Watching the gray, menacing claw, radiating an evil aura, being slowly pulled out of Meng Dian's body.
Everyone who witnessed this scene was horrified and shocked.
This thing, just by looking at it, doesn't seem like something of the proper kind.
Meng Dian had previously activated such an evil magic weapon?
Although Meng Dian resisted with all his might, how could he possibly withstand Lu Qing's power?
Soon, the gray ghost claw was completely stripped and pulled out of his dantian by Lu Qing.
With the gray ghost claws already drawn, Meng Dian's aura immediately plummeted, and despair filled his eyes.
But at that moment, no one had time to pay attention to him anymore.
Because everyone's attention was drawn to that gray ghostly claw.
After Lu Qing pulled out the gray ghost claw, it hovered in mid-air but did not quiet down.
Instead, it began to writhe wildly, as if it were a living thing.
The gray mist on its claws materialized into layers of skeletal demons, emanating invisible screams that pierced the soul and chilled everyone to the bone.
It's hard to imagine where Meng Dian got the courage to refine such an evil object into his body.
However, no matter how much the gray ghost claw struggled and twisted, it was all in vain under Lu Qing's power.
They were suppressed and unable to do anything.
"The Netherworld Claw, it really is that evil treasure!"
At that moment, an old voice rang out, its tone filled with surprise.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked over.
The speaker was an old Taoist priest with a Taoist robe, an air of otherworldly wisdom, and white hair and beard.
They were all taken aback.
Because they recognized that the person was in the location of Qingyang Temple, one of the three great secret places.
Clearly, this must be a senior master from Qingyang Temple.
During this holy gathering, all three secret locations kept a very low profile.
But keeping a low profile doesn't mean people will ignore them.
Everyone was startled when they heard this ethereal old Taoist speak.
"Oh? Senior knows the origin of this thing?"
Lu Qing looked at the old Taoist priest.
At the same time, he also saw Yangming Daoist standing next to the old Daoist and nodded slightly in greeting.
This nod stirred a certain excitement within Yangming Daoist.
Unexpectedly, Lu Qing actually greeted him.
"Netherworld Ghost Claw is the name of this evil treasure in your hand, young friend. It was the signature magic weapon of a powerful evil cultivator in the previous era of cultivation."
In the cultivation world of the previous era, it was also considered one of the most notorious evil spiritual artifacts.
The heretical magical artifacts from the previous era of cultivation!
Upon hearing this name, everyone was deeply moved.
The world has been revived for so long that the events of the previous era of cultivation are no longer a secret.
Those who can attend the Holy Assembly are all powerful and influential sects, and naturally they are aware of this.
Hearing that this gray ghost claw was actually an evil treasure passed down from the previous era of cultivation, and even a legendary spiritual weapon, how could one not be shocked?
At the same time, they finally understood why Meng Dian was so powerful; it turned out that he controlled such an evil magical artifact.
“Young master, this is indeed the famous magic weapon of an evil primordial spirit called Netherworld Old Ghost from the ancient era of cultivation.”
At this moment, "Yan" also transmitted a message to Lu Qing's soul.
Lu Qing nodded slightly, but still asked the old Taoist priest another question.
"The evil spiritual artifacts of the previous era of cultivation?"
If that's the case, then why has it been passed down to us?
Legend has it that at the end of the last era of cultivation, all the powerful beings of the primordial spirit stage left this world.
"Senior, could it be that the original owner of this evil treasure ultimately failed to board the Boundary-Breaking Ship?"
Lu Qing was naturally able to use his special ability to find out the origin of the gray ghost claw.
However, the information he gleaned from the note using his special ability was ultimately limited, and he couldn't discern all the details.
"There is a record of this matter in the ancient books passed down from my Qingyang Temple," the old Taoist priest said.
"At the end of the ancient era of cultivation, many powerful beings of the primordial spirit realm did indeed board the world-breaking ship and leave this world."
Even those demonic sects left as well.
However, a few powerful beings at the Primordial Spirit level failed to board the Boundary-Breaking Ship.
Among them was the master of the Netherworld Claw, a powerful being with a primordial spirit named the Netherworld Elder.
"This old man from the underworld was a powerful rogue cultivator from the ancient era of cultivation, who was a loner who preferred to stay alone and did not like to interact with others."
Moreover, he is cruel and enjoys torturing living beings, making him a demon feared by everyone in the cultivation world.
Most of these unorthodox cultivators' primordial spirits are unattached and alone.
Therefore, their actions are even more extreme than those of the demonic sects.
This caused many righteous immortal sects, although they hated him, to hesitate and not dare to offend him too much without absolute certainty.
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding.
Even for righteous sects like them, with their large and powerful families, they generally wouldn't offend those powerful cultivators who have no ties to them too much.
Otherwise, once a feud is formed, it could very well escalate into a fight to the death.
Even if we manage to kill the enemy, we will likely suffer significant losses ourselves, making it a losing proposition.
Thinking of this, someone glanced at Lu Qing without revealing their thoughts.
Just like the Suspended Mountain, one of the four great secret places, it has a long history and profound cultural heritage.
In the end, didn't they also suffer the annihilation of their sect and the destruction of their secret realm simply because they offended this person?
"However, this is just a normal situation."
As everyone had their own thoughts, the white-haired old Taoist priest continued.
"This situation changed at the end of the previous era of cultivation."
In order to forge the Boundary-Breaking Ship, many powerful beings of the Primordial Spirit realm worked together to collect precious materials from all over the world.
It is unknown which powerful being made the suggestion, but in the end, many righteous primordial spirit powerhouses began to unite.
Those heretical and unorthodox cultivators will be eradicated and their primordial spirits eliminated.
Ultimately, the vast majority of the evil cultivators' primordial spirits were killed through the combined efforts of the righteous sects.
The magical artifacts and treasures he left behind were all seized to forge the Boundary-Breaking Ship.
Only a very few heretical cultivators either risked their lives to escape using secret techniques or hid beforehand, and their fates remain unknown.
Among those evil primordial spirits was this old man from the Netherworld.
"It is said that this old man of the underworld was besieged by several righteous primordial spirits on the South China Sea, but he was caught off guard by the old man's evil magic and escaped into the deep sea, where he disappeared without a trace."
The deep sea is the territory of the sea race, so those righteous primordial spirits did not pursue the matter further.
It now appears that the old man of the underworld ultimately perished.
And his signature magic weapon, somehow, ended up in the hands of this fellow Daoist Meng Dian.
The old Taoist priest looked at Meng Dian and saw that Meng Dian was pale and weak.
Clearly, the gray ghost claw being forcibly removed from his dantian by Lu Qing caused him great harm.
But there was no pity in the old Taoist's eyes; instead, there was a hint of coldness.
"This Netherworld Claw is an evil spiritual weapon. The gray aura is formed from the souls of countless living beings."
"Fellow Daoist Meng, to be able to refine and restore it to this level, you must have refined quite a few living beings, right?"
Upon hearing this, everyone was startled and looked at Meng Dian.
Meng Dian's body trembled, and his face turned even paler.
He struggled and said, "Old Taoist priest, don't make false accusations! I obtained this magic weapon by chance, and it took me a lot of effort to refine it. I have never harmed anyone!"
However, the old Taoist priest did not say anything to his words, but just continued to look at him coldly.
The group of powerful figures, recalling the evil aura emanating from Meng Dian's terrifying ghost claw attack, couldn't help but believe the old Taoist's words.
At that time, Meng Dian no longer resembled a righteous cultivator at all; he was nothing short of a wicked demon!
Sensing the gazes around him, Meng Dian's expression clearly became flustered.
Just as he was about to argue, Lu Qing suddenly spoke up:
"Senior said that the old man of the underworld has already perished, but I don't think that's necessarily true."
Not a single mistake, not a single song, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single 6-9 book, not a single bar, take a look!
"Fellow Daoist, what did you say?!"
The old Taoist priest was startled and looked sharply at Lu Qing.
Everyone else also turned to look at Lu Qing.
But Lu Qing looked at the gray ghost claw that he had been suppressing and said, "Isn't that right, Netherworld Old Ghost?"
An old ghost from the underworld? Within these gray ghostly claws?!
All eyes were fixed on the gray ghost claw.
Then they saw that the gray ghost claw, which had been struggling and twisting, had become unusually quiet, hovering silently in mid-air without making a sound.
Just as everyone was wondering, Lu Qing smiled.
"Since you refuse to show yourself, then die."
After he finished speaking, a phantom image of a large, ancient, fiery red cauldron appeared behind Lu Qing.
Then, the mouth of the cauldron opened and sucked the gray ghost claw directly into it.
Countless transparent flames appeared within the illusory image of the cauldron, wrapping around the gray ghost claw and burning it.
Given Lu Qing's current cultivation level, how terrifying would the Southern Bright Fire he unleashed be?
Even without using the Fire Cauldron itself, the power of its flames is beyond what ordinary spiritual artifacts can withstand.
Moreover, the Netherworld Ghost Claw, an evil spiritual artifact, was originally countered by the Li Huo Cauldron.
In addition, it had suffered severe damage and had not yet recovered to its peak condition.
Burned by the fire of the Southern Ming Dynasty, the ash on it immediately sizzled and crackled, accompanied by pitiful screams, as it was burned into nothingness.
Hearing the ghostly claws of the underworld emitting screams that were so painful they could pierce the soul, everyone's expression changed.
This evil magical artifact is truly bizarre; just looking at it sends chills down one's spine.
As the Southern Bright Fire continued to burn, the ash on the Netherworld Ghost Claws rapidly diminished.
Soon, its true form was revealed: a gray, ferocious bone claw.
Just as the Southern Bright Fire continued to surge, preparing to refine the bone claw.
Finally, the being hidden deep within the bone claw could no longer endure it.
Suddenly, a large amount of gray mist surged out from the bone claws, temporarily blocking the burning of the Southern Ming Fire.
One portion of the gray mist even transformed into a gloomy ghost face, staring intently at Lu Qing.
"Kid, don't push your luck!"
"Old ghost of the underworld, you've finally shown yourself?"
Lu Qing's mind stirred, and he temporarily stopped the Southern Bright Fire, looking at the gray ghost face and speaking calmly.
The powerful figures around them were already dumbfounded.
Is there really another strange entity within these ghostly claws?
As for Meng Dian, he was completely dumbfounded, his face filled with disbelief.
He couldn't believe it—this magical artifact, which he had controlled for so long and had completely refined.
Deep within it, there was another consciousness that had always existed!
"Kid, how did you find me?"
The gray-faced ghost stared at Lu Qing, unable to understand where he had given himself away.
He believed he had hidden it well enough.
Even that idiot surnamed Meng didn't notice his presence.
As it turned out, this kid immediately sensed his location and directly revealed his origins.
This shocked Grayface, who also found it utterly absurd.
What troubled him even more was that the other party also possessed another spiritual artifact, one that could restrain him.
"Nanming Li Huo, kid, I never thought that the Li Huo Cauldron of the Li Huo Sect would fall into your hands. What you inherited is the legacy of the Li Huo Cauldron?"
"Looks like you old devil haven't grasped the current situation yet."
Lu Qing shook his head. Suddenly, flames surged again within the illusory image of the cauldron, burning towards the gray ghost face.
Do you think you have the right to question me now?
The Nanming Fire, its power suddenly amplified, burned a large hole in the ashen ghost face.
The voice couldn't help but let out a cry of pain, and had to urge more ash to resist the burning.
However, the fire of Nanming is the nemesis of ash.
No matter how much ash that being stirred up was burned away and turned into nothingness.
As the gray ghost face burned smaller and smaller, it was about to disappear completely.
The voice finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "Stop, stop! I give up!"
The Southern Bright Fire paused, but it did not dissipate; it remained circling the ghost claw, showing signs of pouncing at any moment.
Seeing this, the gray-faced ghost's mood became even more gloomy.
Why did this damned thing have to fall into this kid's hands?
He could defend against any other magical artifact.
However, the Li Huo Cauldron contains the laws of fire, which can further stimulate the terrifying flames of the Nanming Li Huo. It is one of the spiritual artifacts that most effectively restrained him in the ancient era of cultivation.
In addition, the strength of the kid in front of him was also very strange, and even he could not see through it.
Faced with a disadvantageous position, he had no choice but to temporarily back down.
"Honest now?" Lu Qing said calmly. "In that case, I'll ask, and you answer."
The gray-faced ghost's expression twisted in pain upon hearing Lu Qing's commanding tone.
But given the current unfavorable situation, he forced himself to suppress his anger and nodded, asking, "What do you want to know?"
"Are you the Old Ghost of the Underworld?"
"That's right, I am the old man of the underworld you speak of!" the gray-faced ghost said proudly.
Upon hearing this, the powerful figures around them were immediately terrified.
It really was the Netherworld Old Ghost!
According to the old Taoist priest at Qingyang Temple, that was a powerful primordial spirit from the previous era of cultivation!
How did it survive until now?
For a moment, everyone felt a profound and indescribable shock.
"It really was you." Lu Qing nodded. "It seems that you also used that possession technique to seize the spirit of your own spiritual weapon, thus avoiding the Five Decays of Heaven and mortals and surviving until now."
How did you know?!
Now it was the old man of the underworld's turn to be shocked.
