Chapter 692: Mysterious Dark Lotus Fire

A chilling wind swept through, making Wang Changsheng and Ye Lin’s hair flutter. The Gold-devouring Ants beside them were blown back several yards before coming to a stop.

The black seawater churned violently as a crescent-shaped island, over ten li in size, gradually emerged from the surface. More a massive reef than an island, it was covered in black moss, with numerous skeletal remains scattered across it.

A faint golden light glowed in Ye Lin’s eyes as he meticulously scanned the entire island.

“There’s something unusual there, but I don’t detect any ghostly presence. Perhaps it knows concealment techniques!” Ye Lin said, pointing in a certain direction with some uncertainty.

Wang Changsheng released his divine sense, scanning the island several times, but found no anomalies. In the Myriad Ghosts Sea Domain, his divine sense was affected, making it easy for any ghostly entity on the island to remain hidden.

“Be careful, there might be a third-tier ghost on the island,” Wang Changsheng cautioned with a solemn expression.

Ye Lin nodded, then took out a light golden talisman and slapped it onto his body. A golden light flashed, and a light golden barrier appeared, clinging closely to his skin. Wang Changsheng was wearing the Spirit Treasure Golden Amber Jade Buddha Pendant, so he wasn't worried about being attacked by ghosts.

Wang Changsheng made a hand seal, and the blue shuttle carried them towards the island. Before long, they stopped above a cave entrance several yards wide. According to Cheng Zhenyu, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame was inside this cave.

With a thought, Wang Changsheng sent hundreds of Gold-devouring Ants flying into the cave. Shortly after, the hundreds of Gold-devouring Ants lost contact with Wang Changsheng, without a single sound. Clearly, there was a ghostly entity inside.

Wang Changsheng flicked his sleeve, sending out hundreds of blue formation flags that plunged into the ground around the cave. He then took out a blue formation disk, infused it with several incantations, and watched as innumerable black mists surged forth, enveloping the entire island. This ensured that any other high-tier cultivators passing by and using their divine sense to investigate would not detect any anomaly.

“Stay behind me, and be careful,” Wang Changsheng cautioned. He descended and strode towards the cave entrance.

As Wang Changsheng stepped into the cave, a bone-chilling cold assailed him, accompanied by gusts of sinister wind. The Soul-devouring Golden Cicada inside the spirit beast bead became restless, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Wang Changsheng’s expression grew solemn. He flicked his sleeve, and a large amount of fine yellow sand flew out, transforming into a yellow shield which hovered and spun around them. They hadn't gone far when Wang Changsheng frowned and suddenly slammed his right fist towards his left side. A blue light flashed, and a several-yard-sized blue giant palm flew out, striking the void like lightning.

With a muffled "thump," a gray shadow was sent flying backward, letting out a piercing shriek. The black shadow was indeed a black specter, about ten feet tall, with ten sharp, black fingers and a single horn protruding from its head. A pair of blood-red eyes stared intently at Wang Changsheng. A chilling aura emanated from the black specter, clearly indicating it was a Ghost King.

In the lower right corner of the cave, there was a pond over ten yards wide, where a large patch of black flames emanated a chilling aura.

Wang Changsheng snorted lightly. The yellow shield suddenly transformed into a large expanse of fine yellow sand, which swirled and condensed into a massive yellow giant eagle, pouncing towards the black specter. He flipped his palm, and five long nails, as black as ink, appeared in his hand. The Twin Fiends of Ten Thousand Bones possessed many treasures specifically for ghosts, and these five Ghost-Binding Nails were among them, capable of pinning ghosts within a large area.

A “whoosh-whoosh” sound of air being torn echoed as the five Ghost-Binding Nails shot out, heading straight for the black specter. The black specter flipped its hand, and a dark, gleaming bone saber appeared in its grasp. It swung the saber towards the yellow giant eagle in the air. A dark light flashed, and a streak of dark light, over ten yards long, shot out, slashing towards the yellow giant eagle.

With a loud bang, the yellow giant eagle was shattered by the dark light, turning into a large expanse of fine yellow sand. As the five Ghost-Binding Nails flew forward, the black specter opened its mouth and spat out a black orb of light, which struck and sent the five Ghost-Binding Nails flying.

A “whoosh-whoosh” sound of tearing air echoed as dense, fine yellow sand shot forward, striking the black specter’s body. The black specter let out a series of muffled groans as innumerable streams of ghostly energy emanated from its body, enveloping the fine yellow sand. The fine yellow sand swayed erratically, its spiritual essence damaged.

A dark light descended from above, striking the black specter. The black specter let out a piercing shriek, as a large amount of green smoke rose from its body, and its size shrank by one-fifth. Wang Changsheng held a bone whip coiled with dark light. The whip was assembled from dozens of white bones, with each segment carved with a gruesome skull. This Ghost-Slaying Whip could weaken the power of ghostly entities.

Seizing this opportunity, the five Ghost-Binding Nails shot forward, pinning the black specter to the ground. It struggled violently, letting out strange and extreme roars. The five Ghost-Binding Nails glowed intensely, emitting a large expanse of dark light. Wang Changsheng flicked his wrist, and the Ghost-Slaying Whip glowed brightly, striking the black specter again. He whipped it more than ten times consecutively. The black specter let out a series of miserable cries, its aura weakening, and its eyes turning blood-red.

A blue giant palm, filled with numerous blue electrical arcs, descended from above, striking the black specter fiercely.

Boom!

Innumerous blue electrical arcs enveloped the black specter’s form, and it let out an utterly miserable shriek. Before long, the blue electrical arcs dissipated, and the black specter’s body became translucent, looking as if it would dissipate at any moment.

Wang Changsheng flicked his wrist, and the Soul-devouring Golden Cicada flew out of the spirit beast bead, instantly pouncing in front of the black specter. It furiously tore at the black specter’s body. The black specter was already on its last breath and utterly unable to resist, so the Soul-devouring Golden Cicada swallowed it whole. After the Soul-devouring Golden Cicada devoured the black specter, it immediately fell into a deep slumber. No matter how Wang Changsheng tried to contact it, it didn't respond.

Wang Changsheng retrieved it into the spirit beast bead. He then looked at the black flames, his gaze filled with fervent anticipation. He raised his hand, and a small blue cauldron flew out, instantly expanding in size and hovering above the black flames. The nine flood dragons on the surface of the giant blue cauldron seemed to come alive, swimming across its surface. The giant blue cauldron then sprayed out a large expanse of blue light, enveloping the black flames.

The Nine Flood Dragon Cauldron, an artifact refining furnace used by True Master Ming Shui to refine heavy water, was an item used by a Nascent Soul cultivator. Collecting this Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame with it should pose no problem.

The black flames churned, transforming into a black lotus rooted in the pond.

“This is the Dark Profound Black Lotus Flame!” Ye Lin exclaimed excitedly. “This flame ranks ninety-fifth on the Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame List. Brother-in-law, once you refine the Dark Profound Black Lotus Flame, your artifact refining will be much more convenient.”

Ye Lin said with some excitement. The stronger Wang Changsheng became, the stronger the Wang family would be, and Ye Haitang and Ye Yutong would then have a better cultivation environment.

Wang Changsheng smiled and nodded. He struck the Nine Flood Dragon Cauldron with several incantations, and it glowed intensely. Nine flood dragons flew out from within the cauldron, opened their wide jaws, swallowed the black lotus, and then flew back into the cauldron, vanishing. Wang Changsheng beckoned to the Nine Flood Dragon Cauldron. It rapidly reverted to its original size and disappeared into his sleeve.