The Demonic Cultivator In Zombie World

Chapter 185: The Ghost King

"Spiraling Devour is truly remarkable!" Chu Xuan praised as he focused his spiritual sense into a continuously swirling vortex. He was astounded to discover that the destructive power of "Spiraling Devour" far surpassed his previously practiced spiritual sense secret technique "Soul Piercing Needle".

Moreover, "Spiraling Devour" also possessed the ability to devour an opponent's spiritual sense! This was the most surprising aspect for Chu Xuan. In a battle of spiritual sense secret techniques, one party's spiritual sense could gradually be devoured by the other, swiftly determining the victor.

"Just this unique ability to devour spiritual sense alone is enough to classify it among the mid-tier Golden Core spiritual sense secret techniques," Chu Xuan reasoned. "And it seems that the transformations of 'Spiraling Devour' have not yet reached their limit; there might even be higher-level soul techniques to discover."

Chu Xuan's interest in the more advanced soul techniques grew. If a mid-tier soul technique could devour spiritual sense, what capabilities would a high-tier technique possess?

Presumably, such advanced soul techniques were likely kept by the Slaughter Faction's Spectre King, as the most destructive and lethal techniques usually gathered under their domain.

"However, I hadn't anticipated the true history of Soul Star to be so... profound."

After searching the memories of several Slaughter Faction's spirits, Chu Xuan had pieced together a clearer picture of Soul Star's situation.

The supposed rivalry between the Rectitude Hall and the Eternal Halls was merely a fabrication by the soul tribes. There had never been an Eternal Hall.

A thousand years ago, in dire need of energy for interstellar travel, the high-ranking nobles of Soul Star devised a method. They extracted the souls from death-row inmates' bodies and, after a series of complex procedures, turned these souls into energy sources.

These souls were imprisoned in "cages," unable to think, resist, or do anything but produce energy, much like the fuel in a power plant.

This situation bore a slight resemblance to the humans corralled in The Matrix, who were kept alive by nutrient fluids and immersed in fabricated dreams. However, the souls in cages were merely treated as fuel. Their bodies would gradually shrivel and ultimately vanish.

Over time, the imprisoned souls expanded from death-row inmates to the lower strata of Soul Star's populace, growing in number exponentially.

As a result, Soul Star's soul system developed rapidly. The soul transmission matrices were invented during this period, revolutionizing how souls were handled and manipulated.

Over eight hundred years ago, a soul that had not been completely cleansed awakened. Following its awakening, more souls stirred, and after a period of accumulation, they united and shattered the cages arranged by the nobility.

This initiated a terrible chain reaction. Within just one year, all the souls on the planet had burst from their cages and frenziedly attacked the Soul Star nobles, who were forced to retreat underground, abandoning the surface entirely.

The liberated souls desired eternal life in their spiritual forms and began to see themselves not as Soul Star people but as the Soul Tribe.

Meanwhile, the nobles identified themselves as "the real people," or the Rectitude Hall, insisting there had never been an Eternal Hall.

The purported ideological divide between the Rectitude Hall and the Eternal Hall was merely fabricated by the Soul Tribe as a lure to attract outsiders to Soul Star.

The first Great Spectre Master Chu Xuan encountered had only fragmented memories of Soul Star's history, but as he delved deeper into the stronghold of Torrential Flow City and accessed the memories of more Great Spectre Masters, he managed to piece together the shattered history of Soul Star.

For Chu Xuan, this was merely a curiosity—after all, it was an alien planet. Such historical depths were indeed sufficient to pique his interest.

"Time to continue refining the spritual sense secret technique," Chu Xuan decided, casting aside these thoughts and focusing intently on mastering "Spiraling Devour."

Perfecting "Spiraling Devour" required a solid foundation. Without regular practice, even the most talented could feel rusty when it truly mattered. In battles among Golden Core cultivators, even a moment's rustiness could determine life or death.

Five years passed in the blink of an eye as Chu Xuan sat in meditation. During this period, sporadic Great Spectre Masters from the Slaughter Faction were drawn to the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Array, seeking a feast. Yet, they were all torn apart by the incensed Two Armed and Four Armed.

We haven't even started eating yet, and you want to dine? Not a chance!

"Spiraling Devour, perfected!"

Chu Xuan stood up, his face breaking into a slight smile. With a mere thought, his spiritual sense formed a fiercely spinning vortex, as powerful as a fully revved drill, ready to pulverize all of creation and devour it completely.

He casually dissolved the vortex and looked towards the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Array.

Inside the array, thousands of ghost generals had already emerged, and it seemed that ghost commanders would soon appear.

After five years of growth, Two Armed and Four Armed had reached the rank of ninth-level ghost generals. Still, grappling with a ghost commander was a bit of a stretch for them.

So, it was time to feast.

"About time to eat heartily," Chu Xuan nodded with a smile.

Upon hearing the command, Two Armed and Four Armed charged into the array with immense excitement.

For the past five years, they had only been allowed to consume a ghost general every three days. Today, they could finally feast to their heart's content.

Like terrifying meat grinders, Two Armed and Four Armed tore through the ranks of ghost generals. None stood a chance against them.

After all, both were ghosts equipped with their own ghost artifacts, while the spirits of Soul Star lacked such powerful tools and were mere pushovers by comparison.

After five years of accumulation, it only took them a day to clear the field completely.

"I can't eat anymore, I'm too full," Two Armed shook its head and left the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Array first.

Chu Xuan observed it thoughtfully. This action wasn't simply due to being sated; rather, Two Armed was consciously stepping back to leave the remaining spirits for Four Armed. It seemed to understand that Chu Xuan was focusing on cultivating Four Armed first.

By now, Two Armed had reached the level of a seventh-rank ghost commander, equivalent to a seventh-level Golden Core cultivator, which was quite an achievement.

"ROAR!"

Four Armed bellowed triumphantly within the array, voraciously devouring spirit after spirit. Its level surged dramatically: from a seventh-rank ghost commander to an eighth, then a ninth, and finally, ghost king!

The array hummed vibrantly as a tremendous surge of sinister ghost energy burst forth. Every spirit, regardless of rank, instinctively bowed down in terror and reverence at the emergence of a new king.

In mere moments, Four Armed's form expanded wildly, reaching over six zhang tall—about twenty meters by the measurements of Blue Star. A dense, fearsome armor of ghostly energy condensed along its form, the hallmark of a ghost king.

With a mighty leap, Four Armed burst from the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Array, its massive form towering over Chu Xuan. Then, somewhat comically, it crouched down like a giant dog.

"Ghost kings should be able to speak now. Try saying something," Chu Xuan chuckled.

Four Armed pondered seriously for a moment before opening its mouth to speak.

"Woof! Woof woof!"

Chu Xuan was momentarily speechless.

Two Armed coughed dryly, "Dad, that's just how it is."