The brown-robed middle-aged man swung a palm behind him. His magical power surged, transforming into a giant ocher serpent that shot from his hand. It was the Earth Python Devouring Heaven Art, a technique from the Clearwind Sect of the Netherworld. The earth python opened its jaws, sucking in all the Netherworld Gloomwater surging from the ghost cave. Its body swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Within the surrounding Netherworld Gloomwater, several ferocious bonefish and skeletons clutching bone hairpins swam through the dark waters. Without exception, they too were sucked into the earth python.
The old man in the green bamboo hat spread his hand, unfurling a blue landscape painting. Howling winds burst out of it, transforming into heavenly astral winds that swept toward the surging Netherworld Gloomwater. The bonefish and hairpin-wielding skeletons within the gloomwater were blown into the air, tumbling head over heels as their bones came apart.
"Your earth python sure can swallow a lot. But I wonder if it can stomach this king's Gloomwater Ghost Maggots!" The snake-bodied, human-headed ghost strode over the waves and unfurled the black banner in his hand once more. Several dark shadows swam through the Netherworld Gloomwater, then darted swiftly into the earth python's mouth.
At once, the earth python formed from magical power contorted grotesquely. It seemed as though countless ghosts were rampaging inside it. The brown-robed middle-aged man's face flushed crimson, and with a bang, the earth python exploded into countless ocher specks of light. Black water rained down in every direction, pelting the brown-robed man and the old man in the green bamboo hat.
The old man in the green bamboo hat slapped his Spirit Beast Bag. With a sharp cry, a green eagle soared into the sky, its enormous, powerful wings beating back the