Could this laughter be...

Several hours later.

A black mountain, shrouded in a sinister ghostly aura, appeared before them.

Patriarch Huntian shot a secret glance at the others, then resolutely stepped into the territory of the black mountain.

They had barely taken a few steps into the area when the aura of the living emanating from them alerted the entities dwelling within.

Rumble!

The black mountain quaked violently as if an earthquake had struck.

Immediately after, a chilling ghostly aura billowed upward like thick smoke.

A heavily armored general, leading dozens of iron cavalry, charged out from within.

These were a group of ghostly deities. Devoid of flesh and blood, their eerie white bones were clad in armor forged from dense ghostly aura, and emerald ghost fires burned within their hollow eye sockets.

The moment they appeared, the heavens and earth trembled. Eerie black lightning surged across the sky, and a sinister, terrifying aura permeated the surroundings.

"To think you dare trespass into the territory of the Black Mountain! Scram immediately, before this general loses his temper!"

The leading general shouted coldly.

He only held back because he noticed that Patriarch Huntian was an Immortal King-level expert, which made him somewhat wary. Had it been anyone else, he would have devoured them as blood food without a second word.

Seeing their target appear, a flash of joy crossed Patriarch Huntian's eyes.

In the past, he would have taken a detour around the Black Mountain. Today, however, he had resorted to this risky plan solely to test the waters.

Patriarch Huntian declared arrogantly, "What do you think you are, daring to block my path? If you know what's good for you, scram! Otherwise, I'll destroy you so thoroughly you won't even get to be a ghost!"

"What did you say!?" The ghost general instantly flew into a rage. Ghosts were inherently extreme by nature, and being corrupted by the Senluo Ghost Domain only amplified this trait. Those with profound cultivation could maintain their rationality under normal circumstances, but once enraged, not even a team of horses could hold them back.

"Die, you insolent fool!"

The ghost general leaped into the air, fiercely slashing down with his blood-red long saber. The strike swept up boundless ghostly aura, manifesting terrifying, hellish illusions within it.

Facing this terrifying strike, Patriarch Huntian surged with power, fiercely swinging his white bone club to meet the attack.

However, in the very next moment.

With a miserable shriek, Patriarch Huntian was sent flying. He crashed to the ground with a loud bang, shattering the earth inch by inch and forming a massive crater.

Even the ghost general was stunned. He hadn't expected the tough-talking Patriarch Huntian to be so fragile.

He immediately burst into wild laughter. "You dare clamor before this general with such meager strength? Today, I shall feast upon the flesh and blood of an Immortal King!"

Patriarch Huntian scrambled out of the crater in a sorry state. Coughing up blood, he threatened, "Don't get too arrogant! Seated within this ship is a mighty figure you cannot afford to provoke. You'd best scram right now. If you anger this great personage, you'll bear the consequences!"

The ghost general's gaze narrowed. The emerald ghost fires in his eye sockets fixed intently on the White Bone Blood Boat, staring straight into its pitch-black cabin door.

However, after probing it for a moment, he failed to sense any terrifying aura emanating from within.

He immediately sneered, "Hmph, cheap tricks! A mighty figure? This general wants to see just what kind of mighty figure is hiding inside!"

Swoosh!

The ghost general charged straight toward the White Bone Blood Boat.

As a ghostly deity backed by the endless ghostly aura of the Senluo Ghost Domain, he was practically immortal and indestructible. He had no fear of whatever expert might be inside.

Seeing the ghost general take the bait, Patriarch Huntian and the others were overjoyed. They watched the White Bone Blood Boat nervously, eager to see how Gu Qingfeng would respond.

The ghost general transformed into a streak of spectral light and shot directly into the White Bone Blood Boat. And then... nothing happened.

Patriarch Huntian waited for one second, two seconds, three seconds...

The air was filled with an eerie silence.

As time ticked by, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face grew increasingly pale.

Again... it happened again...

Was this guy truly that terrifying!?

An Immortal King-level ghostly deity entered, yet couldn't even make a single peep?

"B-Boss, what should we do?" the man in animal skins stammered, trembling uncontrollably.

By now, the ghost general's subordinates also realized something was wrong and began calling out for their commander.

Gritting his teeth, Patriarch Huntian transformed into a streak of bloody light and charged at the ghost general's subordinates. His white bone club erupted with brilliant immortal light as he smashed it down fiercely. In a matter of moments, he completely wiped out the remaining ghostly deities.

Aside from the ghost general, who had been an early-stage Immortal King, the rest of these entities were merely Quasi-Immortal Kings or Great Luo Immortals. They couldn't even withstand a single blow from him.

Having dealt with them, Patriarch Huntian swiftly flew to the front of the White Bone Blood Boat and fell to his knees with a heavy thud.

"Senior, I..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Qingfeng's indifferent voice drifted from the White Bone Blood Boat.

"Keep moving."

Patriarch Huntian froze for a moment before a look of wild ecstasy washed over his face. He scrambled to his feet and rushed to pull the carriage. This time, he pulled it personally, not letting the man in animal skins lay a single finger on it.

He knew Gu Qingfeng wasn't going to hold this against him; he had narrowly escaped disaster.

He didn't believe for a second that a figure of such caliber couldn't see through his little scheme. It was simply that Gu Qingfeng couldn't be bothered to care.

Indeed, Gu Qingfeng couldn't be bothered to care about Patriarch Huntian's probing. In his eyes, this wasn't a test, it was a free gift delivery.

After all, he had just been gifted another early-stage Immortal King family member.

Following this incident, Patriarch Huntian and the others fell completely in line, earnestly fulfilling their roles as carriage drivers.

Since Gu Qingfeng could suppress the ghost general with a mere flip of his hand, he could easily do the same to them. How could they dare to be anything but obedient?

A few days later.

A massive black city appeared before them.

Perpetual dark clouds shrouded the giant black city, casting a terrifying gloom over it.

"Senior, this is the Yellow Springs Ghost City within the Senluo Ghost Domain. I wonder if the person you seek is inside?" Patriarch Huntian bowed respectfully, looking every bit the part of an old servant.

"Let's go in and take a look," Gu Qingfeng replied indifferently.

But just as they were about to enter, several figures radiating terrifying immortal light suddenly appeared in their path.

Leading the group was an elegant man in green robes, followed by three men and one woman.

Among them was an acquaintance of Gu Qingfeng, the infatuated simp, Li Futu.

Upon seeing this group, Patriarch Huntian's expression changed drastically. He blurted out, "The Palace Master of the Immortal King Palace, Xu Qingyun!"

The elegant man, Xu Qingyun, cast a faint glance at Patriarch Huntian's group and said coldly, "The Immortal King Palace is conducting business. Idlers, step aside."

Someone in the group recognized Patriarch Huntian, but paid him no mind. A solitary, weak evil cultivator like him had never been worthy of the Immortal King Palace's attention.

Faced with Xu Qingyun's overbearing words, Patriarch Huntian was naturally furious but dared not speak out. The opposing side had five Immortal Kings, three at the middle stage, and one at the late stage. Who would dare provoke such a lineup?

Yet, he didn't dare to back down easily either, as Gu Qingfeng intended to enter the Yellow Springs Ghost City.

Left with no choice, he cast his gaze toward the White Bone Blood Boat.

"Senior, what do you think we should do..."

The moment he spoke, the members of the Immortal King Palace instantly fixed their gazes upon the White Bone Blood Boat. Although they looked down on rogue evil cultivators like Patriarch Huntian, he was still an early-stage Immortal King.

For an early-stage Immortal King to address someone as Senior, could it be that a middle-stage or even late-stage Immortal King was seated within?

"Jie jie jie... It seems this Emperor has found the right place!"

Suddenly, a sinister and terrifying burst of cruel laughter echoed from within the White Bone Blood Boat.

Upon hearing this familiar laughter, the expression of Li Futu from the Immortal King Palace shifted instantly.

"This laughter... could it be..."