### Chapter 584
Kazumi and her companions continued their journey across the plain. This time, however, their mounts were fearsome Corpse Giant Wolves.
Kazumi’s reason for changing mounts wasn’t simply because the giant wolf beneath her was more aesthetically pleasing than the previous Skeletal Giant Whale. From a practical standpoint, the skeletal giant whale’s ability for high-speed movement on land was indeed special and could prove useful in certain situations. Therefore, after acquiring a replacement mount, the girl had the skeletal giant whale returned to her territory, ensuring it wouldn’t be lost in future battles.
The Corpse Giant Wolf’s speed was comparable to that of the skeletal giant whale, and Kazumi had successfully completed her original objective during this time.
Meanwhile, following closely behind the giant wolf was a Corpse Giant Tiger of the same size, exuding a powerful aura. The giant skeletal figures with half-blackened bodies and emitting death energy on its back were the spoils of Kazumi’s expedition.
“Phew… that should be enough.”
The black coffin beside the girl continued to voraciously absorb death energy from the surroundings. The death energy accumulated over this period had significantly enhanced the life force of the undead creatures within her territory. Coupled with the elite undead creatures she had captured and tamed, Kazumi’s current plans were essentially complete. Before facing [White Bone], she had maximized her own strength as much as possible.
“Any further delay would be pointless, as external heroes could pursue us at any moment.”
Kazumi understood that continuing to let the [Black Coffin] absorb death energy would yield little benefit to her overall strength; it would only be a drop in the ocean and would unnecessarily increase the risks. Thus, their current destination was the place where Kazumi sensed the most concentrated mass of death energy—the very location where Great General [White Bone] was sealed.
“Fujiwara-gen, how are you?”
Little Black leaped back towards Kazumi’s body, completing its final absorption of death energy from Fujiwara-gen’s body.
Kazumi looked at Fujiwara-gen and asked.
“I’m fine. I can maintain full combat readiness for a while.”
Fujiwara-gen’s head adjusted as his body, now cleared of death energy once more, responded.
Hearing this, Kazumi spoke no further words. She silently stared at the gradually appearing clusters of black and white buildings in the distance.
The place where [White Bone] was sealed had arrived!
Kazumi and her group slowly halted their steps. The girl dismounted from the giant wolf, tilting her head back to gaze at the colossal structure on the distant plateau.
In her eyes, the black and white altar, standing solitary on the wasteland, seemed to belong to no other space. It loomed, eerie, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
The entire altar was constructed from colossal black stones, its surface inscribed with ancient runes that emitted a faint, dim yellow glow.
These runes were not mere decorations. Just standing before them, Kazumi could feel the powerful, demonic spiritual energy flowing within, eliciting a visceral aversion from her. It pulsed and flickered with a faint blue light, as if imbued with life.
At the center of the altar stood several tall stone pillars, each entwined with thick chains also etched with complex runes and shimmering with a faint blue light.
Ascending the altar’s stone stairs, the grand edifice, with its surging spiritual energy and violent death energy intermingling, made Kazumi feel an inexplicable nausea. Suppressing this discomfort, the girl finally reached the stone platform of the altar.
The special chains descending from the four stone pillars intertwined, ultimately anchoring themselves to the center of the circular stone platform.
Countless runes were also carved into the surface of the platform, leading to the gaunt figure at the very center.
At the base of the altar was a massive circular indentation filled with black liquid, formed from the condensed death energy that had been absorbed.
This liquid constantly flowed as if alive, trickling along the altar’s patterns and eventually gathering around its perimeter.
The smaller stone pillars erected outside were the source of this space’s death energy, each inlaid with a gem that emitted a faint blue glow.
These gems were the core of the altar; they continuously absorbed the death energy extracted from [White Bone] and released it into the surrounding air.
This was the first time Kazumi had seen a Great General, one who, like herself, controlled the power of death.
The figure was gaunt and ancient, so emaciated that the shape of its bones could be seen through its skin. Its partially exposed body bore numerous wounds. Most striking was a frost-covered crack on its chest.
Even after being sealed in this place for so long, Kazumi could still feel an amount of death energy flowing from him, no less than her own.
As if sensing the approaching footsteps, the prisoner bound by chains slowly raised his head. His deep, hollow eye socketsReceded almost into darkness, yet the faint green light within his eyes still burned brightly, meeting the girl’s gaze directly.
A chilling smile spread across the ancient face. His withered lips, likely unused for a long time, slowly parted, and a hoarse, stiff voice emerged.
“You’re too slow, Black Gate. Just break the surrounding stone pillars, and I’ll handle the rest…”
Perhaps due to the prolonged silence, [White Bone]’s tone was peculiar, but he clearly instructed Kazumi on what to do.
Suddenly, [White Bone]’s voice cut off, and he ceased his movements, staring intently at Kazumi standing in the distance.
“You… you weren’t sent by Black Gate, were you?”
The smile widened on [White Bone]’s face, and even the skin around his lips tore from the excessive movement. He asked Kazumi with absolute certainty.
Knowing her identity had been instantly seen through, Kazumi no longer bothered with pretense. A dark green portal opened beneath her feet, and she stepped forward, appearing beside the tightly bound [White Bone]. In her right hand, she held the energy crystal containing ice energy given to her by Bing Shi Xue Jian.
“As expected, Bing Shi was rescued first.”
“If I were in your place, I would have done the same.”
The energy crystal in Kazumi’s hand seemed to form a connection with the crack on [White Bone]’s chest. A surge of ice energy spontaneously emanated from his chest, widening the crack.
There was no panic on [White Bone]’s face; instead, a smile full of release appeared. He murmured words that Kazumi couldn’t quite understand.
“Little one, I don’t know what reason Bing Shi used to convince you, but your abilities are impressive. If you’re willing to help me, I can consider making you my subordinate and teach you the means to connect with the underworld.”
Watching the ice crystal inch closer to his chest, [White Bone] remained as calm as ever, offering no resistance. He even attempted to persuade Kazumi to defect.
However, such words could never make Kazumi betray her intentions. The girl had no desire to be subservient, especially to a powerful individual with abilities similar to her own.
She accelerated the speed of the ice crystal she pushed forward, until it pressed firmly against the ice-energy-infused crack on [White Bone]’s chest.
“I’m sorry, Senior.”
