Elder Whitebone

Li Juntang knew the white figure was powerful, but he hadn’t expected it to be this powerful.

In just a matter of minutes, the figure had devoured the overwhelming red mist using a technique like a divine dragon drawing in water, leaving not a trace behind.

Such divine ability was far beyond anything he could imagine.

Seeing it with his own eyes was far more shocking than anything he’d heard.

Once the red mist vanished, the white figure waved a hand, and the energy vortex quickly dissipated.

A blood-red bead slowly floated down from high above and finally landed in the white figure’s palm.

Seeing the opportunity was ripe, Li Juntang immediately channeled his true qi and shouted, “You have dispersed the poisonous mist with divine powers and saved the entire city from disaster. I, Li Juntang, thank you on behalf of the people of this city. May I have the honor of meeting you face to face to express our gratitude properly?”

This statement was skillfully crafted --- first, praising the savior’s heroic deed of rescuing the populace, then using gratitude as a pretext to narrow the distance between them, hoping to create an opportunity for a direct conversation.

At least in Li Juntang’s mind, he had shown great sincerity.

As long as this mysterious expert wasn’t a cold and heartless recluse, they should at least give him some face.

After all, he was the third prince of Dragonmarsh, with status and prestige beyond compare.

It was rare for him to lower himself and offer a personal invitation.

Whoosh!

Without hesitation or delay ---

The white figure in the sky didn’t even seem to hear him and turned into a streak of light, disappearing like a falling star without so much as a pause.

In an instant, Li Juntang’s smile froze.

He had made many preparations, ready to persuade the expert to join his cause as soon as they appeared.

But man proposes, heaven disposes.

The expert hadn’t shown any interest. After absorbing the red mist, they simply left.

They hadn’t even acknowledged him, the third prince.

“Damn it!”

After standing dumbfounded for a moment, Li Juntang cursed loudly to vent his frustration.

But just as the words left his mouth, a sudden flash lit up the distant sky.

A moment later, a white light sphere fell from the heavens and struck the ground right at Li Juntang’s feet.

Boom!

With a thunderous explosion, a pit was blasted into the earth.

A wave of violent energy surged out from the center of the crater in all directions.

Because he was too close, Li Juntang was flung a dozen meters into the air before crashing hard into the ground, groaning, disoriented, and covered in dirt.

When he touched his nose and mouth, he found blood trickling out, shaken loose by the impact.

Li Juntang’s eye twitched --- at that moment, he was filled with rage, but dared not show it.

That white sphere just now was clearly a punishment from the expert.

He hadn’t expected that even from such a distance, the expert could hear his angry curse.

Sure enough, people of such power couldn’t be measured by common sense. Best not to provoke them again.

---

---

Meanwhile, deep beneath the southern frontier Xinjiang ---

The Whitebone Altar suddenly began to tremble violently. Ghostly green flames on the skull candelabras leapt wildly, casting twisted, writhing shadows across the walls covered in flayed human-skin murals.

“Impossible!”

Elder Whitebone’s skeletal fingers dug deep into the bronze altar.

Black blood seeped from under his nails, slithering down the engraved channels, spreading corrosive marks across the ancient runes.

The skull crown on his head emitted a piercing whine, and the nine human-eye jewels embedded in it began to weep blood.

“This poison mist was infused with the resentment of one hundred thousand souls --- how could it be --- ”

Before he could finish, the Soul-Suppressing Bell in the center of the altar exploded with a deafening boom, sending bronze shards flying like blades and carving web-like cracks into the stone walls.

A shriveled old man, his body wrapped entirely in bandages, slowly rose to his feet. His clouded eyes locked onto the black blood flowing across the floor.

He suddenly extended a tongue mottled with corpse spots and licked his fingertip. “Elder, look --- the blood still carries traces of golden light. This visitor is no friend!”

Elder Whitebone’s pupils contracted. He abruptly tore open the bone armor on his chest.

A living human heart embedded between his ribs pulsed violently and sprayed a stream of black blood that struck the ceiling.

“An Earthly Celestial Realm cultivator!”

Elder Whitebone roared, shattering his entire bone armor with a blast of qi. From his exposed ribcage, countless pale bone claws sprouted outward.

“When did our Whitebone Cult provoke such a peerless expert? No --- impossible!”

His voice was drowned out by the rising chorus of cracking bones. His skeletal frame began to contort and grow in reverse, with his spine bursting through his back to form jagged bone spines.

“Send the order --- recall all ‘Blood Spider’ spies!” Elder Whitebone barked.

At that moment, the sound of dragging chains echoed from deeper underground. Twelve cultists in human-skin cloaks crawled into the hall.

With each movement, their cloaks oozed putrid blood that traced twisted trails on the floor.

The one in front pulled back his hood, revealing a half-rotten, half-regenerated face. Several pale maggots squirmed where his right eye had decayed.

“Elder, though the ‘Red Mist’ plan failed, the corpse cocoons we’ve planted in the southern cities can still complete the ritual --- to summon the Whitebone True God!” The lead cultist’s voice was sharp and piercing.

“Fool!”

Elder Whitebone thrust a bone spike through his chest. The necrotic flesh was instantly frozen by the spike’s frigid aura.

“With that Earthly Celestial expert standing guard, even if the corpse cocoons activate, they won’t yield enough blood. There’s no way we can summon the Whitebone True God!”

“Elder, I may have a plan to turn the tide,” the bandaged old man spoke.

“Speak!” Elder Whitebone turned sharply.

“It’s simple, just like this…”

The bandaged man leaned in and began whispering into Elder Whitebone’s ear. - Ton

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