In the Eastern Domain, amidst a desolate rock forest.
Lu Wukai, along with dozens of his brothers, was in hiding, evading the pursuit of the Ghost Tribe.
Their clothes were tattered, and their bodies bore traces of blood. They had narrowly escaped the sweep of the Ghost Tribe's vast army, having faced death countless times.
"Heaven envies the talented!"
Lu Wukai sighed to the sky, his face filled with unwillingness, feeling the profound malice of fate towards him.
He, Old Lu, was once a prodigy. In his youth, he had built a vast foundation. However, due to poor judgment in friendships, he was backstabbed by a close brother who seized all his assets.
He endured humiliation, slept on brushwood and tasted gall, and lived a life of obscurity for decades. It was only thanks to Ji Mo's intervention that his nemesis, Sun Zhi, and the Seven Fiends Alliance were eliminated.
Lu Wukai took over the resources left by the Seven Fiends Alliance, recruited soldiers, and made a comeback.
Just as his influence was flourishing and thriving, it all came to an end with the invasion of the accursed Ghost Tribe.
Poor Old Lu suffered a catastrophic disaster. The forces he had painstakingly built collapsed in an instant, and everything was destroyed.
He once commanded over ten thousand men, but now, some were dead, others had fled, leaving only a few dozen men by his side.
"Boss, try to look on the bright side. As long as we stay alive, we can always rebuild. If we can survive this ordeal, with your abilities, you'll eventually make a comeback."
The Sixth Commander beside him offered words of comfort.
Despite his words, his face was grim, and his eyes were dim, showing no sign of hope.
They were trapped here, surrounded by patrolling Ghost Tribe forces. Escaping alive seemed almost impossible.
They had clashed with the Ghost Tribe and knew their terrifying nature. Their vitality was incredibly tenacious, making them difficult to kill. Even more frightening was that any death on their side could potentially add a new member to the Ghost Tribe.
The Sixth Commander had personally witnessed many brothers fall in battle, only to be transformed into zombies, ghouls, and then turn against them.
The Ghost Tribe was born for slaughter. The battlefield was their fertile ground. The fiercer the war, the more the Ghost Tribe's numbers would not decrease but rather snowball into an ever-growing horde.
"We can't escape."
Someone covered their face and wept, their expression one of utter despair, their minds on the verge of collapse.
Seeing their comrades fall one by one, only to be transformed into enemies and raise their blades against them, was truly soul-crushing.
This pervasive sense of despair spread, casting a shadow of sorrow over them. Everyone's spirits plummeted.
"Brothers, there's no need to worry too much. There's still a chance of escape."
Lu Wukai cleared his dry throat and spoke, "As long as we can find a way to rendezvous with the Little King of the Southern Domain, we will have a way to live."
"Rumor has it that the group in the Southern Domain has also been scattered. They can barely protect themselves, so how can they possibly help us? Besides, where can we find them now? As soon as we leave this rock forest, we'll be torn to shreds by the Ghost Tribe, either becoming food or turning into zombies or skeleton soldiers."
Someone shook their head and sighed, their eyes vacant, clearly having lost all hope.
This was also the sentiment of everyone present. They had resigned themselves to fate. Some had even decided to self-destruct when facing the Ghost Tribe next, leaving no corpses for these ghastly creatures.
"It's a pity my great brother Ji Mo isn't in the Xuanling Realm right now, otherwise, the Ghost Tribe would be nothing!"
Lu Wukai's mind conjured the image of Ji Mo. He clenched his fist and said, "As long as my great brother Ji Mo appears, he can definitely turn the tide and drive all these ghastly creatures back to where they came from."
The Sixth Commander said, "It's rumored that Mr. Ji is a great demon who has already opened the gates of the demon realm and returned. If he reappears, he might just come with a butcher's knife to invade the Xuanling Realm, perhaps even joining forces with the Ghost Tribe to carve up our Xuanling Realm."
Lu Wukai immediately retorted, "Don't talk nonsense. My brother Ji Mo is pure and kind, and amiable. How could he be a demon?"
The Sixth Commander was stunned. Was this the Ji Mo he knew?
Pure and kind?
Amiable?
The demonic beasts he had eaten, and the villains he had crushed, would not agree.
"Boss, since you have such a close relationship with that Mr. Ji, quickly send him a message for help."
Some of the gang members looked on with eager anticipation. If Lu Wukai could summon Ji Mo, wouldn't they all be saved?
Lu Wukai's expression stiffened slightly. He didn't have Ji Mo's contact information, but at this moment, all his subordinates were looking at him expectantly, putting immense pressure on him.
It was over. If he admitted he didn't have Ji Mo's contact information, he would lose face completely.
Old Lu was a man of reputation and couldn't bear to be looked down upon by his brothers. He gritted his teeth and slapped himself hard.
"I'm not a man."
He said with great remorse, his voice choked with emotion, "You don't know, the last time I parted ways with my great brother Ji Mo, he gave me a peace charm that could instantly kill anyone in the Mortal Immortal realm. But I was blind and thought he gave me a piece of scrap paper, and I even berated him fiercely. Looking back now, I am truly ashamed. How can I face him to ask for help?"
"I know about that peace charm. It was extremely powerful. The Boss almost used it to destroy the Seven Fiends Alliance."
The Sixth Commander nodded, confirming that Lu Wukai's words were not false.
Lu Wukai sighed, "That's why brotherhood is precious. My brothers, you should take me as a warning. Trust the people around you, and don't let suspicion chill the hearts of your brothers."
Everyone nodded, appearing to have learned a valuable lesson.
Lu Wukai's expression softened. He cast a look of appreciation at the Sixth Commander, thinking how sharp this fellow was; otherwise, he would have been in an awkward position.
However, what the Sixth Commander said next almost made him spit blood.
The Sixth Commander continued, "Boss, the lives and fortunes of dozens of brothers here are in your hands. Please contact Mr. Ji and ask him to come and rescue us. Mr. Ji is a magnanimous person, and he surely won't hold a grudge over the past unpleasantness between you."
"Yes, yes, yes. True brothers wouldn't fall out over a little disagreement. Boss, please save us."
Others chimed in. No one wanted to die.
Lu Wukai's mouth twitched. He felt he was cornered. With a mournful expression, he sighed deeply, about to confess.
Suddenly, a gust of foul wind swept through, filling the air with a nauseating stench.
The Sixth Commander shouted in panic, "Bad! We've been discovered."
Dense Ghost Tribe creatures appeared all around them: walking skeletons, crawling zombies, floating specters, and swift flying fiends.
Everyone's faces turned pale. Even the usually bold Lu Wukai felt his scalp tingle, and his legs trembled uncontrollably.
"Damn it, let's fight them!"
Lu Wukai was a man of mettle. With a roar, he decided to fight to the death.
Even if he died, he would take a few with him.
The others wore bitter expressions, knowing that death had arrived and they wouldn't survive the day.
Just then.
A dazzling white light illuminated the sky, and the phantom image of a colossal light giant appeared.