Chapter 558 — Awakening the Dead Souls

This ceremonial axe symbolized the authority of the Celestial Emperor: an axe on the left, a blade on the right, and a sharp spearpoint above, coiled about with dragon patterns.

The skeleton gripped the ceremonial axe, and its aura exploded with earth-shaking force. It swung the axe in a heavy sweep. The Heaven-Bearing Gate behind Shen Mu collapsed with a roar, smashed apart outright, cutting off the Netherworld's path for its ghostly envoys.

The skeleton let out a long, furious whistle and cried in a stern voice, "Where are my soldiers?"

In the great marsh, the dark demonic qi dispersed. Countless corpses and bones stood on the water and the marshland, gazing at him in silence. Then suddenly all the bones erupted in an earth-shaking shout, "General, your soldiers are here!"

The skeleton laughed heartily and asked the heavens, "Where is our emperor?"

His question echoed on and on, but no one could answer.

After a moment, Shen Mu said, "Jiedushi, the Kaihuang Era passed twenty thousand years ago."

The skeleton looked blank, lowered its head to look at him, and murmured, "Twenty thousand years?"

Shen Mu's face showed pity. "Twenty thousand years. You must have died in battle twenty thousand years ago as well..."

Thud.

The skeleton sat down and murmured, "Twenty thousand years. How could this be? We fought blood-soaked battles, desperately holding back the enemy. Did we still fail to preserve our era..."

Shen Mu sighed. "Jiedushi, your remnant soul has not perished, and your fighting spirit endures. Today I summoned your remnant souls and spirits and disturbed your peace. You have woken from your daze and come to the world of the living, and I do not know what should be done. Since you were the commander of Taihuang Heaven in the Kaihuang Era, I think you will not bring disaster upon the world. If I can return alive, I will ask King Yama whether he can take you in. For now, Jiedushi, please restrain your soldiers and remain in this ill-omened place. I must go on."

He took his leave and turned to go.

The skeleton remained sitting there, as if its soul had left it, ghost-fire flickering faintly in its eye sockets, murmuring, "Twenty thousand years. How could this be..."

At the edge of the ill-omened land, more and more demons arrived in pursuit. Soon over a thousand demon adepts had gathered, but none dared step lightly into that ill-omened place.

After a moment, a fierce wind suddenly came howling. When it ceased, a great demon general appeared before the many adepts and surveyed the ill-omened land.

"General Xiuluo!"

The demons all bowed in salute, shocked and delighted. The demon general waved a hand and said, "My master Furiluo ordered me to come hunt down Shen Mu and bade you obey my command. Where is Shen Mu now?"

"He has already entered the ill-omened land."

Xiuluo frowned slightly and was about to order them into the ill-omened land when suddenly, deep within it, demonic qi surged and billowed, turning into a sea of demons. Within it a massive gate rose up—utterly bizarre.

Xiuluo was startled and hurriedly halted. After a moment, the sea of demonic qi vanished, and the massive gate disappeared as well.

"The ill-omened land is truly unfathomable."

Xiuluo pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "That brat has barged into this place. I fear he cannot leave alive. But my master ordered—whether alive or dead, he must be seen; he must be captured... Soldiers, hear my command! Follow me into this ill-omened land!"

The thousand-odd demon adepts received the order and followed him in mighty array into the ill-omened land.

Shen Mu was making his way through the ill-omened land when he suddenly heard the clamor of battle behind him, killing cries shaking the heavens. But the sound did not last long before silence returned. He did not know what had happened.

"This place is truly bizarre..." Shen Mu shook his head, little knowing that he himself was the greatest strangeness on this land.

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