Chapter 637

Ning Zhuo was puzzled. He sensed that Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin had a hidden meaning, but he couldn't grasp it.

Unable to understand, he immediately inquired with his spiritual sense.

Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin replied, "Heaven's secrets cannot be fully revealed. While the path of fate is profoundly mysterious, excessive abuse will incur divine wrath and heavenly punishment."

"Especially some things—if you know them in advance, it will inevitably provoke the heavens and earth to intervene, causing the future to drastically change, deviating from your predictions, or even becoming the exact opposite."

"I have already given you too many hints, Little Zhuo."

Ning Zhuo hastily said, "Mother, you know more than I do. I won't ask then, but you must take care of yourself!"

Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin turned around and walked towards the paper army.

This was the seventh army, and its incompleteness was precisely what allowed Meng Yaoyin to exploit it during her lifetime.

The paper figures stood silently in place, having endured countless years.

The cinnabar on their thin armor seemed to have congealed into bloodstains, and old incense ash permeated from the seams.

The infantry's long spears stood as dense as a forest, and condensed dew hung from the archers' arrowheads.

Thirty-six divine chariots rested like coffins. The paper gods with three heads and six arms held cloud gongs and wind banners, yet they appeared as inert as clay or wooden figures. Only the nine-zhang, nine-chi plain silk banner occasionally unfurled in the eerie wind.

Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin also stood still, gathering her strength.

After more than ten breaths, her lips parted, and she softly chanted an incantation.

A mouth seal.

Simultaneously, her fingers fluttered like butterflies.

A hand seal.

Her spirit and magic power flowed into the formation disc, officially activating the arrangements she had made in her lifetime.

A faint glow emanated from the vast ground.

The glow rapidly intensified, becoming dazzling, and infused into each paper figure.

This process continued for twenty breaths. The paper figures swelled, as if lit from within, becoming human-shaped paper lanterns.

Finally, the Soul-Guiding Banner at the top of the Great Dull vibrated fiercely, its seven-layered tails writhing like furious serpents.

Whooshing sounds of scattering paper money filled everyone's ears.

The paper figures' eye sockets lit up, gaining vitality. Countless talismans appeared all over their bodies, glowing as brightly as branding irons!

It was as if heaven itself was painting, as colors rendered themselves onto the paper figures, completing their transformation.

The ox cavalry stared ahead, their mounts snorting heavily, and their hooves began pawing the ground.

The fluttering paper armor swiftly thickened, transforming into heavy iron armor.

Long spears and shields solidified one after another, as did bows and crossbows.

The three paper gods perched on the chariot shafts, however, were an exception, showing no change.

The Commander of the Central Army slowly opened his eyes. His armor was resplendent and vibrant, radiating brilliance, the most magnificent of all.

Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin slowly ascended, then descended onto the chariot, standing beside the Commander of the Central Army.

She waved to Sun Lingtong.

"Coming, coming!" Sun Lingtong hastily led the ox cavalry squad to join the main army.

The next moment, this paper army set off with a thunderous roar!

The Sacrificial Altar Battlefield.

The Waters of Oblivion surged with immense power, encircling and supporting the entire altar, flowing ceaselessly.

The Prefect of Oblivion concealed himself within the river, not showing his face.

High above, the Prefect of Ghostfire sat cross-legged on a scorched bone lotus platform, gazing down at the river. Beside him, in the lotus seed holes of the platform, nine candles were inserted. Each candle was as thick as an adult's forearm.

Only the candle directly in front of the Prefect of Ghostfire was burning.

"The Soul-Reaping and Spirit-Guiding Candle truly lives up to its reputation," the Prefect of Oblivion praised inwardly while healing his wounds.

To inherit the position of Prefect of the Ghostfire Underworld, one must trek across the Fiery Flowing Barren Lands and guard the Fire Soul Purgatory for eighty-one days.

This was extremely difficult.

Therefore, there were many times when the previous Prefect of the Ghostfire Underworld passed away without a qualified successor, leaving the position vacant and causing the underworld's power to wane.

At such times, it was often a prime opportunity for the Oblivion Underworld to launch an offensive.

However, once a prefect succeeded, anyone capable of meeting the succession conditions was by nature an extremely powerful being.

Thus, almost every Prefect brought prosperity and flourishing power to the Ghostfire Underworld. A Ghostfire Underworld with a Prefect was often very strong.

This generation's Prefect of Ghostfire was no exception.

In his lifetime, he had been a master at the Scarlet Bright Daoist Academy, specializing in fire-elemental techniques. After death, he became a ghost cultivator, continuing his former path.

It is worth mentioning that the Scarlet Bright Daoist Academy was a super-power, specializing in fire-elemental techniques and collecting fire seeds from all over the world.

Yin Jiuzhu had held an important position in the Scarlet Bright Daoist Academy during his lifetime, and his ability to become a prefect after death was due to his accumulated knowledge, which made him highly skilled in handling fire-elemental matters.

Although the fire element was not as flourishing in the underworld as in the mortal realm,

Yin Jiuzhu took a different approach. He used the accumulated resources of an entire prefecture and all his power to scour for materials, leading to a profound breakthrough where he created nine different types of exotic flames.

The development of these exotic flames had not yet reached the level of true 'fire seeds,' so they could only be sustained by fuel reserves.

This fuel was continuously adjusted, refined, and upgraded, eventually becoming the nine candles surrounding him.

This was the culmination of his life's cultivation, and Yin Jiuzhu couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

Therefore, he abandoned his birth name and adopted this name, which was more like a moniker.

The Soul-Reaping and Spirit-Guiding Candle!

Once this candle was lit, it would ignite an exotic flame that forcibly drew the souls of surrounding beings into its light, consuming them as fuel.

Under Yin Jiuzhu's full activation, even the Prefect of Oblivion's soul flickered within his body.

Of course, this was partly because the Prefect of Oblivion had expended considerable energy in his two previous battles.

While the Prefect of Oblivion was affected, those under him outside the altar suffered even more. They had already lost more than half their numbers, and now only one Nascent Soul cultivator and less than ten thousand of the Imperial Guard remained.

The Imperial Guard, in particular, had been painstakingly built up over a hundred years by the Prefect of Oblivion after he took over, constantly weeding out the weak and cultivating new recruits until they became an elite force loyal only to him.

Such losses were extremely heavy.

Therefore, the Prefect of Oblivion activated a small tributary of the Waters of Oblivion. It not only encircled the altar but also contained the power of the Soul-Reaping and Spirit-Guiding Candle, actively taking on most of its might to protect his subordinates outside the altar's vortex.

Yin Jiuzhu sat cross-legged on the scorched bone lotus platform, looking down with hidden apprehension, unwilling to enter the river proactively.

The Waters of Oblivion were not a river anyone could casually enter.

Most beings, when immersed in the Waters of Oblivion, would lose their memories and emotions. In severe cases, even their souls would sink into oblivion.

Only the current Prefect of Oblivion, relying on his unique talent, could frequently and for extended periods venture into the long river of Oblivion and utilize it to such an extent.

Witnessing this, the Prefect of Ghostfire's resolve only strengthened.

"This action by the Prefect of Oblivion must be stopped at all costs!"

"He already possesses such talent; if he succeeds again, he will become truly terrifying."

Although the Prefect of Ghostfire still didn't know the Prefect of Oblivion's ultimate goal, this didn't prevent him from putting all his effort into thwarting him.

This was because after the Prefect of Oblivion made such a grand move, the Prefect of Ghostfire sensed trouble, felt as if facing a formidable enemy, and visited a skilled diviner.

The divination result horrified the Prefect of Ghostfire: after succeeding, the Prefect of Oblivion would lie low for several years, his power inexplicably skyrocketing. Eventually, using his personal combat prowess, he would lead the entire Oblivion Underworld to conquer surrounding territories, annexing the Ghostfire Underworld and many other forces.

Not only that, but he would also extend his reach into the mortal realm, capture the White Paper Immortal City, seize control of the entire Gloomy Tide Black Mire, and establish a ghost-human kingdom spanning both the mortal and immortal realms!

A cold glint flashed in the Prefect of Ghostfire's eyes as he channeled his magic power and lit the second candle.

The Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle suddenly lit up!

It wasn't shaped like a traditional candle, but rather a palm-sized miniature ice coffin, crystal clear and radiating cold air. A small hole in the center of its lid housed an ice crystal wick.

An exotic flame ignited at the wick.

This exotic flame was only the size of a soybean, ice-blue in color, burning silently without the usual flickering or swaying of an ordinary flame, like crystal.

The ice-blue candlelight shone forth, casting its glow upon the flowing barrier formed by the encircling tributary of the Waters of Oblivion.

Ice spread furiously, like a plague!

The waves, which had been churning like furious dragons just a second before, instantly solidified into static ice sculptures, maintaining their fierce posture of crashing against the shore.

Where the ice spread, even space itself groaned under the strain, and fine, eerie blue frost patterns materialized out of thin air.

The Prefect of Oblivion, hidden within the tributary of the Waters of Oblivion, suddenly felt an unusual, extremely biting cold enveloping him from all directions, immediately putting him in a dilemma.

"If I go out, I will definitely be illuminated by the Soul-Reaping and Spirit-Guiding Candle, and my soul will be drawn out of my body."

"If I remain here, I might become a permanent captive in the frozen Waters of Oblivion."

The Prefect of Oblivion's thoughts flashed like lightning, and he immediately conceived a solution.

The next moment, a figure burst through the air, directly attacking the Prefect of Ghostfire in mid-air.

The Prefect of Ghostfire fixed his gaze and saw that his opponent was a giant.

He was three zhang tall, entirely dark black, with rough, knotted muscle textures resembling a dry, cracked riverbed. On his surface, dark red blood vessels could be seen beneath his skin, slowly flowing like hot magma.

On the giant's head, countless small dark holes emitted wisps of black smoke.

The Prefect of Oblivion's divine avatar—the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God!

With Yin Qi as its breath, subterranean turbid energy as its blood, and ancient profound iron as its bones, its defense was like a mountain, and it possessed immense power!

While the Prefect of Oblivion's main body cultivated water-elemental Yin techniques, the clone he painstakingly forged was closely related to the earth element.

Regardless of his exact considerations, the moment the Turbid Filth God was released, it immediately broke the stalemate.

Its massive steel fist shattered the ice with a wind-breaking roar, crushing the glacier and allowing the river to flow again, still a tributary of the Waters of Oblivion.

The force of the punch swept across the battlefield, causing the frozen space to disintegrate. Countless eerie blue frost patterns were shattered, completely annihilated by brute force.

The Turbid Filth God, seizing the advantage, pressed its attack relentlessly towards Yin Jiuzhu.

Offended, Yin Jiuzhu let out a cold snort and defiantly activated the third candle.

The Heart-Stinging Blood-Weeping Candle subtly ignited.

This candle was dark red, like congealed corrupted blood. Its surface was uneven, constantly expanding and contracting slightly,

as if a heart were pulsating.

Its wick was a slender, black bone needle that seemed to still be oozing blood.

When lit, the candle flame was also dark red, burning silently.

Where the exotic flame shone, all living beings would experience severe heart pain and continuously lose their vital essence.

Although the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God's divine body was not made of flesh and blood, it was still affected.

The extremely compressed subterranean turbid energy within its body, viscous like mercury and shimmering with earth-elemental spiritual light, was now being drained from the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God's entire body, quickly turning it red.

"Roar!" The Turbid Filth God let out a painful roar, its expression twisted. Its forward momentum abruptly ceased, and its massive body half-knelt mid-stride.

The Prefect of Oblivion's heart trembled. "It seems the Prefect of Ghostfire's candle has transcended the old concept of blood. Any part that is analogous to blood will be affected and continuously lost."

Of course, the Turbid Filth God's agony was not caused solely by the Heart-Stinging Blood-Weeping Candle, but also by the combined illumination of the earlier Soul-Reaping and Spirit-Guiding Candle and the Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle!

As a result, this formidable divine avatar suffered a tremendous blow under the combined radiance of the three candles.

The Prefect of Oblivion had to act to save his divine avatar.

He took a deep breath and activated a mouth seal: "Earth's Lungs Breathe, Turbid Waves Rage! Activate!"

He spread his arms, his aura surging wildly. He didn't care if it revealed his true location, only wishing to activate his power with all his might, seizing every second.

The next moment, a booming sound reverberated through the heavens and earth, echoing across the battlefield.

The magic formation roared, unleashing hundreds of energy pillars that shot skyward.

Each of these energy pillars was as thick as a giant python, viscous like petroleum, and filled with a foul, putrid stench.

This was the subterranean turbid energy from deep within the underworld's earth, accumulated over countless ages.

While subterranean turbid energy could contaminate magic treasures and obscure their spiritual essence, for the Prefect of Oblivion's Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God, it was a heavenly material and earthly treasure, the most suitable peerless elixir for him.

A pillar of turbid energy surged like a rushing python, injecting into the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God's body and immediately restoring it to full speed.

The next moment, the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God stood upright, chest out, becoming even more vigorous and powerful than before!

Not only that, these pillars of turbid energy intertwined and coiled, forming a viscous, thick, and churning canopy of turbid energy over the battlefield!

Within it, Yin Jiuzhu immediately found his breathing difficult. Invisible pressure enveloped him from all directions, as if he had sunk into a mire, making every movement more arduous than before. Even mobilizing his magic power became a struggle.

He dared not be careless and immediately took countermeasures.

On one hand, he activated the Shadow Crow Ghost Eye Candle to observe the battlefield; on the other, he unleashed ghost spells, still targeting the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God.

A massive bone hand shot out at incredible speed, directly seizing the Turbid Filth God's arm.

The bone hand instantly self-ignited, a blazing, pale green phosphorescent flame burning, causing the Turbid Filth God to shriek once more.

Its originally indestructible profound iron body softened and collapsed in the flames, emitting large plumes of pale green poisonous smoke. The bone hand's fingers embedded deeply into the Turbid Filth God's arm, like a hot knife slicing through butter.

With the Turbid Filth God restrained, Yin Jiuzhu's second ghost spell burrowed into its body.

Hair-thin, purplish-black lines of fire pierced and twisted within the divine body, like countless venomous snakes.

The Turbid Filth God's internal organs were ruptured, its dark red meridians flashing with intense red light, causing its entire body to tremble violently from the pain.

After being unleashed, the third ghost spell formed nine three-legged silver crows in mid-air!

The silver crows, imbued with ghostfire, crashed into the Turbid Filth God's chest one after another, exploding successively.

Boom, boom, boom—! Nine consecutive explosions blasted a large void in the Turbid Filth God's chest, leaving only a layer of skin on its back still connected.