The sky was choked with dark clouds, and all the members of the Wushang Mansion stood behind a white figure. For ten thousand miles, a chilling aura lingered.
"How dare a mere Ghost Emperor be so arrogant!"
A beam of light erupted from them. Dozens of people formed hand seals, their bodies glowing brighter and brighter. Their hair whipped in the wind, their eyes sharp and shining.
"Haa!"
Once the power of the light beam was fully channeled into the elegant and cold figure before them, it was completed.
He tilted his head slightly under the impact, the ends of his long hair behind him turning golden. His robe billowed like wings, whipping behind him. A white-gold pattern instantly appeared on his smooth forehead, and beneath his long brows, his clear, pure eyes, like pristine water, made him appear sacred, like a deity.
With a swift and decisive movement, he summoned the White Luo Immortal Sword. The sword, pure white and translucent, blazed with a magnificent light, infused with surging power. Its body began to grow, expanding inch by inch.
Before long, it towered over the heads of the Immortal Gathering Alliance members, growing to the size of an island or a flying boat. Under its vast, jade-like shadow, the Immortal Gathering Alliance members felt a surge of surprise and renewed hope.
"He's here..."
Ru Lan clenched her fists, her eyes subtly reddening.
Yan Tianjiao and Lu Ziyin stared blankly in that direction. Even from a distance, the immense power of the Great Dao made them tremble all over.
Lu Ziyin exclaimed, "Liu Jiangfusheng? He escaped?"
"I knew it, he was bound to come. 'Kidnapped,' nonsense. If he were that easily captured, he wouldn't be the master of Wushang Mansion," Ru Lan retorted with a smile, as if she had foreseen everything.
"Haven't you noticed? Every time we see him, we're looking up to him. Alas, the gap is widening. It'll be embarrassing to say he was once our junior brother," another said.
"Bah, he's your ancestor now, if you want!"
After snapping at Lu Ziyin, Ru Lan remembered Yan Tianjiao beside her and teased, "Yan Tianjiao, aren't you feeling terrible inside? Someone who wasn't much different from you back then is now someone you can't possibly reach."
Yan Tianjiao's disposition, having been tempered and experienced through countless trials, was no longer the arrogant and ignorant person he once was.
In the past, he only cared about becoming stronger, dismissing all worldly matters. Later, after experiencing defeat and humiliation, he'd wished to crush those who had shamed him.
But now, his life had a true purpose. He was no longer as obsessed with past grudges and hatreds as he used to be.
However, he still wouldn't give up his pursuit forward.
Yan Tianjiao sneered at Ru Lan, "So what? No matter what, I'm still stronger than all of you."
With that, he turned away haughtily and was the first to transform into a streak of icy light, flying away.
This infuriated Ru Lan, who gritted her teeth.
The few senior brothers behind them had also participated in the "Newcomer Rankings" and naturally recognized Liu Jiangfusheng. Especially after the battle in Rongcheng where he split the ghost formation, they had truly witnessed his magnificent demeanor.
His powerful and decisive stance at that time, gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, was still vivid in their memories.
If it were a competition among peers, they might have felt a sense of jealousy. But for someone so much higher in realm, even among peers, they couldn't muster the mindset to compete.
How could the light of a firefly dare to compete with the brilliance of the moon?
To save face, they could only elevate the other person. This way, losing to him would be somewhat justifiable.
"He is the role model for our generation. Although aiming for him might be overestimating ourselves, I believe we won't be too far behind in the future!" they declared with firm expressions.
Ru Lan felt the same way. She said, "Indeed. Even though we know there's a difference, we mustn't belittle ourselves. Let's follow our own pace, step by step, climbing towards the highest point. One day, we'll surely catch up."
Lu Ziyin muttered sourly, "No matter how powerful he is, he was still abandoned by someone. Looking at it this way, it's impossible for people to be perfect. There will always be unsatisfactory aspects."
"Shut up!" Ru Lan spat at him. "What a petty mindset!"
Speaking of which, Ru Lan also thought of Gu Junshi.
She wondered where she was now...
***
When they arrived at Shuofang City, the city was deserted. Not a single ghost cultivator lingered outside. Where had they all gone?
Had they all fled to seek refuge long ago?
"They're not in the city. Look over there, where black mist swirls like dense fog, so thick it's unnerving!" a disciple said.
Yan Tianjiao looked over, his phoenix eyes cold and deep. "That is the Black River, a place of death that has been still and stagnant for years, unmoving, unswimming, only sinking."
"An anomaly has appeared over there. Let's hurry and check it out," Lu Ziyin said, still worried about the battle in Fengdu and eager to ascertain the cause of the ghost energy and rush back to support them.
They tracked towards the area with the densest ghost energy. But before they could reach their destination, they were struck by a powerful gust of air from above, sending them crashing to the ground.
Yan Tianjiao slammed his palm onto the ground, emitting a chilling mist that solidified into ice shards, catching the others as they fell.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Be careful. This ghost energy contains not only malevolent souls, but it seems there's something else present," Yan Tianjiao warned.
A senior brother voiced his hesitant concern, "The Black River is shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see anything clearly. Rushing in recklessly like this is too dangerous. We must clear a path first."
The black mist billowed around the Black River, the deathly aura pressing in, making every step difficult. If they forced their way in to investigate, and couldn't withdraw in time, they would likely perish here.
At this, Ru Lan stomped her foot in frustration, "If only my elder brother were here. He's much more capable than us at dealing with this."
Chenghong, the Bodhisattva.
It was a pity that his external incarnation had been destroyed, and his true form had also sustained some injuries. He had not come with the other Buddhist disciples from Maha Zen Temple.
Just then, a female voice came from behind them, "I have a way to temporarily dispel this ghost energy."
Startled, they turned their heads, only to see Fu Wanyan following behind them.
When had she arrived? With her Foundation Establishment cultivation, none of them, who were at the Nascent Soul stage, had noticed.
However, upon reflection, Fu Wanyan was known for many strange things. Perhaps she relied on some artifact that could mask her aura.
As for her words, they sounded a bit presumptuous and absurd. The others didn't believe her, but Ru Lan still did.
She had interacted with Fu Wanyan for many years and knew some of her abilities.
Fu Wanyan seemed to come from some reclusive family, carrying a wide variety of spiritual artifacts and treasures, like a treasure chest. Perhaps she really had a way to solve their current problem.
"Fu Wanyan, what do you plan to do?" Ru Lan asked her.
Fu Wanyan took out a ring. A black gemstone, the size of a thumb, was embedded in a metal hoop. She told them, "This ring is called 'Swallowing Heaven.' It's a high-grade spiritual artifact. It can swallow anything in a short period, even ghost energy."