Meanwhile.
In the direction of the dense fog of ghost energy to the south.
Compared to Zhang Wei's ease in the east, this place was undergoing a bitter struggle.
The battle was fierce. From afar, cannons roared, bullets flew, giving the impression of modern warfare. From a distance, accompanied by the roar of guns and explosions, the sounds of shouting and ghostly wails were ceaseless.
"Hold the line! Hold the line!! Don't let the ghosts break through the south. Fellow disciples, our firepower is insufficient, quickly go to the vehicles to fetch ammunition. My bullets are running out."
A monk in a saffron robe shouted amidst the chaos.
With one hand, he held a Gatling gun, spraying bullets towards the approaching specters. As the ghosts charged, they were mowed down by the relentless barrage, falling like wheat in a harvest. But more kept coming, and even the Gatling gun was not enough to suppress them.
With his other hand, he picked up a grenade inscribed with scriptures, bit off the pin, and hurled it towards the surging horde of ghosts.
Instantly.
A deafening explosion erupted.
BOOM!!!!
Accompanied by the shrill screams of the ghosts and the scattering of their severed limbs and blood, a vacuum was created in front of the charging specters, temporarily halting their advance.
At this.
The ghosts behind them twitched their eyelids:
"What's going on with the monks of this era? How are they exorcising ghosts? Where's the chanting, the prayer beads, the staffs?"
They were bewildered.
Not long ago, upon seeing the monks here, they thought they had it made, choosing a good direction for their breakout. Because in the memories of all ghosts, regardless of their era, their impression of monks was the same: monks were kind, their methods of exorcism were gentle, they rarely killed, and they always focused on transcendence.
Therefore.
They believed they had nothing to fear from the monks, as transcendence was not something that could be accomplished quickly.
But who knew…
As soon as they engaged, they were utterly dumbfounded. The monks suddenly brandished some black metal tubes, and then their ghostly ranks began to fall in large numbers. They were killed from tens of meters, even hundreds of meters away, without even getting close to the monks. Especially those at a hundred meters, their heads inexplicably exploded.
Not only that.
Even when they relied on their numbers to press forward frantically, they were met with round objects thrown by the monks. These were clearly not talismans, yet they possessed power greater than that of the Five Thunder Talismans, exploding and sending them reeling.
To be honest.
If it weren't for their superior numbers compared to the exorcists, and the presence of two Ghost Kings overseeing them, they would have been annihilated long ago.
But the crucial point was that even with Ghost Kings present, they were still locked in a desperate struggle, because among the exorcists were not only the monks but also two Ghost King-level exorcists, and… besides them, there was an extremely monstrous individual.
He was a young exorcist, suspected to be from the Xiangxi Corpse-Reanimating sect. He controlled a zombie that could autonomously separate its body, making them unable to defend against him.
They ganged up on the zombie.
The zombie would dismember itself, its limbs, head, and torso separating and flying everywhere, making it impossible to capture. Then, it would seize the opportunity to reassemble its body and, using the zombie's formidable physique, kill the surrounding ghosts.
Even when they adapted.
A top-tier Red-Robed fierce ghost intervened, trapping its arms and legs. But the next second, the zombie somehow acquired new arms and legs, becoming even more terrifying.
In response.
They devised another strategy, choosing to attack the zombie's controller, the young exorcist.
But the result.
As soon as they approached, the young exorcist drew a saber from his waist. With a sweep of the blade, lightning crackled, and he transformed into a bolt of lightning. Not only did he evade their ghostly assault, but he also cut down those who attacked him.
Following that.
The young exorcist repeatedly drew and sheathed his saber, employing a single, unstoppable technique, transforming into lightning amidst the ghosts and reaping their lives.
"The monks are like that, and now the Xiangxi Corpse-Reanimator is like this too. Has the era changed so much?"
"How did the zombies of Xiangxi Corpse-Reanimation become like this? And why are the people of Xiangxi Corpse-Reanimation now wielding swords and sabers?"
"This era is a difficult one for ghosts, isn't it? How have the exorcists developed into such monstrosities?"
The ghosts were terrified, and many regretted their choices:
"We should have gone east. Why did we come to the south?"
"I thought the east had fewer people, so there might be a trap. Now it seems like it was a deliberate empty city stratagem, to make us choose the north, south, or west."
"I want to go east. Damn it, the south is too difficult."
Just as the ghosts' morale was low.
The ghost energy fog in the rear began to churn violently, with a large amount of ghost energy overflowing. This sudden development instantly captured the attention of everyone present, both humans and ghosts, who all turned to look.
Upon looking.
The ghosts were overjoyed, while Lu Lianfeng and the other exorcists' expressions changed.
It was ghosts!
A large number of ghosts poured out of the ghost energy fog, numbering in the hundreds, even thousands. At the forefront were four specters radiating terrifying auras.
"Ghost Kings?!"
"It's over, so many ghosts?! And four Ghost Kings…"
Lu Lianfeng and the others were horrified, their previous high morale replaced by despair, feeling death approaching.
The current number of ghosts was already enough for them to struggle.
And now, with so many more ghosts arriving, including four Ghost Kings, they were surely doomed.
Thinking of this.
Their terrified gazes were tinged with a hint of deathly gray and regret:
"Alas, it seems our southern front is about to fall."
"Damn it, why didn't they go east? They've all come to our side."
"I really envy the east, not having to deal with so many."
Meanwhile.
Compared to Lu Lianfeng's grim expression, the ghosts were beaming. Their previous low morale vanished, replaced by excitement and a surge of renewed spirit:
"Excellent, reinforcements have arrived."
"Haha, whose reinforcements are these? Heaven helps me… Huh? What the hell?"
As the ghosts rejoiced, they were about to cheer when the reinforcements emerged from the ghost energy fog. Not only the ghosts present but even Lu Lianfeng and the others were stunned.
"What's going on? Why are these ghosts so injured?"
"Are these definitely reinforcements? Not the weak and the infirm?"
Under their gaze.
These arriving ghost reinforcements were all injured, some severely. Even the four Ghost Kings were in the same state, with one having a severed arm. Looking at them, they resembled a convoy of the wounded more than reinforcements.
Just then.
The Song Dynasty Ghost Kings, who had appeared in the south, surveyed the southern battlefield. Seeing no trace of any Underworld Demons, their faces lit up with joy. Disregarding the gazes of the ghosts and exorcists in the south, they declared with great bravado:
"Comrades in the south, we have come to help you! Charge! Kill them all!"
With that.
The Song Dynasty Ghost Kings and their companions charged towards the south. Among them, the four Song Dynasty Ghost Kings headed towards the two Ghost King-level exorcists in the south.
Seeing this.
The two Ghost King-level exorcists' expressions changed. The two Ghost Kings were already difficult to deal with, and now four more had arrived…
Soon.
With the assistance of the Song Dynasty Ghost Kings, the two Ghost King-level exorcists were injured. Facing six against two, there was no chance of victory.
Just as the Ghost King-level exorcists were about to be killed by the six Ghost Kings of the Song Dynasty.
Ching!
A sonic boom of metal friction tearing through the air exploded.
The next second.
A forty-meter-long saber, reflecting the moonlight, like a massive bow and arrow, shot down from the distant sky, piercing directly through one of the six Ghost Kings.
Things happened too quickly.
By the time everyone, ghosts and humans alike, reacted, that Ghost King had already been impaled by the forty-meter saber, pinned to the ground.
[Ding! Four Ghost Kings look at the forty-meter saber… Damn!! He's here?!]
[Host gains system points +400]
Along with the system's prompt.
As the impaled Ghost King took his last breath, Lu Lianfeng and the others also snapped back to their senses.
But before they could rejoice.
The ground shook.
Roars echoed through the heavens.
From the distance behind them, a dense mass, like a black tide, surged forward. Upon closer inspection, they were monstrous creatures with ferocious appearances, their auras like rainbows, roaring and howling as they charged towards them.
Seeing this.
Many exorcists in the south were terrified, their despair now replaced by the acceptance of death:
"How can there be more…"
"Oh my god, why is it like this? Reinforcements for the ghosts keep coming one after another."
"How many ghosts are there from the Dragon Locking Well? Why so many?"
As they spoke, preparing to be surrounded and killed.
At this very moment.
Lu Lianfeng and the others saw the monsters behind them, and the ghosts also saw them, becoming incredibly excited:
"Holy crap, are there more allies coming to reinforce us? By the way, why do they look like that?"
"Hahahaha, we're definitely going to win now! Look at them, those are real reinforcements, they look much more imposing than the previous ones."
"They must be imposing! Look, they're coming from the rear. They must have broken through from other directions and are now coming to support us… Hey, what are you guys doing!"
The last sentence was uttered by the remaining Ghost King in the south.
He discovered that…
The four Ghost Kings of the Song Dynasty beside him had disappeared. Turning to look, he saw that they had already charged into the ghost energy fog at some point. Not only them, but the 'weak and infirm' army that had emerged from the ghost energy fog with them was also retreating, their faces filled with terror, running as if they had seen a ghost.
Upon closer inspection…
These weak and infirm were running while looking in one direction: the 'other batch of allies' army that had arrived from the front.