"I certainly know that," Old Liu said, leaping aside. He had long since donned his sunglasses, which allowed him to see through the child's true form. When he turned back to look at the children, he found that they had all stiffened and were now standing motionless.

"Yan Dao Out!" Ye Xiu roared, rushing into the midst of the children, intending to pull Old Liu away. In mid-air, the blade shadow descended, striking directly at Xiao Xiu Luo. Xiao Xiu Luo showed no fear, muttering, "Ghost Doll Substitute!" Instantly, the children leaped up and swarmed to shield Xiao Xiu Luo, and the blade light fell, cleaving into their small bodies.

Old Liu sucked in a sharp breath. At that moment, the previously small children revealed their true faces. At a glance, they looked utterly lifeless, like zombies standing stiffly.

"Hahaha, ever tried the Puppet Control Technique of the Underworld?" Xiao Xiu Luo flicked his fingers, and ten of the ghost doll puppets slowly drifted to the ground. They were fearsome in appearance, their forms rigid. The parts struck by Yan Dao even oozed a bit of greenish pus.

"See? I told you to be careful!" Ye Xiu pointed at the ghost dolls, chiding him. "You better have a way to deal with him; I don't want to be tied up fighting these shorties for too long."

"Sigh, traveling the world really requires constant vigilance. Don't worry, I, Old Liu, have seen every kind of zombie and monster out here!" Old Liu's words were serious, his expression focused. As soon as he spoke, he had his Bo Mian Blade ready for action. In a moment of tension, he added, "There are ten of these things here. Want to see who gets more kills?"

"Fine!" Ye Xiu was exasperated with him, so he thrust his Hei Yan backward while pushing Yan Dao forward, leaping directly at Xiao Xiu Luo.

"Ghost Dolls, Encircle!" Xiao Xiu Luo maintained his smile. Under his control, all the ghost dolls lunged toward Ye Xiu. Yan Dao formed a fierce, intense red whirlwind, nearly shredding every ghost doll to tatters in an instant. Just as he was feeling triumphant, he saw the severed limbs floating in mid-air reassemble themselves, forming perfectly whole human shapes before attacking him once more.

"They can't be killed?" Ye Xiu finally understood why Xiao Xiu Luo had been smiling all along. After sustaining heavy damage and being sliced, the ghost dolls could merge back together and re-enter the fight. Although Ye Xiu parried and blocked with ease, he realized his stamina couldn't sustain this. He was trapped in a throng of dolls that knew nothing of death, slaughtering them with enthusiasm but unable to defeat them.

Xiao Xiu Luo's expression grew solemn, laced with pride. "The power infused into the ghost dolls by the Styx River is inexhaustible. You lost this battle from the very beginning. No matter how sharp your blades are, as long as even a shred remains, the ghost dolls can revive."

"Damn it, why is it always these things that can't be killed!" Old Liu became enraged upon hearing this. He brought his Po Mo Sword into hand and swung it repeatedly, which instantly generated intense coldness in the air. Clenching his hands, water vapor filled the area, and a sharp, freezing aura locked all the ghost dolls firmly in place. "Now, how will your control technique work?"

"Oh, for a situation like this, I usually do this," Xiao Xiu Luo replied calmly. He spread his five fingers toward the sky, then instantly clenched both fists. Observing the scene, the ghost dolls detonated as if triggered by bombs, melting away all the ice.

"Ah!" Old Liu never expected such a move. Following the sounds of the explosions, he was thrown far away by the powerful airflow.

"These ghost dolls are truly troublesome," Ye Xiu staggered over, glaring fiercely at Xiao Xiu Luo. The fragments of the ghost dolls were reappearing; as long as the slightest residue existed, it would continuously extend and divide, forming ghost doll puppets identical to the originals. In a short while, they were whole again.

Xiao Xiu Luo remained unhurried, seeming to have gauged Ye Xiu's cultivation level. He smiled slightly. "If you think my ghost dolls only have this one use, you are gravely mistaken."

"I'm not interested in the ghost dolls; I just want to know what's in the next gate, and how we can stop the Blood Sea waters from rising," Ye Xiu, driven by curiosity, tried to extract information.

"Oh, it seems you are someone with some experience. I think I know your purpose here," Xiao Xiu Luo said, stroking the battered head of a ghost doll. "Once the waters of the Blood Sea begin to surge, they cannot be stopped. You want to break through to the main root source of the Styx River—that's utterly pointless effort."

"Looks like you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin," Old Liu raised his hand, and the icy aura within the Po Mo Sword intensified.

"Please, proceed!" Xiao Xiu Luo showed no fear. He commanded the ghost dolls to divide into upper, middle, and lower ranks of attack, and the dolls, now wielding various knives and swords, charged toward the two men.

Ye Xiu channeled Su Hun to empower Yan Dao, causing his movements to become like wind, rain, thunder, and lightning once more. He knew that any attack on the ghost dolls themselves was futile, but relying on his current strength, escaping the entanglement of ten ghost dolls was no easy task. He dared not approach, nor could he afford to be distracted. Under duress, he could only use defensive strikes, letting his Hei Yan spread out to protect his surroundings.

"Clang, clang, clang." The sword techniques the ghost dolls somehow learned were swift yet elusive, like a gentle breeze passing by. Ye Xiu parried and struck while maintaining distance to avoid being hit by explosive damage from the dolls. After dozens of rounds, he was panting, utterly exhausted.

"Old Liu! Hurry up and help!" Ye Xiu cried out in agony, begging for Old Liu's assistance. Unexpectedly, Old Liu was sitting in his spot, legs crossed, watching the show. "Hey! What are you looking at? If I go down, I'm finished!"

"No, you won't. I see those little ghost dolls can't hurt you at all," Old Liu, judging only by appearances, was indeed quite naive. "I don't need to get involved in this kind of spectacle. I'm truly not good at fighting children."

"Ah! Ya!" Ye Xiu, furious, instantly vaulted into the sky, using Yan Dao to summon a Surging Blood Wave that crashed down upon the swarm of ghost dolls. The sea water surged torrentially, drowning the dolls within it.

"It's useless; ghost dolls cannot be killed," Xiao Xiu Luo said, yawning slightly out of boredom. He merely waved his hand, and the ghost dolls, all excellent swimmers, began floating merrily in the seawater.

"Hei Yan Nine Dragon Roar!" Ye Xiu, experienced as he was, knew the Blood Wave was merely a diversion. The real attack came from his ultimate skill, Hei Yan. Instantly, the entire room roared with light and shadow, the bursts of fire causing even the sea waves to churn violently. The ghost dolls in the water were no exception; they were scorched black and pulverized by the flames.

"Ghost Doll Flash!" Xiao Xiu Luo's eyes narrowed, and killing intent flared. The shattered remains of the ghost dolls reformed yet again. This time, they not only restored their original forms but merged completely into a single entity. A massive ghost doll stood before Ye Xiu.

Ye Xiu looked up. The giant doll delivered a single, crushing palm strike. Startled, he didn't have time to dodge. The blow slammed him heavily against the wall, leaving him in agony.