Chapter 466: Apologies, I’m Back Again
Chapter 466: Apologies, I’m Back Again
“It’s only been a month. How could his power have risen so quickly?” Ghost Guilt Sovereign muttered angrily, his voice laden with deep suspicion.
To a Yang God Sovereign, a month’s time was barely enough for a few deep breaths or a blink of the eye. Yet, the very man they had pursued, the Imperial Hall’s Envoy, had suddenly become strong enough to match them. What’s worse, his eerie ability to vanish at will left them helpless, forced into the defensive, allowing him to strike at will.
“What kind of grudge does this Envoy hold against you all? Could it be that... the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner and the Imperial Banner are somehow connected?” the emissary from the Taihuang Palace asked, eyes filled with curiosity.
Ghost Guilt Sovereign’s expression hardened. “Nonsense. He’s just twisting the facts! The Ten Thousand Souls Banner is our natal celestial treasure. How could it belong to anyone else?”
Every cultivator within Ghost Heaven possesses a natal weapon, which evolves over time into a spiritual weapon, an immortal weapon, and ultimately, a celestial treasure. For these cultivators, this weapon is the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. The more lives the banner devours, the stronger it grows, and the more power a Ghost Heaven cultivator commands.
Ghost Yuan Sovereign suddenly recalled something and murmured, “Could it actually be...the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner?”
Ghost Guilt Sovereign’s face darkened.
At the very heart of Ghost Heaven lay the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner, an offensive creation treasure controlled by the Banner Master. All Ten Thousand Souls Banners forged by other Ghost Heaven cultivators were based on it. Yet, the origins of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner were shrouded in mystery. It was simply known to have once belonged to a Supreme Being.
That Supreme Being had vanished mysteriously, and the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner fell to the current Banner Master.
Could it be that the Palace Envoy was claiming lineage from that same Supreme?
The three Great Supreme Truth Sovereigns present fell silent, knowing that matters regarding the Banner Master were beyond their place to discuss.
“No matter who he is or what his reasons, seeking the Ten Thousand Souls Banner makes him an enemy of Ghost Heaven, and he must be annihilated!” Ghost Guilt Sovereign said furiously.
A deep sense of foreboding crept over him. This encounter had shown him that Ghost Heaven was powerless to restrain the Imperial Hall’s Envoy.
“We must tread carefully and stop treating him as simply another variant Yang God,” advised one of the Great Supreme Truth Sovereigns.
Initially, they had not thought the Envoy to be a threat; after all, any Supreme Truth Sovereign could easily overpower him. But it now appeared that only the Great Supreme Truths among them could face him—any other Yang Gods from Ghost Heaven shattered upon contact.
At that moment, Ghost Yuan Sovereign looked pointedly at the emissary from Taihuang Palace.
“Your Excellency, the Envoy is constantly lurking nearby, and our campaign against Demon Abyss is severely hindered,” Ghost Yuan Sovereign said helplessly.
The campaign was only possible thanks to Taihuang Palace’s support; otherwise, Ghost Heaven would never have dared to antagonize Demon Abyss, especially with Black Sword on their side. Should Black Sword reach the Great Supreme Truth realm, Ghost Heaven would be in dire straits.
“This Envoy has undermined Taihuang Palace’s plans and must die!” the emissary said coldly, his eyes filled with killing intent.
The plan to eliminate Black Sword had been meticulous, ready to unfold flawlessly. But then the Envoy had appeared, causing their efforts to fail.
“When the Lynia Transformation begins, he will die, and his true spirit will be destroyed. He won’t even have a chance to enter the Sole Hall!” The Taihuang Palace emissary declared boldly.
The three Great Supreme Truth Sovereigns of Ghost Heaven sighed with relief. With the reassurance of Taihuang Palace’s support, they felt much more at ease. With a Supreme overseeing the Lynia Transformation, no matter how powerful the Envoy was, he would surely meet his end.
“Let him run wild for now,” Ghost Guilt Sovereign said coldly.
The Lynia Transformation would begin soon, and time was running out for the Envoy.
Yet as soon as the words left his mouth, Ghost Guilt Sovereign’s face froze in alarm.
“How dare he!”
He let out a furious roar.
The two other Great Supreme Truth Sovereigns widened their eyes, and even their calm hearts were shaken.
A blood-red haze filled Ghost Pass, suffused with a deadly aura, so intense it seemed to seep into one’s very bones. In the Star Realm, a star suddenly shone brightly before crumbling into nothingness. And then another star followed, disintegrating the same way.
At that moment, a cold, hoarse voice echoed across Ghost Pass.
“Apologies, I’m back again!”
“Good thing I returned—otherwise, how would I have heard you slandering me behind my back?”
“You dare to steal my Imperial Banner and then defame me? Truly unforgivable!”
A figure draped in blood-red armor stood tall and formidable, wielding a fiendish blood sword that seized the eyes. Cloaked in blood, he looked every inch a death god, his chilling gaze sending a shiver down the spines of every Ghost Heaven cultivator present.
Moments earlier, Ghost Pass had been left in turmoil from a fierce battle, and they had yet to fully recover from the shock—yet here he was again.
And once more, he had slain two Yang God Sovereigns.
Yang Gods weren’t as common as cabbages! Some of the cultivators present had never even seen a Yang God in their lives, and now they had watched them fall one after another.
“You…” Ghost Guilt Sovereign was at a loss for words.
The other Yang God Sovereigns were scattered, some fleeing, others hiding, while the stronger ones fixed Qi Yuan with piercing stares.
The Taihuang Palace emissary spoke up, his eyes flashing. “Envoy, would you consider giving us a moment to sit down with the Ghost Heaven leaders and discuss matters?”
It was clear that he was attempting to buy time, hoping to hold off the Envoy until the Lynia Transformation, at which point they could settle the matter for good.
“And why would I give you face? What, are you Wu Yanzu, or maybe Eddie Peng?” Qi Yuan looked at the Taihuang Palace emissary with utter disdain.
“You’re the one who badmouthed me the most. I hold grudges, you know, so you’re guilty by association with these thieves of my Imperial Banner!”
The Taihuang Palace emissary’s face turned red and white in succession. “Do you have any idea who I am or whose authority I represent?” he asked in disbelief.
“You already want me dead, so why would I care about your authority?” Qi Yuan replied, feeling bewildered.
It seemed to him that the emissary was rather lacking in sense. In his years of cultivation, he had met many such people.
The emissary sensed the Envoy’s killing intent and grew fearful, though he replied boldly, “The Lynia Transformation is imminent. You’d best avoid needless entanglements, or you may find yourself with nowhere to go in the Six Heavens!”
The emissary’s pride lay in his backing.
“How about a suggestion?” Qi Yuan asked, smirking. “Consider sleeping in the same room as Ghost Guilt Sovereign and Ghost Yuan Sovereign tonight. Otherwise… well, you know.”
The threat in Qi Yuan’s tone was unmistakable.
Ghost Guilt Sovereign and Ghost Yuan Sovereign’s faces turned red with fury, and they immediately launched simultaneous attacks against Qi Yuan.
The Taihuang Palace emissary’s expression flickered between red and white. He had felt the full force of the Envoy’s killing intent and was now regretting his decision to step forward.
The three Great Supreme Truth Sovereigns struck.
Qi Yuan grinned brightly. “I’ll save my strength for next time, so I’ll leave my cherished White Moonlight companions here for now. Goodbye!”
Of his White Moonlight foes, some shone brighter than others. These Great Supreme Truth Sovereigns were the brightest of all.
And with that, Qi Yuan vanished without hesitation.
“Argh!” Ghost Guilt Sovereign roared, his voice filled with fury.
The Yang God Sovereigns were all burdened with worry.
Those of the Heaven Rank in particular were deeply fearful. In mere moments, they had witnessed six Yang Gods meet their deaths. If they included the incident from a month ago, that number rose to seven.
This was a devastating loss for Ghost Heaven.
A quiet voice broke the silence. “Ghost Guilt Sovereign, Ghost Pass is riddled with vulnerabilities. If we linger here, we risk calamity…”
The implication was clear—they wished to return to Ghost Heaven and leave Ghost Pass. No one could predict when the Envoy would strike next.
In fact, if he suddenly appeared now, no one would be surprised. He had attacked twice in rapid succession before, with barely a breath between strikes.
The Yang God Sovereigns, burdened with anxiety, kept constant watch.
“It’s too dangerous to remain here.”
“We came to confront Demon Abyss, and yet we’ve already lost so many.”
Their collective murmurs grew louder, filled with hints of retreat.
Ghost Guilt Sovereign’s expression darkened. He didn’t know how to reassure them.
How could he? He was powerless against the Envoy.
What were they to do? Cultivate in pairs and keep constant watch?
At that moment, a vast, ethereal voice resonated in the minds of all the Yang God Sovereigns.
“The shadow of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner will envelop Ghost Pass. Rest easy, all of you.”
At the sound of this voice, the assembled Yang Gods bowed in reverence.
“Thank you, Banner Master!”
It was clear that this voice belonged to none other than Ghost Heaven’s pillar, the Banner Master himself.
Now, the Banner Master would enshroud Ghost Pass with the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner’s shadow, protecting them from further attacks by the Envoy.
The Banner Master came and went swiftly.