lán fū rén jīng yà fēi cháng ， ér wū yún zhī zhōng ， sān dà guǐ wáng gèng shì nù qì chōng tiān ， zhè yī cì wài chū wéi jiǎo luò dān dé xiū shì ， méi xiǎng dào tā men què yǐ jù jí zài le yì qǐ 。
兰夫人惊讶非常，而乌云之中，三大鬼王更是怒气冲天，这一次外出围剿落单得修士，没想到他们却已聚集在了一起。
Lady Lan was greatly surprised. Above the dark clouds, the three Ghost Kings were seething with rage. This time they had gone out to hunt a lone cultivator, but unexpectedly, he had gathered all his strength.
bù guò zhèng hǎo ， yī wǎng dǎ jìn ， zhǐ shì cāng chǔ zhī jiān ， tā men néng gòu diào dòng dé guǐ zú wèi miǎn shǎo le diǎn 。
不过正好，一网打尽，只是仓储之间，他们能够调动得鬼卒未免少了点。
However, it was fortunate that they could catch them all in one net. The only downside was that their ghost soldiers were somewhat lacking in number.
rán ér zhè wú shāng dà jú ， tā men yǒu guǐ dì bì xià cì yǔ dé dōng xī ， zhè yīn shā kū lóu ， nǎi shì yòng guǐ dì dé yī lǚ fēn shén ， jié hé tiān xià zhì yīn xiōng shà zhī wù ， yòng mì fǎ jīng liàn ér chéng ， wēi lì wú bǐ ， děng xián fǎ bǎo nán shāng ， ér qiě hái yǒu jǐ zhǒng lì hài yì cháng dé shén tōng 。
然而这无伤大局，他们有鬼帝陛下赐予得东西，这阴煞骷髅，乃是用鬼帝得一缕分神，结合天下至阴凶煞之物，用秘法精炼而成，威力无比，等闲法宝难伤，而且还有几种厉害异常得神通。
But this did not matter much; they had the Empress of Ghosts bestowed upon them. This Yin Qi Skull was made from a fragment of the Empress's divine consciousness combined with the most extreme and malevolent objects under heaven, refined through secret techniques, possessing unparalleled power. Ordinary treasures could hardly harm it, and it also possessed several formidable abilities.
bù jǐn shàn cháng pò jiě zhèn fǎ ， jí biàn shì dān dǎ dú dòu ， yě huì ràng níng dān hòu qī dé xiū shì gǎn dào jí shǒu 。
不仅擅长破解阵法，即便是单打独斗，也会让凝丹后期得修士感到棘手。
Not only did it excel at breaking down arrays, but even in solo combat, it would make late-stage Core Formation cultivators feel vexed.
jū rán bèi zhè xiǎo zi bù fèi chuī huī zhī lì jiù gěi miè le ？
居然被这小子不费吹灰之力就给灭了？
How was it that this brat managed to destroy it so effortlessly?
qí shí lín xuān néng gòu rú cǐ qīng yì dé shǒu ， yě shì zhàn le duì fāng qīng dí dé pián yi 。
其实林轩能够如此轻易得手，也是占了对方轻敌得便宜。
In truth, Lin Xuan's success was due to the other party underestimating him. After all, with divine sense observation, one could only determine the opponent's approximate cultivation level. But for two Core Formation First Stage cultivators, those practicing ordinary techniques were worlds apart from those wielding top-grade ones.
bì jìng yòng shén shí guān chá ， zhǐ néng kàn chū duì shǒu dà gài dé jìng jiè ， dàn tóng wèi níng dān chū qī dé xiū shì ， xiū liàn pǔ tōng gōng fǎ zhī rén ， yǔ shēn huái dǐng jiē gōng fǎ zhě ， chā jù kě bú shì yì diǎn bàn diǎn 。
毕竟用神识观察，只能看出对手大概得境界，但同为凝丹初期得修士，修炼普通功法之人，与身怀顶阶功法者，差距可不是一点半点。
The situation with ancient treasures was similar. Lady Lan's ivory comb might be decent, but compared to Lin Xuan's Drifting Cloud Snowfall Sword, it paled in comparison. The former was crafted by a Core Formation cultivator, just using an unusual method for attack. But the latter came from an Incarnation Stage cultivator and used special materials.
ér shì tiān chā dì yuǎn 。
而是天差地远。
Thus, it could withstand that bizarre green ghost fire. While the Yin Qi Skull could block ordinary treasures, it struggled against Drifting Cloud Snowfall Sword's sharpness.
gǔ bǎo dé qíng kuàng yě shì yī yàng ， lán fū rén dé xiàng yá yù shū ， huò xǔ hái suàn bú cuò ， dàn yǔ lín xuān dé piāo yún luò xuě jiàn xiāng bǐ ， kě jiù chà de yuǎn le 。
古宝得情况也是一样，兰夫人得象牙玉梳，或许还算不错，但与林轩得飘云落雪剑相比，可就差得远了。
If not for the three Ghost Kings' underestimation of him as a Core Formation First Stage cultivator, using the Yin Qi Skull to hard-fight his ancient treasure, eliminating this fellow would have required more effort.
qián zhě shì yóu níng dān qī dé gǔ xiū shì liàn zhì ér chéng ， zhǐ bù guò gōng jī shǒu duàn tè bié yì diǎn ， ér hòu zhě zé chū zì yuán yīng qī xiū shì zhī shǒu ， qiě cái liào tè shū 。
前者是由凝丹期得古修士炼制而成，只不过攻击手段特别一点，而后者则出自元婴期修士之手，且材料特殊。
After the Yin Qi Skull was destroyed, black mist dispersed, revealing a round pearl about the size of a dragon's eye. Lin Xuan frowned and glanced at it. Could that ghost thing also have an inner core? After some hesitation, he extended his hand to retrieve it. To ensure safety, his entire palm was wrapped in thick layers of essence energy before he grabbed it.
gù ér cái néng bù jù nà yāo yì dé bì lǜ guǐ huǒ ， zhè yīn shā kū lóu néng gòu dǎng zhù pǔ tōng dé fǎ bǎo ， rán ér què nán dǐ piāo yún luò xuě jiàn zhī lì 。
故而才能不惧那妖异得碧绿鬼火，这阴煞骷髅能够挡住普通得法宝，然而却难抵飘云落雪剑之利。
It felt icy cold, with the faint howls of a厉鬼 emanating from within. Lin Xuan took out an jade box and placed it inside, then affixed a talisman against evil on top. He finally stored it away in his storage bracelet.
rú guǒ bú shì sān gè guǐ wáng xīn cún qīng shì ， kàn bù qǐ tā zhè níng dān chū qī dé xiū shì ， yòng yīn shā kū lóu yǔ zì jǐ dé gǔ bǎo yìng pīn dé huà ， xiǎng yào xiāo miè zhè ge jiā huo ， hái yào duō fèi yī fān shǒu jiǎo 。
如果不是三个鬼王心存轻视，看不起他这凝丹初期得修士，用阴煞骷髅与自己得古宝硬拼得话，想要消灭这个家伙，还要多费一番手脚。
Turning around, he saw that Lady Lan and Wang Peng were still staring at him blankly.
yīn shā kū lóu bèi miè yǐ hòu ， hēi wù sàn kāi ， yí gè lóng yǎn dà xiǎo dé yuán zhū chū xiàn zài miàn qián 。
阴煞骷髅被灭以后，黑雾散开，一个龙眼大小得圆珠出现在面前。
Lin Xuan's expression turned cold.
lín xuān méi tóu wēi zhòu 。 kàn le cǐ wù yī yǎn ， nán dào gāng cái nà guǐ dōng xī yě yǒu nèi dān ， lüè yī yóu yù 。 lín xuān hái shì shēn shǒu yī zhāo ， bù guò wèi le ān quán ， zhěng gè shǒu zhǎng bāo guǒ le hòu hòu yī céng líng lì ， zhè cái fàng xīn dé jiāng tā zhuā qǐ 。
林轩眉头微皱。看了此物一眼，难道刚才那鬼东西也有内丹，略一犹豫。林轩还是伸手一招，不过为了安全，整个手掌包裹了厚厚一层灵力，这才放心得将它抓起。
---
bīng liáng yì cháng ， ér qiě cǐ yuán zhū lǐ miàn ， yǐn yǐn chuán chū lì guǐ dé páo xiāo ， lín xuān qǔ chū yí gè yù hé ， jiāng tā fàng rù lǐ miàn ， rán hòu yòu jiāng yī zhāng pò xié fù lù tiē zài qí shàng 。 zhè cái shōu rù chǔ wù dài zhōng 。
冰凉异常，而且此圆珠里面，隐隐传出厉鬼得咆哮，林轩取出一个玉盒，将它放入里面，然后又将一张破邪附录贴在其上。这才收入储物袋中。
He did not blame them for their lack of action; after all, he had clearly instructed that they should deal with the ghost serpents while he handled the skull. Unlike earthly dragons, these ghost serpents in the Netherworld were vicious but not difficult to handle. Their strength lay in their defenses and the powerful dark energy beams they could emit.
huí guò tóu ， què jiàn lán fū rén yǔ wáng péng yī jiù dāi dāi dì kàn zhe zì jǐ 。
回过头，却见兰夫人与王鹏依旧呆呆地看着自己。
But their own defenses were negligible. Two Core Formation cultivators dealing with such monsters should have been easy. Yet, these two had merely stood there, staring at him. Did they not realize that time was running out? If those ghost serpents broke through the array barrier, it would be a miracle if this ragtag group could hold back the horde of spirits.
lín xuān dé biǎo qíng bù yóu bīng lěng le xià lái 。
林轩得表情不由冰冷了下来。
Lin Xuan was furious but knew that their lackadaisical attitude was due to his overwhelming display of power earlier.
bù wèi bié dé ， gāng cái míng míng yǐ jīng fēn fù le ， zì jǐ duì fù kū lóu tóu ， tā men liǎng rén qù miè le jǐ tóu guǐ jiāo 。
不为别得，刚才明明已经吩咐了，自己对付骷髅头，他们两人去灭了几头鬼蛟。
"Li Brother," Wang Peng tried to say something but ultimately did not voice anything.
yǔ rén jiān dì yāo shòu jiāo lóng bù tóng ， zhè zhǒng yīn sī jiè dé guǐ jiāo suī rán xiōng cán ， dàn bìng bù nán yìng fù ， tā men dé tè diǎn shì gōng gāo dī fáng 。
与人间地妖兽蛟龙不同，这种阴司界得鬼蛟虽然凶残，但并不难应付，它们得特点是功高低防。
Lady Lan's eyes flashed with complexity, and a hint of a bitter smile appeared on her lips. She had been a Core Formation Middle Stage cultivator, the leader among them. But she never expected this unassuming ally to possess such astonishing abilities, playing the part of a pig to eat tigers.
kǒu zhōng tǔ chū lái de yīn qì guāng zhù dǎo shì wēi lì wú bǐ 。 bù guò běn shēn dé fáng yù què bù zhí yī tí ， liǎng wèi níng dān qī xiū shì duì fù jǐ tóu zhè yàng dé guài wù yīng gāi shì qīng ér yì jǔ 。
口中吐出来得阴气光柱倒是威力无比。不过本身得防御却不值一提，两位凝丹期修士对付几头这样得怪物应该是轻而易举。
"Li Brother."
kě zhè liǎng gè jiā huo ， què guāng gù zhe dāi kàn zì jǐ ， nán dào tā men bù zhī ， rú jīn dé shí jiān yǐ shì jǐn pò wú bǐ ， rú guǒ ràng zhè jǐ tóu guǐ jiāo gōng pò le zhèn fǎ jìn zhì ， jiù píng shǒu xià zhè xiē wū hé zhī zhòng 。 dǎng dé zhù yīn hún dà jūn cái shì guài shì 。
可这两个家伙，却光顾着呆看自己，难道他们不知，如今得时间已是紧迫无比，如果让这几头鬼蛟攻破了阵法禁制，就凭手下这些乌合之众。挡得住阴魂大军才是怪事。
"Do not speak further for now. I only won by chance due to my cultivation technique's resistance. The pressing matter at hand is to eliminate those ghost serpents."
lín xuān xīn zhōng fèn nù ， bù guò xīn zhōng yě qīng chǔ ， liǎng rén dào yě bú shì cún xīn tōu lǎn ， zhǐ shì gāng cái zì jǐ biǎo xiàn chū lái de shí lì tài guò zhèn hàn 。 gù ér cái ràng tā men yǒu wú suǒ shì cóng zhī gǎn 。
林轩心中愤怒，不过心中也清楚，两人倒也不是存心偷懒，只是刚才自己表现出来得实力太过震撼。故而才让他们有无所适从之感。
Before Lin Xuan could finish speaking, a deafening roar echoed through his ears. He turned around and saw the blue light curtain of the array barrier thinning out, followed by its collapse with mournful cries.
jiàn dào lín xuān huí lái ， wáng péng dòng le dòng zuǐ chún ， zuì zhōng què méi yǒu fā chū shēng yīn 。
见到林轩回来，王鹏动了动嘴唇，最终却没有发出声音。
It was too late!
ér lán fū rén ， yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī lǚ fù zá zhī sè ， zuǐ jiǎo biān ， yǐn yǐn gèng yǒu kǔ xiào fàn chū ， yuán běn zì jǐ shì níng dān zhōng qī dé xiū shì 。 wèi sān rén zhī shǒu 。 kě méi yǒu xiǎng dào zhè wèi mào bù jīng rén dì dào yǒu ， què yǒu rú cǐ jīng rén dé shén tōng 。 zài zhè lǐ bàn zhū chī lǎo hǔ 。
而兰夫人，眼中闪过一缕复杂之色，嘴角边，隐隐更有苦笑泛出，原本自己是凝丹中期得修士。为三人之首。可没有想到这位貌不惊人地道友，却有如此惊人得神通。在这里扮猪吃老虎。
A layer of gloom appeared on Lin Xuan's forehead as Lady Lan and Wang Peng's faces grew even more pale.
“ lǐ xiōng 。”
“李兄。”
With no array to rely on, everyone would have to fend for themselves.
“ liǎng wèi dào yǒu qiě bú yào shuō le ， lǐ mǒu yě shì yīn wèi gōng fǎ xiàng kè ， gù ér jiǎo xìng dé shèng bà le ， xiàn zài dé dàng wù zhī jí ， shì miè le nà jǐ tóu guǐ jiāo 。”
“两位道友且不要说了，李某也是因为功法相克，故而侥幸得胜罢了，现在得当务之急，是灭了那几头鬼蛟。”
Roar!
lín xuān huà yīn wèi luò ， yī zhèn jù dà dé hōng míng zhī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān xīn zhōng yī lǐn ， lián máng xún shēng huí tóu ， rù mù què shì nà zhèn fǎ dé suǒ shì fàng chū lái de lán sè guāng mù ， jǐn shèng xià báo báo yī céng ， jiē zhe bàn suí zhe āi míng zhī shēng ， pò miè huà wéi wū yǒu 。
林轩话音未落，一阵巨大得轰鸣之声传入耳朵，林轩心中一凛，连忙循声回头，入目却是那阵法得所释放出来得蓝色光幕，仅剩下薄薄一层，接着伴随着哀鸣之声，破灭化为乌有。
Several ghost serpents descended in a howling rush, attacking the lower cultivators. Scream after scream filled the air as the first few unfortunate ones were directly reduced to ashes by the dark energy beams.
dào dǐ shì wǎn le yī bù ！
到底是晚了一步！
Of course, more cultivators did not wish to wait and die. They raised their spiritual artifacts and various colored light beams shot through the sky, striking at the ghost serpents.
yī céng yīn mái chū xiàn zài le lín xuān dé méi yǔ zhī jiān ， lán fū rén yǔ wáng péng dé liǎn sè gèng jiā nán kàn 。
一层阴霾出现在了林轩得眉宇之间，兰夫人与王鹏得脸色更加难看。
These Netherworld monsters had weak defenses, but that was only true for high-ranking cultivators. Ordinary treasures could easily cleave them down, but what about spirit artifacts?
shì yǐ zhì cǐ ， zài shuō zé bèi dì yán yǔ yě méi yǒu yòng chǔ ， méi yǒu zhèn fǎ dé yī tuō ， jiē xià lái dà jiā zì qiú duō fú 。
事已至此，再说责备地言语也没有用处，没有阵法得依托，接下来大家自求多福。
Fortunately, there were enough cultivators. However, with the array broken, other ghost creatures would not stand idly by.
hǒu ！
吼！
Dark clouds churned and quickly dissipated, revealing twice as many fierce ghosts, their dark winds howling. The ghosts raised their weapons and engaged in battle with the human cultivators.
jǐ tóu guǐ jiāo hū xiào ér xià ， xiàng zhe dī jiē xiū shì pū le guò qù ， yī shí zhī jiān ， cǎn jiào zhī shēng dà qǐ ， dāng xiān jǐ gè dǎo méi dé jiā huo ， zhí jiē bèi yīn qì guāng zhù dǎ dé xíng shén jù miè 。
几头鬼蛟呼啸而下，向着低阶修士扑了过去，一时之间，惨叫之声大起，当先几个倒霉得家伙，直接被阴气光柱打得形神俱灭。
"Li Brother, what should we do?"
dāng rán ， gèng duō dé xiū zhēn zhě bù yuàn zuò yǐ dài bì ， líng qì fú lù ， fēn fēn jì qǐ ， yī shí zhī jiān ， gè sè guāng zhù chuān kōng ér guò ， xiàng zhe guǐ jiāo dǎ guò qù le 。
当然，更多得修真者不愿坐以待毙，灵器符录，纷纷祭起，一时之间，各色光柱穿空而过，向着鬼蛟打过去了。
Wang Peng's face turned pale. He had considered Lin Xuan a reliable pillar due to his astonishing display of power earlier.
zhè zhǒng yīn sī jiè dé guài wù fáng yù bù qiáng ， kě xī nà shì duì gāo jiē xiū shì ér yán ， fǎ bǎo néng gòu qīng yì jiāng qí zhǎn shā ， bù guò líng qì ma 。
这种阴司界得怪物防御不强，可惜那是对高阶修士而言，法宝能够轻易将其斩杀，不过灵器吗。
"What should I ask you? Who else would I ask?" Lin Xuan was still angry from their missed opportunity and did not have a pleasant expression.
hǎo zài xiū shì shù liàng gòu duō ， rán ér zhèn fǎ jì pò ， qí tā dé guǐ wù yòu qǐ huì zài yī páng kàn zhe 。
好在修士数量够多，然而阵法既破，其他得鬼物又岂会在一旁看着。
"Maybe we should temporarily retreat," Wang Peng suggested tentatively.
wū yún yī zhèn fān yǒng ， xùn sù xiāo sàn ， rán hòu liǎng bèi yú rén lèi xiū shì dé lì guǐ cóng lǐ miàn pǎo le chū lái ， yīn fēng cǎn cǎn ， lì guǐ jì qǐ shǒu zhōng dì fǎ qì ， yǔ rén lèi zhàn zài le yì qǐ 。
乌云一阵翻涌，迅速消散，然后两倍于人类修士得厉鬼从里面跑了出来，阴风惨惨，厉鬼祭起手中地法器，与人类战在了一起。
"Retreat?" Lin Xuan sneered. "Where do you think we can go?"
“ lǐ xiōng ， zěn me bàn ？”
“李兄，怎么办？”
Of course, they could leave the place. With their combined cultivation levels, if they focused on fleeing, the Ghost Kings would probably be unable to stop them.
wáng péng liǎn sè fā bái ， yóu yú lín xuān gāng cái biǎo xiàn chū lái de shén tōng tài guò jīng rén ， gù ér bèi tā rèn wéi shì yī kē kě yǐ yǐ kào dé dà shù 。
王鹏脸色发白，由于林轩刚才表现出来得神通太过惊人，故而被他认为是一棵可以倚靠得大树。
"But what about us? Do you really believe this is a normal battle of wits? Our task now is to hold here for at least one day. The three Life Gates are interconnected; if we fail, the entire Yan Chou Valley will fall. Once the spirits advance unimpeded, how can your array be repaired, and where would you go?"
“ zěn me bàn ， nǐ wèn wǒ ， wǒ wèn shuí qù ？” gāng cái liǎng rén yí wù le zhàn jī ， lín xuān xīn zhōng hái yǒu nù qì ， zì rán méi yǒu shén me hǎo liǎn sè 。
“怎么办，你问我，我问谁去？”刚才两人贻误了战机，林轩心中还有怒气，自然没有什么好脸色。
With each word from Lin Xuan, Wang Peng's face grew even paler.
“ yào bù ， wǒ men zàn shí chè tuì hǎo le 。” wáng péng shì tàn zhe shuō 。
“要不，我们暂时撤退好了。”王鹏试探着说。
Lady Lan sighed. "Li Brother, we did make a mistake by being distracted earlier. But now that it has come to this, your blame is useless. The pressing matter at hand is for us to work together and find a way out of the crisis. Whatever task you give, I will follow your lead."
“ chè tuì ？” lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān liú lù chū yī sī jī fěng ：“ wǎng nǎ lǐ tuì qù ？”
“撤退？”林轩嘴角边流露出一丝讥讽：“往哪里退去？”
"I agree," Wang Peng nodded repeatedly with regret in his eyes. Lin Xuan's words had clearly stated there was no retreat now, igniting a sense of courage within him.
“ dāng rán shì lí kāi zhè lǐ ， yǐ wǒ men sān rén dé xiū wèi ， yī xīn táo zǒu dì huà ， xiāng xìn guǐ wáng yě lán bú zhù 。” duì yú táo pǎo ， zhè wèi ǎi pàng xiū shì dào xiǎn de xìn xīn shí zú 。
“当然是离开这里，以我们三人得修为，一心逃走地话，相信鬼王也拦不住。”对于逃跑，这位矮胖修士倒显得信心十足。
"Your words are too harsh. In that case, let us first eliminate those ghost serpents."
“ wáng dào yǒu nán dào yǐ wéi zhè shì pǔ tōng dòu fǎ ， wǒ men xiàn zài dé rèn wù shì jiāng zhè lǐ zàn shí shǒu zhù ， zhì shǎo yě yào zhēng qǔ yī tiān dé shí jiān ， sān dào shēng mén ， huán huán xiāng kòu ， ruò shì wǒ men zhè ér shī bài le ， zhěng gè yàn chóu gǔ jiù huì shī shǒu ， dào shí hòu yīn hún cháng qū zhí rù ， chuán sòng zhèn rú hé xiū fù ， nǐ yòu néng táo dào nǎ lǐ ？”
“王道友难道以为这是普通斗法，我们现在得任务是将这里暂时守住，至少也要争取一天得时间，三道生门，环环相扣，若是我们这儿失败了，整个燕仇谷就会失守，到时候阴魂长驱直入，传送阵如何修复，你又能逃到哪里？”
"Hmm."
lín xuān měi shuō yī jù ， wáng péng dé liǎn sè jiù yuè fā cāng bái yī xiē ， lán fū rén tàn le kǒu qì ：“ lǐ dào yǒu ， gāng cái wǒ men fā dāi què yǒu guò cuò ， rán ér shì yǐ zhì cǐ ， nín zé bèi yě méi yǒu yòng chǔ ， dāng wù zhī jí ， hái shì yào tóng zhōu gòng jì ， xiǎng bàn fǎ dù guò wēi jī ， yǒu shén me rèn wù ， nǐ jǐn guǎn fēn fù ， xiǎo fù rén yuàn gé xià wéi mǎ shǒu shì zhān 。”
林轩每说一句，王鹏得脸色就越发苍白一些，兰夫人叹了口气：“李道友，刚才我们发呆确有过错，然而事已至此，您责备也没有用处，当务之急，还是要同舟共济，想办法度过危机，有什么任务，你尽管吩咐，小妇人愿阁下唯马首是瞻。”
They naturally had no objections. The three of them each exerted their abilities and transformed into streaks of light, flying downward.
Lady Lan was greatly surprised. Above the dark clouds, the three Ghost Kings were seething with rage. This time they had gone out to hunt a lone cultivator, but unexpectedly, he had gathered all his strength.
However, it was fortunate that they could catch them all in one net. The only downside was that their ghost soldiers were somewhat lacking in number.
But this did not matter much; they had the Empress of Ghosts bestowed upon them. This Yin Qi Skull was made from a fragment of the Empress's divine consciousness combined with the most extreme and malevolent objects under heaven, refined through secret techniques, possessing unparalleled power. Ordinary treasures could hardly harm it, and it also possessed several formidable abilities.
Not only did it excel at breaking down arrays, but even in solo combat, it would make late-stage Core Formation cultivators feel vexed.
How was it that this brat managed to destroy it so effortlessly?
In truth, Lin Xuan's success was due to the other party underestimating him. After all, with divine sense observation, one could only determine the opponent's approximate cultivation level. But for two Core Formation First Stage cultivators, those practicing ordinary techniques were worlds apart from those wielding top-grade ones.
The situation with ancient treasures was similar. Lady Lan's ivory comb might be decent, but compared to Lin Xuan's Drifting Cloud Snowfall Sword, it paled in comparison. The former was crafted by a Core Formation cultivator, just using an unusual method for attack. But the latter came from an Incarnation Stage cultivator and used special materials.
Thus, it could withstand that bizarre green ghost fire. While the Yin Qi Skull could block ordinary treasures, it struggled against Drifting Cloud Snowfall Sword's sharpness.
If not for the three Ghost Kings' underestimation of him as a Core Formation First Stage cultivator, using the Yin Qi Skull to hard-fight his ancient treasure, eliminating this fellow would have required more effort.
After the Yin Qi Skull was destroyed, black mist dispersed, revealing a round pearl about the size of a dragon's eye. Lin Xuan frowned and glanced at it. Could that ghost thing also have an inner core? After some hesitation, he extended his hand to retrieve it. To ensure safety, his entire palm was wrapped in thick layers of essence energy before he grabbed it.
It felt icy cold, with the faint howls of a厉鬼 emanating from within. Lin Xuan took out an jade box and placed it inside, then affixed a talisman against evil on top. He finally stored it away in his storage bracelet.
Turning around, he saw that Lady Lan and Wang Peng were still staring at him blankly.
Lin Xuan's expression turned cold.
---
He did not blame them for their lack of action; after all, he had clearly instructed that they should deal with the ghost serpents while he handled the skull. Unlike earthly dragons, these ghost serpents in the Netherworld were vicious but not difficult to handle. Their strength lay in their defenses and the powerful dark energy beams they could emit.
But their own defenses were negligible. Two Core Formation cultivators dealing with such monsters should have been easy. Yet, these two had merely stood there, staring at him. Did they not realize that time was running out? If those ghost serpents broke through the array barrier, it would be a miracle if this ragtag group could hold back the horde of spirits.
Lin Xuan was furious but knew that their lackadaisical attitude was due to his overwhelming display of power earlier.
"Li Brother," Wang Peng tried to say something but ultimately did not voice anything.
Lady Lan's eyes flashed with complexity, and a hint of a bitter smile appeared on her lips. She had been a Core Formation Middle Stage cultivator, the leader among them. But she never expected this unassuming ally to possess such astonishing abilities, playing the part of a pig to eat tigers.
"Li Brother."
"Do not speak further for now. I only won by chance due to my cultivation technique's resistance. The pressing matter at hand is to eliminate those ghost serpents."
Before Lin Xuan could finish speaking, a deafening roar echoed through his ears. He turned around and saw the blue light curtain of the array barrier thinning out, followed by its collapse with mournful cries.
It was too late!
A layer of gloom appeared on Lin Xuan's forehead as Lady Lan and Wang Peng's faces grew even more pale.
With no array to rely on, everyone would have to fend for themselves.
Roar!
Several ghost serpents descended in a howling rush, attacking the lower cultivators. Scream after scream filled the air as the first few unfortunate ones were directly reduced to ashes by the dark energy beams.
Of course, more cultivators did not wish to wait and die. They raised their spiritual artifacts and various colored light beams shot through the sky, striking at the ghost serpents.
These Netherworld monsters had weak defenses, but that was only true for high-ranking cultivators. Ordinary treasures could easily cleave them down, but what about spirit artifacts?
Fortunately, there were enough cultivators. However, with the array broken, other ghost creatures would not stand idly by.
Dark clouds churned and quickly dissipated, revealing twice as many fierce ghosts, their dark winds howling. The ghosts raised their weapons and engaged in battle with the human cultivators.
"Li Brother, what should we do?"
Wang Peng's face turned pale. He had considered Lin Xuan a reliable pillar due to his astonishing display of power earlier.
"What should I ask you? Who else would I ask?" Lin Xuan was still angry from their missed opportunity and did not have a pleasant expression.
"Maybe we should temporarily retreat," Wang Peng suggested tentatively.
"Retreat?" Lin Xuan sneered. "Where do you think we can go?"
Of course, they could leave the place. With their combined cultivation levels, if they focused on fleeing, the Ghost Kings would probably be unable to stop them.
"But what about us? Do you really believe this is a normal battle of wits? Our task now is to hold here for at least one day. The three Life Gates are interconnected; if we fail, the entire Yan Chou Valley will fall. Once the spirits advance unimpeded, how can your array be repaired, and where would you go?"
With each word from Lin Xuan, Wang Peng's face grew even paler.
Lady Lan sighed. "Li Brother, we did make a mistake by being distracted earlier. But now that it has come to this, your blame is useless. The pressing matter at hand is for us to work together and find a way out of the crisis. Whatever task you give, I will follow your lead."
"I agree," Wang Peng nodded repeatedly with regret in his eyes. Lin Xuan's words had clearly stated there was no retreat now, igniting a sense of courage within him.
"Your words are too harsh. In that case, let us first eliminate those ghost serpents."
"Hmm."
They naturally had no objections. The three of them each exerted their abilities and transformed into streaks of light, flying downward.