Chapter 117: The Bone War Slave

With two sharp cracks, the two skeletons each used their scythes to decapitate the other. In the blink of an eye, their bodies crumbled into bone dust and drifted away on the wind.

The moment the two skeletons perished, Jiang Nansheng’s body underwent another transformation. His frame, which had previously shrunk to five zhang, contracted further until it reached the size of an ordinary man. His skin, once like white jade, was now encased in a thick suit of black bone-spiked armor.

The white flames that had previously hovered around him suddenly turned black. Jiang Nansheng appeared as if he had returned from the depths of hell, enveloped in dense, dark fire. The giant scythe in his hand transformed into a long black chain.

To Hu San’s senses, Jiang Nansheng’s current strength far exceeded that of the Bear Demon; he was even more intimidating than the Snake Demon who had wielded the Black Wind Formation. A tyrannical, overwhelming killing intent radiated directly from him. Even from a distance, Hu San felt lightheaded, as if thinking itself had become difficult.

If Hu San felt this way, the experts closer to Jiang Nansheng were in an even worse state. Aside from a few top-tier masters who could barely maintain their clarity, the others who had been forming the array stood as if intoxicated, staring blankly ahead. Forget about fighting; even standing upright was a struggle.

Jiang Nansheng lashed out with the black chain. Amidst the whistling wind, any martial artist grazed by it was instantly reduced to ash. Even top-tier experts like Black Giant Spirit were entangled in thick, black flames the moment they were struck, leaving them with no choice but to focus entirely on self-preservation, let alone fight back.

In an instant, the Heavenly Dog Devours the Demon formation collapsed. The experts who had formed it were either dead or wounded. After Jiang Nansheng’s assault, Hu San noted that only three remained standing: Black Giant Spirit, the Bald Old Man, and Chu Qian. Everyone else had either been swallowed by the black flames or reduced to ashes, disappearing from the world entirely.

"Roar!"

Having slaughtered so many experts in one blow, Jiang Nansheng’s body shifted again. The smooth bone armor plates suddenly hinged outward, and jagged bone spikes protruded, making him look like a bristling hedgehog.

"Haha! It was worth spending so much time. The life-or-death battle between these top-tier experts completely ignited their life energy. Having absorbed such potent power, this Bone Battle Slave is now truly refined. Shen Fang, you will be safer as you cultivate in the world of immortals. This battle slave possesses strength equivalent to the late stage of the Dharma Gathering realm. It is also immensely strong, and its Bone Netherfire has the property of burning everything to nothingness. Ordinary late-stage Dharma Gathering cultivators are no match for it."

"From here on, leave the battlefield to this slave. You and I must enter the Boundless Cave Abode while the Floating Light Heavenly Path is open. Otherwise, once the Boundless Divine Mirror closes, not even all the gods and Buddhas in the sky could make it recognize a master. Remember, once I return to the Boundless Divine Mirror, I will be unable to emerge or guide you for a long time. You must rely on yourself. Fortunately, the Boundless Return to Ruins Scripture is enough to carry you to the Heavenly Aperture realm. If you are still alive by then, perhaps I will be able to awaken."

"Before that, however, remember this: never use the arts or supernatural powers of the Boundless Return to Ruins Scripture in front of others. If someone with ill intent discovers them, even dying will be a luxury. Once I have fully gained control of the Boundless Divine Mirror, that will be the time to restore the glory of the Boundless Sect, where ten thousand immortals come to pay homage. As the sole disciple of the Boundless Sect, you must keep this in mind."

The successful refinement of the Bone Battle Slave delighted the white-robed old man. Seemingly confident in the slave's strength—convinced that Hu San and the others were doomed—and perhaps feeling he had no more time to give instructions, the old man began to counsel Shen Fang right in front of everyone.

While Black Giant Spirit and the others listened in nervous confusion, Hu San understood clearly. Watching Shen Fang nod repeatedly with a resolute expression, Hu San couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "This brat has incredible luck. It seems he has inherited the legacy of an extraordinary sect. If I’m not mistaken, this white-robed old man is merely an artifact spirit or a construct of the sect's divine treasure, the Boundless Divine Mirror. He likely possesses no true cultivation base himself, otherwise, we would all be dead by now."

"To give instructions so openly shows the old man is very confident in the power of this Bone Battle Slave. It seems I must go all out this time. Fortunately, they cannot command it directly. Given the slave's limited intelligence, there might still be a sliver of hope for survival, otherwise, we would truly be in danger."

His eyes shimmering with intensity, Hu San constantly calculated ways to escape. He knew that since the old man had revealed such secrets in their presence, he would never let any of them leave alive.

"Master Bai, rest assured. Shen Fang will not fail your expectations. I will expand the reputation of the Boundless Sect and restore its former glory."

Shen Fang nodded solemnly, though he glanced at Hu San with concern. "Master Bai, this brat’s cultivation is decent. I am not sure if the Battle Slave can finish him off alone. Why don't we use the slave to eliminate him before we enter the Boundless Cave Abode?"

At that moment, ethereal smoke and mist began to rise from the stage, which was made entirely of moonlight. The mist coalesced into a path, extending from the end of the stage toward the abyss ahead, eventually connecting to the Boundless Jade Wall.

As if by refraction, or perhaps because the Boundless Jade Wall itself was emitting light, the moment the mist touched the wall, steps constructed entirely of moonlight appeared in the abyss at the end of the stage.

It was impossible to count how many stairs there were. They were arranged neatly, extending deep into the abyss until they disappeared from sight, leading to an unknown destination.

Seeing this, the white-robed old man shook his head firmly. "There is no time. The Ancient Immortal Ascension Path has opened. If we don't hurry, we won't reach the location of the Boundless Divine Mirror. Although this youth’s cultivation is high, it is only equivalent to the early stage of the Dharma Gathering realm. If I am not mistaken, he has obtained the inheritance of the Witch Sect. The Bone Battle Slave is more than capable of handling him."

"Even if the Battle Slave cannot kill him immediately, once I have mastered the Boundless Divine Mirror, I can mobilize a sliver of its power to destroy him. Even if I fall into slumber before I can act, you can return here and command the slave to finish him. Without the permission of the Boundless Divine Mirror, not even the Heavenly King himself could leave this Bright Moon Battle Stage."

At these words, everyone—from the vigilant Hu San to the Black Giant Spirit and his companions, who were desperately trying to remain unnoticed—shuddered, their faces turning pale.

Shen Fang sneered coldly at Hu San. He felt a lingering irritation at not being able to kill this person himself. Although the old man hadn't said it outright, Shen Fang sensed a difference in how the old man treated Hu San. He could guess the reason: like himself, this youth was likely a perfect match for the Boundless Sect's techniques. Given the old man's attitude, had he not already chosen Shen Fang and planted the spiritual guide within him, he might have chosen Hu San instead. This realization made Shen Fang deeply uncomfortable, and his desire to eliminate Hu San grew even stronger.

"Kill them!"

With that command, Shen Fang did not linger. He followed the white-robed old man onto the moonlight stairs and vanished into the bottomless abyss.

Compared to the fleeting satisfaction of a kill, Shen Fang valued eternal glory. Against the immense benefits of the Boundless Divine Mirror, Hu San was nothing more than a speck of dust.

Black Giant Spirit, the Bald Old Man, and Chu Qian watched with bloodshot eyes as the two disappeared along the path. Although they knew this was the way to the Boundless Cave Abode, they dared not move, for the Bone Battle Slave remained motionless near the entrance.

A moment later, the moonlight path in the abyss began to fade. Finally, the top-most step connected to the stage disappeared, triggering a chain reaction. All the moonlight stairs vanished instantly; the path dissolved, leaving only the dark, yawning abyss between the stage and the Boundless Jade Wall.

"Click!"

The moment the path vanished, the skeleton transformed from Jiang Nansheng moved. However, instead of lunging at the three remaining experts, it charged directly toward Hu San. The black chain in its hand lashed out like a ferocious dragon. It was so fast that even Hu San could only catch a glimpse of a blurred shadow.

Without hesitation, Hu San drew his Ice Shuttle Sword, and infinite sword qi gathered around him.

As he retreated rapidly using the Fish-Step, Hu San pushed the Ice Shuttle Sword to its limit. The sound of clashing metal rang out incessantly. When the noise finally subsided, Black Giant Spirit and the others looked on to see that Hu San and the skeleton had moved to the other side of the stage.

Only then did the three realize the true gap between them and the combatants. Losing all hope of victory, they hurriedly formed a Three Talents formation and huddled together. In truth, they knew that if they had faced that attack, they would have had no choice but to close their eyes and wait for death.

"Roar!"

Jiang Nansheng’s hollow, glowing eyes locked onto Hu San. The black iron chain hung low, the dark flames upon it dimming as the sword qi dissipated. Although he was a creature of bone, the rapid assault had taken a toll on him.

On the other side, the Ice Shuttle Sword—being only a low-grade magical artifact—had its spiritual light fading after the violent collision, and the gathered sword qi had diminished significantly. It was unlikely to withstand another round of attacks.

Taking a deep breath, Hu San pulled a Water-Light Shield and a Spirit Water Talisman from his storage stone, slapping them onto his body. With a flick of his wrist, he drew the Meteor Arrow he had purchased earlier into his right hand.