Ten Thousand Ghost Cave

Crack! Pop!

As the divine art broke through, Lu Li's body erupted with crisp pops like frying beans.

His strength surged once more at an astonishing speed!

Thirteen thousand jin.

Fifteen thousand jin.

Twenty thousand jin!

It still hadn't stopped!

Twenty-two thousand jin... twenty-four thousand jin!

In the end, Lu Li's strength reached an astonishing twenty-four thousand jin.

Feeling the mountain-toppling, sea-overturning power coursing through his body, Lu Li could no longer hold back. He spun around and smashed a fist into the stone bed.

Bang.

A thunderous blast rang out.

The entire three-foot-thick stone bed exploded directly, sending shards flying in all directions and dust billowing up.

"Good, good, good!"

Lu Li drew back his fist and could not help laughing aloud.

With such mountain-splitting, stone-shattering strength, he could knock Xiong Ba down with one punch if he came here.

Perhaps he could even get himself a Ruyi Golden Cudgel to play around with!

Thinking excitedly, Lu Li walked over to the mirror. One look, and his eyes lit up.

What a handsome eight-foot youth, with sword-like brows and starry eyes!

Only... his pale golden skin looked a little like it had been painted with gold lacquer.

Lu Li pinched his own flesh. It had become even harder.

Then he gave it a knock.

Clang!

The sound had become even crisper.

He picked up a short knife and gave himself a light stab. It actually failed to leave even the slightest mark.

Then he slashed down with force.

Bang! Sparks scattered everywhere.

"No wonder it's the evolved Indestructible Vajra Divine Art—impervious to blades and spears, untouched by water and fire! Once I get to Ten Thousand Ghost Cave, as long as I'm careful and don't run into a Foundation Establishment Realm vicious ghost, there shouldn't be any danger. Still, before I leave, I need to cover myself with a black robe so no one notices anything unusual about my skin. I should bring some food and drink too."

As Lu Li thought, he began packing his things.

At the same time, he glanced at the system.

Host: Lu Li.

Indestructible Vajra Divine Art: Third Layer (Progress 5%).

Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture: First Layer (Progress 40%).

His other demonic arts had neither improved nor regressed.

Lu Li did not pay much attention to that.

However, in just one night, the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture had gained 4% progress.

It would only take half a month for it to break through to the second layer.

He could not wait any longer!

Lu Li's heart sank.

Soon, he found a black dharma robe, a low-grade artifact.

Vaguely, he remembered that it had been issued when he became Ghost Demon True Person's disciple. It was worth fifty Low-grade Spirit Stones and was the lowest-grade artifact.

Its function was also simple: concealing one's figure and aura.

From this, it was clear that Ghost Demon True Person was not only ruthless and vicious, but stingy as well!

Still, it was better than nothing.

Lu Li put on the black dharma robe, searched around some more, and found all his possessions—thirty Low-grade Spirit Stones. After bringing food and drink, he left his cave dwelling and headed straight for the back mountain.

He remembered that there was an underground stone passage in the back mountain of this peak, leading directly into Ten Thousand Ghost Cave.

"Isn't this Junior Brother Lu? Where are you going?"

Just as he reached the foot of the back mountain, he ran into a tall young man approaching from ahead.

It was Xiao Yan, the one cultivating the Blood Devouring Demon Art.

"Ten Thousand Ghost Cave."

Lu Li stopped, wrapped his black dharma robe tightly around himself, and answered in a muffled voice.

"Is that so? Then be careful, Junior Brother Lu. Don't let the vicious ghosts in Ten Thousand Ghost Cave eat you! Oh, right, I have a Spirit Talisman here that can ward off evil and repel ghosts. I'll give it to you."

Xiao Yan smiled as he held out a jade box.

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Xiao, but I'll pass. Farewell."

Naturally, Lu Li would not accept it. He cupped his hands, then turned and strode away.

Once he disappeared, Xiao Yan's face immediately darkened.

There had been ten new disciples this time. Now only seven remained. But Ghost Demon True Person had always accepted only one disciple each time.

Everyone else had to die!

If Lu Li was not dead by the end of the month, then Xiao Yan could only take action himself and kill him!

At this moment, Lu Li had no idea that a deadly calamity had already found him.

He had just entered the underground passage behind the mountain.

A burst of yin energy instantly rushed at his face.

Hiss.

It was a little cold.

The feeling was like suddenly ducking beneath an air conditioner on a sweltering summer day.

Yet the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture still showed no reaction.

Into Ten Thousand Ghost Cave!

Lu Li hesitated no longer. Moving like an arrow shooting from a bow, he headed toward the depths underground.

Very soon, he saw a blue curtain of light.

It was a restriction.

Beyond the light-curtain restriction lay a world wreathed in black mist, thick with ghostly yin aura.

That was Ten Thousand Ghost Cave.

Lu Li took a deep breath, pulled out his sect jade pendant, and stepped straight through the blue curtain of light.

At once, bone-piercing cold surged in from every direction.

It was like walking bare-chested through wind and snow in the dead of winter, freezing to the marrow.

But Lu Li had already cultivated the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art to the third layer. His blood and qi were vigorous and yang in nature, so he was not afraid.

"This... looks like a mass grave."

He looked around, somewhat surprised.

This Ten Thousand Ghost Cave was not a collection of mountain caves and stone grottos as he had imagined, but an underground world.

The sky was black and heavy.

As far as the eye could see, it looked like a desolate wilderness.

Grave mounds rose from the ground one after another like spring bamboo shoots.

The soil was black, with sparse ghost grass growing from it. There were also several lonely, withered trees.

In the distance, mountains shrouded in dark shadows speared into the sky, emanating waves of eerie, terrifying, powerful auras.

He stuck out his tongue to test the air, but could not feel even the slightest trace of wind.

Ding.

At that moment, a system notification rang out in his mind:

"Your Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture has arrived in a Gathering Yin Land. Due to physical discomfort, its cultivation effect has decreased by 200%."

So it really worked!

Hearing this, Lu Li was delighted.

But... where were the ghosts?

Wasn't Ten Thousand Ghost Cave the place where the Yin Underworld Ghost Sect kept its yin souls? Why was there not a single ghost in sight?

Lu Li was a little curious.

Thus, he carefully walked up to a nearby grave mound and knocked on the tombstone. "Um, hello? Ghost? Are you home?"

There was no response at all.

Pfft.

Suddenly, a bell-like laugh rang out overhead.

"Who is it?"

Hearing the sound, Lu Li looked up and saw a pretty young girl standing atop a white bone sword. Dressed in green, she was looking down at him from midair.

In this dark underground world, she was like a green lotus, making his eyes brighten.

"I'm a patrol disciple of Ten Thousand Ghost Cave."

The girl smiled charmingly. "Are you Ghost Demon True Person's newly accepted disciple? Is this your first time in Ten Thousand Ghost Cave?"

"Uh, yes."

Lu Li nodded.

At the same time, he secretly assessed the girl's cultivation. She should be in the Foundation Establishment Realm.

With his current strength, one punch should be enough to blow her apart.

But her White Bone Flying Sword looked formidable, and it could fly. If they truly fought, his odds of winning were not high.

"This is the outermost edge of Ten Thousand Ghost Cave. Most of the yin souls have already been cleared out. If you want to find ghosts, you'll have to go deeper into Ten Thousand Ghost Cave. Here's a map. Take it."

As she spoke, the girl in green smiled and tossed down a roll of sheepskin, which landed before Lu Li.

Lu Li lowered his head and found mountain ranges and terrain drawn on the sheepskin.

It really did look like a map.

But would people from the Demon Sect really be so kind?

"All right! I've given you the map, so pay up. Five Low-grade Spirit Stones."

Sure enough, the girl's fox tail had emerged.

Wasn't this forced buying and selling?

"..."

Lu Li fell silent for a moment, then cupped his hands and asked, "Um, Senior Sister, what if I don't pay?"

"Hmph, hmph. If you don't pay, then as a patrol disciple, I can only follow sect rules and take away a suspicious..." The girl in green crossed her arms and gave a soft snort.

"Please accept them, Senior Sister."

Before she could finish, Lu Li sensibly took out five Low-grade Spirit Stones and offered them up with both hands.

"At least you know what's good for you!"

The girl in green beckoned with her delicate hand, drawing the Spirit Stones into the air. She smiled smugly. "You don't need to be unhappy, either. Keep this map. If you run into anyone looking for trouble in the future, take it out and invoke my name, Qing He. I guarantee you'll be fine! But if you go looking for trouble and trespass into someone else's territory, then even I can't help you. Watch yourself!"

With that, she turned, transforming into a streak of green light that whistled away.

After a few flashes, she vanished beyond the horizon without a trace.

Damn it.

He had actually been charged protection money!

Lu Li withdrew his gaze, his heart sinking.

Within the Demon Sect, it truly was the strong devouring the weak.

Hmph.

Once he grew stronger, this grudge, someday... hmph, hmph!