Chapter 129: Shadow Beast

They dared not refuse. The Sunflame Pills alone cost millions of spirit stones, and the four major sects would certainly not let the matter end lightly. Anyone who dared to refuse would not be spared.

The middle-aged scholar smiled faintly and said, "If we can exterminate the Ghost King, everyone will receive a thousand contribution points. The best performer will be awarded an Immortal Ascension Token, which grants admission to any sect. Furthermore, we will provide ten additional Foundation Establishment Pills. Any Foundation Establishment cultivator who discovers the Ghost King will immediately receive one Foundation Establishment Pill after its destruction. Of course, I must warn you not to raise false alarms. We don't have an endless supply of warning talismans for replenishment, and false alarms will be severely punished."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators present looked somewhat relieved.

Discovering the Ghost King would be rewarded with a Foundation Establishment Pill. While the risk was high, the reward was also substantial.

Naturally, given a choice, no one would willingly undertake this task. However, the four major sects had made it clear: they would not leave the Ghost Abyss until the Ghost King was eradicated.

"Previously, each cultivation family formed a small team, but some families suffered heavy losses. We plan to reorganize the teams, with two Foundation Establishment cultivators per team."

The four sects reorganized their teams, with each small team consisting of two Foundation Establishment cultivators and over a dozen Qi Refining cultivators.

To Wang Changsheng's surprise, Wang Ruyan was assigned to the same team as him.

The Wang family was the premier cultivation family in the State of Song, so the four major sects would certainly have them send someone into the Ghost Abyss. What was strange was why the Wang family would send Wang Ruyan, given that she was only at the second level of Foundation Establishment.

Besides Wang Ruyan, there were eight Qi Refining cultivators: five from the Wang family and three from another cultivation family. The highest cultivation level among them was the eighth level of Qi Refining.

More than half an hour later, over 400 cultivators were divided into 42 teams. Each Foundation Establishment cultivator received a Ghost Locating Plate and a warning talisman. Following the deployment instructions of the four Core Formation cultivators, they set off in different directions.

Watching the departing teams, the middle-aged scholar sighed softly and said, "After the Ghost King is exterminated, I wonder how many will still be alive."

The young woman in the purple dress chuckled indifferently. "As long as we can eliminate the Ghost King, it doesn't matter if all these people die. If a Ghost Infant stage evil spirit emerges, the cultivation world of the State of Song will turn into a living hell. If we hadn't conscripted cultivation families to participate, our four sects would have suffered severe losses. Just our disciples from the Purple Heaven Sect alone have suffered hundreds of casualties, including fifteen Foundation Establishment cultivators."

Among the over 400 cultivators, a small portion were disciples of the four major sects.

"Alright, it's time for us to act as well. We need to quickly seal off that area to prevent the Ghost King from escaping."

Li Yang urged.

The young woman in the purple dress took out eight glittering yellow talismans, giving two to each person. "These are the formation talismans for the Eight-Gates Spirit Sealing Array. They can seal off an area. Unless a forbidden treasure breaks the seal, even Five Elements Escape Techniques cannot breach the formation. As agreed, each of us will be responsible for one area."

The four transformed into streaks of light and soared into the sky, heading in widely divergent directions.

In a certain dense forest, three enormous turtle puppets moved slowly in a single file.

Three Qi Refining cultivators sat on the turtle puppets. The foremost turtle puppet crawled ahead. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan sat on the last turtle puppet, each holding a palm-sized black jade plate with a silver pointer.

After repeated hesitation, Wang Changsheng transmitted his voice, asking, "Fellow Daoist Wang, why are you in the Ghost Abyss? Given your Wang family's strength, why would they send you?"

"I requested to come myself. The Ghost Abyss is dangerous, but it also presents opportunities. Originally, I came with my Third Granduncle and Fifth Uncle, but they both died."

As she spoke, a sorrowful expression appeared on Wang Ruyan's face.

Wang Changsheng suddenly understood. If that was the case, it made sense. Wang Ruyan had risked entering the Ghost Abyss for an opportunity, indicating a firm heart for cultivation. It was a pity that her accompanying elders had perished.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, are you the only Foundation Establishment cultivator who came?"

Wang Ruyan looked at Wang Mingzhan and the other five, a hint of doubt in her beautiful eyes.

Three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Wang family had suffered heavy casualties among their clansmen, yet Wang Changsheng, as a single Foundation Establishment cultivator, still had five Qi Refining clansmen alive. This was truly strange.

Wang Changsheng nodded, a wry smile on his face. "Our Wang family has shallow foundations, with only two Foundation Establishment cultivators. Originally, my Second Granduncle was supposed to come, but for some reason, the Purple Heaven Sect disciple who delivered the order specifically assigned me to come. Besides me, ten young and strong Qi Refining clansmen accompanied me."

His boldness in making exorbitant demands to Lin Junting was partly due to the Wang family. The Wang family had Core Formation cultivators. If the Wang family could align themselves with the Wang family, the Core Formation cultivators of the Purple Heaven Sect, should they wish to intervene on behalf of the Lin family against the Wang family, would likely have some reservations.

Wang Ruyan's beautiful eyes shifted, and she asked, "They specifically assigned you to come? And ten young, strong Qi Refining cultivators to accompany you? Fellow Daoist Wang, do you have some conflict with a Purple Heaven Sect disciple? I've noticed that not all other cultivation families consist entirely of young, strong members; most team leaders are at the third level of Foundation Establishment, with a few at the fourth or fifth levels."

Wang Changsheng looked hesitant, then sighed. "This isn't really a secret, so I'll tell you, Fellow Daoist Wang."

He recounted the whole story, from the Lin family's marriage proposal to the Purple Heaven Sect disciple's order. Of course, he portrayed Wang Changxue as having eloped for love.

Wang Ruyan nodded and consoled him, "The Purple Heaven Sect disciples certainly acted improperly in this matter. However, they are powerful, Fellow Daoist Wang, so it's best to endure it. An arm cannot twist a thigh."

She naturally didn't believe Wang Changsheng's one-sided account, but since the four major sects had always suppressed the Wang family, Wang Ruyan wouldn't speak favorably of the Purple Heaven Sect.

Wang Changsheng sighed, a bitter smile on his face. "That's all we can do. If only our Wang family had a Core Formation cultivator, then..."

Before he could finish speaking, a dozen dark figures shot out from nearby Black Yin Trees, hurtling towards them.

"Be careful, there are evil spirits!"

Wang Changsheng reacted the fastest, quickly calling out a warning. He immediately summoned three blue flying daggers, sending them slashing towards the dark figures.

Wang Ruyan summoned a green short ruler. As she cast several incantations upon it, the ruler blurred and transformed into hundreds of identical green short rulers, hovering unsteadily around her.

Wang Mingzhan and the others immediately added another protective shield to themselves, then summoned their puppet beasts.

Among the three Qi Refining cultivators at the very front, a middle-aged man quickly took out a yellow spherical bead with several cracks on its surface. It transformed into a yellow light barrier, enveloping the three of them.

The other two each summoned a spirit artifact and attacked the dark figures.

With a few muffled thuds, several dark figures struck the yellow light barrier, shattering it. The dark figures then pierced through the three individuals' bodies, and they visibly withered into dried corpses.

Their talismans were depleted, and their spirit artifacts damaged. They couldn't even withstand a single blow and died.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan paid no heed to the deaths of the three Qi Refining cultivators.

The fate of these individuals had long been sealed; their deaths were only a matter of time.

"What kind of demonic beast is this?"

Wang Changsheng frowned, his eyes filled with confusion.

Following his gaze, he saw huge black lizards crawling on the surrounding Dark Yin Trees. Unlike ordinary lizards, these had six claws and physical bodies, not resembling evil spirits.

"They are not demonic beasts; these are Yin Beasts. They typically appear in places with dense Yin energy and cultivate by absorbing it. Like evil spirits, they enjoy consuming the vital essence and flesh of cultivators. The difference is that they possess physical bodies. Fortunately, these Yin Beasts aren't very powerful, only at the Qi Refining stage. They are skilled at concealment. My Fifth Uncle was ambushed and killed by a Foundation Establishment stage Yin Beast."

Wang Ruyan explained, a hint of murderous intent flashing in her beautiful eyes.