I Am Your Natural Enemy

The Ghosts present, no matter how inexperienced, could roughly guess just by intuition.

This horrifying wood carving must have once been a living person, or possibly a Ghost.

It couldn’t possibly be an actual wood carving made from wood.

Just by looking at the burning pale green flames, they felt as if their own bodies were on fire.

They seemed to already hear the woeful moans of a Soul in agony.

Unconsciously, an image formed in their minds.

A Red Monster, almost a shadow in its darkness, flashed a toothy grin, its two rows of white teeth showing, clutching someone’s neck with a single hand.

Then with the other hand, it reached into the person’s body, ruthlessly twisting their Soul into a wick and lighting it.

Through an evil spell, it turned a living person into a motionless wood carving, doomed to stand here forever, enduring the torment of their burning Soul.

Even more terrifying was that this person couldn’t even scream out in anguish.

”This... this is that Taoist! I know him. I just saw him yesterday. He’s no longer human; he’s almost become a ghost and god!”

A Ghost with a tall hat and a gaunt face said this shakily.

A bunch of Ghosts almost couldn’t resist the urge to turn and run.

”Too brutal!” The Two-Horned Ghost’s eyes bulged, his lips quivering.

”What did I say? What did I say!? It’s a conspiracy, that’s what it is. I told you, needing a streetlight to hang someone was definitely just a rumor. This is a rumor that was deliberately spread. Those Ghosts who spread the rumors a few days ago have all disappeared without a trace. How can you still believe it? Look, just look at this, what is this?”

None of the Ghosts said anything; truth be told, they were all sweating profusely.

The Uni-horned Ghost, standing next to the Two-Horned Ghost, saw that nobody was speaking and tentatively added, ”So, if there are no streetlights to hang people on, they just turn people into decorative streetlights by the roadside?”

As soon as he said this, all the Ghosts shuddered in unison.

This was even more frightening.

Previously, it could be said that without a streetlight, the Great Killer Star had to drag people a long way to find an unoccupied one.

Now he doesn’t even need streetlights; he directly turns people into streetlights. So, even if the rumor is true, isn’t it useless now?

”Shut up if you can’t speak properly!” The Two-Horned Ghost glared at the Uni-horned Ghost.

The Uni-horned Ghost felt a little wronged. He thought he definitely hadn’t said anything incorrect this time.

A bunch of Ghosts just stood on the road, nobody moving forward, just lingering there.

After someone pointed out the identity of the wood carving, these Ghosts lost all their previous ambition.

A practitioner of the Evil Path, one who was close to becoming a ghost and god, had fallen to such a state.

They feared if they approached, they would just be appetizers delivered before the main course.

These Ghosts were somewhat connected to those who had previously exited this Big Intersection and been hanged.

Naturally, there were also some mindless Ghosts, or those who considered surviving a forbidden area as a triumph.

But everyone knew, to some extent, what it meant for a Ghost to be called a ghost and god.

Even Qingcheng, which bragged thunderously every day about commanding Envoys of Ghosts and Gods, had never heard of a Ghost within its ranks that could truly be called a ghost and god.

For someone who was merely close to becoming a ghost and god, not yet having reached that state, to fall to such a plight... was already enough to make these Ghosts turn pale as death and break out in a cold sweat.

But then, they encountered a very awkward situation.

They wanted to beat a retreat, but they couldn’t turn back.

On the Nether Path, one does not take the path back; turning around inevitably leads to getting lost.

And if lost for even a bit longer, they would become just another one of the countless unconscious Ghosts here.

Their original destination was this Big Intersection.

Only places like this Big Intersection actually didn’t require guidance. No matter where one entered from, as long as one could get on the Nether Path and their mind’s target was this Big Intersection, they were bound to pass it.

Now asking them to change their target was not something that could be done on a whim.

If any Ghost had that kind of ability, then Grave Walkers wouldn’t be so special.

A Grave Walker can not only open an entrance in a Desolate Tomb but also guide others through the Nether Path.

Some more powerful Ghosts could manage the latter, but as for creating an entrance, currently only Grave Walkers could do so.

Other Ghosts, no matter how they traveled, could only use various pre-existing entrances.

In the Nether Path, once a destination is set, it cannot be changed. One cannot take the path back. Even Grave Walkers, to prevent unforeseen circumstances, have always strictly abided by this rule.

A bunch of Ghosts stood in place, no one willing to speak first.

They were stuck.

Either continue advancing, going up to the Big Intersection to serve as appetizers.

Or, just wait here, hoping for a turn of fate.

After a long while, the Two-Horned Ghost, seeing his words had no effect and no one was responding, felt rather deflated.

”Forget it. I sincerely believe that becoming Ghosts was a free chance we were given. We need to cherish this second chance at existence more than those people did. Being Ghosts is already hard enough for us; let’s not seek death. I’m glad to have met you all. I truly feel you’re not like those death-seeking Evil Ghosts. You all still have a chance. If you won’t listen, then so be it.”

The Two-Horned Ghost reached out, patting the Uni-horned Ghost.

”Let’s go, brother.”

”Oh...” The Uni-horned Ghost didn’t dare say more, just followed along.

However, just as these two Ghosts began to walk forward, the gazes of the assembled Ghosts suddenly turned peculiar.