177: Resolving Ghost Nineteen

Ancient Time Land.

"Let me go!!!"

"Damned ant, let this Dominator out! This Dominator will surely seize the Souls of your entire Family and send them to the Netherworld Hell to endure endless torment!"

"Ah!!!"

Screams echoed from a sinister and terrifying grand hall!

Above the grand hall, Xu Qing sat high on a throne, a miniature Nine-Colored Sacred Lotus hovering in his hand, while below him was A Hui, who had already recovered to the Saint King Realm.

The voice just now came from the center of the grand hall, where there was a tall torture platform. On the torture platform, a ghastly green ghost shadow was bound by five massive stone chains.

In front of the torture platform, there was an altar emanating an eerie aura.

This ancient hall was likely used by the Time Clan to punish its members. The stone chains on it, made of an unknown material, were extremely hard, though they could only exert the power of a sixth-grade Saint Weapon.

On the other side of the stone chains were five giant figures, exuding the fierce aura of Saint Monarch magnates.

Furthermore, the Soul crystal within the ghastly green ghost shadow's head had been Sealed by the Nine-Colored Sacred Lotus, and its three Emperor Rings were tightly bound. He was currently unable to exert his Quasi-Emperor Cultivation, and was even weaker than a King Realm Cultivator.

Under these circumstances, he could only continuously howl and clamor.

Xu Qing had also thoroughly investigated the identity of the ghastly green figure.

"Ghost Nineteen: Three-step Quasi-Emperor, one of the thirty-three Ghost Lords of Ghost Cliff, from the Ghost Devouring Clan of the Netherworld. Skilled in devouring Souls to Cultivate, capable of unleashing extremely powerful Soul attacks. Note: Ghost Nineteen's Sea of Consciousness contains a Soul Restriction set by an Emperor Realm existence. The host must not touch it!"

"You're a bit unclear about the situation!" Xu Qing said faintly.

Ghost Nineteen felt a bad premonition upon hearing this.

The next moment, a lotus leaf extended from the Nine-Colored Sacred Lotus in Xu Qing's hand, directly piercing into Ghost Nineteen's body. Terrifying Quasi-Emperor power exploded within Ghost Nineteen's body.

"Ah!!!"

The intense pain from his Soul made this Quasi-Emperor magnate of the Ghost Devouring Clan let out a pained shriek.

Xu Qing found him too noisy and activated the ancient hall's runes to shield him.

Such torment lasted for a full quarter of an hour.

"Damned ant, this Dominator will surely cast your sacred soul into the Infernal Hell!"

"Ah!!!"

A new round of torment began!

This torment lasted for three days. During this time, Ghost Nineteen continuously spouted threats, but Xu Qing didn't bother with him and simply continued the torment.

After three days of torment, Ghost Nineteen, unable to recover, had become extremely weak—which was the result Xu Qing desired.

At this moment, the Nine-Colored Sacred Lotus, following Xu Qing's command, delved into Ghost Nineteen's Sea of Consciousness, seeking to uncover some secrets about Ghost Cliff.

The System's asking price was truly terrifying, demanding a full three billion family points, thirty times more expensive than even the Nether Flame Emperor Valley.

Because of the Soul Restriction, he instructed the Nine-Colored Sacred Lotus to bypass the core secrets.

And indeed, some secrets were obtained, though those concerning Ghost Cliff were classified as core information.

Although Xu Qing was itching with curiosity, he primarily focused on listening to advice!

An Emperor Realm existence was beyond what his current Cultivation could touch!

"Hehehe, you lowly ant, you want to obtain Ghost Cliff's secrets? Dream on!" Ghost Nineteen taunted Xu Qing in a hoarse voice.

"I hope you'll still be laughing later!" Xu Qing looked at Ghost Nineteen as if he were already dead.

"What do you want to do?"

Ghost Nineteen was all too familiar with that smile, and his face involuntarily trembled.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Under Xu Qing's control, the stone chains dragged Ghost Nineteen and threw him into the Myriad Spirits Altar.

"Ah~"

At this moment, Ghost Nineteen finally understood what ultimate pain was.

"Rumble!"

Upon entering the altar, his internal Seal was lifted, and he unleashed terrifying Quasi-Emperor power, attempting to escape the altar, but it was all in vain.

A strange power imprisoned him within the altar. He could only watch as his Emperor Rings, Cultivation, Origin, and even his Soul were drawn away by mysterious forces. That kind of pain was no less than walking through Infernal Hell once more.

This sacrifice lasted for a full three hours before it ended. Within the altar, only a peculiar green crystal remained, emanating a terrifying Quasi-Emperor aura.

With a wave of Xu Qing's hand, the crystal fell into his grasp.

A Hui looked at the crystal in Xu Qing's hand with longing. He already knew the crystal's purpose; as a being from the Netherworld, this Quasi-Emperor crystal was perfectly suited for him.

This was because the Ghost Devouring Clan's Cultivation, like his own clan's, followed the Great Dao of Soul Devouring, and this Quasi-Emperor also walked the Great Dao of the Netherworld, both of which were extremely powerful Daos.

Xu Qing played with the Quasi-Emperor crystal and asked with a smile, "Want it?"

Upon hearing this, A Hui shivered all over, suppressed the longing in his eyes, and quickly shook his head.

"A Hui is still too junior; he dares not aspire to the Quasi-Emperor position!" A Hui quickly shook his head.

Xu Qing smiled, then tossed the Quasi-Emperor crystal in his hand over.

Seeing this, A Hui subconsciously caught it. When he felt the physical object in his palm, he was stunned.

"This person came from the Netherworld, and only you are compatible with this item. Take it!" Xu Qing said with a smile.

Hearing Xu Qing's words, A Hui trembled all over, and he excitedly knelt before Xu Qing.

"A Hui thanks Master for his grace!"

"Go down! Breakthrough as soon as possible!" Xu Qing waved his hand.

"Yes, Master!" A Hui said delightedly. After bowing nine times, he slowly departed.

Watching his retreating figure, Xu Qing's eyes narrowed slightly.

He didn't believe in loyalty; what he needed was control.

Although A Hui had been placed under a Restriction by the Innate Firmiana Simplex, the power of this Restriction had greatly diminished when he recovered to the Saint King Realm.

Xu Qing dared not guess whether he would remain loyal, and given that his background made him particularly suited to use this crystal, he gave it to A Hui.

Once used, A Hui would not only be completely devoted, but it would also increase Xu Qing's fighting strength.

At the same time.

Just as Ghost Nineteen's Soul was annihilated, a venerable existence awakened in a distant land.

"This person is quite cautious; he didn't even touch the Restriction this Emperor left behind!"

"What a pity. If not for the agreement back then, this Emperor would have long since descended with a Dharma Body to eliminate this person!"

Although he could forcefully descend to that region through the Restriction, he did not do so.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he didn't dare!

"Soon! This Emperor has already sensed signs of the Great Dao's recovery. In this era, my Hall shall Dominator the Eternal Continent..."

Meanwhile, in an ancient hall filled with the power of the Ghost Dao on Ghost Cliff.

Rows of eerie ghost flames burned fiercely.

These ghost flames seemed to possess Life, each emanating a varying aura of strength, especially the five ghost flames at the very top, which exuded power capable of suppressing everything.

Suddenly, the fourth ghost flame in the third row extinguished.

"This fool ultimately paid the price for his ignorance!"

In a corner of the ancient hall, an extremely gaunt old man, whose entire body was crimson, revealed a look of disdain.

"However, to kill a Ghost Lord of my Ghost Cliff, no matter who you are, you must die!"

With that thought, the old man flicked a finger, and a strange red light shot out of the ancient hall.

"The Great Dao is about to recover, and the Golden Great Era is arriving. Perhaps in this era, this Dominator has hope of stepping into that supreme realm, and then... Hahahaha..."

A chilling laugh echoed through the ancient hall...