In the blink of an eye, the Infernal Ghost Messenger arrived above the waiting group of people.
"We greet the Infernal Ghost Messenger!" The Ancestors were the first group to step forward in greeting with flattering smiles on their faces.
The Infernal Ghost Messenger stood high in the air with his hands behind his back. His haughty gaze swept over the people below and he gave a light nod accompanied by a low hum of acknowledgement. In the next second, he bellowed with anger, "Only a hundred and sixty-three people are here! This Messenger shall wait for ten minutes, after which, those that haven't arrived need not come in the future!"
At the Infernal Ghost Messenger's stern warning, the Ancestors and Patriarchs below inwardly shuddered.
Standing amongst the group of people, Huang Xiaolong secretly observed the Infernal Ghost Messenger. With his powerful soul force, Huang Xiaolong already saw through this person's strength.
This Infernal Ghost Messenger was indeed as rumored, a peak late-Tenth Order Highgod Realm master. Furthermore, this middle-aged man in front of him was close to reaching perfection stage Tenth Order Highgod Realm, the vast amount of godforce contained in his body was astounding.
Although most of the present Ancestors were of early Tenth Order Highgod Realm cultivation, some even mid-Tenth Order, they still wouldn't be able to defeat the Infernal Ghost Messenger even if all of them joined forces and attacked.
On the other hand, Huang Xiaolong himself was confident that, even without resorting to his primordial divine dragon form, he could defeat this Infernal Ghost Messenger. That was only defeating, not killing. Only by transforming into a primordial divine dragon would he have one hundred percent grasp of killing him.
In the time Huang Xiaolong was observing the Infernal Ghost Messenger, more Ancestors and Patriarchs of first-rank forces had arrived.
Soon, the ten minutes came to an end.
The Infernal Ghost Messenger's stern gaze swept over the final number of people, his voice akin to a reptile sliding down one's back, "Very good, there are six forces' people missing. There's no need to wait any longer. Let's go." His words gave no room to refute as he turned and flew off.
The Ancestors and Patriarchs present quickly chased up to him.
As for the six forces' people that had yet to arrive, they could already imagine their ending not far into the future.
Once the Ghost Refining Sect Master succession ceremony was completed, those six forces would be erased from the Path to Hell.
Huang Xiaolong and the rest flew behind the Infernal Ghost Messenger. Three hours later, they finally stopped upon reaching a virgin forest.
The Infernal Ghost Messenger looked at the group behind him and said, "Don't say I did not remind you lot. There are layers of restrictions in this forest and there are space fissures everywhere. Remember to follow me closely."
Space fissures!
Everyone looked grim in an instant.
Even though they were confident in their own strength, that didn't make them feel any better at all. Being caught in a space fissure was extremely troublesome, for it wasn't so easy to escape.
The Infernal Ghost Messenger ignored these people's reactions, disappearing into the virgin forest in a flicker.
Watching this, the others immediately followed right behind him.
The path the Infernal Ghost Messenger led them through was filled with twists and turns, messy and confusing. On top of that, there was a layer of poisonous miasma over the forest that hindered divine sense, preventing one from memorizing the way.
The group flew for a full day. When the sky darkened, the poisonous miasma in the virgin forest seemed to come alive, exuding a whelming coldness that felt like it could freeze one's soul. Some peak late-Ninth Order Highgod Realm Patriarchs had to circulate their godforce continuously to block out this cold air, but even so, it was exhaustive.
Suddenly, the Infernal Ghost Messenger in front of the group stopped and ordered everyone to rest at that location, continuing onward the next day.
His words sounded like music in everyone's eyes, their fraying tension finally relaxed.
After a night of rest, the group moved on, traveling during the day, and resting at night.
About eight days later, the scenery in front of them changed. The seemingly endless forest they had been flying through vanished from sight as they arrived at an ice-field.
What amazed these people was the huge asteroid floating above the ice-field!
They were unable to describe in words just how huge this asteroid was. On top of that, its surface was filled with cities; there were a lot of them, with numerous tall buildings. People were flying in and out from the cities akin to ants around an ant hill!
'This…!' Even Huang Xiaolong was astonished by the sight.
Who would have imagined that the Ghost Refining Sect that made the countenance of countless galaxies ashen just at the mere mention of its name was built on a huge asteroid! This asteroid was definitely not any smaller than the Heavenly Mountain he obtained years back.
It was these Ancestors and Patriarchs' first time coming to the Ghost Refining Sect. Looking at the sight before them, the astonished expressions on their faces were quite similar to Huang Xiaolong's.
"Come on!" Not waiting for them to recover, the Infernal Ghost Messenger was already urging them to follow up as he flew straight toward the huge asteroid.
Everyone hurried behind him.
As they approached the asteroid, Huang Xiaolong noticed that there seemed to be an energy nucleus at the core of it. If this energy nucleus exploded, it could probably wipe out all the lifeforms in a galaxy.
Huang Xiaolong's eyes glimmered thinking of this.
The Infernal Ghost Messenger led the group, descending at one of the cities on the asteroid.
Huang Xiaolong looked slightly above the city gates where three ancient ancient characters stated: Ghost Refining City.
They easily entered into the city with the Infernal Ghost Messenger leading them. No patrolling disciples or those guarding the gates stopped to check them.
After entering the Ghost Refining City, Huang Xiaolong saw that all the buildings inside the city had grotesque appearances, dark and sinister, many of the buildings' outer appearance actually took the form of a human skull!
Some were in the shape of internal organs, eyeballs, from severed hands to severed legs. There were also a few Yin Ghost and ghost beast buildings with their opened mouths fashioned into the buildings' entrance.
The Ancestors and Patriarchs in Huang Xiaolong's group were trembling with fear and apprehension as they arrived at a magnificent palace complex that took up almost the entire space of Ghost Refining City. One could hardly see the other end of the walls. Huang Xiaolong estimated this palace complex was as big an empire on the old Wind Snow Continent.
The group entered the palace complex, where the Infernal Ghost Messenger instructed two disciples to arrange accommodations for Huang Xiaolong's group. He then left, but not before leaving a warning to them, not to leave the complex they were in. If found, regardless who it was, they would be killed without mercy! He would come pick them when it was the day of the Sect Master succession ceremony.
Right before the Infernal Ghost Messenger disappeared from view, Huang Xiaolong secretly attached a strand of divine sense onto him.
Leaving Huang Xiaolong's group, the Infernal Ghost Messenger flew toward the center of the palace complex, descending and entering the biggest building.
On the dais of the hall stood a young man, the same one that Huang Xiaolong had the five-year covenant with, the Ghost Refining Sect's young lord! He was also the person who was going to take over the Ghost Refining Sect as Sect Master!
Huang Xiaolong discovered that this young lord had grown stronger from the time they last met five years ago. His cultivation already reached peak late-Tenth Order Highgod Realm!
Huang Xiaolong was shocked, how did this Ghost Refining Sect's young lord raise his strength so fast?!
"Young lord," Upon entering the hall, the Infernal Ghost Messenger stopped several feet away, greeting respectfully.
The Ghost Refining Sect young lord nodded, "Uncle Luo Yun, those Ancestors and Patriarchs all came?"
The Infernal Ghost Messenger replied, "Six forces did not arrive at the stipulated time. After the succession ceremony ends, I'll send people to clean them up."
Speaking of this, the Ghost Refining Sect young lord's brows furrowed deeply, "There are thirteen days left until the ceremony, but the Sect Master is still not back yet!"
"Young lord, be at ease. With the Sect Master's strength, there will be no mishaps. Maybe the Sect Master has already come out from the Sea of Hell and is one the way back!" The Infernal Ghost Messenger persuaded.
Huang Xiaolong blanked, the Ghost Refining Sect Master wasn't here?!