Chapter 476 (2)
Meng Dian struggled and protested, "Old Daoist, don't slander me! This magical artifact was something I acquired by chance and refined through great effort. I have never harmed anyone with it!"
However, the old Daoist said nothing in response. He merely continued to gaze at him coldly.
The surrounding experts, recalling the sinister aura emanating from Meng Dian's terrifying Netherworld Ghost Claw earlier, couldn't help but believe the old Daoist’s words.
At that moment, Meng Dian had looked nothing like a righteous cultivator—he was the very embodiment of a demonic heretic!
Feeling the scrutinizing gazes of those around him, Meng Dian's expression became visibly flustered.
Just as he was about to offer another excuse, Lu Qing suddenly spoke.
"Senior, you said that the Netherworld Elder has already perished. But I don’t think that’s necessarily true."
"What did you say?!"
The old Daoist was startled and turned sharply toward Lu Qing.
Everyone else also turned to look at him.Lu Qing, however, merely kept his gaze fixed on the gray Netherworld Ghost Claw, which he had been suppressing all this time.
"Isn’t that right, Netherworld Old Ghost?"
Netherworld Old Ghost?! Inside the Netherworld Ghost Claw?!
All eyes were now locked onto the ghost claw.
Then, they noticed something—where it had been struggling and twisting moments ago, it had now become eerily still, floating motionlessly in midair.
As confusion spread among the crowd, Lu Qing let out a slight smile.
"Since you refuse to reveal yourself, then you might as well perish."
As he spoke, behind him, a large ancient crimson cauldron materialized in an illusory form.
The cauldron's mouth opened, instantly pulling in the Netherworld Ghost Claw.
Within the cauldron's phantom, countless transparent flames erupted, coiling around the ghost claw and beginning the process of incineration.
Given Lu Qing's current cultivation, the Nanming Bright Fire he wielded was terrifyingly potent.
Even without summoning the Li Huo Cauldron’s true form, the power of his flames far surpassed what ordinary spiritual artifacts could withstand.
Moreover, the Netherworld Ghost Claw, a dark and sinister magical artifact, was naturally countered by the Li Huo Cauldron’s fire.
To make matters worse, it had already been severely damaged and had yet to regain its peak strength.
Now, being burned by the Nanming Bright Fire, the gray miasma covering the claw instantly began sizzling, accompanied by bone-chilling wails as it was reduced to nothingness.
Hearing the Netherworld Ghost Claw let out piercing, soul-wrenching screams as if it were alive, everyone present couldn't help but shudder.
This demonic artifact was beyond eerie—just looking at it sent shivers down their spines.
As the Nanming Bright Fire continued its relentless burning, the gray miasma surrounding the claw rapidly dissipated.
Soon, its true form was revealed—an ominous gray skeletal claw.
Just as the flames surged forward to refine it completely—
A hidden presence buried deep within the claw could no longer endure.
Suddenly, a large surge of gray miasma burst forth from within the claw, momentarily resisting the burning flames.
Within the swirling miasma, a portion of it condensed into a sinister ghostly face, which locked its gaze onto Lu Qing with cold fury.
"Boy, don't push your luck!"
"Oh? So you've finally shown yourself, Netherworld Old Ghost?"
Lu Qing’s thoughts stirred, and he momentarily paused the Nanming Bright Fire, looking at the ghostly face with a calm expression.
By now, the surrounding experts were utterly dumbfounded.
There truly was another entity residing within the ghost claw?
As for Meng Dian, he stood there, completely stunned, his face filled with disbelief.
He couldn't accept that the magical artifact he had refined and controlled for so long—
Had actually been harboring another consciousness all along!
"Boy, how did you discover me?"
The Netherworld Old Ghost's spectral face glared at Lu Qing, unable to comprehend how he had been exposed.
He had been certain that his concealment was flawless.
Even that foolish Meng Dian had never noticed his presence.
Yet this young man had instantly pinpointed his existence and even revealed his identity outright.
While shocked, the ghostly face also felt an overwhelming sense of absurdity.
And worse still, this brat happened to possess a magical artifact that completely countered him.
"Nanming Bright Fire…"
The Netherworld Old Ghost muttered gravely.
"Boy, to think that the Li Huo Sect’s Li Huo Cauldron has fallen into your hands. Have you inherited its legacy?"
Lu Qing shook his head slightly.
"It seems you still haven’t grasped the situation, old ghost."
Without further delay, the flames within the Li Huo Cauldron roared to life once more, surging toward the gray ghostly face.
"Do you think you're in any position to question me?"
The intensified Nanming Bright Fire scorched the ghostly face, burning a large hole through it.
A pained scream echoed as the Netherworld Old Ghost frantically summoned more gray miasma to resist.
However, Nanming Bright Fire was his natural bane.
No matter how much miasma he conjured, it was instantly incinerated into nothingness.
As the ghostly face shrank more and more, on the verge of total annihilation—
The Netherworld Old Ghost finally broke down.
"Stop! Stop! I admit defeat!"
The Nanming Bright Fire hesitated but did not vanish, still hovering around the Netherworld Ghost Claw, poised to strike at any moment.
Seeing this, the Netherworld Old Ghost’s expression darkened further.
Damn it!
Of all magical artifacts, why this one?
Had it been any other, he might have been able to resist.
But the Li Huo Cauldron contained the laws of fire, and could even summon the Nanming Bright Fire, a terrifying flame that had existed since the ancient cultivation era.
It was one of the ultimate counters to his existence.
Adding to his woes, this young man’s strength was inexplicably profound—even he couldn’t gauge the extent of it.
Now that he was at a disadvantage, he had no choice but to temporarily submit.
"Calmed down?" Lu Qing asked coolly.
"Good. Then I ask, and you answer."
The Netherworld Old Ghost's ghostly face twisted in frustration.
But seeing no other way out, he swallowed his pride and responded.
"What do you want to know?"
"Are you the Netherworld Old Ghost?"
"That's right. I am the Netherworld Elder you speak of!"
His tone carried a hint of pride.
The surrounding experts gasped in horror.
It truly was the Netherworld Old Ghost!
According to the old Daoist from Qingyang Temple, this was an ancient Nascent Soul cultivator from the previous cultivation era!
He had actually survived until now?!
For a moment, everyone was at a loss for words, overwhelmed by a deep, indescribable shock.
"So it really is you," Lu Qing mused.
"It seems you've used a soul-transferring technique, seizing your own magical artifact’s spirit, to avoid the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, clinging onto life until now."
"How do you know that?!"
For the first time, the Netherworld Old Ghost was truly shaken.