The Prodigies War

In the distance, a thousand-foot-high altar stood. It was made entirely of green jade that looked crystalline and holy.

That was the altar left behind by an ancient Battle Emperor and the center of this city.

But before Lin Xun and the big black bird could celebrate, they saw a towering figure standing there.

The person had black clothes, violet hair that flowed like a waterfall, sharp and tough facial features, and an outstanding bearing.

However, his eyes were filled with a hair-raising air of death.

No thinking was needed to identify him.

Ghost King Xuan Kong!

His aura was simply too powerful. Even from a long distance away, he already gave Lin Xun and the big black bird an overwhelming pressure that made them feel like they were suffocating.

“This is not good! This fellow is going to become a Saint soon!” The big black bird froze upon this realization and shouted, “Retreat, retreat!”

Lin Xun also felt a chill run through his heart, realizing that both he and the big black bird had far underestimated how horrifying Ghost King Xuan Kong really was!

They were like ants trying to look up at a dragon in the sky facing him. What did they have to fight against him?

“Run!”

The two turned around and fled without hesitation.

Lin Xun finally understood why all the cultivators who had entered this city since its appearance had never returned.

Just the presence of Ghost King Xuan Kong alone was enough to make anyone despair.

“In my lifetime, this king conquered worlds and fought against Saints from all nine domains, killing countless enemies and earning the title of Big Saint Xuan Kong!”

As a horrifyingly icy voice rumbled, the whole region abruptly fell into a bizarre silence. The rotten corpses all came to a stop and knelt down in unison, as if showing their submission.

At the same time, Lin Xun and the big black bird were horrified to find that they were imprisoned by a powerful force. They were suspended in the air like fish frozen in ice.

No matter how hard they struggled, it was futile!

Their faces became unsightly as their hearts sank to the bottom. Only now did they see for themselves how terrifying Ghost King Xuan Kong was!

On the crystalline, ancient jade altar, the towering Ghost King stood straight like a sky-piercing lance with an invincible aura.

“Reflecting back on my life, I’m certain that I had never killed the innocent and inflicted harm upon the world, only to end up here for nothing. Why such injustice?”

The voice was so bone-chilling that even heaven and earth went dead silent.

“When the other eight domains invaded, I was the first to step up and fight their Saints to defend the Ancient Wasteland Domain, spilling endless blood and suffering more scars than I could count. All that just to be reduced to a corpse that is neither human nor ghost, with only the remnants of my thoughts still holding on. How can I not loathe when the heavens are so cruel?”

In his voice was indescribable resentment and hatred, sending chills through everyone’s heart.

The expressions of Lin Xun and the big black bird flickered as it took them by surprise to learn that Ghost King Xuan Kong had been an inspiring and tragic man during his life, and had fought to defend the Ancient Wasteland Domain against the invasion of the other eight!

“Right and wrong no longer mean anything. But I can’t die no matter how much I want to, and can’t live the way I want to, having been trapped here for ages since! Can you imagine the torment?!”

Ghost King Xuan Kong’s long, violet hair danced wildly. A dull and dead air swirled in his eyes. From his entire being, a violent aura started spreading.

Clearly, he was extremely unstable!

“If you want to be relieved from your torment…” The big black bird was staking everything as it shouted, “Then why don’t you just let this bird transcend you?!”

Ghost King Xuan Kong’s face was ice-cold, and his eyes were like two dead swirls as he stared at the big black bird. “Transcend me? This king had stepped into the peak of the Big Saint stage during his lifetime. No one in this world below the Saint stage is qualified to transcend this king!”

These words were spoken with utter conceit.

The big black bird chided, “You indeed suffer misfortunes, but why are you venting your hatred on us? You were a Big Saint revered by all in your lifetime, but look at you now, what have you become?”

Ghost King Xuan Kong threw his head back and laughed resoundingly, but his voice once again became ruthlessly indifferent, “After being struck by the disaster that had me trapped here, I am no longer that person. No need to say all that and try to make me let you off, for I shall not spare anyone who enters this city!”

As these words echoed, a chilling murderous intent spread out from him.

Lin Xun and the big black bird tensed up.

“Wait!” shouted Lin Xun.

However, Ghost King Xuan Kong had turned into a violet streak that shot toward him.

“That’s a nice hide you have there. When I rebuild my Saint path, I will use your face to dominate the world!”

As the Ghost King’s icy and hideous laughter echoed, the violet streak entered Lin Xun, seeking to take away his dao seed and exterminate his soul!

Unable to move at all, Lin Xun could only watch as it happened.

Boom!

He immediately felt a violent and ferocious power run amok inside him. His vision went black, and he almost lost consciousness.

“What an astonishing spirit; it has transformed into three that hold the laws of the past, present, and future respectively. Remarkable!” an exclamation echoed in Lin Xun’s mind sea.

Almost immediately after, Little Silver, who had been reserving its strength and ready to attack, froze as the violet streak wrapped it up.

“God Devourer Insect King! Who would have thought that I’d be able to see this notorious ancient insect with my own eyes after death?” Ghost King Xuan Kong marveled before suddenly exclaiming in shock, “What a strong origin aeth artery, is this something you were born with? But why have I never seen it before?”

Lin Xun’s heart trembled violently as dread took over him. He felt as if all of his secrets had been seen through by the old ghost.

Before long, Lin Xun felt the place that housed his dao seed being enveloped in a chilling and vicious energy.

“What kind of dao seed is this? It’s more powerful and divine than that of all Supreme Kings I’ve killed in the past two days!” shrieked Ghost King Xuan Kong again.

He knew he had lost his composure, but was unable to control his emotions. After all, what kind of heavenly talents had he not seen before as a Big Saint who had roamed the world? Yet, he had never seen any of the secrets on this young man, which was simply unbelievable!

“Spirit, natural talents, dao seed… Both their quality and level can be called perfect. Even people who were born Saint heirs are inferior to you. Truly amazing.”

Ghost King Xuan Kong was experiencing quite a surprise. He had originally planned to kill Lin Xun right away, but now that it looked like he had discovered a mysterious treasure trove, he was in no hurry at all.

“Truly unbelievable. If you become a Saint, then you would be able to dominate everyone in the same cultivation stage and earn the most supreme title!”

Ghost King Xuan Kong was not stingy with his praise, but it only sent more chills through Lin Xun’s heart, making him feel like a fish on a chopping block that could be slaughtered and devoured anytime by this old devil.

“Huh? This…”

The Ghost King was suddenly triggered by something to the point he was about to lose control, and Lin Xun keenly caught this.

Ghost King Xuan Kong was staring at the Nameless Pagoda!

His face was flickering with shock, amazement, excitement, and many other emotions. In just a blink, it was as if he had turned into a different person, completely lost in a daze!

Seizing this opportunity, Lin Xun used his spirit energy to activate the pagoda.

In the Supreme Realm, using a Saint Treasure would result in the cultivator being instantly erased. This had been clear to Lin Xun back in the Burning Immortal Realm.

But at this moment, he couldn't care less. Moreover, he was using the pagoda entirely within himself and not in the outside world.

Whoosh!

The Nameless Pagoda lit up with a golden luster, and then, a mysterious, golden streak of light swept out from its octagonal body toward Ghost King Xuan Kong.

Lin Xun was incredibly nervous as he had activated the pagoda with the readiness to throw his life away.

But to his shock, the violet light that was Ghost King Xuan Kong remained foolishly still and was instantly shrouded by the golden streak.

The shock continued when Lin Xun saw that the golden streak failed to capture the Ghost King and put him into the pagoda…

Lin Xun felt his heart turn cold.

Even the Nameless Pagoda can’t suppress this old devil. What can I even do at this point?

Right at this moment, the violet light transformed into the image of Ghost King Xuan Kong, who fell to his knees with a plop, still being shrouded in the golden glow as he kowtowed to the pagoda!

And his resolute and cold face was dripping with tears!

“Master! This disciple is incompetent, being trapped here without any possibility of true life or death. I’ve caused the name of our sect to be tarnished. I…I’ve failed you!” The Ghost King wept like a student repenting his mistake, no longer exuding the cold and violent aura before.

Lin Xun was dumbfounded.

“Master! Did you send Junior Brother here? That’s why you let me see this tower today, right…?” Ghost King Xuan Kong choked, his voice teary as he prostrated himself on the ground.

He obviously respected and revered his ‘master’ to the core.

Lin Xun finally understood that the presence of the Nameless Pagoda in him had caused the Ghost King to misunderstand that he was his junior brother!

Judging from this, the pagoda had most likely been left by Ghost King Xuan Kong’s teacher!

“Master, I followed your teachings and traveled the world. Although my hands were stained with blood, my conscience was clear. Only after being trapped in that place did my temperament suddenly change and my mind become muddled…

“Did you know, Master? All these years, not a day has gone by that your disciple hasn’t had to live in torment. I’ve been praying every day that I could be relieved from this, but my wish has been nothing but far-fetched…

“If I could turn back time, I would rather have died in the conquest back then!”

The Ghost King rambled on, venting the bitterness that had been suppressed for boundless years in his heart to his father figure.

At the end of it, he even bawled his eyes out.

Lin Xun was surprised to see an existence that had reached the peak of the Big Saint stage in his lifetime disregarding his image and crying so heartily.

Suddenly, Ghost King Xuan Kong stood up and took a deep breath. “Master, I know that you are no longer here, but I understand what I have to do.”

He cupped his fist and bowed deeply, his face flashing with determination.

Lin Xun stiffened as his heart violently tightened up. What is this old monster going to do?