Chapter 631: Yin Soldiers Attack the City

The altar for the Heavenly Ghost Incarnation Ritual of Offering to the Tribulation was not located on the lands of the Underworld. It hung alone in the deep, dark clouds of the firmament, like a forgotten remnant tooth of a gigantic beast.

A chilling whirlwind enveloped the altar, tearing apart the dark clouds, so that only sparse, fine soul dust fell upon the altar. The altar itself was constructed from immense, pale, cracked skeletal remains, pieced together. Tiny bone fragments continuously flaked off its edges, only to be completely ground away by the whirlwind.

"So, at this final juncture, am I truly alone?" The Prefect of Wangchuan, clad in dark Xuan-black robes, stood at the edge of the altar. The fierce wind made his gaunt figure appear even more skeletal, his wide sleeves clinging to his arms, revealing an almost inhumanly sharp outline. Immediately, the casualness in his eyes dissipated, replaced by a piercing glint as he focused his mind.

His Wangchuan Underworld, which he had painstakingly managed for years, had truly reached its crucial moment. His elite soldiers, skilled generals, and numerous magic treasures and trump cards had all been forced out to confront the difficulties imposed by various factions. Only five truly capable lieutenants remained, all positioned within a grand formation deep within the dark clouds, beyond the altar's whirlwind. Besides these five Nascent Soul-level ghost cultivators, there were also over thirty thousand forbidden guards of the Wangchuan Underworld. But the Prefect of Wangchuan knew very well that his own strength had been weakened by at least sixty percent.

There was no other way. The enemies were targeting the entire Wangchuan Underworld; he had to act. The Underworld was both his wings and his shackles. As its Prefect, bearing the mandate of the King, he had to share in its weal and woe, suffering losses together and flourishing together. If he allowed it to be neglected, losing the people's support, the Prefect of Wangchuan would suffer a backlash, and his destiny would plummet. Only by doing his best to preserve the Underworld's power was the kingly way.

"I have had so much of my strength drawn away, yet looking at it differently, I used that strength to counteract the attacks of numerous adversaries.""My painstaking efforts have still been very effective.""A century of planning; success or failure hinges on this one action."

"Report!" A subordinate's voice, though separated by the whirlwind, could still be transmitted through the magical formation. The Prefect of Wangchuan let out a cold chuckle and replied, "Another piece of bad news, I presume?" He had heard far too much bad news recently, and his resolve had been greatly tempered. But unexpectedly, this piece of "bad news" was also good news. An enemy had destroyed a dam, causing a section of the Wangchuan River to burst its banks. The surging floodwaters, by an unforeseen twist of fate, took a turn and coincidentally flowed over thirty thousand *mu* of fertile land belonging to Huoliang. This not only extinguished the fires with the floodwaters but also nourished the fertile land with the Wangchuan River's water, making it even more productive. It was truly a blessing in disguise.

The Prefect of Wangchuan's heart stirred, and a look of realization flashed across his face: "What hinders my path this time is only man-made calamity, not natural disaster or earthly tribulation.""In fact, by initiating the Heavenly Ghost Incarnation Ritual of Offering to the Tribulation and sacrificing to the Underworld's firmament, I have already gained Heaven's favor. As the Lord of the Wangchuan Underworld, I already possess geographical advantage.""Therefore, this is the favor of Heaven and Earth, allowing me to turn misfortune into fortune, and letting two man-made calamities cancel each other out."

The Prefect of Wangchuan felt a slight loosening in his heart, but he did not relax in the slightest, secretly admonishing himself: "Even so, the destiny of Heaven and Earth is also being significantly diminished, which is unfavorable for my subsequent complete refinement of the Heavenly Ghost skull.""I cannot delay any longer." The Prefect of Wangchuan made a decisive decision and formally began the final stage.

He ascended the altar, his posture as straight as a spear. Gazing up at the Heavenly Ghost skull suspended in the air above the altar, he began to chant loudly:"Oh, resplendent Heaven above! Oh, profound Earth below! I, the Mysterious Lord of Wangchuan, humbly prostrate myself to declare—"

"By Heaven's decree and its descending omens, the inverted Wangchuan serves as my crown; bearing the Earth's virtue, myriad bones interweave as my foundation! The firmament grants me the authority to command souls and spirits, to rule the Netherworld; the deep Earth bears me with mystical bones, to build cities and erect towers, stabilizing Wangchuan! Heaven's vast favor transforms tribulation waves into tempering trials; Earth's profound grace collects calamities into fertile sources! Today, I offer utmost sincerity, grateful for the boundless!"

"Today, I gather remnant souls as lamps, igniting soul-flames as torches! I condense ten thousand years of solitude into a sharp point, transforming a billion grudges into a blade! Whoever obstructs my path, though tribulation fires return and karmic obstacles regroup, shall have their abyss torn open, their very roots incinerated! By the name of Wangchuan, by my eternal and unwavering will, I swear to take this bone into my palm, to fuse it with my very being!"

"Heaven and Earth bear witness! This heart, this will, the Nine Netherworlds shall attest!"

As he continued to chant, the final, awe-inspiring stage of the Ritual of Offering to the Tribulation began. Instantly, strong winds swirled, and dark clouds churned, as if thousands of dragon-serpents were ceaselessly moving within them. The power of the firmament gradually manifested on the altar, and the Heavenly Ghost skull began its final refinement. The Prefect of Wangchuan increasingly felt resistance; the speed of his incantation grew slower and slower, each word feeling as heavy as a thousand *jun*. He knew why: "My sacrifice was insufficient; the power of the firmament I have mustered is not yet enough.""It all depends on the battle at White Paper Immortal City." He had planned for this long ago.

The Mortal Realm.White Paper Immortal City.

Dark clouds pressed down like an iron curtain. Beneath the somber light, the terrifying military formations of the Underworld Army were already arrayed, completely encircling White Paper Immortal City! As far as the eye could see, a massive number of Underworld soldiers and ghosts filled the entire field of vision.

Before each city gate, there was a group formation. At the forefront was the Skeletal Army formation. Countless skeletal soldiers, as dense as a forest, stood in neat rows. Their hollow eye sockets burned with eerie green soul fire, and their decaying bone hands clutched rusty, resentment-entangled great bone blades or shattered bone shields. On the flanks of the Skeletal Army formation was a writhing, flowing tide of viscous "water ghosts." Countless bloated, decaying drowned ghosts, covered in algae and mud, had gathered in such numbers that the moisture they inherently carried merged together, forming a river on the ground. They floated and sank in the river, poised for action.

Above the military formations, numerous flayed ghosts hovered in the shadowy wind. They wore their own stripped-off skin like cloaks behind them. The skin caught the wind, resembling kites or parachutes, allowing them to drift through the air. Though they moved slowly at this moment, in actual combat, their speed was extremely fast, capable of producing piercing sonic booms. They could repeatedly dive and ascend at low altitudes. In the previous ghost tides, these types of ghosts caused the most casualties among the cultivators on the city walls.

Behind the Skeletal Army formation were squadrons of tall, headless ghost riders, clad in scorched, tattered armor. Both they and their skeletal warhorses burned with an eerie green ghost fire. The flames on their necks, in particular, outlined the vague shape of a human skull. The ghost fire licked at their scorched bones and armor, occasionally emitting crackling sounds of burning, and billowing black smoke that distorted vision. Their sheer aura alone revealed their terrifying strength; no one in White Paper Immortal City wanted to witness them charging unrestrained within the city.

Each military formation was guarded by a Nascent Soul-level ghost cultivator, with numerous Golden Core-level ghost generals under them. Luosi had already arrived in the Mortal Realm to oversee the entire situation. The Vanguard General, Flying Spear Ghost General, White Bone Crocodile Demon, Xie Sichao—even Sun Lingtong was among them. Beyond the four main military formations corresponding to each city gate, the spaces between them were filled with an immense number of various ghosts. These ghosts were of numerous types, all accumulated by the Underworld Army through intentionally collecting from previous ghost tides. Small-headed ghosts, large-headed ghosts, ghost mothers, hanged ghosts, drowned ghosts, lantern ghosts, soul-hooking geckos, ghost yakshas—among them, the most striking were the Deathbone Giants. These were gigantic monsters formed by countless black and dark grey bones, interwoven and pieced together. Every one of their bones was exceptionally thick, rugged, and ancient, having endured the erosion of yin energy and time. The tall city walls did not even reach their necks. During ghost tides, their combat power could reach the Nascent Soul level. Now, with the main army assaulting the city, which was not a mere ghost tide, the combat power of these Deathbone Giants was still considerable, nearly reaching the Nascent Soul level!

On the walls of White Paper Immortal City, countless city guards, Blackmarsh cultivators recruited with generous rewards, and cultivator teams from several major super-factions all wore solemn expressions. Tieguzheng, the commander of the city guards, was undoubtedly the central figure of the defensive battle. Yang Sanyan of the Myriad Manifestations Sect, Zhou Wenyen of the All-Scripture Pavilion, and Bone Tomb Daoist of the Soul-Devouring Sect each led a team of cultivators, distributed across the other three sections of the city wall. Within the city, the City Lord's paper-man clone and Wen Ruanyu primarily held the defensive lines. And in the innermost City Lord's Manor, naturally, was the White Paper Immortal City's true form.

Undoubtedly, in terms of military strength alone, whether in the scale of cultivators or high-level combat, White Paper Immortal City was far inferior to the Underworld Army. The disparity between the two sides was quite obvious. When the White Paper City Lord sought assistance earlier, she did not break convention; the cultivators brought in as reinforcements were all Golden Core-level, not reaching Nascent Soul-level. Even Yang Sanyan, despite possessing Nascent Soul-level combat power, was only a Golden Core cultivator. What the White Paper City Lord relied on, naturally, was White Paper Immortal City itself! Possessing an immortal city provided a significant geographical advantage, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Could the disparity in military strength negate the geographical advantage? The answer to this question would likely determine the outcome of this siege battle. Commander Luosi remained silent, merely waving the command flag in his hand. The flag pointed directly at the city gate ahead. The next moment, battle flags waved throughout the army, and war drums thundered, inciting the immense number of ghosts to charge like madmen towards the walls of White Paper Immortal City.

Large-headed ghosts exhaled dark winds, while small-headed ghosts, ghost yakshas, ghost bats, and others rushed towards the top of the walls. Ghost mothers lay on the ground, continuously spawning ghosts. Hanged ghosts and soul-hooking geckos began to climb the city walls. Tieguzheng immediately activated the city defense command, causing White Paper City's walls to radiate light, scorching all contacting ghosts and instantly incinerating countless numbers. The cultivators on the city walls also began to act in batches according to military orders. Various magical artifacts and spells were unleashed, causing ghosts to perish midway.

Luosi and the other generals remained steadfast on their skeletal ghost horses. Xie Sichao stroked his beard, his gaze continuously sweeping over the city defenses. Military reports were successively delivered into the hands of Luosi and the other generals. After about half an incense stick's worth of fierce attack, Luosi grunted and issued his second military order. Consequently, the war drums ceased, military horns blared, and upon hearing the sound, most of the ghosts began to retreat, with only a small portion still immersed in battle, ultimately annihilated by the city's defenses.

Tieguzheng exhaled a turbid breath, no longer as tense. The enemy's first probing wave had ended. Under his command, White Paper Immortal City had defended exceptionally well, showing no weaknesses. Its performance was truly flawless. Information about Tieguzheng flashed through Luosi's mind, and he inwardly acknowledged: "He is indeed an excellent defensive general."

The Underworld Army had planned for a long time, and White Paper Immortal City had likewise been prepared for a considerable period. White Paper Immortal City perfectly withstood the first wave of attack. Both its four-sided wall defenses and its command system operated smoothly, giving Luosi no opportunity to exploit. If there was no opportunity, then create one! Since the ghost horde failed to probe out weaknesses, it was time to deploy the main army. Luosi decisively issued a new military order.

The grim, grayish-white Skeletal Army formation advanced with heavy, synchronized steps, drawing closer with each stride. Every time a skeletal foot landed, the grating crackle of countless joints rubbing together was incredibly unnerving. The cultivators on the city walls immediately began their attacks. However, these attacks had little effect on the Skeletal Army formation. Although these grayish-white bones appeared fragile and broken, they were more resilient than most ghosts. "This is a regular army!""They undergo extensive training and development.""Before this army marched here, they must have been empowered by countless military strategies."

The cultivators of the Mortal Realm felt a chill in their hearts, and they attacked even more fiercely. But soon, they were called to a halt by Tieguzheng. "Do not linger in battle! Return quickly to rest, recuperate, and restore your magic power with all your might!" Tieguzheng's voice echoed on the city walls. The cultivators suddenly realized, remembering the instructions given before the great battle, and turned to descend the city walls, making way for another batch of cultivators. However, many still launched one last attack at the Skeletal Army formation below the city walls before leaving. Witnessing this, Tieguzheng felt a sense of helplessness. He couldn't help but think of the Qingjiao Army, and their strict discipline, which was a hallmark of their three military systems.

"We are not truly cultivation armies, after all.""This is a sign of insufficient training."Originally, the city guards might have been able to achieve this level of discipline, but now too many people have been mixed into the city defense forces. To achieve this level of coordination was already the limit of Tieguzheng's ability. "After all, I specialize in defensive battles, not in training troops.""Alas, if only I had a military token, everything would be so much more convenient!" Tieguzheng secretly envied Qingchi greatly.

After the first batch of cultivators descended the city walls, they arrived at the temporary barracks and immediately received assistance from elixirs and magic formations, quickly healing their injuries and restoring their magic power. The second batch of cultivators ascended the city walls and immediately unleashed their respective attacks, yet still with little significant effect. The Skeletal Army formation appeared to have only had a layer of its outer defenses scraped away. Its main body reached the city walls and began climbing onto the bodies of their comrades, forming human ladders! This was not a simple climb.

Crack, crackle— Bones continuously separated and rejoined, tightly piecing together. The skeletal base at the bottom expanded wider and wider, forming a very stable foundation, while the bone bridge above was also rapidly constructed. Seeing the human ladders rapidly approaching, the cultivators' expressions changed. They frantically attacked, but still saw little effect.

Boom, boom, boom! Suddenly, large fireballs exploded at the base of the wall. In the violent explosions, one of the bone bridge human ladders directly collapsed. The cultivators who witnessed this scene were invigorated; it was the greatest achievement since the engagement began. Many gazes shifted to the cultivator who had made the move, discovering it was a yellow-faced youth. It was indeed Jiaoma (Ningzhuo)!

Tieguzheng also knew Ningzhuo's identity and was not surprised. Ningzhuo continued to act, consecutively unleashing Five Elements spells, augmented by the blessings of his Five Zang organs, and without consuming the Qingjiao Army's military power, he still annihilated the nearby enemy forces.