“Because everyone cultivates and fights differently. According to the fair rules, if one blood-sacrifices a life-bound ghost servant, it can be counted as part of the individual's strength.” The Arena’s artifact spirit stated coldly. “You may attempt to summon your life-bound ghost servant. If it passes inspection, it can appear within the arena.”

Lei Dong hastily established a mental connection with Xiao You. Sure enough, the strong sense of connection between them remained. He attempted a summoning. In an instant, Xiao You appeared beside Lei Dong. After a moment of stupefaction, Xiao You exclaimed joyfully, “Brother, where is this place?”

Xiao You calling him ‘Brother’ had its origins. Back in the Nether Vortex, during their most intense moments, she favored calling Lei Dong ‘Brother.’ This address was far more intimate than the constant addressing of ‘Young Master.’

Due to the soul-link forged by blood sacrifice, their spirits were virtually one. With just a single thought from Lei Dong, Xiao You grasped the entire situation. She murmured in slight astonishment, “So you mean…” J. You suddenly recalled that in ancient times, there was a supremely powerful predecessor from the Celestial Realm who possessed earth-shattering abilities. This senior had refined a wondrous Innate Spirit Treasure called the ‘Fairness Arena.’ The original intent of the predecessor in crafting this object was to halt conflict and minimize disputes. However, those who obtained it later frequently twisted its purpose, using it for blatant ‘behead-the-leader’ tactics, thereby subverting the original intention of the artifact’s creation. Xiao You’s knowledge stemmed from the Nether Ghost Emperor. The lineage of knowledge for Celestial Spirit Ghosts differs significantly from that of humans or even ordinary ghosts.

“It seems the situation is quite grim,” Lei Dong glanced at True Person Xuanyuan, dozens of feet away, his expression extremely stern. “Although Xuanyuan appears heavily wounded, he is, after all, a figure among the Soul Transformation stage. If this fight adheres strictly to the principle of fair combat, it will be extremely disadvantageous for us.”

Lei Dong was correct. True Person Xuanyuan was unlike the Black Winged Demon King who was reborn in a borrowed body. When the Black Winged Demon King was reborn, he possessed less than one-tenth or even one-twentieth of his peak strength, and he lacked any of the demonic weapons or armor. Yet, even so, the endless stratagems of the Black Winged Demon King had caused Lei Dong immense suffering, and it was only through the timely rescues by various figures, including Yun Tai and Bing Yun, that they managed to barely kill him.

True Person Xuanyuan might not possess the strength of the Black Winged Demon King at his zenith. However, he was a human cultivator at the Soul Transformation stage. What human cultivators excelled at was the use of various magical artifacts, talismans, and elixirs. And the Grand Supreme Sect was a supreme existence among human cultivation sects, possessing a profound foundation rarely matched.

Although Lei Dong was very well-prepared for this expedition with all sorts of elixirs and talismans—even storing hundreds of Yin Fiend Heavenly Thunders in his storage bracelet—if those hundreds of Yin Fiend Heavenly Thunders could successfully strike True Person Xuanyuan, even if his strength were intact, he would only face the outcome of having his soul shattered.

But Lei Dong could guarantee that True Person Xuanyuan would not be lacking in his hidden trump cards. And without an ability like the Nether Ghost Emperor Zhou Ming’s Divine Word Art to achieve temporal stasis, how could he concentrate and instantly unleash a torrent of Yin Fiend Heavenly Thunders onto Xuanyuan’s head?

The thought of the Divine Word Art made Lei Dong look towards Xiao You with palpable longing. A wave of divine thought was transmitted.

Xiao You, uncharacteristically, rolled her eyes at Lei Dong. “Brother, Xiao You is merely a Celestial Spirit Ghost, not some Celestial Spirit God. Father spent millennia in arduous cultivation just to barely master the Divine Word Art, and even then, due to his limitations in strength, he hasn't reached the point of absolute command over words. Using the time reversal earlier probably severely injured Father. Fortunately, Father succeeded in saving Sister Mu; it wasn't entirely in vain given the price he paid.”

Lei Dong’s expression sharpened, and he spoke solemnly, “This matter is greatly indebted to the Ghost Emperor Senior. Lei Dong will engrave this immense favor upon his heart.”

“Brother, Xiao You wasn't asking you to repay a favor,” Xiao You stomped her foot, partly shy and partly indignant. “When you say that, aren’t you pushing Xiao You into the category of an outsider?”

“Uh, that was my fault.” Lei Dong apologized with a smile. “I was just too worried about Sister Mei. If anything had happened to her, I truly wouldn't know what to do.”

“Hmph, hmph! Still have the leisure to flirt and tease here?” Xuanyuan’s resentful voice drifted over. “Brat, you not only ruined my sect’s great plan but even dared to command an army to annihilate the elite forces of my Grand Supreme Sect? I will not grant you a swift death. I will extract your soul and refine it slowly using your heretical methods, making you wish for life but finding none, and wish for death but unable to achieve it.”

“Old Devil Xuanyuan, stop bragging,” Xiao You, displeased and agitated, pouted and scoffed. “You’re a peak expert at the Soul Transformation level. Looking at your immortal bearing and respectable appearance, what kind of manner is it to bully a junior using the Arena? If you truly possess mettle and ability, why don't you fight my Father one-on-one?”

“You little Ghost King, are you truly the daughter of the Nether Old Ghost?” True Person Xuanyuan stared at Xiao You, his face very pale and serious. “No, no. With the Nether Old Ghost’s tyrannical disposition, how could he allow his daughter to become the life-bound ghost servant of a mere Golden Core human?” However, that little Ghost King had indeed appeared alongside the Nether Old Ghost just now. And that Nether Old Ghost had terrifyingly employed a heaven-defying art like time reversal. Even though the Nether Old Ghost was indirectly manipulating the laws of time by relying on the Divine Word Art, even so, it was far beyond what he, Xuanyuan, could contend with.

“Old Devil Xuanyuan, why do you care whose daughter I am?” Xiao You crossed her arms and glanced coldly. “If you fear my Father, release us both immediately. Otherwise, my Father will certainly flatten your Grand Supreme Sect.”

“Hmph, the Nether Ghost Emperor is indeed formidable, but is my Grand Supreme Sect made of mere clay?” True Person Xuanyuan sneered, his imposing presence undiminished. “Our Great Qian Continent is not some backwater region like Kang Prefecture. If he dares to cause trouble in the Great Qian Continent, he certainly won't leave alive.” This statement was not an empty boast; the strength of the Great Qian Continent was in no way inferior to that of the most powerful races.

“However, for the sake of the Nether Ghost Emperor being a-level expert in his own right, I can allow this little girl to leave. If you are sensible, leave quickly. Otherwise, this True Person will show no mercy.” True Person Xuanyuan seemed genuinely apprehensive of the Nether Ghost Emperor, not wanting to draw the Ghost Emperor's attention upon himself after killing this little girl.

“What a joke. This Princess is Brother’s life-bound ghost servant. Killing Brother is no different from killing me?” Xiao You coldly laughed. “But can a half-baked cultivator like you, who just reached the Soul Transformation stage and is heavily wounded, really kill Brother and me? Come and try.”

“Both sides are ready. The battle to the death officially begins. Warning: only by eliminating the opposing side can one leave this arena,” the Arena’s artifact spirit’s cold voice echoed in Lei Dong’s mind.

True Person Xuanyuan moved. His figure shot forward like a fierce gale, grinning menacingly. “Brat, in this fair environment, let’s see who can protect you now! I will personally extract your soul!”

Suddenly, layer upon layer of black flags flew out sequentially from Xiao You’s Purple Mansion—a total of nine sinister, terrifying flags that instantly began to spin, intending to envelop everyone within.

Despite True Person Xuanyuan’s arrogance and domineering manner, as if he could crush Lei Dong with a casual gesture, he was actually extremely tense following consecutive major setbacks. Any slight disturbance made him jumpy, like a startled bird.

A Soul Transformation stage expert’s divine sense was incredibly sharp. With just a hasty glance at the black flags, Xuanyuan felt an inexplicable shudder of terror run through him. If it had been the former him, he might have charged forward fearlessly. But now, he instantly flashed away, retreating several miles.

Swish, swish, swish—

Those black flags moved like living things, enveloping an area spanning roughly a mile, spinning ceaselessly and spewing forth dense black mist. Each strand of black mist appeared to possess life, writhing and occasionally revealing clawing, grasping shapes.

“What is this treasure?” True Person Xuanyuan, after his momentary shock, felt a cold sweat break out. Based on his superior divine sense, he could feel the pressure emanating from every strand of black mist, and it was absolutely no less than that exerted by a Soul Transformation level expert.

“Eh? Could this be the Nether Black Fiend Array?” The voice of the Arena’s artifact spirit suddenly cut in, with a rare tone of awe. “It has been a long time since I’ve seen this array manifested in its complete form. Little Celestial Spirit Ghost, you truly have given me a surprise.”

“Damn it, the Nether Black Fiend Array?” Even someone of Xuanyuan’s caliber couldn’t help but have his eyeballs bulge out as he cursed in retrospective fear. “Little girl, you are truly insidious, utterly insidious! That was close, so incredibly close.” He had certainly heard legends of the foremost defensive Innate Spirit Treasure of the Nether Domain. This exaggerated formation consisted of nine array flags, and within each flag was sealed a Soul Transformation level demonic creature of the Nether attribute. The main flag shockingly held the primordial spirit of a peak Soul Transformation level fierce beast.

Although a primordial spirit cannot exert the terrifying combat power of its physical body, the combined might of nine Soul Transformation level demonic beast primordial spirits meant that even a mid-stage Soul Transformation cultivator trapped within would face the tragic end of having their soul scattered and spirit extinguished.

Naturally, the craft required to refine such an Innate Spirit Treasure was only achievable in ancient times. Now, forget about finding nine Nether-attribute Soul Transformation beasts—even finding one was exceedingly difficult.

While Xuanyuan was filled with dread, Xiao You secretly sighed in regret. Her original plan was to shroud Xuanyuan within the formation and annihilate him in one fell swoop, which was why she had quietly and stealthily produced the Nether Black Fiend Array.

Even Lei Dong was drenched in a cold sweat. It seemed his Xiao You had learned a great deal of his own cunning methods. If Xuanyuan hadn't been overly vigilant and fled at the slightest sign of trouble, he might have become the most unjustly killed Soul Transformation expert in history.

…(To be continued)