Chapter 2596: Collaboration

On a vast, endless black plain, tens of thousands of skeletal soldiers were besieging Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan. Leading them was a skeletal ape over a hundred zhang tall, its eye sockets glowing with ghostly flames. This spectral creature possessed the strength of the Void Refinement Great Perfection stage, and several sixth-tier spectral creatures were also lurking in the shadows.

In addition, there were no fewer than a hundred spectral creatures at the Nascent Soul stage.

Wang Changsheng had obtained a good amount of Styx River Water and was preparing to leave the Heavenly Demon Cavern. However, they encountered a group of spectral creatures on their way.

The Heavenly Buddha Bell floated above their heads, shimmering with golden light as chants of Sanskrit echoed throughout the heavens and earth.

Waves of golden sound swept out. Skeletal soldiers that touched the golden sound waves burst into pieces, and numerous ghostly figures flew out. They were enveloped by golden light and drawn into the mouths of two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas.

Above the two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas, there were two huge golden cicada illusions. Each of them spat out a stream of golden flame, which landed on the skeletal soldiers.

A mournful wailing arose, and numerous ghostly figures soared up, all consumed by the two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas.

A chilling wind swept by, and a blood-red ghostly figure suddenly appeared near one of the Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas.

The ghostly figure's body glowed with intense blood-red light, enveloping the Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada.

A shower of golden light rained down, landing on the ghostly figure. It let out a shrill scream, emitting wisps of green smoke, then a burst of blue light shot over, covering the ghostly figure.

The ghostly figure screamed repeatedly, its body becoming semi-transparent.

Seizing this opportunity, the two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas glowed intensely, emitting dense golden beams that pierced through the ghostly figure, then devoured it.

If Wang Changsheng hadn't intervened, this Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada would likely have been harmed.

A mournful wail echoed, reverberating for a vast area spanning tens of thousands of miles.

Wang Changsheng, wearing the Golden Roc Pendant, was unaffected. Wang Ruyan, however, frowned, her mind momentarily disoriented.

It was the Myriad Ghost Delusion Sound! This was a large-scale demonic art whose power increased with the number of spectral creatures and especially with the number of high-tier ones.

If one hundred thousand spectral creatures had cast the Myriad Ghost Delusion Sound, even Wang Changsheng would have been affected. With the Golden Roc Pendant, the effect was merely reduced; it couldn't completely negate the Myriad Ghost Delusion Sound.

Wang Changsheng waved his Jade Buddha Ruler, releasing a boundless golden Buddha light that enveloped a large area of spectral creatures.

Skeletal soldiers that touched the golden Buddha light shrieked in agony. One by one, ghostly figures detached from the skeletons and were entirely consumed by the two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas.

The void rippled, and a blood-red demonic claw appeared out of thin air, reaching for the Heavenly Buddha Bell.

The Heavenly Buddha Bell immediately flared, emitting a brilliant Buddha light that enveloped the demonic claw. The claw emitted wisps of green smoke and vanished into thin air.

Wang Changsheng's Glazed True Eye on his forehead emitted a divine glazed light, striking a certain part of the void. A shrill ghostly wail emanated from that spot, and a blood-red fiend with a green face and fangs materialized, possessing a single blood-red horn on its head and emitting wisps of green smoke.

This was a late-stage Void Refinement spectral creature! It was able to infiltrate near Wang Changsheng without even the Ghost-Fixing Plate reacting or the Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas issuing a warning, indicating it was likely a mutated spectral creature.

Almost simultaneously, Wang Ruyan formed a hand seal, causing the Buddhist figures on the Heavenly Buddha Bell to chant scriptures faster. One by one, profound Buddhist characters flew out and affixed themselves to the blood-red fiend.

Having faced life and death together multiple times, they were telepathically connected and cooperated skillfully.

The blood-red fiend screamed incessantly, its body becoming semi-transparent.

Its eyes blazed with blood-red light, spewing forth an extremely foul-smelling blood-red ghostly fire directly towards the two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas. The single horn on its head also shot out a beam of blood-red light, aiming directly for the Heavenly Buddha Bell.

Wang Ruyan formed a hand seal, and the Heavenly Buddha Bell emitted a golden, shimmering sound wave that shattered the incoming blood-red flames.

Wang Changsheng conjured a green-glowing flying knife and slashed towards the blood-red light.

The blood-red light collided with the green flying knife. The green flying knife emitted wisps of green smoke, spun in mid-air, its spiritual light dimmed, and cracks appeared. Before long, the green flying knife turned into a pile of scrap metal and fell to the ground.

Wang Changsheng was a little surprised; what kind of divine ability was this that could destroy a low-grade Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure?

The blood-red fiend tried to use other divine abilities, but dense golden light rained down from the sky. It panicked. Before it could dodge, a deafening male shout rang out. The blood-red fiend's body trembled as dense golden light pierced through it. The two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas swarmed it and devoured it.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, the Void Refinement Great Perfection skeletal ape transformed into a streak of light and fled through the air with extreme speed.

Wang Changsheng did not pursue it, allowing the two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas to eliminate the remaining low-tier spectral creatures, which were no match for them.

After a full meal, the two Soul-Devouring Golden Cicadas became drowsy.

A huge roar echoed from a distance, startling Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, who looked towards it.

A large expanse of blood-red light appeared in the distance, accompanied by flashing golden lightning.

The giant ape skeleton flew towards them at an even faster speed. However, before it could fly much further, a massive spectral roc appeared high in the sky. The roc spread its wings, emitting black light that enveloped the giant ape skeleton.

The giant ape skeleton screamed repeatedly as a thick, long golden lightning spear shot over, piercing through its body.

A deafening thunderclap came from high in the sky, and a massive golden thundercloud materialized. Golden lightning orbs poured down. The spectral roc flapped its wings and vanished. Dazzling golden lightning engulfed the giant ape skeleton.

A sky-filled wave of blood-red blade energy swept over, merging into the golden lightning, causing surging air currents.

Three streaks of light flew from the distance. Before long, they stopped. They were none other than the Golden Falcon Twin Immortals and True Monarch Bloodblade.

Elder of Myriad Insects glanced at the Heavenly Buddha Bell, a flicker of greed deep within his eyes. It was a Buddhist treasure, and a mid-grade Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure at that.

At this moment, the golden lightning dispersed, and the giant ape skeleton turned to dust, leaving behind only an egg-sized black bead.

"We discovered a Heaven-Eroding Fruit tree," Elder of Myriad Insects said, his tone sincere. "If a Void Refinement cultivator consumes a Heaven-Eroding Fruit when attempting to break through to the Integration stage, it can increase their chances by ten percent. However, it's guarded by a seventh-tier demonic beast. Are the two of you interested in joining forces?"

"Heaven-Eroding Fruit?" Wang Changsheng was somewhat tempted.

He already possessed the Heavenly Soul Nether Lotus, and with the addition of the Heaven-Eroding Fruit, his success rate for breaking through to the Integration stage would be higher. The Heaven-Eroding Fruit tree is quite unique; it grows in places with dense Yin energy, and artificial cultivation is very difficult.

"Just us, can we deal with a seventh-tier demonic beast?" Wang Changsheng questioned.

"We have a set of seventh-tier formations. With the help of the two of you, there will definitely be no problem. What do you say?" Lady Thunder Falcon explained. Two Void Refinement cultivators controlling a seventh-tier formation would find it difficult to trap a seventh-tier demonic beast, but four Void Refinement cultivators would have no problem.

"Tell us about that seventh-tier demonic beast then! Is it a low-grade seventh-tier?" Wang Ruyan pressed.