A Tale of Encounters with Immortals: A Peach Blossom Temple in the Martial World

Everyone was looking at the sky.

It was as if they were awaiting divine judgment.

But the sky remained the same, even with a ray of sunshine dispelling the dark clouds. A gentle breeze made it feel like a bright and sunny day, lifting one's spirits.

"Archers—"

As the Ghost Clan Chief slowly retreated, someone in the massive ranks suddenly let out a hoarse roar that seemed to tear their throat out, a desolate yet tragic sound echoing through the sky.

The white dragon horse stomped its feet in frustration.

I should have just crawled into the gourd myself. Now look what's happened, I'm about to be riddled with bullets.

Alas, may you rest in peace.

The Dragon's Life is complete.

"The arrow is nocked—"

The entire venue fell silent, and the sound of the command seemed both spacious and drawn out.

"Master, perhaps... you could put me inside the gourd? This whole scene... I'm a little scared," the white dragon horse said to Zhang Zhengdao, somewhat worried.

"Or, I could reveal my true form...!"

"shoot--"

Before the white dragon horse could finish speaking, a resolute yet piercing voice rang out from the other side. This command, once issued, signified an irreconcilable conflict between the two sides.

The Ghost Clan Chief relied on the attack power of these 20,000 people.

Even an immortal would have to skin you alive. Talking about a ceasefire then will be much easier. Strength is the foundation of negotiation.

"Om-"

It sounded like a swarm of bees suddenly flapping their wings.

The sky, which had just been bathed in a sliver of sunlight, was suddenly shrouded in a blinding shadow. The white dragon horse opened its mouth wide and hissed as it gasped for breath.

The instinctive fear of seeing this overwhelming rain of arrows.

"Master, save me!"

Before the rain of arrows even began, the voice of the white dragon horse could be heard, trembling slightly.

"Disperse!"

Zhang Zhengdao spoke the truth, uttering only one word.

Suddenly, the rain of arrows scattered, and the dark clouds that had covered the sky seemed to have been blown away by the wind, disappearing without a trace.

It was as if it had vanished into the world.

The entire world fell silent.

The white dragon horse laughed heartily: "Boss, do you want me to show my true form? I can't wait, I want to crush them."

Zhang Zhengdao ignored it, and the second wave of arrows came.

"Certainly!"

This time, Zhang Zhengdao directly used the mantra "定" (determination).

The rain of arrows froze in mid-air, and everyone around them stood still. Zhang Zhengdao led his horse slowly forward, observing the terrified looks in their eyes.

He parted the crowd and walked up to the clan leader.

With just a thought, Zhang Zhengdao and the clan leader entered the underground palace. The two stood in the center of the palace, and everyone inside was frozen in place.

This is an immortal!

The chieftain of the ghost clan had already given up hope.

The so-called mortal strength of 20,000 people, no matter how high their martial arts skills, how sharp their weapons, or how ruthless their hearts, is nothing but an ant in front of an immortal.

"It's just the two of us here."

Zhang Zhengdao looked at the empty central hall of the underground palace and gently patted the shoulder of the ghost clan chief.

The Ghost Clan Chief suddenly felt his body return to him, and belong to him again.

"Yes!"

The Ghost Clan Chief suddenly knelt down.

"Please, immortal, grant me a way to live!"

Kui Wangsheng kept kowtowing, "bang bang bang."

Zhang Zhengdao sighed: "If we give you a way to live, then we'll cut off the way to live for some normal humans. This year, I've traveled the world and seen too many of you ghosts, wearing human skin and doing despicable and morally bankrupt things, even trying to manipulate the imperial court... Are you trying to turn humans into ghosts too?"

As he finished speaking, his voice gradually became stern.

The shock made the Ghost Clan Chief, Kui Wangsheng, tremble. Although his forehead was bleeding from the banging, he dared not utter a single word in his defense, because what Zhang Zhengdao said was true.

"Wanting to live is tolerable, but killing the innocent and turning the world upside down is unforgivable. You must die!"

Zhang Zhengdao spoke these words without a trace of emotion.

The Ghost Clan Chief, Kui Wangsheng, was in despair and stopped kowtowing.

Because kowtowing won't help.

After all, Kabuto the Immortal said that the Oni clan must die.

Kui Wangsheng was unwilling to give up and said to Zhang Zhengdao, "Our ghost clan has existed in this world for so long only because of the guidance of Heaven. Are you not afraid of Heaven's wrath, immortal?"

They're bringing up the heavens again.

Zhang Zhengdao laughed: "Do you think Heaven will blame me?"

Kui Wangsheng fell silent, because he remembered Zhang Zhengdao's words, "I don't care what God thinks, I care what I think," which was practically a contempt for and a declaration of war against God.

But so what?

Is there no way out?

Kui Wangsheng grinned and let out a miserable laugh.

Zhang Zhengdao pointed outside: "More than 20,000 soldiers, standing in the sunlight, must have had 20,000 skins peeled off, right? When those 20,000 skins were peeled off, do you know how miserable and painful they were?"

Kui Wangsheng: "I deserve to die. I gave the orders, and I will atone for my sins with my death. You can even skin me alive!"

Zhang Zhengdao laughed loudly: "You can't atone for your sins, nor can you atone for theirs. You'll have to pay for it eventually. When you started skinning people, didn't you? The Ghost Clan has existed for thousands of years. For thousands of years, you've been skinning people to survive. So many innocent souls... Aren't you afraid?"

Kui Wangsheng let out a long sigh, feeling that no matter how much he talked, it might be futile. He decided to just give up and laughed it off.

"Yes, you are an immortal, so naturally you can live forever and move freely through this world. But what about us? We can't. This is the punishment the gods have given us, and now that the gods are not showing themselves, we must fight for survival. Whether it's being skinned alive, overthrowing human dynasties, or even ruling this world, what are we afraid of? Are we afraid that when we die, we will become ghosts and they will come to kill us? Haha... Are there ghosts in this world?"

Kui Wangsheng laughed wildly, but his laughter was also filled with despair.

For thousands of years, whether it was the ghost race or the human race, after death, everything turned to ashes, and there was no such thing as a ghost in the legends.

Zhang Zhengdao looked at him and smiled slightly: "Who said ghosts don't exist?"

Kui Wangsheng's laughter stopped abruptly.

Staring at Zhang Zhengdao in horror, he opened his mouth, but finally couldn't help but ask, "Immortal... have there really been ghosts in these thousands of years?"

Zhang Zhengdao laughed: "No, it will be available from now on."

From now on?

After standing there dumbfounded for a long time, Kui Wangsheng suddenly threw his head back and laughed, laughing so hard that tears welled up in his eyes. Then, with a "plop," he knelt down in front of Zhang Zhengdao.

"I am willing to serve the immortals!"

After saying that, he suddenly rammed his head into the pillar next to him.

"Oh!"

The sound of the impact on the pillar echoed, causing the dust on the floor of the underground palace to fall.

Kui Wangsheng collapsed to the ground, convulsing, his eyes fixed on Zhang Zhengdao with desperate pleading and hope. He knew this was a path to survival found within a dead end.

They absolutely couldn't let him go, but they were also afraid that Zhang Zhengdao would change his mind, so they cleanly and decisively ran themselves over and killed themselves.

No wonder he became the leader of the demon race.

With a series of "hehe" sounds emanating from his mouth and gushing blood, Kui Wangsheng finally stared wide-eyed, completely dead.

Immediately, Zhang Zhengdao flicked his finger, and a beam of spiritual light landed on Kui Wangsheng's corpse.

Suddenly, a phantom emerged from the corpse.

The white dragon horse beside him was so frightened that it took several steps back before it could stand still.

Zhang Zhengdao scolded him, "You shameful piece of trash! How dare you call yourself a big brother? Stand back!"

The white dragon horse was also somewhat ashamed, having embarrassed itself several times today. So it actually took several steps back, keeping a safe distance from the illusory figure.

"Meet the Immortal!"

The phantom of Kui Wangsheng first looked at himself with surprise, and then saw Zhang Zhengdao. Without hesitation, he immediately knelt down and bowed to Zhang Zhengdao.

Ghost!

They and their people used to be called the Ghost Clan, but because they lived in dark underground palaces, they could not see people or sunlight, and were neither human nor ghost, so they were called the Ghost Clan.

Now I really have become a ghost.

He knew that there had never been ghosts in this world before, but now there were not only immortals, but also ghosts.

"I will use my profound magical power to sink this underground palace into the underworld. In the underworld, I will set up the Yama's Palace and delineate eighteen levels of hell. From now on, whenever someone dies, their soul will enter the underworld and will not be allowed to wander in the mortal world. If anyone does appear, I will hold you accountable."

Upon hearing this, Kui Wangsheng realized that he was to be entrusted with an important task, and he trembled with excitement.

What was once a hopeless situation has now not only turned into a path to survival, but it seems that they will also gain control over the underworld.

"I will dedicate myself to this cause!"

They performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows in a very solemn and grand manner.

Zhang Zhengdao suddenly pointed a finger at Kui Wangsheng's forehead. Instantly, a point of light entered his head, and his entire soul suddenly became solid.

"let's go!"

As Zhang Zhengdao spoke, he lifted his foot, and he and his horse appeared on the mountaintop outside the underground palace.

Then he waved his hand.

The earth shook violently, and the entire canyon suddenly began to sink. A deafening roar echoed through the sky. As the canyon sank, the underground palace also continued to sink, and all the ghost clan members, whether guards or clansmen, were buried underground in the rolling, sinking canyon.