American Comics: BOSS Invasion

Black Mountain Old Demon was about to be driven mad.

He was sitting at home when disaster struck out of the blue. Just the night before, he was eagerly awaiting Tree Demon Grandma to bring him a new ghost bride.

Now, he was being beaten into a state as wretched as a dog.

This change was too drastic, and Black Mountain Old Demon was still a bit unable to process it.

It had been many years since he had been so humiliated. Over the millennia, it wasn't that no one had tried to make trouble for him. Buddhists, Taoists, or Confucians, there were always some chivalrous heroes who would suddenly jump out to slay demons and eliminate evil. In the end, nine out of ten were forced to join the City of the Wrongfully Dead, becoming part of his forces.

Only a very small number, after exhausting all their strength and even suffering damage to their foundation, barely managed to escape from the Netherworld.

Even if they managed to escape with their lives, their bodies, corroded by Yin energy, and their cultivation base, damaged, would leave them plagued with illnesses, struggling painfully for a few years before finally dying in depression.

With such glorious achievements, Black Mountain Old Demon thought that no one would dare to provoke him again. He never expected that this time, such a terrifying force would come.

They used Tree Demon Grandma to open the gates of the Netherworld, and then launched a full-scale attack.

His side was caught off guard, and it was understandable that they fell into a disadvantage in the hasty battle.

But he didn't expect the other side to have so many experts who could easily suppress his counterattack. Most importantly, the power emanating from the person standing in the air who hadn't made a move yet made even him feel apprehensive.

Who exactly was he? Where did he come from?

Now, the Heavenly Dao had long disappeared, and the Yin energy of the Netherworld had spread, expanding countless times. The Ten Kings of Hell had mysteriously disappeared, and the judges and little devils were wandering around, leaving only the lower-level Yin soldiers.

They were barely propping up this crumbling cycle of the Netherworld.

Affected by the spread of Yin energy, the people reincarnated in the human world were born with a trace of heroism in their bones, which then merged into their souls, filling the world with violent and tyrannical aura.

The rules were broken, causing demons and monsters to rise everywhere. The world was already on the verge of chaos, and at this time, such a powerful figure had emerged. Where did he come from?

Black Mountain Old Demon couldn't figure out where he came from, no matter how hard he racked his brains.

Qi Shan had no interest in introducing himself. Black Mountain Old Demon was doomed to die today, no matter how long he delayed.

Regardless of what role he played in the Netherworld, whether he was a good person or a bad person, it didn't make much difference to Qi Shan. His goal was only this Netherworld.

Black Mountain Old Demon obviously understood that the conflict between the two was irreconcilable.

He concentrated his mind, constantly compressing his huge body. His magical power rose, forming a steel armor on the outside. A black flame ignited in his hand, and as it slowly burned, a huge spear gradually appeared. A large number of stones gathered under his crotch, gradually growing into a warhorse.

Good heavens, is he trying to play mounted combat with me?

Qi Shan twitched his lips, put his hands together, made a soft sound, and shouted: “Binding Art Number One Hundred, Manji Ban!”

A large number of leather straps appeared out of thin air, instantly binding Black Mountain Old Demon into a mummy. Then, a large number of long nails were taken from the ten directions of space and directly nailed the leather straps to Black Mountain Old Demon's body.

Qi Shan lowered his center of gravity, changed the hand seals with both hands, and shouted: "First Movement, Stop Binding!"

“Final Movement, Manji Ban Great Seal!”

With Qi Shan's soft shout, a huge stone tablet fell from the sky, crushing the Black Mountain Old Demon, who was suspended in the air, heavily onto the ground like crushing a small bug.

The huge impact caused wave-like shock waves to form on the ground, rippling layer by layer. The Yin soldiers and ghost generals, who were already at a disadvantage and barely supporting themselves, swayed and stumbled, falling over each other and unable to stand up.

The Death Gods could stand in the air, leisurely avoiding this wave of ground tremors, and then unhesitatingly stepped forward to beat a dog in the water.

As the surrounding dust settled, Black Mountain Old Demon's army had been cleaned up to about eighty or ninety percent.

The heads of these demons and monsters who had become Yin soldiers had long been eroded by Yin energy. Other than killing and madness, they had no other thoughts. Only a few scattered generals who still had self-awareness unhesitatingly threw down their weapons and surrendered to the Death Gods.

At this time, Tree Demon Grandma's side had been cleaned up, and the Eleventh Squad, in charge of the middle, entered the Yin Si Ghost Realm along the Gate of Hell.

The twelve squads merged together, spontaneously chose a direction, and, with the huge stone tablet as the center, began to sweep in all directions.

In Little Butterfly's dumbfounded gaze, Qi Shan slowly put down his palms, looked at the huge stone tablet below, and slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

“Little Butterfly!”

“Yes, yes, yes! Young Master!” Little Butterfly was so frightened that she stuttered a bit.

“Clean up a bit. Build a small palace for me on top of this stone tablet. Prepare some wine and food. I'm hungry!”

“Yes, Young Master!”

— — — —

Just as Qi Shan was looking for his lair, the mortal world gradually reached the fourteenth day of the seventh month.

The people of Linghuan Town tacitly prepared various necessary materials, and the business of incense, candles, and paper horses was much better.

In the evening, Uncle Nine was operating the oldest printing equipment on the second floor of the mortuary, preparing paper money for the people of the whole town.

As he was burying his head in his work, he suddenly felt a palpitation. Uncle Nine broke out in a cold sweat on his back. He suddenly looked up at the southeast direction.

He felt like something had happened there, but he couldn't judge it clearly. He quickly took out his amulet, turned it upside down, and performed a calming service. It quietly turned into ashes, and an invisible force merged into his body. Only then did Uncle Nine feel much more calm.

Qiu Sheng was counting below when he suddenly saw his master stand up and asked curiously: “Master, what are you doing?”

Uncle Nine was silent for a long while before he opened his mouth and said: “I feel something is wrong. It seems like something big has happened in the Yin Si Netherworld, but I can't calculate it.

This year's Ghost Festival may be a bit uneasy. You little ones, be alert and don't cause trouble these days.”

Qiu Sheng said with a smile: “Master, you're overthinking it. Don't you know what kind of people we masters and disciples are? We are as obedient as we can be. Those who are disobedient have already been taught a lesson. Don't worry! I will definitely keep my brothers under strict control!”

“It would be strange if I could rest assured. Where's Wen Cai?” Uncle Nine glared.

“He said he knew he was long, so he went to grab a seat to watch the show first!”

Uncle Nine exclaimed in surprise, "Occupy what position? Tonight's opera is for ghosts. That little rascal, always causing me trouble!"

Outside the town, in the makeshift theater, Wencai stood alone at the foot of the stage, watching the young and old actors performing intensely, feeling puzzled.

"It's been half a day, and no one has come. I knew I shouldn't have rushed over to grab a spot!"

The actors on stage were also baffled. Whose child is this? Hasn't anyone taught him manners? Are you even allowed to listen to tonight's performance?

The old actor, while performing and pretending to fight, kept signaling Wencai to leave quickly.

Wencai didn't notice at all, foolishly cheering from below.

Without knowing when it started, the brightly lit theater gradually cooled down. The black and white curtains hanging on both sides kept swaying. Although there was no wind, they kept opening and closing.

Seeing this, the actors on stage no longer dared to make small gestures. They knew the main event had arrived. If they messed up the performance, who knew what the consequences would be?

On the second floor, behind a hidden curtain, Uncle Nine and Qiusheng slowly peeked out.

They saw Wencai holding a sugar cane, looking like a boss, watching and eating, shaking his head from time to time, as if he were completely immersed in it.

"Master, look, Wencai is enjoying himself even alone. You lied to me, saying it's for ghosts. There isn't even a ghost shadow!"

"You haven't opened your eyes, what nonsense are you talking about here? I'll let you see for yourself!"

Uncle Nine rolled his eyes, took down the pomelo leaf-shaped peach wood carving from his waist, flipped it gently in his hand, and pressed it directly onto Qiusheng's eyes.

"Now look again!"

The two of them lifted the curtain and peeked out. Qiusheng immediately opened his mouth wide.

The previously empty auditorium was now packed with people.

These people all had greenish faces and different makeup. Some were dressed in luxurious clothes, while others were dressed in rags and had incomplete bodies. Some even had no heads, and they were still listening to the opera and gesticulating.

It was clearly just a small shed, but as far as the eye could see, it was as big as a wilderness, with dense crowds of people stretching endlessly.

Wencai was submerged among these ghosts, and they couldn't see where he was at all.

What shocked him the most was that in the four corners of the theater stood four ghost messengers, two white and two black, holding mourning sticks and soul-snatching chains, with faces as white as frost and cheeks as rosy as snow.

Their two dark eyes looked as if they were drawn with a pen, looking very strange.

"Now you know how serious it is, right? Still dare to talk back to me? Don't you like watching? Go in and watch with them!"

Qiusheng's legs went weak.

"Master, can I not watch?"

"It's so good, why don't you watch it?" Uncle Nine glared at him and said, "Did you see those four ghost messengers? They are specially responsible for escorting these wandering souls. Once the opera is over, they will take them down. Wencai is mixed in with them, and most likely he will be sent directly to the underworld."

"What will happen if he is sent to the underworld?"

"What will happen?" Uncle Nine sneered, "Entering the underworld without a register is like being an unregistered resident! Without household registration, without any file information, there is no way to enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation. From now on, Wencai can only wander as a lonely ghost until his soul dissipates."

Qiusheng swallowed his saliva, "It's so serious! Really?"

"Yes, I'm lying to you. Being taken to the underworld by a ghost messenger will directly lead to immortality. Don't you want to go too? I'll send you down?" Uncle Nine glared.

Qiusheng quickly waved his hand, "No, Master, I believe you, I believe you!"

"I think you just need a beating!"

While the two were bickering, another change occurred below. A female ghost wearing blue silk suddenly saw Wencai, and her eyes suddenly widened several times, her saliva almost drooling, and she couldn't wait to rush over.

Uncle Nine's expression changed slightly, "Damn, a female ghost has taken a fancy to him."

"Then what do we do now?"

"Let's take a gamble. Does that Wencai want to continue living, or does he want to play games in the eighteen levels of hell with those ghosts!"

Uncle Nine said expressionlessly, taking out a ball of red string, "Extend your hand!"

Qiusheng stretched out his hand, and Uncle Nine tied the red string to his wrist, saying, "Humans don't offend ghosts, and ghosts don't offend humans. When you go in later, you must pretend that you can't hear anything or see anything. Grab Wencai's hand and walk straight out. Even if a beautiful female ghost talks to you, don't linger, otherwise you will fall into eternal doom!

Remember one thing, no matter what, the red string cannot be broken, otherwise you will all be finished!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Uncle Nine pushed him in before Qiusheng could say anything.

Qiusheng screamed and suddenly fell from the second floor, immediately attracting the attention of all the ghosts.

Tens of thousands of eyes looked at him, and Qiusheng almost fainted from fright. Fortunately, he remembered what his master had told him, and he closed his eyes and kept chanting in his heart.

"Humans don't offend ghosts, and ghosts don't offend humans. I can't see anything, I can't see anything!"

After a while, Qiusheng rolled over and got up, took two steps forward with his eyes closed, and found that he hadn't bumped into anything. He became a little bolder, opened his eyes slightly, and found that all he could see were strange-looking heads.

The surrounding ghosts were staring at him, as if they were studying something rare.

Qiusheng walked forward boldly. When he was about to bump into them, the ghosts would take the initiative to give way, twisting their bodies into strange shapes and stretching their necks very long.

He touched the red string on his wrist, his courage grew, and he continued to walk forward.

The actors on stage were also startled. They had performed midnight shows on the fourteenth day of the seventh month before, but no living person had ever appeared. Today, two fools appeared in a row.

The first one was fine, at most he was missing a string in his brain, but the second one actually broke in halfway through the performance. Isn't that courting death?

The actors were new and old, but they couldn't get away. Tonight's performance could not be abandoned halfway, otherwise, who knew what would happen!

Relying on his memory, Qiusheng quickly walked towards Wencai's direction. He kept his eyes straight ahead, remembering his master's teachings.

He thought that as long as he found Wencai, grabbed him, and walked out without saying a word.

As long as he didn't show any abnormalities, the ghosts wouldn't attack.

Unfortunately, the idea was good, but the moment Qiusheng saw Wencai, he was stunned.

Only one thought remained in his mind: this female ghost is so beautiful!