134: Avici Hell and King Yama

'This fellow really did bring the demon statue with him...'

A hint of solemnity flashed in Gu Changsheng's eyes.

Unlike their last encounter, facing the Eight-Armed Demon Statue directly this time allowed him to deeply feel its oppressive power.

Whoosh—

The banner in the Eight-Armed Demon Statue's hand fluttered, and countless yellow sands swept out from the Void Realm, causing the Fire Ghost King to let out a painful wail as soon as they touched his body.

"Fellow Daoist has excellent methods..."

Gu Changsheng praised, but his gaze sharpened.

His spine glowed, activating all nine Spiritual Roots, and above his head appeared towering mountains, flowing rivers, active volcanoes... numerous illusory projections.

Immediately, the Sword Qi Dragon's power surged, and its Dragon Breath spewed forth, piercing through the Fire Ghost King's chest.

"Good!"

Zhang Liang seized the Opportunity, activating the Eight-Armed Demon Statue. His muscles bulged, and the sabers, spears, swords, and halberds he held melted like mercury, forging into a blood-red blade that he swung down, severing the Fire Ghost King's head.

The destructive weapon Qi annihilated the Fire Ghost King's body.

Gu Changsheng's eyebrows twitched at the sight.

"Divine Ability — Bloodless Blade... The The Way of Peace indeed has profound foundations to possess such a powerful Divine Ability cultivation method."

"That's also thanks to Fellow Daoist's maneuvering on the side, especially the Sword Array's suppression, which prevented the Ghost King from escaping.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy for this humble Daoist to slay this fiend."

Zhang Liang panted heavily, his chest rising and falling.

Evidently, activating the demon statue consumed a considerable amount of Qi.

With a wave of his hand, the Ghost King's head, which had rolled to the ground and shrunk to the size of a watermelon, floated into his palm.

Zhang Liang looked at the head in his palm and said with a solemn expression, "This item is related to a true Opportunity..."

"Oh, how do you mean?"

"Since the island master could enter this place, he must have broken through the initial outer Ghost Domain.

In reality, the Ghost Domain has three layers.

This place is merely the fiery Hell within the second layer.

There are eighteen such places in this layer.

Each corresponding to eighteen types of Ghost Kings.

And the Opportunity is located in the third layer, which is the innermost layer.

To enter the innermost layer, one must perform a blood sacrifice with a Ghost King's blood when the Blood Moon hangs high in the second layer, thereby drawing in the inner Ghost Domain space to enter."

Zhang Liang explained bit by bit.

"So that's how it is..."

Gu Changsheng looked up and calculated with his fingers.

There were still three days until the full moon.

Zhang Liang was clearly aware of this as well.

"For these three days, the island master may freely explore this fiery Hell.

After all, the environment of this space is special, and many Heaven And Earth Treasures grow here."

Saying that, Zhang Liang casually picked up a spiritual fruit burning with a faint green flame from a plate and took a big bite, juice splattering.

"Alright, then we shall meet here in three days."

Gu Changsheng agreed.

With the Ghost King's suppression gone, this was a good chance to extensively consume souls and strengthen his foundation.

Three days later.

Night, the Blood Moon hung high in the sky.

Fengdu Ghost City.

Burp~

Gu Changsheng let out a satisfied burp.

Beside him, Zhang Liang glanced sideways and chuckled, "After three days, the island master's aura has become even more unfathomable..."

"I've gained a little.

Fellow Daoist, please perform the blood sacrifice technique as soon as possible."

Gu Changsheng said with an indifferent expression.

In these three days, he had devoured all the ghost cultivators in the fiery Hell.

Their numbers were well over a million.

He used Soul Refining Art to refine the essence of their souls, gathering them into a soul cloud.

If he were to ignite the soul cloud and unleash its power all at once.

It would definitely be a trump card no less potent than Yellow Springs Mountain.

Hearing this, Zhang Liang smiled, stood before the incense altar, lit the incense, and tossed out a handful of yellow talismans that ignited without fire.

Splash—

A clean white porcelain bottle was opened, and a rich smell of blood emanated from it. With the activation of a magic spell, it flowed like a river into the Ghost King's head on the incense altar.

Immediately, two beams of light shot out from the Ghost King's eye sockets, and the Void Realm gradually twisted, forming a vortex. The surrounding scenery rapidly receded, and an inexplicable aura of profound mystery permeated the air.

Death, silence, annihilation.

Even Gu Changsheng couldn't help but look solemn.

"This is the innermost layer of the Ghost Domain — Avici Hell!

The spatial node has opened; we must enter quickly.

Otherwise, it will close very soon."

Saying that, Zhang Liang took the ghost head and plunged into the vortex ahead, disappearing from sight.

Gu Changsheng propped his chin, pondered slightly, as if having made up his mind, and stepped into it.

A moment later, a dizzying sensation of the world spinning.

Gu Changsheng opened his eyes and looked around.

What met his gaze was desolation; the Yin ghosts, spiritual materials, and even the blood river born in the fiery domain... all were gone.

"No thoughts, no desires... Is this Avici Hell...?"

Gu Changsheng murmured.

The greatest feeling here was loneliness.

Stay here too long, and one would surely go mad.

Beside him, Zhang Liang showed a look of surprise, pulling out a compass whose needle kept shaking: "Finally entered... What Ancestral Master said was indeed true..."

A few breaths later, the compass needle suddenly stopped, stably pointing in one direction.

"Island master, please follow me."

Hearing this, Gu Changsheng remained motionless, looking at Zhang Liang with a meaningful gaze.

A hint of dissatisfaction appeared in Zhang Liang's eyes, and he asked, "Island master, what is the meaning of this?"

Gu Changsheng, however, smiled: "Fellow Daoist, why ask the obvious?

You possess a large amount of information about this place, yet you've kept it hidden.

And... the key to entering this place, that Ghost King's head, is still in your hand..."

Zhang Liang nodded and said, "I understand what the island master means.

I shall now reveal everything I know.

This place is desolate, devoid of life, not even a single Yin ghost can be seen.

Yet, in the center, there is a Dao Palace, enshrining a being nurtured by the dao karma of the Great Emperor of Yellow Springs.

His name is King Yama.

Long ago, the founding Ancestral Master of my The Way of Peace came here and used a secret method to sever one of King Yama's arms, refining the essence of dao karma, and thereby cultivating a Peerless Grade True Core.

As for the key..."

Zhang Liang pondered for a moment, then split the ghost head in his hand in half, tossing one half to Gu Changsheng.

The meaning was clear: only by combining the two could they return to the upper Ghost Domain.

"Thus, the island master should feel this humble Daoist's sincerity."

Gu Changsheng looked at the half-ghost head in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed, then relaxed, and he chuckled: "Haha, Fellow Daoist is indeed straightforward.

What you just said means that our goal for this trip is to slay King Yama, right?"

"Precisely."

"Haha, then please, Fellow Daoist, lead the way."

A moment later, two streaks of Escape Light streaked across the sky.

'This fellow is definitely still hiding a lot of information... However, I hope he's sensible enough not to try anything underhanded, otherwise...'

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Gu Changsheng's eyes.

After about half an hour, a majestic black Dao Palace appeared before them.

It was entirely constructed from dark black stone, with an ancient and simple style.

A hint of purple strangeness appeared in Gu Changsheng's pupils, his gaze piercing through layers of space.

He saw deep within the Dao Palace, a majestic, demon-god-like, black-armored, eerie man sitting cross-legged.

His aura was as unfathomable as an abyss.

His appearance was quite similar to the true form of the Great Emperor of Yellow Springs.

Especially the natural divine lines on his glabella.

This was the mark of the Great Emperor of Yellow Springs.

He was indeed nurtured by the Great Emperor of Yellow Springs's dao karma!

As if sensing the prying of outsiders, King Yama, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, slowly opened them, a strange smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.