C1077 Hearing the Order of the Ghost King
"Eh, why are you here? Where's Yu Yuan?"
Luo Yue, following President Lyi's directions, arrived at the pavilion specially constructed for Yu Yuan. She immediately spotted Mia, still lingering, along with three other members of the Dark Elfkind.
Having previously encountered each other at the Evil Sect and the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, they were well-acquainted.
After the crisis at the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area was resolved, Mia, Beru, and other foreign races entered the Desolate Swamp and soon set off for the Oblivion Starfield, following the star routes established by the Divine Soul Sect and the Babel Chamber of Commerce, passing through various Galaxy Crossings.
Luo Yue, in no rush, naturally took her time.
"He's inside," Elder Mia said with a dry smile.
"Oh, thanks."
Luo Yue gave a slight nod and vanished in an instant.
Following her, the Initial Spirit Ghost King and the Kalpa Ghost King quickly arrived. Sensing Luo Yue's movements and presence, they bypassed Mia without a greeting and darted straight into the pill refining room.
When Tianzang made his appearance in the guise of the Blue Devil Clan, Arlene from the Dark Elfkind was visibly shocked and cried out, "Lord Yuv Qian?"
Yuv Qian, a renowned figure of the Blue Devil Clan, had garnered as much attention as Grec from the Blood Devil Clan.
"Do you know me?" Tianzang asked, taken aback, as he looked at the unfamiliar Arlene and gave a slight nod. "Are you here for Yu Yuan?"
"I suppose so," Mia replied, her expression awkward.
"We'll talk later then."
Without waiting for Arlene to introduce himself, Tianzang nodded to Mia and entered the alchemy room.
"Who is he?" Kennard asked, furrowing his brow.
Arlene stood respectfully. "Tianzang is a peer of your father's generation. Had he not been confined to the Boundless Land, he might have risen to the stature of a Great Demon God like Grec. Many elder Demon Gods of the Devaputra Race still express their regret over his fate."
"I've heard my father mention him!" Kennard's expression shifted.
"In the Boundless Land, he's known as Tianzang, the Ghost King. The three you just saw are all Ghost Kings," Mia explained hesitantly, steeling herself. "Horror Land is on the verge of birthing unprecedented ghosts and gods. And it seems that the Ghost King named White Bone was able to ascend to godhood with Yu Yuan's assistance."
"Additionally, White Bone is an ancestor of the Yu family, formerly known as Evil King Yu Xi."
"The four great Ghost Kings must have just arrived in the Plover Realm. Their first order of business would be to pay their respects to Yu Yuan."
"..."
Mia, fresh from her experiences in the Boundless Land, possessed a profound understanding of many human affairs. Concerned that Kennard might be out of his depth, she took the time to clarify things for him.
Finally, she stated, "The Horror Land alone, with its Ghost Kings whose strength rivals that of us Ninth Level experts, is formidable. Not to mention, it teems with a multitude of ghosts, ghost spirits, and a myriad of other spectral entities."
"In all honesty, the current state of Horror Land is impressively fortified."
With a guarded look, Mia peered into the open door of the alchemy room and whispered, "Moreover, Yu Yuan has the backing of the Babel Chamber of Commerce and the Divine Soul Sect."
The Child of Forest, utterly dumbfounded by the revelation, felt a growing weight in his heart.
After a moment, he silently departed.
...
In the grandiose first-floor hall.
Luo Yue, the Kalpa Ghost King, and the Initial Spirit Ghost King, having traveled from distant lands, were all exchanging pleasantries with Yu Yuan. Luo Yue, in particular, was quite talkative, discussing the recent developments in the Boundless Land.
Yu Yuan was already well aware of the unrest in his native land, so he focused more on the details concerning Horror Land.
Tianzang, now in the guise of a striking man with blue features, exchanged smiles with the Sky Shocking Emperor after their meeting. They shared a few anecdotes about the curious happenings in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.
Shortly thereafter, Yu Yuan learned that White Bone in Horror Land had officially ascended to a status of ghost and god previously unseen.
At this juncture, White Bone was busy consolidating his realm and had lifted their restrictions, signaling them to venture to the Plover Realm within the Oblivion Starfield. There, they could trade the unique items of Horror Land for soul crystals and special materials to enhance their power.
Tianzang, once a Devaputra, was aware of the many oddities within the Outland Star River that held remarkable benefits for entities like themselves.
Thus, the four great Ghost Kings arrived in unison.
After conveying their regards and White Bone's greetings, the Kalpa Ghost King, formerly the queen bee of the Demon Palace, departed with a graceful smile.
Tianzang followed behind him, exiting the hall with Hantian, seemingly ready to discuss the Divine Soul Sect's plans in private.
"Luo Yue, you've been teaching her pill refining. I've accepted her as my disciple," Yu Yuan said, gesturing toward Lulu. "She's quite talented, and her bloodline holds unique mysteries. Impart your knowledge of pharmacology to her, and make sure she's aware of the critical aspects."
Luo Yue, far from offended, nodded with a smile. "I'm currently free, so I'll take care of it."
Lulu, aware that Luo Yue was once the leader of the Voodoo Cult and had studied under Yu Yuan, was both shocked and delighted. She quickly bowed in respect.
"There's no need for formality. You're quite fortunate. I never had the opportunity to be acknowledged by him, let alone become an official disciple," Luo Yue said, her face glowing with envy.
Yu Yuan acted as if he hadn't heard a word.
"Is the Goddess from the Blood God Cult here?" inquired the Initial Spirit Ghost King, his youthful, regal demeanor wrapped in the Mindlock Diagram, his tone grave.
Yu Yuan nodded, offering a brief explanation. Knowing the deep bond between the Initial Spirit Ghost King and Ann Wen, he understood that the Initial Spirit Ghost King would be concerned about Ann Ziqing's poor condition.
"I'll stay until she awakens," declared the Initial Spirit Ghost King.
"Suit yourself."
...
Two days later, Yu Yuan, meditating in the secret chamber on the third floor of the pavilion, felt a disturbance in the blood energies and slowly opened his eyes.
Moments later, he stood before the tattered blood cocoon enveloping Ann Ziqing. As he watched, her beautiful eyelashes fluttered, and the purple crystal at her brow spontaneously detached.
As the purple blood vanished, Ann Ziqing's sealed Consciousness Little World sprang back to life.
Her eyes fluttered open.
The first sight to greet her was Yu Yuan, clad in a sleek black outfit, his features sharp and refined.
A knowing smile graced her lips as she sat up leisurely. "I had a feeling when you first ventured into the Oblivion Starfield that you'd be the one to rescue me."
Whoosh!
The Initial Spirit Ghost King materialized in an instant. Upon seeing that Ann Ziqing had awakened and that her soul and body were unharmed, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. "I heard you didn't wait for the Galaxy Crossing to reopen and stubbornly decided to venture into the Oblivion Starfield using your own strength. Why take such a reckless risk?!"
He admonished Ann Ziqing with the concern of an elder.
Ann Ziqing, aware of the Ghost King's close friendship with her father, didn't take offense. "At the Yang God Stage, one is expected to hone their skills in the Outer Star River. I'm merely adhering to tradition."
"Who did you encounter?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"Cao Yi," Ann Ziqing replied, her eyes flashing with intensity.
The Initial Spirit Ghost King's expression darkened slightly. "Ah, it's him! That explains it. Cao Yi's ability to take over Ann Jieshan and master the Blood God Cult's secret arts, all while masquerading as an ancestor within your ranks undetected, speaks volumes of his terrifying capabilities."
Yu Yuan shared a sense of unease about Cao Yi, who had assumed Ann Jieshan's identity and traversed the world.
The talented young man from the Profound Sky Sect had not been overtaken by Ann Jieshan; rather, he had managed to reverse the situation, claiming all of Ann Jieshan's assets and concealing himself within the Blood God Cult.
Had it not been for the turmoil in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area that revealed Cao Yi's true identity, he would have continued to pose a significant threat.
"Cao Yi has mastered our Blood God Cult's secret techniques. He previously tampered with me, and based on the fluctuations of my blood energy, he laid an ambush for me at the edge of the Oblivion Starfield," Ann Ziqing said, drawing in a sharp breath. After a moment's reflection, she added, "Yu Yuan, besides Cao Yi, I also encountered numerous legendary mutated monsters."
"It seems that these mutated monsters were being directed by someone, entering the Oblivion Starfield through a concealed boundary."
