Chapter 1786: Magic Sound Soul Absorption

The Ghost King's enormous spectral face, composed of swirling black mist and countless skulls, writhed and flickered like a burning inferno.

Upon hearing this, the spectral face visibly froze for a moment before speaking in a low, eerie voice: "You appear carefree on the surface, young man, but I never expected you to be as cunning as a ghost."

Nearby, Zhao Hao nodded in profound agreement. He had initially viewed Zu'an as little more than an ant, but the young man's constant schemes had made him considerably wary.

Zu'an continued, "Then there was our encounter with Zhao Hao. Both Jing Teng and Hong Lei were extremely nervous. Logically, given Wei Suo's nature, he should have been trembling, but you remained calm. I could sense the composure deep in your eyes."

At that, everyone present began to admire him. It was remarkable that even in such a life-or-death situation, he had the presence of mind to observe someone seemingly insignificant in the corner.

Zu'an then looked at Wei Suo, who lay on the ground beneath the enormous spectral face, his condition unknown. He wondered when the Ghost King had possessed him.

He hesitated, deciding not to ask the Ghost King about Wei Suo's condition. Letting the Ghost King know his concern could inadvertently endanger Wei Suo.

"You are indeed a remarkably perceptive individual; it's no wonder Wolong and Fenghu were defeated by you," the Ghost King remarked with an appreciative nod. Then, his massive spectral face turned towards Zhao Hao. "Who exactly are you? I've never heard of your origins."

Someone of such power could not possibly remain unknown throughout the world.

Zhao Hao snorted, "I am merely passing through; I have no desire to be your enemy."

Their brief exchange had made him wary of the other's power; it was better to avoid conflict if possible.

The Ghost King also wavered, as Zhao Hao's strength was clearly far beyond what he had imagined, making him a formidable opponent.

Just then, Zu'an's voice cut through the air: "The Emperor is nearing the Five Decays of Heaven and Man and is determined to secure the immortal destiny on this trip. The Ghost King, if I'm not mistaken, is also interested in it. Miss Jing, you know this tomb well—are there two portions of immortal destiny here?"

Jing Teng, a clever woman, deliberately replied loudly, "Of course there's only one. As it's called immortal destiny, it can only be obtained by the fated one. How could there be multiple portions for everyone to simply enjoy?"

The moment these words were uttered, the expressions of both the Ghost King and Zhao Hao changed. They knew he was trying to sow discord, but this was a blatant, open tactic. Unless one of them yielded, a fierce battle was inevitable.

Crucially, Zu'an was quite cunning; he deliberately highlighted Zhao Hao's imminent death and his reliance on this immortal destiny for survival. The Ghost King, understanding Zhao Hao's desperate resolve, knew there was no possibility of him backing down.

Given the circumstances, it was better to seize the opportunity provided by the recent sneak attack that injured Zhao Hao and eliminate this rival completely.

With his decision made, the Ghost King's colossal face lunged directly at Zhao Hao, engulfing him.

Zhao Hao's eyes flashed with fierce resolve as he, radiating a golden glow, charged forward to meet the attack.

He was determined to discover the true extent of power wielded by the world's most terrifying Ghost King.

In the eyes of both the Ghost King and Zhao Hao, the primary contender for the immortal destiny within the tomb was each other. As for Zu'an and his companions, despite their cleverness, they were ultimately mere ants.

The minor players could be dealt with later; securing victory meant eliminating the most formidable rival first.

Li Changsheng and Xuan Bajing hastily scrambled to the side. In a battle of this magnitude, even being struck by residual energy could lead to their immediate demise.

Zhao Hao swiftly plunged into the heart of the black mist. Countless skulls surged towards him as he radiated golden light. Employing both fist and finger techniques, he struck out with both hands, shattering large clusters of skulls into fragments with every blow.

Zu'an and the others watched in profound admiration. Zhao Hao's fist and finger techniques appeared deceptively simple and direct, yet they had clearly reached a state of refined simplicity. Eschewing flashy techniques, every move he made exuded a majestic, emperor-like presence, making him seem more righteous compared to the Ghost King's sinister aura.

As the two adversaries clashed, he decided not to flee. He stayed, hoping for an opportunity to play the "fisherman," benefiting from their struggle.

Even though the Ghost King and the Emperor believed they had already sufficiently acknowledged his capabilities, they had, in fact, still underestimated him; he possessed the power to significantly influence the battle's outcome.

At that moment, Zhao Hao, airborne, frowned slightly. He realized that no matter how many of the Ghost King's skulls he shattered, the opponent's aura remained entirely unaffected.

Conversely, the incredibly sinister aura emanating from the skulls was subtly affecting him.

While the effect was not substantial, the constant attrition meant he would gradually be at a disadvantage over time.

Zu'an nodded discreetly. It seemed Wolong's earlier assessment was correct: the Ghost King appeared to be immune to physical attacks.

At that moment, Zhao Hao let out a cold snort and suddenly descended to the ground. A golden phantom rose from his head, manifesting as a golden-armored war god.

This was Zhao Hao's primordial spirit; he had clearly realized that physical attacks alone would be ineffective against the Ghost King.

The moment his primordial spirit appeared, the black mist rapidly receded, and many skulls even began to melt on contact.

The golden giant dispersed the black mist with a single punch, causing countless skulls to scatter with piercing screams.

However, the golden giant sneered. With a grasp of his other massive hand, the surrounding space seemed to warp and constrict, seizing countless skulls that had been attempting to flee.

The giant hand clenched tightly, and the skulls shrieked hideously before crumbling into dust.

Li Changsheng watched, utterly mesmerized. He wondered when he would ever reach such a level, this being a battle between Earth Immortals.

Xuan Bajing, however, quickly seized the opportunity to flatter: "Your Majesty is indeed unrivaled under heaven! May you live ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Jing Teng couldn't help but cast a glance at Zu'an. This 'Emperor' was astonishingly powerful; the key question was, why had Zu'an provoked such a formidable enemy?

Qiu Honglei also appeared troubled. The stronger Zhao Hao became, the greater her apprehension. Regardless of her identity as a demonic sect member or her relationship with A'Zu, he was undeniably an absolute enemy.

Zu'an, however, watched the battlefield with intense concentration, confident that the Ghost King would not be defeated so easily.

As expected, no hint of joy crossed Zhao Hao's face. Instead, he gazed towards a distant point.

Soon, a mass of black shadows reformed in that direction, and countless skulls once again coalesced into a colossal spectral face, which spoke in a hollow, rumbling voice: "This is interesting."

Zhao Hao frowned. "How is this possible? Why are my attacks utterly ineffective against this being? How can such an uncontainable entity exist in heaven and earth?"

There had to be a way; he simply hadn't discovered it yet.

Just then, the enormous spectral face looked at the golden giant and chuckled, "Ah, souls—these are my absolute favorite."

No sooner had he spoken than he suddenly opened his vast mouth and unleashed a series of ear-splitting, agonizing shrieks.

A terrifying sound wave propagated outwards. A group of individuals, drawn by the intense battle aura, had been approaching to investigate.

However, the moment they drew near, they were met with the horrific shriek, and a struggling phantom was immediately ripped from each of their heads.

Those who had intended to investigate were clearly formidable experts of their generation. Yet, not one of them could withstand the assault; their souls were instantly torn from their bodies and sent flying.

Although the ghostly soul-forms struggled desperately, attempting to cling to their bodies, their efforts were futile as the piercing shrieks continued relentlessly.

Countless struggling, contorted soul-forms plummeted into the colossal spectral face's maw. The face contorted in an expression of sheer enjoyment, even making chewing motions.

"Ghost King Demonic Sound!" Zu'an gasped in horror, recognizing the ultimate technique that Wolong had once described.

Fortunately, having prior intelligence, he had deliberately kept everyone at a significant distance. Yet, even so, he felt a tremor of disorientation, and the other two women were in even worse shape, their expressions clouded with confusion.

Zu'an immediately summoned Bai Ming and unleashed the Lion's Roar Skill, countering the sonic assault with his own. This barely managed to rouse the consciousness of the others.

"Go!" He dared not remain to observe the fight any longer, as he noticed Zhao Hao's primordial spirit phantom was significantly affected, clearly losing the upper hand.

Remaining now wouldn't be a matter of reaping benefits; they would simply be caught in the collateral damage.

Jing Teng regained her composure, recognizing the critical situation. She quickly led the others to a nearby wall. Through some unknown means, she caused the wall to open, and they slipped inside, instantly feeling the terrifying pressure dissipate.

Zhao Hao had indeed noticed their movements, but at that moment, he was powerless to stop them, barely able to defend himself.

He felt a terrifying force attempting to sever the connection between his primordial spirit and his physical body. He knew that while the primordial spirit was powerful, the world was like a bitter sea, and the physical body served as the vessel protecting it. Once separated from its vessel and cast into that sea, the spirit would become like a rootless plant, eventually dissolving and dissipating completely.

At that point, he would be utterly unable to resist the Ghost King's absorption and could easily become its sustenance.

While he struggled to resist, Li Changsheng and Xuan Bajing on the other side were also fighting to hold on.

As renowned Grandmasters and leaders of their respective sects, the secret techniques they wielded far surpassed those of ordinary Grandmasters.

They each employed their unique, signature techniques to maintain the stability of their souls. Thus, unlike others around them, their spirits were not instantly ripped from their bodies.

However, as time wore on, they discovered with horror that they too were on the verge of collapsing. The spectral forms of their souls were gradually emerging from their heads, desperately clinging to their bodies, even as they pleaded to Zhao Hao: "Your Majesty, save us!"