Su Xi stared at the ghost elder, who seemed to want to kill her, without any intention of backing down. Instead, she met his glare head-on.
Although she felt immense pressure at that moment, she also sensed her own growth from facing the ghost elder.
If there were no opportunities, she wouldn't engage in futile efforts.
However, at this moment, she truly felt that while the ghost elder was formidable, he wasn't an insurmountable foe.
If she couldn't defeat him directly, she could devise other strategies.
She knew he desperately wanted the sarira, so using it as leverage, by threatening something he valued, she could certainly achieve her desired outcome.
Seeing Su Xi's determined demeanor, a contemplative look quickly appeared on the ghost elder's face.
In just one month, this woman had grown so much. Not only had her strength increased, but her mental fortitude had also developed.
In the past, Su Xi wouldn't have been so resolute; she would have certainly capitulated.
Knowing that Su Xi wouldn't yield, the ghost elder, who had been stern, made a decision and suddenly started to laugh.
The previously tense atmosphere instantly dissipated.
"You don't need to be so nervous. I didn't say I wouldn't give you the antidote. Don't be too anxious."
After speaking, the ghost elder took out a black pill from his person and placed it before Su Xi, saying generously, "The antidote you want is here. Come and take it yourself."
Su Xi took the pill from the ghost elder and examined it closely. Instead of consuming it, she suddenly moved and crushed the hard-won pill in her hand into powder, letting it scatter in the wind.
"What are you doing?"
The ghost elder became enraged at Su Xi's actions.
Did she not cherish what he gave her? Was she insulting him?
If she wanted his antidote again, it wouldn't be so easy.
Su Xi was not intimidated by the ghost elder's tone. She smiled playfully and said, "We're both adults now. Don't try your tricks on me."
When she held the pill, she had carefully examined it and knew it was ineffective and, in fact, highly toxic.
Consuming it would not only be useless but would also have adverse effects.
This poison would not only be swift and fatal but would also condemn her soul to eternal damnation.
The ghost elder had certainly plotted shrewdly, employing such a venomous tactic.
Upon witnessing this, the ghost elder chuckled.
He truly hadn't expected Su Xi to be so intelligent, to understand so much, and to uncover his deception.
His initial plan to incapacitate Su Xi and then act was now clearly foiled.
Thus, he took out another pill from his person and offered it to Su Xi.
This pill bore some resemblance to the previous one, but it now exuded a strong medicinal fragrance, incomparable to the first.
From its appearance alone, it was superior to the previous one.
After examining it with her supercomputer, Su Xi confirmed that this pill was not fake but genuine.
Once she verified that the pill was legitimate, Su Xi unhesitatingly swallowed it.
After taking the pill, Su Xi felt a wave of relief, as if long-standing shackles had been lifted from her body, bringing her an indescribable sense of joy.
Her previously stagnant spiritual energy began to flow, and her power surged.
Observing this, the ghost elder asked with great interest, "How did you know the first pill was fake?"
The fake pill differed from the real one by only a few ingredients, making it difficult for even master alchemists to distinguish.
How had Su Xi, an ordinary person, managed this?
Could it be that Su Xi possessed extraordinary talent, which made her so adept at discerning such effects?
Su Xi smiled at the ghost elder and replied, "Some things are better left a mystery."
Hearing Su Xi's answer, the ghost elder paused for a moment but then smiled again. "You are an interesting young woman. However, now that I have given you what you desire, shouldn't you give me what I want in return?"
Su Xi nodded and handed the boneless sarira to the ghost elder. Since the transaction was complete, she would naturally keep her word.
This item was useless to her anyway, so it was better to give it to someone else. Not doing so might even lead to significant conflict. Creating unnecessary trouble and misunderstandings would be exceedingly difficult.
The ghost elder took the boneless sarira from Su Xi and took a deep breath, an inexpressible joy washing over him.
After being trapped here for so many years, he finally had the opportunity to obtain the freedom he desired and was eager to leave.
Understanding this, he unhesitatingly placed the boneless sarira onto his shackles and began chanting a spell, activating the sarira.
These shackles not only bound his body but also imprisoned his soul, rendering him immobile. For years, his spiritual energy had been constantly devoured, and his cultivation had steadily declined.
Now, with this boneless sarira, he could break free from his predicament.
Therefore, as the ghost elder inserted the boneless sarira into the small opening within the shackles, the entire restraint erupted with a dazzling light.
As the light appeared, Su Xi heard a sound like shattering glass in her ears, accompanied by a powerful surge of energy.
"Crack!"
With a sudden sound, a series of noises followed. In the darkness, it echoed with profound emptiness.
In an instant, the iron chains that had bound the ghost elder began to break inch by inch, turning into dust that fell to the ground.
"Hahahaha!"
A series of chuckles, filled with unspeakable mirth, emanated from the ghost elder in the darkness.
As the ghost elder laughed, countless dark energies converged upon him, and his aura began to ascend continuously.
Within a short time, he reached a level that made Su Xi feel utterly out of her depth.
Such rapid advancement filled her with a sense of helplessness.
Su Xi swallowed hard, watching the scene unfold.
If she possessed such potent abilities, she would undoubtedly ascend to godhood, no longer needing to scheme and plot, and perhaps even achieve her revenge directly.
Su Xi's thoughts were quickly suppressed as she saw the ghost elder approaching her.
Although the ghost elder still looked the same, Su Xi sensed a distinct and powerful aura emanating from him.
This aura made him radiate an intense sense of danger.
Just a glance at the ghost elder made Su Xi feel as if she were being drawn into his body, her spiritual energy completely frozen.
Such a strong sense of crisis made her breathing rapid, and her spiritual energy began to surge, preparing her for combat at any moment.
Veins bulged on her forehead, radiating a powerful aura.
"What are you doing?" The ghost elder chuckled, sensing Su Xi's nervousness.
Su Xi's fearful and astonished reaction pleased him greatly.
Although he had only recovered a third of his original strength, it was more than enough to escape this godforsaken place.
Finally, after leaving this place, he had achieved what he desired.
"Senior, since you are free, we shall take our leave now. I never wish to meet again." Su Xi wanted no further entanglement with these people and desperately wished to depart.
After all, no matter how she looked at it, the ghost elder harbored no good intentions.
Lingering any longer might cost her her life.
"You've only just arrived, no need to be so eager to leave." The ghost elder saw through Su Xi's intentions but had no intention of agreeing so readily.
For him, having just escaped, he needed Su Xi's assistance.
"What do you want?" Hearing the ghost elder's words, Su Xi instantly became tense.
Facing the current ghost elder, Su Xi was in a precarious position.
It was clear that the ghost elder intended to kill her, so she couldn't simply do nothing.
"I'm just hungry and want you to provide some spiritual energy. You don't need to be so tense." The ghost elder smiled, revealing sharp teeth as he looked at Su Xi.
His current cultivation far surpassed Su Xi's, so obtaining what he desired from her body would be no problem at all.
Observing all this, Su Xi felt immense pressure.
Although her cultivation had improved, she was no match for the ghost elder. Previously, she had the sarira as a threat, but now she had nothing.
Not only did she lack the strength to fight, but she couldn't even muster the courage to resist.
The vast disparity in their strength made any resistance futile.
The ghost elder smiled and beckoned to Su Xi.
With his gesture, Su Xi was immediately caught in his grasp, unable to move.
"Crunch!"
The ghost elder opened his mouth and lunged towards Su Xi.
At such close proximity, Su Xi could smell the blood emanating from the ghost elder's mouth, accompanied by an indescribable sense of dizziness.
"What should I do?"
Su Xi's spiritual energy was completely suppressed, rendering her powerless to do anything, not even summon her spatial realm.
At this critical juncture, a powerful light suddenly erupted from Su Xi's body.
As this light appeared, the ghost elder's expression changed, and he hastily pushed himself backward.
After retreating, he stared at Su Xi in disbelief.
What was that aura just now? Why was it so powerful?
Under the aura emanating from Su Xi, he even felt a sense of paralysis, unable to move.
"Who are you?" The ghost elder asked Su Xi, his tone stern.
Of course, the ghost elder wasn't asking Su Xi, but rather who was within Su Xi's body.
"Heh, it's been a long time since I've appeared. It seems some people have forgotten me." Before Su Xi could comprehend what was happening, a series of lights began to emerge.
As these lights appeared, a cascade of luminescence converged before Su Xi's eyes.
Then, Su Xi saw a familiar face she hadn't seen in a long time—True Master Tiangang.
True Master Tiangang stretched lazily and looked at the ghost elder, sighing, "I thought it was someone else. Turns out it's you, old fellow."
"After all these years, you're still alive?"
Su Xi couldn't believe she heard True Master Tiangang speak that way. Her mouth twitched.
The ghost elder was tens of millions of years old, yet he was being called an "old fellow"?
Though she didn't understand, Su Xi knew it was best to do nothing at the moment, as she was merely a nobody.