On the deck.
“Thousand-Chain Cage!”
The Yin-Yang Woman flung out every last chain she had remaining, transforming them into an iron cage as she tried to trap the Black Mist Giant.
Hidden within her robe sleeve was a custom-made Storage Treasure, packed full with chains of every type, each one a hundred zhang long.
In a normal battle, she could wield them for three days and three nights without exhausting her supply.
But the foe standing before her was anything but normal.
The iron cage successfully enclosed the target, but the next instant, energy corrosion ate away at it until it was riddled with holes. With a casual yank, the black mist humanoid tore free.
“Dragon Whisker Whip,” Xiao Luo shouted. “Maximum length form!”
The long whip, gleaming with golden light, rapidly extended until it resembled a massive weapon fit for a giant, then smashed toward the enemy.
“Divine Dragon Bracelet, Divine Dragon Impact!”
The Divine Dragon Phantom surged forward alongside the whip, charging in a straight line to strike the same spot.
Boom!
After the thunderous crash, the Black Mist Giant staggered back several steps, looking utterly unharmed.
“What a freak, an absolute freak,” the Yin-Yang Woman cursed. “How is she so much stronger than in her normal form?”
She whipped her head toward the two young maidens, frowning as she berated them.
“What are you two doing? Can you even unleash the treasures’ power or not? If you can’t, hand them over—don’t just stand there wasting them!”
“What’s with the barking!” Xiao Luo gasped for breath, firing back in anger. “Can’t you see we’re fighting for our lives here? You’re at such a high realm yourself—how come you’re not making a dent?”
“You…”
The Yin-Yang Woman stomped her foot in rage.
If the situation weren’t so desperate, she would twist off this little radish’s head and stew it into soup!
While regulating her breathing, Ren Tan observed the Ghost King’s condition.
Their attacks were having an effect; it was clear the Black Mist Giant’s power had diminished substantially from the start.
But at this rate of decline, they would likely exhaust themselves to death first.
She had no idea how things were going for Yin Luan. If push came to shove, they would have to play their trump card and take the gamble.
The Divine Dragon Bracelet contained a single drop of blood bestowed by the Divine Dragon itself—that was Ren Tan’s final hidden ace.
Earlier, she had hesitated to use it for fear that the woman from Xumi nearby might get crooked ideas. But now, with the Ghost King on the verge of pounding them into oblivion, such concerns were the least of her worries.
“If you want to survive,” Ren Tan called out to the Yin-Yang Woman, “we’ll need to use our trump card. No holding back now, right? Or would you rather die here with us?”
“You insolent girl—why do you always talk with that arrogant edge? It’s infuriating!” The Yin-Yang Woman scowled. “We’ll do it together, or I guarantee you won’t leave the Ghost King Ship alive!”
“Fine,” Ren Tan said. She raised her wrist and began the countdown. “Three, two, one…”
“Wait—hold—on!”
Just as everyone prepared to unleash their ultimate techniques, Little Snake arrived right on time, Mei’er slung across her back.
“I’m not late, am I?”
The Little Snake Demon glanced around, confirming that everyone was still breathing, and let out a relieved breath.
“Did it work?”
Ren Tan spotted the figure on her back and lit up with joy.
“Halfway there,” Yin Luan replied as she set the woman down. “I got her back, but as for whether she’s still alive…”
“Hm? Who’d you bring with you?”
The Yin-Yang Woman frowned and asked.
They had investigated the Ghost King, but Mei’er had departed the Ghost King Ship midway for a stretch, so their knowledge of her was limited.
No one paid her any mind; they were solely focused on the woman sprawled on the ground.
“She won’t wake up?” Xiao Luo smacked her lips. “Then what’s the use? Feed her to the rampaging Ghost King?”
“I don’t know…”
The Little Snake Demon threw up her hands, equally puzzled.
Ren Tan mulled it over for a moment before making a suggestion.
“If the Ghost King’s reason hasn’t been completely devoured, she’ll react to Mei’er somehow. Let’s put her right in front of her and find out.”
With no better options, they had to treat the corpse as if it were still alive.
Yin Luan scooped up Mei’er and slowly approached the Black Mist Giant.
To their surprise, it made no move to attack.
It seemed… pacified.
Little Snake didn’t stop until they were right before the Black Mist Giant. After racking her brain for a bit, she spoke up.
“I know you’re in a rush, but hold your horses… I think your disciple can still be saved in theory, but you need to hurry—once it goes cold, she’s done for good.”
“…”
Little Snake’s off-the-cuff performance had the onlookers behind her breaking out in cold sweats.
With speech like that, if the Ghost King hadn’t lost her mind before, she certainly would now…
The Black Mist Giant bowed its head low, seemingly gazing at the woman cradled in the Little Snake Demon’s arms.
That woman had a ghostly pale complexion, her eyes shut tight, utterly devoid of any vital signs.
“Is… what…”
The giant parted its mouth, emitting a thick, raspy, halting sound.
“I… she… what…”
The monster-like giant could only manage simple syllables, but this was already a promising development.
The fact that it could express emotions showed the Ghost King’s sanity hadn’t been completely devoured.
“Keep at it—you can remember!”
The Little Snake Demon coaxed patiently.
“I…”
It raised its arm, black mist churning across its body as if on the verge of shattering its bonds.
The eyes of the onlookers behind it lit up in an instant.
Was it working?
“I… urgh!”
Suddenly, the giant let out a agonized howl and lashed out wildly at Yin Luan.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Such sloppy, undisciplined strikes posed no threat to Little Snake. Clutching Mei’er, she bounced back and forth, retreating with nimble hops.
“It’s still no use,” the Yin-Yang Woman said with a frown. “The Ghost King hasn’t fully turned into a ‘devil’ yet, but her sanity has been mostly consumed by the heart devil. She can’t break through that barrier on her own!”
The Ghost King’s soul might still hear voices from the outside world, but it was too late. Trapped within the cage woven by the heart devil, she had no means to reclaim control of her body.
“Is there truly no way at all?”
Ren Tan asked her foe.
“I can’t think of any method to awaken her,” the Yin-Yang Woman replied earnestly this time. “Unless it’s those three from the Demon Subduing Division. They might have deeper insights into demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters.”
“Sigh… I told you, when it’s a matter of life and death, there’s no chance for regrets…”
Xiao Luo let out a sigh.
The Ghost King Ship, shrouded in black mist, felt even more suffocating now.
The light from outside couldn’t penetrate, nor could anyone inside escape. The likely outcome tonight was mutual destruction—no victors.
“Aaaahhh!”
As the group’s spirits sank, a light and graceful singing voice drifted across the deck.
The melody was like a clear spring washing away the gloom in their hearts, or a gentle breeze scattering the hazy fog.
“Ah → ah → ah ↗ ah ↘ ah……”
The song consisted solely of melody, no words—winding and ever-changing, as if spilling out spontaneously.
They turned to look. The singer seemed cloaked in a veil of soft moonlight, lending her an air of mystery beyond her usual allure.
Moonlight edition Little Snake Demon?
“What… what song is that?”
The Yin-Yang Woman blurted out on instinct.
She watched as the frenzied, chaotic black mist giant fell still beneath the song, standing motionless like it was listening intently.
To soothe a heart devil with song… Just what was this woman’s origin?
