Chapter 147: The Grand Underworld Formation

Crossing the suspension bridge, a vast complex of buildings began to emerge. Everything—the houses, the streets, and the markets—was steeped in the distinct style of the Diqiang tribes. Three broad avenues led deeper into the Divine Palace of the Ghost Kingdom. Yet, to Lu Xin’s bewilderment, these streets, which should have been bustling with life, were completely deserted.

High above the architecture hung countless white lanterns, suspended some thirty to forty feet in the air. The surrounding light remained dim; only those with the sight of a Yin-Yang master could clearly discern the path in such a place.

"Those three Underworld Streets each lead to a different great hall. Only by choosing the correct one can one find the Hall of the Yellow Springs. To choose wrongly is to enter a place of great calamity—a path of nine deaths and one life!"

"What do you mean? Are you saying the Hall of the Yellow Springs isn't static, but alive?"

Yue Buhei cast a glance back at the suspension bridge, then frowned at the three distant streets, his expression filled with anxiety. Lu Xin’s words had left him confused. However, the sound of footsteps approaching from behind was imminent; he wanted to find a hiding spot to observe the situation before making a decision.

"It is indeed alive—a palace built upon a mechanism. According to my master, it shifts its location according to the changes in celestial phenomena. We might choose the path on the left, but the true Hall of the Yellow Springs could be on the right. If we enter the wrong one, we step into a death trap rigged with countless mechanisms and arrays."

"Damn it, then what do we do? Before your master left, didn't he teach you a way to tell?"

Yue Buhei snapped his fan shut twice, growing increasingly restless. Lu Xin, however, shook his head, his face equally grave.

"My master only said one thing: only those with destiny may enter. And you, you are that person with destiny."

"Me?"

"Yes. You are a demon, and the first Ghost Emperor, Tubo, was also of the demon race. My master said your bloodline power would guide us to the true Hall of the Yellow Springs."

Lu Xin’s words caused Yue Buhei’s expression to shift again. Before he could press for more, a rapid sequence of footsteps echoed from the suspension bridge behind them. The two exchanged a look and dashed toward the central Underworld Street.

Once they entered the street, the light grew brighter. White lanterns were hung everywhere. The shops on both sides were filled with a dazzling array of goods, yet not a soul was to be seen. Lu Xin and Yue Buhei ducked into a silk shop to hide. They had barely concealed themselves when the group they were fleeing from charged into view.

There were five of them—three men and two women—all dressed in the attire of the Diqiang tribes. Each of them bore a pair of horns upon their heads that looked incredibly sharp. Yue Buhei had initially assumed they were just another team that had broken into the Divine Palace, but looking at them now, it was highly likely these five were sent by the Diqiang tribes to hunt them down.

"Outsiders, come out. I see you."

The five Diqiang tribesmen searched the street for a moment, and finding nothing, the tall woman suddenly shouted. At the same time, the other four drew two axes each from their waists, standing at the ready. Seeing this, Lu Xin and Yue Buhei didn't dare show their faces, pressing themselves even lower.

"What do we do? Their cultivation doesn't seem high, but all of Fengdu City is the territory of the Diqiang tribes. If we start a fight, the consequences are unpredictable."

"No, we must not kill until we know the truth. Fox, don't you know techniques of misdirection? If you can trap them for a moment, that will be enough for us to escape."

"I can't. My illusions require the power of the terrain, and this is the Divine Palace of the Ghost Kingdom—it is no longer part of the mundane world. To get out, we either wait for them to leave, or we fight our way out!"

The two communicated through their spirits, but they could think of no good solution. Just then, dozens of flames flew in from outside the street, shaped like arrows, fast and fierce. It was clearly some kind of spell, aimed directly at the five Diqiang tribesmen. The tall woman reacted first; shouting in her native tongue, she brandished her twin axes and charged into the sea of fire. The other four threw their own axes into the air, hacking out a massive amount of black gas.

"Miasma? How is it that the magic of these Diqiang people is just like ours, the demons?"

Yue Buhei watched as the black gas instantly extinguished the flames, his expression growing increasingly strange. Lu Xin did not answer, curious as to who was attacking the Diqiang. The next second, the tall woman’s head suddenly flew off, rolling down the street dozens of meters away. A blurred figure then charged into the group, blade in hand, leaping with supernatural agility, slaughtering them all in the blink of an eye.

The scene was sudden, unfolding in the time it takes to strike a flint. Lu Xin’s eyes widened, his skin crawling.

"This person’s swordsmanship and internal energy are formidable—truly, far too strong."

Lu Xin was a master of the sword himself and could distinguish between martial arts and sorcery. The man’s blade cut into the crowd like a mountain torrent, his momentum so overwhelming that he could sweep everyone into his range in an instant. His internal energy was so deep that it actually overpowered the magic of the five Diqiang warriors—a thing unheard of.

After the man finished them off, a group of thirteen Yin-Yang masters in black robes ran in from outside the street. The man turned back to speak, appearing to be their leader.

"How is the trap set?"

"Reporting to Senior Brother, we have laid the Hundred Ghost Array and the Thousand Soul Array on the suspension bridge. It should be able to hold them off for a while."

"Good. Find the Hall of the Yellow Springs, no matter the cost. I have a feeling that the forces of the Great Tang Dynasty are already watching from the shadows."

After speaking, the man scanned his surroundings before leading the group deeper into the Underworld Street. Upon seeing his face, Lu Xin clamped his hand over his mouth, shocked beyond belief. Not until the sound of their footsteps had completely vanished did he draw a deep breath and regain his composure.

"Little Xin, who exactly did you see? Who could make you so surprised?"

"It’s a long story. A few days ago, the Turkic princess sent for marriage attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince. The Emperor ordered all Turkic envoys to be beheaded. But one general disappeared before the princess could commit suicide by poison. I thought he had escaped back to the Turkic lands to report the news. I never expected to see him here."

"A Turkic general? Could that group be disciples of the Nether Dao Sect?"

Yue Buhei’s face darkened upon hearing this. The more forces involved in the Fengdu Ghost Realm, the worse it was for them. And based on current intelligence, the court's influence had already infiltrated the area.

"We need help. Let’s head back first."

Lu Xin thought for a moment and decided to return to the outside of the palace to regroup with Zhao Li and the others. Yue Buhei agreed that continuing further would surely lead to great trouble, and finally abandoned the idea of moving forward. The two stood up from the silk shop, but they hadn't taken two steps when the sound of footsteps echoed from the entrance of the street again.

"Damn it, who the hell is it this time!"

Yue Buhei cursed, but his speed was not slow; he instantly crouched back into his original position. Two seconds later, eight Yin-Yang masters in yellow robes ran past, looking very anxious. At the sight of the leader, Yue Buhei’s expression changed drastically.

"Huang Yuyi! It’s actually someone from the Shangxuan Heaven Sect. Hmph... what a small world!"

"Speaking of him, Fox, how exactly did you manage to injure him back in Chizhou?"

Lu Xin hadn't expected another familiar face to appear so soon. Huang Yuyi of the Shangxuan Heaven Sect was an old rival of theirs. A few months ago in Chizhou, he had nearly seized the Wandering Immortal Sword and dragged them to Dragon City. Meeting him now brought all those memories flooding back.

"I’m not entirely sure of the details myself. I heard from the Yang sisters that I had reverted to my true form, but my size was abnormally large. Huang Yuyi’s sword couldn't harm me in the slightest. It’s a pity I couldn't kill him back then. This time, I’ll have to have some real fun with him."

Demons are particularly vengeful, and foxes even more so. Upon seeing Huang Yuyi, Yue Buhei’s state became incredibly excited, as if he were ready to go out and settle the score. Lu Xin had also been humiliated by Huang Yuyi and held a grudge, but the current situation was too strange and complex; it was not the time to act.

The silk shop was not far from the entrance of the street. Once they emerged, they headed straight for the suspension bridge. But by then, a thick fog had risen in all directions. Lu Xin searched for over ten minutes without catching a glimpse of the bridge. With no other choice, they retreated to the Underworld Street. Strangely, the original three streets had suddenly multiplied into eight. In front of every entrance stood a terrifying statue—serpentine bodies with tiger heads, wielding giant axes, four or five yards tall.

The thick fog behind them was still spreading, drawing ever closer. Lu Xin did not understand what these changes signified, but both he and Yue Buhei knew someone had triggered an array within the Underworld Street.

ROAR!

There was no time to ponder. The eight massive statues roared in succession, their eyes glowing red. The next second, the earth shook, and the eight streets began to rotate, rapidly forming the shape of a Bagua.

Gazing at the scene, Lu Xin gasped. The power required to rotate such massive streets was unimaginable. If they moved forward, they would inevitably enter a great array. But looking back, there was no longer a path.

Just as the two hesitated, the surrounding fog closed in. Looking back, a multitude of red eyes appeared in the depths of the mist, accompanied by the sound of heavy, labored breathing.

Hiss...

Like the breath of serpents, massive black shadows crawled rapidly out of the fog—bodies like crocodiles, heads like water buffaloes, and enormous maws. The moment Yue Buhei saw these creatures, he grabbed Lu Xin and bolted toward a street directly in front of them. His rapid, ragged breathing betrayed just how terrified he was.

"Fox, what on earth are those things?"

"Don't ask! If they catch us, we are dead for sure."