Tai Zhu Xuan Xiang: Me and My Eight Golden Gourd Sisters

Chapter 74 Ancient Ferocious Beast

At the end of White Bone Mountain, a naturally formed stone wall stretches across the sky and earth.

On the stone wall stands a magnificent stone palace.

No, perhaps it shouldn't be said that it stands.

This palace wasn't built from flat ground; rather, it was carved directly from a massive rock hollowed out of the mountainside. The intricate carvings give the impression that it was constructed from stacked stones. The palace is dark bluish-black, and every part is adorned with strange patterns. These patterns don't resemble decorations; they seem more like ancient, secret texts, or mysterious totems used to suppress all things.

Its brushstrokes are unrestrained, containing the mysteries of heaven and earth, and revealing a sense of desolation and eeriness that has endured for thousands of years.

The palace gates were wide open, revealing a pitch-black interior that seemed to swallow all light and shadow, so deep that its end was nowhere in sight.

A chilling cold seeped from inside the hall, threatening to penetrate flesh and freeze blood and bone marrow.

"Big sister, shall we go in and take a look?" Sensing the chill emanating from inside the door, Xuan'er leaned close to Xi'er and whispered. Her eyes narrowed slightly, trying to see through the darkness.

"Since we're already here, how can we not go in and take a look?" Xi'er held a long axe and stepped forward.

"Big sister, I'll go first. I have thunder magic protecting me, and evil spirits won't dare to get close." Yun'er reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Let me do it!" Xi'er gently brushed Yun'er's hand away and said, "I was born with an indestructible body and possess unparalleled divine strength. I am impervious to all weapons, poisons, and evil. No one can harm me. You just stay behind me and be ready to act at any time."

Before Yun'er could say anything more, Xi'er had already taken a step forward, walking step by step from the edge of the White Bone Mountain toward the dark and eerie stone palace.

Seeing this, Yun'er said no more and followed closely behind. Shu'er, Xin'er, Xuan'er, and Ling'er followed in turn, the six of them forming a line and silently passing through this desolate and gloomy land of white bones.

The layers of dry bones underfoot were ancient, making a "crackling" sound when stepped on.

Some fragile bones shattered underfoot, sending dust flying.

The stench of decay in the air grew stronger, and the chill intensified, as if an invisible pair of eyes were watching them from the darkness.

Upon reaching the palace gates, Xi'er stopped. The palace was pitch black; even with Xuan'er's supernatural powers, she could not penetrate the thick, almost tangible darkness. She could only sense the increasingly intense, chilling aura emanating from within.

Xuan'er threw the firewood on her back onto the ground.

Xin'er lit the fire, and the blazing flames shot up with a "boom," dispelling a trace of the chill, but only a trace.

Xi'er glanced inside, stepped over the threshold, and walked into the hall. In an instant, boundless darkness surged in like thick ink, instantly engulfing her figure. Yun'er, Shu'er, Xin'er, Xuan'er, and Ling'er followed without hesitation.

The interior of the hall was even colder than the outside, and the air was filled with a pungent odor, like stale, rotting flesh mixed with evil spirits and some indescribable fishy smell, making one want to vomit.

The footsteps of the six people echoed in the empty hall. Although each step was extremely light, it still produced a huge echo.

The hall was dark, and Ling'er threw the last bundle of firewood on the ground.

Xin'er lit the firewood, and the flames dispelled the darkness, illuminating the entire hall. The hall was vast and deep, with two rows of thick, towering stone pillars rising from the ground, reaching straight to the top. Countless ferocious and terrifying ghost and deity patterns were carved on the pillars. Some of these ghosts and deities had wide-open eyes, some bared their teeth, some held magical weapons, and some stood on white bones. Each one was sculpted so vividly that it seemed as if it might leap down from the stone pillars at any moment to devour people.

The roof of the hall is immeasurably high, and at the far end of the hall, several thick chains can be vaguely seen hanging down from the dome.

At the end of the chain, a human figure seemed to be bound.

"Someone is locked up there," Xuan'er said.

Ignorance breeds fearlessness. Seeing this, the six people not only showed no fear, but also quickened their pace and walked inside.

As they walked deeper into the main hall, they finally saw the figure bound by chains.

The chains were jet black, forged from some unknown metal, each link engraved with fine, dark red runes. The runes faintly glowed with a blood-red light, exuding a domineering power capable of binding all things. The chains pierced through the figure's limbs and torso, firmly locking his neck, wrists, and ankles, fixing him immobile to the stone wall behind him.

The person had their head down, their long hair hanging down in disarray, obscuring their face. Their slender figure flickered and appeared and disappeared in the flickering firelight.

The six sisters held their breath and slowly approached.

Three steps, two steps, one step—

Suddenly, the person raised her head, grinning with an extremely crazed smile. "Hahaha, such tender little ones, perfect for nourishing my cultivation! Come on in, all of you!" With that, she opened her mouth wide and inhaled, causing the airflow in the entire hall to instantly surge wildly, creating a massive and terrifying vortex. A boundless and immense devouring power erupted, locking onto the six people.

An irresistible force pulled them forward, causing the six of them to slide forward involuntarily.

In the critical moment, all six people stepped in to help.

Yun'er immediately shot out the arrow in her hand, but it was swerved by the violent suction of the vortex, grazed the side of the person, and hit the stone pillar with a "ding".

Xin'er manipulated the flames, and a fire dragon roared out, burning towards the man. But as soon as it reached the edge of the vortex, it was completely absorbed by the devouring power.

Shu'er manipulated the water, and several water dragons coiled around her, attempting to imprison her and crush her. However, the water chains crumbled as soon as they touched the whirlpool, unable to get any closer.

Xuan'er threw her spear, the tip of which flew through the air with a sharp gust of wind, aiming for the man's face. However, it only left a spark on his face, as if it had struck steel, without even breaking the skin. Ling'er held the Netherworld Life and Death Flag, staring at the man without moving, her eyes flashing as she searched for the best opportunity to strike.

"Watch me."

Xi'er shouted loudly, raising her long axe high, unleashing her Vajra Divine Power, causing her clothes to billow wildly, and her aura to be overwhelming. She unleashed a powerful "Splitting Mountains and Rivers" move, the fierce axe light like a rainbow across the sky, carrying the immense power to shatter mountains and crush everything, and cleaved down towards the man's head.

"boom"

A deafening roar echoed through the mountainside.

The domineering and unparalleled axe force tore through the airflow, shattered the vortex, and forcefully interrupted the terrifying devouring power, causing the vortex to dissipate abruptly. The six people felt a sudden lightness in their bodies, staggered back a few steps, and then regained their balance.

"Heh, I didn't expect you little things to have some strength. Too bad, it's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—ultimately futile!"

A fierce glint flashed in the man's eyes, his gaze turning a deep, blazing crimson. His mouth opened slightly as he prepared to unleash his evil magic once more, brewing an even stronger devouring power.

But at that very moment, the chains binding her suddenly surged with a red light, and the chains contracted rapidly. Dark red runes on them flashed wildly, like red-hot branding irons, digging deep into the person's flesh.

"Ugh—"

The excruciating pain of being imprisoned and torn apart swept over his entire body. He screamed in agony, his body trembling violently, his face contorted. All his spells collapsed instantly, and he could no longer care for Xi'er and the others.

"If you have the guts, kill me! Kill me then!"

She looked up at the palace ceiling, roaring furiously, her voice filled with venom and madness, "Otherwise, when my leader returns, I will surely grind you to dust, condemning you to eternal damnation! Come on! Kill me! Kill me!"

The chains tightened, pulling the man's body in a constantly shifting pattern. At times, he transformed into a ferocious ancient beast, the Crimson Jade, with crimson wings and hooked claws; at other times, he shed his avian form and reverted to a human phantom. The alternation between reality and illusion caused his demonic power to fluctuate wildly.

"Monster, prepare to die!"

Seeing this opportunity, Xi'er immediately put down her long axe and threw a punch. Her Vajra Body erupted with all its might, the fist wind ripped through the air and exploded, like a meteor falling to earth, fierce, domineering, and unstoppable.

"Keng"

The heavy punch landed on Chi Bi's body, but only produced a dull metallic clang.

Chi Bi remained motionless, only slightly tilting his head, coldly staring at Xi'er with his crimson eyes.

"Little thing, are you tickling me?" Chi Bi's expression was cold, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Undeterred, Xi'er continued to throw punches. With a move called "Shattering the Mountain," her fist was as heavy as a mountain, as if ten thousand mountains were collapsing and the earth was overturning. The immense power poured out, causing the surrounding air currents to explode and roar.

But when the smoke cleared, the red eagle was still unharmed, with only its hair slightly disheveled.