Zhang Kui peeked out from the small cave and was surprised to see a long-lost acquaintance.

It was the nefarious scholar Qin Yi.

Outside, there was a sizable basin, surrounded by mist with only vague mountain silhouettes visible.

And in the center of the basin was a stretch of ancient ruins; the houses had long crumbled into ruins, and the bluestone plaza was overgrown with weeds.

Huge, mottled, broken divine statues encircled the area; some were only half their bodies, while others lay horizontally on the ground.

The cold moon hung high in the sky, and mist enveloped the ground.

Qin Yi, with a sullen face, sat cross-legged at the foot of one of the statues, his clothes tattered and his hair disheveled.

After just a few days, he looked alarmingly thin and haggard...

Why is this guy here?

Zhang Kui was a bit surprised. After discussing it with Zhu Sheng, the two quickly formed a hypothesis.

This ancient Square Immortal Road ruin is hidden near the Qin Mountain Ancient Path, and there should be more than one entrance. This place seems to be much larger than imagined.

A trace of murderous intent flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes.

He was just about to open the stone door when he saw Qin Yi suddenly stand up, bow, and cupped his hands, "Godmother."

In the distance, a cloud of black mist spread in, filled with ghostly energy. From time to time, eerie children's laughter could be heard.

"Nine-Child Ghost Mother!"

Zhang Kui hurriedly held his breath, instructing Zhu Sheng and Fatty Tiger not to make a sound.

This old witch wasn't an ordinary Grain Avoidance Realm cultivator; she was just a step away from the Celestial Tribulation Realm and was the strongest among the demons in the southwest.

The black mist dispersed, and the sound of a cane striking the bluestone ground could be heard as a white-haired crone hunched over slowly walked out.

She ignored Qin Yi completely but instead let out a sinister laugh and looked up at the sky, "Old Man Ye, since you're here, why are you hiding?"

Another person?

Zhang Kui was startled. He saw a shadow suddenly flicker across the night sky, landing lightly on a boulder. It was an old man in a black robe, bald and thin, with a sharp hooked nose.

The Night Demon was recorded in the Astronomical Bureau's intelligence; it was a strange owl that had previously been secretly controlling a small city.

Demon Alliance...

Zhang Kui instantly speculated, but he did not expect these people to set their operation in these ancient ruins, no wonder the Astronomical Bureau's spies couldn't find them.

"Hee hee hee..."

The Night Demon let out an unpleasant laugh, "Old ghost witch, summoning everyone here at this time, what treacherous plan are you hatching?"

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch rubbed her cane and said cryptically, "It's all for everyone's benefit, no rush, let's wait till everyone is here."

As soon as she finished speaking, a green ghost fire flickered over and landed to reveal a sullen middle-aged man wearing a bamboo hat.

"Taoist Friend Mo."

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch greeted with a smile, but the middle-aged man just silently cupped his hands.

Before long, various demons and evil cultivators appeared. There was a giant man with an iron-blue face and fangs, a skeleton with green flames all over its body, and an alluring woman with two heads...

Zhang Kui matched them with the intelligence reports, asking Fatty Tiger to introduce those he didn't recognize.

Blue Yaksha, Bone Demon, Lady Yin... eventually ten demonic evil cultivators arrived, all were old demons in the Grain Avoidance Realm.

According to Fatty Tiger, there were supposed to be thirteen, but the Blood Corpse King and Mountain Demon were killed by him, and another old demon had gone to chase the "Reincarnated" person and did not appear here.

Zhang Kui and his companions held their breath, making no sound. With so many old demons around, being discovered would result in absolute peril.

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch glanced around before sighing while leaning on her cane, "Within just a month, the old zombie and Mountain Demon both left us, and I heard they were killed by some young man in the Enlightenment Realm. How lamentable..."

The Night Demon snorted coldly,

"Old ghost witch, life and death are fated, no need for crocodile tears. The reincarnated one has appeared, and we don't have time to wait around with you."

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch shook her head with a smile,

"Old Man Ye, if you're capable of dealing with the National Guardian True Man, you can leave right now."

The Night Demon's eyes flashed with blood-red light and he closed his mouth.

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch nodded and continued:

"All of you came to Qingzhou not for trivial gains, but for the Cultivation Skill of the Stone Man Tomb. But have you ever thought about why the Stone Man Tomb is so eager to find the 'reincarnated' one?"

"Why is the National Guardian True Man desperately trying to snatch it?"

The demons exchanged confused glances. The Night Demon couldn't help but ask, "Though the Four Caves and Five Water Mansions are all oddities, they have always looked down on us wild demons. Do you know?"

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch nodded and sighed:

"That's right. I only learned recently that it concerns a treasure called the 'Divine Strange Pearl.' Each time this appears, it causes bloodshed."

"Divine Strange Pearl?"

The demons were puzzled, having never heard of such a thing.

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch shook her head, "Don't look at me, I don't know exactly what it does either. I only heard that the last time it appeared, the General's Tomb sent people to massacre Yutang County completely."

So that's how it is!

Inside the cave, when Zhang Kui heard this, his eyes turned blood-red, gritting his teeth, nearly losing control of his killing intent.

A hand suddenly pressed on his shoulder, and Zhang Kui turned to see Zhu Sheng shaking his head slightly.

As close friends, Zhu Sheng naturally knew Zhang Kui's hatred.

Outside, the Nine-Child Ghost Witch suddenly let out a cold laugh:

"The Divine Strange Pearl is so precious, but the Stone Man Tomb is being stingy. There's actually a better choice for everyone."

That two-headed alluring woman suddenly laughed, "Senior Nine-Child, you wouldn't be telling us this out of good will, would you? This lady is really a bit scared."

"Don't worry, Miss Yin, it's good news..."

The Nine-Child Ghost Witch laughed meaningfully.

As soon as she finished speaking, clouds began to gather outside, with howling winds, the sound of armor clashing, and the faint echo of a mournful battle song:

"Wield the spear and don the armor, the banners block out the sun..."

"Kill fiercely in all directions, leaving corpses behind..."

"The General's Tomb!"

The two-headed woman screamed in terror.

On the other side, the Night Demon turned pale, "How can this be, Qingzhou is under the Stone Man Tomb's influence, does the General's Tomb want to start a war..."

The cackling laugh of the Nine-Child Ghost Witch echoed like a night owl,

"You thought I gathered everyone here for nothing, did you? This place, being an ancient Square Immortal Road ruin, still holds a large maze array, enough to hide us."

"Everyone, follow me to meet Counselor Zuo!"

With that, the Nine-Child Ghost Witch slowly kneeled down.

Outside, the wind howled ominously, and everything was pitch black. However, using the Cave Abyss Skill, Zhang Kui could see ghostly warriors in decaying armor eerily emerging from the ground, soon filling the entire valley.

Among them was a shadow over three meters tall, shrouded in black mist, with only blood-red flaming eyes visible.

Suddenly, that shadow seemed to sense something, turning around to look, but Zhang Kui had already pulled Zhu Sheng down, his heart pounding rapidly.

This Counselor Zuo was definitely beyond the Celestial Tribulation Realm...

Zhang Kui dared not gaze any longer, only being able to faintly hear a deep, somber voice.

"You all have received my Command Seal, go capture that reincarnated one, and if there's any interference, lure them into the maze array."

"Once the task is completed, there will be rewards for all..."

Zhang Kui felt increasingly uneasy, pulling Zhu Sheng and Fatty Tiger to make a hasty escape.

Just as they emerged from the Forging Hall, shadows of ghosts began to appear in the secret passage, starting to patrol.

The misty shadows and the bluestone ancient path seemed endless as Zhang Kui and his companions sprinted, Fatty Tiger almost having his fur stand on end.

Suddenly, the mist completely dispersed, a crescent moon hung high in the sky, and the autumn wind blew across the ancient path, scattering leaves rustled.

They had finally made their escape.

Zhang Kui and Zhu Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged glances, both feeling lingering fear.

Fatty Tiger collapsed on the ground, whining, "Master Kui, let's hurry up and leave, this is too dangerous for a tiger's life."

Zhang Kui's face was uncertain, gritting his teeth, he said:

"The General's Tomb's evil spirits hiding in the maze, what do you think the Stone Man Tomb will do once they find out?"

Zhu Sheng furrowed his brow, "Pit one against the other... but after all, the Stone Man Tomb is still an oddity's domain. I fear we can't get in..."

Both turned their heads at the same time.

Fatty Tiger froze, and immediately wailed, rolling on the ground...

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