61: Chapter 61 Fighting Ghosts on the Stage

"This is the travel permit from the Prime Minister for General Guan. You are not to obstruct him!"

The forms of the other two ghosts twisted for a moment, and they instantly changed their disguises.

The Shabby Ghost's tattered stage costume transformed into gleaming iron armor.

He grabbed with his right hand, and with a "hum" in the air, an iron-spined spear as thick as a bowl appeared out of thin air, its tip pointing diagonally toward the ground.

The Scavenger Ghost now held a three-inch dagger, its blade glowing with an eerie blue light, hidden in his sleeve with only the tip exposed.

One was Xiahou Dun, the other was Bian Xi.

"Boom!"

Xiahou Dun slammed the iron-spined spear onto the ground.

The wooden planks of the stage cracked, creating a finger-wide fissure, and wood chips splattered everywhere.

The entire stage shook, and the audience below let out a gasp.

"Wenyuan?" He sneered, his voice as coarse as sandpaper grinding against stone.

"Do you know how many of my garrison commanders he killed along the way? Passing through five passes and slaying six generals—how many of my brothers died under his Azure Dragon Crescent Blade? Now that he has fallen into my hands, how can I let him leave so easily!"

Wu Xi's face remained expressionless: "The Prime Minister is already aware of this. The Prime Minister stated that he forgot to provide the travel permit to General Guan, and it was not Yunchang's fault. The Prime Minister has ordered that he not be obstructed and be allowed to leave on his own."

"I refuse to accept this!"

Xiahou Dun suddenly roared, and the iron-spined spear was raised with a "swish," pointing directly at Wu Xi's heart.

Black Qi swirled around the spear tip, which was only three feet from Wu Xi's chest.

"This man killed my subordinates and insulted my military might. If I don't kill him today, I cannot quell the hatred in my heart!"

Wu Xi said calmly: "Killing General Guan today will surely damage the Prime Minister's reputation for cherishing talent, and it will let the world say that my Cao army lacks the capacity to tolerate others. Besides, can you really defeat him?"

"Whether I can defeat him or not, I'll only know after we fight!"

Xiahou Dun's eyes widened, his eyeballs nearly popping out.

He stomped his feet hard on the ground, and his entire body lunged toward Wu Xi like a fierce tiger descending from a mountain.

The iron-spined spear whistled through the air, stabbing straight at Wu Xi's heart.

The spear tip tore through the air, making a "hissing" sound.

The thick black Qi coiled around it seemed to corrode everything it passed, causing ripples in the air.

This strike was fast and ruthless, with an extremely tricky angle.

Wu Xi stood in place, having no weapons in his hands and not even making a move to dodge.

The audience below held their breath.

Niu Fei was so scared that his heart jumped into his throat.

He had almost had his soul snatched away by these three ghosts earlier and knew how formidable these things were.

Although Wu Xi seemed to have a powerful Aura, he was empty-handed; how could he block this strike?

It's over, Niu Fei thought, his heart sinking, and he subconsciously closed his eyes.

He felt as if he had already heard the sound of the spear piercing through a chest.

However, the expected sound did not come.

Instead, there was a hair-raising "gurgling" sound.

Niu Fei opened his eyes abruptly.

Wu Xi's body suddenly began to twist.

His head changed first; his originally ordinary human face elongated and expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye, his skin stretched until it shone, and then with a "pop," it split open.

Countless thick tentacles emerged from the split skin, dancing wildly in the air.

Every tentacle was as thick as an adult's arm and covered with tiny suckers that opened and closed, making a "patter-patter" sound.

Immediately afterward, his torso also began to burst.

His clothes were shredded, revealing skin covered in dark green scales underneath.

The skin looked like rubber, glowing with a greasy luster and reflecting an eerie light under the lamps.

His limbs thickened simultaneously, and his bones made a "crackling" sound.

His fingers and toes transformed into huge claws, as sharp as knives, which clawed into the wooden stage planks, leaving five deep gouges.

"Rip—"

The clothes on his back were completely torn.

A pair of long, narrow wings spread out, covered in black feathers, each as hard as a steel needle.

A gentle flap of the wings kicked up a fishy-smelling wind that nearly extinguished the kerosene lamps on the stage.

The whole process took less than a second.

One second ago, he was a refined young man.

The next second, he had turned into a hideous monster.

A deathly silence fell over the audience.

Everyone widened their eyes and opened their mouths, even forgetting to breathe.

In the entire theater, one could only hear the "crackle" of the burning kerosene lamps and the "hissing" of the tentacles moving on Wu Xi's body.

This thing did not look like an existence that should belong in the human world.

Just looking at it made one's scalp tingle and body go cold, and even the soul trembled.

Xiahou Dun was also stunned.

His forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, and the iron-spined spear stopped in mid-air, less than three inches from Wu Xi's chest.

He maintained his lunging posture, as if he had been frozen by a binding spell.

His hand gripping the spear trembled involuntarily.

Wu Xi's countless tentacles danced simultaneously, making a "hissing" sound like venomous snakes flicking their tongues.

One of the tentacles suddenly lashed out like a whip.

"Snap!"

A crisp sound.

The tentacle struck Xiahou Dun's iron-spined spear solidly.

"Clang—!"

A deafening roar.

Xiahou Dun only felt an indescribable force coming from the spear shaft, as if he had been struck on the hand by a stampeding elephant.

The web of his hand split instantly, and blood splattered out.

The iron-spined spear almost flew out of his hand.

He gripped the shaft tightly, his feet plowing two deep grooves into the ground as he retreated three steps before barely steadying himself.

He looked down and saw a deep dent on the refined iron spear shaft, nearly breaking it.

Xiahou Dun's pupils constricted sharply.

"Attack together!"

He turned his head abruptly and shouted at the other two ghosts, his voice filled with a trace of madness, "Kill it! If we don't kill it today, all three of us will die here!"

The Troublemaker Ghost swung the wooden knife in his hand.

A black Saber Qi appeared out of thin air, accompanied by a shrill whistling wind, and slashed toward Wu Xi's head.

This Saber Qi looked ordinary but contained the power of Soul-Snatching and soul-stealing.

Once struck, the soul would be directly pulled out of the body, turning the victim into a mindless walking corpse.

The Shabby Ghost took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

"Waa—!"

An extremely sharp wail erupted from his mouth.

This cry was even more piercing and shrill than before, as if countless needles were stabbing into one's mind simultaneously.

The audience below heard this cry and immediately felt a splitting headache, as if someone were hammering their heads.

Many covered their ears and groaned in pain, and a few with weak Physiques fainted outright.

This was the Shabby Ghost's trump card, the Soul-Wailing Howl.

The three ghosts attacked simultaneously.

Attacking Wu Xi from three different directions.

For a moment, a sinister wind raged on the stage, and black Qi filled the air.

Saber Qi, wails, and spear shadows intertwined, forming an airtight cage of death.

Niu Fei's heart jumped into his throat again.

He could tell that these three ghosts were getting serious.

When they dealt with him earlier, they hadn't used their full strength at all.

Now, facing Wu Xi, they had unleashed all their abilities.

Wu Xi stood in place, motionless.

His countless tentacles danced rapidly around his body, forming an airtight barrier.

"Ding!"

The black Saber Qi slashed onto the tentacles, making a crisp sound, and then dissipated like bubbles without a trace.

The sharp wailing reached Wu Xi's ears but was like a stone sinking into the sea, eliciting no reaction.

His consciousness and body were completely unified, and he was not affected by any mental attacks at all.

Just at this moment.

Xiahou Dun's iron-spined spear stabbed again.

This time, he used his full strength.

The spear tip whistled through the air, so fast that only an afterimage remained, stabbing straight at Wu Xi's eyes.

Wu Xi tilted his head slightly.

The spear thrust past his cheek, and the resulting wind blew the tentacles on his face backward.

At the same time, two of his tentacles shot out like lightning, wrapping around the iron-spined spear shaft; the suckers on the tentacles clamped tightly onto the shaft, as if they had taken root.

"Come here!" Wu Xi let out a low roar.

This sound did not seem like something a human could make; it was like a giant beast in the deep sea roaring, filled with a primitive and savage Aura.

He pulled hard.

Xiahou Dun felt an irresistible force coming from the spear shaft.

His body lunged forward involuntarily, his feet sliding far across the ground, leaving two deep marks.

He wanted to let go of the spear shaft but found that it was firmly entangled by the tentacles and could not be released.

It looked like he was about to lunge into Wu Xi's embrace.

Xiahou Dun was in a great panic.

He suddenly raised his knee and used all his strength to ram it into Wu Xi's abdomen.

At the same time, he clenched his left fist, black Qi swirling around it, and struck toward Wu Xi's head with the force of a thousand jun.

This was his desperate counterattack.

Wu Xi snorted coldly.

One of his tentacles lashed out like a whip, snapping onto Xiahou Dun's knee with a "pop."

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of bone breaking reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Ah—!"

Xiahou Dun let out a heart-wrenching scream.

His kneecap was shattered directly.

His lower leg bent backward at an eerie angle.

His body instantly lost balance and lunged forward.

Wu Xi's other tentacle swept out and struck Xiahou Dun's chest solidly.

"Boom!"

A muffled sound.

Xiahou Dun flew out like a broken sack and slammed heavily into the stage pillar.

With a "thud," the entire pillar shook, and dust fell from it.

He spat out a mouthful of black blood and struggled to stand up, only to find that his right leg was completely unresponsive.

The Troublemaker Ghost and the Shabby Ghost were both shocked to see Xiahou Dun injured in one move.

They didn't expect this monster to be so powerful.

But they did not retreat.

They knew that if they couldn't kill Wu Xi today, all three of them would die here.

The Troublemaker Ghost stabbed the wooden knife into the ground, formed hand seals rapidly, and muttered something.

Black Qi surged in his eyes, and the veins on his face bulged.

"Soul-Snatching!"

He suddenly shouted loudly.

An invisible force erupted from him and enveloped Wu Xi.

This was the skill that they, as ghosts, were best at, and also their most lethal skill.

The Shabby Ghost also attacked at the same time; his hands turned into claws, with sharp, long fingernails gleaming with a cold black light.

He tapped his feet, circled behind Wu Xi, and his claws, accompanied by a whistling wind, grabbed straight at Wu Xi's back.

This grab contained the power of extracting souls.

Once struck, the soul would be directly extracted from the back, and the victim would be Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering on the spot.

The Shabby Ghost's claws grabbed solidly onto Wu Xi's back.

His fingernails sank deep into Wu Xi's rubbery skin, almost up to the roots.

But.

He grabbed nothing.

No soul, nothing at all.

It was just like grabbing a cold, lifeless stone.

The Troublemaker Ghost's Soul-Snatching technique also landed on Wu Xi at the same time.

Likewise, there was no reaction at all.

It was like a gust of wind blowing over a stone.

The Troublemaker Ghost and the Shabby Ghost were both stunned.

"Impossible!" the Troublemaker Ghost cried out, his voice trembling.

"This is impossible! How can there be someone whose soul cannot be snatched?"

"Does he... does he not have a soul?" the Shabby Ghost asked with a sobbing tone.

Wu Xi slowly turned around, his countless tentacles dancing on his face, covering his eyes.

But everyone could feel that he was looking at them.

Wu Xi received a notification, [Spirit-Flesh Unity]: Consciousness and body are unified and cannot be separated.

"Spirit-Flesh Unity."

"Your Soul-Snatching technique is ineffective against me."

The three ghosts felt true fear for the first time.

All their abilities were based on the ability to separate the soul from the body.

Soul-Snatching, soul-stealing, soul-extracting—these were the means they relied on for survival.

Now, they had encountered a monster.

All their abilities had become useless ornaments.

How could they fight this? This was impossible to fight!

Xiahou Dun struggled to get up from the ground, his face even worse than before, as pale as paper.

He looked at Wu Xi, his eyes filled with wariness and despair.

"Retreat!"

He gritted his teeth and squeezed out the word through his teeth.

"We are not his match, retreat first! As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood!"

The Troublemaker Ghost and the Shabby Ghost had long wanted to run.

Hearing the Troublemaker Ghost's words, they felt as if they had been granted amnesty.

The Shabby Ghost abruptly pulled out his claws and turned to run.

The Troublemaker Ghost also pulled out the wooden knife from the ground and followed behind the Shabby Ghost, running toward the backstage of the stage.

They ran extremely fast, wishing they had an extra pair of legs.

"Want to run?"

Wu Xi sneered.

The wings on his back flapped violently.

"Whoosh—!"

A wild wind was whipped up.

His body shot out like an arrow, instantly catching up with the Shabby Ghost who was running at the back.

A tentacle lashed out like a whip, striking the Shabby Ghost's leg.

"Crack!" Another sound of bone breaking.

"Ah!" The Shabby Ghost let out a scream as his leg bone was snapped directly.

He fell to the ground, sliding far forward, and a long bloody scratch was scraped onto his face.

He struggled to get up but couldn't.

The excruciating pain from his broken leg made his whole body twitch.

Wu Xi landed in front of him.

Countless tentacles hung down, dangling in front of the Shabby Ghost's face.

The suckers on the tentacles opened and closed, making a "patter-patter" sound, as if tasting the prey.

The Shabby Ghost was terrified, his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.

He scrambled backward desperately, his body rubbing against the ground, leaving a long trail.

"Spare me, my lord! Spare me, my lord!"

He cried while begging for mercy, his face covered in snot and tears.

"I won't dare to do it again! I will never harm anyone again! I'll go be reincarnated, I'll be a good person! Please, my lord, spare my life!"

Wu Xi did not speak.

His tentacles slowly raised, then suddenly stabbed toward the Shabby Ghost's head.

Just at the moment the tentacle was about to pierce the Shabby Ghost.

"Stop!"

Xiahou Dun and the Troublemaker Ghost both rushed back at the same time.

They knew that if they abandoned the Shabby Ghost, the two of them wouldn't be able to escape either.

Rather than being picked off one by one by Wu Xi, it was better to fight to the death.

Xiahou Dun, enduring the excruciating pain in his leg, hopped over on one foot.

The iron-spined spear in his hand stabbed out again, aiming straight at Wu Xi's back.

The Troublemaker Ghost also drew his wooden knife and slashed at Wu Xi's tentacles, trying to save the Shabby Ghost.

Wu Xi had to retract his tentacles and turn to parry their attacks.

"Boom!" "Clang!"

The sound of weapons clashing rang out continuously.

On the stage, Wu Xi fought three opponents alone, the battle evenly matched.