Ch. 107 – Path of the Underworld

The Six Paths…..were all the Ghostly Path?

Wang Wu’s words stunned the three of them, and before they could even attempt to make sense of the situation, the hungry ghost spliced together from the bodies of Wang Wu and Zhao Yi came charging at them.

Despite their strange physique, they were actually quite agile. The two of them were tall and burly to begin with, and now with a body twice as wide as that of an ordinary person, they were no less imposing than a fully-grown black bear.

A black bear would at least be a normal creature, but facing a monstrosity like this, the pressure that bore down on them was both physical and psychological.

Just taking a second look at this grotesque thing gave them the creeps.

Although they were still somewhat at a loss regarding the so-called “Six Paths of Reincarnation” and “Eight Ghost Illusion Array,” and had no way of knowing exactly how many arrays there were, one thing was clear: they needed to get rid of this trash before they could discuss it.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui exchanged a glance and a nod. In tacit understanding, they stepped to the left and right respectively to confront the hungry ghost.

And at their rear, Hao Chen moved in sync with them. He unfurled his folding fan and fanned himself leisurely, taking a few steps back to remove himself from the battlefield.

Spiritual power couldn’t be used in this place, so Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were relying entirely upon their swordsmanship as they faced the towering hungry ghost.

Hao Chen was also unable to use his spiritual power. He knew nothing of swordsmanship, so he wouldn’t be of any help even if he did join the fight. He might as well just sit back and quietly enjoy the show.

In fact, the amount of spiritual power that the array could block had a limit, but since Fang Yang and his companion were only at the Foundation Establishment stage, they naturally lacked the power to break through the restriction. But as for Hao Chen…..his spiritual power was as vast as the boundless North Sea, and this petty restriction had no chance of binding him.

However…..the restriction was inextricably linked to the arrays in this place, and if he wanted to break through it, he would have to break the greater array at the same time.

Unlike Feng Ye, he was currently in his original body. Although he had disguised himself somewhat, his power was undiminished, and the might of the Kunpeng was sufficient to forcibly shatter the array.

But he had no way of knowing what the consequences of shattering the array might be. Perhaps these ruins would collapse right out from under them. They were currently at a depth of fifty meters underground. If the ruins were to cave in…..

He was thick-skinned and durable, and at worst, he could just revert back to his true form. The massive slabs of stone were mere pebbles to his true body, and their collapse would feel like nothing but a tickle.

But nothing good would result from them falling on Feng Ye, and even now, the dragon’s whereabouts were unknown.

But regardless of Feng Ye’s location, he was surely safe. In fact, he might emerge any moment now. This dragon had always been very reliable.

Thus, with a clear conscience, Hao Chen watched on as Fang Yang and Cao Zirui struggled in fierce combat against the hungry ghost. Standing on the sidelines, he fanned himself and cheered them on, waiting for the dragon to come and rescue their group of two humans and a fish.

He positioned himself as the one in need of rescue without any shame whatsoever.

After all, he was unable to use his spiritual power at the moment, and his available combat strength was really quite limited. It wasn’t as if he was completely unable to fight, but still……

Hao Chen looked up at the two-headed hungry ghost, whose cobbled-together body made of two severed torsos could only be described as grotesque.

After a single glance, Hao Chen raised his fan to shield his eyes.

It really was…..too ugly…..

So ugly, in fact, that he didn’t want to go anywhere near it, and close combat was certainly out of the question.

He would just leave the tiring work of fighting to the dragon. Having made up his mind, Hao Chen retreated a little further, for fear that the hungry ghost might edge its way toward him.

Meanwhile, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui very thoughtfully drew the battle away from Hao Chen.

After all, in their perception, Hao Chen was a complete pushover. Not only was his cultivation abysmal, but he was also a disciple of Tiangong Pavilion.

Could they really expect a disciple of a sect that focused on artifact crafting to possess any amount of combat prowess?

In any case, he couldn’t hope to hold a candle to those combat-oriented sword cultivators, so neither of the two had any expectations of Hao Chen joining the fight.

It was just fine for him to stand obediently to the side and not get in their way.

Hao Chen was indeed remarkably obedient, and retreated further and further away. Had the doors to the Six Paths not been sealed shut, he might well have retreated until not even his shadow remained.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui both possessed the strength of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, and even though they were unable to utilize their spiritual power, their physical constitutions were still far superior to those of ordinary people.

But these bandits who had previously been mere mortals had experienced a dramatic surge in strength after being transformed into such a grotesque ghostly form.

Their physical strength had increased by leaps and bounds, and Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were hard-pressed to stand against them.

The two of them dodged the majority of the ghost’s attacks, avoiding close combat. However, the hungry ghost’s defensive capabilities were equally astonishing. Its arms were criss-crossed with thick black veins that caused the muscles to swell and bulge, and the strike of a sword against them left nothing more than a faint white scratch.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were unable to breach the hungry ghost’s defenses, but likewise, Wang Wu and Zhao Yi were unable to breach theirs.

After all, they were merely mountain bandits, and had never undergone proper martial arts training. They had only entered such a profession by relying on their large stature and learning a few basic moves.

Their amateur skills paled in comparison before the disciples of a legitimate cultivation sect. They brandished their razor-sharp claws, but failed to land a single blow as each attack was parried by the edge of a sword.

If their physical strength hadn’t been heightened by transforming into hungry ghosts, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui would have already managed to subdue them.

Wang Wu and Zhao Yi were growing a little anxious. According to the serpent god’s words, the Six Paths Reincarnation Array was designed to transform whoever entered it into evil ghosts, and the Eight Ghost Illusion Array was a true array for refining them.

Eight people could enter in total, but only one could emerge victorious. The rest were destined to be devoured, serving as nourishment for the birth of the ultimate ghost.

Wang Wu and Zhao Yi had originally had no intention of working together, and upon falling into the array, they had immediately began to brawl. Zhao Yi ground his teeth in seething rage over Wang Wu’s attempt to abandon him to die, and the moment that masked figure in black untied the ropes around him, he immediately began to throw punches at Wang Wu.

Wang Wu was naturally unwilling to take the beating lying down, and fought back with all his might.

As it happened, the two of them hadn’t been fighting for long when they found themselves surrounded by skeletons. And these skeletons were all standing on their feet, their hollow eye sockets filled with hunger and thirst.

These two mountain bandits who were notorious for their violence and wickedness were so terrified that they nearly wet their pants on the spot. They promptly stopped their brawl, turned on their heels, and attempted to flee.

But they were soon overtaken by the skeletons, which tore at their limbs, brutally gnawing off an arm and a leg each.

Just as they thought they were about to be completely torn limb from limb, the massive black serpent appeared again like a phantom.

The instant it appeared, the skeletons that had been tearing at them ceased their attack.

The mountain bandits fell to the ground, blood gushing from their severed limbs to pool around them.

Scarlet serpentine eyes laced with mockery looked down at them as they bled profusely, while a melodious male voice spoke words that made their hair stand on end.

“Do you want to live?” 

“Eat the other person and you will survive. You will be able to leave this place and regain your freedom.”

Eat…..the other person?

Wang Wu and Zhao Yi exchanged a look. Then, with barely a moment’s hesitation, they lunged at each other and began to bite.

To bandits like them who were accustomed to killing, cannibalism was nothing.

As long as they ate the other person, they could escape with their life. Did this even require consideration?

Even with only a single hand and foot remaining, the two proceeded to grapple desperately, gnashing their teeth at the flesh and blood of the other’s jagged stumps.

And amidst the flying gore, they astonishingly began to merge, their torn flesh fusing together.

The two of them fought relentlessly, and even when their bodies combined into one, they continued to use the limbs on their respective sides to attack one another.

In the end, once they completely exhausted themselves, they realized that the victor could not be determined for the time being.

The serpent god had informed them that a total of eight people had entered the array, so excluding the two of them, there were six others remaining.

After some discussion, the two of them decided to join forces and eliminate the other six first, then settle the score between themselves afterward.

But upon emerging from the Path of Hungry Ghosts, they only met Fang Yang and his two companions.

This was actually a good thing, because if they were able to join forces, the other six might join forces as well. It was better to take out these few opponents before the others reached them.

They had already discovered that devouring others added to their own power, and as they made their way out of the Path of Hungry Ghosts, they used their combined form to seize and devour each and every one of those skeletons they had previously been helpless against.

Devouring these three would further grow their power, increasing their chances of emerging as the final victor.

The two of them had calculated well, yet they never could have imagined that these little brats would prove so troublesome. Despite fighting for so long, they hadn’t even managed to tear a corner of these people’s clothes.

Searching for an easy target, their eyes fell upon Hao Chen, who seemed to be the weakest of the group. But Hao Chen was standing too far away, and the moment they even entertained the thought of rushing over, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui would use their swords to block their path.

This couldn’t be dragged out any longer. There was no telling when the next ghost would arrive, and if it was one of the opponent’s people…..

As Wang Wu and Zhao Yi were anxiously wracking their brains, the very last thing they wanted to see happened abruptly and without warning.

The sound of a stone door shifting rang out once again, directly behind them.

The two of them turned their heads to look. The plaque above the door had transformed to show the words “Ghostly Path,” its original designation unknown.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui also noticed the door opening, and cautiously took a few steps out of range.

Hao Chen folded his fan, wondering what would come out this time.

The thing behind the stone door had yet to emerge when the group heard a low, throaty growl. It didn’t sound like a human, but more like…..a beast?

Beast?

This word flashed through all of their minds, and they instantly realized which path this door led to.

The Path of Beasts, one of the Three Evil Paths.

And as for the monster that emerged from the Path of Beasts, everyone present recognized it – the wolfdog raised by Wang Wu.

The dog had always been very large, easily half the height of a human. But now, as it stepped through the stone door, the others had to crane their necks just to see its face.

Its body had swelled several times in size, and it was forced to stoop low as it ducked through the three-meter-high doorway.

Wang Wu’s eyes lit up as it emerged. This wolfdog was his most capable assistant, and now that it had grown so massive, even if everyone attacked him at once, he would have no worries.

In stark contrast to Wang Wu’s delight, Zhao Yi’s face puckered up. He and Wang Wu had originally been equally matched, which was the very reason they were able to cooperate, but now that Wang Wu had obtained such a powerful ally, he would undoubtedly move to devour Zhao Yi.

Consequently, when Wang Wu attempted to approach the wolfdog, the limbs on Zhao Yi’s side of their body refused to cooperate.

Without Zhao Yi’s assistance, Wang Wu was completely immobilized. He was able to guess Zhao Yi’s intentions, but paid him no mind.

He would devour Zhao Yi first!

A murderous glint flashed in his eyes, and he turned his head, preparing to call his wolfdog over to help him devour Zhao Yi.

But just as he turned his head, he realized that the wolfdog he had personally raised had already approached him without his knowledge, and was currently staring down at him.

And there was no longer any trace of its previous adoration toward its master in the wolfdog’s eyes. All that was left was a ferocity reserved for prey.

Wang Wu didn’t have time to speak a single word before the wolfdog bit his head clean off.

A solid human skull stood no chance against the massive dog’s fangs, and with a few crunching sounds, the wolfdog swallowed a mouthful of bone fragments and brain matter into its stomach.

This wolfdog had even devoured its own master, Wang Wu, and naturally wouldn’t spare anyone else.

At this realization, Zhao Yi turned to flee. He was still somewhat confident that he could handle Fang Yang and his companions, but going by the sheer size difference between him and the massive wolfdog, he would stand absolutely no chance against it.

However, he had barely taken a single step when the wolfdog sank its teeth into his upper body.

A paw pinned down his lower half while sharp fangs clamped around his torso, and with a sudden, violent wrench, his body was torn apart.

The wolfdog first swallowed Zhao Yi’s upper body, then turned its head, took the lower half in its jaws, and began to gnaw.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui had already retreated to stand in front of Hao Chen. Zhao Yi and Wang Wu hadn’t stood a chance against the massive wolfhound, and they…..probably wouldn’t either.

Without the ability to use spiritual power, they were forced to rely entirely on their physiques to fight. But the disparity between their physiques and that of the wolfdog was simply far, far too vast…..

This wolfdog was so huge that it could crush them to death with a single paw. How were they supposed to fight it?

As they witnessed the gruesome spectacle of the wolfdog devouring a human, fear rose inside them. They instinctively backed away, and retreated precisely to the farthest point where Hao Chen was standing.

The wolfdog’s muzzle was smeared with fresh blood, which caused its black fur to appear even darker than before. And after completely devouring what was left of the body, its form underwent another transformation.

Its claws elongated, and its body grew in size.

In addition…..both sides of its neck sprouted two fleshy growths.

These growths lacked hair, but incredibly, two faces emerged.

The faces of Wang Wu and Zhao Yi…..

The wolfdog stood in place and gave a low growl. The swelling of its body after consuming the hungry ghost brought with it a wave of pain, and it howled to vent its discomfort.

Finally, the growth stopped. The monster had fully fused with the hungry ghosts, drawing one step closer to becoming the ultimate victor.

As the beast raised its head once more, the two human faces on either side also opened their eyes. Together with the beast’s head between them, they fixed their gazes upon the three figures standing in the distance.

The moment they met those murderous, hungry eyes, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui shook uncontrollably from head to toe.

They swallowed hard. What exactly was this three-headed thing standing before them…..

But no matter what sort of monster it was, it wasn’t something they could defeat. They wanted to back away further, but there was nowhere left to go…..

Hao Chen placed his hands on their shoulders. If they backed up even more, they would bump right into the stone door.

Standing behind the two youths, Hao Chen narrowed his eyes at the three-headed dog.

He had originally intended to just sit back and watch the show in peace without dirtying his hands, and just wait for the dragon to come and rescue them. However, plans rarely survived first contact with reality. The beast across from them was far too powerful for these foolish boys to handle, and the dragon had still not arrived.

It seemed there was no other option than for the fish to step in.

Resigned to his fate, Hao Chen heaved a sigh and prepared to take on the grueling chore of fighting.

The three-headed dog slowly paced toward the three of them, in no hurry to attack. After devouring Wang Wu and Zhao Yi, its intelligence had also been enhanced, and it had even acquired human emotions.

Wicked ones.

Merely hunting and feeding could no longer satisfy it. It intended to bite off the limbs of these humans one by one, and only once their terror was at its height would it take off their heads in a single bite.

The beast’s maw stretched wide in a cruel, bloody grin.

When it had advanced to a spot roughly ten meters away from them, Hao Chen raised his fan. He couldn’t wait any longer.

Just as he was preparing to make a move, the situation took an unexpected turn.

The sound of a stone door shifting rang out once more.

The three-headed dog’s advance came to an abrupt halt, and it stared at the stone door behind the three humans with a hint of scrutiny in its eyes.

The trio turned around in unison to look behind them. Looking at the plaque, Hao Chen searched his memory. This one seemed to belong to……

When the door opened, the three of them first noticed the pungent, acrid stench of blood.

That wolfdog had bitten Wang Wu and Zhao Yi clean in half while they were still alive, and the scent of the blood that had gushed from their severed parts was still thick and cloying.

But it paled by a factor of a hundred in comparison to the stench now wafting from beyond the stone door.

How many people must have died in that passageway to shed so much blood?

And what had killed them all, making it the final ghost to emerge?

Compared to what lay beyond this door, the three-headed dog didn’t seem so terrifying anymore.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui couldn’t help but step backward toward the three-headed dog. But Hao Chen didn’t retreat. He stood closest to the stone door, fixing his gaze warily on whatever might lay within.

Footsteps rang out with startling clarity, drawing ever closer. Each step felt as though it was treading directly upon the hearts of everyone gathered there on the silent platform.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui watched the door with bated breath, and at last, a foot emerged.

As the foot stepped onto the ground and lifted away, a thick, bloodstained footprint was left behind.

A man clad entirely in black emerged from the doorway, leaving a bloody footprint with every step. The candlelight illuminated his face, which was covered by a hideous ghostly mask.

Beads of blood still clung to the long sword in his right hand, poised to fall.

His gaze was like ice. The very moment he stepped through the stone doorway, instead of looking around at his surroundings, he instinctively looked straight toward the most ferocious creature there – the three-headed dog.

And that three-headed dog, which had previously been acting so overbearing, actually took an involuntary step backward as it met his gaze.

Watching this scene, Fang Yang suddenly remembered that this stone door was originally named…..

The Path of Carnage.

This man who emerged from the Path of Carnage was…..

An Asura ghost!

The man faced off against the three-headed dog. He advanced no further, nor did he rush to attack, but his gaze never strayed from the beast.

And after taking a single step back, the three-headed dog didn’t retreat any further. It had realized that either itself or this new opponent would have to die.

Within this Eight Ghost Illusion Array, there could only be one victor. Thus, it bristled and bared its fangs, glaring fixedly at its opponent.

The situation between the two sides was on the verge of erupting.

During such a clash between evil spirits, Fang Yang and his comparatively harmless-looking companions were completely ignored.

It wouldn’t be too late to deal with these little lambs after the main opponent was dealt with.

Hao Chen seized this opportunity to step aside with Fang Yang and Cao Zirui. He covertly observed the man’s clothing, which was so wet that it appeared to have been soaked in water, clinging to the his form.

But he immediately realized that it was not water, but blood.

Blood had soaked through the garments, obscuring the patterns that were embroidered on them. But upon closer inspection, he could still make out what they were.

These were the clothes he had given to Feng Ye.

Hao Chen’s gaze filled with uncertainty, and when he looked once more toward the man’s face, he could only see that grotesque ghost mask.

And the eyes behind that mask were equally unfamiliar to him. They were cold and devoid of any human emotion, as if they belonged to a demon that existed only to prey on others.

Was this…..Feng Ye?

For a moment, Hao Chen couldn’t quite tell. Between the Feng Ye he was familiar with and the one standing before him now, which was the real one?

Perhaps they both were.

The legends surrounding the God of War Yinglong may not be entirely false. Perhaps it was true that he possessed such a terrifying side.

Yet this side of him was buried deep, and even when it occasionally surfaced, he would tuck it away again.

On the Path of Carnage, relentless slaughter had fully unleashed this side of him, and human emotion was cast aside entirely.

He had become an Asura. He stepped into the Eight Ghost Illusion Array and, with soaring fighting spirit, issued a challenge to the strongest beast there.

“Aooo!” The three-headed dog tilted its head back and howled in acceptance of the challenge, then lifted its four paws and began to charge. When it was within three meters of Feng Ye, it leaped into the air, its razor-sharp claws glinting with a cold light as they swept toward the opponent.

The beast’s central jaws gaped open, along with those of the human faces on either side. All three faces bared their teeth, unleashing every weapon at their disposal to tear and rip at the enemy before them.

Feng Ye stood his ground as the three-headed dog lunged at him from the air, its massive frame engulfing him completely in its shadow.

Compared to the sheer size of his opponent, he seemed insignificant. His fate seemed to be sealed.

But…..just as the beast’s fangs were about to tear into him, Feng Ye suddenly shifted to the side. Seizing the gap between the beast’s head and the human head beside it, he gripped the beast’s fur and used this leverage to flip himself over onto the back of the three-headed dog.

The three heads turned, intent on biting him, but Feng Ye had already risen above its heads and swung his sword downward.

The sword struck in a flash of light, and the three-headed dog immediately froze in place.

A moment later, the three heads tumbled side-by-side from the main body and crashed to the ground.

A torrent of blood gushed from the necks, and although Feng Ye did try to dodge, some of it still splattered onto him.

Fresh blood coated the already darkened stains on his clothes, elevating both the pungent stench and his terrifying aura.

He had killed the beast, now infused with the power of a hungry ghost, in one move.

But this was not the end. The Grand Array had not yet concluded, and his opponents had not all been slain.

With the three-headed dog dead at his feet, Feng Ye immediately turned his attention toward the three figures nearby.

His gaze was just as frigid as before. The scalding blood of the three-headed dog had not melted the ice from them in the slightest.

As he paced toward the three of them, the bloody footprints left in his wake were even thicker.

Hao Chen shielded Fang Yang and Cao Zirui behind him, his brow tightly furrowed. He was unsure if Feng Ye currently possessed any sense of rationality, and didn’t rush forward to greet him.

The current situation was far from optimistic. The enemy had clearly been eliminated, yet Feng Ye had still not snapped out of his killing frenzy. In all likelihood, he had completely lost his mind.

In that case, he was probably not approaching them with a greeting.

Hao Chen had long wished to test his strength against Yinglong and determine who was stronger once and for all.

But such a fight definitely shouldn’t occur in a setting like this one.

The one he wanted to fight was the Feng Ye he was familiar with, the one who would soften and indulge his requests time and time again, no matter how preposterous they were.

Theirs should be a friendly sparring match, stopping short of actual harm, rather than a fight to the death inside the Eight Ghost Illusion Array.

But whether Hao Chen was willing or not, at this moment, it seemed he had no choice but to rise to the challenge.

He unfolded his fan and stepped forward to widen the distance between himself and the boys, ensuring that if he and Feng Ye did come to blows, the two youngsters wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.

He walked toward Feng Ye, the distance between them narrowing until at last, they stood face to face.

Hao Chen took a deep breath and prepared for Feng Ye to make his move.

But then an unexpected scene unfolded as, without sparing Hao Chen a glance, Feng Ye walked right past him.

Hao Chen: ?

He stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly. It took a few seconds for him to snap back to reality and turn his head.

Not only did Feng Ye ignore him, but he also paid no attention to Fang Yang or Cao Zirui as his steps took him toward an open door.

An open door?

Hao Chen stared uncomprehendingly at the door that had opened at some unknown point in time.

Five of the Six Paths had already opened, so this one was…..

The foremost of the Three Evil Paths – the Path of the Underworld.

A pitch-black figure emerged from this door, and Feng Ye stopped in place. He tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, his eyes locked unblinkingly on the figure within the doorway.

The figure stepped through.

Illuminated by the candlelight, he stood facing Feng Ye.

He wore the same all-black attire and the same ghost mask.

Like a reflection in a mirror.

Although the patterns on the mask differed, he held a sword in his right hand that was identical to Feng Ye’s in every respect.

Feng Ye looked at him, and he looked back at Feng Ye.

His eyes were pitch black. If Feng Ye’s eyes could be described as icy, then his were akin to a pool of stagnant water.

But upon seeing Feng Ye, that stagnant water seemed to drip into hot oil and go up in flames. 

Hatred surged within those eyes. He was a being who had crawled forth from the depths of hell…..existing only for the sake of vengeance…..

A Rakshasa!

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Chapter 106 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 108