Sacrificing Flesh and Blood to Serve the Spirits

This was simply a horrific, inhumane slaughter!

Above the stone grotto, a group of white-robed “heavenly maidens” danced with celestial grace, holding bone flutes to their lips as they played an eerie, mysterious melody.

Inside Ruyi Pavilion, thousands of hungry ghosts seemed drawn by the magical music, emerging from the mist and surging upward in an endless stream.

The twelve “heavenly maidens” pressed their bone flutes lightly against their lips, piping a mournful, wailing tune.

The melody was uncanny and piercing enough to send chills down one's spine, penetrating the ears like demonic music that stabbed into the depths of the soul.

Upon hearing the music, everyone present revealed fierce expressions as violent, resentful energy erupted within them, turning on their companions to slaughter each other in a frenzy.

It was as if seductive ghosts were scraping their ear drums with long fingernails, stirring up the deepest cruelty and ferocity hidden within their hearts.

Screams, cries of pain, wails, curses...

Moments ago, this had been a den of vice and ultimate bliss, but in the blink of an eye, it had turned into an Avici Hell, leaving only the suffocating reek of blood lingering around them.

High on the platform, Monk Huiyuan, the Dragon Prince, Auntie Wanbao, Old Man Hu, and the black robed witch stood in the center of an array. Each harbored their own sinister schemes, their eyes fixed unwaveringly on the massive suspended coffin above.

Beneath the suspended coffin, accompanied by wave after wave of agonized shrieks, countless souls floated upward. Their three souls and six spirits all fell into the black coffin, causing the 1,128 iron chains to shake violently with a heavy, clattering roar.

In just a few breaths, the giant black coffin showed signs of opening, its edges rumbling loudly. Delighted, the group exchanged looks, each seeing a glimpse of smug satisfaction in the others' eyes.

“This method truly works!”

Auntie Wanbao’s eyes burned with fervor. She couldn't resist stepping forward, unable to hide her excitement even as she clutched her handkerchief. “I heard that when Empress Houtu transformed into the Six Paths, the few remaining Great Witches of heaven and earth followed suit, sealing themselves inside Witch Coffins.

I wonder which Great Witch is buried in this Witch Coffin. By a stroke of fortune, such a monumental opportunity has fallen into our hands.”

“Legend says that in ancient times, spiritual energy was abundant throughout heaven and earth. Spirits and demons of any origin could become a demon saint, enjoying a lifespan equal to the heavens.

Setting aside the cultivation techniques and treasures left behind by a Great Witch, even just a Witch Corpse could aid one's cultivation all the way to the deity transformation stage!”

Old Man Hu gave a subtle glance toward the silent black robed witch and chuckled softly:

“However, such an opportunity is rare indeed. Once we enter the secret realm, what each of us can claim will depend entirely on our own abilities.”

Huiyuan pressed his palms together without a word. The black robed witch shot Old Man Hu a few long looks before refocusing his attention on controlling the twelve heavenly maidens to drive the hungry ghosts.

“Too slow! Although the Gates of Hell are open tonight and the Underworld won't notice immediately, the gates will close in two hours.

By then, soul reapers will surely inspect Yin Yang Road. Killing a few soul reapers is no trouble, but if we're exposed and word reaches higher authorities, none of us will get away!”

Unwilling to waste more time talking, the Dragon Prince cast a sinister look around the grotto and pointed at the living beings fleeing below:

“No one in the pavilion tonight can be allowed to escape! Since we are accomplishing something great, we must be decisive and clean—this prince will lend this black barbarian a hand!”

Before his words even finished fading, he transformed into a massive white dragon and plunged into the center of the grotto. Spitting clouds and mist, swinging his long tail, and slashing his dragon claws, he painted the air crimson as living beings fell dead!

Huge boulders crashed down, blocking all exits. Driven into a corner, the ghosts and demons could only scatter frantically, hiding in the grotto's crevices to save their lives.

“Hahaha! Exhilarating, truly exhilarating!”

Watching the panic-stricken spirits flee, the white dragon head swayed as laughter echoed from his chest. Countless heaven-reaching ice spikes shot up from beneath the ground, turning into deadly blades of slaughter that claimed life after life...

Countless black resentful souls drifted into midair, seeping bit by bit into the stone coffin as the clanking of vibrating iron chains resounded throughout the grotto.

Bone-chilling coldness seeped from a corner of the coffin. As if in response, liquid-like black mist rose from the earth, sweeping up the hungry ghosts and reducing them to clumps of black mud as they rushed eagerly toward the black coffin—

...

Nan Zhi rolled across the ground, narrowly dodging an ice spike aimed at her ribs. Swinging her blade backhanded, she decapitated a hungry ghost. Before she could even catch her breath, she hurriedly grabbed onto a hanging iron chain.

A golden lotus hovered faintly above her head.

This lotus was far inferior to Nun Miaoyun's Buddha's Radiance, but thanks to its protection, the bone flutes' demonic music could only pass through a thin barrier into her ears, sounding like buzzing mosquitoes or humming cicadas. This alone spared her from disaster.

Throughout the vast Ruyi Pavilion and its tier upon tier of stone grottoes, black resentful energy continuously surged upward, flying toward the black coffin at the ceiling.

As the resentful energy accumulated, the black coffin underwent a change. Its lid trembled non-stop, as though bubbling over boiling water.

This was a calculated sacrifice.

Sure enough, using the thousands of living souls in Ruyi Pavilion as the catalyst was all to open that stone coffin!

Looking up at the white dragon wreaking havoc above, Nan Zhi couldn't help clenching her fists.

Such cruel and ruthless actions showed that the instigators had never intended for any of them to leave alive!

Or rather, in their eyes, the souls, spirits, and demons inside Ruyi Pavilion were no different from ordinary formation materials or refining ores!

“Aaaaagh!!”

A demon spirit reverted to its true form, activating a writing brush artifact as it charged toward the exit. Somehow, it actually managed to carve out a bloody path!

It was saved!

Yet before the smile of relief could fade from its face, an ice spike pierced its chest in the very next second. Its soul was drawn into the stone coffin, while its corpse collapsed onto the ground like a pile of mud.

The gap in cultivation was too vast; escaping was impossible.

Nan Zhi held her breath.

In cultivation, although there were stories of mortals who attained sudden enlightenment and reached godhood in a single thought, or those blessed with immense luck who received divine guidance and gained immortality...

...for ordinary cultivators, the gap between realms was an insurmountable chasm that could not be crossed easily.

Not to mention Nan Zhi was currently only at the Qi Refinement Great Circle. Even if she stepped into Foundation Establishment right now, she would be no match for a Golden Core cultivator.

—To say nothing of the Level 89 Nascent Soul instance that was about to open before her.

If escape was impossible, then she would find a way to fight for her life!

The essence of cultivation was, after all, a matter of “contending.”

A mere “The Tiger in the Mountains” instance had netted her two valuable blue-quality items. Who knew what good loot she could farm from a Nascent Soul instance?

Even if there was extreme danger and she couldn't reload after death, at worst she would just die one more time.

Besides, Xu Zi, who had come with her, was still unaccounted for...

These high-level cultivators viewed them as mere ants and objects, but little did they know that when a massive opportunity presented itself, even a minor Qi Refinement cultivator like her would dare to fight for a share!

With that thought, Nan Zhi flipped her Fish-Dragon Guillotine onto her back and sprang forward like an escaping rabbit, leaping onto a hidden section of the cliff face where she quietly lay in wait—

A layer of mist swept over, enveloping Nan Zhi within it. Blending with the dense mist inside Ruyi Pavilion, no one would ever notice that a living person was clinging to the pitch-black stone wall.

...

After an unknown amount of time, as the black mist grew thicker and the grotto turned colder, a three-foot layer of ice froze over the ground. Atop a mountain of piled corpses and crushed ghost-mud, the black stone coffin finally agreed to open—

The lid shuddered as the entire grotto trembled with it. Earth shook, mountains quaked, and loose rocks tumbled down like the world was falling apart, yet the group standing together couldn't help revealing joy on their faces.

Though it was only a small gap, everyone saw it clearly: a thumb-wide crack had opened at the bottom right of the stone coffin.

Instantly, the surrounding spiritual energy surged. Distant, solemn sounds of bells and drums echoed from deep within, and the waves of energy emanating from the crack served as reassurance to all of them!

Old Man Hu greedily inhaled the spiritual energy, his entire body trembling uncontrollably as he wished he could dive in right then and there:

“Yes, this is it! As expected of something from ancient times—the spiritual energy inside is countless times denser than in the present world! Even in today's cultivation world, none of the Nine Provinces' immortal mountains possess a secret realm with spiritual energy bursting forth like this!”

As he spoke, a faint projection of immortal mountains materialized above the stone coffin, revealing rare herbs, celestial flowers, jade towers, as well as roaring demon beasts bathed in radiant golden light.

One look was enough to know it was a place of incredible fortune.

“It worked! There really is an ancient secret realm inside this stone coffin!”

Auntie Wanbao’s eyes lit up, and she involuntarily stepped forward. But before she could move, the Dragon Prince in his dragon form took the lead, transforming into a streak of light that vanished into the crack with a swoosh:

“Everyone, this prince shall take his leave first! Inside the secret realm, everything depends on our own skills—don't expect this prince to show mercy!”

“You!”

Auntie Wanbao stomped her foot, infuriated that she hadn't claimed the lead. Fearing the treasures inside would be swept up by the Dragon Prince, she threw out a jade pendant that enveloped her in protective light and flew in right after him!

“Hehe, my cultivation is inferior to my fellow Daoists. Why don't we enter together so we can look out for one another?”

Old Man Hu was more cunning; seeing both of them enter safely, he stroked his beard and bowed to Huiyuan and the black robed witch, offering the invitation.

“Presenting flesh and blood to serve the Witch Spirit.

Monk, do not forget what you promised me.”

Leaving behind those words, the black robed witch cast a deep look at Huiyuan. Smiling, the monk chanted a Buddhist prayer and watched them:

“Of course. This was my promise. As long as the price is sufficient, this humble monk will naturally not go back on his word.”

Upon hearing that, the black robed witch leaped into the stone crack. Only then did Old Man Hu feel somewhat relieved, flying in after him—

Yet in the very next second, a sudden mutation occurred.