「Three days later.」

"Hahahahaha!"

A piercing laugh suddenly echoed through White Bone Cave. A white afterimage flickered, and a handsome young man with delicate features and a fair, ruddy complexion appeared in the main hall.

"Father! Mother! I’ve mastered the Bone Evil Child Skill!" the young man boomed with laughter.

In the main hall of White Bone Cave, White Bone God Monarch and Lady White Bone sat high in the seats of honor. They watched the beaming young man below and couldn’t help but nod in approval.

Perhaps because his cultivation was still unstable, wisps of black qi seeped from his skin as he laughed, exuding an incredibly vicious aura.

Lady White Bone murmured in admiration, "So this is the White Bone Evil Qi?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Correct," the White Bone God Monarch cackled. "This Evil Qi is created by integrating the Bone of the Three Yang Child into one’s own body and merging it with my White Bone Yin Energy. This Yin Yang Fusion grants it infinite power!"

Lady White Bone asked, "Can it counter the magic from Daluo Palace?"

"Daluo Palace? Hah! A bunch of Mages who dare to act so high and mighty?" the young man roared with laughter. "They offended you, Mother, so I will go tear out their tendons and flay their skin, then grind their bones to dust and scatter the ashes!"

As his voice faded, the young man’s form transformed into a streak of white light, shooting out of White Bone Cave and heading straight for Bai Shi Prefecture.

...

「Bai Shi Prefecture, Daluo Temple.」

"The White Bone God Monarch never showed up," Taoist Ming Yu said, puzzled. "Could he have gone to Changping Prefecture to inquire about our past victories?"

"Even if he did, he wouldn’t necessarily be afraid of us," Taoist Jing Feng said, shaking his head. "Don’t forget, he has over a thousand years of Dao Practice and has reigned supreme in Bai Shi Prefecture for all that time."

Taoist Yan Ling stroked his beard. "Perhaps his hands are tied."

"Hmm?" The other old Daoists all looked at him.

Taoist Yan Ling said gravely, "When that disciple from White Bone Cave came to ’make friends’ with us, he said he was acting on his lady’s orders—meaning the wife of the White Bone God Monarch, not the Divine Monarch himself."

"Could the White Bone God Monarch be in seclusion as well?" Taoist Qingyuan mused. "Just like that Ink Flood Dragon?"

"It’s possible," Taoist Shen Hao nodded. "That would explain why Lady White Bone has to guard their stronghold and dares not venture out."

At this, Taoist Shen Hao asked, "Are those two the only experts in White Bone Cave?"

Taoist Yan Ling nodded. "I heard they also have a son named White Bone. He’s said to be rebellious, arrogant, and conceited. Three years ago, he was severely wounded by the Ningbi Flood Dragon from Green Water Pool. It’s unknown whether he survived."

"Could it be..."

Before Taoist Qingyuan could finish, his expression changed dramatically, and he instinctively looked up at the sky.

"He’s here!" Taoist Yan Ling shot to his feet.

The old Daoists walked out of their meditation chamber to see a ghastly white light streaking across the sky, heading straight for Daluo Temple.

The next moment, the white light hovered above Daluo Temple, revealing a young man, barely four feet tall, with rosy lips and pearly teeth.

Although the young man was handsome, he wore a short robe embroidered with countless white bones. A fist-sized skull hung from his neck as a pendant. A red light gleamed in his eyes, and a savage grin twisted his face. He was clearly no benevolent figure.

"So you’re the ruffians from Daluo Palace?" the young man barked.

But before the old Daoists could reply, he shot downward, clawing at the chest of the eldest among them, Taoist Shen Hao. A wave of Evil Qi instantly enveloped the Taoist, attempting to bind him.

"I’ll rip out your hearts and livers as an apology to my mother! They’ll make for a fine drink!" the young man roared with laughter.

"You’re White Bone?" Taoist Yan Ling raised an eyebrow. Two beams of Taiyi Divine Light shot from his eyes, instantly locking onto the boy.

However, White Bone only faltered for an instant before continuing his charge toward Taoist Shen Hao.

"Oh?" Taoist Yan Ling was taken aback. Though he hadn’t used his full strength, the Taiyi Divine Light was not something just anyone could withstand. ’This White Bone’s Cultivation Technique is different from that of this world’s ordinary Demon Ghosts.’

Seeing White Bone descend into Daluo Temple with lightning speed, Taoist Ming Yu formed a hand seal for the Celestial Thunder Technique, instantly calling down a bolt from the heavens.

"BOOM!"

Thunder cracked and purple lightning flashed. White Bone finally cried out in pain and stopped in his tracks.

But though he stopped, Taoist Shen Hao would not.

The Evil Qi binding him was shattered by the True Qi coursing through his body. Taoist Shen Hao’s white eyebrows shot up as he gathered the True Qi into his palm and, with a raised hand, unleashed the Fire Bell Great Curse.

The Flowing Gold Fire Bell struck White Bone’s chest with a flash of crimson-gold light. The fiery radiance instantly began to sear its way into his body.

Taoist Shen Hao may have been a newcomer, but his foundation was incredibly profound. His Dao Practice Magical Power was even greater than Taoist Yan Ling’s had been upon arrival. As a direct heir of the Shangqing Lineage, his Flowing Gold Fire Bell was a technique of the Profound Orthodox Sect, specialized in vanquishing evil.

The Celestial Spirit Talisman was merely a passively activated defensive Talisman from the Shangqing Heavenly Heart Righteous Method; its power was limited. White Bone had judged the efficacy of Daluo Palace’s magic based solely on the Celestial Spirit True Qi within that Talisman, so it was only natural that he would be at a disadvantage.

The Taiyi Divine Light was primarily a support technique, which he could still resist. But against the purely offensive Five Thunders Technique and Fire Bell Technique, he was completely overwhelmed.

Then, Taoist Jing Feng pointed a finger. A wisp of Yin Qi landed on White Bone, and the Mingling Prison Illusion Realm instantly enveloped him. A bone-piercing cold invaded his very being, plunging him directly into the depths of Mingling Hell.

In a flicker, Taoist Qingyuan appeared behind White Bone, his longsword already unsheathed. Yin and Yang swirled at the tip of the blade, forming a tiny vortex that carried the all-consuming Yin Yang Power as it thrust toward the spot over White Bone’s heart.

Having been in this Otherworld for so long, Taoist Qingyuan had become much more adept.

While he wasn’t as versatile in magic as the old Daoists of the Zhengyi Dao, he relied on a single, masterful technique. With his Tai Chi Yin Yang Flowing Method, he could not only deflect attacks to protect himself but also overcome his opponents.

Take this sword strike, for instance. The powers of Yin and Yang were concentrated at the very tip of the blade with the intricacy of a carving on a grain of rice. It looked insignificant, but it was viciously ruthless. Being struck by it would be no less devastating than being hit by Gu Zhao’s Flying Thunder Curse.

Surrounded by the five old Daoists, White Bone was utterly dumbfounded.

’Where did so many masters come from?’

’I thought Taoist Shen Hao, being in the center of the group, was the only expert here with over five hundred years of Dao Practice. That’s why I didn’t even bother to test the waters and just attacked directly.’

’But now I see there are three people whose Dao Practice is higher than mine, and while the other two have less, their combat prowess isn’t the least bit weak!’

Feeling the sharp point of the blade at his back, White Bone didn’t dare to linger for even a moment and shot straight up into the sky.

But just as he took flight, a translucent barrier of light suddenly enveloped Daluo Temple. A dozen invisible iron chains coiled around his body, draining his Protective Magical Power and attempting to shackle his Sea of Divine Soul Consciousness.

The next moment, Five-Colored Thunderclouds coalesced in the sky, rumbling ominously.

Taoist Ming Yu summoned eight Celestial Warriors, augmenting them with his Five Thunders Technique. Taoist Jing Feng summoned eight Mingling Divine Generals, empowering them with his Fengdu Technique. Together with Taoist Qingyuan, they trapped White Bone securely in the center of their formation.

Taoist Yan Ling and Taoist Shen Hao stood on the periphery, one unleashing the Taiyi Divine Light and the other the Flowing Gold Fire Bell.

"Kill!"

...

In midair, the White Bone God Monarch flew leisurely toward Bai Shi Prefecture, his lady’s hand in his.

"Luo’Er’s Magical Power is now greater than yours," the White Bone God Monarch said.

Lady White Bone chuckled. "A blessing in disguise, you could say."

The White Bone God Monarch nodded. "Once he’s destroyed Daluo Temple, we’ll head straight to Green Water Pool and eliminate that Evil Flood Dragon as well."

As they were speaking, the White Bone God Monarch’s expression suddenly shifted, and he looked ahead.

Lady White Bone followed her husband’s gaze and asked curiously, "Those Five-Colored Thunderclouds... they seem to be right over Bai Shi Prefecture?"

A sudden, ominous premonition washed over the White Bone God Monarch. "We must hurry!"