Chapter 266: Ghost Manor's Turmoil

Chapter 266: Ghost Manor's Turmoil

In the dead of night, the Ghost Manor was shrouded in darkness, with only a few lanterns flickering like will-o'-the-wisps in a graveyard. The scent of crabapple blossoms lingered in the air.

Tianchenzi sat in a spacious hall, his entire body wrapped in a black robe, revealing only half of his aged face.

"The 'Weapon Ranking List'—Ning Xiaochuan's idea is truly ingenious. Controlling the world with a mere ranking scroll is something ordinary minds could never conceive. Heh." Tianchenzi held a scroll of beast hide in his hand, studying it while occasionally glancing at the hourglass before him.

With Meng Ying's Martial Arts Profound Qi cultivation, she should be bringing Ning Xiaochuan's head back soon. That was what he believed.

A black-clad guard entered the hall, kneeling on one knee. "Reporting to the Ghost Envoy, the Sword Attendant has returned."

"Oh? Bring her in at once." A smirk curled on Tianchenzi's lips. Meng Ying's efficiency was as expected.

Ning Xiaochuan, Ning Xiaochuan... Don't blame me for being ruthless. This world is simply cruel and merciless.

A woman clad in a gold-armored black robe strode into the hall, gripping a chain whose other end was bound to Ning Xiaochuan. She knelt and bowed to Tianchenzi. "Master, I have captured Ning Xiaochuan alive. I await your judgment."

Just as Tianchenzi was about to rise, a flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes. He scrutinized the woman intently. "Rise."

Maintaining his composure, Tianchenzi stepped toward Ning Xiaochuan, his Martial Arts Profound Qi circulating within him.

The moment he neared Ning Xiaochuan, he suddenly lashed out with a palm strike aimed at the gold-armored black-robed woman.

The strike was swift and unexpected.

A massive palm imprint shattered the woman's Protective Profound Qi Armor, sending her flying like a broken kite. She crashed into the hall's wall before collapsing heavily to the ground.

The golden mask on Situ Fengwu's face fell away, revealing her deathly pale complexion. Blood spilled from her lips as her internal organs ruptured and her meridians snapped. Demonic energy invaded her body, plunging her into unconsciousness.

"Impressive vigilance."

Ning Xiaochuan shattered the chains binding him with a flick of his arm, summoning a massive Lightning Divine Beast—its form resembling both a dragon and a tiger—crackling with electricity.

Tianchenzi dodged like a phantom, evading Ning Xiaochuan's attack with eerie grace.

"Ning Xiaochuan, I admit, getting past Meng Ying was unexpected. But did you really think you could outmaneuver me? I've been scheming for decades—there's no trick I haven't seen." A chilling aura emanated from Tianchenzi as ghostly flames flickered in his eyes, his lips curling into a cold smile.

Ning Xiaochuan remained calm. "I thought that since I saved your life, even if you coveted the position of Ghost Manor Manor Lord, you wouldn't kill me. But you've gone too far."

"When I sent Meng Ying to kill you, I instructed her to make it quick. Consider that repayment for saving my life. I’ve always been clear about debts and grudges." Tianchenzi replied indifferently.

"What a clear distinction between gratitude and grudges! Since everything is settled, let's see who can kill whom today?" Ning Xiaochuan stood with his hands behind his back at the center of the hall, his gaze piercing as he stared at Tianchenzi.

Tianchenzi scoffed, "Brat, you're no match for me."

"Then why don't you test that?" Ning Xiaochuan retorted.

Seeing Ning Xiaochuan so fearless, Tianchenzi grew suspicious and hesitated to act rashly. He was a man of caution by nature. Even Meng Ying had failed to take his life—could this kid truly have hidden tricks up his sleeve?

Tianchenzi was a strategist, not a gambler. He dared not take the risk.

"Boom!"

A radiant light erupted from Tianchenzi's body as he suddenly soared into the air, shattering the roof in his attempt to flee.

"I've been waiting for this!" Murong Hua stood atop the roof. As the light surged upward, he unleashed a Martial Arts Divine Ability, transforming it into a colossal Dragon Soul that descended with crushing force.

The Dragon Soul struck Tianchenzi, sending him flying several kilometers away before crashing into a towering mountain. The Ghost Manor was backed by a desolate mountain range, and Tianchenzi's impact caused the peak to tremble, sending massive boulders tumbling down.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Both Murong Hua and Ning Xiaochuan activated their utmost movement techniques, darting into the mountains.

Murong Hua stood at the foot of the mountain beside a small stream, his body encircled by swirling tendrils of Profound Qi shaped like tiny dragons.

Ning Xiaochuan employed Rainbow Teleportation, his body transforming into a seven-colored beam of light as he landed atop the mountain peak, summoning the Demonic Sword. Above him, an ink-black cloud formed, thick and ominous.

Countless bolts of Lightning weaved through the dark clouds, casting the land into alternating flashes of light and darkness.

Tianchenzi emerged from the mountain, shaking off the dust, and glanced down at Murong Hua with a cold laugh. "You two think you can take me on? Lin Sanzhi isn't in Ghost Manor—I am its foremost authority. Ning Xiaochuan, in my eyes, you're nothing but a brat still wet behind the ears!"

Lin Sanzhi was still at the Yunhu Gathering, dealing with the Situ Family, and had yet to return to Ghost Manor. Had he been present, his Earthly Venerable Realm cultivation would have effortlessly subdued Tianchenzi.

Ning Xiaochuan stood proudly atop the peak, his gaze disdainful. "You think the two of us aren't enough to handle you?"

Tianchenzi smirked, making his stance clear. "Ghost Manor was built by my own hands—it was my domain from the start. Once I kill you both, it will remain mine, and no one can take it from me."

With a wave of his arm, Tianchenzi hurled a Mystic Stone into the sky.

"Boom!"

The stone exploded, releasing a dazzling radiance.

From Ghost Manor, hundreds of elite Death Warriors surged forth, clad in black robes. They leaped from treetops, landing at the base of the mountain.

"Twang!"

They drew their crossbows, arrows nocked and aimed at Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Hua.

The arrowheads were carved from Mystic Stones, each etched with intricate runes. Upon impact, the stones would detonate, unleashing devastating force.

These were Tianchenzi's Death Warriors—elite fighters capable of taking on a hundred foes each, obeying only his commands.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Hundreds of arrows shot out simultaneously, streaking through the sky like meteors, emitting piercing whistles as they cut through the air.

"Star Shifting!"

Ning Xiaochuan drew circles with his hands, creating a massive vortex ten meters in diameter before him, disrupting the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi.

The arrows struck the vortex, instantly halted by its force, and instead began swirling around it.

"Go back!"

Over two hundred arrows transformed into a torrent, their speed increasing more than threefold, relentlessly surging toward Tianchenzi.

Tianchenzi planted his feet firmly, enveloping himself in black Freezing Energy, forcefully shattering the arrow torrent into clouds of Mystic Stone dust.

He threw a punch at Ning Xiaochuan.

At the tip of his fist, a massive skull materialized, accompanied by eerie wails.

Ning Xiaochuan sank low, his entire body crackling with Lightning. Gripping the Demonic Sword, he was surrounded by a blood-red demonic glow, the very heavens trembling under the sword's aura.

"Whoosh!"

Channeling all his strength, Ning Xiaochuan swung the sword, its razor-sharp Sword Qi shattering the skull and slamming into Tianchenzi's fist.

A shallow cut appeared on Tianchenzi's fist, a single drop of blood seeping out and merging with the demonic energy.

"Roar!"

The Chilling and Desolate Energy around Tianchenzi thickened, forming countless ghostly shadows that sought to devour the Demonic Sword.

"Annihilation Sword Soul!"

Strands of essence began converging in the air, surging into Ning Xiaochuan's body and coalescing above his head into the towering phantom of the Annihilation Path Founder.

The Founder stood like a true deity in the void, hair stretching thousands of meters, eyes as vast as the sun, moon, and stars. His presence drained the Profound Qi from the surrounding Space.

The Demonic Sword flew into his hand, transforming into a blood-red giant sword, seemingly capable of piercing the heavens.

"Boom!"

With a single swing— The mountain beneath Ning Xiaochuan's feet collapsed, a sword scar hundreds of meters long splitting the earth like a canyon.

The hundreds of black-robed Death Warriors were buried under the falling debris, crushed by boulders—some with broken bones, others with shattered skulls, and some disemboweled.

This was a strike of unimaginable terror. Though unleashed by Ning Xiaochuan, only at the Transcendent Realm Fifth Layer, its destructive power left even Transcendent Realm Ninth Layer Martial Artists in awe.

Such was the horror of the Demonic Sword—and the might of the Annihilation Path.

A foot-long gash split Tianchenzi's chest, stretching from his neck to his armpit, flesh torn open to reveal white bone.

Black smoke curled from the wound, preventing it from healing as blood poured out uncontrollably.

"Ning Xiaochuan, I underestimated you. To think you wield such a formidable demonic weapon. If I possessed it, I could wield power enough to kill even a Martial Venerable." Tianchenzi's eyes burned with greed, his desire to seize the Demonic Sword palpable.

Murong Hua, wrapped in Dragon-shaped Profound Qi, soared over mountains and valleys, landing behind Tianchenzi atop a century-old ancient tree.

"Murong Hua, following a junior like Ning Xiaochuan—doesn’t it gnaw at your pride? Why not join forces with me to capture him? The Heavenly Emperor's Blade and the 'Northern Abyss Divine Art' will be yours, while I take the Demonic Sword in his hand. What do you say?" Tianchenzi began sowing discord between Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Hua, hoping to use Murong Hua’s hand to deal with Ning Xiaochuan.

Murong Hua’s eyes flashed with disdain as he let out a cold laugh. "Tianchenzi, do you think everyone is as ungrateful and treacherous as you?"

Tianchenzi pressed on, "Murong Hua, you suffered grave injuries in the past, and your body has long been damaged. It’s nearly impossible for you to reach the Earthly Venerable Realm in this lifetime. But if you obtain the 'Northern Abyss Divine Art,' not only could you reach the Earthly Venerable Realm, you might even become the greatest Martial Artist in the Yulan Empire one day."

"Do you think the world revolves solely around profit? Tianchenzi, the reason you’ve fallen to this state is because you understand nothing of human decency."

Murong Hua wasted no more words on Tianchenzi. With a thunderous dragon roar, he unleashed seven golden Dragons, surging forth like divine Dragons emerging from the sea, soaring through clouds and mist, distorting the very fabric of Space around them.

Murong Hua had once been a Dragon Warrior and had even consumed Dragon blood. Even his Martial Arts Divine Ability carried draconic traits—when unleashed, his techniques took the form of Dragons.

"You think you’ve got me cornered? What a joke. Blood Demon Spirit Release!"

Tianchenzi’s body shattered, transforming into Blood Mist that coalesced into countless Qilin-shaped essence blood.

By activating the "Blood Demon Spirit Release" technique, he neutralized the Annihilation Qi invading his body.

The Qilin essence blood dyed the entire sky crimson.

Every drop of blood was a Qilin.