Chapter 122: The Nine Heavens Yin Demon Formation

This formation is called the "Nine Heavens True Yin Demon Array." Though it was his first attempt and its full power remained untested, according to the manual, it was a formidable, top-tier formation.

No sooner had Ye Hua completed the setup than a sharp screech echoed from the depths of the cavern. The skeleton monster, sensing something, manifested in the cave, followed by a flash of white light as its two spectral attendants appeared behind it.

The skeleton monster had clashed with Ye Hua several times. Each time, it had been on the verge of capturing him, only for the cunning youth to slip away, stealing a portion of the monster’s cultivated ghost energy in the process. The monster was beyond furious. Seeing Ye Hua return, it let out a jagged howl and swung its arms.

Hundreds of black gas orbs condensed around it, shooting forward like a volley of arrows. What began as a sporadic barrage soon intensified into a torrential downpour of dark projectiles. Ye Hua drew a soft breath and flicked his finger against the flame of his lamp. The green fire exploded into a sky full of sparks, rushing to meet the incoming black gas.

With a swift hand seal, the dozens of small banners surrounding him swayed in unison, releasing a thick grey mist that enveloped him and concealed his presence. The skeleton monster paused, looking startled, before letting out a roar. Its two spectral attendants shuddered, exchanged glances, and drew snow-white spears from the flickering white light in their hands, cautiously drifting forward.

The skeleton monster cackled, clawing at the air. Ten gusts of concentrated wind ripped through the black fog, setting it churning. Ye Hua, holding the green flame, flickered in and out of sight within the gloom. Suddenly, the two white shadows appeared, spears pointed at him, and unleashed two beams of cold light.

Ye Hua sneered inwardly. "I can handle the skeleton monster, but you two dare to come and court death?" He blew at the green flame in his hand. It detached from the wick, drifted forward, and suddenly expanded into a thin, veil-like shadow of green, descending to shroud the two specters.

Terrified, the two spirits tried to retreat, but Ye Hua would not allow it. He reached out, and the surrounding black mist surged, forming a massive, dark hand that clamped down upon them. "You won't be able to withstand the grip of this conjured mist," Ye Hua thought.

Suddenly, the ground shook. Several cold arrows of black energy shot upward, striking Ye Hua’s feet. He felt a sharp, bone-piercing pain, as if frozen needles were driving into his flesh. Startled, he abandoned the specters and lunged to the side. The skeleton monster cackled, sending dozens more black arrows his way.

Ye Hua realized then that the two spirits were merely bait to force him to reveal his position within the array. Irritated, he decided to finish them off. Ignoring the freezing pain in his feet, he beckoned with his hands. The green veil swirled in the air, spinning rapidly until the incoming black arrows slowed and froze in mid-air.

Ye Hua let out a cold shout, surged forward, and swept his hand, dissipating the hundreds of cold arrows into wisps of black smoke. The two spirits, seeing the green veil gone, surged forward in a flash of white light, desperate to escape.

Ye Hua spun around, his movement as fluid as shifting smoke. He caught up to them in a flash, let out a thunderous shout, and struck out with both fists. Golden light exploded from his knuckles, two phantom fists tearing through the void like lightning to strike the spirits in the back.

With muffled groans, the two spirits flew forward and collapsed, unable to rise. Ye Hua pointed a finger, and dozens of golden rays wrapped around them, causing them to vanish.

In the distance, the skeleton monster flew into a rage. It pressed its hands together, drawing in the black mist until it formed a pitch-black blade of energy. As the weapon took form, it swung it toward Ye Hua. The strike was ferocious, like a howling gale. Ye Hua knew he could not withstand such power alone; he had to rely on the strength of his formation.

As his thoughts raced, he darted away. He caught the green flame in his mouth and clapped his hands, causing the surrounding black mist to roar. The world turned pitch black, filled with deafening, wailing sounds. Suddenly, a streak of red-purple light, like a falling star, shot from the array to meet the monster’s blade. A deafening boom like thunder shook the cave, and dark clouds churned in the wake of the collision.

The skeleton monster was stunned. It had not expected Ye Hua to survive and counter-attack. In its shock, it swung the black blade horizontally again. Ye Hua’s blood churned, and he felt nauseated, but before he could recover, the monster—its yellow-green eyes glaring and fangs bared—launched another vicious strike. The black blade energy surged like a spring tide, turning from a mere trace into a raging hurricane.

Ye Hua gritted his teeth, knowing he could not retreat. He forced his inner energy to rise and clapped his hands together. A massive, basin-sized orb of silver light rose from the black mist of the formation, hanging in the air like a full moon. It illuminated the churning fog with brilliant, flowing light, revealing the jagged rocks and clear pools of the cavern.

A thin white line appeared within the silver moon, which suddenly erupted into thousands of beams of light, striking the incoming blade energy like a torrential rain of radiance.

When the black blade energy collided with the light, the darkness was riddled with holes until both forces dissipated. The skeleton monster, seeing its blade vanish, looked momentarily dazed, then cast a fearful glance at the bottomless pit behind it and began to retreat.

As it moved, a brilliant light blinded it. Looking up, it saw the silver moon descending upon it, while a ring of green fire sprang up to encircle it. It let out a roar and tried to channel its dark arts to break free, but a red light flashed at its neck. The restrictive chains suddenly activated, wrapping the monster in a shroud of crimson fire until it turned into a human torch.

The skeleton monster was terrified. These chains activated twice a day, at noon and midnight, or whenever it exerted too much power. Every time it fought this "little dog," it lived in fear of triggering the agonizing violet fire that felt like a descent into the eighteenth level of hell.

"Is it already noon? Or did I exert too much power?" the monster wondered. "But... at least the end has finally come." It felt a strange sense of anticipation. As the green flames licked at it, it felt unbearable pain. The silver moon pressed down, pinning it as if it were stuck in a mire. In a final burst of rage, it roared, and images flashed through its mind: studying the Dao in Ghost Province... traveling thousands of miles... the ancient divine cauldron... the struggle of all, the Dragon Cauldron Daoist... the divine cauldron! "Heh, I will have my revenge in the next life! I will make you..." It let out a few rattling screeches, then everything went black as it lost consciousness.

Seeing the chains activate, Ye Hua was overjoyed. He quickly performed a seal, directing the silver moon and green fire to strike in unison. After a moment, seeing the monster remained motionless, he feared a trap. He drew his short sword and slashed out. A flash of silver light later, the skeleton monster's head rolled several feet away.

Ye Hua landed, his face deathly pale, then flushing with an unnatural crimson. His previous attacks had required him to burn his life essence and inner energy, leaving him utterly exhausted.

After a while, the violet fire faded, revealing the skeleton monster’s green-skinned, red-footed body lying stiffly on the ground. Wisps of black smoke rose from its mouth, and the mysterious violet-red chain on its chest still glowed. Ye Hua sighed; he had narrowly defeated a powerful enemy. After catching his breath, he waved his hand, dismissing the Nine Heavens True Yin Demon Array. The banners and the two spectral forms vanished. He walked to the edge of the pit, where the red chain led down into the darkness.

Peering inside, he saw a vast, gloomy cavern, a hundred paces wide, filled with a chilling, eerie atmosphere.

"Perhaps the exit is down there," Ye Hua thought. "I should investigate, but if there is more danger, I have no strength left to defend myself. The monster is dead; I can wait until my energy returns."

He turned back to the monster's corpse and felt a wave of pity. "Old... old brother!" he murmured. Then he corrected himself: "Am I a ghost too, to call it that? 'Old friend' is better. But it has lived here for hundreds of years... perhaps 'Grandpa' is more appropriate!"

"I apologize for the offense today," he said to the corpse. "I saw you trapped in this cold, dark hole, bound by those chains—it must have been a miserable existence. Today I grant you release. I don't ask for your gratitude, but if you are grateful in the afterlife, please don't come back to thank me in person! Enjoy your peace—it’s surely more comfortable than this place."

With that, he flicked his finger, sending a tongue of flame to consume the remains until they turned to ash. The red chain flashed and retracted into the pit like a bolt of lightning.