Gou Zai Wudao Shi Lian Shen

"What? You're slaying demons while simultaneously practicing martial arts?"

Xiao Jinghong stared at the golden glaze that appeared on Lu Chen's body. His cold arrogance had vanished, leaving only undisguised shock.

The faceless ghost general, relying on the blood sacrifice formation, had almost reached the threshold of the Dragon Realm. Even with the combined efforts of several of them, they were still forced into a sorry state, while Lu Chen comprehended the cultivation technique in the midst of the life-or-death struggle and successfully cultivated the Iron Body.

Such an astonishing performance is rare even in Yunzhou Prefecture.

Bai Xiuwu immediately changed his address to "Brother Lu!"

He strode up to Lu Chen, his eyes fixed intently on the lingering golden light.

"My Bai family has practiced external martial arts for generations, and we are quite knowledgeable about the Golden Body Technique. After this ghost tide ends, you might as well come back to Yunzhou Prefecture with me. You can go and take a look at my Bai family's Scripture Pavilion and Body Tempering Pool."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghong's eye twitched slightly.

"Damn it, he beat me to it!"

At this moment, he no longer had any intention of suppressing Lu Chen, but only of befriending him.

Lu Chen found Bai Xiuwu's address of "Brother Lu" somewhat odd. He glanced down at the four-colored patterns flowing across his body and asked, "What's the explanation for the 'Golden Body of Horizontal Training'?"

When talking about his area of ​​expertise, Bai Xiuwu's expression immediately became serious.

"There are countless martial arts techniques for external training, but no matter which one you practice, the ultimate goal is to achieve the ultimate sublimation of the physical body."

Bai Xiuwu raised his hand and pointed to the faint golden glow that had not yet faded on Lu Chen's arm.

"As the saying goes, the golden body undergoes nine transformations, achieving sainthood through the physical body!"

"Legend has it that each transformation of the Horizontal Golden Body is like reforging the physical body. After the third transformation, the physical body can rival a top-grade weapon; after the sixth transformation, blood can melt gold, and the flesh can nurture dragons and elephants; if one can complete the ninth transformation, one can even step into the Saint Realm with the physical body."

At this point, a hint of longing appeared in Bai Xiuwu's eyes, but he shook his head helplessly.

"However, this is only a record in ancient books."

"Most of the external martial arts techniques circulating in the world today can only produce the rudimentary form of the Golden Body. Even the 'Immovable King Golden Body' of my Bai family can only be cultivated to the third stage at most, and each transformation requires the consumption of a massive amount of rare and precious materials."

"However, your golden body seems somewhat different."

Bai Xiuwu walked around Lu Chen for half a circle, his expression gradually becoming more and more puzzled.

"Ordinary external martial arts training focuses on strengthening the physical body, but your layer of golden light contains four completely different forces that can even cycle and generate each other."

With a slight thought, Lu Chen activated the Four Directions Subduing Demon True Energy.

A ripple of golden light spread across its surface, and patterns of blue, white, red, and black lit up in sequence. The lingering malevolent energy in the valley was instantly pulverized by an invisible force as soon as it approached, turning into wisps of black smoke and dissipating.

Bai Xiuwu's eyelids twitched as he read it.

"Your golden body is probably several times more effective at suppressing evil spirits than an ordinary physical golden body."

Xiao Jinghong couldn't help but ask, "So, in the future, not only will he have an incredibly strong physical body, but he'll also be immune to all evil?"

Bai Xiuwu remained silent for a moment, then nodded with difficulty.

"At least, it's difficult for evil forces of the same level to harm him."

Xiao Jinghong's face darkened even more.

"A monster."

After holding it in for a long time, Xiao Jinghong finally uttered two words.

After resting for a while, the group continued to venture deeper into Chixia Mountain.

The further they went, the stronger the stench of blood became in the mountains. Corpses, drained of their life essence, were everywhere along the way, and the blood-red array patterns on the ground stretched into the depths of the mountains like living things, their light growing stronger with time.

After mastering the Four Directions Demon Subduing True Power, Lu Chen found it increasingly easy to slay the alien demons.

Every time the Jin Yang Blade is drawn, the Four Directions Demon Subduing Force erupts simultaneously, and before the alien demons can even get close, they are cleaved in two by the crimson-gold blade light.

Moreover, the Yin energy that dissipated after the death of those otherworldly ghosts would be forcibly refined by the Four Directions Subduing Demon Golden Body, continuing to drive the evolution of Lu Chen's physical body.

The group fought their way through, crossing a black mountain ridge, and suddenly the view ahead opened up.

A colossal sinkhole shrouded in crimson mist appeared before them, with an altar made of countless bones standing in its center. Hundreds of bone jars were placed around the altar, their contents overflowing and flowing along the intricate grooves to the center.

The blood did not linger; instead, it flowed continuously into the ground along a grotesque crack in the center of the altar.

Boom!

A heavy heartbeat came from the depths of the crack.

The entire sinkhole trembled, and the white bones on the altar collided with each other, making a teeth-grinding cracking sound.

Lu Chen glanced into the crack.

Beneath the pitch-black abyss, a pair of scarlet eyes slowly opened. Countless thick chains bound a blurry figure, and each time the figure struggled, large amounts of runes would burst forth from the chains, pressing it back into the abyss.

However, under the constant erosion of the blood sacrifice power, those runes have become dim.

Some of the lock connections even showed fine cracks.

Luo Yun's expression changed: "This is a core array eye of the Blood Sacrifice Array!"

On the other side of the sinkhole, a figure was relentlessly charging forward amidst the onslaught of dozens of filthy alien demons.

It was Zhang Zhen.

His blood and qi condensed into a crimson dragon tens of feet long. With each strike, large numbers of alien demons were shattered into pieces. But those alien demons were fearless and relentlessly blocked the front of the altar, giving him no chance to get close to the center of the formation.

What's more troublesome is that as long as the White Walkers are not completely destroyed, the blood sacrifice array will quickly repair their injuries.

A ghost general whose body had just been half-crushed by Zhang Zhen lay on the ground, and dozens of blood-red threads immediately emerged from the array patterns. The shattered flesh wriggled and reassembled, and in just a few breaths, the ghost general stood up again.

"Lord Zhang!"

Luo Yun shouted loudly.

Zhang Zhen repelled the six-armed ghost general in front of him with a single palm strike, then turned around and saw Lu Chen and the others, shouting fiercely, "Destroy the altar!"

"The Ghost King has begun to break through the seal; he has at most half an hour left!"

Before the words had even finished, the crimson eyes in the abyss suddenly turned and landed on the group through the thick red mist.

boom!

A chilling pressure burst forth from the crack.

Everyone present gasped, as if an invisible hand had gripped their hearts. Several younger martial artists with weaker cultivation levels groaned and turned deathly pale.

A golden light flashed across Lu Chen's body.

The Black Tortoise's Demon-Sealing Force suppressed the five internal organs, while the Azure Dragon's Demon-Suppressing Force followed suit, sealing off the invading cold energy layer by layer. The White Tiger's Evil-Breaking Force and the Vermilion Bird's Evil-Burning Force then erupted, instantly tearing it apart and burning it to ashes.

At this moment, Zhang Zhen took a step forward and pressed both palms down simultaneously. The crimson dragon coiled around him roared to the sky, its massive body pressing down on the sinkhole, forcibly forcing back the Yin and evil energy surging from the crack.

"I will suppress the Demon King!"

"Deal with these demon generals and destroy the altar!"

Luo Yun and Gu Chenfeng exchanged a glance, and without the slightest hesitation, rushed towards the altar first.

Xiao Jinghong suddenly drew his white-sheathed longsword, unleashing a torrent of sword light that sent several of the foremost alien demons flying backward. Bai Xiuwu followed closely behind, his heavy black sword sweeping out and snapping two alien demons in half at the waist.

Lu Chen swept past the two of them.

The Jinyang Blade emitted a clear and melodious cry, its crimson-gold light stretching for over ten zhang, tearing a gap in the horde of ghosts ahead.

"Stay close to me!"

Lu Chen stepped into the gap, and the Four Directions Subduing Demon True Energy was fully activated.

Countless ghostly claws and broken weapons rained down from all sides, leaving only faint white marks on his glazed skin. Any malevolent energy that dared to invade his body was continuously crushed by the fourfold Demon-Subduing Force, unable to hinder his progress at all.

A filthy ghost is about to pounce on you.

Lu Chen didn't dodge; his shoulder slammed into the opponent's chest, and the Four Directions Subduing Demon True Energy erupted along the point of contact. The ghost general's chest caved in instantly, and before its massive body could fly away, the Ember Sun Blade had already swept across its neck.

His head flew skyward.

The Vermilion Bird's incinerating energy transformed into crimson flames, completely engulfing the headless ghost's body.

"Here I come!"

Bai Xiuwu shouted and swung his heavy sword to block the two blood-armored demons charging from the right for Lu Chen.

Xiao Jinghong then charged out from the left, his sword light layer upon layer, surging into the ghost horde like a tidal wave.

The group drew closer and closer to the altar.

Eighty feet, fifty feet, thirty feet!

But just then, a loud bang suddenly came from below the altar.

Bang!

A thick chain that had been binding the Demon King snapped with a crash.

Countless shattered runes flew out of the abyss, and a giant hand covered in jet-black scales emerged from the crack.

At the same time, terrifying ghostly energy surged forth from underground.

The crimson mist in the sky quickly gathered, transforming into a hideous, grotesque face covering the sinkhole.

"Suppress them!"

Zhang Zhen's expression changed drastically. He took a step that covered dozens of feet, grabbed the crimson dragon with both hands, and used the dragon formed from his blood and qi as a spear, stabbing it fiercely at the Ghost King's outstretched hand.

Boom!

The crimson dragon pierced through the Ghost King's hand, pinning the giant palm to the ground.

The Ghost King in the abyss roared in anger, his five fingers suddenly clenching. The blood dragon that Zhang Zhen had condensed shattered inch by inch, and he himself was also shaken and slid backward more than ten feet, leaving two deep grooves in the ground with his feet.

"Quickly, destroy the altar!"

Zhang Zhen conjured another blood dragon, which struggled to entangle the Ghost King's palm.

In front of the altar, the last seven filthy ghosts will turn around simultaneously.

Their eyes blazed red, and they charged at the oncoming group with reckless ferocity.

"Stop them!"

Luo Yun's blood and energy surged, and he grabbed a four-armed ghost general, dragging it down with him as they crashed off the altar.

Gu Chenfeng held his longsword horizontally in front of him, single-handedly blocking the two blood-armored demons. Bai Xiuwu and Xiao Jinghong also made their moves at the same time, each holding off one of the fully grown demon generals.

The remaining two Otherworldly beings headed straight for Lu Chen.

Lu Chen kept walking.

Golden Crow's blood and qi surged violently within his five internal organs, and the four-colored patterns on his Four-in-One Demon-Subduing Golden Body lit up simultaneously. He charged head-on between the two alien demons, letting a sharp claw pierce his chest, while his Blade of Ashes slashed horizontally.

clang!

The sharp claws landed on the golden body, sending up a shower of sparks.

The Blade of Ember Sun had already cleaved open the chests of the two Otherworldly demons, and the fourfold Demon-Subduing Force erupted simultaneously through the wounds, instantly shredding the Yin energy within their bodies.

Lu Chen burst out from between two burning ghost corpses.

Only ten feet away from the altar!

Within this short distance of ten zhang, two more sealing locks beneath the altar broke off one after another. The Ghost King's half-arm had already squeezed out of the Crimson Abyss, his five fingers spreading open the cracks, attempting to completely shatter the seal.

An ancient and chilling will descended upon Lu Chen's sea of ​​consciousness.

"Back off..."

"I grant you immortality..."

The voice sounded like countless ghosts whispering in his ear at the same time, causing his soul to tremble.

Lu Chen's expression remained unchanged.

"You've been dead for thousands of years, so why can't I be?"

These old devils really know how to spout nonsense!

Lu Chen stepped onto the altar.

The skeletons surrounding the altar simultaneously opened their mouths, emitting a piercing shriek. Countless crimson threads shot out from the ground, wrapping around Lu Chen's limbs, attempting to drag him into the abyss.

Lu Chen gripped the sword with both hands, pouring all the Golden Crow Qi and blood from his body into the blade.

The Jinyang Blade trembled violently, and a three-legged golden crow took flight from the blade, with halos of blue, white, red, and black light unfolding behind it.

"Break it!"

Lu Chen slashed down with his sword.

-

The three-legged golden crow, accompanied by a four-colored halo, swooped down.

The moment the blade struck the altar, the entire sinkhole seemed to fall into a brief silence. The next instant, a violent crimson-gold light erupted from within the altar, and countless array patterns shattered simultaneously.

Boom!

The altar of bones was split in two from the center.

The converging blood flow lost its pull, and the crisscrossing crimson array patterns on the ground rapidly dimmed. The essence blood that had not yet flowed into the Crimson Abyss was ignited by the Vermilion Bird's Burning Fury, transforming into a raging sea of ​​fire.

"No--"

The demon king roared in the abyss.

It desperately pushed open the crack, and half of its hideous head, covered in black scales, even squeezed out of the ground. Its scarlet eyes were fixed on Lu Chen, filled with boundless resentment and unwillingness.

However, without the support of the blood sacrifice array, the Crimson Abyss Seal was revived.

Ancient runes lit up from the mountainside, and the previously cracked chains tightened once more. Dozens of runic chains simultaneously bound the Ghost King's arms and head, dragging it back into the abyss bit by bit.

Enraged, the Ghost King used his last strength to swing a claw at Lu Chen.

Zhang Zhen reacted swiftly, shattering the ground with his foot and pushing forward with both arms.

The blood dragon coiled behind him let out a long roar, instantly transforming into a giant blood-red spear over ten zhang long, piercing through the ghostly mist and deeply embedding itself into the palm of a ghostly claw.

Bang!

The ghostly claw exploded in mid-air, and terrifying aftershocks swept in all directions, causing Lu Chen to stagger back several steps.

"The day I break free, I will surely extract your soul and refine your bones!"

The roar shook the mountains.

Lu Chen stood on the edge of the collapsing altar, gripping the Jinyang Blade with both hands, looking down at the pair of scarlet eyes that were gradually sinking into darkness.

"Then we'll talk about it when you're out."

The final sealing rune crashed down.

The Ghost King's massive body was dragged back into the Crimson Abyss, and the grotesque crack slowly closed. Its unwilling roars still echoed underground, each one more distant than the last, before finally being locked back beneath the mountains.

The enormous ghostly face that had enveloped the sinkhole disintegrated, and the crimson mist churned violently. The otherworldly demons, still fighting the crowd, froze, the red light in their eyes quickly extinguished, and they collapsed to the ground one after another.

Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet.

Only the crimson flames on the broken altar continued to burn, casting flickering light on everyone's blood-stained faces.

Zhang Zhen stared at the reopened Chi Yuan, his tense body finally relaxing a little.

Even though this ghost king was suppressed under the Crimson Abyss, it could still unleash such powerful combat strength. If it were to break free, it would be a real challenge to deal with!