After everything had settled, Lao Chongyuan was shrouded in black mist, half-kneeling on the ground, while Luke Ling behind him had vanished without a trace.
"Oh, you actually withstood it. Impressive. But it seems your body isn't handling it too well, is it?"
As John Chou spoke, there was a thunderous crash—shards of stone flew as a black vortex suddenly appeared. There was Luke Ling, raising his fist and charging at Mr. Brown and John Chou.
"Four Symbols Become One, Blood Sacrifice..."
I heard an aged voice and looked over—it was Ghost Grandpa. He raised one hand, blood streaming down, and on the ground was a small circle, seemingly some kind of formation.
Just as Mr. Brown was about to react, jagged-edged black things appeared all around them, wrapping toward Mr. Brown and John Chou.
"What use are these things?"
Mr. Brown roared, swinging his six arms to smash at those things.
"One moment is all we need, Zane Zhuang."
As the blackness faded, Luke Ling raised his fist. Behind him stretched endless darkness, instantly shrouding the figures of the Immortality Society on the other side.
"In the Realm of Extremity... the Fist of Ruin..."
Bang! I cried out in shock.
"Mr. Brown..."
With a thunderous crash, Mr. Brown's body was pierced in an instant, while John Chou beside him was swept up and floated into the air, as if suppressed by a tremendous force, completely unable to move.
Streams of black energy began to swirl. Mr. Brown looked to be in great pain, his six arms gripping the fist thrown by Luke Ling. With a crackling sound, Mr. Brown's six fists were instantly shattered into several pieces.
"Three Ways, Hell Realm, Destruction..."
With a roar, at that moment, a wild beast's angry howl sounded. Luke Ling screamed in shock, then immediately tried to pull out his arm. However, what he pulled out was not his arm, but a mass of black stuff. He looked on in terror at everything unfolding.
Go to the Hell Realm and stay there.
Mr. Brown clutched his chest, green blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.
In an instant, Luke Ling was completely enveloped by that mass of blackness. Lao Chongyuan immediately rushed over. I saw, in that mass of blackness, a single eye peering out, terrifying in its gaze. In a flash, Luke Ling disappeared, while Lao Chongyuan raised a hand, trying to reach into the black mass.
With a swish, it was Yin Choujian. Gripping his ghost weapon, he precisely severed Lao Chongyuan's right hand. The severed hand was instantly absorbed into that mass of darkness, which then returned to Mr. Brown's body.
Six Fists... Hundred Strikes...
In an instant, Mr. Brown launched his attack. Countless vivid green fists rained down on Lao Chongyuan. With a thunderous crash, terror flashed across Lao Chongyuan's face.
Booms echoed as massive green fists filled the air, instantly engulfing the Immortality Society's side. Before our eyes, it was a world of endless green, and Lao Chongyuan's figure was swallowed within.
A tremendous tremor shook the ground, giving a sense of earth-shattering destruction. I nearly lost my balance as huge cracks appeared in the ground.
"This ghost energy... it seems delicious."
At that moment, a young and powerful voice rang out. Instantly, all of Mr. Brown's fists vanished. Lao Chongyuan, barely alive, was grabbed by a young man in his twenties, floating in midair and dressed in a black cloak.
His face was pale, a ring of grimacing human faces hung around his neck. His slightly elongated cheeks exuded a sinister aura—handsome, yet chilling to behold.
"You're here? Ghost Fiend Star, hurry and find a way to rescue Luke Ling."
I stared in surprise at the young man—it must be one of the Three Fiend Stars of the Ghost Syndicate.
"Hmph, how am I supposed to save him? He's already entered the Hell Realm. I don't have the ability to pull him out—do you want me dead, Mr. Lao?"
"Oh, another monster has appeared."
Yin Choujian laughed and continued sitting on Mr. Brown's shoulder.
"Hmph, Yin Choujian, you fiend. Centuries ago, when your power waned, you were suppressed by the Sanzu. If the three of us hadn't disagreed, you'd be long dead. Hmph, that wretched Poison Fiend Star is always siding with outsiders. The Immortality Society's secrets—wasn't it that bitch who told you, huh? Damn."
Ghost Fiend Star cursed, and I watched in astonishment.
"Guess for yourself, haha. The affairs of your Ghost Syndicate—what do they have to do with me? Right?"
"Who else could it be but that bitch? Damn, when she went alone to the Netherworld, I should've grabbed her and fucked her hard—then maybe she wouldn't be out seducing strange men."
From what I remember, Poison Fiend Star looked extremely seductive, and I always felt she wanted something from me. In any case, I harbored deep hostility toward her.
"I suggest you watch your mouth. Or do you want me to play with you?"
Ji Yuner stepped forward.
"Lady Ji, you..."
"Mr. Brown, stand down. If you fight him, you'll battle till the world turns upside down and still not find a winner. His strength surpasses both Poison Fiend Star and Fierce Fiend Star. As a master of ghost slaves... Heh, though I'm a ghost, I'm not like the other Ghost Sovereigns. I'm not just a simple ghost—you know that well, don't you?"
"Heh, bitch, now that you've regained most of your power, you think you can show off?"
Yin Choujian smiled from the side and said.
"Shut your filthy mouth, Yin Choujian. I've had enough. After all these years, these scum are still scheming. Ha, I wonder if they've been kicked in the head by a donkey or what. Humans dreaming of immortality—just wishful thinking."
[Irrelevant promotional text omitted for translation continuity.]
Mr. Brown slowly withdrew with Yin Choujian, landing beside us. Gradually, all of Mr. Brown's extra arms and heads faded away, returning to normal. He wore a plain white elder's shirt and black cloth shoes, looking like any ordinary old man you might see anywhere.
"Do your best, Ji Yuner. Let me see if you've improved at all."
Yin Choujian said, and Ji Yuner glared at him with irritation.
"Disgusting bitch, get lost. I'm not fighting you. Yin Choujian, get out here."
Ghost Fiend Star immediately roared, pointing over here, while Lao Chongyuan looked utterly devastated.
"Heh, I can't beat you right now. If you're so capable, help me open the Sanzu. For someone like you, I'd only need one finger."
Ghost Fiend Star's face twisted with rage in an instant, but Lao Chongyuan grabbed him tightly.
"Don't be impulsive. If Ji Yuner gets tangled up with you, it'll give those guys an opening. Do you think Yin Choujian would miss this chance?"
Ghost Fiend Star then took Lao Chongyuan back in front of a group of blue-faced men. Ji Yuner skipped across the ground, looking like a lively girl of sixteen or seventeen, hopping through the pits and holes, running toward them.
"What, if you don't come over, I'll go to you myself."
Ghost Fiend Star still couldn't calm down, looking ready to charge, but Lao Chongyuan kept holding him back.
"Mr. Lao, back then our Ghost Syndicate treated Yin Choujian and Ji Yuner with respect. But who would've thought they'd join forces and nearly wipe us out? They took so many of our ghosts—I've never seen anyone so shameless. Just thinking about it makes me want to tear them to pieces."
"Hey, that's not fair to me. This was all Yin Choujian's idea, had nothing to do with me. He just asked me for help, so I did it. Besides, weren't many of your Ghost Syndicate's ghosts—especially the Soul-Stealing Ghosts—following Yin Choujian of their own accord?"
Ghost Fiend Star's body was held tightly by Lao Chongyuan; his face turned green with anger, fists clenched.
"By the way, where did you hide all those Soul-Stealing Ghosts from the Dead Demon?"
Ji Yuner suddenly asked.
In an instant, Ghost Fiend Star stopped and started laughing.
"Hmph, those guys are ours now—they've become our ghosts. There's no Nightmare Ghost Sovereign left in this world. Your hundred ghosts were a crucial part of your power, but things aren't like they used to be. You stirred up chaos between the human and ghost realms—who would still follow you now, huh?"
"Hear that, Dead Demon? You're finished now."
Ji Yuner turned and giggled in our direction.
"Shut up, Ji Yuner."
A strange, mocking voice rang out—it was Ouyang Wei, but I saw those violet eyes. Now, he was Ouyang Meng.
"What's mine is mine, and always will be. Do you really think controlling my hundred ghosts lets you do whatever you want? This time, you were able to launch such a massive invasion, even suppressing Red Hair and Bo Ziran, all thanks to my hundred ghosts. Meng Ling, you'd better watch out."
Ouyang Meng said, laughing loudly, as Yin Choujian stepped forward.
"Heh, let me tell you something—the three-eyed guy, during the battle of seven Ghost Sovereigns, fought Mr. Brown to a draw. If you underestimate him, you'll pay dearly."
In an instant, I saw Ghost Fiend Star's face change drastically, filled with terror.
"Heh, old sir, you really are incredible. If you unleashed your full power, you could wipe out everyone on the other side without a problem. Too bad you can't use it in this place!"
Old Nine stood respectfully beside Mr. Brown and spoke.