Chapter 296

Chapter 296: Awakening

The sudden shift in events sent everyone screaming in terror.

Jin Zhihong roared, "I knew it! The cycle of life and death isn’t so simple! To leave the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals is to seek death!"

"You are all doomed!"

The Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals trembled, shaken by the influence of the terrifying giant beast.

That dreadful beast’s mouth seemed capable of devouring everything in its path.

To make matters worse, an astonishing suction force swept through the air.

Even Zhang Yang was caught off guard—he had not sensed this hidden danger at all.

The Hellhound, too, was terrified. Just because it hailed from beneath the surface did not mean it was invincible on the surface. It was far from reaching such a level, and the monstrous beast’s mouth could easily swallow it whole.

At this critical moment of life and death, both sides reacted.

The Hellhound suddenly leaped backward, attempting to retreat.

As a Hellhound, the Abyss of the Buried Immortals was its true domain, a place it favored most. It was not afraid of missing the chance to reboard the Ghost Ship.

Zhang Yang, on the other hand, stirred his half-awakened bloodline.

Buzz!

A remarkable light flared from the Tiny Flame, not only illuminating the sky but also igniting his bloodline, making his entire body glow like a great sun in the darkness. This radiance allowed him to slightly resist the powerful suction force.

His Consummate Slaughter Thunder Saint Power activated perfectly.

He stood firmly on the Slaughter Sacred Thunder and abruptly changed direction. Instead of boarding the ship, he landed directly above the Hellhound.

Bang!

He stomped down hard, his feet charged with Slaughter Sacred Thunder, crushing into the Hellhound’s back.

The impact was immense.

The Hellhound had never expected that, in such a perilous moment, Zhang Yang would still harbor killing intent. Just as when it first emerged and was ambushed by his attack, it was caught completely off guard.

The force of the stomp sent the Hellhound plummeting straight into the beast’s mouth.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yang propelled himself upward, soaring like an arrow toward the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals.

At that moment, the Tiny Flame’s protective power wavered, and for a second, it seemed he would be swallowed as well.

Then, the Hellhound let out a frenzied roar, unleashing a surge of terrifying power, a force that faintly surpassed even holy power. It was a protective blessing granted to it by the terrifying beings from below the surface, forcibly disrupting the beast’s swallowing force.

The Hellhound’s body suddenly expanded, bracing itself against the beast’s gaping maw.

This brief struggle gave Zhang Yang just enough time to step onto the ship.

It also provided an opportunity for the ghostly figure and Yaoruoxian, allowing them to use the Hellhound’s body as a foothold to evade the suction force and dash onto the Ghost Ship.

However, their weight became the final straw. The added pressure crushed the already struggling Hellhound, forcing it completely into the beast’s mouth.

The giant beast devoured the Hellhound, dragging it into the River of Death.

The instant Zhang Yang stepped onto the ship’s deck, he swiftly turned around and swung the Crimson Sun Divine Rod with great force.

His target?

The ghostly figure and Yaoruoxian—he aimed to block their boarding.

"Roar!"

A chilling, bloodcurdling scream echoed from beneath the water.

It was the Hellhound’s final struggle, unleashing a terrifying surge of power aimed at Zhang Yang.

This was no ordinary attack, it was clearly a gifted power from the horrifying entities beneath the surface. The force was so overwhelming that Zhang Yang was forced to abandon any thought of stopping them.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The ghostly figure and Yaoruoxian seized the opportunity and leapt onto the ship.

They had all returned.

The entire sequence of events had unfolded at lightning speed.

Watching it all happen, the moon-returning dragon, Jin Zhihong, and the others stood in stunned silence, their mouths dry.

They could not believe what they had just witnessed.

It was utterly insane.

By this point, their adrenaline surged from the sheer craziness of the battle. Even the smallest misstep could have resulted in instant death. Yet, in these life-or-death moments, they gained deep insights into combat and martial arts.

Instead of resting, they prepared to fight again.

Boom!

The Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals surged atop a towering wave, plunging deep into the River of Death.

A great wind suddenly arose.

The gusts churned massive waves that towered into the sky.

"Annihilation Wind!" Jin Zhihong shouted. "Stop fighting! The Ghost Ship has protective powers, but if we continue battling, we’ll invite an even greater terror!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly shuddered, casting a wary glance at the ghostly figure.

Wasn’t this entity just a manifestation of the great terror within the ship?

A wave of dread washed over him.

To his surprise, however, the ghostly figure actually withdrew its intent to attack.

Instead, it watched them cautiously.

This puzzled the onlookers, but upon remembering that this was only a fragment of a greater horror, they found it somewhat understandable.

Meanwhile, the towering waves raised by the Annihilation Wind violently shook the Ghost Ship.

Though invisible protective powers shielded them, some waves still crashed down, their force strong enough to instantly kill anyone caught in them.

Everyone aboard had to dodge and brace themselves.

For over half an hour, they endured the relentless storm, until they finally broke free from the Annihilation Wind’s grasp.

The crew felt nauseous from the violent shaking, taking time to catch their breath.

Only the ghostly figure remained unaffected.

Zhang Yang clenched his teeth, suppressing the urge to vomit, as he coldly stared at the figure.

For the first time, the ghostly figure seemed hesitant, lacking its previous confidence.

Finally, ahead of them, a dark island emerged from the fog.

"The Ghost Island is here," Jin Zhihong announced. "There’s a Ghost Market ahead."

He continued, "The Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals will take three days to circle the island. We can trade treasures there. If we want to fight, we can do so on the island, but let’s not continue battling on the ship."

For once, the moon-returning dragon agreed with the suggestion.

The Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals always instilled in them a strange sense of danger, as if an unknown terror lurked aboard, something far beyond the ghostly figure.

Strangely, the ghostly figure’s demeanor made them less fearful of the mysterious breathing sounds that echoed from within the ship’s cabin.

Compared to other, subtler horrors, such as the Saintly Skull at the mast and the ship’s bow, these sounds were far more terrifying.

The Saintly Skull directly absorbed blood and vitality, making it a truly frightening existence.

A brief silence fell over the group.

Soon, the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals arrived at the dark Ghost Island.

No light existed on the island, yet with their cultivation levels and enhanced vision, they could see through the darkness, though certain special areas remained obscured.

Zhang Yang knew little about Ghost Island, just as his understanding of the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals was limited.

However, the moon-returning dragon took the initiative to explain.

No one knew how Ghost Island was formed.

It possessed a unique ecosystem, one inhabited by skeletal beings—people who had once boarded the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals.

It was said that only one in a thousand who disembarked would survive, transforming into a skeletal lifeform.

Though these skeletal beings could still cultivate, they could never board the ship again, for only pure-hearted individuals could step aboard.

They existed in a special state of life, permeated by the aura of decay. Unless they eradicated this decay aura, they would remain undead. However, if they purged it, their lives would end instantly.

At the moment of transformation, all previous memories vanished, marking a new beginning.

"In a way," the moon-returning dragon said, "they embody rebirth through destruction, much like the Thunder-Struck Sacred Wood, clinging to survival, yet barely living on Ghost Island."

He continued, "However, treasures often wash ashore here. Some have survived countless boardings and disembarkings, while others are holy relics that even the River of Death failed to destroy. Because of this, some dare to board the ship, risking their lives just to shop."

"Any treasure found on Ghost Island is either a holy artifact or a sacred weapon."

The moon-returning dragon shared many such details.

Zhang Yang absorbed the information, gaining a deeper understanding of Ghost Island and forming new judgments about the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals.

This ship was not just a place of danger, it was also a place of opportunity.

As the ship neared the harbor, it slowed, its movement calmed by the tranquil waters surrounding the island.

This unique current system prevented the raging waters in the distance from affecting the island.

Without hesitation, they leaped into the air, rushing toward Ghost Island.

Everyone remained alert and on guard.

Upon landing, Zhang Yang stood alongside the moon-returning dragon and the others.

Meanwhile, Yaoruoxian, the ghostly figure, Jin Zhihong, and their group gathered separately.

This division happened naturally, neither side initiated conflict.

Instead, they silently ventured along their own paths, heading deeper into Ghost Island.

Zhang Yang and Yaoruoxian exchanged glances.

The feeling was undeniable, the fifth battle would undoubtedly begin here, on Ghost Island.

They pressed forward.

Unbeknownst to them, the breathing sounds from within the Ghost Ship of the Buried Immortals had grown deeper and more intense.

Dark energy swirled, drawn from the skies above Ghost Island.

A deep, resounding voice echoed:

"Who has set a strand of power on the ship’s board, impersonating me?"

"An unassimilable bloodline… Your bloodline’s glow has awakened me."