novelraw Chapter 246
Chapter 246
“Here we are.”
Yin Ghost Mountain looked like a demonic cavern, shrouded by dense black clouds that never parted to reveal sunlight. This was due to the countless underground yin veins converging here, forming a torrent of heaven-and-earth yin energy that surged straight into the sky.
The phenomenon of dark clouds blotting out the sun was thus created. Even before entering the mountain’s boundary, one could already see countless translucent soul forms drifting within the mist.
The withered and decaying vegetation exuded endless desolation.
Yin Ghost Mountain was formed by more than ten connected peaks, the highest reaching seven thousand meters. From the base, one could not see the summit.
Among the mountains, collapsed stone huts and temples could be seen here and there. These were temporary shelters built by cultivators who had explored the area before. The traces of history were faint—these places had long been abandoned.
Wang Yu glanced around but saw nothing resembling an inverted “mountain” shape. His gaze instinctively turned to Long Yiran.
She spoke as if she had anticipated his doubt.
“This is the place. There’s no mistake. The reason you can’t see it must be that it has been hidden with a concealment spell.”
Wang Yu found this explanation reasonable.His divine sense immediately probed into the mountain. The situation was similar to that of the White Serpent Marsh;
without any natural obstructions, it was most likely something hidden within the mountain body. However, after a careful search, Wang Yu found no hollow space or signs of manmade structures.
“Could it be that it’s not inside the mountain?”
“It’s hard to say. Yin Ghost Mountain has over ten peaks. We can check them one by one. If we still find nothing, we’ll examine the underground yin veins.”
“Very well.”
Divine sense exploration was not foolproof. It was better to use secret techniques for close-range searching. Once the two truly stepped into Yin Ghost Mountain’s range, an icy chill instantly filled their minds.
A bone-piercing cold wind seemed to bore straight into the skull. Only by shielding themselves with divine sense could they resist this strange phenomenon.
“This is the Soul-Drifting Yin Wind. It’s a natural formation of Yin Ghost Mountain’s terrain—an ideal environment for ghostly spirits to dwell and cultivate.”
This time, Wang Yu provided the explanation. After all, Yin Ghost Mountain was a popular exploration site, and the intelligence from Listening Wind Pavilion was detailed.
“We may soon encounter other demonic cultivators. If that happens, Formation Master Long, do not hold back. Kill them on sight.”
Hearing this, Long Yiran shrank her neck slightly.
“Kill them directly?”
“Of course. Have you forgotten what we came here for? If we get tracked or cause too much commotion, others will reap the benefits of our work.”
“I understand…”
Wang Yu shook his head. Ordinary cultivators in this place were not the problem;
what he truly feared was triggering an anomaly similar to Eastern Extreme Capital that would attract the attention of a hegemonic power. That was something he could not contend with.
Within the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest, there were many demonic cultivators training here—some even from powerful clans. They were well-experienced, and too much disturbance could easily cause unforeseen trouble.
As they inspected peak after peak, they occasionally encountered vicious spirit traps.
For example, a crying young girl in white standing by the path—if one approached her, she would suddenly turn around, her face crawling with maggots, attempting to devour one’s soul.
That was considered the “graceful” type. The “bold” type directly summoned a horde of evil ghosts, charging forward without hesitation.
Each ghostly shriek drained Wang Yu and Long Yiran’s divine sense. Wang Yu activated his Ghost-Weeping Flute, and the Soul-Devouring Yin Crow suppressed the wild spirits effectively.
However, divine sense recovered slowly while being consumed rapidly, and the Soul-Drifting Yin Wind continuously blew against them, preventing replenishment. Thus, both sped up their exploration.
After half a day, golden rings still gleamed in Long Yiran’s pupils as she muttered softly.
“Impossible… how can there be nothing?”
“Shall we check underground?”
By now, they had searched every peak in Yin Ghost Mountain, but still found nothing. Wang Yu even ventured into the mountain’s inner body—completely solid, with no hollow space at all.
“We can only investigate the flow of the yin veins below to make another judgment.”
Just then, two late Foundation Establishment cultivators flew toward them from afar, their faces alight with excitement.
“Many thanks, fellow Daoists. I’ll remember you next year on this day!”
“What do you mean?”
While Long Yiran was still stunned, Wang Yu’s eyes flared with the mark of a crescent moon. The Illusion of the Moon Realm seized control of one man. His right hand extended in the air, summoning a massive Mysterious Yin Hand that grasped the second man and crushed him into pulp.
The survivor stared in horror at Wang Yu.
“You… you’re the true disciple of the Yellow Springs Monastery… I—”
Before he could finish, his breath ceased.
Wang Yu had seen their profiles in the Listening Wind Pavilion’s records. They were the Wan brothers from Poison Scorpion City, backed by a Core Formation elder—barely a third-rate force. Both were skilled in escape techniques and offensive arts, but their defenses were pitifully weak.
Still, to die this easily was surprising.
Long Yiran instinctively backed away several steps, shocked that Wang Yu was not only a true disciple of the Yellow Springs Monastery but also this powerful.
Wang Yu said nothing.
He reached out and caught the other man who was still under the illusion’s control, crushing him as well with another Mysterious Yin Hand. His brutal methods drew further attention.
Two streaks of light—one red and one white—raced toward them. The Wan brothers had been fleeing from these two pursuers and had dragged their disaster to Wang Yu’s direction.
Now, the pursuers focused on Wang Yu instead.
“Good technique.”
“And such a handsome little fellow.”
The newcomers were a man and a woman. The man wore mourning robes and rode atop a black coffin. The woman was dressed in a scarlet bridal gown, her skin pale and ashen. She held a red veil in one hand, her eyes filled with sultry allure.
“The Red and White Twin Fiends!”
“Oh, we’ve been recognized.”
Red Demon gently covered the corner of her mouth, pretending to smile shyly. White Demon wrapped his arm around her slender waist and proudly said,
“Wife of mine, our names now shake the Bone Forest. Your husband has put in quite the effort.”
Seeing the two of them talk so intimately, Wang Yu frowned and sent a sound transmission to Long Yiran, relaying the information he had gathered about the pair.
Corpse Ghost Evil Art—it was a dual cultivation technique between corpse and ghost… truly sinister.
The two of them were both early-stage Core Formation rogue cultivators, yet capable of battling those in the late stage. Their strength exceeded the norm.
Especially White Demon—inside his black coffin, Wang Yu could sense the presence of several zombies. One of them was certainly White Demon’s Life-Bound Corpse, at least of third-rank.
Thinking about this, even with the Heavenly Thunder Talisman Treasure in hand, it would still be dangerous.
“We cannot fight head-on. We must find a way to retreat.”
Upon hearing the transmission, Long Yiran bit her lip slightly, her mind swiftly working out a strategy.
She knew that if the two of them were separated, the fragile trust between them would completely vanish. Meeting again without turning hostile would already be a miracle, let alone exploring the Ancient Heavenly Soul Sect ruins together.
Thus, her decision was made.
“Brother Wang, I can use the formation of this place to instantly kill one of them. Can you handle the other?”
Wang Yu’s hand, which had been gripping the Thunder Tribulation Pill, suddenly loosened.
“Are you certain?”
“With my life as the guarantee.”
“Very well. Formation Master Long, aim your technique at White Demon.”
“Understood.”
After all, what made the Red-and-White Twin Fiends so troublesome was their joint attack technique. If Long Yiran could instantly slay one, Wang Yu was confident he could deal with Red Demon.
Their divine sense transmission was lightning-fast. Though it seemed like they had exchanged many words, only a few breaths passed in reality.
The arrogant pair finally turned their attention toward the two after finishing their intimate whispers.
“Wife, they too are a man and a woman.”
“Husband, perfect—one for each of us.”
“No. That female cultivator is rather ordinary. I want both.”
“Together then.”
“Excellent.”
Wang Yu’s face darkened. The Glazed Soul Lamp appeared above his head first. This time, the gray-white soul flame it scattered was defensive in nature—the soul-wind of Yin Ghost Mountain was troublesome indeed.
With a twist of his right hand, the Ghost-Weeping Flute appeared.
Red Demon’s eyes lit up. “Husband, that’s a ghost-path magic treasure.”
“Then let’s seize it!”
The battle erupted instantly. As ghost mist billowed, Red Demon sat within a crimson bridal palanquin. The sleeves of her wedding gown transformed into vast crimson curtains that seemed to hang from the heavens, forming the shadow of a giant seated among the clouds.
From those crimson sleeves flew countless ghostly spirits chained together with iron links, ferociously lunging toward Wang Yu. His expression did not waver.
Bringing the flute to his lips, the Yin Crow Ghost Realm expanded for a thousand meters.
Hundreds of soul-devouring crows screeched into flight, forming a perfect synchronization with Wang Yu’s spell. The art and treasure combined into a deadly sound formation.
Soul-Devouring Ghost Crow Tone!
“Wuuuuu—”
This technique barely reached third-rank in power. His true essence and divine sense surged like a flood. When the ghost swarm collided with the soul-devouring crows, a violent shockwave spread.
The crows, innately possessing soul-devouring power, managed only a draw. They could not suppress Red Demon’s technique, and Wang Yu was secretly shocked.
Yet the enemy was even more astonished at Wang Yu’s strength—he could not be underestimated.
At the same time, White Demon lunged toward Long Yiran.
Seeing her with eyes closed, as if concentrating to unleash a great spell, White Demon sneered.
“Little girl, you are but a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Why struggle alongside that man? Why not join me and ascend to bliss together?”
However, she gave no response. White Demon grew bored.
“General Jin, kill her. Even her corpse will serve for pleasure.”
The black coffin opened, and a third-rank Golden Armored Corpse leapt out. Its entire body was clad in gold-plated corpse armor, releasing a soul-shaking roar.
At that instant, Long Yiran’s eyes suddenly snapped open. Her body burst with surging blood energy as she raised a finger toward the heavens.
“Brother Wang, I have found it!”
Boom!
A jet-black thunderbolt crashed down from the clouds, transforming midair into the form of a black lightning tiger that struck straight toward White Demon.
The arrogant White Demon’s face twisted in terror. A piercing sense of danger made his hair stand on end. The thunder-tiger’s speed was so fast he could not even recall his Golden Armored Corpse in time.
He could only raise his Life-Bound Treasure, the black coffin, to block it.
Sizzle—
The black lightning exploded into a sea of thunder. The coffin disintegrated instantly, and White Demon’s body was reduced to fine ash, leaving not even his Core behind.
The expanding thunder wave struck Long Yiran, her aura flickering like a dying flame as she fell toward the ground.
The shockwaves reached Wang Yu’s battlefield as well. The black thunder’s damage to souls was immense—every ghost and crow within the area perished instantly.
There was no time to mourn the loss of his Ghost-Weeping Flute. Taking advantage of Red Demon’s shock from White Demon’s death, Wang Yu decisively activated the Heavenly Thunder Talisman Treasure.
Of its three charges, one was consumed.
A blazing blue-white thunderbolt of pure Yang energy descended from the sky, striking Red Demon directly. She let out a piercing wail as her crimson palanquin shattered into scraps.
Her body was charred black, ghostly qi spilling out continuously, yet her aura persisted.
From her side, the Lunar Yin Corpse appeared and bowed from afar.
Yin Corpse Descending Evil Curse!