Lightning struck with fierce, world-destroying might. Even the weakest lightning would heavily injure Yin soldiers.
However, the instant the lightning struck, the ghost general's essence and form separated, accompanied by a piercing shriek. The twisted essence and form seemed to desperately try to escape its physical body, but in the next moment, Ji Xiang forcefully immobilized it with immense magical power.
A minor divine ability, the Immobilization Technique.
For the powerful, a minor divine ability like the Immobilization Technique would be ineffective, as it was a minor skill learned at the sixth realm. However, when used by a cultivator who had refined their form under the sun and was nearing ascension, it could at least immobilize any opponent below the Innate realm.
Therefore, immobilizing the essence and form of a mere ghost general was an effortless task.
Then, with a wave of his hand, he pulled it out!
Bi Xia Yuan Jun was about to question Ji Xiang, but the instant she saw the ghost general's essence and form immobilized and pulled out, the remaining physical form left behind left her utterly shocked!
"What... are you?"
"You are not a ghost soldier of the Eighteen Hells!"
In the depths of hell, a ghost creature appeared that she did not recognize. This thing resembled a decaying corpse, yet its features were not ghastly. Its flesh was pale, like withered bark, vastly different from zombies or similar creatures. Its aura was more terrifying and sinister than that of the ghosts of hell, even sending a chilling shiver down Bi Xia Yuan Jun's spine.
"Shaping a vessel with flesh and blood, this is the work of a Flesh-Shaping Ghost. However, it was not the Flesh-Shaping Ghosts themselves who occupied these ghost soldiers' bodies, but rather their creations."
"This is a new type of ghost monster, unheard of in past lives."
[Prison Roar Ghost: Parasitic within the bodies of ghost soldiers in hell, it draws sustenance from its host like a parasite, gradually consuming the host's flesh and blood. Using the abilities of Flesh-Shaping Ghosts, it transforms into the appearance of its original host.]
[The Five Thunder True Method can break the transformation of this type of ghost monster, but it cannot kill it.]
[Using Taoist magic to summon "Jie" and attaching a thunder talisman to it, turning it into "Thunder Jie," allows Thunder Jie to possess these ghost creatures and completely devour and kill them. — Jie are countered by Flesh-Shaping Ghosts.]
Unexpectedly, Jie, which were countered by Flesh-Shaping Ghosts, could, after becoming Thunder Jie, exterminate this new type of ghost monster.
In Ji Xiang's palm, his right hand formed a seal, producing a talisman paper. Incense burned, revealing thunder patterns. Then, using Yin energy, he summoned a Jie ghost to possess it. Instantly, a gust of Yin wind howled. His other hand condensed demonic energy, fierce and vast. That terrifying aura directly suppressed the power emanating from this strange ghost creature, causing Bi Xia Yuan Jun to cast her gaze upon it:
"This is..."
"The Celestial Demon Register. Whenever new demons, devils, ghosts, monsters, evils, or malevolent spirits are born in the mortal world, they are recorded in the Celestial Demon Register. Once listed in this register, there will be methods to restrain them, and many who study the Tao will naturally comprehend them."
"One Yin and one Yang, one receives and one gives, all are ordained by heaven. Whether born naturally in the world or artificially catalyzed, ghosts, monsters, spirits, and even gods, devils, immortals, and Buddhas all have corresponding methods of subjugation."
Bi Xia Yuan Jun's eyes were filled with astonishment. She had never heard of such a divine book in the world.
Could it be something similar to the Underworld's "Three Books of Life and Death"?
Yes!
After a brief moment of shock, she instantly understood, believing this to be logical.
Perhaps, as Ji Xiang said, one Yin and one Yang, one receives and one gives, all ordained by heaven?
Within the realm of hell, there were numerous Yin spirits and ghost creatures, and in the mortal world, there were many wandering souls and earthly ghosts. Thus, the Three Books of Life and Death appeared, to be controlled by the gods to manage their cycles of life and death.
Then, according to the legends of Shuntian, the True Person of the North Pole was said to have gained the favor of the Demon King of Trial in the heavens and obtained the Magic of Trial.
This Celestial Demon Register was something to restrain these earthly demons and ghosts?
Ji Xiang's gaze began to fall upon all the ghost soldiers and generals around them. Seeing one small ghost's true form exposed and its transformation technique torn apart, every ghost soldier began to act abnormally. They gathered towards the two of them, completely disregarding that they were facing two peak existences of the human world.
"Good heavens, it actually infiltrated the Oil Pot Hell, and I didn't even know. Is this the ability of the Underworld? I was truly careless."
Bi Xia Yuan Jun's pretty face was as dark as a deep pool. This time, she had lost face in front of someone of equal standing. The hell she managed had been controlled down to the ninth level, and it was about to break through Mount Tai, yet she remained oblivious, thinking all was peaceful!
As she grew angry, the entire ninth level of hell began to shake. However, Bi Xia Yuan Jun soon discovered something was wrong. Her control over the ninth level of hell had almost vanished. Although the authority of this realm was still in her hands, she could not mobilize a single blade of grass or a single gust of wind in the ninth level of hell!
"Stop trying. The Oil Pot Hell belongs to someone else now. Although the authority of the realm is in your hands, the entire realm has undergone a transformation. Therefore, the place you are in now is not the Oil Pot Hell at all."
"It is another realm sent up by the Underworld!"
Ji Xiang revealed the truth, and Bi Xia Yuan Jun's anger surged. She snorted, "Using such despicable means! I heard there are even immortals in the Underworld, even supreme beings at the Celestial Heart realm. Yet, to deal with a mere Pure Yang like me, they resort to transforming ghost soldiers, and swapping realms through trickery. They truly think highly of me, and are quite wary!"
Of course, she knew in her heart.
It was likely not her they feared.
It was the "Authority of Mount Tai"!
If the Great Emperor of the East, the Prefect of Mount Tai, and Bi Xia Yuan Jun, the three powers of Mount Tai, were gathered together, the Underworld would be unable to shake the Eighteen Hells no matter what. But now, the Great Emperor of the East was an enemy, the Prefect of Mount Tai was a deity in Japan, and there was nothing left of the Central Plains Mount Tai.
"Don't act. Normal magic cannot kill them. These new ghosts must be killed by new methods."
Ji Xiang threw out a Thunder Jie talisman. The Prison Roar Ghost, caught by the Thunder Jie, immediately began to melt, and then the entire ghost evaporated into thin air, while the Thunder Jie talisman became radiant!
Seeing this, even the ghosts of the Underworld abruptly stopped in their tracks!
When ghosts die, they become Jie; when Jie die, they become Xi; when Xi die, they become Yi. Humans fear ghosts, and ghosts fear Jie ghosts. Yet humans can borrow the power of Jie ghosts to expel ghost monsters, which is the principle of one thing conquering another.
Countless talismans flew from Ji Xiang's sleeve, each bearing thunder patterns and the character "Jie"!
Whoosh—!
Among the ghost monsters here, not all were Prison Roar Ghosts. There was also black mist familiar to Ji Xiang, which was formed from the Yin spirits of the Underworld. It had once controlled many wandering spirits in Shuntian Prefecture, causing great chaos.
Among these Yin spirits, there was a figure of considerable size, with sharp horns growing from its head. Its shape resembled the character "Li"!
"King Li Tou, you were eaten too?"
Bi Xia Yuan Jun saw that the ghost general she had dispatched to guard the Oil Pot Hell had also become part of the enemy's ranks. Her anger had erupted from all seven orifices. Her subordinate had been eaten and transformed into such a malevolent entity.
However, in Ji Xiang's eyes, King Li Tou revealed a sinister smile.
Then, the entire realm began to shake violently!
The heavens and earth seemed to be closing in at this moment, and the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet also displayed text:
[Blood Basin Dharma Realm (replacing Oil Pot Hell): The heavens and earth are actually the upper and lower mouths of a giant beast. The four directions are its fiery tongue, the oil pot is the beast's saliva, and the mountains are the beast's sharp teeth.]
[True Form: Wangtian Hou!]
[Formed from a gathering of corpses, cast from Yin stone, possessed by Yin spirits, its mouth itself forms a Dharma Realm of heaven and earth, and it feeds on Flood Dragons!]
"So the current location..."
"Is inside its mouth!"