Chapter 134: The Cunning Wolf-Lion King (Seeking Monthly Tickets and Recommendation Votes)

Thus, a great battle between the ghosts of men and the ghosts of beasts began.

The nearby Blackwater River splashed with droplets that looked like black mist. The metallic clashing of weapons, the chorus of war cries, the pained groans and wails of the wounded, and the rhythmic slapping of feet trampling the water all blended together. Added to this were the shouts of the surrounding prison ghosts watching the spectacle, and the thunderous splashing caused by Wang Jiming leading five hundred elite prison ghosts as they charged into the water, creating a scene as chaotic and overwhelming as a stampede of ten thousand horses.

The Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King’s primary objective in this war was to capture Wei Xiaoping alive and force him to lead it out of the Black River Prison. Consequently, after spitting a pillar of white, mist-like substance at the Gaoyang Ghost King—forcing him to dodge—it leapt ten or twenty feet into the air and lunged toward Wei Xiaoping.

Wei Xiaoping, knowing he was the beast king’s target, had been monitoring its movements ever since he first encountered the pack. Seeing the beast king leap toward him, he showed no fear; he raised his Soul-Slaying Profound Sword and sprang into the air to meet it head-on.

The Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King, seeing Wei Xiaoping charge at it instead of fleeing, thought to itself, "I lunged at this young man intending to take him alive, for if I accidentally wound or kill him, there will be no one left to lead me out of the Black River Prison. To think this boy is so bold—not only does he not avoid me, but he attacks me instead. Is he courting death? Hmph, you may want to die, but I do not want you dead! Not only must you live, I must not even injure you!"

Thinking this, the beast king violently jerked its head to the right while swinging its hindquarters to the left. Using the momentum from these movements, it successfully shifted its entire body a dozen feet to the right, landing safely on the surface of the Blackwater River.

As the beast king veered off in mid-air, Wei Xiaoping soared right past the spot where it had just been.

In the air, Wei Xiaoping was bewildered by the beast king’s sudden evasion. "Doesn't it want to capture me to escape the prison?" he wondered. "Why would it avoid me instead of clashing?"

Originally, Wei Xiaoping had intended to strike the king with his sword, but seeing the beast king avoid him, he assumed it did not wish to harm him, and thus abandoned his own intent to strike. He landed gracefully on the river surface.

As soon as his feet touched the water, five or six wolf-lion beast ghosts surrounded him, snapping their jaws, eager to tear into him.

The beast king, having landed on the water, turned around to see its subordinates swarming Wei Xiaoping. It let out a series of loud roars and began to charge toward them, only to be intercepted by a dozen ghost soldiers.

The Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King did not fear these soldiers. After letting them strike it with their weapons dozens of times, it suddenly stood tall, stretched out its front paws, and spun in a circle. In an instant, the dozen soldiers were sent flying dozens of feet away.

The beast king’s roars were a warning to its subordinates: do not harm or kill Wei Xiaoping; take him alive so he can be coerced into leading them out of the prison. Hearing the warning, the six wolf-lion ghosts surrounding Wei Xiaoping ceased their snapping and instead tightened the circle, closing in on him to capture him.

When the beast king had spat the white mist, the Gaoyang Ghost King, not having fought it for decades, was wary of its new, unknown sorcery and dodged. The white mist struck one of his attendants instead. The attendant let out a shrill cry of pain and collapsed into the Blackwater River, instantly transforming into a white, skeletal ghost that drifted aimlessly with the waves.

The Gaoyang Ghost King was shocked. "Where did it learn such evil magic?" he wondered. "It can turn a ghost soul into bone in an instant! Had I not dodged, I would have met the same fate!"

Seeing Wei Xiaoping surrounded, the Gaoyang Ghost King rushed over, leaping and kicking two beast ghosts in the back, then using the recoil to jump onto two others and doing the same. In moments, four were downed. Wei Xiaoping, having already dispatched two, was about to strike the others when he saw the Gaoyang Ghost King had moved even faster.

At that moment, the five hundred elite prison ghosts led by Wang Jiming arrived, surrounding the battlefield. With the enemy outnumbered, Wang Jiming sent one hundred soldiers into the fray, while the other four hundred lined up in two rows on the eastern side of the river, creating a path leading to the shore.

"Brother Xiaoping, our men have arrived! We will hold them back—take the two Nether Hounds and get to the shore immediately! Do not waste another moment!" the Gaoyang Ghost King shouted.

Wei Xiaoping looked up and saw the prison soldiers engaged in battle. To the east, he saw the four hundred soldiers forming a clear corridor to the bank. Realizing Wang Jiming was carving a path for them, Wei Xiaoping thought, "With so many soldiers helping, Brother Gaoyang will surely annihilate them soon. I must return to the mortal realm quickly, or my physical body will die and I will be trapped here forever."

"Brother Gaoyang, time is running out! We will leave the fighting to you. Take care! If I return to the mortal world and recover, you must visit me in my dreams so I know how you fare!" Wei Xiaoping shouted as he swiped his sword at the approaching beasts and retreated toward the eastern path.

"Ma Laoda, Niu Dahua, retreat to the shore, quickly!" Wei Xiaoping called to his two Nether Hounds.

The two hounds, excited by the slaughter, heard their master’s call and let out fierce roars that drove the surrounding beast ghosts back. Seizing the opportunity, they dashed toward the path cleared by the soldiers.

Just as Wei Xiaoping was about to reach the soldiers, the Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King appeared before him.

It had realized that the two rows of elite soldiers were meant to escort Wei Xiaoping to safety. Knowing that if the boy reached the shore, the chance to escape the prison would be lost forever, the beast king had submerged itself and swum beneath the river, surfacing right in front of the path the soldiers had created.