Chapter 196: Chapter 122: Karma (Part 2)
Following that, from within the statue, emerged a gaunt and hunched figure clad in a black robe, its face completely concealed within the shadow of its hood.
It was enveloped in an eerie ghostly aura, emitting an exceedingly terrifying pressure, even from such a distance, making the two feel suffocated. It was at least a Sixth Realm entity, possibly even Seventh Realm!
Chu Xuan felt a tingle on his scalp, "Are you messing with me? What’s with ’Ironmouth Judge of Fate, Prophecy Controls the Cosmos’? Do you actually know what you’re doing, leading me straight to my demise?"
The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became, finally understanding the feelings of those who had disrupted his booth in the past.
"Since you’ve come, you might as well feel at ease."
Its voice was husky and dry, like the sound of two bones grinding against each other, exceedingly grating and unpleasant.
Moreover, since its appearance, the once fiery world had inexplicably begun to darken, the sky no longer raining down molten hail, but instead covered with pitch-black clouds.
The raging fires across the wilds gradually extinguished, with ominous winds rising, and layers of ghostly mist surging in, turning the place into a hellish ghostly realm in an instant.
"Realm power..." Gu Haitang’s eyes flashed with astonishment, realizing this was an ability that could only be cultivated by a Seventh Realm entity or above.
According to Chu Xuan’s understanding, this was a wide-area domain-type skill, akin to being in their home ground within the realm.
Each expert’s domain is formed based on their understanding of the world and their insights into the great path.
It is the sublimation of a cultivator’s essence, energy, and spirit—a manifestation of heart, will, and path, combined with the power of the world’s great Dao, representing the user’s true self, identity, and convictions. Thus, each expert’s domain is distinct.
The ghostly entity before them is likely of the same level as the "Decay Bone" Chu Xuan once encountered on Ghost Street.
Having silently trapped the pair within the realm, the mysterious ghostly entity did not launch an attack, but instead watched them from afar, particularly fixing its gaze on Chu Xuan.
On the surface, Chu Xuan appeared flustered, yet remained calm internally.
Partly due to his experience on Ghost Street, which led him to believe that the ghostly entity was vaguely wary of him, yet it didn’t know precisely where the danger lay unless personally tested upfront.
Additionally, the Six Souls Banner provided Chu Xuan with inner confidence.
The current dilemma was how to have the ghost willingly interact with the Six Souls Banner.
After a period of confrontation, the robed ghost glanced at the faintly glowing area within Chu Xuan’s arms, "Let’s make a deal, give me that item, and I can grant you anything you desire."
"Or rather, are you interested in a gamble?"
Accompanied by the hoarse, aged voice, it extended a right hand comprised of white bones, holding a pale bone die that slowly floated and rotated.
It seemed to possess a peculiar allure, inciting in Chu Xuan and the others an instinctive greed, a strong desire to acquire it.
The die was engraved not with dots, but with six blood-red characters: Life, Death, Wealth, Fate, Catastrophe, Void.
Chu Xuan’s expression changed, "Are you the Master of the Ghost Market?!"
The ghostly entity emitted a piercing laugh, akin to an old owl, utterly devoid of emotion, as if a corpse were imitating human laughter, rigid and lifeless.
"Yes, indeed, come and gamble, the stakes can be lifespan, memory, fortune, physical body, or soul."
"Of course, it can also be that relic in your possession."
Chu Xuan could never have imagined that his karmic ties would lead him here. He had resolutely declined Lan Cai’er’s plea to visit the Ghost Market, only to encounter the Master of the Ghost Market within the Ruo Wood Secret Realm.
Whether it was human or ghost remained unclear, more likely it was a ghost, having opportunistically entered the secret realm to "loot in chaos," primarily because Chu Xuan foolishly carried a precious Buddha’s finger relic, delivering it right to its door, making it impossible for the ghost to resist swallowing it?
"We’re not gambling!" Gu Haitang refused, gritting her teeth.
The ghost didn’t speak, but suddenly, thick blood mist began to flow around their feet.
Amidst the blood mist, countless sounds of wailing could be heard, faintly visible were thousands upon thousands of restless ghostly spirits, ready to attack at their master’s command, to let them taste the agony of "Devouring by ten thousand ghosts."
Chu Xuan shielded Gu Haitang behind him, then suddenly addressed their foe, "To be honest, I am in search of the essence blood of the Long-armed Ape."
"If you, esteemed elder, can offer me a drop and let us go, the deal is yours."
"Essence blood of the four apes?" The ghost contemplated, "I don’t possess such a thing, but... I have some clues."
Saying this, it spat out the soul of a bewildered ape-like demon from its mouth, projecting a light screen from the latter’s eyes that seemed to be its memories from before death.
Initially, the light screen was chaotic, nothing visible; however, after subtle adjustments by the ghost, clear images appeared, showing lush, verdant primordial jungles, seemingly in the terrestrial human realm layer.
In the forest, myriad ape beasts, led by an old ape, were kneeling around a stone platform, worshipping a large leg bone as white as jade.
The image froze on this bone, and the robed ghost murmured, "The spirit I just consumed belonged to these creatures. Look at their tribe with arms long enough to reach the ground, suggesting traces of Long-armed Ape lineage."
"The leg bone they worship might indeed contain essence blood of the Long-armed Ape."
"If all else fails, capture them and toss them into a furnace for refinement, which should reluctantly extract at least a drop of essence blood."
