Chapter 708: The Power of the Earth Clan

Heavenly Duke and Crimson Emperor stared blankly at each other, both caught in a dilemma.

If they didn't lend Qin Mu more power, he would likely struggle against the demon gods of Hades. Lou Yunqu was already hell-bent on destruction, even going so far as to open the Celestial Gate of Hades to summon demon gods from all realms and paths to attack Qin Mu.

Coupled with the unfathomably powerful Disaster God, Qin Mu's situation was perilous.

However, if they lent Qin Mu, the Ghost Capital Divine Son, more power, he would be completely corrupted, transforming into an evil entity that even they would fear, and he would be even harder to deal with then.

"Perhaps..." Heavenly Duke hesitated, "we should wait a little longer?"

Crimson Emperor nodded, "Yes, let's wait and see..."

The two ancient beings were anxious. Heavenly Duke pried open a crack in the seal, using Qin Mu's third eye to secretly observe the battle outside. After observing for a moment, Crimson Emperor couldn't resist leaning over and pushing him aside.

They had no choice but to agree that one person would watch for a while, then yield to the other for their turn.

Outside, Qin Mu, the Disaster God, and others had already fought their way above the Surging River. When the demon gods of Hades surged out from the Celestial Gate of Hades, overwhelming him, Qin Mu opened his mouth and unleashed a torrent of thunderous light that submerged them all!

The Hades demon gods were immense in number; even though many trembled violently from the strikes, their bodies suddenly disintegrated, turning into piles of clattering bones that fell.

Hades demon gods differed from those of other worlds. Hades was a realm that had separated from the Ghost Capital, possessing some of its characteristics, and also serving as a gathering place for souls or primordial spirits.

The difference, however, was that souls and primordial spirits in the Ghost Capital could not preserve their physical bodies, unless they were demon gods born from its dark demonic nature. Of course, gods and demons dispatched by the Celestial Heavens and stationed there could also possess physical bodies.

In Hades, however, most gods and demons could possess physical bodies, though these bodies were unique.

The physical bodies of Hades gods and demons were, in fact, their skeletons from when they were alive.

After gods and demons of the Celestial Heavens died in battle, they often ended up in Hades. If their physical bodies were preserved, they could be brought there with them.

However, since these physical bodies were already dead, they inevitably decayed, ultimately leaving only skeletons that could be utilized. Thus, the most common sight in Hades was armies of skeletal gods and demons.

Besides this, there were also some who possessed complete physical bodies, but these were usually gods and demons dispatched by the Celestial Heavens, or powerful individuals from the Ghost Emperor's lineage.

Qin Mu spewed out the Five Great Cloud Thunder and Fire Bell Divine Weapons he had inhaled but hadn't had time to digest. He watched as demon gods were shattered by lightning into bones that fell, but immediately, those skeletons reassembled under the influence of the demon gods' primordial spirits and continued to surge madly towards him.

At the same time, the Disaster God was fighting fiercely, sending nearby demon gods flying as he closed in on Qin Mu.

The skeletal demon gods he sent flying often shattered into pieces in mid-air.

His combat power was the strongest; even if Qin Mu directly clashed with him, it would be difficult to gain the upper hand. If he got close, it would be extremely dangerous.

However, even if these skeletons were shattered into dust, they could still reassemble, which was truly bizarre. They were practically an immortal army of gods and demons.

Lou Yunqu nervously watched the battle, staring intently at Qin Mu, who was surrounded by demons. He saw shattered bones continuously falling from the sky and plummeting into the Surging River, but immediately, skeletons reformed and surged out of the river, rejoining the battle.

The demon gods of Hades were fearless of death, for they were already deceased. They cared nothing for attacks or injuries.

The Surging River was torn apart, its flow disrupted, revealing the dragon veins beneath it. These dragon veins had grown quickly over the years, their scales and claws becoming increasingly clear.

The waters of this great river were sent floating into the air, creating a magnificent spectacle under the moonlight, like moons formed of water, reflecting the bright moonlight.

Qin Mu and the numerous demon gods flew back and forth among the colossal water orbs, the fierce battle raging on. With every collision, skeletal demon gods were sent flying, and the recoil also forced Qin Mu to constantly shift his position.

In the sky, water orbs exploded one after another, scattering like jade, exceptionally dazzling under the moonlight.

The most terrifying was the Disaster God. With a single strike, his divine power pierced through dozens of colossal water orbs, his godly might tearing them into the most minute particles.

"If this continues, capturing him won't be difficult."

Lou Yunqu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, he felt a chill down his spine and quickly turned around, only to see a figure gradually emerging from the dark world of Hades behind his Celestial Gate. Its face was illuminated by Yankang's moonlight, revealing a handsome countenance.

"Master!" Lou Yunqu was startled and about to pay his respects, but saw the Ghost Emperor raise a finger to his lips, making a shushing gesture, and smiling as he looked at Qin Mu through the netherworld.

Lou Yunqu didn't understand and felt uneasy. "My Master is personally observing this battle!" he thought. "Could this Ghost Capital Divine Son really be that important? Although his power is strong, it's not as formidable as the legends say. Why would it attract my Master's attention?"

The Ghost Emperor's gaze was profound, fixed intently on Qin Mu, who was fighting against thousands of skeletal demon gods. His gaze moved with Qin Mu's movements.

"So it's him," the Ghost Emperor mused. "We met in the Ghost Capital. I thought he was Tian Shu's disciple, but now it seems this kid was fooling me. He played the part so well..."

The skeletal demon gods of Hades were all dead, whereas the Ghost Emperor was a living god. The dead could enter Yankang through the Celestial Gate of Hades, but he could not.

Hades was once part of the Ghost Capital, inheriting some of its characteristics, but not completely.

This was also why Lou Yunqu and others, if they wished to enter Yankang, had to travel on the Phoenix Treasure Ship of Qi Xiayu, the Crimson Emperor of the Southern Heaven.

"He still hasn't recovered to his peak state," he wondered. "Could he have been suppressed by my Hades Jade Mirror?"

He didn't know that Qin Fengqing was two individuals sharing the same body and soul, which left him somewhat confused.

At this moment, whether it was the Ghost Emperor secretly observing from Hades, or Heavenly Duke and Crimson Emperor hidden in the Qin character continent, all witnessed a terrifying scene.

After fighting for a long time without a clear outcome, Qin Mu suddenly opened his mouth and took a deep, prolonged breath. The air above the Surging River almost ceased to flow!

All skeletal demon gods were fixed in mid-air, struggling to stabilize themselves. But the primordial spirits within each demon god's skeleton were being torn out of their bodies by a strange and unpredictable force!

All skeletal demon gods resisted this terrifying force with all their might, but some demon gods' primordial spirits were still forcibly torn from their bodies and uncontrollably flew towards Qin Mu's mouth.

They couldn't help but feel great fear, a terror they had never experienced since their deaths.

This was a natural suppression against them, a suppression by a higher-level life form over lower-level life forms, causing them to instinctively feel fear from the depths of their souls!

Even the Disaster God was caught by Qin Mu's divine ability, struggling to resist this suction force targeting primordial spirits and souls.

His cultivation was extremely powerful and overbearing; in terms of cultivation alone, he even surpassed Qin Mu and Lou Yunqu at this moment. Even so, his primordial spirit was occasionally torn from his body. He could only desperately resist by relying on his immense magical power, having no time to attack Qin Mu.

"Is this the power of the Ghost Capital Divine Son?" Lou Yunqu's hair stood on end.

His primordial spirit had left his dilapidated physical body, and at this moment, it inexplicably felt fear, sensing that Qin Mu was its natural enemy!

Heavenly Duke and Crimson Emperor, hidden in the Qin character continent, also felt a tremor in their hearts. Heavenly Duke whispered, "The power of Earth Count... the power of Earth Count unrestrained by the Ghost Capital's rules..."

Crimson Emperor's heart was struck with awe; he understood the meaning of Heavenly Duke's words. The power Qin Mu displayed at this moment resembled Earth Count's, yet it was different.

Earth Count was a god born of heaven and earth; from birth, he had to abide by the Ghost Capital's rules. Although he possessed unimaginable power, he had to act within those rules.

The Ghost Capital Divine Son's power was similar to Earth Count's, yet it transcended the Ghost Capital's limitations and could be unleashed without restraint!

This was why the Ghost Capital's magnates feared Qin Mu, and why many beings with ulterior motives sought to acquire him.

Heavenly Duke murmured, "The power of Earth Count, unrestrained by the Ghost Capital's rules – *that* is truly terrifying power."

"This is the power I desire," came the Ghost Emperor's profound sigh from the Celestial Gate of Hades. "I have always sought a path to surpass Earth Count, but have never found the method. Earth Count is too powerful; even if I cultivate to the Emperor's Seat, I cannot catch up to him, let alone surpass him. But now, this path is right before my eyes."

"If I obtain it, I can replace him..." he murmured.

Lou Yunqu was startled and pretended not to hear the Ghost Emperor's words.

The Ghost Emperor's words were truly terrifying. Although Hades had separated from the Ghost Capital, the idea of eliminating Earth Count and replacing him was still too shocking. What kind of being was Earth Count?

Whether it was the Ghost Capital or Fengdu, or the Dark Capital and Black City that once existed, all were places similar to the Ghost Capital, established by fragments of Earth Count's horn.

Mere fragments of Earth Count's horn could establish such magnificent and bizarre afterlife realms; one could imagine how terrifying Earth Count's true power was.

To replace him was something Lou Yunqu dared not even consider.

But the Ghost Emperor dared.

"If I let him devour my Hades demon gods," he thought, "then my dignity as Hades' Black Emperor would be lost."

In Hades, a gigantic void vortex suddenly formed behind the Ghost Emperor. Within the vortex, an eerie eye opened, emitting obscure light that shone from Hades onto Yankang, illuminating the skeletal demon gods above the Surging River whose primordial spirits were being torn out.

The primordial spirits of the demon gods illuminated by the light immediately broke free from Qin Mu's suction and uncontrollably flew towards Lou Yunqu's Celestial Gate of Hades, attempting to return to the Ghost Capital.

Just then, Qin Mu's third eye on his brow suddenly radiated brilliantly. The butterfly-wing-shaped light enveloped an increasingly wide area; those demon gods' primordial spirits hadn't yet flown back to Hades when they were frozen again, struggling powerlessly and drifting backward.

The Ghost Emperor let out a soft exclamation of surprise and frowned slightly. The vortex behind him grew larger and larger, and the eerie eye within it slowly opened wider, the light in its eye gradually changing from dim to bright.

This eye in the vortex was somewhat similar to Qin Mu's eye on his brow, yet also different. It was likely a divine ability cultivated by imitating Earth Count's vertical eye on his brow.

However, when it encountered Qin Mu's third eye, his divine ability actually showed signs of being inferior!

Qin Mu was actually suppressing his divine ability!

"The Ghost Capital Divine Son's power is truly extraordinary!" The Ghost Emperor was both surprised and delighted, and couldn't help but get excited. "If this power could be mine to possess and use, the entire Ghost Capital would also be my territory. What would I fear from Earth Count, or the Celestial Emperor? Open!"

The vortex behind him flew forward and, with a swoosh, imprinted itself on his brow, forming a third eye there.

The Ghost Emperor activated this eye with his own magical power, immediately suppressing Qin Mu's third eye. Just then, a cryptic, guttural, and resonant Ghost Capital language, filled with rising and falling intonations, suddenly emanated from Qin Mu's mouth.

The Ghost Emperor looked bewildered, feeling an invisible force invade Hades, searching for souls and spirits.

"The Soul Guiding Spell! He wants to..." No sooner had he thought this than the light from Qin Mu's third eye suddenly bypassed Lou Yunqu and, with a buzz, pierced through Lou Yunqu's Celestial Gate of Hades, rushing into Hades and shining upon him.

The Ghost Emperor's primordial spirit immediately stirred, almost leaving his body.

"Can the Soul Guiding Spell be used this way?" The Ghost Emperor was even more bewildered. The Soul Guiding Spell was only meant to call back the souls of the dead, to allow the deceased to return to life. Yet Qin Mu was actually trying to forcibly pull his primordial spirit out of Hades!

Qin Mu currently only possessed one percent of the Ghost Capital Divine Son's power, so he naturally couldn't forcibly pull his primordial spirit out of Hades yet. However, this application technique of the divine ability truly alarmed him and caused him some trouble.

However, just as his primordial spirit was tugged by the Soul Guiding Spell and briefly swayed, an unexpected change occurred.

A ram-horned deity reeking of alcohol, wielding a long blade, laughed heartily and charged through Lou Yunqu's Celestial Gate of Hades into Hades, striking the Ghost Emperor's brow with a single slash!

"Hades' Black Emperor, this old man has come to thank you for your wine!"