the Ghost-Face King: A Fateful Battle 24: Chapter 24: Zhao Kongcheng vs.
the Ghost-Face King: A Fateful Battle In the old district, numerous families were enjoying their most sumptuous meal of the day.
Drizzle washed over the streets, where sparse human figures walked, lending the air an eerie atmosphere.
Through the narrow alleys of this old residential area, a figure clad in a dark red cloak was sprinting at top speed.
Even though it was midsummer, Zhao Kongcheng felt a chill seep straight into his marrow.
Zhao Kongcheng had just learned of the Ghostface King’s whereabouts from Wu Xiangnan.
The creature’s potential target was either the old district where he currently was or the bustling downtown center.
Weighing the lesser of two evils, the Nightwatchers deployed most of their personnel to the downtown center, leaving Zhao Kongcheng temporarily in charge of the old district alone.
His current objective was to evacuate the residents of the old district.
If he actually encountered the Ghostface King, he was to avoid direct engagement and stall the monster by any means necessary.
Hongying was currently en route, but Zhao Kongcheng knew in his heart that if the Ghostface King truly appeared in the old district, she wouldn’t make it in time.
…
On the other side.
“We don’t know Lu Ming’s location right now.
Since he isn’t an official member yet, we have no way of tracking him.
If Lu Ming were assisting Zhao Kongcheng, they could at least hold out until Hongying’s backup arrives…” Chen Muye and Wu Xiangnan looked at the dense crowds in the downtown center, an improper thought surfacing in their minds.
*If only the Ghostface King had appeared downtown.* Both bore bitter expressions.
In this situation, if Zhao Kongcheng crossed paths with the Ghostface King, given Old Zhao’s temperament, he would almost certainly face dire peril.
“I hope Hongying makes it in time!” …
From the shadows of the streets, Lu Ming had been tailing Zhao Kongcheng in secret.
The Ghostface King had already entered the range of his Spiritual Pressure perception, heading in the exact same direction as Zhao Kongcheng.
Lu Ming could only sigh at the helplessness of fate—it was as if an inevitable inertia was determined to bring Zhao Kongcheng and the Ghostface King together.
Right then, Zhao Kongcheng halted abruptly as a nauseating, rank stench flooded his nostrils.
Zhao Kongcheng’s eyes widened as his gaze landed on a manhole cover not far away.
As the stench grew increasingly foul, Zhao Kongcheng knew he had hit the jackpot today.
He instinctively gripped his Zanpakuto, Katen Kyokotsu, while slowly lowering the briefcase in his other hand to the ground.
“Report.
Watcher Zhao Kongcheng has discovered…
the Ghostface King.” With that, Zhao Kongcheng opened the briefcase and pulled out three warning signs.
“Old Zhao!
I’ve issued the command.
Old Zhao, you just need to set up [Boundless Domain].
Do not engage head-on!” Zhao Kongcheng deployed the signs at lightning speed, connecting them in a triangular formation.
“Xiangnan, Boundless Domain won’t hold the Ghostface King for ten minutes!” Zhao Kongcheng’s voice was deathly calm.
“But I can!” The moment Zhao Kongcheng’s words fell, Wu Xiangnan’s expression shifted drastically.
“Old Zhao, do not fight the Ghostface King head-on…
Even if Boundless Domain can’t hold it, it won’t necessarily cause casualties immediately.” Wu Xiangnan’s voice carried urgency, tinged with a streak of ruthless practicality.
“Even if the Ghostface King kills a few people, it won’t recover much strength.
We Nightwatchers aren’t gods; we can’t prevent every casualty.
Losing a core member over this is an absolute net loss.” “Old Zhao, I command you.” Wu Xiangnan spoke faster and faster, yet he couldn’t command Zhao Kongcheng.
“Xiangnan, do you remember the oath we once swore?” “Behind me…
lies that child’s entire world.” Zhao Kongcheng’s voice dropped low, before his hands suddenly snapped together: “Forbidden Realm!
[Boundless Domain].” …
Inside Lin Qiye’s home.
Standing on the balcony, Lin Qiye noticed something strange about the bats.
After communicating with them using his ability, Starry Starry Night Dancer, his face turned dead serious.
With only a moment’s hesitation, Lin Qiye slipped on his jacket and walked out into the rainy night.
At that moment, Lu Ming crouched on the second-floor balcony of a residential house like an owl, silently observing Zhao Kongcheng in the center of the battlefield.
Zhao Kongcheng was currently battered and bruised, yet Lu Ming hadn’t stepped in.
Because he felt that as Zhao Kongcheng fought using the Zanpakuto, Katen Kyokotsu, the resonance frequency between Zhao Kongcheng and Katen Kyokotsu grew higher and higher.
He realized that the best way for Zhao Kongcheng to master Shikai was not Jinzen, but this blood-drenched, life-or-death combat.
*Old Zhao, with me backing you up, fully experience this life-and-death struggle against the Ghostface King.* Lu Ming shifted his gaze to the tall, imposing figure of the Ghostface King nearby.
In the torrential downpour, a normal person’s vision would be completely blurred.
The Ghostface King stood in the rain like a giant.
“A River Realm monster…
Even though its body is covered in wounds left by the captain, it still doesn’t seem like something I can face.” “Feels like I won’t get a next time…” Zhao Kongcheng took hold of Katen Kyokotsu’s twin hilts and slowly drew them out.
White sword-light flashed, slicing through the rain.
At that exact moment, the Ghostface King moved.
Zhao Kongcheng’s swordsmanship was exquisite, but the Ghostface King’s speed was terrifying.
*Clang, clang, clang!
Clang, clang, clang!* Zhao Kongcheng landed six strikes on the Ghostface King, but the damage he received in return was far greater.
He was just an ordinary human—flesh and blood.
The Ghostface King, on the other hand, was a mythical creature of the River Realm.
Its physical attributes were terrifyingly superior, far beyond anything Zhao Kongcheng could match.
*It’s this strong without even using its Forbidden Realm?
Talk about cheating!* Zhao Kongcheng cursed inwardly, his expression turning grave.
The Ghostface King’s voice boomed like thunder as a massive Ghostface domain materialized around them.
“Forbidden Realm Sequence 176: [Ghostface Domain]!
Damn it, it’s not giving me a single chance to stall!” The moment Ghostface Domain activated, even Lu Ming, standing within its field, felt his sense of direction warp—let alone Zhao Kongcheng, who was just an ordinary mortal.
“This Ghostface Domain is pretty similar to a certain Zanpakuto’s power, isn’t it?
Quite interesting.” Within the Ghostface Domain, one’s sense of direction shifted according to the Ghostface King’s will.
The stronger one was, the less affected they would be.
However, forcing an opponent to abruptly alter their combat habits inevitably degraded their fighting power severely.
*Sakanade!* The name of that Zanpakuto surfaced in Lu Ming’s mind.
If he had forged Sakanade for Zhao Kongcheng earlier, wouldn’t it be interesting to see the difference between the Forbidden Realm [Ghostface Domain] and Sakanade’s Shikai?
In that instant, Lu Ming’s thoughts drifted.
The Ghostface King was strong, but heavily injured as it was, it could only pick on someone like Zhao Kongcheng.
Still, Lu Ming didn’t remember every detail of Zhao Kongcheng’s fight against the Ghostface King from the original work, and couldn’t quite recall how Zhao Kongcheng countered this Ghostface Domain.
Judging by the current situation, Zhao Kongcheng wouldn’t last more than a few moves inside this Ghostface Domain.
Yet a moment later, Lu Ming’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help nodding in approval as he watched Zhao Kongcheng’s response.
…
“Surprised, huh?” “It’s raining today.
You can trick my senses, but you can’t stop the rain from falling.” “All I need to do is use the rain to calibrate my sense of direction, and everything becomes much simpler.” Zhao Kongcheng spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, raising Katen high and pointing it at the Ghostface King.
“If I had a Forbidden Realm, you’d have died eight hundred times over!” Lu Ming instinctively began to clap.
Zhao Kongcheng was exceptionally rich in combat experience and close-quarters skills.
However, the gap in power was real.
In this life-or-death battle against the Ghostface King, even with Zhao Kongcheng fully focused, he was already covered in wounds.
Yet Lu Ming could tell that the resonance between Zhao Kongcheng and Katen Kyokotsu was growing closer and closer.
Along with it, Lu Ming gained a wealth of experience through Zhao Kongcheng in the three areas of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, and Hohou.
*I kind of feel like a scumbag doing this…
feels like I’m leeching off Old Zhao!* Lu Ming pursed his lips, pondering whether he should step in.
However, if he intervened now, the resonance state between Katen Kyokotsu and Zhao Kongcheng would be shattered.
Missing this opportunity, if Old Zhao wanted to achieve Shikai later, he would likely have to drain himself in Jinzen meditation again.
*Wait a little longer.
As long as I don’t let Old Zhao use Ghost-God Draught, it should be fine.
I’m actually pretty eager to see Katen Kyokotsu’s released abilities.* “Zhao Kongcheng!” Right at that moment, Lin Qiye’s voice rang out.
The main character’s appearance made Lu Ming abandon any thought of acting for now.
*I can use Lin Qiye to squeeze out even more of Old Zhao’s potential!* Lu Ming leaned his hands on the balcony railing again, looking at Zhao Kongcheng inside the Boundless Domain and Lin Qiye outside it.
The two were physically so close to each other.
Yet, separated by the Boundless Domain, Lin Qiye could not see a single thing happening inside that triangular domain…