The Ghost Master’s expression was inscrutable as he soared into the sky, flipping his hand to unleash seven lotus-shaped Nether Flames. With a "whoosh," they sliced through the heavens, hurtling toward the Nascent Soul cultivators who had breached the island.

......

Within the Ghost Fog Bewitching Great Formation on Desolate Spirit Island, there was a powerful anti-flight restriction.

The sky was shrouded in layers of blood mist and spectral fog; any cultivator attempting aerial travel would face the full backlash of the formation. This formation was formidable, and dismantling it would not be accomplished in a short span.

Thus, the Nascent Soul cultivators, leading a host of Golden Core cultivators into the island, did not force a confrontation to destroy the formation. Instead, they chose to advance by ground.

The Nascent Soul masters, guiding their disciples and other treasure-seeking cultivators, charged deep into the island under the cover of the ghost fog. They disdained attacking the low-level skeletons, zombies, corrupted beasts, and vengeful spirits encountered along the path, leaving those tasks entirely to the Golden Core ranks below.

"This island holds vast ruins of ancient camps; it is indeed an ancient battlefield. ...... Yet, there are no signs of high-tier demonic corpses or legacy artifacts. Have the Ghost Cultivators taken everything?"

"It must be so. What a pity. I wonder how many ancient treasures remain for us to find. I rather hope we encounter these Ghost Cultivators directly; snatching from them would be much more straightforward."

Ancestor Su and True Person Chi Ju, two Nascent Soul cultivators traveling together, proceeded unhurriedly across the blood-mist wasteland. As they surveyed the ancient ruins and directed their Golden Core subordinates to combat the Ghost Cultivators, they spoke casually.

"These ancient relics are still an unknown quantity. But I sense Elder Qing has designs on taking this entire island. We are independent wandering cultivators; we cannot compare to a Nascent Soul master like him, backed by the powerful foundation of the Blood Color Merchant Alliance. Once the Alliance claims this island, there will be nothing left for you and me."

Ancestor Su glanced at True Person Chi Ju and sighed with a slight smile, "The Blood Color Merchant Alliance has grown increasingly immense over the last few millennia. They have established Alliance strongholds at numerous transfer points across the Sea of Blood, serving as hubs for trade and transit. The Alliance has recruited many Nascent Soul Ancestors, forming a considerable force with significant momentum. Looking at the situation, they seem ambitious enough to aspire to become the foremost power in the Sea of Blood!"

"Even if they grow stronger, can they contend with the great Eastern Sea cultivation alliances like the Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Alliance, which have existed for hundreds of thousands of years? The Blood Color Merchant Alliance can only hold its ground here in the Sea of Blood; in the Eastern Sea Archipelago, they barely command a voice."

True Person Chi Ju was unimpressed. "Moreover, the Sea of Blood is teeming with forces like leeches. Even the ancient ship strongholds control no small power. The Ancestors of the Starry Vault Pavilion and the Dark Soul Hall will never sit idly by while the Blood Color Merchant Alliance monopolizes this island."

Suddenly, True Person Chi Ju halted, his divine sense detecting an overwhelmingly potent spiritual pressure of ghostly energy, concealed within the dense layers of spectral mist and rapidly closing in. He started in surprise.

"Eh! Who can fly within the ghost fog?"

Ancestor Su also snapped his head up instantly, looking toward the misty sky.

A turbulent surge of ghost fog was hurtling toward them from hundreds of miles away, appearing like an abnormally dark and sinister flame burning fiercely in the clouds, dyeing the entire sky the color of ink and fire.

"Only a Nascent Soul-level Ghost Cultivator could possess such astonishing momentum. Could it be the Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator native to the island?!"

"We haven't seen a single Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator on the way here. It seems we’ve finally drawn one out! ...... This ghostly spiritual pressure is immense; it feels like it’s beyond the Mid-Nascent Soul stage!"

Ancestor Su and True Person Chi Ju exchanged glances, a hint of surprise and suspicion coloring their expressions.

However, with seven Nascent Soul Ancestors already within the island, their combined strength was formidable; they felt no fear of one or two Nascent Soul-level Ghost Cultivators appearing. Naturally, they dismissed any thought of being defeated or needing to retreat.

"Fellow Daoist Su, Fellow Daoist Chi Ju!"

From behind, two figures streaked toward them.

The arrivals were the yellow-robed, middle-aged beautiful woman surnamed You from the Starry Vault Pavilion, and the burly cultivator from the Dark Soul Hall. Upon seeing the situation in the distant sky, the two Nascent Soul cultivators immediately flew over.

"This Ghost Cultivator can fly in the sky and control this ghost fog formation. Judging by the aggressive approach, it seems completely unafraid of us!"

"Should we notify Old Freak Cen, Elder Qing, and the others to join us?"

The burly cultivator also felt a sense of unease.

As they were speculating, seven black flames, blooming like lotus flowers, descended from the sky, tearing through the firmament and splitting off to shoot toward them.

The Nascent Soul Ancestors, seeing this, erupted in rage.

"This Ghost Cultivator actually intends to fight seven of us alone!"

"Even a Late-Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator wouldn't dare to underestimate us so thoroughly!"

Each of them was a distinguished Nascent Soul Ancestor dominating a region in the Sea of Blood, commanding respect. Any one of them possessed sufficient strength to duel a Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator one-on-one.

These seven black lotus flames were clearly aimed at the seven of them. To face seven of them alone, even a renowned Late-Nascent Soul cultivator would hesitate to be so arrogant.

Such contempt enraged these Nascent Soul Ancestors, who were accustomed to deference.

"Since it dares to fight seven of us, we shall show it our might."

The Nascent Soul cultivators roared in anger.

"Fellow Daoists, let us strike together!"

Old Freak Cen moved the fastest. He spat open his mouth, and a small drum radiating a faint yellow glow instantly expanded to several dozen feet. With a roar of "Bang......!" he slammed his palm forward, condensing his magic power, and struck the drum mightily with a giant palm.

"Boom!"

The yellow light on the drum, clearly a minor divine ability artifact, rippled outward. A spectral image of a yellow python, over a hundred feet long with curved horns, churned the surrounding boulders spanning over ten miles, causing them to fly up and form a rolling wave of stones several miles long, surging toward the sky.

Old Freak Cen exerted his full strength in his opening move, clearly intending to deliver a severe warning to the approaching Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivator.

"Chi Ju Divine Spear, attack!"

"Water Dragon, advance!"

The other Nascent Soul Ancestors were not slow; they unleashed their respective minor divine ability artifacts.

A hundred-foot-tall Chi Ju phantom!

A hundred-foot-long Azure Wave Water Dragon!

Driven by potent magic power, they streaked toward the dark fog on the horizon with deafening power and dazzling light, completely overshadowing the light emanating from the seven black flames.

In that instant, the world above the massive island boiled, and every cultivator's eyes were filled with the vast light projections of the artifacts.

The Ghost Cultivators on the island, and the Golden Core cultivators currently engaged in battle, were all struck with horror and awe. They scrambled to avoid the area where the Nascent Soul Ancestors clashed, knowing that even a stray ripple could reduce them to dust.

The very next moment, the seven lotus black flames impacted the minor divine ability artifacts.

"The artifacts! The artifacts are being burned!"

The seven lotus black flames wrapped around the minor divine ability artifacts, dancing over them and rapidly consuming and incinerating them with startling speed.

Seeing this bizarre phenomenon, the Nascent Soul Ancestors, previously full of confidence, cried out in involuntary terror.

"Nether Flame! It’s the legendary Nether Flame, said to only exist in the Netherworld of the Western Gloom Continent!"

Elder Qing’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

Ghost fire was not uncommon. But this terrifying variant of ghost fire was unheard of, never before seen in the Eastern Sea cultivation world or the Sea of Blood.

Certain ancient scriptures recorded that among all ghost fires, only the Nether Flame possessed such devastating power, capable of destroying even minor divine ability artifacts.

Elder Qing had just read that scripture.

However, regret was too late now. The few small black lotus Nether Flames rapidly consumed the minor divine ability artifacts. In an instant, they continued their trajectory toward the Nascent Soul Ancestors.

"Bad, run!"

"This fire cannot be touched!"

The Nascent Soul Ancestors finally understood the terror and screamed, abandoning their most cherished minor divine ability artifacts without a second thought. They shot away, traversing thousands of feet in a blink, fleeing madly toward the edge of the ghost fog formation.

Only the last two Nascent Soul Ancestors, whose escape speed was too great, were overtaken by the swift Nether Flames. The flames brushed against their protective shields.

"Ah! Save me...!"

"Hiss......!"

As soon as the black lotus Nether Flame touched the two Nascent Soul Ancestors, it ignited fiercely, like dry tinder meeting a raging fire. In almost a single breath, it enveloped and burned away their protective shields and defensive artifacts, then moved on to consume their physical bodies and the Nascent Soul within!

The two Nascent Soul Ancestors screamed in agonizing pleas for help, their shrieks horrifying, until they were reduced to two piles of ash by the black flames.

Not a single other Nascent Soul Ancestor paid them any heed, nor dared they offer assistance.

Witnessing the fate of their two peers, the remaining Nascent Soul Ancestors, regardless of the pain of losing their treasures, frantically pulled out large quantities of soul artifacts from their storage bags, casting them without regard for cost toward the pursuing black lotus Nether Flames, attempting to slow them down to accelerate their own flight out of the ghost fog formation.

Within a few breaths, the two ancestors and their Nascent Souls were reduced to ashes.

The other few Nascent Soul Ancestors, who had survived countless tribulations, could hardly be described by the term "grieving for a fellow rabbit," as fear and shock had consumed all other emotions. It must be remembered that Nascent Soul cultivators are extremely difficult to kill; even in defeat, they do not easily perish.

Furthermore, throughout the entire engagement, these Nascent Soul cultivators had never even glimpsed the form of the Ghost Cultivator who wielded the black lotus Nether Flames from within the ghost fog before their complete and utter rout, forcing them into a desperate flight.

"Bad! Both ancestors are dead, run!"

"Run for your lives!"

Hundreds of Golden Core cultivators watched helplessly as two Nascent Soul Ancestors died tragically on the spot, while the remaining Nascent Soul Ancestors fled in disarray. The situation reversed violently. They no longer dared to fight the Ghost Cultivators, crying out in terror, abandoning their battles with the island’s spectral inhabitants and seeking escape routes.

"Master is invincible!"

"Kill, kill—!"

Across the entire massive island—the blood-mist plains, the skeleton mountain ranges, and the zombie ridges—nearly all the Ghost Cultivators roared madly at this moment, their morale soaring. Instantly slaying two Nascent Soul cultivators had established the Ghost Master as an invincible symbol in their minds. They manipulated hordes of skeletons, corrupted beasts, and vengeful spirits, howling and shrieking, surging like a tide, launching a full-scale counterattack.

"Master, I have arrived!"

At this moment, the hundreds-of-feet-sized Two-Headed Vulture Skeleton Demon finally caught up to the Ghost Master amidst the layers of spectral fog overhead.

What frustrated the Two-Headed Vulture was that as soon as it arrived, the battle was decided; the Nascent Soul cultivators who had aggressively invaded the island had been utterly routed by the Ghost Master and were fleeing en masse.

Yet, it dared not express any regret.

The Corpse King was still far behind, rushing to catch up with the Ghost Master and the Two-Headed Vulture, and had not reached the battlefield in time.

The Two-Headed Vulture suddenly plunged from the clouds, landing heavily on the ground. Thick, dark corpse energy surged from its body, then rapidly dissipated, transforming into a man ten feet tall. It landed solidly with a "boom."

This two-headed man was the transformed Two-Headed Vulture Skeleton Demon.

Its entire frame was skeletal, withered and dark; its hands were covered in a thick layer of black feathers that had not completely receded, leaving extremely long claws.

Its two hideous heads resembled human faces but possessed the hooked noses and beaks of vultures. Its eyes were a dark, brownish-black, and its gaze, under the light of its four eyes, was chillingly sinister enough to send low-level Golden Core cultivators into a frenzy of terror.

It was a Skeleton Demon, a Nascent Soul-level Skeleton Demon transformed into human form.

"Caw, caw, ...... perish all of you!"

After