Spirit General's sudden outburst of rage took Li Qiang by surprise. He paused for a moment, then asked, "What?"
The Spirit General had already made his move; a wisp of cyan mist swept towards Mei'er.
Li Qiang was furious that he would attack Mei'er, and shouted, "Bastard! What are you doing?" The mist wasn't meant to hurt people, but was used by the Spirit Ghost Realm to teleport people. Caught off guard, Mei'er cried out in terror, "Brother... save... me..." In an instant, she was teleported away.
Golden light flashed in Li Qiang's eyes. He was no longer impulsive as before. Instead, he stared coldly at the Spirit General and said menacingly, "Send my little sister back immediately!" As soon as he finished speaking, his whole body seemed to be burning with raging fire. The purplish-red flames on the Fire Essence Immortal Armor emitted a hazy blue light. The surrounding air rose upwards under the scorching heat, blowing up Li Qiang's long hair that was scattered on his shoulders and back. He looked like an angry god.
The Spirit General trembled involuntarily, but he forced himself to remain calm and shouted, "In the Spirit Ghost Realm, apart from the Spirit King Grand Venerable and the Ghost King Grand Venerable, no one can possess Spirit Sword Body. No matter who you are, you have violated the supreme spiritual law here. In the Spirit Ghost Realm, you must abide by the rules!"
Li Qiang coldly uttered two words: "Bullshit!" He raised his hand and unleashed a purple light, which was the Divine Yi Power -Slaying Demon-Extinguishing Divine Thunder he had re-cultivated. The Demon- Demon-Extinguishing Divine Thunder, imbued with divine power, was far more powerful than the one he had unleashed at the Wild Plains Ruins. After being unleashed, the purple light transformed into countless glittering dots, spreading out like sprayed water droplets.
Spirit General knew that someone like Li Qiang, who could enter the Spirit Ghost Realm in his true form, was definitely not an ordinary person; it would be impossible to do so without immense Law Power. Seeing Li Qiang make his move, Spirit General dared not take it head-on. He gave a whistle, and the ghost horse sprang to life, suddenly disappearing into the air along with its rider.
The Demon-Extinguishing Divine Thunder was thrown into the rolling black mist, and a series of explosions rang out like thunder. Amidst the bursts of red light, a large hole was torn open in the rolling black mist, and the surrounding black mist immediately crowded in.
Li Qiang glanced around and saw that it was gloomy outside, but some light was shining in. He sneered, "You think you can hide like this?"
The Spirit General roared, " Spirit Sword Formation! Seven swords unleashed simultaneously, arrows and thunderbolts that terrify the heart!"
The seven Spirit Sword Body transformed into a sword net, attempting to trap Li Qiang, while countless glittering arrows shot out.
Li Qiang had long since become indifferent to this kind of attack. The protective golden light of the Supreme Radiance Shuttle suddenly expanded, and with a loud bang, the seven Spirit Sword Body were blasted into the black mist.
Li Qiang is now quite proficient at teleportation. With a slight movement, a golden light flashed, and he was already standing behind the Spirit General, grabbing the Spirit General by the neck. His hand was filled with Divine Yi Power, and with this grab, the Spirit General could not struggle.
The Spirit General let out a long, miserable howl. Having cultivated to become Spirit General, he had long forgotten what pain was, but this time he tasted the pain once again.
Li Qiang dragged the Spirit General like a dead dog, kicked his mount, the ghost horse, away, and grabbed the Spirit General in front of him. Because the Spirit General was of Yin constitution, Li Qiang was wearing immortal armor made of Fire Essence, he could hardly resist the high temperature. The spirit armor on the Spirit General's body seemed to be melting, and a large amount of mist was emanating from his body. The Spirit General was terrified.
The Spirit General cried out, "If you kill me, you'll never leave the Spirit Ghost Realm!"
The dark purple mask on Li Qiang's face seemed to be burning with raging flames as he coldly said, "If you don't release my little sister, hmph, that so-called Spirit King or Ghost King of yours... I'll wipe him out just the same! Tell me! Where did you send my little sister?"
Seeing that the Spirit General had been captured, one of the seven Spirit Sword Body took out a long, thin silver horn and blew it desperately, the sharp sound piercing the eardrums.
Li Qiang was even more enraged. The Supreme Radiance Shuttle transformed into a golden light, and with a deafening crash, the Spirit Sword Body was shattered. Li Qiang roared, "I'm asking a question, what's all the noise about!"
The Spirit Sword Body had barely managed to reassemble, but it was already severely damaged, and everything on its body had been shattered in a single blow.
Li Qiang was slightly surprised that the Spirit Sword Body could withstand the attack of the Supreme Radiance Shuttle; it was truly unexpected. He was still unaware that the Spirit Body of the Spirit Ghost Realm were very different from those of cultivators. They were Spirit Body without physical bodies, and the coming together and dispersing of their bodies was a common occurrence.
Those with Spirit Sword Body were terrified; their opponent was far too powerful.
The Spirit General slumped in Li Qiang's hands, wailing, "She's already been sent to the Spirit Gate Tower City, and I have no way to... send her back... you..."
Li Qiang said calmly, "Take me to Spirit Gate Tower City!"
Spirit General felt that Li Qiang was like a demon from legends, ruthless and vicious. The hand that was gripping his neck was like a red-hot pair of tongs, burning him so badly that he could hardly bear it. The pain was excruciating, reaching the very depths of his soul.
He screamed in agony, "Let go! Please let go! Ouch! It hurts so much!"
Those Spirit Sword Body nearby, clamoring for mercy from the Spirit General, were terrified. Their usually revered Spirit General was now loudly begging for his life—it was unbelievable. And that cold, aloof young man was so frightening; he treated the Spirit General as if he were nothing, utterly indifferent to his life or death.
Li Qiang said, "If you keep stalling, fine! I'll play along. However, the longer it goes on, the harder it will be for you to recover from your injuries. If you drag this out any longer, hmph, you might be finished."
The Heart of Darkness is one of the difficulties in Heavenly Recommendation Scripture for God Cultivation. It is the second realm of the Second Desire Heaven, which is full of negative effects. What is most terrifying is that Li Qiang has not yet realized this transformation. Anger, irritability, coldness, ruthlessness, and other negative emotions are involuntarily affecting him. If he were not usually optimistic and open-minded, he would probably have succumbed to it all at once.
Spirit General in vain to push Li Qiang's hand away; his voice was hoarse.
Li Qiang continued to stare at him coldly, the indifference in his eyes driving Spirit General to utter despair. A wave of pain washed over him, making him feel like he was living a life worse than death. He was too weak to struggle any longer, and said in a hoarse voice, "Lead the way... Ouch... It hurts so much..."
The seven Spirit Sword Body Spirit Sword Body with fear, one of them saying in a trembling voice, "Please come with us."
Li Qiang realized that if he continued to hold onto the Spirit General by the neck, he would likely be finished before they reached their destination. He tossed the Golden Lotus Jade Throne aside, simultaneously releasing the Spirit General, and said calmly, "If you want to cause trouble, don't blame me for refining you."
The Golden Lotus Jade Throne sank beneath Li Qiang's feet, its golden light enveloping the two of them.
Spirit General huddled to one side, trembling. He had truly witnessed Li Qiang's power and dared not speak or act recklessly again.
Seven Spirit Sword Body led the way, with Li Qiang following closely behind on Golden Lotus Jade Throne. A swirling black mist parted to create a passage, and everyone flew outwards along it. The Spirit General stole a glance and saw that Li Qiang's dark purple mask gleamed with an eerie purple light, like a frozen demon sculpture, cold and ruthless, inspiring fear. The Spirit General sighed inwardly: With someone like this entering, the Spirit Ghost Realm will be in turmoil from now on.
Li Qiang's eyes lit up. He saw the true face of the Spirit Ghost Realm, which was different from what he had imagined. It was not desolate at all. The sky was a gloomy, leaden gray, with swirling clumps of thick black fog. On the boundless land, there were also mountains, rivers, wild grass, and trees, but they were all gray and black, giving off a lifeless feeling. The entire Spirit Ghost Realm was composed of black, white, and gray, like an ink painting, with no other colors visible. Strange smoke swirled around everything, including plants and rocks, vaguely revealing their original forms in the hazy mist.
Suddenly, a deep horn sounded, and the earth seemed to tremble. Countless gray-white plumes of smoke rose from the mountains, plains, plants, and even rivers, shooting straight into the sky. The booming sound of war drums came from all directions. The smoke gradually condensed in the air, slowly revealing a huge army of Spirit Body. A dull and oppressive atmosphere spread with the sound of drums and horns.
The Spirit General, huddled in a corner of the Golden Lotus Jade Throne, was only a foot in size. He tried many times to break free from the golden light of the Golden Lotus Jade Throne, but each time he was pierced by the golden light with unbearable pain. In despair, he asked, "Who... who are you? Why did you come to the Spirit Ghost Realm?"
Li Qiang completely ignored him, the golden light in his eyes shooting out as if it were tangible. The army of Spirit Body suddenly let out a terrifying roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down. Li Qiang smiled coldly, gathered his Divine Yi Power, and suddenly roared to the sky.
The Spirit General felt his whole body tremble violently; the sound was truly terrifying, and his spiritual power was about to be shattered. He desperately tried to resist. Li Qiang's roar was accompanied by countless golden rays that exploded from his body, truly causing the wind and clouds to change and the earth to shake. The Spirit Body army was immediately scattered, and many Spirit Body with low cultivation were so shocked that their souls were scattered and they lost their fighting power; those who were not dead were half-dead.
More than a dozen Spirit Body experts flew out from the Spirit Body army; three Spirit Marshal led eleven Spirit General, and they surrounded Li Qiang.
Li Qiang stopped howling, glancing left and right with an air of nonchalance, but the murderous intent in his heart grew stronger. Without Mei'er by his side, without the constraints of family ties, he seemed to have no scruples whatsoever. He said coldly, "Listen up! I'm in a bad mood right now. Don't provoke me into a killing spree. Release my sister right now, or else... don't blame me for turning the Spirit Ghost Realm upside down!"
The leading Spirit Marshal saw the Spirit General at Li Qiang's feet and shouted, "How dare you imprison Spirit General! Who are you to cause trouble in the Spirit Ghost Realm?"
Li Qiang noticed that the higher the level of the Spirit Body, the less mist it emitted. The Spirit Marshal who spoke was so solid that he was exactly like True Person, wearing black armor with white patterns, with long gray-black hair, a pale face, and surprisingly blue eyes. In his hand, he held a black weapon with seven crescent-shaped pieces connected together. This weapon was very famous in the Spirit Ghost Realm and was called the Seven Souls Hook.
Li Qiang said indifferently, "What are you? Sign up! I can imprison not only Spirit General, but even if a spirit king comes, I won't give him a second thought. Don't believe me? Come and try!" This was the first time Li Qiang had ever been so unreasonable.
Mei'er had been teleported somewhere, and he had lost his mind, though he hadn't acted on it immediately. It seemed he felt uncomfortable if he didn't toy with his opponent properly; this was the influence of the Heart of Darkness.
Li Qiang's disrespect for the Spirit King enraged everyone. The three Spirit Marshal were furious. One of Spirit Marshal said angrily, "Fine! Anyone who dares to disrespect the Spirit King Grand Venerable in the Spirit Ghost Realm will be killed without mercy! Listen carefully, I am Spirit Marshal Xianmu. Immediately release the imprisoned Spirit General Panshi, or you're dead... Ah..."
Before Spirit Marshal Xianmu could finish speaking, Li Qiang transformed into a golden light and suddenly appeared before him, raising his hand to slap him hard across the face. This slap sent the renowned Spirit Marshal of the Spirit Ghost Realm flying from his beast-like body. Another flash of golden light, and Li Qiang was back on his Golden Lotus Jade Throne. He rubbed his hands together nonchalantly and said, "You deserved it!"
Spirit Marshal Xianmu was stunned by Li Qiang's blow. Since becoming Spirit Marshal, no one had dared to slap him, not even Spirit King Grand Venerable. He trembled with rage, his body erupting with raging spiritual flames—the phosphorescent blue light of his cultivated Extreme Cold Yin Baleful Intent. He roared, "You... you... how dare you hit me... I, I... Everyone, listen to my command! Capture this Spirit Marshal alive! I want him alive!"
The spirit army numbered over two thousand, and the entire sky was filled with flying Spirit Sword Body. The chill intensified, and gradually, snow began to fall heavily. The eleven Spirit General quickly retreated back into the spirit army, and with a strange, shrill roar, the spirit army swiftly formed a large formation. Three Spirit Marshal rode ghostly beasts; one flew above Li Qiang, and the other below. The Spirit Marshal Xianmu swung his Seven Souls Hook to confront him head-on, and Li Qiang was instantly surrounded.
Li Qiang stood steadily on the Golden Lotus Jade Throne, looking at the grand formation set up by the spirit army. A cruel smile appeared on his lips. He was completely immersed in the realm of the Heart of Darkness, and the golden light emanating from his body gradually changed, with black and purple flowing within it, making it look extremely strange. He stared at the spirit army with the eyes of a cat playing with a mouse, exuding a dangerous aura.
Facing him head-on, Spirit Marshal Xianmu was forced to retreat continuously by the oppressive aura emanating from him. He simply couldn't fathom the extent of his opponent's strength; merely standing silently was enough to make him unable to maintain his footing. As his anger gradually subsided, a sense of fear welled up within him. He had a very bad premonition, a feeling that great calamity was about to befall him.
Li Qiang let out a long sigh and sneered, "You've been busy for so long, now get to work! I'm getting impatient. If you don't make a move soon, damn it! I'll have to apologize." He suddenly turned the golden lotus, and his body spun rapidly. Countless crystal-clear golden snakes shot out from the spinning golden light, and countless golden rays shot out from the Golden Lotus Jade Throne. A sharp whistling sound resounded through the sky.
This was the first time Li Qiang had used a technique he had developed on his own, a variation of the four layers of the Eighteen Demon-Extinguishing Hands. He had developed three spiritual techniques in total, and because of the Divine Yi Power as a foundation, these three techniques were very powerful. He was currently using the first technique, which he named " Golden Snakes Dance Wildly."
Spirit Marshal Xianmu was shocked. His insight was considerable, and he recognized the power of Li Qiang's move. He dared not resist, and with a whoosh, the ghost beast immediately teleported him to a distance. At the same time, he gave the order to retreat, but it was already too late.
The world of the Spirit Ghost Realm is gloomy. Li Qiang's Golden Snakes Dance Wildly illuminated the dark Spirit Ghost Realm. In an instant, the colorful radiance made the surroundings bizarre and wonderful. Countless golden snakes flew around, their "buzzing" vibrations mixed with sharp shrieks, rushing towards the besieged spirit army.
Li Qiang spun faster and faster, shouting out each word clearly, "Golden! Serpent! Chaotic! Dance!"
Each word was accompanied by a thunderous boom, throwing the spirit army into chaos. Even their carefully arranged formation began to crumble slightly. This formation was the renowned Spirit Sword Formation of the Spirit Ghost Realm, specifically designed to trap powerful experts. The spirit army hadn't expected Li Qiang to act so quickly. They immediately activated the formation, but its power was greatly diminished. Spirit Marshal Xianmu and the other two Spirit Marshal had already teleported to the outer perimeter of the spirit army. Instantly, black and white sword shadows formed an arc-shaped sword curtain, reflecting the dancing golden snakes, creating an eerie beauty.
A blinding white light flashed, and the dancing golden snakes crashed into the sword barrier. A series of explosions, like popping beans, rang out continuously. Each golden snake was like a giant bomb. The black and white sword barrier lasted for less than a minute before it exploded into pieces with a deafening roar. The Spirit Body were like clay sculptures; the moment they touched the exploding energy, they shattered into smoke and were blown away by the violent shockwave.
With a single strike, the entire Spirit Body army was thrown into chaos. Although none of them died, all the scattered Spirit Body were severely weakened. More than three hundred Spirit Body regrouped and immediately retreated underground. The Spirit Body in the sky were scattered and panicked, while the Spirit General and Spirit Marshal shouted and tried to regroup the spirit army.
The Golden Snakes Dance Wildly was so powerful that even Li Qiang was surprised. After comprehending the three spiritual techniques, he hadn't taken it seriously or even tried using it. But after unleashing the Golden Snakes Dance Wildly this time, he was very satisfied. After all, it was a spiritual technique he had created himself. His mood improved considerably due to the successful trial, and the influence of the Heart of Darkness on him lessened slightly. When he attacked again, he felt less anger and the determination to kill.
Li Qiang understood the principle of "capture the leader first" well, so he ignored the Spirit Body and targeted the three Spirit Marshal. He moved slightly and rushed towards the Spirit Marshal Xianmu.
Spirit Marshal Xianmu already knew that Li Qiang was beyond his ability to resist. In the Spirit Ghost Realm, only the Spirit King Grand Venerable or Ghost King Grand Venerable could contend with such an expert. Dozens of crescent-shaped white lights flew out from the Seven Souls Hook in his hand, flying horizontally or vertically like living things, swirling and whistling as they surrounded the charging Li Qiang.
The other two Spirit Marshal also made their moves simultaneously. One of them unfurled a large black net, which enveloped Li Qiang from above. This net was quite famous in the Spirit Ghost Realm. When Li Qiang first arrived at Heavenly Court Star, he had witnessed the Heaven-Burning Lord's Fall Net. This net was similar in nature and was called the Soul-Falling Phosphorus Cover. Unfortunately, Li Qiang was no longer a cultivator. His protective Supreme Radiance Shuttle and Fire Essence Immortal Armor were both immortal artifacts, and the Fire Essence Immortal Armor even possessed some of the wonders of a divine artifact. He didn't care about these trivial items at all now.
The Spirit Marshal, who had caught up from behind, fired five black Nether Thunder. Nether Thunder were renowned treasures in the Spirit Ghost Realm, possessing immense power. Immediately after being released, the Nether Thunder Bolts swelled up and spun rapidly in the air.
Spirit General Panshi huddled inside the golden lotus, his heart filled with extreme fear. He knew all too well how powerful these three Spirit Marshal were, and he thought Li Qiang would definitely not be able to withstand them. In the Spirit Ghost Realm, it was hard to imagine anyone who could fight against three Spirit Marshal, unless the Spirit King Grand Venerable himself took action. He stared blankly at the various attacks coming his way, with only one thought in his mind: This time, I'm definitely doomed.
Even more terrifying, the other eleven Spirit General, with tacit understanding, almost simultaneously opened their mouths and spat out their spirit swords, sealing off the surroundings. The spirit swords transformed into a white mist, rapidly churning and pressing down on Li Qiang.
Li Qiang was slightly moved; he felt the pressure. Unperturbed, he floated up from the Golden Lotus Jade Throne, his hands forming a strange hand seal. One hand supported the sky, the other traced the earth, a golden thread flashing between them. He shook it rapidly nine times, and nine golden strings appeared before him, each string of varying lengths, standing abruptly in mid-air. Spirit General Panshi already stunned; he couldn't understand what Li Qiang was doing.
This is the second spiritual technique that Li Qiang comprehended, which he named " Sound of Heavenly Melody," a combination of the musical rhythms of Heavenly Melody City.
Li Qiang's incantation changed again. He slowly turned his body, his hands fluttering like butterflies, and the nine golden strings vibrated rapidly. In an instant, the world seemed to quiet down, and all the things that were shot at suddenly stopped in mid-air. Spirit General Panshi suddenly woke up and stared in disbelief at the spectacle outside the golden lotus, finding that everyone and everything was frozen in place.
As the golden strings vibrated, a faint song drifted from the sky, as if countless celestial spirits were humming Sound of Heavenly Melody. The elusive song simultaneously plucked the heartstrings of everyone present, captivating all the Spirit Body. Gradually, the sound grew clearer, transforming into the melodious sound of a flute. The cheerful flute music relaxed everyone.
Li Qiang was secretly surprised, because this Sound of Heavenly Melody was created in his first realm of the Second Desire Heaven. At that time, he was immersed in a state of happiness, so this Sound of Heavenly Melody had no killing intent, only a peaceful atmosphere. When this Sound of Heavenly Melody reached its climax, Li Qiang also broke free from the realm of the Heart of Darkness.
The serene and peaceful feeling brought by the Sound of Heavenly Melody deeply moved all the Spirit Body. At this moment, not a single Spirit Body thought that Li Qiang was evil. Even Spirit General Panshi stared blankly, so moved that his whole body trembled slightly.
Li Qiang's hands didn't stop moving; as the melody shifted, he said, " Spirit Marshal Xianmu, please release my little sister. I don't want the conflict to continue." The moment he emerged from the Heart of Darkness realm, he knew he had gone too far; this wasn't his usual style. He immediately offered to reconcile.
Spirit Marshal Xianmu was completely immersed in the Sound of Heavenly Melody. Li Qiang's words, combined with the Sound of Heavenly Melody, seemed like the words of the heavens themselves. If Li Qiang had asked him to die at this moment, he probably wouldn't have objected. He involuntarily ordered everyone to stop. The Sound of Heavenly Melody could be said to be a supreme move that subdues the enemy without fighting. The power of this move lies in making it impossible for people to muster the will to fight, which is far superior to the Golden Snakes Dance Wildly.
As the Sound of Heavenly Melody finished playing, all the Spirit Body were captivated. Li Qiang gently waved his hands, and the nine golden strings quietly dissipated. He put away the Golden Lotus Jade Throne, released the Spirit General Panshi, and said, "I'm sorry to have startled you. Please take me to the Spirit Gate Tower City. The Spirit Sword Body you saw is my little sister, not a Law Technique Law Treasure I subdued with magic, so there's no need to be so hostile."
Spirit General Panshi there dumbfounded, speechless. He simply couldn't reconcile the enraged Li Qiang with the man before him; they were completely different people. The former had displayed a ferocious and ruthless nature that chilled the heart, while the current man was gentle and refined, instantly inspiring a sense of warmth. He stammered, "I... I... this, I don't know... I don't know if it's possible... sigh..."
Spirit Marshal Xianmu hesitated for a moment, then flew over as well. He had received Spirit General Panshi's urgent distress signal and had brought his spirit army to the scene. Before they could even finish speaking, the battle had already begun. In truth, he didn't understand what was going on either. He only knew that Spirit General Panshi had been imprisoned by Li Qiang, and that Li Qiang was constantly asking for some kind of younger sister.
Li Qiang apologized again. "I'm sorry, I am Li Qiang from the Cultivation Realm. I have mistakenly entered the Spirit Ghost Realm. I have a younger sister with Spirit Sword Body who was teleported to the Spirit Gate Tower City by you. Please release her." He no longer had the mind to fight them. He just thought that Mei'er was probably frightened, and he was anxious to find Mei'er first.
Spirit Marshal Xianmu was filled with doubt and surprise. As far as he knew, cultivators from the Cultivation Realm could not enter the Spirit Ghost Realm; it was impossible. No cultivator had ever entered the Spirit Ghost Realm before, and the strength Li Qiang displayed was not the work of a cultivator. He smiled wryly and said, "Every Spirit Body that enters the Spirit Ghost Realm must be guided. Your little sister was probably guided in Spirit Gate Tower City."
Li Qiang asked, "Guidance? What does 'guidance' mean?" He had a bad feeling.
Spirit General Panshi said, "In the Spirit Ghost Realm, being guided means undergoing a baptism at the Guidance Pool, forgetting everything from the past."
Li Qiang felt like his heart was about to explode.
To Spirit Marshal Xianmu's surprise, Li Qiang was trembling all over. He seemed to be struggling to control himself as he said, word by word, "Please—stop—it—quickly! Take me to Spirit Gate Tower City immediately!"
Li Qiang's eyes shone brightly with golden light; the power of the Heart of Darkness was about to be unleashed once more.