū yī sī yì wài 。 sà rán 。 yī piàn hēi wù què wú shēng wú xī dì zài tiān kōng zhōng chū xiàn 。 huà wèi yī zhī jù dà dì guǐ shǒu 。 sōu dì yī xià jiāng nà dào zhǎng hóng zhuā zài zhǎng zhōng 。
鬼王们暴怒不已。林轩也眯了眯眼。眼中略露出一丝意外。飒然。一片黑雾却无声无息地在天空中出现。化为一只巨大地鬼手。嗖地一下将那道长虹抓在掌中。
The ghost kings were furious, but Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of surprise. Suddenly, a black mist appeared silently in the sky, transforming into an enormous ghost hand that snatched the streak of light with a snap.
“ méi yòng dì dōng xī 。 qū qū jǐ gè níng dān qī xiū shì dōu duì fù bù liǎo 。 hái yào gū qīn zì chū shǒu 。”
“没用地东西。区区几个凝丹期修士都对付不了。还要孤亲自出手。”
"This useless thing can't even handle some condensation core cultivators; I have to come out and deal with it myself."
suí zhe zhè gāo ào qīng lěng dì shēng yīn 。 kōng jiān niǔ qū 。 yí gè rén yǐng zhú jiàn qīng xī le qǐ lái 。
随着这高傲清冷地声音。空间扭曲。一个人影逐渐清晰了起来。
With this arrogant and cold voice, space distorted as a figure gradually became clearer. The fighting abruptly stopped as Li Haipeng and the other ghost kings lowered their heads in fear and respect, begging for forgiveness. The remaining cultivators held their breaths, each face pale with terror.
guāng máng dùn liǎn ， dǎ dòu gā rán ér zhǐ ， liè hǎi péng yǔ guǐ wáng men mǎn liǎn wèi jù ， gōng jìng dì dī tóu qǐng zuì ， ér xiū shì men zé bǐng zhù hū xī ， měi yí gè de liǎn sè dōu nán kàn dào le jí zhì 。 wù qì sàn kāi ， nà guài wù de zhēn róng xiàn xiǎn le chū lái 。 jū rán shì yī méi qīng mù xiù de shào nián ， èr shí zuǒ yòu de yàng zi 。
光芒顿敛，打斗嘎然而止，列海鹏与鬼王们满脸畏惧，恭敬地低头请罪，而修士们则屏住呼吸，每一个的脸色都难看到了极致。雾气散开，那怪物的真容现显了出来。居然是一眉清目秀的少年，二十左右的样子。
The fog cleared, revealing the true form of the monster—a handsome young man around twenty years old.
lín xuān de tóng kǒng wēi wēi shōu suō ， tā dāng rán bú huì bèi duì fāng de biǎo xiàn suǒ mí huò ， zhè jiā huo hún shēn de yīn qì ， jué duì shì guǐ wù wú yí ， rán ér què yōng yǒu zhēn zhèng de shēn tǐ ， nà me dì xiū wèi yǐ jīng dào dá le yuán yīng qī 。
林轩的瞳孔微微收缩，他当然不会被对方的表现所迷惑，这家伙浑身的阴气，绝对是鬼物无疑，然而却拥有真正的身体，那么地修为已经到达了元婴期。
Lin Xuan's pupils constricted slightly; he was not fooled by this display. The ghostly aura emanating from him was undoubtedly that of a ghost creature. However, it possessed a genuine body and had already reached the元婴 stage.
guǐ dì ！
鬼帝！
The Ghost Emperor!
bú shì shuō hái xū yào xiū shì de jīn dān me ， nán dào zhè jiā huo yǐ jīng tū pò píng jǐng le ？
不是说还需要修士的金丹么，难道这家伙已经突破瓶颈了？
Didn't they need cultivators' golden cores? Could this guy have broken through his bottleneck?
“ zhū wèi dào yǒu ， jì rán lái dào le zhè bǎi huā gǔ 。 nà me jiù shéi dōu bú yào xiǎng chū qù le ， zài xià hào tiān guǐ dì ， gè wèi kě yuàn jiāng jīn dān fèng xiàn yú wǒ ？”
“诸位道友，既然来到了这百花谷。那么就谁都不要想出去了，在下昊天鬼帝，各位可愿将金丹奉献于我？”
"Friends, since you've come to Drifting Cloud Valley, there's no going back now. I am Heavenly Ghost Emperor. Will you offer your golden cores to me?"
huà yīn wèi luò ， tā qīng qīng yī huī shǒu ， nà jù dà de guǐ zhǎo měng yī yòng lì ， cǎn hū shēng zhōng ， jìng rán huó shēng shēng dì jiāng nà shòu xiǎo xiū shì de jīn dān gěi wā chū lái le 。
话音为落，他轻轻一挥手，那巨大的鬼爪猛一用力，惨呼声中，竟然活生生地将那瘦小修士的金丹给挖出来了。
Before he finished speaking, he waved his hand lightly, and the enormous ghost claw exerted force. A惨叫 sounded as it extracted the thin cultivator's golden core alive.
shèng xià de jǐ rén liǎn rú tǔ sè 。
剩下的几人脸如土色。
The remaining few faces turned pale.
“ dà jiā bú yào bèi zhè lǎo guǐ gěi xià hǔ zhù le ， tā suī rán jiǎo xìng jìn jí chéng gōng ， rán ér jìng jiè shàng wèi wěn gù 。 jué bù kě néng yǔ wǒ děng duō jiāo shǒu 。 dà jiā tóng xīn xié lì yǔ tā pīn le ， fāng néng shā chū yī tiáo xuè lù 。” yuán dà hǎi tū rán chū rén yì liào de kāi kǒu le 。
“大家不要被这老鬼给吓唬住了，他虽然侥幸晋级成功，然而境界尚未稳固。绝不可能与我等多交手。大家同心协力与他拼了，方能杀出一条血路。”袁大海突然出人意料的开口了。
"Don't be scared by this old ghost. Although he侥幸advanced successfully, his realm is not yet stable; he can't possibly fight us for long. Work together and fight him to create a path out," Yuan Daha suddenly spoke unexpectedly.
shèng yú jǐ rén suī rán dǎn zhàn xīn jīng 。 dàn yě míng bái zhì zhī sǐ dì ér hòu shēng de dào lǐ ， zhè shí hòu pīn mìng hái yǒu yī sī huó mìng de xī wàng ， tuì suō kěn dìng shì bì guà wú yí 。
剩余几人虽然胆战心惊。但也明白置之死地而后生的道理，这时候拼命还有一丝活命的希望，退缩肯定是必挂无疑。
Although the remaining cultivators were terrified, they understood the principle of fighting to the death. There was still a chance to survive by fighting back, while retreating would surely lead to their deaths.
dāng jí fǎ bǎo qí chū ， yì qǐ xiàng guǐ dì gōng qù 。
当即法宝齐出，一起像鬼帝攻去。
Instantly, magical treasures appeared as they attacked the Ghost Emperor together.
hào tiān guǐ dì yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī lǚ yì guāng ， jū rán méi yǒu yìng káng ， shēn xíng huǎng le jǐ huǎng ， cóng yuán dì nuó kāi le kàn lái guǒ rán bèi shuō zhōng le ， zhè jiā huo gāng gāng jìn jí ， hái bù yí yǔ rén guò duō de chū shǒu 。
昊天鬼帝眼中闪过一缕异光，居然没有硬扛，身形晃了几晃，从原地挪开了看来果然被说中了，这家伙刚刚晋级，还不宜与人过多的出手。
The Heavenly Ghost Emperor's eyes flashed with a strange light; he didn't resist but moved slightly, seemingly confirming what had been said. He had just advanced and was not ready for too much combat yet.
zhòng xiū shì xīn zhōng yī xǐ ， zhèng yào zài jiē zài lì ， nà yuán dà hǎi què xū huǎng yī qiāng ， huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng ， xiàng wài táo qù 。
众修士心中一喜，正要再接再厉，那袁大海却虚晃一枪，化为一道惊虹，向外逃去。
The cultivators' hearts lifted, eager to continue their assault. However, Yuan Daha feigned an escape, transforming into a streak of light that fled outward.
kàn lái zhè jiā huo shì xiǎng yào ràng qí tā rén dǐng zhù ， xī yǐn dí rén de zhù yì ， zì jǐ zé xié dǐ mǒ yóu 。
看来这家伙是想要让其他人顶住，吸引敌人的注意，自己则鞋底抹油。
It seemed this guy wanted others to hold the line while he escaped.
xiàn bèi bǎi le yī dào de xiū shì men wú bù pò kǒu dà mà ， dòu zhì tǔ bēng wǎ jiě ， zì rán méi yǒu shuí yuàn yì gěi bié rén zuò diàn bèi ， yě xiǎng yào táo zǒu ， rán ér wǎn le yī bù ， bèi shèng yú dì guǐ wáng men lán zhù ， tuō shēn bù dé 。
现被摆了一道的修士们无不破口大骂，斗志土崩瓦解，自然没有谁愿意给别人做垫背，也想要逃走，然而晚了一步，被剩余地鬼王们拦住，脱身不得。
The other cultivators cursed loudly, their wills shattered. No one was willing to be left behind; they too wanted to flee. But it was too late as the remaining ghost kings blocked them from escaping.
yí gè rén chú wài ， nà jiù shì lín xuān 。
一个人除外，那就是林轩。
Except for Lin Xuan.
suī rán yuán dà hǎi de huà zǎ yī tīng yǒu lǐ ， rán ér zǐ xì fēn xī ， gēn běn jiù shì fàng pì ， jiù suàn zhè hào tiān guǐ dì shì gāng gāng jìn jí ， kě shuāng fāng de chā jù bǎi zài nà lǐ ， zì jǐ zhè biān yòu qǐ huì yǒu pīn mìng de zī gé ， zhè me zuò wú yì yú yǐ luǎn jī shí 。
虽然袁大海的话咋一听有理，然而仔细分析，根本就是放屁，就算这昊天鬼帝是刚刚晋级，可双方的差距摆在那里，自己这边又岂会有拼命的资格，这么做无异于以卵击石。
Although Yuan Daha's suggestion seemed reasonable at first glance, a closer analysis revealed it was nonsense. Even if the Heavenly Ghost Emperor had just advanced, their disparity made it impossible for them to fight to the death; it would be like fighting a rock with an egg.
gèng bié shuō duì fāng hái yǒu jǐ gè guǐ wáng yǐ jí yī wèi níng dān qī xiū shì zuò bāng shǒu 。
更别说对方还有几个鬼王以及一位凝丹期修士做帮手。
Moreover, there were several ghost kings and a condensation core cultivator assisting him. Yuan Daha's suggestion wasn't born out of stupidity but some ulterior motive. Since Lin Xuan had seen through his plan, he wouldn't be a fool to fall for it.
yuán dà hǎi tí chū zhè ge jiàn yì bú shì nǎo dài huài le ， jiù shì bié yǒu suǒ tú ， lín xuān jì rán kàn chuān le tā de yīn móu ， zì rán bú huì shǎ shǎ dí dàng yuān dà tóu 。
袁大海提出这个建议不是脑袋坏了，就是别有所图，林轩既然看穿了他的阴谋，自然不会傻傻的当冤大头。
Thus, during the attack, Lin Xuan merely made a show of force. As soon as others attacked and drew the enemy's attention, he swiftly fled, even faster than Yuan Daha.
gù ér gōng jī de shí hòu ， lín xuān jǐn jǐn shì zuò le zuò yàng zi ， yī jiàn qí tā rén chū shǒu ， xī yǐn le dí rén de zhù yì ， lì kè háo bù xié dǐ mǒ yóu ， sù dù shèn zhì bǐ yuán dà hǎi hái kuài le nà me bàn pāi 。
故而攻击的时候，林轩仅仅是做了做样子，一见其他人出手，吸引了敌人的注意，立刻毫不鞋底抹油，速度甚至比袁大海还快了那么半拍。
Unlike Yuan Daha, however, Lin Xuan didn't run towards the valley entrance but instead emitted a bluish light all over his body and retreated deeper into the valley.
bù guò yǔ yuán dà hǎi bù tóng ， lín xuān bìng bú shì wǎng gǔ kǒu pǎo de ， fǎn ér hún shēn qīng máng dà qǐ ， xiàng shān gǔ dì shēn chù dùn qù 。
不过与袁大海不同，林轩并不是往谷口跑的，反而浑身青芒大起，像山谷地深处遁去。
This wasn't out of panic; rather, Lin Xuan had a plan. Since the enemy had set up this trap, it was likely a net of traps.
zhè me zuò bú shì huāng bù zé lù ， xiāng fǎn ， lín xuān xīn zhōng zì yǒu yī fān sī liáng ， duì fāng jì rán bù xià le quān tào ， nà me kěn dìng shì tiān luó dì wǎng 。
这么做不是慌不择路，相反，林轩心中自有一番思量，对方既然布下了圈套，那么肯定是天罗地网。
If they anticipated cultivators escaping, there would certainly be ambushes at the entrance.
jiǎ rú tā men xiǎng guò xiū shì táo zǒu zhè zhǒng kě néng ， nà me gǔ kǒu kěn dìng shì shè yǒu mái fú 。
假如他们想过修士逃走这种可能，那么谷口肯定是设有埋伏。
On the contrary, although the depths of the canyon were their stronghold, it might actually be safer. This was the principle of fighting to the death—surviving by forcing your enemy into a corner.
xiāng fǎn ， xiá gǔ shēn chù suī rán shì duì fāng de lǎo cháo ， dàn shuō bù dìng fǎn ér yào ān quán yī xiē ， zhè jiù shì zhì zhī sǐ dì ér hòu shēng de dào lǐ 。
相反，峡谷深处虽然是对方的老巢，但说不定反而要安全一些，这就是置之死地而后生的道理。
Yuan Daha's retreat speed was extremely fast, but the Heavenly Ghost Emperor showed no intention of chasing him. Instead, he revealed a mocking expression.
yuán dà hǎi dùn guāng jí kuài ， rán ér nà hào tiān guǐ dì sī háo yě méi yǒu zhuī gǎn zhī yì ， fǎn ér lù chū le yī sī jī cháo de biǎo qíng 。
袁大海遁光极快，然而那昊天鬼帝丝毫也没有追赶之意，反而露出了一丝讥嘲的表情。
However, upon seeing Lin Xuan's retreating light, he let out a slight exclamation.
dǎo shì wàng zhe lín xuān de dùn guāng ， qīng yí le chū lái 。
倒是望着林轩的遁光，轻咦了出来。
Sure enough, not long after, Yuan Daha's voice of shock and anger echoed from outside the valley entrance. He had clearly come through an open path earlier, but now, unknown to him, traps had been set up.
guǒ rán ， méi huā duō jiǔ de shí jiān ， gǔ kǒu wài jiù chuán lái le yuán dà hǎi jīng nù jiāo jí de shēng yīn ， lái de shí hòu zhè lǐ míng míng shì yī piàn tǎn tú ， rán ér cǐ kè ， què bù zhī shén me shí hòu bèi bù xià zhèn fǎ le 。
果然，没花多久的时间，谷口外就传来了袁大海惊怒交集的声音，来的时候这里明明是一片坦途，然而此刻，却不知什么时候被布下阵法了。
Amidst the eerie ghost mist, terrifying monsters emerged, surrounding him. In a moment, his face turned pale with fear.
"Fourth Ghost Emperor?"
"Not bad. After ingesting your golden cores, my master will surely advance smoothly!" Li Haipeng's face was filled with a sinister expression: "That's all I have to say. You can close your eyes in peace now. Will you hand over your lives to me?"
With these words, he waved his hand and summoned an odd-looking magical treasure that resembled a whip. At the same time, the howling of ghosts resounded loudly as several ghost kings behind him also launched their attacks.
The cultivators naturally would not sit idly by. Although they had fallen into the enemy's trap, with these fellows before them, trying to take their golden cores was too much for them to be so confident. Who would win in this battle remained uncertain!
Unlike earlier when each had their own ulterior motives, now the cultivators understood the dire situation and everyone took out their most powerful techniques. In a short while, magical lights flickered, giving them a significant advantage.
However, Lin Xuan frowned slightly, feeling more uneasy than before. The enemy claimed they wanted to take their golden cores but were actually defending more than attacking in earnest. Their words and actions seemed contradictory; it looked like they were waiting for something. Could it be...
The Fourth Ghost Emperor!
Lin Xuan had studied the True Scripture of Profound Yin, a first-rate ghost cultivation technique. Although different from true ghost creatures' techniques, there was some overlap. Through this, Lin Xuan's understanding of yin-soul ghosts far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators.
Just as cultivators would kill beasts to take their inner cores for alchemy, the golden cores and元婴 of cultivators were also valuable to high-ranking厉鬼. Thus, it made sense for the Fourth Ghost Emperor to target them.
Once a cultivator's golden core was extracted, it had to be ingested immediately or its power would diminish significantly. Could they be waiting for the arrival of the Fourth Ghost Emperor?
With this thought, Lin Xuan's expression changed dramatically as he reached into his storage bag, preparing to retrieve the Beast Soul Flag. If that were true, there could be no more delay. Just as he was about to fight his way out, a惨叫 entered his ears.
Turning around, he saw one of the ghost kings holding his shoulder with his hand; his left arm had been severed. A thin cultivator withdrew his gear-shaped magical treasure and took advantage of the opening to transform into a long streak of light, heading towards the valley entrance.
The suddenness caught Li Haipeng and the other ghost kings off guard as well. The escaping person was merely a condensation core stage cultivator who didn't attract much attention. They never expected such power and skill from him.
It was too late to stop him now.
The ghost kings were furious, but Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of surprise. Suddenly, a black mist appeared silently in the sky, transforming into an enormous ghost hand that snatched the streak of light with a snap.
"This useless thing can't even handle some condensation core cultivators; I have to come out and deal with it myself."
With this arrogant and cold voice, space distorted as a figure gradually became clearer. The fighting abruptly stopped as Li Haipeng and the other ghost kings lowered their heads in fear and respect, begging for forgiveness. The remaining cultivators held their breaths, each face pale with terror.
The fog cleared, revealing the true form of the monster—a handsome young man around twenty years old.
Lin Xuan's pupils constricted slightly; he was not fooled by this display. The ghostly aura emanating from him was undoubtedly that of a ghost creature. However, it possessed a genuine body and had already reached the元婴 stage.
The Ghost Emperor!
Didn't they need cultivators' golden cores? Could this guy have broken through his bottleneck?
"Friends, since you've come to Drifting Cloud Valley, there's no going back now. I am Heavenly Ghost Emperor. Will you offer your golden cores to me?"
Before he finished speaking, he waved his hand lightly, and the enormous ghost claw exerted force. A惨叫 sounded as it extracted the thin cultivator's golden core alive.
The remaining few faces turned pale.
"Don't be scared by this old ghost. Although he侥幸advanced successfully, his realm is not yet stable; he can't possibly fight us for long. Work together and fight him to create a path out," Yuan Daha suddenly spoke unexpectedly.
"Agreed!"
Although the remaining cultivators were terrified, they understood the principle of fighting to the death. There was still a chance to survive by fighting back, while retreating would surely lead to their deaths.
Instantly, magical treasures appeared as they attacked the Ghost Emperor together.
The Heavenly Ghost Emperor's eyes flashed with a strange light; he didn't resist but moved slightly, seemingly confirming what had been said. He had just advanced and was not ready for too much combat yet.
The cultivators' hearts lifted, eager to continue their assault. However, Yuan Daha feigned an escape, transforming into a streak of light that fled outward.
It seemed this guy wanted others to hold the line while he escaped.
The other cultivators cursed loudly, their wills shattered. No one was willing to be left behind; they too wanted to flee. But it was too late as the remaining ghost kings blocked them from escaping.
Except for Lin Xuan.
Although Yuan Daha's suggestion seemed reasonable at first glance, a closer analysis revealed it was nonsense. Even if the Heavenly Ghost Emperor had just advanced, their disparity made it impossible for them to fight to the death; it would be like fighting a rock with an egg.
Moreover, there were several ghost kings and a condensation core cultivator assisting him. Yuan Daha's suggestion wasn't born out of stupidity but some ulterior motive. Since Lin Xuan had seen through his plan, he wouldn't be a fool to fall for it.
Thus, during the attack, Lin Xuan merely made a show of force. As soon as others attacked and drew the enemy's attention, he swiftly fled, even faster than Yuan Daha.
Unlike Yuan Daha, however, Lin Xuan didn't run towards the valley entrance but instead emitted a bluish light all over his body and retreated deeper into the valley.
This wasn't out of panic; rather, Lin Xuan had a plan. Since the enemy had set up this trap, it was likely a net of traps.
If they anticipated cultivators escaping, there would certainly be ambushes at the entrance.
On the contrary, although the depths of the canyon were their stronghold, it might actually be safer. This was the principle of fighting to the death—surviving by forcing your enemy into a corner.
Yuan Daha's retreat speed was extremely fast, but the Heavenly Ghost Emperor showed no intention of chasing him. Instead, he revealed a mocking expression.
However, upon seeing Lin Xuan's retreating light, he let out a slight exclamation.
Sure enough, not long after, Yuan Daha's voice of shock and anger echoed from outside the valley entrance. He had clearly come through an open path earlier, but now, unknown to him, traps had been set up.
Amidst the eerie ghost mist, terrifying monsters emerged, surrounding him. In a moment, his face turned pale with fear.