Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 500 We're ghosts!
"what!!!"

Zhao Bao let out a shrill scream and sprang to his feet like a spring.

His face was contorted with pain, his discomfort palpable, and his complexion quickly turned ashen, devoid of any color.

Suddenly startled during his training, Zhao Bao's internal energy became chaotic. His out-of-control internal force, like a wild horse, rampaged through his meridians, causing rampage and destruction.

This sudden turn of events caused him immense pain, and he hurriedly circulated his internal energy in an attempt to suppress the chaotic energy.

He closed his eyes tightly, large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his jaw was clenched, and his body trembled slightly.

Fortunately, after a difficult effort, the chaotic breathing gradually subsided, and he felt a little better.

Liang Jin, who had been watching closely, looked on with concern and asked with care:

"Brother Zhao Bao, are you alright?"

He originally thought Zhao Bao had gone mad with internal energy and was secretly circulating his power, ready to save him at any moment.

However, it seems that Zhao Bao suffered a huge shock to his mind, which caused his breathing to become disordered. This is fundamentally different from being possessed by a demon.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bao looked at Liang Jin with a surprised and incredulous expression.

fine?

How could it be okay!

I've turned into a terrifying conjoined monster!

Is this great and wise teacher really blind, unable to see anything at all?

"Hey Hey!"

The old man beside him let out a sinister and eerie laugh, a sound like the hooting of an owl, sending chills down one's spine.
“He can’t see us, and nobody in this world can see us.”

"Because we are dead, we are ghosts!"

"Zhao Bao, we are vengeful ghosts who will haunt you for the rest of your life!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bao felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, his whole body feeling as cold as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

His fists clenched unconsciously, his nails digging deep into the flesh of his palms, leaving crescent-shaped bloody marks, but he felt no pain at all.

Suddenly!

He suddenly reached out and grabbed at the old man's head, his eyes filled with anger and fear, as if he wanted to tear this terrifying being to shreds.

However, the old man's neck suddenly became as thin and flexible as a snake, twisting and swaying in the air.

No matter how hard Zhao Bao tried to grab him, the old man always managed to skillfully evade him, as if he were always just out of reach, beyond his fingertips.

Liang Jin asked anxiously again:

"Zhao Bao! What's wrong with you?"

He only saw Zhao Bao frantically grabbing around him, his movements like madness, as if trying to grasp something invisible in the air, but he couldn't see anything, and his heart was filled with doubt and worry.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bao was startled.

He really can't see!

Could it be... that I'm really being haunted by an evil spirit?
At this moment, the old woman stared at Liang Jin with resentful eyes and said viciously:
"This guy is the one who killed us!"

"We must kill him! He must die!"

"Kill him first, then go kill that dog emperor Zhao Wuji!"

Her voice was shrill and piercing, like fingernails scraping against glass, making one feel extremely uncomfortable.

Zhao Bao covered his ears in terror, trying to block out the ghostly tales of these evil spirits.

But those voices seemed to have taken root, constantly echoing in his mind, as if they came from the depths of his soul, and it would probably be no use even if he were deafened.

The old man continued:
"Zhao Bao, you're too weak to kill him!"

"Quickly digest all the power we passed on to you, so that you can defeat him."

The old man's tone was urgent and urging, as if he wished Zhao Bao would become powerful immediately.

Then the old woman cried out shrilly again:

"Not enough! This is still not enough!"

"Zhao Bao still needs to go to the Molting Skin Ravine to undergo a baptism and obtain the bloodline!"

"Once you become powerful, we will take you to the Kui Abyss, where you will find the power of immortality!"

"Then we can kill that dog emperor Zhao Wuji!"

When the old woman spoke, her sharp teeth constantly rubbed against each other, making a chilling sound, as if every word was squeezed out from between her teeth.

Upon hearing this, the old man immediately retorted angrily:

"Bullshit! We need to get the Reincarnation Embryo back first!"

"With the Reincarnation Embryo, we can be reincarnated endlessly; that is true eternity!"

The old woman was not to be outdone and immediately launched into a tirade of angry words at the old man, her voice filled with resentment and rage.

The two argued back and forth, neither willing to give in, and the argument escalated.

As Zhao Bao listened to the two monsters cursing incessantly in his mind, he felt as if his head was being torn into three parts, his head throbbing and his irritability reaching its peak.

He had absolutely no idea how to get rid of these two terrifying demons, and his heart was filled with despair and helplessness.

"Zhao Bao? Zhao Bao!"

Liang Jin shouted loudly:

"Quickly drink this talisman water!"

Liang Jin only saw Zhao Bao's face contorted in pain, clutching his ears and head, looking like he was in excruciating agony.

He didn't know what had happened to Zhao Bao, so in this emergency, he could only take out the healing talisman water again and force-feed it to Zhao Bao.

"How do you feel now?"

Tell me, and perhaps I can help you.

Liang Jin asked patiently.

The talisman water that Zhao Bao was forced to drink had no effect. The old man and the old woman beside him continued to argue, but he was awakened by the chaos and gradually calmed down.

Although he still didn't understand what had happened to him, he knew clearly that panic and fear wouldn't solve anything.

He must face the situation calmly and seek a solution rationally.

Zhao Bao raised his head and looked at Liang Jin, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

"I am fine."

"I just recalled some painful memories, and I'm sorry to have troubled my great teacher."

Zhao Bao answered calmly, forcing a smile to try and hide his fear and unease.

In this world, apart from Brother Jin and Xiao Lian, there is no one else he is willing to trust.

Especially this great and virtuous teacher in front of me, who has been very kind to me ever since we met.

But it was precisely this unprovoked kindness that made Zhao Bao increasingly suspicious and wary of the Great Teacher.

Zhao Bao experienced countless intrigues and betrayals in the palace, and witnessed too much darkness and cruelty.

He firmly believes that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and that if someone is nice to you for no reason, they must have ulterior motives.

The greater the cost, the better it is for you; the bigger his scheme, the bigger it is!
Especially since this great teacher is a heretical Taoist priest!
Who knows if he'll kill himself after he finds out he's possessed by an evil spirit?
The old man praised:

"Zhao Bao, you're very clever. We can't let others know we exist."

"Especially, we can't let this person in front of us know!"

“This person is strange; he can impersonate one of our people and deceive them.”

"This person is definitely up to no good!"

The old woman snorted coldly and said viciously:

"Zhao Bao, you should find a reason to deceive him, find his weakness, and then kill him!"

"This person is no good! He deserves to die just like that dog emperor Zhao Wuji!"

"They all deserve to die! They deserve to be torn to pieces!"

Zhao Bao ignored the words of the two oddballs, and looked at the great teacher in front of him with a calm smile.

Liang Jin frowned slightly, sensing that something was wrong with Zhao Bao.

But he really didn't know what Zhao Bao had gone through during the time he was trapped in Zanglong Ridge.

In particular, Zhao Bao seemed to be extremely wary of his clone and was unwilling to communicate openly.

Liang Jin pondered for a moment, just about to speak.

suddenly!

His expression hardened, as if he had realized something extremely important.

So Liang Jin changed his tune and said:

"Brother Zhao Bao, I have to go take care of some things."

"There will be a major battle then, so don't come over yet to avoid being caught in the crossfire."

"After I've finished dealing with this, I'll come back and take you to find the princess and the others."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bao immediately nodded in agreement.

The old man beside him spoke up:
"He's going to kill someone! He exudes such a strong murderous aura!"

"Zhao Bao, don't be fooled by his harmless and handsome appearance. Thousands upon thousands of souls have died at his hands!"

The old woman also cried out sharply:

"Martial artists are here! One of them is a third-rank!"

"They must all be Zhao Wuji's lackeys!"

"Zhao Bao, quickly digest the internal energy we gave you, then kill them all first, and then kill the princess!"

Zhao Bao listened quietly, his expression unchanged, as if these words were just passing by.

As Liang Jin was leaving, he gave Zhao Bao one last deep look, as if trying to glean something from his expression.

Only then did he turn around and leave completely.

After Liang Jin left, Zhao Bao immediately sat down cross-legged and began to cultivate his internal energy.

He knew that no matter what happened, he really needed to become stronger as soon as possible.

The old man immediately said:
"Zhao Bao, practice according to the method I taught you, and you will achieve twice the results with half the effort!"

The old woman cried out:
"Zhao Bao, listen to me! Start training now, and hurry up and kill that dog emperor!"

Zhao Bao's heart stirred upon hearing this.

Could it be that this conjoined freak is planning to teach me martial arts?

He had witnessed the power of these conjoined twins firsthand, and if he could learn their martial arts, that would be an incredible stroke of luck!

If Zhao Bao could really have two experts by his side to guide his cultivation, then he wouldn't be in a hurry to get rid of them.

Zhao Bao immediately spoke up:

"Seniors, please tell me your cultivation methods first, so I can see which one is more suitable for me."

"Once I become a master, I will naturally avenge my two predecessors!"

Zhao Bao spoke respectfully and earnestly, his tone revealing utmost sincerity.

But in his heart, he was filled with disdain.

Kill the emperor?

Unless Zhao Bao is insane, he wouldn't do something like that.

What benefit could Zhao Bao gain from rebelling and killing the emperor?
He was a eunuch, and thus belonged to the same camp as the emperor.

If one can gain the emperor's favor, that is the only way for a eunuch to rise to prominence!

Once Zhao Bao becomes stronger, the first thing he will kill is these two evil spirits that are entangled with him!

The evil spirits want to use Zhao Bao, but Zhao Bao also wants to use them!
………………

the other side.

The group moved quickly through the poisonous miasma-filled mountains and forests.

The poisonous miasma, like thick smoke, enveloped the surroundings, obstructing vision and making one feel as if they were in a state of chaos.

Ye Xianqing and Wen Hengrong walked ahead.

Ye Xianqing's steps were slightly hurried, his eyes revealing a hint of anxiety and anticipation; Wen Hengrong, on the other hand, remained calm, but was secretly calculating the distance in her heart.

Jiang Duanchao supported Shen Cangming as they walked behind. Shen Cangming's face was as pale as paper, and his steps were unsteady, as if each step required all his strength.

Logically speaking, Shen Cangming, who was seriously injured, should have stayed where he was to heal properly.

Jiang Duanchao was an extremely suspicious man, like a wary lone wolf. Although he outwardly chose to believe Shen Cangming, deep down he always harbored doubts.

Only by keeping Shen Cangming by his side could he detect any abnormalities in Shen Cangming immediately, and once a problem was discovered, he could immediately take his life and make him pay the price for deceiving him!

More importantly, it served as a deterrent to Shen Cangming, preventing him from making any rash moves.

Even with such thoughts in mind, Jiang Duanchao's face remained full of kindness and concern as he spoke in a gentle tone:
"Brother Shen, please slow down."

"You're so badly injured, you mustn't get agitated, lest you aggravate your injuries."

"Since I promised to help you get revenge, I will definitely keep my word."

Shen Cangming's face grew increasingly pale, like the last snowflakes in winter, yet he gritted his teeth and insisted on continuing forward, his voice weak but resolute:

"No...we must kill him as soon as possible!"

"Otherwise, if he escapes this calamity... and grows stronger in the future... then we will all die!"

Jiang Duanchao naturally agreed with these words.

If it weren't for the plan to take advantage of Liang Jin's injury to kill him in one fell swoop, Jiang Duanchao would not have been willing to take such a risk.

Jiang Duanchao often felt that high-level martial artists were like ferocious beasts in the jungle.

These ferocious beasts are usually majestic and awe-inspiring, inspiring awe in all other animals.

However, few people know that they are extremely afraid of getting injured when hunting.

If faced with the risk of injury, they will not hesitate to give up their prey.

For these wild beasts, injury is often fatal.

Normally it's fine; I can hide in my own territory and slowly recover from my injuries.

But now, with so many experts gathered, each with their own ulterior motives, they are like a pack of hungry wolves.

In this situation, whoever is unfortunately injured will become the target of everyone's criticism and face the greatest risk.

Jiang Duanchao initially planned to join forces with Gu Jinfu to eliminate Liang Jin.

However, with Gu Jinfu's sudden change of stance, Jiang Duanchao could only suppress his murderous intent.

But now that the opportunity has come again, Jiang Duanchao's murderous intent surged instantly, and he risked coming without hesitation.

Ye Xianqing urged Wen Hengrong impatiently:

"Are you there yet?"

"We've walked for so long, how much further do we have to go?"

Ye Xianqing had been looking forward to getting credit for killing the Great Teacher on his own, but now that Jiang Duanchao had personally intervened, he was extremely displeased, yet dared not show it in the slightest.

Therefore, he could only vent his anger on Wen Hengrong.

Wen Hengrong immediately replied:
"Elder Ye, it's just ahead, we'll be there soon."

As she walked, she silently calculated the distance in her mind.

She has now successfully lured Jiang Duanchao and the others far enough away.

In this way, once the two sides start fighting, the experts around the princess will not be able to arrive in time to intervene.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xianqing quickly composed himself, his eyes sharpened, and his hand instinctively moved closer to the hilt of his sword, as if he were ready to draw it at any moment.

Can be sudden.

Jiang Duanchao's journey came to an abrupt halt.

His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, scanned the surrounding poisonous miasma for a moment, then he said with certainty:
"We're almost there."

"In fact, it has already arrived."

As he spoke, Jiang Duanchao carefully helped Shen Cangming sit down on a rock and said with concern:

"Brother Shen, you stay here and recover well. I'll go and avenge you."

"Elder Ye, and that woman, come and take care of Brother Shen."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xianqing and Wen Hengrong immediately rushed to Shen Cangming's side.

Ye Xianqing's eyes revealed a hint of reluctance, while Wen Hengrong secretly glanced at Shen Cangming.

Shen Cangming took something out of his pocket, then put it in his mouth and swallowed it.

This thing is called Cold Jade Ice Toad Ointment. In Liang Jin's words, it is a holy medicine for healing injuries.

Now that Shen Cangming has completed his mission, he naturally needs to focus on healing his injuries.

After taking the Cold Jade Ice Toad Ointment, Shen Cangming sat cross-legged and began to circulate his internal energy to digest the medicinal power and heal his injuries.

He doesn't avoid anyone.

Jiang Duanchao and Ye Xianqing did not find anything strange about it.

It's perfectly reasonable for Shen Cangming to take medicine to heal his injuries.

Jiang Duanchao then slung his longsword over his shoulder and, with steady steps, slowly walked towards the vast poisonous miasma ahead.

As he walked, he spoke in a high voice:
“Great Teacher, you shouldn’t have brought your monkey with you.”

"I could smell the pungent odor on that monkey even from this far away."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xianqing tensed up instantly, his heart pounding, and he couldn't help but draw his longsword.

The fear left by the Jade-Faced Fire Monkey was like a deep shadow, far stronger than the intimidation he felt from the Great Sage Teacher.

Back then, three elders from the Purple Cloud Sword Sect went together to wipe out the Crimson Fire Sword Sect, but two of his companions were killed by the Jade-Faced Fire Monkey.

If he hadn't sought help from the sect leader in time, his head would probably have already become a plaything and trophy in the hands of that Jade-Faced Fire Monkey.

Just then, the Jade-Faced Fire Monkey's sharp and unique cry, like a bolt of lightning piercing the night sky, resounded throughout the entire poisonous miasma.

Jiang Duanchao narrowed his eyes slightly, like a cheetah locking onto its prey, scrutinizing its surroundings.

Suddenly!

His hand suddenly rose high.

"call out!!!"

The sword behind him instantly transformed into a silver streak, hurtling fiercely into the vast poisonous miasma with overwhelming force.

The sword strike was so powerful that when it flew into the poisonous miasma, its speed created a long vortex within the miasma, as if it were about to tear the chaotic miasma apart.

Even though their vision was obstructed by the poisonous miasma, everyone could still clearly sense that the longsword had flown at least a hundred feet away, its sharpness unparalleled.

As the sword flew out, a monkey's scream echoed from within the poisonous miasma, a scream filled with pain and panic.

Subsequently.

Jiang Duanchao suddenly waved his hand, and the thick fog in the poisonous miasma instantly churned violently.

"call out!!!"

The longsword that had been shot out earlier actually flew back like a bird returning to its nest, landing steadily in Jiang Duanchao's hand.

Seeing this, Wen Hengrong was greatly shocked, her eyes filled with amazement, astonished:

"This...this is like a sword immortal from mythology, whose flying sword can take a person's head from a thousand miles away?"

Even Shen Cangming, renowned for his swordsmanship, couldn't help but be moved by this move, a hint of surprise and admiration flashing in his eyes.

At this moment, Jiang Duanchao glanced around at the poisonous miasma that filled the air with a gloomy look, and then looked at the long sword that had flown back into his hand.

There were a few severed monkey hairs stuck to the sword.

Clearly, the Jade-Faced Fire Monkey was exceptionally agile. Even though Jiang Duanchao's flying sword was incredibly fast, he still couldn't kill it with a single strike, only managing to scare it away.

Jiang Duanchao immediately said in a deep voice:

"Great Teacher, is all you do is send your pets out to cause trouble?"

His voice, like rolling thunder, echoed through the poisonous miasma, reaching deep into the vast miasma-filled landscape.

This time, there was finally a response from within the poisonous miasma.

Liang Jin's voice rang out leisurely:
"Jiang Duanchao, I am willing to duel with you alone simply because I want to witness your sword intent."

"If you are still unwilling to reveal your sword intent, then there is no need for us to waste any more time."

Liang Jin's voice sounded extremely calm, like a still lake without any ripples.

But as his voice rang out, the poisonous miasma in front of everyone seemed to be frantically stirred by countless invisible hands, becoming violent and agitated, and surging forth one huge vortex after another.

In particular, the ground around Jiang Duanchao was cracking and popping as the pebbles and plants exploded.

In an instant, stone dust and grass clippings flew everywhere, soiling the hem of Jiang Duanchao's robe.

It's amazing that such a powerful effect can be created using only sound.

Wen Hengrong couldn't help but be amazed again.

She felt that the martial arts of these third-rank masters far exceeded the scope of worldly martial arts, and were as terrifying as the magic of gods in mythology.

Jiang Duanchao also raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly surprised by Liang Jin's move.

Then, he said in a deep voice:
"What the Great Teacher said is very insightful!"

“That’s right, we don’t need to waste time, after all, we all have important things to do.”

Let's settle our score quickly!

"Let me show you my Great Tide Sword Intent!"

After saying that, Jiang Duanchao loosened his grip, and the long sword in his palm fell straight down and stuck into the ground.

At the same time, a unique aura suddenly emanated from his body.

This kind of aura is not just the aura of an ordinary martial artist, but a magnificent aura that comes from the spirit and will!

Such momentum is like a surging river, or a surging tide, with wave after wave constantly surging in.

They surged wildly in all directions.

Although this was an aura of will and spirit, it was able to have an impact on reality.

Although it could not affect those hard and heavy objects, the surrounding hazy poisonous miasma was constantly being washed away by the tide.

Shen Cangming's old eyes suddenly snapped open, like cold stars twinkling in the night sky. He said in a deep voice to Wen Hengrong and Ye Xianqing:
"You two juniors, open your eyes and see clearly!"

"A duel between two third-rank martial artists who possess martial intent—most martial artists will never witness such a duel in their entire lives!"

"Since you are fortunate enough to witness this match, you must watch it carefully and attentively!"

"What you see today will greatly benefit your future martial arts training!"

Even Shen Cangming, the infamous "Cangming Sword" with a fierce and ruthless swordsmanship in the martial arts world, gave such a solemn instruction, so how could Wen Hengrong and Ye Xianqing dare to be negligent in the slightest?

The two men, who had been somewhat relaxed, instantly focused their attention, their eyes widening as they stared intently at the direction where the great battle was about to unfold, as if they wanted to imprint every detail of this rare duel deep into their hearts.

at this time.

Jiang Duanchao's aura surged and gushed forth like an erupting volcano.

That immense power of will transformed into an invisible wave, heavily impacting the poisonous miasma that permeated the surroundings.

Driven by this powerful force, the poisonous miasma retreated rapidly into the distance, like the receding tide.

In the blink of an eye.

The area within a hundred feet of Jiang Duanchao gradually became clear, and the thick, ink-like poisonous miasma was completely washed away, leaving no trace.

This was the first time the group had such a clear view since they entered the mysterious and dangerous region of Burial Dragon Ridge.

Under the sunlight, the surrounding scenery gradually became clear and discernible. The outlines of distant mountains and the textures of nearby trees were all presented before their eyes, bringing a long-lost sense of comfort to everyone.

In this gradually brightening space, those who had been hidden in the poisonous miasma and fog gradually emerged clearly, as if they had stepped out of an illusory dream.

In the distance stood a handsome man, tall and imposing.

A bright red monkey was perched on his shoulder.

This person is none other than Liang Jin!

The moment Jiang Duanchao saw Liang Jin clearly, he felt his heart clench, as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

His pupils contracted sharply, and his eyes instantly flashed with a complex mix of emotions, including shock, anger, and disbelief.

"You're not injured?!"

Jiang Duanchao's voice rose involuntarily, trembling slightly, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he roared angrily:

"Shen Cangming lied to me!!!"

Jiang Duanchao's roar echoed through the empty mountain forest, startling a flock of birds and causing leaves to fall in a rustling sound, which was enough to show that the anger in his heart had reached its peak.

at the same time.

The sword stuck in the ground also moved!
However, the sword was not aimed at Liang Jin, but rather... Shen Cangming!

(End of this chapter)