The statue slowly sank into the ground, revealing a golden barrier beneath it.
Yu Xiyan and Su Yunying exchanged a glance. Remaining in a battle-ready stance, they kept their guard up as they watched the barrier.
Just then, a voice echoed from within.
"The fact that you have found this place means you are destined to inherit the legacy. I am but a fragment of Divine Phoenix's consciousness, left behind before my ascension.
"My purpose is to find descendants worthy of inheriting the Divine Phoenix's legacy.
"Come inside.
"The true trial begins now."
After a brief exchange of looks, the two women sensed no hostility from the voice. Lowering their guard, they stepped side by side into the barrier.
A flash of white light enveloped them.
The next moment, they found themselves inside a vast, gloomy hall.
The space was unimaginably enormous, nearly the size of an entire city.
At the far end stood a massive stone wall, beneath which seemed to rest a phoenix with its wings spread wide, radiating an overwhelming aura of the Great Dao.
"Sister, you're injured. I'll scout ahead. Stay close behind me."
"Be careful."
Su Yunying took the lead with her spear in hand while Yu Xiyan followed closely behind as they slowly advanced toward the stone wall.
Roar—
A series of eerie howls suddenly echoed through the empty chamber.
Su Yunying immediately leveled her spear and cautiously scanned her surroundings.
The next instant, her pupils contracted.
The previously dark and deserted hall suddenly lit up with ghostly white light, as bright as day.
Even more terrifying, countless translucent souls gradually emerged from the ground, the stone walls, and even the air itself.
Each wore cracked armor and wielded broken weapons as they slowly marched toward the two women.
Within moments, tens of thousands of spirits had completely surrounded them.
Yu Xiyan immediately drew her sword.
Standing back-to-back with Su Yunying, the two prepared to fight their way out.
"Sister, who are they?"
"I don't know. But I'm certain... they're not living people."
"If they're not alive... are they ghosts? Oh no! I don't know any exorcism techniques. Do you?"
Yu Xiyan shook her head.
"This is my first time encountering something like this as well."
The surrounding air turned deathly cold.
The countless spirits formed orderly battle formations, surrounding the two women before coming to a halt.
Their expressions were twisted with anguish, blue ghostly mist pouring from their mouths, yet none of them attacked.
"Strange... Why do I feel such overwhelming sorrow from them?"
Looking at the lingering souls before her, Yu Xiyan felt an inexplicable ache in her heart.
It was as though these spirits shared some profound connection with her.
Woooooo—
A mournful war horn sounded, like the call to assemble before battle.
Upon hearing the horn, every spirit immediately lined up in perfect military formations, as though awaiting inspection by a commanding officer.
From afar, the army looked solemn and disciplined.
Despite their distorted appearances, each spirit carried unwavering determination and confidence.
Then a lone figure slowly stepped out from among the ranks and approached Yu Xiyan and Su Yunying.
"Who are you?
"And why have you come here?"
His icy voice sounded as though it came from the depths of hell.
Yet to Yu Xiyan and Su Yunying, it resembled the stern but courteous questioning of a veteran general confronting intruders within a military camp.
"I'm sorry."
Su Yunying put away her spear, Lone Goose, and respectfully bowed.
"We entered this place by accident. If we've disturbed you, please forgive us."
The ghostly general ignored her completely.
Instead, he stared fixedly at Yu Xiyan.
As though sensing something, Yu Xiyan stepped forward and returned a solemn salute.
"...The royal salute of Great Yin?"
The general's voice suddenly trembled with excitement.
"You... who are you?"
Behind him, tens of thousands of spirits erupted into furious roars, as if deeply stirred.
Yu Xiyan answered calmly,
"I am the Empress of Great Yin.
"May I ask, General, who you are and which army you served?"
"The Empress... of Great Yin?"
"Indeed. I am Yu Xiyan, the Ninth Monarch of Great Yin."
ROAR—!
The moment those words left her mouth, every spirit roared in unison.
The entire army fell into unrest.
"Sister... something's wrong."
Su Yunying instantly sensed that the spirits were no longer as calm as before.
Yu Xiyan also looked puzzled.
She had no idea why her identity had provoked such a reaction.
"So you truly are the Empress of Great Yin...
"Good... very good."
As soon as he finished speaking, the ghostly general suddenly drew the saber at his waist and slashed directly at Yu Xiyan.
"Sister, watch out!"
Su Yunying yanked Yu Xiyan aside.
The icy blade barely grazed Yu Xiyan's cheek as it swept past.
Still shaken, Yu Xiyan hadn't even recovered before the general swung again.
At that moment, she felt an overwhelming hatred radiating from the spirit.
It was the hatred one reserved for a mortal enemy.
She found herself unable to fight back.
At the critical moment, Su Yunying thrust her spear forward, piercing straight through the general's chest.
But the instant the spear struck, her expression changed.
"Not good!
"These spirits don't have physical bodies. Ordinary weapons can't hurt them...
"But this is an Imperial Weapon!
"Why doesn't it work either?"
Before she could figure it out, the ghostly general ignored the spear entirely, passed through it, and lunged at them.
"Run!"
Yu Xiyan grabbed Su Yunying and retreated several steps, narrowly avoiding the attack.
At that moment, all the spirits began chanting rhythmically.
Their voices carried intense killing intent, as though they were facing sworn enemies.
"This isn't right...
"Something is very wrong."
Su Yunying frowned.
She could sense endless resentment buried within these spirits.
Yet beneath their cries was also an indescribable loneliness and sorrow that pierced straight into her heart.
After missing three consecutive attacks, the ghostly general roared,
"Soldiers!
"Charge with me!
"Slay the tyrant!"
"Hah!"
Instantly, every spirit raised its broken weapon.
Their blazing eyes locked onto Yu Xiyan.
Feeling that unprecedented killing intent, Yu Xiyan's body trembled slightly.
"Who... are these spirits?
"Whose soldiers were they...?"
She frowned.
There was no time to think.
For the sake of survival, she summoned her spirit sword.
"My apologies, everyone."
At the same time, Su Yunying swept her spear.
The Seven Chapters of Dragon Command erupted forth.
"Hundred-Li Dragon Surge!"
The spear swept outward like raging tides.
A colossal sea dragon burst forth, sweeping across the battlefield.
Every spirit struck by the attack instantly disintegrated into drifting dust.
With a single move, over a thousand spirits vanished.
Yet what happened next stunned them.
The scattered souls began reforming before their eyes.
Within only a few breaths, every destroyed spirit stood once again before the two women.
"...This is impossible.
"We can't win.
"We're finished."
Even Su Yunying's hands began trembling.
For the first time, she had no idea what to do.
"Empress of Great Yin...
"Today, you shall pay for your sins."
The ghostly general led a portion of his troops and charged directly at Yu Xiyan.
Yu Xiyan retreated again and again until there was nowhere left to go.
As the general raised his saber over her head, she instinctively lifted her arm to shield herself.
"...What is this?"
The general suddenly froze.
His attack stopped in midair.
"What... is that...?"
The moment he spoke, every spirit halted.
The entire cavern fell into eerie silence.
Yu Xiyan froze.
Following the general's gaze, she looked down at her wrist.
There she saw a silver-gray bracelet.
She couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Just as Yu Xiyan and Su Yunying were puzzled by the spirits' sudden behavior, a majestic voice echoed throughout the cavern.
"General Qin.
"That is enough.
"These two are honored guests.
"Stand aside at once."
"Hah..."
The ghostly general gave a low acknowledgment.
Though unwilling, he still waved his hand.
The next moment, a mountain breeze swept through the hall.
Every spirit dissolved into the wind.
Peace returned to the cavern, as though everything that had just happened had been nothing more than a dream.
"Both of you...
"Do not speak.
"Do not let your minds wander.
"I am but a fragment of Divine Phoenix's consciousness left behind before ascension.
"Now... follow me."
A brilliant ray of spiritual light appeared in the air, guiding the two women toward the stone wall at the end of the hall.
Yu Xiyan and Su Yunying exchanged another glance before cautiously following the light
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)