Chapter 51 Ghost Valley Demons

Time passed, and Xiao Ming had been cultivating peacefully at Holy Son Peak for a few days. Today, he planned to go to the Heartless Peak sleeping quarters to Cultivate a relationship with his Revered Master. On the way, he heard many Disciples discussing something, and his perception quickly spread out.

"Did you hear? The 'Ghost Valley' in the Black Mountain Range to the north seems to be opening in these few days!"

"Ghost Valley? Oh... is that the legendary small Secret Realm where only Cultivators below the Nascent Soul Stage can enter, and it is filled with ghosts and Yin souls?"

"That's right! It is said that every period of time, the Evil Qi there weakens, making it a good Opportunity to enter and seek an Opportunity. Although it is dangerous inside, it is a rare blessed land for Ghost Cultivators and Soul Cultivators. If one can encounter the remnant soul fragments left behind by ancient Cultivators and capture and refine them, the benefits would be infinite!"

"Tsk, what a pity. Our cultivation has only just reached the Golden Core Stage; going there would be seeking death. I heard that several Demonic Path Sects nearby have sent people... Yes, those high-level Disciples and Saints certainly look down on such small Secret Realms and small Opportunities, but for ordinary Disciples like us, this Opportunity is so rare!"

"That's right, that's right, let's go take a look. We leave in these few days!"

"Below the Nascent Soul Stage... ghosts and Yin souls..." Xiao Ming murmured in his heart. He had long wanted to go out for training, but there were still some pests in the Sect that hadn't been cleared out. The faction led by Tu Gang had seemed to quiet down a lot recently.

They weren't making trouble, and surely they couldn't kill a Peak Revered Master or Elder in the Sect for no reason. But if... he went out personally and used himself as bait...

Thinking of this, Xiao Ming's eyes brightened. And ghost mist and Yin souls—wouldn't that be the perfect nourishment for You Li?

He subconsciously touched the warm soul-containing jade on his chest. Since entering, You Li had remained silent within it. Also, due to strength reasons, Xiao Ming had never dared to release her. What if some old monster in the Sect took a fancy to her and snatched her away? That would be a huge loss. Such a beautiful little ghost girl, and she could also serve as his maid and fighter; he couldn't bear to have her snatched away. But he wasn't a Child of Fortune, so he definitely had to keep a low profile. As a Ghost Servant, You Li had an innate restraint and sensing ability toward Yin souls and ghosts. If she could gorge herself on them, wouldn't her cultivation skyrocket?

Furthermore, since only those below the Nascent Soul Stage could enter, he didn't need to worry about those old monsters anymore. Xiao Ming's lips curled into an arc, and he hesitated no longer. His figure flashed, and he returned to the Holy Son Peak palace to start preparing for this trip to the Secret Realm. The next day, after everything was ready, Xiao Ming did not make a big scene. He just ran to the Heartless Peak sleeping quarters and left a sound-transmission Jade Slip for his Revered Master to explain the situation, then quietly left the Heavenly Demon Sect and sped toward the northern mountain range.

Several days later, at the entrance of Ghost Valley, cold winds howled and ghosts wailed. Thick gray miasma churned like a living thing, shrouding the canyon entrance in a hazy mist.

In front of the rift, on a relatively open area of rubble, hundreds to thousands of figures had already gathered. The scene was chaotic and oppressive. The Demonic Cultivators were in groups of three or five, or occupying a corner alone, maintaining vigilance and distance from each other. The air was filled with the smell of blood, Evil Qi, and the strange aura emitted by various Demonic Path Cultivation Techniques. From time to time, the groans of the injured and the screams of those dying could be heard.

At the position closest to the rift entrance, several groups of people occupied their respective spots. They were few in number, but each possessed a profound aura. The lowest among them was at the Early Stage of the Golden Core Stage, and among them, several had auras reaching the Late Stage or even the Peak of the Golden Core Stage. Clearly, they were the strongest factions exploring this Secret Realm.

Through the conversations of some Cultivators nearby, Xiao Ming learned the powers and identities of these groups:

The Cultivators from the Hundred Ghost Cave were the most conspicuous. Most of them wore black robes embroidered with ferocious ghost heads, their bodies wreathed in black Qi. Some even directly rode solid-looking fierce ghosts or zombies, which was eerie and terrifying. The leader was a middle-aged man with a pale complexion and sunken eye sockets, his aura already at the Golden Core Peak. He toyed with a piece of white human bone in his hand, and when his eyes swept over other Cultivators, a flash of golden light would pass through them, as if he were looking at a Treasure Trove.

The members of the Yin Sha Sect were uniformly dressed in short, gray-black tight-fitting outfits, emitting a cold Evil Qi from their bodies. Where they stood, the ground even gathered substantial Evil Qi. Their leader was a grim-looking young man with a giant sword wrapped in black Qi on his back, his cultivation also at the Golden Core Peak.

The Disciples of the White Bone Temple were the most bizarre. Almost everyone was skin and bones, with pale skin, wearing simple armor woven from some kind of white beast bone, and holding various bone Magical Artifacts. As they moved, they emitted "click-click" sounds. The leader was a tall, thin Cultivator who looked like a walking skeleton. Two clusters of pink soul fire jumped in his eye sockets, and his aura was cold and piercing; he was also at the Golden Core Peak.

Besides these three well-known Demonic Sect forces, there were some small Schools, Alliances of Loose Cultivators, and lone ferocious individuals. They were all ranked according to their strength; the closer they were to the rift, the stronger the Cultivator. The hostility between them was undisguised, and murderous gazes intertwined and clashed from time to time. As for the outer area, most were Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators. They were mostly vigilant, huddled in groups of dozens, trying to stay together to pick up scraps on the periphery of the Secret Realm.

Xiao Ming restrained his aura, blending into the crowd of Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, appearing unremarkable. His gaze swept over the scene calmly, firmly remembering the various forces and the targets with the strongest auras. At the same time, he opened his System. Beams of Luck light and information panels flashed before his eyes, but most were red or orange, with the occasional yellow. There were really no "big fish" worth his attention.

[Red Luck: One day later, a five-hundred-year-old 'Yin Soul Grass' will be discovered in Ghost Valley...]

[Orange Luck: Three days later, encounter a Golden Core Early Stage Ghost General, kill it after a bitter battle, and obtain its soul core...]

[Yellow Luck: Five days later, find half of a Profound Rank soul technique Cultivation Technique in a collapsed Immortal Cave...]

Just as he was quickly filtering through the information, the gray light barrier at the entrance of Ghost Valley fluctuated violently, and the color faded at a speed visible to the naked eye, but the cold and chilling Qi seeping from within became even more piercing and dense.

"The Restriction is about to open!" someone whispered.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the field became even more tense! All Cultivators held their breath, secretly circulating their Demonic power, ready to rush in. Especially those Golden Core Stage Cultivators in the innermost circle; each of them had sharp eyes and murderous intent, clearly determined to enter first and dispose of any potential competitors along the way.

With a slight vibration, the gray light barrier suddenly dissipated! It revealed the bottomless, ghost-filled canyon entrance behind it!

"Charge!"

"The Opportunity is mine!"

"Death to those who block me!"

In an instant, hundreds of figures shot out like arrows from a bow, erupting with their fastest speed, turning into streaks of light, scrambling to rush toward the entrance! As they sprinted, screams rang out one after another! Some Cultivators who were slightly slower or blocking the way were instantly attacked or killed without mercy by those beside or behind them! Blood splattered, severed limbs flew, and the cruel competition among Demonic Cultivators reached a climax the moment the entrance opened!

Xiao Ming was not in a hurry. He watched this chaotic slaughter with cold eyes. This was the most cruel truth of the Cultivation world: the strong view the weak as ants. After most of the Cultivators had poured in, he stepped out unhurriedly. His figure flickered like a ghost, easily avoiding several insidious attacks aimed at him, and he plunged directly into the deep canyon entrance.

The moment he passed through the entrance, it was as if he had passed through a layer of cold film, and the scene before his eyes changed dramatically.

The sky was eternally gray, with no sun or moon, only countless pale green ghost fires floating in the air like fireflies, providing a faint and eerie light. The ground was scorched black, as if it had been roasted, full of cracks, and white bones could be seen everywhere—some human-shaped, and others the skeletons of various strangely shaped Yao Beasts. Withered, strange trees twisted their branches like clawing ghost shadows. Cold winds howled, kicking up bone dust and ashes from the ground, making whimpering sounds. The air was filled with thick, pure Yin Qi and the resentment mixed with various negative emotions.

Xiao Ming walked on this scorched black land, his mood indescribable. This was also his first time entering a Secret Realm since his Transmigration to this different world. How to put it, although the environment here was harsh and creepy, he was still quite excited. After all, humans are always full of curiosity about unknown, novel things.

Just as he dodged a fierce blade energy sweeping toward him and dealt with a small fry along the way, a series of miserable screams and panicked shouts suddenly erupted from ahead.

"It's a Soul-Devouring Ghost Tide! Run!"

"Damn it! How could there be so many vengeful ghosts here!"

In the distance ahead, the Yin Qi suddenly became extremely dense, surging outward from the central area like a fountain! It carried countless ferocious, screeching vengeful ghosts and spirits! They had no physical form, yet they exuded a chilling aura that eroded the Divine Soul, crazily lunging at the panicked Cultivators one by one.

The Cultivators at the front were frantic and running blindly; even some high-level Demonic Cultivators at the Golden Core stage seemed extremely terrified. From far away, Xiao Ming saw a Disciple of the Yin Sha Sect surrounded by countless vengeful ghosts. His protective Evil Qi was instantly torn apart by countless ghost claws. He let out a desperate howl, black blood gushing from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, and his Golden Core was forcibly dug out of his body and devoured by the ghosts!

On the other side, a Cultivator from the Hundred Ghost Cave, seemingly trying to escape with his life, released a Corpse Puppet to block them. However, that Corpse Puppet only held on for a moment before shriveling and rotting under the impact of the ghost tide, while he himself fled desperately in a sorry state.

This sudden ghost tide caused the crowd that had just entered the Secret Realm to scatter like birds and beasts, fleeing in different directions.

Xiao Ming, who had been watching from afar, was just planning to pick a direction and try his Luck!

Suddenly, a stream of light flew out from the soul-containing jade around Xiao Ming's neck and landed slowly behind him.

The light dissipated, and a stunningly beautiful figure quietly emerged.

It was You Li.

She was still wearing that profound black palace dress, the dark gold spider lily patterns on the hem shimmering with a bizarre and mysterious luster under the sickly green light. Her peerless face was as tranquil as a deep pool; her nose was delicate, and her cherry lips were a very pale pink, like the first cherry blossom petal to bloom in early spring, carrying an ethereal, fragile beauty. Her waterfall-like silver hair swayed gently in the breeze; she was breathtakingly beautiful, with white brows and white hair, a generation's unparalleled elegance.

Her amethyst-like eyes slowly opened. The moment their gazes met, the mist in her eyes instantly dissipated, and an instinctive sense of closeness, reliance, and absolute belonging naturally flowed out. She tilted her head slightly, quietly gazing at the man before her with those pure purple eyes, as if telling the world, "He is my entire world!"

Seeing Xiao Ming's intense gaze, she felt a strange, subtle joy in her heart and said happily, "Revered Master, I sense a very strong soul body in there. If I can devour it, my cultivation will surely increase greatly."

Xiao Ming heard this and slowly regained his senses. He looked at the vast, dark sea of the ghost tide ahead and felt his scalp tingle. He was about to refuse, but when he turned back and met You Li's gem-like purple eyes, and the incredibly pure trust in her gaze, he couldn't bring himself to say the refusal.

Xiao Ming pondered for a moment, steeled his heart, revealed a confident smile, and said calmly, "Alright, then let's go there!"

Afterward, Xiao Ming found a gap where there were fewer vengeful ghosts, suddenly accelerated his speed, and like a ghost, dashed along the canyon's edge wall. He simultaneously unleashed Magic Light Escape and Heavenly Demon Phantom Body. His figure became blurry, and occasionally, when a vengeful ghost lunged at him, it only crashed into his afterimages.

Soon, Xiao Ming dashed to the central area of the ghost tide. Looking up, he saw a wicked ghost, three zhang tall, with a green face and sharp fangs, holding a giant white bone club. It was sucking something from the broken corpses of human Cultivators transported by minor ghosts from all directions, which was incredibly eerie.

You Li, who had been following closely behind, pointed at the big guy in front and said with excitement, "Revered Master... Revered Master, it's him! As long as I devour this Ghost Marshal, You Li can advance to a Ghost King!"

Xiao Ming was slightly stunned upon hearing this and subconsciously asked, "Ghost Marshal... Ghost King, what are those?"

You Li tilted her head slightly, and seeing her Revered Master's dazed appearance, she giggled, as if she had discovered something incredible.

Eventually, under You Li's patient explanation, Xiao Ming understood the division of cultivation Realms in the Dao of Ghosts. They were completely different from the human cultivation Realms and were slightly simpler.

From Ghost Soldier, Ghost Trooper, Ghost General, Ghost Marshal, Ghost King, Ghost Emperor, Ghost Venerable, Ghost Sovereign, to Ghost Immortal, they corresponded to our cultivation Realms.

In other words, You Li was now a Ghost Marshal. Although Xiao Ming had learned in-depth basic information about this world from his Revered Master, Luo Li, his Revered Master was human, so she couldn't have possibly told him about the division of the Dao of Ghosts Realms.

Suddenly, a roar from a wicked ghost sounded. It turned out that the wicked ghost leader had discovered Xiao Ming and You Li. Seemingly sensing a threat, the wicked ghost leader swung its giant white bone club and smashed it fiercely toward them!

Watching the wicked ghost leader attacking with the club, Xiao Ming said eagerly, "Well come! You Li, I will exhaust it, then let you devour it!"

Xiao Ming didn't dare to be careless. This wicked ghost's strength was not trivial, equivalent to a human Nascent Soul Stage powerhouse. He unleashed Magic Light Escape, a flash of black light, and narrowly dodged the wicked ghost's heavy and powerful strike. Then, he instantly activated Heavenly Demon Phantom Body, creating several afterimages to confuse the opponent, and immediately backhanded, striking out with the Great Nirvana Soul Palm!

The palm print was ethereal and dim, giving people a feeling of being ordinary, yet it contained the terrifying power to annihilate souls.

The wicked ghost gave a creepy smile, not caring at all, and continued to charge. But when that seemingly ordinary palm print struck the wicked ghost's chest, the creepy smile on its face instantly disappeared.

"Roar—!" The wicked ghost let out a miserable wail, its soul body vibrating violently and visibly dimming. It was furious, not expecting that the seemingly ordinary palm strike from this kid in front of it was actually a soul attack. It swung the bone club again, smashing toward Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming relied on his own movement technique to maneuver around it, continuously exhausting it with the Great Nirvana Soul Palm. Although the wicked ghost was fierce, its intelligence was not high, and its Moves were clumsy. Under Xiao Ming's exquisite movement technique and the palm technique that specifically countered soul bodies, it soon became covered in wounds, its aura withered, and before long, it had no strength left to fight.

"You Li, should be able to devour it now, right?" Xiao Ming saw this and revealed a joyful expression, wiping the fine sweat from his temples.

You Li, who had been hiding in the shadows, nervously watching her Revered Master, quickly turned into a purple stream of light and appeared beside Xiao Ming. Seeing that he was fine, she slowly breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing the wicked ghost with its withered aura at this moment, a faint light instantly flashed through her amethyst-like eyes. Suddenly, the wicked ghost leader let out a cry of unwillingness, its soul body completely enveloped by the light cluster released from You Li's eyes, and finally, it turned into a pure energy that surged back into You Li's eyes!

A moment later, the Yin Qi on You Li's body became increasingly massive, her soul body became more solid, and her aura surged, officially stepping into the Ghost King (Soul Transformation Stage) Realm! She breathed out a breath of Yin Qi in satisfaction, radiance flowing in her purple eyes, looking increasingly unfathomable.

"Not bad, not bad!" Xiao Ming nodded with satisfaction. You Li's increase in strength was equivalent to an increase in his own strength, so this trip was not in vain.

Just as Xiao Ming intended to continue deeper, You Li slowly leaned in. If she had been a person's distance away from Xiao Ming before, now the two of them were almost pressed against each other.

Watching this inexplicable little action of You Li, Xiao Ming didn't pay too much attention and took the lead to continue deeper. Several days later, the two arrived at a cave shrouded in pink miasma.

For some reason, the closer Xiao Ming got to the cave, the more his body began to feel slightly wrong, his lower abdomen feeling as if someone had lit a fire, throbbing faintly.

Normally, this place wouldn't have had much effect on Xiao Ming, but who knows when, that little wench You Li had slowly wrapped her arms around his, her full chest constantly rubbing against him, making one's heart itch unbearably.

Xiao Ming just wanted to ask You Li if she could sense anything. However, as he turned his head slightly, he saw her little head resting on his shoulder, with an expression of enjoyment, so he immediately swallowed the words he wanted to say.

Feeling the evil fire surging in his lower abdomen, and You Li, who was about to bring her head to his face, Xiao Ming suppressed his surging emotions, coughed, and with a stern face said, "You... You Li!"