Chapter 133: War with the Wolf-Lion Beast King

"Wolf-Lion Beast King, have you come specifically for me? May I ask what your intentions are? We haven't met for decades, and to my surprise, you have learned to speak the language of human ghosts. It seems your cultivation has advanced significantly during these years. If you have any instructions, speak plainly! My younger brother is in a hurry to continue his journey," said Ghost King Gaoyang.

"Your younger brother? Is this new soul beside you your younger brother?" the Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King asked.

"Indeed. Speak your mind; I am eager to get my brother to the shore. If you don't speak now, we shall have no more time!" replied Ghost King Gaoyang.

"It is nothing major. I simply wish for your brother to take me along when he heads to the surface," said the Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King.

"Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King, are you unaware of the rules of Black River Prison? Every soul sealed within these walls knows that without the Yama King’s permission, no one may leave, nor is anyone permitted to secretly smuggle out a prisoner. If my brother were to take you, the Yama King would consider him an accomplice and punish him accordingly. My brother is a soul of noble character; how could he possibly take you? Would that not be collusion? Please, move aside!" Ghost King Gaoyang demanded.

The Netherhounds and the attendants of Ghost King Gaoyang, who were blocking the path, began to stir restlessly. The two Netherhounds, in particular, were incensed that the Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King expected their master to smuggle it out, and they barked even more fiercely.

The fifty or sixty Wolf-Lion Beast Ghosts under the command of the Beast King, seeing the Netherhounds barking, joined in with their own roars and assumed a stance ready for battle.

Seeing the Netherhounds and his own subordinates roaring—with three Wolf-Lion Beasts preparing to lunge—the Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King hurriedly signaled with his hand to suppress his followers' fury.

Wei Xiaobao and the two Netherhounds recognized those three aggressive beasts as the ones they had previously fought.

"I am not asking your brother to take me for free, nor would I demand it without cause. He killed one of my subordinates, so I shall use that life as currency to exchange for my passage out of the Black River Prison. Is this condition not reasonable?" the Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King said.

Hearing this, Wei Xiaobao immediately retorted, "Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King, you are right—I did kill your subordinate. But I had my reasons. Before that, your four subordinates had slaughtered countless innocent souls here and devoured them. When they discovered us, they attacked with the intent to kill. We had no choice but to defend ourselves. If we had not, we would have been killed and eaten. Since they intended to consume us, how could we not resist? Furthermore, they were so cruel that if we hadn't killed them, they would have harmed many more innocent souls! All souls sealed in Black River Prison are here because their crimes were not worthy of total annihilation. Since none of us are meant to be extinguished, no one has the right to strip another of their life. Your subordinates killed so many that they had to pay with their own lives. Therefore, the one I killed deserved his fate."

The Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King laughed heartily. "Little one, I didn't expect someone as young as you to be so eloquent! Ha! Every soul sealed here, while not deserving of death, is as good as dead! Myself included. The Yama King does not care about us. To survive and increase our cultivation, we must consume the remains of other ghosts, absorbing their essence to bolster our own energy. Once our internal energy reaches a certain level, perhaps we can break the Yama King’s sealing spell. Survival of the fittest—if they are too weak to defend themselves, they deserve to be eaten."

"Wolf-Lion Beast Ghost King, your words are pure nonsense!" Wei Xiaobao declared. "Regardless, even if you kill me, I will not commit such an act against my conscience. We will not take you out. Even if you somehow escaped, and even if the Yama King did not punish me, I would be forever plagued by guilt. Please, move aside. If not, do not blame us for being impolite."

As he finished speaking, Wei Xiaobao raised his right hand.

The Ghost-Slaying Sword, hidden behind him, flew into his hand instantly, emitting a mystical white light that scattered in all directions. The light shone upon the pack of Wolf-Lion Beasts, blinding the King and his fifty or sixty followers, who began to howl in chaotic confusion. The sound frightened other nearby ghosts, who fled in all directions, causing the black waters of the river to churn with turbulent waves.

Seeing that the Wolf-Lion Beast King would not yield, and witnessing Wei Xiaobao draw his sword to engage in battle, Ghost King Gaoyang pulled Wei Xiaobao behind him and whispered, "Brother, time is running out. It seems they will not yield; we have no choice but to fight! Leave the combat to us; you must take the Netherhounds and get out of the Black River while we engage them!"

"No, Brother!" Wei Xiaobao insisted. "This King is massive and fierce, and it can speak human language—its power must be unfathomable. I cannot let you face it alone. If anything happens to you, I will feel guilty for the rest of my life!"

"Do not worry, brother," Ghost King Gaoyang replied. "I fought it many times decades ago and defeated it every time! Although we haven't crossed paths in years and its power may have grown, I have also been cultivating. You may go with confidence!"

Just then, Wang Jiming appeared a few hundred meters away with over five hundred elite prison ghosts, rushing toward them.

"Wolf-Lion Beast King," Ghost King Gaoyang said, "my brother is right. Your subordinate died because it tried to eat him, so it was only natural for him to strike back. He has done no wrong. Move aside; if you let him return to the world of the living, I will be grateful, and we can return to minding our own territories in peace. Otherwise, we shall meet on the battlefield once more!"

"Meet on the battlefield again? Hahahahaha! Gaoyang, do you think I am the same as I was decades ago? If that is the case, draw your weapon!"

The Wolf-Lion Beast King opened its mouth and let out several roars. Then, taking a deep breath, it pursed its lips and unleashed a pillar of white mist directly at Ghost King Gaoyang.

Seeing their King attack, the fifty or sixty Wolf-Lion Beasts charged across the black water like a stampede of bulls toward Wei Xiaobao and his companions, splashing gray mist into the air. In an instant, they had completely surrounded Ghost King Gaoyang and Wei Xiaobao.