Born with immortal seed

Chapter 792 The True and False Ghost Lords
"To avoid seeing someone is not the way to treat a guest."

Bai Zichen opened his eyes, his pupils shifting between yin and yang, radiating a profound divine light that pierced the darkness of the passage.

All darkness and all illusion are laid bare before these eyes, as if one could see a distant ghost city palace.

With his right hand, he drew the Nanming Li Huo Sword and gently pushed it forward. The crimson flame, symbolizing boundless heat, dispelled the surrounding chill.

In an instant, it appeared in the deepest part of Fengdu in the Ten Lands and blasted towards the stone tablet.

Even before getting close, the air was scorching hot, and a dense, ghostly aura spread everywhere.

Bai Zichen did not go all out; he simply used a fifth-tier flying sword to casually slash out.

Firstly, Bai Zhaoqing's whereabouts are unknown, so as to avoid accidentally injuring or wrongly accusing the Ghost Lord.

Secondly, with each additional bit of effort, one can feel the obstruction and constraint from the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.

I don't want to give away the lifespan I've painstakingly restored.

Even so, it is still equivalent to the level of a normal mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator going all out.

Furthermore, the Nanming Li Huo Sword is born from the essence of Li Huo, making it the most effective counter to ghost cultivators.

Under normal circumstances, a fifth-order Yin spirit would have no chance of blocking it.

Of course, Fengdu in the Ten Lands is similar to a secret realm but not quite, and it provides a home-field advantage for ghost cultivators.

It remains to be seen how much the increase will be, and whether it can offset the inherent disadvantages.

……

Behind the majestic and ancient city walls stand magnificent halls, silent and exuding absolute solemnity.

From beginning to end, it was all deep black without a trace of other colors, as if there were living things hiding in it, and countless shadows moved around on the palace.

At the very center of the hall are three large characters inscribed on it, but they are shrouded in layers of black mist and cannot be seen clearly.

Inside the hall, the steps rise in layers, seemingly impossible to climb, with the highest point appearing to exceed the top of the hall itself.

A gaunt man stood with his hands behind his back, wearing a dark robe. Ten images of ghosts and gods were symmetrically arranged on the left and right, and interspersed vertically.

His aura was as vast as the sea and as majestic as a mountain, and every inch of his body was interacting with the outside world. Fine black lines, as thin as cow's hair, emerged from his robes and then entered from the outside.

Despite remaining silent and motionless, he influenced the rise and fall of the black mist in the entire ghost city with the fluctuations of his internal energy.

Without needing to say more, one can tell that this person is the ruler of this place.

"Lord, are you really not going to show yourself? The Sword Lord of Time is not one to suffer losses easily, I'm afraid he won't retreat so easily."

The faceless judge stood on the steps two steps lower than usual, looking worried.

As the spokesperson for the Ten Realms of Fengdu, he most frequently travels within the cultivation world.

His other identity is Tian Tong Star Lord of the Star Palace.

When the Green Lamp Arhat tried to bring the Ten Earths of Fengdu into his camp, the Faceless Judge resolutely refused and instead provided Bai Zichen with intelligence.

Therefore, in the cultivation world, he later received much in return from Rotten Axe Mountain.

That is why the Faceless Judge understands the temperament of the Time Lord better than others.

They have a clear sense of gratitude and resentment, and express their likes and dislikes very directly.

Judging from the several sects that had a past relationship with him, he was promoted to unimaginable positions and was living a very comfortable life.

Those who harbor hatred suffer more and more each day.

Like that black market, it used to be the most powerful underground force, and countless cultivators depended on it for survival.

After clashing with the Sword Lord of Time, it gradually split into dozens of independent individuals.

Even the powerful Eight Desolate Sword Lord, who had been his backer, passed away a few years later.

Although he is now over a thousand years older than his Nascent Soul age, many people still attribute the direct cause to his battle with the Sword Lord of Time from afar.

Otherwise, if the Eight Desolate Sword Lord had lived for several more decades, the Five Phoenix Sword Sect would not have declined so rapidly.

With the backing of a super-large brand, even if the Great True Lord passes away, it can still continue to act arrogantly and presumptuously.

"We can't afford to offend either side, so we'll just hide away for a while... That person is capable of completing our Ghost Path, so we won't be limited to the fifth rank and lost and confused about the future."

The Ghost Lord turned around, his face gaunt and his long beard reaching his chest.

The most striking feature is his pair of eyes: the left eye is completely black, and the right eye is completely white, making it impossible to distinguish the boundary between the pupil and the white of the eye.

“Fengdu is a world unto itself, and external forces are weakened upon reaching it. Unless Bai Zichen pays the same price as he did when dealing with the ancient demon Asura, he cannot endanger us. He is merely hiding in the palace and losing face; after all, ghost cultivators have no reputation to speak of.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a crimson dragon illuminated Fengdu and arrived with a roar.

The thick, perpetually shrouded black fog outside Fengdu City, as if encountering its nemesis, hissed and ignited.

The sparks falling from the red dragon's body flickered in every hall, causing the temperature in the originally gloomy and cold place to rise sharply, losing the deathly aura of the ghost city.

The Crimson Dragon slashed mercilessly down at the central hall, and powerful ghostly figures rushed towards it, but like moths to a flame, they turned into sparks.

"How dare you do this!"

The Ghost Lord's expression changed drastically. He raised both palms upwards, and a black and white fish shot up, connecting with every hall in the city and blocking the imposing red dragon.

Beneath their feet, in the grand hall, black energy surged, and withered hands reached out, pushing the black and white fish into the air, where they spun wildly.

The writing above the main hall, which had been shrouded in black mist, finally revealed its true form.

Suying Palace!
The red dragon disappeared, and the black and white Pisces came up empty-handed.

But the next moment, it reappeared behind them, and with a bang, the black mist melted away and the ghostly energy dissipated.

The once eerie and gloomy Fengdu Ghost City is now as bright as day.

After only a few rounds of fighting, the Ghost Lord was exhausted from chasing. Despite having the vast power to dominate everything, he couldn't catch his opponent at all.

Even with the home advantage, they were still completely outmaneuvered.

The Ghost Lord roared in a fit of rage, and all the black halls lit up, revealing ten ghost gods who appeared as if they were ten fifth-order ghost cultivators crawling out from the depths of the underworld.

With their combined efforts, the world of Fengdu was plunged back into darkness, trapping the Crimson Dragon in a tiny space.

Just as ten large hands grasped the Crimson Dragon, each exerting its strength to suppress the flying sword with terrifying power.

The red dragon suddenly transformed from a tangible entity into an intangible one, vanishing without a trace in a flash.

When the next wave of sword light arrives, Fengdu Ghost City will no longer have such means to retaliate.

Only the Ghost Lord revealed his Yin God form, and the hundred-foot giant used his supernatural powers to resist the Crimson Dragon Sword Light.

But every time they interact, a large portion of their ghostly energy is burned away.

After three to five rounds, his body was covered in pits and his energy had dropped significantly.

There was no way around it; after Bai Zichen comprehended the principle of omnipresence, facing ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators was like a dimensional reduction attack.

It allows one to wield a sword and kill enemies from thousands of miles away, as if personally on the battlefield.

Those cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage whose divine sense range exceeds two thousand miles are exceptional individuals who have experienced extraordinary encounters and possess powerful divine senses.

In this situation where he could only take hits without being able to fight back, and facing the Sword Lord of Time, even the Ancient Demon Asura found him tiresome and unable to get rid of him.

It's completely unimaginable what methods other Nascent Soul cultivators would use to defeat it.

"Ghost Lord, this is our first meeting, and we should have no conflict... I want to know, why are you covering up for the person who kidnapped my clansman? Do you want to become an enemy of the Azure Maple Sect? And an enemy of mine?"

Bai Zichen's voice came calmly from the horizon.

Through this exchange, he was able to confirm that the one who took Bai Zhaoqing away could not have been the Ghost Lord.

A fifth-tier Yin God, presiding over his home turf, was actually being overwhelmed by a single Nanming Li Huo Sword, and his body was riddled with flaws.

There's no way they could possibly have the confidence to scheme against themselves, and if they go all out in the real world, they'll definitely leave behind ghostly energy.

The area around the Sanchuan River could never be that clean.

The direction indicated by Zhulong's Yin-Yang Eyes and the Ghost Lord's attitude suggest that he definitely knows some of the inside story, but is trying to conceal it.

"Sword Lord, why press me so hard? I have my own difficulties... You go and find that person's whereabouts and resolve the dispute yourself. There's no need to come to Fengdu to look for him."

The Ghost Lord took a deep breath, and large clumps of ghostly energy entered his body, restoring him to his peak condition.

"Leave immediately, lest you disturb the environment of Fengdu and prevent me from sleeping!"

"ridiculous!"

A cold laugh echoed from the horizon, and six more sword lights rushed in, locking onto the target from afar.

"Sword Lord, that person was truly unreasonable and forced me to agree, otherwise he would have torn down this Suying Palace... I can tell you the location of that person, Sword Lord, so that you will not harm my Ghost City any further. Every bit of the foundation here is related to the advancement of all ghost cultivators."

The sword light shone brightly, causing the Ghost Lord's expression to change drastically, and he immediately changed his story.

Each sword light was real and genuine, possessing a vast and powerful aura similar to that of the Crimson Dragon, making him realize that his assessment of the Time Sword Lord's combat strength had been greatly inaccurate.

This strength seems to surpass that of the mysterious person, and he was also capable of destroying the ten Fengdu realms.

What they consider their home-field advantage might only amount to a few sword strikes against the all-out power of the Time Sword Master.

"In the City of No Light, the posing as the city lord deceived everyone, and Zhao Qing was also taken there..."

The sword light brought back the letter that the Ghost Lord had written on the spot. Bai Zichen opened his eyes and carefully scanned it back and forth.

"If you had just said so earlier, the misunderstanding would have been cleared up. Why did we have to go through all this trouble? But I hope that the Ghost Lord can accompany me to the City of No Light."

"I dislike sunlight, and my Yin spirit is deficient, so I cannot be in contact with cold. My requirements for the environment are almost harsh... Although I am very willing to go with Sword Lord to completely resolve the previous misunderstanding, I really cannot leave Fengdu of the Ten Lands."

The image of the Ghost Lord swayed gently, expressing its opinion crisply and decisively.

"Without the Ghost Lord's identification, how could I recognize that mysterious person? Just accompany me without lifting a finger, and I, Bai, will protect you."

Bai Zichen did not back down and remained resolute.

"Since the Ghost Lord has given such a reply, I must assume that you and that person are accomplices."

"Very well, I will accompany you, but please let me see the true face of the Sword Lord of Time once you enter Fengdu, so that I may know who I have truly lost to."

The Ghost Lord paused for a long time, and while agreeing, he made another request.

"It's impossible."

Bai Zichen suddenly smiled slightly, stood up and took a step forward, landing on the vast plain a few breaths later.

"The Sword Lord has the appearance of the sun and the moon, and his demeanor is lofty and aloof. He is indeed a sword immortal who can dominate all ages."

The Ghost Lord praised him, and the Yin God's Dharma Form rapidly approached.

Just as the two were less than a hundred feet apart, twelve sword lights rose up at the same time, then fell like stars in the sky.

Caught off guard, the Ghost Lord was immediately trapped in the Star River Sword Formation.

"Sword Lord of Time, what is the meaning of this? I have already agreed to go with you to the City of No Light to identify the mysterious person, why do you still insist on this!"

"Please show mercy, Sword Lord of Time. The Lord had no intention of disrespecting us. All our actions were forced upon us by that person."

For the first time, the faceless judge's features became tangible, no longer displaying a thousand faces and leaving no lasting impression.

"No matter who you are, show your true colors... You can fool others, but you think you can fool me?"

Bai Zichen spoke in a cold voice, but what he said was earth-shattering.

The faceless judge stood there stunned, not immediately understanding what it meant.

The next moment, he jumped up in surprise, exclaiming that it was impossible.

The meaning of Guangyin Sword Lord is that this Lord of the Ten Lands of Fengdu, a fifth-order Yin God, is no longer the Ghost Lord of the past, but someone is impersonating him.

Not to mention the difficulty of infiltrating the Ten Realms of Fengdu and replacing the Ghost Lord.

The Ghost Lord's words, actions, and speaking habits were exactly the same as before.

No matter how well or meticulously one puts on the surface, if it's not the real person, how can one hide it from the faceless judge who has been with them for nearly a thousand years?

Most importantly, where in the cultivation world can one find another fifth-tier Yin God besides the Ghost Lord himself?

This is even more difficult than finding a Nascent Soul cultivator.

If a powerful being of the Nascent Soul stage appears to impersonate another, the deception will be exposed immediately.

Among all cultivators in the cultivation world, only the Ten Earthly Fengdu truly follow the path of ghost cultivation.

The other ghost cultivators were only involved in minor skirmishes and posed no real threat.

"Yes, it's impossible to replace someone without anyone noticing... But what if the Ghost Lord is still the same Ghost Lord, but possessed by someone else, and his soul belongs to someone else?"

Bai Zichen noticed that the latest letter was made of the same material as the envelope left by Bai Zhaoqing.

It had just been written, and in the blink of an eye, under the Candle Dragon's Yin-Yang Eyes, one could see a pair of slender, pale hands, holding a long brush and writing with it.

The image of the brush tip flying like dragons and phoenixes is more than 99% similar to the scene depicting what is nominally Fu Donghai's last writing.

Most likely, they were made by the same person.

This alone cannot prove that the Ghost Lord was possessed and replaced by someone else, but Bai Zichen's Candle Dragon Yin-Yang Eyes discovered that the Ghost Lord's Dharma form and Yin spirit were not 100% compatible after the Ghost Lord left the city.

The path of ghost cultivation inherently involves abandoning the physical body and strengthening the Yin spirit.

How could there be any problems with such fundamental principles?

This situation is quite similar to that of an elderly deity on Penglai Island in the Western Sea who had just performed the secret technique of reincarnation.

One is a primordial spirit that has just entered an unfamiliar physical body, and the other is a yin spirit that cannot perfectly match the Dharma form it has cultivated.

This will result in mutual repulsion and collision of true essence.

It takes a long time and constant refinement through practice to gradually approach perfection.

This situation occurs because the body has changed owners, and the soul and body are unable to adapt in time.

"The Lord's divine consciousness is not weak; he is a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who follows the traditional path. Who could possess him!"

The faceless judge's gaze darted back and forth between the Sword Lord of Time and the Ghost Lord, feeling as if his mind was about to overwhelm him.

Recalling the appearance of that mysterious person, the Ghost Lord's habits and actions remained unchanged, but the decisions he made regarding the large formation were completely different from the past.

Previously, the Ten Earthly Fengdu had always adhered to the principle of remaining hidden in the shadows and not getting involved in the disputes of the cultivation world.

From the great war between humans and demons, to the reconquest of the Eastern Region, the reclamation of the Black Sea, and then to the chaos of the ancient demons, plotting against the Sword Lord of Time...

Fengdu of the Ten Lands had many opportunities to enter the game, but he chose to give them all up.

They might be able to occupy a large territory and reap massive resources, but it would be of no value to ghost cultivators.

The path they take and the spiritual objects they need are completely different from those of traditional monks.

(End of this chapter)