Chapter 463: Why Didn't You Act Sooner...?

That wasn’t a bald peak at all—it was a mountain of countless ghosts piled atop one another!

Even Xu Sanyan, with his formidable cultivation level, was deeply shaken by the sight. The scene resembled a monochrome painting, its brushstrokes chaotic and its style grotesque, exuding an aura of madness and malevolence that sent shivers down one’s spine.

The countless ghosts seemed to be in a deep slumber, their twisted faces as if trapped in nightmares. Xu Sanyan immediately signaled for silence, fearing any disturbance might rouse them.

But fate, as ever, had other plans. A bizarre, piercing shriek suddenly echoed from an unknown source, its shrillness stabbing through the eardrums as if the sound were right beside them.

Panic erupted among the group as they frantically searched for the source of the noise, while Xu Sanyan kept his gaze fixed on the mass of ghosts.

Swish—

One ghost’s eyes snapped open, its pitch-black pupils hollow and empty. As the first pair of eyes opened, it seemed to trigger a chain reaction. Countless ghosts began awakening one after another.

Just then, the shrieking ceased, as if its sole purpose had been to rouse these spectral beings.

“This is bad!”

The Yue Clan Patriarch’s heart leaped into his throat. The countless ghosts on the bald peak turned their gazes in unison toward the group, their malevolent stares sending chills down their spines.

“Ah~!!”

A strange, indescribable cry echoed through the air as countless intertwined ghosts rose in unison, forming a vast, pitch-black net that blotted out the sky and extinguished the last sliver of light.

“My fate is sealed!” someone wailed, their heart as cold as death.

“Demonic fiend! Even in death, I’ll never forgive you!” another cursed Xu Sanyan, blaming him for their predicament.

“Master…”

Amid the chaos, Xu Sanyan remained deaf to the cries, his gaze fixed on the mountain peak. As the ghosts ascended, they revealed what lay hidden beneath them:

There was indeed a mountain, its surface previously obscured by the swarm. Now that the ghosts had dispersed, a magnificent palace embedded into the mountainside stood revealed.

It looked as if half the mountain had been vertically cleaved away, replaced by a grand palace. The structure was entirely black, its surface carved with intricate patterns. Xu Sanyan had no time to examine them closely before countless ghostly creatures swarmed toward him.

“Ah~!!”

The cacophony of screams and roars filled the air. Among the hundred or so people present, some turned and fled, desperately trying to retrace their steps, while others charged toward the palace, hoping to find salvation within its walls. Only a dozen or so remained rooted to the spot, including Xu Sanyan, the Lu Clan Elder, Lu Wang and his sister, and the Yue Clan Patriarch.

As the crowd split into three groups, the ghosts in the sky also divided. A massive swarm surged toward the largest group, those fleeing back the way they came.

Xu Sanyan paid them no mind, simply conjuring a layer of light before him as a barrier. The ghosts lunged, their fangs crashing against the shimmering shield, but to no avail. The thin barrier stood firm as an impassable chasm, keeping the two forces firmly separated.

Though the ghosts appeared numerous, their actual strength was surprisingly limited. Perhaps they had once been formidable, but millennia of dormancy had eroded their power.

While facing them might have been a daunting task for cultivators in the Soul Refining Realm, Xu Sanyan had already reached the Peak Stage of Perfected Dao Harmonization, just a step away from the Sage Realm. These seemingly terrifying ghosts posed little threat to him.

Xu Sanyan’s gaze remained fixed on the murals adorning the palace walls. The screams of the ghosts and the wails of the fleeing crowd echoed in his ears, yet he felt no sympathy. He had never intended to let any of them survive. Even if they escaped now, he would personally ensure their demise later.

In truth, he harbored no personal grudges against most of them, nor any genuine hatred. They had merely insulted him. As for those who hadn’t…

Well, that was just their misfortune.

Bang!

The ghosts crashed violently against the barrier of spiritual power, emitting dull thuds. Xu Sanyan tilted his head slightly, finding his view somewhat obstructed.

Lu Wang wielded his Red Tassel Great Spear with ferocious force, yet cold sweat streamed down his face. He had to protect not only himself but also his younger sister. It was only thanks to the Lu Clan elder’s assistance that he had managed to hold out this long.

To Xu Sanyan, these ghosts were insignificant, but to Lu Wang, they represented a cataclysmic threat. Individually, they might pose little danger, but their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

“Brother, watch out!” Lu Wanzhe cried out anxiously. A ghost clawed at Lu Wang’s back, tearing his fine silk robe to shreds. Four bloody gashes instantly appeared, raw flesh oozing blood—clear evidence of a severe injury.

Lu Wang could endure the pain, but the real danger lay in the black energy spreading rapidly from the wound, gradually engulfing his body.

Ghost energy was swiftly corrupting his entire being!

Lu Wang’s face turned deathly pale. He couldn’t spare a hand to heal himself, and the ghost energy was spreading with terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, his body began to stiffen. Knowing his death was inevitable, he gritted his teeth, turned to his sister, and met her gaze with a flicker of grim determination.

“Fourth Uncle, take care of Wanzhe!” Lu Wang roared at the Lu Clan elder before charging headfirst into the swarm of ghosts, vanishing in an instant.

Boom!

Suddenly, a raging inferno erupted within the ghost horde, its crimson flames painting the sky blood-red. Hundreds of ghosts shrieked as they were incinerated into ash.

The spectacle drew Xu Sanyan’s attention momentarily. He glanced at the carnage before returning his gaze to the mural, uninterested.

Though the Lu Clan specialized in Soul Arts, Lu Wang had never shown any interest in them. He excelled in Fire Arts instead. Both his cherry-red spear and this final, life-consuming strike proved that his reputation as the Lu Clan’s foremost prodigy was well-deserved.

“Brother!”

Tears streamed down Lu Wanzhe’s face as she screamed hoarsely, but no one answered her. Instead, a crimson streak spiraled down and plunged into the ground, leaving only half the spear shaft visible.

It was Lu Wang’s weapon—the Red Tassel Great Spear.

“Brother!”

Xu Sanyan frowned. He felt no sympathy for Lu Wang’s death, finding the commotion merely annoying. Human joys and sorrows were incomprehensible to him.

Seeing the carnage nearing its end, Xu Sanyan’s mind stirred. A dark crimson mark materialized behind him—the Heavenly Dao Mark, radiating an ethereal red glow that instantly illuminated the earth, bathing everything in a blood-red light.

“Aah~!”

Sensing imminent danger, the ghosts emitted even more piercing wails, abandoning all others as they surged toward Xu Sanyan in a frenzied assault.

The countless ghosts coalesced into a massive net, encircling him completely, just as they had previously enveloped the mountain. The crimson light was instantly extinguished, leaving only a massive sphere of writhing ghosts suspended in the air.

All eyes were fixed on the scene, filled with conflicting desires. They hoped the ghosts would kill Xu Sanyan, yet also wished for Xu Sanyan to eradicate the ghosts—ideally, in a mutual annihilation.

But their hopes were destined to be dashed. A faint crimson glow suddenly pierced through the black sphere, growing steadily brighter, like a water-filled balloon punctured with countless holes. More and more light streamed through the gaps.

In an instant, the black sphere exploded violently, dissolving all the ghosts. The crimson mark high above blazed with renewed intensity, completely transforming the Ghost Realm’s color. Xu Sanyan stood suspended in mid-air, bathed in ten thousand rays of blood-red light, appearing like a demonic god descending upon the world.

Lu Wanzhe clutched her spear, her heart as cold as ashes. The veins stood out on her slender fingers as she murmured in a barely audible whisper, “Why didn’t you act sooner…?”

(End of the Chapter)