The ghost army began to climb upward along the steps of the colossal tree. The bark had long since peeled away, no one knew how many ages it had been dead, and before its vast trunk, even the ghosts seed smaller than ants.
The Sixteen Ghost Monarchs stood in formation around it, sending the ghostly legions ahead to scout the way while they observed the situation from a distance. The endless ranks of ghosts surrounded the tree so completely that not even air seed able to slip through.
Among the Ghost Monarchs, one figure stepped forward, a bald, savage-looking king with prayer beads strung around his neck and an oval-shaped censer in his hand.
The other Ghost Monarchs exchanged glances as the bald one poured spirit energy into the censer.
“With a asure of deathly energy, even gods and ghosts shall vanish.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the censer began to tremble. Wisps of black smoke seeped out, splitting into two streams.
One coiled upward, stirring the winds above as though divining the heavens themselves. The other, a thinner branch, floated quietly toward the place where Xu Zimo and the divine warriors were hiding.
The gods’ faces changed instantly. They hadn’t expected to be discovered so easily.
Even the bald Ghost Monarch looked montarily surprised before sneering. “Didn’t think I’d find a few little rats hiding here.”
He flicked his finger. A burst of ghostly energy exploded through the sand, blasting away their concealnt and forcing Xu Zimo’s group into view.
“This is bad,” one of the gods said grimly.
Seeing Xu Zimo and the others, both Ghost Monarch Nether-Pri and Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial imdiately understood.
“So these are the ones who intercepted us halfway,” Nether Capital said with a cold grin.
“Well, speak of the devil. We searched far and wide, only for them to walk right into our hands,” Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial added with a sneer.
In an instant, all sixteen Ghost Monarchs shot into the air, surrounding the divine warriors in a perfect circle.
The air thickened with imperial might, each Ghost Monarch emanated the aura of a Grand Emperor, and together they ford a suffocating net of power.
“You’d best surrender,” Ghost Monarch Nether-Pri said.
The leader of the divine group sighed. “In a mont, I’ll create an opening. When I do, run. If any of you can escape, do it.”
He knew full well that against sixteen Ghost Monarchs, their chances were nearly non-existent. But surrendering wasn’t the way of the gods.
“Attack!”
Golden light flared around the five divine warriors, their weapons blazing with divine radiance.
“Focus your power, don’t scatter it!” the leader barked, charging first at Ghost Monarch Nether-Pri. The others, except Xu Zimo, followed close behind.
The leader’s strength reached the level of a Grand Emperor, though the others were sowhat weaker.
“Didn’t expect the Primal God Race to have such a promising talent,” Nether Capital said, eyes gleaming. “Unfortunately, I love breaking geniuses.”
A surge of chilling yin energy erupted from him, colliding head-on with the divine light. The explosions thundered through the air, shaking the sands below.
The two figures clashed and then broke apart, while the remaining divine warriors tried to flee in different directions.
The Ghost Monarchs, however, showed no urgency. Watching them run, several smiled mockingly.
One Ghost Monarch snapped his fingers. The sound echoed across the entire desert.
In the next instant, the endless yellow sand rose into a swirling cyclone, a storm that blotted out the sky as it rushed toward the fleeing gods.
The earth itself seed to twist and spin; the heavens churned as the sandstorm devoured everything.
The divine warriors had no ti to react. The violent wind caught them and hurled them into the air.
Thousand River spread her golden wings, transforming into a radiant crane that burst from the storm, soaring high in a desperate attempt to escape.
But another Ghost Monarch, the one wearing a kasaya, stepped forward. He pulled the robe from his waist and threw it into the sky.
In an instant, it expanded to cover millions of miles, wrapping everyone beneath it.
No matter how the gods struggled, they couldn’t break free.
The storm subsided, and the kasaya fell heavily to the ground, slamming the divine warriors down with it.
They crashed into the earth, battered and disheveled. Nearby, the divine leader still battled fiercely against Ghost Monarch Nether-Pri.
“Enough,” said Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial coldly. “If you don’t stop, your companions will all die.”
The leader glanced toward his comrades, his face darkening. Finally, he halted his assault.
Ghost Monarch Nether-Pri struck him hard in the chest, sending a spray of blood from his mouth.
“How do you plan to deal with us?” the divine leader asked, frowning.
“The gods and ghosts have always been mortal enemies,” Ghost Monarch Nether-Pri said with a grin. “So tell , what do you think we should do with you?”
“Our divine army is on its way,” one of the captured gods shouted from within the kasaya. “When they arrive, your Spectral Ghost Race won’t fare any better!”
“Shut up!” the leader snapped, glaring at him. He could only think bitterly that he’d been cursed with a fool for a comrade.
Right now, all the ghosts’ focus was on Sunflower City. If the divine army launched a surprise attack, the ghosts could suffer devastating losses, perhaps even half their strength wiped out.
“Oh?” Ghost Monarch Nether-Pri laughed softly. “Thanks for the warning. We’ll be sure to prepare for their arrival.”
As the two sides exchanged words, Xu Zimo had already walked off with Xie Changliu. The two stood beneath the massive tree, studying it with interest.
“So this is Sunflower City,” Xu Zimo murmured.
“Not quite what I imagined.”
“This tree must have been imnsely powerful once,” Xu Zimo said, running his hand along the bark. “But now it’s dead. It seems this place truly is connected to the Flowers of Death.”
He hadn’t expected that the story they had fabricated earlier would turn out to be real.
“You two over there, what are you doing?” Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial called out suddenly, noticing them.
“They’re useless now,” another Ghost Monarch said. “Kill them both. No need to let them spread word and make things more complicated.”
Several others nodded in agreent.
Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial, seeing Xu Zimo ignore him, grew irritated.
He swung his Demon-Slaying Hamr, the weapon spinning with deadly energy before crashing down toward the two n.
No one paid it much attention, after all, killing a couple of bystanders was trivial.
But then ca a loud clang.
At so point, Xie Changliu’s sword had appeared in his hand. The blade glead with sharp light as its tip pierced straight into the descending hamr.
With both hands gripping his sword, Xie Changliu gave a powerful upward swing. The hamr, caught in the sword’s montum, was torn from Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial’s grasp and flung high into the air.
The onlookers were stunned.
“Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial, you lost your weapon to a junior?” one of the Ghost Monarchs jeered. “How embarrassing.”
“Silence,” Ghost Monarch Green-Celestial growled, his expression dark.
His right hand flared with black light, transforming into a claw of death that shot forward faster than lightning, aid straight at Xie Changliu’s abdon.
The speed took Xie Changliu by surprise, he barely had ti to react.
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