The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

They cautiously returned to the foot of Ghost Mountain and took two cloth bags from the tree. Then, they went back into the valley to carry out their plan.

Luo Yifei took out a cloth bag and retrieved a Netherworld Pearl from it. With a gentle wave, the Netherworld Pearl emitted a faint light, attracting the surrounding ghosts.

Sure enough, a group of ghosts were soon attracted. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Luo Yifei threw the Netherworld Pearl into the distance, and the ghosts chased after it.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ishikawa quickly picked up another cloth bag, carefully walked towards the stone tablet, took out the Netherworld Pearl from the bag, and placed it on the stone tablet.

A light suddenly shone on the stone tablet, and then a hidden compartment slowly opened, revealing a key that gleamed with a cold light.

"Found it!" Ishikawa shouted excitedly.

They carefully picked up the keys, preparing to leave. However, just then, a gust of cold wind blew by, and the surrounding ghosts seemed to sense something, swarming around them.

"Oh no, we've been discovered!" Luo Yifei's expression changed, and he quickly drew his longsword, ready to fight.

The others also drew their weapons and engaged in fierce combat with the ghosts. Although they possessed considerable strength, the sheer number and seemingly endless nature of the ghosts overwhelmed them.

Just then, a dark shadow suddenly swept past from the side—it was the Black Tiger! It grabbed a ghost in its jaws and flung it away. Then, it turned and pounced on another ghost.

With Black Tiger's arrival, the battle situation improved significantly. They gradually gained the upper hand and repelled the ghosts one by one.

Ultimately, they successfully escaped the ghost's clutches and safely returned to the altar with the key, attempting to awaken the white-robed man once more.

From the distant woods, a young voice asked, "Elder, shall we make a move? They're about to awaken the ancestors again."

"Wait, let them awaken their ancestors before we make our move," an aged voice replied.

On the altar, the five people inserted the key into the groove in the center. Instantly, the entire altar lit up with a dazzling light. Within the light, the figure of the white-robed man gradually emerged.

"We finally succeeded!" Luo Yifei shouted excitedly.

However, at that moment, a strong tremor suddenly occurred. The entire altar began to shake violently, as if something was about to emerge from the ground.

"Oh no, get out of here!" Ishikawa shouted, pulling everyone back.

Just then, a huge black shadow burst out from the ground and crashed directly into the altar. The altar collapsed instantly, and the five people were thrown back by the shockwave.

They managed to steady themselves and looked up to see a huge black monster standing before them. The monster exuded a terrifying aura that sent chills down their spines.

"What is this thing?" Luo Yifei asked in horror.

“I don’t know, but we must join forces to fight this threat!” Ishikawa said firmly.

They quickly formed a battle formation, preparing for a fierce battle with the black monster before them. However, at that moment, a group of men in black suddenly rushed out of the woods, surrounding them and instantly making the situation tense.

"Who are you? Why are you blocking us?" Luo Yifei asked angrily.

“We are the guardians of Ghost Mountain. You outsiders have trespassed on Ghost Mountain and even tried to awaken our ancestors. You are committing heinous crimes!” a man in black said coldly.

"We just want to find a way to build the Five-Colored Altar and return to our homeland. What right do you have to stop us?" Luo Yifei retorted, trying to explain their purpose.

"Hmph, don't think we don't know your purpose. You want the power of the Netherworld Pearl, right?" the man in black sneered, clearly not believing their words.

"We really just want to go home!" Luo Yifei explained again, but the men in black didn't seem to have any intention of letting them go.

Immediately afterward, the man in black launched an attack, forcing the five to fight back. A fierce battle unfolded in Ghost Mountain, with the five engaging in a desperate struggle with the man in black, while the black monster lurked nearby, ready to attack at any moment.

The battle was exceptionally difficult. Although the five individuals were quite skilled, the men in black were numerous and well-coordinated, making them feel overwhelmed. However, they did not give up but fought with all their might against the men in black.

Just then, the black tiger suddenly let out a deafening roar and charged towards the black monster. It fought the monster with all its might, buying precious time for the five. The five seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack and finally defeated the men in black one by one.

However, the black monster remained standing, seemingly unaffected. It continued to roar, releasing powerful energy that sent a chill down the spines of the five.

"This can't go on. We have to find a way to deal with this monster," Ishikawa said in a deep voice.

"I have a way!" Luo Yifei suddenly said, "We can use the power of the Netherworld Pearl to deal with it!"

"But wouldn't that be too dangerous?" Shi Hao asked worriedly.

“We have no other choice now,” Luo Yifei said firmly. “Moreover, I believe we can control the power of the Netherworld Pearl.”

So they decided to take the risk. Luo Yifei took out the Netherworld Pearl and held it high. Instantly, a powerful force surged from the Netherworld Pearl, rushing straight towards the black monster.

Sensing the threat of the Netherworld Pearl, the black monster let out a shrill roar and began to struggle frantically. However, faced with the immense power of the Netherworld Pearl, it was ultimately subdued.

With the black monster fallen, Ghost Mountain seemed to return to calm. The five had finally managed to resolve the immediate crisis, but they did not let their guard down, for they knew that the real challenge awaited them.

"What you have awakened is not our ancestor, but the monster sealed by our ancestor. Could it be that the monster has already devoured the last bit of our ancestor's spirit?" said the man in black, who had been subdued by the soldiers, his voice filled with fear and despair.

“Elder, don’t waste your breath on them. We can’t reveal the secrets of our Sleepless Clan,” another man in black said, his eyes revealing a firm resolve.

"Are you descendants of the Sleepless Clan?" Ishikawa asked, his tone tinged with surprise and curiosity.

"So what if it is? Our ancestral spirit has been extinguished, and the monsters sealed in Ghost Mountain are about to be unleashed. You won't survive. Don't count on any Five-Colored Altar." The young man in black said coldly, his words revealing his disdain and mockery towards the five.

“We simply wish to ask your ancestors for help in building the Five-Colored Altar, or to teach us how to build it. The Five-Colored Altar can lead to another world, and our Shi family wants to go there to rescue people. These two young brothers want to return to their hometown,” Shi Chuan said, his voice filled with sincerity and urgency.

However, the men in black didn't seem inclined to believe them; they remained wary and hostile. The five knew they had a long way to go before gaining the help of the Sleepless Clan.