Chapter 130: Zhao Kuo's Annihilation of the Golden Elixir

As Li Yunfei and his three companions invoked the Deity of the Earth's Land-Binding Spell upon the ground beneath them, Yin soldiers, ghost generals, and skeleton warriors were forcibly driven out from deep underground. The skeleton warriors brandished bone blades and spears, some mounted on skeletal steeds, while the Yin soldiers and ghost generals were clad in leather armor, wielding ethereal bronze spears, halberds, and shields. Some even possessed bows and arrows, floating in mid-air, using their own soul energy as a core to condense Yin energy into arrows. Their power was not to be underestimated; a mortal army would certainly have been unable to withstand them.

Unfortunately, they only possessed the combat strength of the Opening Light stage. Before the super skeleton warriors, who held strength at the Yin Spirit stage, they were utterly powerless; a single swing of a blade could wipe out a legion. Without needing orders, the super skeleton warriors swung their great crescent blades, unleashing ribbons of blade energy that cut down the ghosts rushing from the sky and the ground alike. Seeing this, Daoist Yuling and the others felt at ease, maintaining their protective spiritual energy while casting the Land-Binding Spell across the terrain section by section.

At the Yin Spirit stage, the effective radius of the Land-Binding Spell is about thirty to one hundred zhang; the Golden Core stage increases this by three to ten times, reaching three hundred to one thousand zhang. Daoist Yuling, being at the early Golden Core stage, had an effective range of over three hundred zhang. With all four casting, and accounting for overlapping areas, they could cover a radius of over six hundred zhang each time—roughly four square kilometers.

Within these four square kilometers, tens of thousands of Yin soldiers and skeleton warriors emerged from the earth, charging at the living beings in the field without hesitation. They even knew how to form military arrays, working together to create a protective layer of Yin energy in front. For a cultivator at the Spirit Movement stage, this would not be easily broken. But the super skeleton warriors were two major realms stronger; the quality of their soul energy was like heaven and earth compared to these entities. That Yin barrier was as fragile as window paper, shattered by a single slash.

In the center, the six super skeleton warriors unleashed waves of blade energy, obliterating the skeletons and ghost soldiers. Their own soul energy consumption was entirely disproportionate to the power they output. Meanwhile, the Yin energy arrows shot by the ghosts were completely blocked by the protective aura radiating from their armor, not causing even a ripple. Watching this, Zi Wei, Xie Liuyun, and the others realized that the armor and great blades of these skeleton warriors were rare martial weapons of the gods. This made them marvel once again: just how many treasures did this kid Li Yunfei possess?

It was a pity, however, that these skeleton warriors belonged to the martial path. If they were cultivators, one could simply deploy them to sweep through all ghosts below the rank of Ghost King in the major ancient battlefields. The primary difference between martial artists and cultivators in the early stages of practice lies in flight. While martial artists can use light-body techniques for brief leaps, they cannot hover. Only upon reaching the "Dao-Harmony Realm"—corresponding to the Yang Spirit stage of cultivators—can they fly freely, though their speed is much slower than that of cultivators. Cultivators can fly for short periods at the Yin Spirit stage, roam freely at the Golden Core stage, and travel the heavens and earth at the Nascent Soul stage. At the Yang Spirit stage, they can even survive in space, traversing the cosmos to reach other planets, provided they have enough supplies. Since ghosts can fly, martial artists below the Dao-Harmony Realm are far inferior to cultivators in dealing with them; they can, at most, dismantle skeletons.

As the coverage of the Land-Binding Spell exceeded ten square kilometers, rolling Yin energy suddenly surged from the northwest, mixed with intense blood-colored baleful energy. The scene of swirling, turbid energy was visually indistinguishable from a black sandstorm—truly terrifying. Li Yunfei and his group did not hesitate, immediately taking to the air and retreating rapidly toward Zi Wei and the others. The super skeleton warriors ran like the wind, following closely; when encountering blocking Yin soldiers, they relied on their protective aura to plow through, smashing them until their souls scattered. Within seconds, Li Yunfei, Honghong, and Daoist Yuling’s group returned to Zi Wei’s side. The eighteen skeleton warriors gathered together, standing shoulder to shoulder behind them, while the Yin soldiers and ghost generals rushed to meet the approaching tide of turbid energy.

The rolling black mist stopped several dozen zhang in front of Zi Wei’s party, churning incessantly. A moment later, the black mist parted to reveal what lay within. Thousands of ghost generals clad in lamellar armor and wielding bronze spears crowded around a dozen commanders in fish-scale armor with bronze longswords at their waists. They rode ghost horses with glowing eyes and black mist spewing from their nostrils; the commanders themselves radiated soaring Yin energy. The heavy clouds in the sky grew even denser, and the daylight dimmed further.

The rider in the center of these commanders had a body that was almost solid, lacking the ethereal quality of the other soldiers. Unlike the commanders beside him, who were shrouded in black mist and possessed pale-green skin, he stood out: his complexion was as white as a living man’s, making him crane-like among a flock of chickens. Behind him, a rider held a red flag with yellow borders, inscribed with a large seal-script character: "Zhao." There was no doubt; this was the Ghost King, Zhao Kuo.

He trotted forward a few steps, scanned the group and the skeleton warriors behind them, narrowed his eyes, and spoke. His voice boomed like thunder with a built-in echo, fully displaying the aura of a Ghost King: "No wonder you dare to challenge me again; so, reinforcements have arrived."

Zi Wei was not intimidated by the use of classical rhetoric. He replied in a deep voice: "Zhao Kuo, this is your last chance. Either offer up your true spirit and bow in submission, or have your soul scattered—choose for yourself!"

Zhao Kuo was enraged. He pointed at Zi Wei and bellowed, "Big talker! I still have seven hundred thousand troops. What can mere mortals like you do to me? When the day of the three-fold destruction arrives, you shall all perish."

It seemed negotiations had failed. Zi Wei tilted his head slightly, signaling the others to prepare, then glanced at He Ming. He Ming understood and shouted, "Ignorant child, a man of paper strategies! Even if you had a million troops, what of it? Have you forgotten the fate decreed by Lord Wu'an?"

To hit a person is one thing, but to insult them is another. "Paper strategies" and the mention of Lord Wu'an (Bai Qi) were the eternal pains in Zhao Kuo’s heart. He Ming’s words were both a slap and a jab. Not only Zhao Kuo, but the soldiers behind him were also filled with towering rage. This was not a figure of speech; ghostly green flames truly ignited in the eyes of the ghost commanders. When Zhao Kuo died in battle, they had surrendered, hoping for life, only for forty thousand of their comrades to be buried alive by Bai Qi. After that, they would rather have their souls scattered than ever surrender again.

Zhao Kuo drew his bronze sword with a *shing*, pointing it at He Ming. His Yin energy surged, and blood-colored baleful energy condensed around him. He had shown the aura of a Ghost King, and now he was revealing his murderous ferocity. "Even Bai Qi could not make me surrender; what are you? Soldiers, follow me and slaughter them all!"

"Kill..."

Zhao Kuo was the first to charge. His ghost horse leaped, carrying a howling force and monstrous ferocity as it lunged at Li Yunfei’s group. The fourteen ghost commanders followed closely, a thousand ghost generals pointing their weapons forward, the thick, inseparable Yin energy clinging to them.

Li Yunfei whispered, "Comrade Zi Wei, Uncle Yuling, when you have beaten Zhao Kuo down, please ensure you leave the final blow to me." Zhao Kuo was likely ten levels higher than him; if he delivered the killing blow, he might reach the Golden Core stage in one stroke. This was a conservative estimate; the White Boar King from before had also been ten levels higher and had allowed him to jump three levels. Although he was now in a higher major realm and the experience required was different, killing a monster ten levels higher should at least grant two levels. Moreover, his experience bar for level 48 was already half-full; he only needed the experience of one and a half levels to reach level 50 and enter the Golden Core stage.

Zi Wei nodded without hesitation. Daoist Yuling, though puzzled, saw that Zi Wei agreed and raised no objection. Li Yunfei and Honghong looked at each other and nodded. With a flick of their wrists, they pulled the stoppers from their Yellow Wind Gourds and moved to the sides of the group.

Li Yunfei shouted, "Spray!" The two gourds tilted, slanting toward Zhao Kuo and the fourteen ghost commanders who were less than ten zhang away and diving down.

*Swoosh.*

Two streams of yellow wind erupted, engulfing Zhao Kuo and the commanders. This was too sudden; Zhao Kuo had fought Zi Wei’s group before, and it had always been a straightforward, no-frills clash. He had never expected such a sneaky move.

*Hum, hum, hum...*

The moment the yellow wind covered them, streaks of purple light flashed and smashed toward the ghost commanders. The super skeleton warriors behind the group had already unhooked their purple-gold hammers the moment the wind was released. Each super skeleton warrior stood over two and a half meters tall; Zi Wei and the others were no obstacle. Feeling the humming purple-gold hammers passing over their heads, even Zi Wei felt his scalp tingle. If one of those landed on his head...

Zhao Kuo recovered from the dizziness for only a split second. Seeing the flash of purple hammers, he didn't think twice and leaped high into the air. His ghost horse dissolved into Yin energy—it turned out the horse was also condensed from his own power. Zhao Kuo managed to dodge the attack, but the fourteen ghost commanders were not so lucky. The moment they were shrouded in the yellow mist, they fell into a state of dizziness, swaying in mid-air, unable to maintain their ghost horses or their protective energy.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The result was perfect. With the ghost commanders having lost their protective energy, the purple-gold hammers, infused with sixty percent of the super skeleton warriors' soul energy, wiped them all out in one wave. Two hammers even missed their targets, smashing into empty air. Li Yunfei hurriedly focused his divine sense to track the two stray hammers, and once their speed dropped, he retrieved them to re-equip the skeletons. The fourteen ghost commanders pushed Li Yunfei and Honghong’s experience bars closer to level 49.

"Ah... you despicable, shameless wretches!" Seeing his commanders wiped out, Zhao Kuo went mad with rage. But his response was a sharp, enormous silver light—Zi Wei’s Lunar Golden Wheel.

In the blink of an eye, Zi Wei and Daoist Yuling had trapped Zhao Kuo between them. Daoist Yuling offered up his Bagua Haotian Mirror and Ten Thousand Spirit Talisman Ruler, chanting the "Five Thunders Smashing the Crown" spell while Zi Wei pinned Zhao Kuo down. This was the most powerful single-target spell he currently possessed.

"Ignorant child, have you not heard that all is fair in war? No wonder you fell for Lord Wu'an's trap back then," He Ming laughed, unleashing his own artifact—an ice shard weapon carved with golden runes, the "Pseudo-Southern Ming Li Fire Sword." Xie Liuyun and the others also unleashed their flying swords, slaughtering the ghost generals who were like lambs to the slaughter.

Li Yunfei grinned and waved his hand, the skeleton warriors following behind to join the fray. He and Honghong flew into the sky, hovering outside the battlefield, rotating their gourds to spray yellow wind into the center. The sky was soon covered in yellow mist, which gradually compressed inward, trapping Zi Wei, Daoist Yuling, and Zhao Kuo. Zhao Kuo, hampered by the yellow wind, had to spend more energy stabilizing his soul, and his movements slowed considerably. He wanted to fly out, but Zi Wei’s Lunar Golden Wheel kept him pinned.

*Rumble, rumble...*

The thunder clouds in the sky finished brewing. Thunderbolts as thick as buckets, in five colors—red, yellow, white, green, and black—struck Zhao Kuo’s head one after another. The Yin energy on his body melted like residual snow under a scorching sun. The "Five Thunders" referred to the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth thunder. They were incredibly powerful; as long as Daoist Yuling’s spiritual energy held out, he could keep striking until the target was reduced to ashes.

Under the combined attack of the yellow wind, the Five Elements Thunder, and the Lunar Golden Wheel, Zhao Kuo began to falter. He had been a martial artist; his ability to fly came from being a ghost. Previously, he had the support of the massive Yin energy of his ghost generals, allowing him to swing his sword aura without restraint. But now, with his generals being slaughtered, his soul energy was flowing away like water, and his solid form began to fade and turn ethereal.

On the ground, He Ming’s Southern Ming Li Fire Sword spun rapidly, firing basketball-sized fireballs like a machine gun, creating a continuous chain of explosions among the ghost generals. Li Yunfei chuckled; wasn't this just a magical version of a Vulcan cannon? But its power was far greater.

The ghost generals were decreasing at a visible speed, and Zhao Kuo’s soul body was becoming increasingly faint. Victory was only a matter of time.

"Kill... protect the General!"

Suddenly, a massive surge of Yin energy rolled in from the northwest. Zi Wei and Daoist Yuling’s expressions tightened. They could not let the main army of Yin soldiers approach, or they would provide Zhao Kuo with an endless supply of Yin energy. Daoist Yuling, while maintaining his spiritual energy, sent an object flying toward Li Yunfei from his Bagua bag.

Li Yunfei heard Daoist Yuling’s voice transmission: "Nephew, notify the Artillery Brigade to conduct a saturation bombardment on Area B7."

Li Yunfei caught the object with his divine sense—it was a communicator. He did not hesitate, pressed the button, and shouted, "Artillery Brigade, immediate saturation bombardment on Area B7. Over."

"Artillery Brigade received. Over."

The area they were in was indeed Area B7. Being high-level cultivators, physical damage from shells posed no threat, but the runes carved on the shells possessed "Evil-Breaking" power, which would only enhance their own arts.

Less than a minute later, the Artillery Brigade commander gave the order. In an instant, ten thousand cannons fired at once, shaking the heavens and the earth.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*

The bombardment began. The first wave of fire shells exploded upon hitting the ghost generals due to the Evil-Breaking runes, causing them to vanish in droves. Three rounds later, the rocket launchers arrived—a rain of fire that signaled destruction. The entire Area B7 was engulfed in smoke and fire.

Seeing his soldiers vanishing in droves, Zhao Kuo let out a frantic howl. His aura began to change: anger, killing intent, Yin energy, baleful energy, and resentment intertwined and condensed within his soul. His eyes turned blood-red.

Daoist Yuling sighed, "He has transformed into a composite of an Evil Yaksha and a Wicked Asura. Can ghosts and humans truly never coexist?"

Zi Wei sighed as well. He had wanted to accept Zhao Kuo’s surrender to gain a powerful Yin army for Great Xia, but it was too late. Zhao Kuo had become a creature of pure malice.

Zhao Kuo, now a creature of madness, had lost the ability to resist the yellow wind. He stood frozen, roaring, then stunned again. Zi Wei seized the opportunity and unleashed the "Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword." It flew toward Zhao Kuo, and with a *swoosh*, it passed through his waist. His soul body became transparent, and Zi Wei could see Daoist Yuling standing on the other side.

Zi Wei shouted, "Li Yunfei, now!"

"Understood!"

Li Yunfei poured eighty percent of his spiritual energy into a purple-gold hammer. It surged with purple light, a mountain-sized hammer shadow condensing above it, and smashed down on Zhao Kuo’s head.

*Boom!*

With a thunderous thud, Zhao Kuo’s soul body instantly collapsed, dissolving into the purest Yin energy and dispersing into the heavens and earth, never to exist again.

A sudden change occurred. High in the sky, two spirals of pure spiritual energy tore through the dense Yin clouds, descending toward the earth. The tips of these spiritual energy spirals were aimed directly at Li Yunfei and Honghong.