Chapter 21: Soul crystal
Lu Fan approached the ruined ritual altar, his guard still raised. The formation had been shattered, and most of the evil cultivators were dead, yet an eerie black mist still lingered in the air.
At the center of the altar, a strange blood-red crystal floated above the ground, pulsing with a sinister light. The remaining ghosts and dark Qi were being absorbed into it, making it stronger.
"A soul condensation crystal?" Lu Fan muttered, recognizing the artifact from books he had read. "They were trying to refine a ghost king!"
His expression darkened. If the process had completed, the city would have been doomed. A ghost king could massacre an entire region and turn it into a land of death.
But something was wrong.
The crystal was still active. Even without its creators, it was trying to complete the ritual on its own.
A deep wail echoed from inside it, sending a chill down Lu Fan's spine. The sky darkened as if responding to the call.
"Not good."
Without hesitation, he raised his fist, channeling all the electricity in his body.
"Sky Thunder Strike!"
A massive bolt of lightning surged from his fist and slammed into the crystal. The impact shattered the ground and sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The crystal cracked, its glow flickering.
But instead of being destroyed, it absorbed his lightning!
Lu Fan's eyes narrowed. "This thing is still trying to evolve?"
The black mist coiled around the crystal, reforming into a twisted humanoid shape with glowing red eyes. A horrifying screech filled the city as the newborn entity took form.
A half-formed ghost king.
Lu Fan clenched his fists, electricity arcing between his fingers.
"Then I'll just have to destroy it before it fully awakens."
The monstrous entity let out a piercing wail, sending shockwaves through the ruined city. The surrounding buildings shook and cracked, and the lingering ghosts in the area were instantly devoured by the creature, causing its form to solidify further.
Lu Fan felt the temperature drop as a suffocating aura of death spread outward. The air itself grew heavy, and his breath became visible in the sudden cold.
"If I let this thing fully form, the entire region will be in danger."
Lu Fan didn't hesitate. He raised both hands, gathering all the electricity in his body. Sparks danced across his skin, and his veins glowed faintly with thunder energy.
"Thunderclap Spear!"
A crackling spear of pure lightning formed in his grip. With a flick of his wrist, he launched it forward.
The Thunderclap Spear tore through the air like a shooting star and struck the ghost king's chest.
BOOM!
A blinding explosion of electricity engulfed the creature, its entire body shuddering violently as arcs of lightning surged through it. Black mist sizzled and evaporated, and the ghost king let out a distorted scream.
Yet, despite the direct hit, it refused to die.
The dark energy within the crystal pulsed, rapidly regenerating its broken form.
Lu Fan clicked his tongue.
"Even after taking a direct Thunder attack, it's still holding on? This thing is more troublesome than I thought."
He needed a stronger attack, something that would completely destroy the soul condensation crystal inside it before it could heal again.
His gaze flickered to his dantian, where his miniature sun of True Sunfire burned fiercely.
"Fine. Let's see if it can regenerate after being reduced to ashes."
Lu Fan's hands blazed with golden-orange flames as he summoned his True Sunfire. The very ground beneath him charred and cracked from the sheer heat.
The ghost king's red eyes flickered with fear—as if it could sense what was coming.
Lu Fan smirked.
"Too late to be afraid now."
He lunged forward, ready to end the battle with a single, devastating attack.
The monstrous entity let out a piercing wail, sending shockwaves through the ruined city. The surrounding buildings shook and cracked, and the lingering ghosts in the area were instantly devoured by the creature, causing its form to solidify further.
Lu Fan felt the temperature drop as a suffocating aura of death spread outward. The air itself grew heavy, and his breath became visible in the sudden cold.
"If I let this thing fully form, the entire region will be in danger."
Lu Fan didn't hesitate. He raised both hands, gathering all the electricity in his body. Sparks danced across his skin, and his veins glowed faintly with thunder energy.
"Thunderclap Spear!"
A crackling spear of pure lightning formed in his grip. With a flick of his wrist, he launched it forward.
The Thunderclap Spear tore through the air like a shooting star and struck the ghost king's chest.
BOOM!
A blinding explosion of electricity engulfed the creature, its entire body shuddering violently as arcs of lightning surged through it. Black mist sizzled and evaporated, and the ghost king let out a distorted scream.
Yet, despite the direct hit, it refused to die.
The dark energy within the crystal pulsed, rapidly regenerating its broken form.
Lu Fan clicked his tongue.
"Even after taking a direct Thunder attack, it's still holding on? This thing is more troublesome than I thought."
He needed a stronger attack, something that would completely destroy the soul condensation crystal inside it before it could heal again.
His gaze flickered to his dantian, where his miniature sun of True Sunfire burned fiercely.
"Fine. Let's see if it can regenerate after being reduced to ashes."
Lu Fan's hands blazed with golden-orange flames as he summoned his True Sunfire. The very ground beneath him charred and cracked from the sheer heat.
The ghost king's red eyes flickered with fear—as if it could sense what was coming.
Lu Fan smirked.
"Too late to be afraid now."
He lunged forward, ready to end the battle with a single, devastating attack.
Final Judgment: True Sunfire's Wrath
Lu Fan thrust his palm forward, and the golden-orange True Sunfire surged outward like a raging inferno. The very air distorted from the intense heat, and cracks formed beneath his feet as the overwhelming flames rushed toward the ghost king.
The moment the fire touched the creature, it let out an earth-shaking scream. Its shadowy form twisted violently, trying to escape, but the flames clung to it like a curse, burning away its very existence.
The black mist that made up its body rapidly disintegrated, layer by layer. The soul condensation crystal at its core was now fully exposed, pulsing with dark energy as it struggled to repair itself.
Lu Fan didn't give it a chance.
He clenched his fists, and the miniature sun in his dantian flared brightly. With a flick of his fingers, he released a concentrated sphere of True Sunfire, directing it straight at the exposed core.
BOOM!
The explosion was blinding—a radiant pillar of golden flames shot into the sky, illuminating the night like the rising sun. The soul condensation crystal melted instantly, its dark energy evaporating into nothingness.
The ghost king's agonized howl faded, and within seconds, it was completely erased from existence.
Lu Fan exhaled deeply, feeling his dantian slightly drained from unleashing such a powerful attack.
The city, once filled with wailing spirits and murderous evil cultivators, was now eerily silent.
He looked around. The remaining ghosts, now without a master, began to dissipate one by one.
The battle was over.
"Hah… That took more energy than expected," Lu Fan muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
He straightened his posture, surveying the ruined city. The crisis was averted, but the damage was immense.