Chapter 8: The Hellish Daoist Ghost
Lin Nan was not in a good mood.
What was supposed to be a crystal-clear life-preserving strategy had been disrupted again and again.
Last night’s heavenly tribulation? Don’t even get her started! Anyone with eyes knew that the Chaos Forest was the scene of some serious drama, and it wouldn’t be long before all sorts of beings from the demon and human realms came crashing in to investigate.
If they discovered Cold Wind City, trouble would undoubtedly follow.
This already was causing her enough headaches. But this morning, she got hit with some extra news: Old Drill Wind had just smashed in from Evil Merman Cave, bringing back every single demon from that lair to Cold Wind City!
This stunt would undoubtedly grab the attention of White Feather City, drawing all eyes back to Cold Wind City.
Can’t you guys just chill out for a minute and not stir the pot? Understand?
Well, that was already done, and she didn’t have much to say about it. Old Drill Wind was back, and any follow-up matters could be left to Cold Moon. After all, they now had an extra three thousand little demons on hand—which was sure to slow down Cold Moon’s internal affairs handling significantly.
As for Old Drill Wind, he could just be tossed anywhere and left to simmer for a bit—good luck with that.
But who would’ve thought that Cold Moon and Old Drill Wind would team up to throw a surrender ceremony, and that she would absolutely have to take part?
It was like ripping off her bandage and dumping salt on the wound!
How could she possibly be happy about any of this?
Yet at that moment, Cold Wind City was reveling in their unprecedented victory. If she, their nominal supreme ruler, didn’t show up, her underlings might lose heart.
After all the effort she put into stabilizing the foundation, she wasn’t just going to toss it aside.
At least she’d stick around and observe a bit longer.
Thus, with a slightly sour mood, Lin Nan decided to attend the surrender ceremony.
Little Drill Wind led the way, with her trudging behind like a storm cloud.
Throughout the journey, her face was frosty, devoid of even a hint of cheerfulness.
Little Drill Wind felt his heart racing. What did he say to rub the Great King the wrong way? He was facing the hardest walk of his life!
At that moment, Lin Nan also forgot about her new passive skill she just learned last night—Phenomenon.
She had pumped all her accumulated skill experience into it.
Currently, the Phenomenon level was LV3.
……
The bustling Cold Wind City gate was instantly cloaked in a cold air when the Great King made her entrance. The crowd’s excitement plummeted quicker than a rock, and the thousands of gathered onlookers fell into an eerie silence.
No one could bear the weight of the higher-ups’ aura, so they all just bowed their heads.
Suddenly, strong winds began to whip up, dark clouds rolling in like a terrible omen.
The Great King stood on the city wall against the fierce winds, her long black skirt billowing like flames, lost in shadows.
Whether close or far away,
Whether residents of Cold Wind City or the subordinates of Evil Merman Cave,
At that moment, they were all captivated by the Great King Cold Moon’s chilling grace.
Old Drill Wind knelt half-heartedly on the ground, feeling a mix of nerves and surprise. He had expected a warm welcome, maybe even a pat on the back, but instead, he was greeted by an imposing aura that felt like a brewing storm.
What had he done wrong?
Wasn’t he supposed to be a hero?
Old Drill Wind couldn’t wrap his head around it, but he dared not make a move.
He knew well the Great King’s temperament; even if he didn’t understand what had gone wrong, her temper was not to be trifled with. If she decided to act, escaping with his life would be a tall order.
The layers of dark clouds hovered closer, an unprecedented chill settling heavily on everyone’s hearts.
No one knew what was wrong with the Great King.
Why, of all times, did she have to look like a frost-covered mountain at what should be a grand and celebratory surrender ceremony?
Even the Second Great King, Cold Moon, dared not speak up at this time.
The old guards of Cold Wind City—led by the Tiger and Wolf Demons—had already knelt in a show of loyalty, while the little demons were flat on the ground, hands down, heads bowed.
The greater demons from Evil Merman Cave, however, were experiencing fear for the first time.
They crumbled to the ground, trembling with terror.
Was this the raw power of a top-tier demon?
She was giving them a stern warning, wanting to squish any budding ideas of rebellion before they took root.
Suddenly, in the space of a few kilometers outside the Cold Wind City gates, almost everyone was quaking in fear, unable to face the spine-chilling beauty of Cold Moon.
“Boom!”
A thunderous sound echoed from above, causing the crowd to look up in shock.
There, hovering just above the gate, behind Cold Moon, an ominous figure appeared—a ghostly silhouette wielding two giant hammers, claws bared.
Even Cold Moon’s sidekick, who happened to merely glance at the ghoul, instantly felt her knees turn to jelly and collapsed to the ground as if her very soul had been bared.
For someone with a power level among the top tier in Cold Wind City, Cold Moon was clearly shaken, let alone the other demons and little ones.
Everyone was trembling, their spirits shaken, and some of the weaker little demons fainted on the spot.
“Boom!”
The ghoul’s shadow crashed the hammers together, unleashing a sound that resembled thunder.
The whole crowd was trembling, gripped with fear.
Even those two kilometers away could hear it crystal clear, the sound worming its way into their ears, sending shivers through their bodies as if hit by an icy blast.
They were shocked, they were frightened—oh boy, they were scared stiff!
The greater demons of Evil Merman Cave had expected that when they met their new boss for the first time, there would be a mix of benevolence and authority, much like the previous Evil Merman King had shown.
They had gotten themselves mentally prepared.
But who could have guessed that before the official surrender ceremony even began, the Great King would unleash an aura so overwhelming that they weren’t ready for the sudden onslaught.
This terrifying woman hadn’t even moved a finger and had already instilled a profound dread in the hearts of those who usually strutted around like they owned the place.
They thought the storm and heavy clouds that accompanied Cold Moon’s appearance were just coincidental.
But moments later, a spectacle that stunned everyone emerged.
A figure straight out of legends, holding dual hammers—the ghoul—floated above the Great King’s head, laughing maniacally.
The Red Armored Spider screeched in terror, “It’s…the Hellish Daoist Ghost!”
“Boom…”
The Red Armored Spider’s terrified shout was like a clap of thunder in the hearts of the other greater demons.
They all knew in legend, under the Heavens, there were six paths of reincarnation.
And the Gatekeeper of the Hellish Path was the one who wielded dual hammers.
Every day, countless souls fell to his hand, with his favorite hobby being crushing them into meat paste while feasting on their eyes.
Hence, the legend had it that he possessed magical eyes that could see through the minds of all living things.
But just as the ghoul swung his hammers, his gaze sweeping over the crowd,
the greater demons became as frozen as statues, sweating profusely, tears pouring down like a river.
Two of the greater demons shook like leaves in a tempest, frantically shouting, “I surrender! I’ll do whatever you want!”
