Chapter 381 - 364: My Good Disciple, You’ve Chosen to Accept It After All.

Chapter 381: Chapter 364: My Good Disciple, You’ve Chosen to Accept It After All.

Beggars beg not because they’re poor, but to foster good karma and expand their social network?

Farmers toil under the scorching sun not for a full belly, but to enjoy the fresh scent of the fields and listen to the call of nature every day?

And those sold into slavery weren’t forced into it, but did it because they wanted to experience a different way of life?

What a load of crap!!!

Are you trying to trick us like we’re Pai Daxing?!

...

Just as the players across the entire server were verbally crucifying Lin Qingfeng.

Suddenly, a particularly jarring message popped up.

[DeathBeneathTheImperialCity]: ...

[DeathBeneathTheImperialCity]: Uh, guys, I know Lin Qingfeng is just trying to act cool, but you know... I’ve been hanging around the cities near the Daqian Royal City lately, and I think I’ve actually heard similar stuff.

[DeathBeneathTheImperialCity]: The other day I passed by the imperial notice board, and the announcement basically said: Refugees are wandering around because they have untamable spirits and love freedom; the common people are suffering because they enjoy enduring hardship—if there’s no hardship, they’ll seek it out, thinking it’s a test of character... Are the higher-ups in this Daqian Dynasty really treating everyone at the bottom like idiots?

[Lin Qingfeng]: ...

Seeing this message, Lin Qingfeng’s plan to continue acting cool fell apart.

’This Daqian Dynasty is truly rotten to the core.’

Lin Qingfeng silently closed the chat box, not replying, and went back to being a silent legend.

He left a group of players still wailing in the server-wide channel: "Please, master, just share your secrets! Don’t treat us like idiots like those higher-ups do!"

"The more you think about it, the scarier it gets, guys...!"

...

「The Center of Anhe City’s Ruins」

In the center of the ruins, which had been razed to the ground, only the sounds of colliding flesh and the explosions of clashing Spiritual Power remained.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Su Ling’er became a black afterimage, ramming into the white bone shield in front of Ghost Nether again and again. The skin on her fists was torn open, revealing the stark white bone beneath.

In her vision, the world was blood-red.

Every punch she threw was for the trembling mortals behind her; every charge was for her brother who had nearly died on that barren mountain. She couldn’t stop, and she didn’t dare to.

Even if her meridians were cracking inch by inch from the overload, even if the Demonic Qi was eroding her sanity, she had to keep this old demon in front of her completely suppressed.

And across from her,

Ghost Nether Elder’s face was grim. His figure flickered erratically in mid-air like a phantom, narrowly avoiding Su Ling’er’s killing blows time and time again.

He too cherished his life.

Looking at the female Cultivator before him—the corners of her eyes split, her body bathed in blood, yet still attacking with mad frenzy—a flicker of fear appeared in Ghost Nether’s eyes.

’A lunatic... another lunatic.’

He could clearly feel the extremely unstable Spiritual Power fluctuations within her body—it was the frantic signal of someone ready to detonate their Qi Sea at any moment, intending to take him down with them.

That "Pai Daxing" from before had already cost him his life-bound soul banner. He had no desire to test the power of a Late-stage Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator’s self-destruction with his own body.

’She wants to fight to the death? I won’t give her the chance.’

Ghost Nether’s fingers flew through hand seals within his sleeves.

Although Su Ling’er continuously tried to stop him, the gap between them was undeniable. While much of the blood mist—symbolizing the lives of his fellow sect members—was intercepted, a considerable amount still flowed into Ghost Nether’s mouth and nose.

TSSSSS—!

As the last few clumps of essence from the Foundation Establishment Cultivators were absorbed into his body, Ghost Nether’s depleted Dantian filled once more. Although it came at a terrible price, and was no different from drinking poison to quench a thirst, the might of the Core Formation Stage finally allowed him to recover a sliver of his strength.

A trace of glee flashed through Ghost Nether’s sinister eyes.

’This is the chasm between cultivation stages.’

’No matter how desperately you struggle, you little ant, no matter how you try to intercept me, it’s all futile in the face of absolute power.’

’It’s over.’

Ghost Nether hovered in mid-air, his five fingers forming a claw as a ghastly ball of light condensed in his palm.

’Die!’

With an aura of certain death, Ghost Nether blasted the attack down toward Su Ling’er’s head!

This blow was impossible to dodge, impossible to block.

However, just as the destructive ball of light was about to touch the top of Su Ling’er’s head—

BZZZZZ!!!

The very ground of Anhe City seemed to tremble in resonance.

An invisible yet immense will seemed to rise from the ruins beneath her feet, instantly empowering Su Ling’er.

[System Assessment: Anhe City Ownership Transfer Complete!]

[Identity Confirmed: Su Ling’er (City Lord)]

[Home-Field Advantage BUFF: In the event of an invasion crisis, all stats are greatly increased during the defensive battle! Spiritual Power recovery speed is massively boosted! Chance to nullify fatal damage!]

At the same time, Ghost Nether’s attack detonated right in front of Su Ling’er!

BOOOOOOM—!!!

A world-shaking collision boomed out.

The savage, triumphant expression on Ghost Nether’s face instantly froze.

He felt as if his attack hadn’t struck a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator, or perhaps even one who had just entered the Core Formation Stage!

’She blocked it?!’

Not only did she block it, but amidst the swirling dust, a fist wrapped in black armor actually tore through his ball of Spiritual Power and slammed into his protective bone shield with immense force!

BANG!

Ghost Nether felt a bizarre force strike him. He was sent flying backward by the punch, sliding dozens of paces through the air before he managed to stabilize himself.

’This... How is this possible?!’

Ghost Nether’s pupils quaked as a storm raged in his heart.

He stared intently at the black-clad figure in the distance.

Her combat awareness hadn’t changed, her techniques hadn’t changed, and even that crazed, demonic fervor was the same.

But... her power had changed! Her speed had changed! Her already abnormally resilient Spiritual Power and physical constitution were now even more formidable!

’Could it be... she was hiding her true strength this whole time?!’

An absurd thought exploded in Ghost Nether’s mind.

’She isn’t at Foundation Establishment at all! She’s toying with me! She had this strength all along but deliberately feigned weakness, watching me struggle in vain! ...She’s enjoying the thrill of the hunt!’

’This is a demon! This is a true demon lord! This person is definitely an Evil Cultivator!!!’

Watching the figure charge toward him again after shattering the ground, Ghost Nether’s resolve hardened.

’The disciples in the city I could drain are all dead. There is no more blood food to replenish my energy. Meanwhile, my opponent seems to have more cards up her sleeve, growing stronger as the fight goes on. Her sudden, inexplicable power-up especially makes my blood run cold.’

’If this continues, I’ll be the one who dies!’

’I can’t die here... I have to survive, even if it means paying that price...’

A look of grim determination and unwillingness flashed in Ghost Nether’s eyes. He didn’t want to play that trump card, because it meant he would completely lose himself in the future, becoming a mere puppet in his master’s hands.

But if he didn’t use it, he would die right here and now. Faced with life and death, he made his choice, but he also kept a sliver of his own plans in mind.

Without further hesitation, Ghost Nether bit the tip of his tongue, his hands rapidly forming a bizarre Dharma Seal in front of his chest. He then bowed deeply toward the empty void.

A ripple of power instantly connected with the distant horizon.

...

「Ten Thousand Miles Away · Ghost Spirit Sect」

In a pool of churning, viscous blood, an old man opened his eyes at its center.

Those eyes had no pupils, only two clusters of ghostly fire. He sensed the call of his disciple from a faraway land.

A voice, ancient and sinister, echoed faintly in the empty forbidden ground: "My good disciple... it seems you have finally... chosen to accept it..."