"I don't know, An Yue and the others died too strangely." The Heaven Transformation Realm powerhouse paused for half a breath. He couldn't be sure if anyone was here, but An Yue's death was too bizarre.
There were five Heaven Transformation Realm powerhouses in their group. Who could possibly kill five Heaven Transformation Realm powerhouses at once without leaving any clues?
Unless it was a Sovereign Realm mighty being.
"What are the movements of the sect masters' Sovereign Realm mighty beings?" The ghost's voice drifted leisurely, sending a shiver down Chu Lingwei's spine.
"They are all in seclusion, cultivating in their respective sects." Only these Sovereign Realm mighty beings could have killed them, the Heaven Transformation Realm cultivators, in one go. Their whereabouts were all under their control.
"Then tell me, who could it be here?" As the ghost finished speaking, a faint smile played on his lips.
Chu Lingwei suddenly had a bad premonition.
"Mao Mao, Feng Ming, do you feel the air around us growing colder?" Chu Lingwei's eyes remained fixed on the ghost, who was entirely shrouded in black, as she transmitted her thoughts to Mao Mao and the others.
"Ah, yes." Feng Ming cried out in surprise. She felt as if her body was growing cold.
"Wei Wei, this is ghost technique. They haven't discovered us, but they will sooner or later. Why don't we leave first?" Illusion Cat's voice held a hint of worry.
The ghost standing before them was clearly very powerful. His ghost technique could even penetrate Wei Wei's spiritual energy, which was stronger than spiritual power. They couldn't risk staying here.
"I'm afraid he has already discovered us." Although the ghost hadn't turned around, Chu Lingwei had a feeling that he not only discovered them but had also locked onto their location.
Chu Lingwei's mind stirred. She summoned her divine artifact. As long as the ghost took one more step towards them, her divine artifact would strike him in the face, giving her ample time to enter her spatial realm.
Illusion Cat's body couldn't help but tense up. He leaped in front of Chu Lingwei. "Wei Wei, don't be afraid. I'll start setting up a formation now, and I guarantee he won't get close."
"Let's not act rashly. Let's wait for him to make a move." Meeting every change with stillness. Chu Lingwei made no move. Whoever struck first would be the loser.
"Since you're here, why hide?"
Just then, Chu Lingwei heard the ghost's voice, which seemed to carry a ghostly aura. The entire mountain was immediately engulfed in a chilling gloom, as if the scenery had changed.
Chu Lingwei tightly held back Feng Ming, who was about to rush out to shield her, but she still couldn't be sure as the ghost hadn't turned around.
"Heh."
A laugh, seemingly drifting from afar, caused Chu Lingwei and the other two to freeze for a moment.
There were others present.
"Who is it?" The ghost's voice, tinged with impatience and agitation, lost its previous composure.
The Heaven Transformation Realm powerhouse standing beside the ghost tensed up as if facing a great enemy, his magical artifact shimmering with spiritual energy.
"Scared already?"
A man in black robes slowly walked through the wind, holding nothing in his hands. He wore a silver mask that flickered in and out of visibility in the night.
He was clearly walking towards them, yet he seemed both near and far.
"Who exactly are you?" The ghost's voice rose as he looked at the approaching figure, the surrounding gloom intensifying.
The man in black robes chuckled lightly. His empty hand swept through the air, and the surrounding forest immediately returned to its original state, devoid of any ghostly aura.
It was him.
Chu Lingwei finally recognized the man. He was the one who had captured the Crimson-Eyed Heavenly Kylin, which was on the verge of transforming into human form, as his mount in the Hengtian Secret Realm.
"And who are you, ghost?" The man in black robes' voice was light, each word laced with a smile, yet it felt colder than the earlier gloom.
This man seemed to be angry.
Chu Lingwei's eyes widened as she stared at the man in black robes. She couldn't detect any trace of anger on his face, yet she had this peculiar feeling.
"Wei Wei, this man is terrifying." Feng Ming instinctively shrank back. "Let's leave quickly. I feel that this man is even more terrifying than this ghost."
"Yes, Wei Wei, this man is quite peculiar." Illusion Cat looked at the man, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease and trepidation.
"Wait, let's see what this man intends to do." Chu Lingwei was not worried. In the Hengtian Secret Realm, this man hadn't discovered her presence, and he likely wouldn't now.
Even if he did, she could enter her spatial realm in an instant. Even if he destroyed this place, he wouldn't find her.
"I am Ghost King Zhu Li. I am cultivating here, and I would appreciate it if Senior would show some consideration." Ghost King Zhu Li looked at the man in black robes before him. He had never known that such a powerful being existed on the Xuan Tian Continent.
He couldn't discern the man's cultivation level at all, leaving only one possibility: the man in black robes' cultivation was terrifying, far beyond his ability to contend with.
"Ghost King Zhu Li?" The man in black robes softly murmured the name. "So you are recuperating here?"
This man knew him?
Ghost King Zhu Li was greatly shocked. This man knew so much about him, yet he knew nothing about this man.
"Yes."
"How many souls have you killed to cultivate?"
Ghost King Zhu Li's head shot up, a bad premonition gripping him.
"Please spare my life, Senior." Ghost King Zhu Li bowed low, kneeling directly on the ground.
Chu Lingwei: "..."
How could the situation change so quickly? Wasn't he quite imposing just moments ago?
"Hand over the Soul Banner, and I'll spare your life." The man in black robes glanced at the kneeling ghost and let out a soft snort.
Ghost King Zhu Li froze for a moment. Without hesitation, he retrieved a bead from his storage bag and held it above his head.
"Wei Wei, that bead contains many souls," Illusion Cat cried out upon seeing the bead.
Souls were different from divine souls. Souls were nearly dissipated divine souls that retained past memories but could no longer enter the cycle of reincarnation. They could only await their eventual dissipation, truly vanishing from the world.
Chu Lingwei looked at the bead, referred to as a Soul Banner. She couldn't see the souls within, only the bead itself, which was crystal clear, as if condensed from a pool of spiritual water.
Such a bead was called a "Soul Banner."
After taking the Soul Banner, the man in black robes vanished instantly.
Ghost King Zhu Li stood up and stared for a long time in the direction the man in black robes had disappeared. He then turned his head to look at the Heaven Transformation Realm powerhouse beside him.
"Ah..."
The Heaven Transformation Realm powerhouse let out a piteous cry. His body began to sway unsteadily, then he slowly collapsed. By the time his body hit the ground, his clothes had turned to ashes and dissipated like a gust of wind.
Chu Lingwei peered intently. Where was the Heaven Transformation Realm powerhouse?
He had likely been completely devoured by this Ghost King.