Forgotten Photo Studio

Chapter 168 How to get out unscathed?

The air seemed to freeze into a solid form the instant Jiang Yu turned his head to stare.

Beneath that cold, ghostly mask, two tangible gazes pierced the darkness, precisely locking onto Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei's figures as they tried to conceal themselves.

The sense of protection that the Jade Cicada had previously provided had vanished, replaced by a chilling feeling that came from the depths of the soul, as if the Jade Cicada had locked onto the predator.

"Ah……"

A low, disdainful laugh, seemingly metallic in its texture, broke the deathly silence from beneath the mask.

"I wondered where these little bugs came from, daring to sneak into my 'nursery'."

Jiang Yu's gaze casually swept over Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei.

When his gaze fell on Xu Yan, who was struggling to suppress the movement of his right arm and whose temple veins were bulging, his lazy, scrutinizing posture froze for a moment.

This face... this young face, twisted with pain, yet still bearing a familiar outline.

Especially those eyes, even in such a disheveled moment, there was a hint of unyielding and stubbornness deep within them...

Like, so similar!
He looks exactly like that traitor he hates to the core—Xu Haoyu!

A long-forgotten, bloodstained name, like a poisoned dagger, suddenly pierced his heart, which had become almost numb from years of being frozen.

It was him... that traitor's son!

In an instant, countless deliberately forgotten images surged forth:

The tragic scene at the Burial God Pass, A-Qiang's withered figure, Xu Haoyu's resolute departure, and... the excruciating pain and overwhelming hatred of being betrayed by his closest relatives that haunted him for countless days and nights!

Beneath the ghost mask, Jiang Yu's breathing became momentarily disordered.

That indifferent, condescending attitude toward the intruder was instantly replaced by a deeper, more intense, almost demonic resentment and rage.

The chilling killing intent, like a tangible cold current, swept outwards from him, even causing the struggling souls around the altar to tremble and their wails to weaken.

His Ah Qiang rests here in eternal sleep, while the bloodline of that traitor dares to set foot on this sacred land.

This is blasphemy! This is provocation!

“...So it was...you.” His voice was still deep, but it no longer carried the previous nonchalance. Instead, it seemed as if he was trying his best to suppress some kind of volcano about to erupt. Every word was filled with a chilling coldness and an almost uncontrollable hatred. “Xu Haoyu’s...good son.”

The last three words, almost dripping with blood, were ground out from between his teeth.

“Perfect timing…” he murmured, as if speaking to the withered roses on the altar, or as if declaring a long-brewing vow of revenge, “Today, I will use your traitor’s blood… to pay tribute to A-Qiang!”

There were no questions, no warnings.

All the causes and consequences have lost their meaning at this moment.

When enemies meet, there can only be one outcome!

Jiang Yu didn't even stand up, as if dealing with Xu Yan was a trivial matter that he could accomplish in the blink of an eye.

He simply raised his right hand casually, pointing it towards Xu Yan, his five fingers slightly spread, and then, with an indifferent air of dominating life and death, gently clenched it.

"boom--!"

An invisible, overwhelming force instantly seized Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei, as if gripped by an unseen giant hand, violently dragging them out of the shadows of the passageway and slamming them heavily onto the cold ground in front of the altar.

"Ugh!"

Chen Zhiwei let out a painful groan, feeling as if his internal organs had shifted. He felt a sweet taste in his throat, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

The jade cicada on her chest flickered rapidly, its light shimmering and fading, emitting a faint, mournful cry, clearly resisting the oppressive force that far exceeded its limits.

"Knowing the subtle!"

Seeing Chen Zhiwei injured and vomiting blood, Xu Yan's heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an icy hand, almost stopping its beating!
Anger, regret, and anxiety instantly overwhelmed his rationality! He was the one who brought her here!
He was the one who put her in such a desperate situation.

Looking at his pale face and the glaring bloodstains, boundless self-blame and anger that almost consumed him caused him to let out a low growl.

He desperately wanted to rush over, but found himself firmly suppressed by that invisible force, unable to move.

However, Xu Yan's own situation was even worse.

The impact of being thrown down hard, coupled with the intense emotional turmoil caused by Chen Zhiwei's injury, was like a spark splashing into an oil depot.

The "Abyss" in his right arm seemed to have been directly provoked and stimulated. The scorching and violent energy was like a volcano that had completely erupted, frantically attacking his will defenses with an unprecedented ferocity.

The black lines beneath his skin emerged, twisted, and spread at an unprecedented speed, as if something alive was trying to tear his flesh apart and break free.

He clenched his teeth so tightly that his gums bled from the excessive force, using all his strength to build a precarious seal. Veins bulged on his forehead, and large beads of cold sweat instantly soaked through his back.

"Concealing one's aura? That's an interesting little gadget."

Jiang Yu's gaze swept over Chen Zhiwei's chest, with a hint of condescending scrutiny, but this interest vanished in an instant.

His attention was drawn, as if by a magnet, entirely to Xu Yan, whose condition was abnormal and whose right arm was exhibiting strange phenomena.

His head tilted slightly, and his gaze beneath the ghost mask focused precisely on Xu Yan's right arm, which was trembling violently, covered by eerie black patterns, and seemed to be harboring an ominous presence.

That aura... was chaotic, profound, and carried a sense of familiarity that he instinctively loathed yet... was also faintly familiar.
No, it wasn't just familiarity; it was more like a... primordial pull, and a deeply suppressed yet still perceptible latent power that was enough to threaten him.

A long-buried guess, a possibility he had been pursuing for years but had never been able to prove, flashed through Jiang Yu's mind like lightning.

Could it be... that this is the backup plan left behind by that traitor Xu Haoyu?
Is this what he was willing to betray everything to hide back then?

The key—which might be closely related to the origin of the "Abyss," the truth of the Burial God Pass, and even Ah Qiang's death—is actually inside his son's body?!

"Oh?"

For the first time, Jiang Yu's voice carried a genuine emotion, as if he had finally found his long-sought prey, a mixture of surprise, scrutiny, and a barely perceptible fiery passion.

He slowly stood up, his tall figure casting a long, suffocating shadow in the eerie green phosphorescence, and walked step by step toward Xu Yan.

With each step the Gold-level expert took, the spiritual pressure increased, like layers of solid mountains pressing down, making it incredibly difficult for Xu Yan, who was struggling against both internal and external pressure, to even breathe, as if he would be crushed in the next second.

"Inside your body..." Jiang Yu stopped in front of Xu Yan, leaned down slightly, his ghost mask almost touching Xu Yan's face, which was contorted with pain, his voice low and full of inquiry, "...there is something left behind by that traitor, isn't there?"

"Let him go!"

Despite the excruciating pain that felt like her internal organs were being churned and the deep-seated fear that pierced her bones, Chen Zhiwei struggled to prop herself up.

Several attack talismans, shimmering faintly, had somehow been grasped between her slender fingers. She knew it was futile, but her eyes, fixed on Xu Yan, were filled with an unwavering resolve—she absolutely could not stand by and watch him get hurt.

Jiang Yu didn't even turn his head to look at her; he simply flicked his sleeve as if shooing away mosquitoes.

"Om-!"

A sharp, concentrated energy burst forth, like an invisible whip, striking Chen Zhiwei precisely and ruthlessly.

"puff!"

She suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and the talisman in her hand, which had not yet been activated, instantly dissipated its spiritual light and turned into dust.

Like a kite with a broken string, he was violently thrown out and crashed heavily into the hard cave wall in the distance with a thud that sent chills down his spine. He then slid softly to the ground and completely lost consciousness.

"Knowledge is subtle—!!!"

Witnessing Chen Zhiwei suffer severe injuries while protecting him, her pale lips stained with blood, Xu Yan's rationality completely collapsed at that moment.

A heart-wrenching roar erupted from the depths of his throat, and before his eyes appeared the figure of Ah Zhe falling in his past life. The two tragedies overlapped at this moment, turning into a burning rage and heart-wrenching regret.

"Uhhhhhh-!"

With this roar filled with pain and violence, the "Abyss" that had been difficult to suppress in his right arm seemed to find an outlet, and it burst forth with unprecedented ferocity.

The eerie bluish-black patterns were no longer confined to his right arm; as if they had come to life, they spread rapidly and wildly along his neck and chest throughout his entire body.

The muscles beneath his skin twitched and writhed unnaturally, and a terrifying aura of chaos, primal force, and destructive desire swept outwards from him like a tangible storm, even causing the cold energy swirling in the surrounding air to retreat and tremble.

His eyes instantly became bloodshot, and an ominous dark red tinged deep within his pupils, as if he were being rapidly eroded and assimilated by some ancient and ferocious creature.

Jiang Yu, who was preparing to investigate further, suddenly changed his expression behind the ghost mask.

He could clearly sense that the "thing" that had been suppressed within Xu Yan's body was awakening and expanding at a speed that even he found alarming.

The nature of this power was far more ancient, more profound, and more... dangerous than he had anticipated.

In particular, the pure, destructive will it contained, directed at all life, sent a sharp alarm through the spiritual senses of this Gold-level powerhouse.

"It truly is the core of the Abyss! But if I let it fully emerge now, I might not be able to completely control the situation!"

A thought flashed through Jiang Yu's mind like lightning.

His mission was not yet accomplished, and the altar could not be lost. He absolutely could not face a completely out-of-control and unknown vessel of the "Abyss" at this moment.

"presumptuous!"

Jiang Yu gave a cold shout, his voice carrying the majestic authority of the orthodox thunder magic of the Divine Firmament Bureau, causing the surrounding energy rules to resonate.

He no longer tried to touch the obviously unstable right arm, but instead pointed his fingers like a sword, and a wisp of condensed, tangible, and purifying white lightning, radiating an aura of suppression and control, leaped from his fingertips and swiftly struck Xu Yan's brow from a distance.

"town!"

Follow your words!
The thunderous power, imbued with the principles of "stillness" and "stillness," was not one of brutal destruction, but rather a righteous thunderous intent that cleansed evil spirits and soothed the soul. Like lightning tearing through the darkness, it instantly entered Xu Yan's brow.

"Well--!"

Xu Yan trembled violently, but the pain of having his consciousness forcibly suppressed, which he had anticipated, did not fully arrive.

Although the invading lightning power was domineering, it strangely did not cause him serious harm. On the contrary, it seemed to have triggered some kind of hidden, same-origin power within him.

The moment that ray of foreign lightning pierced through, Xu Yan's heart skipped a beat. A seal hidden deep within his bloodline, originating from Xu Haoyu, seemed to have been unlocked by a key.

A surge of equally intense, yet more restrained and mellow, thunderous power, like a sleeping dragon awakened, erupted from the depths of his dantian and instantly flowed throughout his limbs and bones.

This sudden surge of lightning power, originating from his father, clashed violently with the rampaging "Abyss" power within him. The two forces intertwined, collided, and neutralized each other within his body.

The process was extremely painful, as if his meridians were being torn apart, but miraculously, the whispers of the "Abyss" and the violent emotions that were about to completely devour his consciousness were greatly weakened and suppressed under the attack of the internal and external lightning.

The terrifying bloodshot and dark red in Xu Yan's eyes quickly faded. Although he was still weak, his whole body was soaked in cold sweat, and he was breathing heavily, he found that his suppression of the "Abyss" in his right arm seemed to have become a little easier.
The wildly spreading bluish-black lines were receding and fading from his right arm at an unprecedented speed.

However, this sudden change caused Jiang Yu's pupils under his ghost mask to contract sharply, and the originally stable lightning around him paused slightly.

He sensed it clearly!

The instant his lightning power invaded Xu Yan's body, another lightning power, which originated from the same source as him but was purer and even faintly carried Xu Haoyu's unique aura, spontaneously erupted from Xu Yan's body and formed a subtle confrontation with the "Abyss" power.

"Xu Haoyu's Thunder Seal?! He actually left his own thunder magic essence within this kid to restrain 'Abyss'?!"

This discovery shocked Jiang Yu, and what surged up was ten times more fear and killing intent than before!
This child not only possesses the power of "Abyss", but also has such a pure thunder essence left by Xu Haoyu hidden in his body!

This means he is more threatening than Xu Haoyu, and his potential is even more terrifying.

If he grows up and masters these two powers...

They absolutely cannot be allowed to live!

The previous playfulness and exploration were instantly replaced by cold, resolute indifference.

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Yu's eyes, and the lightning intent that had previously carried the rule of "suppression" suddenly became violent and full of destructive aura.

He extended his black-gloved hand, and lightning once again gathered at his fingertips. But this time, the lightning was no longer thin threads; instead, it suddenly expanded and twisted, transforming into a blazing white lightning spear leaping with intricate destructive runes and radiating an extremely dangerous aura. Without further probing or holding back, it carried a killing intent and, as if teleporting, fiercely stabbed towards Xu Yan's heart.

Wherever the lightning spear passed, the air was ionized, producing a piercing explosion, and even space itself seemed to distort slightly.

Just as the blazing white lightning spear, imbued with destructive power, was about to touch Xu Yan's heart.

The scent of death was like ice water poured over his head, jolting Xu Yan's almost frozen thoughts.

You can't use "Abyss," as that will only accelerate your own collapse, and if you start over, you'll be doomed again.

In a flash, he felt the mellow thunder power within him, which had been activated by Jiang Yu's lightning strike and originated from his father. Although it could not be released to harm enemies, it flowed quietly through his meridians like a gentle yet powerful stream.

A crazy idea suddenly flashed into my mind: since there's no one around and it's a place haunted by ghosts, why not use it?
He had never actually used the "Eighteen Secret Records" that he obtained from Zhou Wenbin in his previous life.

Bet!

All distracting thoughts vanished from Xu Yan's eyes in an instant, leaving only a resolute determination to burn his bridges.

He no longer tried to mobilize his own spiritual energy, but instead used his will as a guide to frantically draw the newly generated thunder power in his body, which carried Xu Haoyu's aura, and forcefully poured it into the chilling mysteries of the "Shadow Gate" in the "Eighteen Gates Secret Records" in his mind!

The thunder, embodying extreme yang and strength, and the secret record, embodying extreme yin and evil, two completely opposite forces that should have clashed fiercely, produced a teeth-grinding "sizzle" sound when Xu Yan forcibly combined them without regard for the consequences, as if igniting an invisible storm in his spiritual realm.

This unconventional driving method brought intense pain, but also generated a strange and powerful thrust.

"Shadow Gate, open!"

He roared hoarsely, unleashing a strange fluctuation—a mixture of thunderous fury and ghostly chill—that was completely inconsistent with his own power attributes, and slammed this twisted and fused power into the void in front of him.

There was no earth-shattering noise, but the light in the entire cave seemed to dim for a moment.

Centered on Xu Yan, the shadow beneath him writhed and swelled violently like a living thing, then suddenly tore open, transforming into a bottomless void gate with edges flowing with a viscous, dark asphalt.

Inside the door, it wasn't pure darkness, but rather shadowy and indistinct, as if connected to an abyss where vengeful spirits gathered.

"Ugh——!"

"Ow—!"

A piercing shriek, a venomous roar, a chaotic murmur... all sorts of chilling sounds surged out from inside the door like a tide.

The next second, countless translucent wandering spirits surged out of the dam like a flood bursting its banks.

Their distorted forms, imbued with a dense aura of yin energy and resentment, instantly filled a large area of ​​space.

But this is just the beginning.

Following the surging tide of wandering spirits, several much more solid figures, radiating even stronger waves of resentment, stepped out of the shadow gate.

Their forms were clearly defined, with eerie green flames burning in their eyes. Wherever they passed, even the air froze. These were E-class ghosts, capable of crushing even bronze-level contractors.

Jiang Yu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly beneath his ghostly mask.

However, when finally three figures emanated a heart-pounding aura.

As he slowly emerged from the deepest part of the shadow gate, his gaze remained one of scrutiny and indifference.

Finally, for the first time, a noticeable change occurred, a surprise mixed with sharp scrutiny.

Each of those three figures emitted a spiritual pressure fluctuation that had firmly stepped into the threshold of D-rank.

They are all ferocious and varied in appearance:
An ancient ghost soldier clad in tattered armor and wielding a rusty giant axe;
A colossal Frankenstein's monster forcibly pieced together from countless painful and distorted faces;
There was also a Soul-Devouring Demon shrouded in a black cloak, revealing only a pair of pale hands and greedy crimson eyes.

Three Class D ghosts!
This means that each one possesses terrifying power enough to put Silver-level contractors in a tough fight or even cause their demise.

The moment they appeared, the yin energy in the entire cave suddenly surged, the eerie green phosphorescence on the altar flickered violently, and even the bound soul orbs seemed to sense a higher-level threat, shrinking back and weakening their wails.

The surging tide of ghosts almost instantly engulfed the open space between Xu Yan and Jiang Yu, sweeping towards Jiang Yu like a burst dam of the Styx.

Countless F-level ghosts fearlessly pounced and bit, E-level ghosts spewed corrosive resentment shockwaves, and the three D-level ghosts, like ghost generals, carried a destructive aura and surrounded Jiang Yu from three tricky angles.

The playful wisp of white lightning at Jiang Yu's fingertips had long since dissipated.

He suddenly stood up, his crisp black uniform remaining motionless amidst the surging ghostly energy. His immense golden-level spiritual pressure naturally created a domain, directly shattering and annihilating the first F-level wandering souls to surge in.

But his gaze was fixed on the three D-level ghosts and Xu Yan, who was struggling to hold on behind them. His usually calm voice held an unbelievable sharpness:
"The Eighteen Secret Manuals? A forbidden technique of the Yin-Yang lineage..." His voice, coming through the ghost mask, carried a metallic coldness, "As far as I know, it's nothing more than petty tricks to control wandering souls and lonely ghosts, little pranks to borrow the path to the underworld and ask ghostly questions..."

His words abruptly stopped, his gaze sharp as a knife, as if trying to pierce through Xu Yan's flesh and look directly into the core of that forbidden book deep within his soul.

"How...how can you summon a D-rank ghost?! This is definitely not the power recorded in the technique itself! What exactly did you do?!"

Jiang Yu's surprise did not stem from fear. Although these three D-level ghosts were strong, they were not enough to truly threaten him, who was at the Gold level.

What truly shocked him was that the technique Xu Yan used far exceeded the limits that this forbidden art should have reached.

This contradicts his understanding of the "Eighteen Secret Records".

This kid, besides that eerie "abyss," indeed harbors an even deeper secret.

Jiang Yu's surprise and doubt lasted only a moment.

Faced with the surging tide of ghosts, especially the three D-rank ghosts that surrounded him with a fierce aura, a cold smile seemed to curl at the corner of his mouth beneath his ghost mask. "No matter how many ants there are, they are still just ants."

He didn't even change his posture; he simply raised his right hand slowly, spread his five fingers, and gently clenched them towards the empty space in front of him.

"Thunder Domain, activate."

There were no incantations, no elaborate hand gestures, only three indifferent syllables.

But just as he finished speaking...

"Sizzle—BOOM!!!"

Centered on him, a blindingly bright white lightning suddenly erupted.

It wasn't just one or a few bolts of lightning, but rather as if the entire Thunder Pool from the heavens above had been poured down.

Countless bolts of lightning, as thick as a child's arm, danced like wild silver snakes, instantly filling the space within tens of meters around him, forming a thunder forest composed entirely of destructive energy.

It is sacred, violent, and filled with the majestic power of heaven that cleanses away all evil.

"Puff-puff-!"

Those F-rank wandering spirits who charged at the forefront without fear of death were unable to utter a sound the moment they touched the lightning.

Like bubbles, they vanished in swathes, turning into the most primordial yin energy, which was then completely purified by the supreme yang and powerful lightning force, disappearing without a trace.

The E-level ghosts that followed released their resentment, which melted instantly in the lightning field like snowflakes thrown into a raging fire.

They only had time to let out half a mournful howl before their solidified souls quickly became transparent and shattered under the tearing of the lightning serpents, ultimately following in the footsteps of wandering souls.

The three most powerful D-level ghosts suddenly halted their charge. The dense resentment on their bodies came into contact with the lightning, producing a hissing sound that made one's teeth ache, and billowing out large plumes of black smoke.

The ancient ghost soldier's giant axe slashed down fiercely, but only exploded into a blinding burst of electric sparks in the lightning field, the axe blade instantly turning red and twisting.
The painful faces on the Stitches-on body emitted silent shrieks, and shields of resentment were erected, but they fluctuated violently and dimmed rapidly under the continuous bombardment of the Razer.
The Soul-Devouring Demon's black cloak was torn apart, revealing its twisted, inhuman form. It let out an angry howl, and two filthy beams of blood-red light shot out from its crimson eyes, barely managing to open two brief passages in the lightning domain, but it was unable to truly break through the absolute barrier of the lightning.

The power of gold is terrifying!
With a mere gesture, he created a deadly zone, easily blocking the onslaught of the ghost tide, which was enough to annihilate a Silver Squad.

However, just as Jiang Yu's attention was slightly drawn to the three stubbornly resisting Class D ghosts,

Xu Yan, who had been subtly protected by the ghost tide, made a move.

He never expected that these summoned ghosts could truly defeat Jiang Yu; all he wanted was this fleeting, insignificant opportunity.

"Whoosh!"

His figure was like a ghost, pushing the little spiritual energy left in his body from forcibly opening the Shadow Gate to its limit. He almost touched the ground, turning into a blurry afterimage, and narrowly bypassed the edge of the Thunder Domain, rushing towards Chen Zhiwei, who was lying on the cave wall in the distance.

"Know the subtle! Know the subtle!"

He knelt on one knee and carefully helped Chen Zhiwei up, letting her lean against him.

The touch was icy cold; her face was as pale as paper, a trace of blood still lingered at the corner of her mouth, and her breath was weak.

Looking at the severely injured girl in his arms, boundless self-blame and guilt gnawed at Xu Yan's heart like poisonous ants.

It's all because of him!
If he hadn't insisted on investigating, if he hadn't been too weak, how could she have...

"Yes...I'm sorry..."

His voice was hoarse, filled with indescribable pain and anger, both an apology to Chen Zhiwei and a lament for his own powerlessness.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood.

Chen Zhiwei's long eyelashes trembled, and she opened her eyes with difficulty, only to see Xu Yan. A hint of relief flashed in her eyes, but it quickly turned into anxiety. She weakly said, "Senior...brother...quick...go..."

Just then, the sound of lightning and explosions behind them suddenly intensified.

Xu Yan turned around abruptly and saw that Jiang Yu seemed to have lost his patience within the lightning domain.

"The game is over."

He spoke indifferently, his outstretched fingers suddenly closing!
"Boom——!!!"

At the center of the lightning field, three blazing white lightning spears, several times thicker than the surrounding lightning snakes and as solid as matter, instantly coalesced, carrying an aura of judgment and destruction, and shot towards the three D-level ghost demons that were still putting up a last-ditch resistance.

Where the lightning spear passed, even space itself seemed to be subtly distorted.

"Roar--!"

The ancient ghost soldiers raised their twisted giant axes to block, but the thunder spears pierced through them instantly like a hot knife through butter, and then plunged into their chests.

The ghostly soldiers let out a resentful roar, and their massive bodies rapidly disintegrated and vaporized in the extreme light and heat.

The Stitched Monster's shield of resentment was torn apart like paper, and the lightning spear accurately struck the point where countless faces converged at the core of its body. The violent lightning force instantly blasted it into black smoke that scattered everywhere.

The Soul-Devouring Demon was the most agile, attempting to transform into a shadow and escape, but the lightning spear seemed to have locked onto its soul essence, catching up with it in a flash and pinning it firmly in mid-air.

A blinding burst of lightning erupted from its body, completely engulfing it.

In the blink of an eye, all three D-rank ghosts were wiped out!

Jiang Yu slowly withdrew his hand, and the lightning domain around him gradually dissipated, leaving only the ozone smell in the air and the charred marks on the ground.

He turned around, and the ghost mask once again "looked" at Xu Yan, who was tightly holding Chen Zhiwei. His gaze was still cold, but it seemed to have a hint of... amusement as he scrutinized the prey's struggle.

"Now it is your turn."

The sight of the three D-level ghosts being reduced to ashes by lightning struck Xu Yan's heart like a heavy hammer.

His strength was at the Gold level, unfathomable! But he had no way out; the faint breaths of Chen Zhiwei in his arms were like whips lashing at him.

"Uh……!"

The backlash from forcibly opening the "Shadow Gate" has begun to manifest. His temples are throbbing, his mental sea feels like it's being pricked by needles, and his spiritual energy is almost completely depleted.

But the madness in his eyes grew even more intense.

"One subject isn't enough... then let's have another one!"

He roared hoarsely, the cold and profound scriptures of the "Eighteen Gates Secret Records" swirling wildly in his mind, his gaze fixed on the profound meaning of the "Mirror Gate" on the second level.

He knew this was a case of drinking poison to quench thirst; with each additional door opened, the risk of being corrupted by forbidden power would increase exponentially. But at this moment, he needed power, and a chaotic situation that would make Jiang Yu hesitate to act rashly.

"Mirror Gate, open! Blood Gate, open—!"

He almost squeezed out the last bit of his spiritual and life force, forming two completely different and ominous ancient hand seals with his hands, and then pressed them hard into the void in front of him.

"Om-!"

Beside the dark crack where the "shadow gate" was not yet fully closed, the space once again emitted a mournful cry of unbearable strain.

On the left, a strange light gate, smooth as a horizontal mirror but unable to reflect any physical image, suddenly appeared—the "Mirror Gate"!
Inside the door, the light and shadows distorted, as if connected to countless broken mirrors, reflecting the deepest fears and shadows in people's hearts.

On the right, a crimson gate, its edges resembling writhing blood vessels and dripping with viscous, dark red psionic liquid, burst open with a deafening roar—the "Blood Gate."

The pungent, nauseating stench of blood and the frenzied killing intent surged forth as if they were tangible.

All three gates open!

"Roar—!" "Hehehe—!" "Woo—!"

The wailing and howling of ghosts, ten times more complex and a hundred times more terrifying than before, instantly engulfed the entire cave.

A large number of F-level wandering souls and E-level ghosts continued to pour out of the "Shadow Gate";
Inside the "Mirror Gate," countless "Mirror Ghosts," formed from negative emotions and fragments of the soul, crawled out. They were of uncertain form and devoured the soul.

From within the "Blood Gate" emerged "Blood Fiends," their bodies drenched in blood, their sole purpose being pure bloodlust. They were fearless and their spiritual energy possessed a strong corrosive quality.

F-rank, E-rank, D-rank... even from the depths of the "Blood Gate," several violent auras comparable to the peak of C-rank could be faintly emanated.

Countless ghosts swarmed out from the three gates, their sheer number almost forming a tangible black tide.

The yin energy, resentment, and bloodlust emanating from them intertwined, merged, and expanded, forcibly altering the spiritual energy environment within the cave.

The eerie green phosphorescence was suppressed to mere specks, and the entire space was shrouded in a chaotic, filthy, and suffocating dark red hue—a temporary yet powerful ghost realm had been formed.

The wailing of ghosts filled the sky, and ten thousand demons danced wildly!
Thanks to the warm glow emanating from the jade cicada, Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei were like rocks in a turbulent current, and all the ghosts instinctively avoided them, as if they did not exist.

But Jiang Yu wasn't so lucky!
He instantly became the only "lighthouse" in the entire ghost realm, radiating vibrant life and boundless masculine spiritual energy, attracting the most instinctive and frenzied attacks from all the ghosts.

"Annoying bugs!"

Jiang Yu snorted coldly, and his expression finally darkened beneath the mask.

Lightning erupted around him once more, with blazing white electric snakes swirling and annihilating the approaching ghosts in droves.

The golden-level spiritual pressure was fully unleashed, forming an insurmountable barrier of lightning around him.

However, there were simply too many ghosts.

Moreover, the layers are distinct and the arrangement is bizarre.

The "Mirror Ghost" is formless and intangible, attempting to reflect his attacks and probe the flaws in his mind;
"Blood Fiend" frantically attacked his lightning barrier, using its own annihilation to deplete his spiritual energy;
Meanwhile, those D-level and even the lurking C-level ghosts continuously released remote curses and resentful attacks from the outside, and even tried to activate the underground yin veins to weaken his lightning magic.

With a wave of his hand, Jiang Yu could still clear out a large number of ghosts. Wherever the lightning passed, ghosts howled and black smoke billowed. But the next second, more ghosts would replenish themselves from the three portals that seemed to connect to a bottomless abyss, one after another, without end.

He was indeed not afraid of these ghosts; his gold-level strength was enough for him to protect himself.

However, completely eliminating this seemingly endless tide of ghosts is by no means something that can be done in a short time.

What's worse is that the commotion here is just too big!

Such intense psionic fluctuations and the eruption of yin energy have undoubtedly attracted the attention of the outside world, especially the central monitoring network.

His secret altar, the core base he had cultivated for so long to implement the "Ghost Serving Plan," was about to be exposed.

All these changes stemmed from that boy who was holding the girl, his face pale but his eyes crazed.

As Jiang Yu casually unleashed a bolt of lightning, scattering several D-rank Mirror Ghosts that attempted to ambush him, he quickly weighed the pros and cons.

If the fight continues, even if we manage to kill this kid in the end, his base will be finished, and all his years of planning will be in vain.

Moreover, the power of the "Eighteen Gates Secret Records" that this kid used far exceeded the records. Could he open the fourth gate? The fifth gate? Would that attract even more troublesome things?

"Boy!" Jiang Yu's voice pierced through the howling of ghosts and wolves, carrying a hint of suppressed anger and undeniable authority. "Stop your tricks! We can talk!"

On the other hand, Xu Yan's situation was equally bad.

Opening three gates in succession, especially forcibly opening the "Blood Gate," almost drained all his strength, and the mental burden was as heavy as a mountain. Fine blood vessels began to seep from his ears and nose.

He held Chen Zhiwei tightly, feeling her life force slowly slipping away; she needed to be treated as soon as possible.

If he continues to maintain the three gates, he himself will probably be devoured by the secret record first. At that time, with the endless ghosts out of control, Yu Chan may not be able to completely protect Zhiwei.

Negotiation is the only option.

Xu Yan raised his head, his face as pale as paper, but his eyes were unusually calm and sharp, meeting Jiang Yu's gaze without flinching:
"Talk?" Xu Yan's voice was weak and hoarse, but it carried an undeniable weight. "Judge, now is not the time for you to give orders."

Jiang Yu was surrounded by bursts of lightning, clearing away the wave of ghosts that rushed at him. His tone was icy: "Boy, stop your tricks and get out of here with that girl! I might consider leaving you with your corpses intact!"

"Leave a whole corpse?" Xu Yan sneered, his face pale but his eyes sharp as knives. "Do I look like a three-year-old child to you? I see your altar, your 'ghost-serving plan,' and your hatred for my father... Will you let the tiger return to the mountain? If I close this door now, I'll be reduced to ashes by you in the next second, won't I?"

He ruthlessly tore through Jiang Yu's murderous intent, and also pointed out his only reliance—this chaotic ghost realm.

Jiang Yu's eyes grew colder beneath his mask. This kid was not only unpredictable, but also frighteningly meticulous.

He was about to break the deadlock at all costs when suddenly—

"Zzz...signal...jamming...detection..."

A faint, intermittent communication fluctuation somehow penetrated the layers of rock walls and the chaotic energy field of the ghost realm, and vaguely entered the cave.

The fluctuation carried a unique frequency belonging to modern high-end detection artifacts, and it seemed that there was more than one, cautiously scanning the area from afar.

Their expressions changed simultaneously!
Xu Yan immediately seized this opportunity to escape from a desperate situation and said urgently:
"Did you hear that, Your Honor? It seems we've made too much noise and attracted attention outside! Guess if it's Han Wenshan's men, or... your center's inspection team?"

He deliberately singled out Han Wenshan, both to exert pressure and to imply that he was not without support.

He spoke faster, giving Jiang Yu no time to think:

"If you don't let me leave, they'll locate this place soon! By then, will your secret altar and 'Ghost-Serving Plan' still be able to hide? Are you planning to stay here and wait until everything comes to light?"

Jiang Yu's body was surrounded by violently fluctuating lightning, revealing his inner rage and weighing of options.

The ghost's gaze was fixed on Xu Yan, then it glanced at the three doors from which ghosts continued to pour out, and at the increasingly clear detection fluctuations from the outside world.

Time is truly not on his side anymore.

Once the base is exposed, years of hard work will be destroyed.

"Get out!" The word was practically squeezed out from between Jiang Yu's teeth, filled with boundless rage and resentment. "Take your men and disappear from my sight immediately!"

He changed the subject, his killing intent enveloping Xu Yan as if it were a tangible force:

"But remember this, kid! If you dare to utter a single word of what you saw or heard here today... no matter where you are in the world, I will make you and everyone you care about wish you were dead!"

This is the most direct death sentence for a Gold-level expert, and its weight is by no means light.

"make a deal!"

Xu Yan agreed without hesitation, but the wariness in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

He didn't believe Jiang Yu's verbal promises at all, and putting away the "Eighteen Gates Secret Records" at this moment would be tantamount to cutting off his own path to survival.

Instead of immediately withdrawing his power, he endured the excruciating pain in both his mind and body, struggling to lift the unconscious Chen Zhiwei up, supporting most of her weight on his back, while maintaining the open state of the Shadow Gate, Mirror Gate, and Blood Gate.

The surging tide of ghosts continued to assault Jiang Yu's thunder barrier, forming his only protection at this moment.

He staggered backward, step by step, towards the passageway, his gaze fixed on Jiang Yu.

"Don't entertain any thoughts, Your Honor." Xu Yan's voice trembled weakly, yet carried an undeniable resolve. "If I sense anything amiss, or if you make the slightest move..."

Before he finished speaking, his empty left hand had already formed an even more complex hand seal, one that exuded an ominous aura.

An energy fluctuation, more dangerous and unstable than when he opened the three gates before, emanated from his body, as if brewing a deeper disaster.

"...I wouldn't mind opening a fourth door for you! Let's see if you kill me first, or if we'll both be buried together by this 'thing' deep underground!"

This is a blatant threat, a mad suicidal act.

He was gambling, gambling that Jiang Yu wouldn't be willing to give up the altar, gambling that he wouldn't dare to bear the cost of the base being completely exposed or even destroyed.

Jiang Yu's eyes, hidden beneath the ghost mask, instantly turned incredibly cold, and the lightning that had been contained around him began to leap uncontrollably again, emitting dangerous crackling sounds.

He certainly has the ability to unleash a thunderous attack in an instant, but Xu Yan's current state is like a walking, unstable bomb, and the consequences of forcibly detonating it are unpredictable.

Especially the things that the fourth gate might attract... he dared not take the risk.

"Get out of here!"

Jiang Yu's voice suppressed a raging rage, like a volcano about to erupt.

He stood still, ultimately not making a move, but his cold gaze was like a tangible blade, scraping across every inch of Xu Yan's skin.

Xu Yan dared not relax for a moment, maintaining the intimidating posture of about to open the fourth door. With heavy steps, he half-supported and half-carried Chen Zhiwei, finally retreating into the shadows of the passageway they had come from.

Only when his figure was completely swallowed by darkness and out of Jiang Yu's direct sight did he abruptly withdraw the fourth seal that was about to take shape, while trying his best to restrain the power of the first three seals.

The Shadow Gate, Mirror Gate, and Blood Gate trembled violently behind him, their eerie light rapidly dimming as they began to close erratically.

Without sustained energy support, the onslaught of the ghost tide suddenly weakened.

Xu Yan was almost exhausted, but dared not stop. With his last bit of strength, he held Chen Zhiwei and struggled to climb and move upwards along the dark tunnel.

Each step felt incredibly heavy, and one could almost feel the chilling killing intent emanating from behind through the ghostly mask.

Inside the cave, Jiang Yu stood amidst the gradually dissipating ghost realm and the remaining chaotic ghosts, listening to the faint, increasingly distant staggering footsteps coming from above, but he did not give chase.

The face beneath the mask was expressionless; only the eyes, illuminated by the eerie green phosphorescence, gleamed with an extremely dangerous and unfathomable light.

“Xu Yan… ‘The Eighteen Gates Secret Records’… ‘Yuan’…Xu Haoyu, this ‘son’ you left behind has truly given me quite a ‘surprise’.” He repeated in a low voice, each word seemingly carrying the weight of blood and hatred, “Between us… it’s not over yet.”

This brief but intense conflict has temporarily ended due to mutual distrust, but the hatred and secrets buried beneath the surface, like molten lava, will eventually find a way to erupt.

(End of this chapter)