Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 534: Chapter 529: Ghostly Array

At that moment, Ao Lie and the others were scattered throughout the Ancient Ruins, searching everywhere for Treasure.

But in the half hour that followed, none of them found anything.

”This damn place is bizarre. My Cultivation is being severely suppressed.”

Liu Yama, shouldering his greatsword, had already reached the depths of the Ancient Ruins. Where he stood, a black mist roiled in the air.

Although he was powerful and his skill made him bold, a sense of apprehension crept into his heart. He had been to many Ancient Ruins before, but he had never encountered a situation like this.

Elsewhere, the old man in the straw coat and Lady Black Scorpion were also beginning to hesitate, wondering if they should continue exploring.

This place was simply too strange. No matter how you looked at it, it was filled with an ominous air.

’If I don’t find anything soon, I’m leaving,’ Lady Black Scorpion thought.

RUMBLE—

Suddenly, the ground began to shake as if in an earthquake.

”What’s happening?”

Startled, Lady Black Scorpion looked toward the source of the tremors. It was coming from the depths of the Ancient Ruins, but that area was shrouded in a layer of black mist, so she hadn’t dared to venture in recklessly.

But at that very moment, the black mist began to surge, spreading out in all directions like a great flood.

Sensing danger, Lady Black Scorpion immediately tried to retreat, but the mist was too fast. Like a massive tsunami, it caught up to her in a matter of breaths and swallowed her whole.

In other areas, Gu Huaying and the rest met the same fate, all of them enveloped by the sudden black mist.

’Get out first. We’ll figure out the rest later.’

Faced with such a shocking turn of events, although the group was confident in their strength, none of them dared to be overconfident. They all chose to leave.

”Strange... Why can’t we get out?”

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, everyone discovered a major problem: no matter which way they went, they couldn’t find a way out. They were still trapped within the black mist.

”Damn it, could this be some kind of Maze Array?”

The old man in the straw coat’s heart grew heavy. He was worldly and knowledgeable, usually unflappable, but now, even his expression slowly began to change.

He had been heading back the way he came, trying to leave, but as he walked, he realized the surrounding structures had completely changed. He was in an unfamiliar place he had never seen before.

”Hm? Who’s there!”

Just then, he heard several sets of footsteps and quickly looked over.

The roiling black mist not only restricted the spread of their Divine Sense but also limited their vision to a range of less than a hundred feet.

Within the black mist, several figures gradually came into focus, shifting from blurry to clear.

”It’s you.”

The ones who appeared were none other than the group who had entered the Ancient Ruins together.

”Everyone, it seems we’re trapped in some sort of Array. Not only can we not get out, but we’re also being funneled toward a central point. What is going on?”

Lady Black Scorpion’s brow furrowed. She had a very bad feeling about this.

”It seems these Ancient Ruins are not as simple as they appear on the surface.” The others were just as clueless, completely at a loss.

Everyone’s expression was grim. With their level of power, any one of them could hold their own anywhere. Yet now, they were all lost together inside an Array with no way out.

”Everyone, we are now trapped deep within this place. I believe our most urgent task is to join forces and find a way out of here together,” Ao Lie said loudly.

”That’s right. We should work together for now. Whatever conflicts we have should be set aside,” Lady Black Scorpion and the others agreed.

”Then does anyone here understand Arrays? Do you know what this thing is?” Ao Lie asked.

”I know a little about Arrays, but the strangeness of this one is unlike anything I have ever seen in my life,” the old man in the straw coat said in a low voice.

”If Ning Jiang were here, he might know.”

Gu Huaying said. When they first entered these Ancient Ruins, there had been a Maze Array, and Ning Jiang had easily led her through it.

She knew very well that Ning Jiang’s skill with Arrays was far greater than any of theirs.

”Hmph, that brat is probably already dead by now,” Ao Lie snorted, his hostility toward Ning Jiang palpable.

”Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m still alive.”

Just then, a voice echoed from within the black mist, and Ning Jiang slowly walked out.

”You’re still alive? Then what about those twin brothers?”

Ao Lie was shocked, but he immediately realized he had asked a stupid question. If Ning Jiang was still alive, then there was only one fate for the two brothers: death.

’A prodigy from the Hidden Dragon List... truly unfathomable!’

Lady Black Scorpion and the old man in the straw coat watched Ning Jiang with grave expressions. Before, they had thought a prodigy from the Hidden Dragon List was weaker than them and not someone to be wary of. Now, they had changed their minds.

The twin brothers’ strength had been comparable to their own. Since Ning Jiang could kill the twins, it meant he could kill them, too!

’That kid’s Cultivation only seems to be at the Earth Martial Realm Early Stage, but in terms of how dangerous he is, I’d say he’s second only to Liu Yama. I should avoid conflict with him as much as possible,’ Lady Black Scorpion thought, her guard raised.

”Hmph, you’re a lucky one.” Ao Lie snorted again. ”Gu Huaying just said you might know something about this Array. Is that true or not?”

”Who do you think you are that I should answer you?” Ning Jiang retorted coldly.

Although Ao Lie was asking him a question, his tone was condescending.

”You!” Ao Lie was furious but managed to restrain himself. He knew this wasn’t the time for conflict.

”Young friend, if you know something about this Array, we hope you will be willing to share it with us.”

The old man in the straw coat clasped his hands in a salute to Ning Jiang. He knew that the prodigies of the Hidden Dragon List were all incredibly proud and had to be treated with sincerity. Besides, they now needed Ning Jiang’s help.

Hearing this, Ning Jiang didn’t keep them in suspense. ”The Array here should be the Ghostly Array!”

”The Ghostly Array?”

The old man in the straw coat seemed to have heard of this Array and was stunned. ”Isn’t that the infamous Array of the Demon Race? I understand now! This black mist is Demonic Qi! No wonder my Cultivation is being suppressed!”

Demon Race, Demonic Qi!

At the mention of these keywords, everyone’s expression changed dramatically.

Even a powerhouse like Liu Yama slowly clenched his fists. No one dared to underestimate the Demon Race.

”Then what does this Ghostly Array do?” Lady Black Scorpion asked.

”The so-called Ghostly Array is an Array created by the Demon Race for the Demonization of the Human Race. If a member of the Human Race is trapped inside the Ghostly Array for a long period of Time, their Spiritual Wisdom will be corrupted by the Demonic Qi. They will slowly lose their sanity and eventually become a walking corpse controlled by the Demon Race. The Demon Race calls such people Demon Servants!”

The moment Ning Jiang finished speaking, the area fell into a dead silence.

Everyone’s heart felt as heavy as iron.

”Demon Race... Human Race... And who am I?”

Suddenly, a voice spoke, carrying an indescribable sense of age and vicissitude. A figure appeared like a phantom not far from them.

”Who’s there!”

The pupils of the crowd contracted as they all looked over at once.

PS: Ten Chapters have been updated. With the Double 11 shopping festival coming up, I hope everyone gets what they want! Also, please give me your recommendation tickets. I haven’t asked for them in months! If you have any, don’t hold back. Voting with them can help you level up!