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 by the chamber of commerce. She immediately spotted Mia, who hadn't left yet, along with three others from the Shadowkin.
The Terror Claws and those from the Moonfall Sanctuary were familiar with each other, having previously made contact.
Mia, Beru, and the other Otherkin, once freed from the Moonfall Sanctuary, had entered the Godsblight Marsh and soon after took to the skies. They followed the Starway carved out by the Boulderdawn and Skyreach Consortium, passing through several Starway ports, racing towards the Annihilation Nebula.
Luo Yue wasn't in a rush, which naturally slowed her pace.
"He's inside," said Elder Mia, forcing a smile.
"Oh, thanks."
Luo Yue gave a slight nod and vanished in an instant.
Following her, the Ghost Kings Razses and Taruer arrived swiftly. Seemingly picking up on Luo Yue's movements and presence, they bypassed Mia without a greeting and darted straight into the alchemy chamber.
When Tian Zang made his appearance in his Azurefiend form, Selter from the Shadowkin was visibly shocked and cried out, "Lord You, Lord Youqian?"
Sky Fiend Youqian, a renowned figure among the Azurefiend, had garnered as much attention as Grec from the Blood Fiend.
"Do you know me?" Tian Zang asked, taken aback. He glanced at the unfamiliar Selter, then acknowledged Mia with a slight nod. "Are you here for Yu Yuan?"
"Sort of," Mia replied, her expression uneasy.
"We'll talk later then."
Without waiting for Selter to introduce himself, Tian Zang bid Mia farewell and proceeded into the alchemy chamber.
"Who is he?" Kennard asked, furrowing his brow.
With reverence, Selter replied, "Star-Spawned Terror Youqian was a peerless young powerhouse of your father's era. Had he not been confined to the Everlands, he might have risen to the same heights as Grec, becoming a great Demon God. To this day, many elder Demon Gods of our race still lament his fate."
"I've heard my father mention him!" Kennard's face took on a serious tone.
"In the Everlands, he goes by the name Tian Zang. The three you just saw are all Ghost Kings," Mia hesitated before continuing, her voice firm. "The Land of Terror is on the verge of witnessing the birth of a God of Ghosts the likes of which have never been seen. And it seems that White Bone could only ascend to godhood with Yu Yuan's assistance."
"Additionally, the Bone Wraith God was originally an ancestor of the Yu family, previously known as the Evil King Yu Xi."
"The four esteemed Ghost Kings must have just arrived in Ionodios. Their first order of business should be to pay homage to Yu Yuan."
"..."
Mia, having emerged from the Everlands with a profound understanding of many human affairs, took special care to clarify things for Kennard, concerned he might not grasp the full picture.
"Just the Bone Wraith God alone, along with the Ghost Kings whose combat prowess rivals our ninth-level Shadowkin warriors, are formidable in their own right. And within the Land of Terror, there is a multitude of Spectres, ghosts, and a countless array of ghostly beings."
"To be frank, the Land of Terror currently boasts a formidable force."
Mia, with a guarded look, peered into the open alchemy chamber and whispered, "Moreover, Yu Yuan is backed by the powerful Skyreach Consortium and Boulderdawn."
The Children of the Forest, upon hearing this, was left dumbfounded and his mood turned somber.
After a moment, he silently took his leave.
...
In the grandiose ground floor of the hall.
Luo Yue, Taruer, and Razses, having traveled from distant lands, were warmly engaging with Yu Yuan. Luo Yue, in particular, was incessantly discussing the latest developments in the Everlands.
Yu Yuan was already well aware of the disturbances in his homeland but was especially keen on updates regarding the Land of Terror.
Tian Zang, now in the guise of a striking man with a blue complexion, exchanged pleasantries and a knowing smile with the Stormcrowned Emperor. They shared a brief exchange about the curious tales of the Moonfall Sanctuary.
Shortly thereafter, Yu Yuan learned that White Bone had officially ascended to become a God of Ghosts in the Land of Terror.
At this juncture, White Bone was consolidating his domain and had lifted his constraints on them, directing them to venture to Ionodios within the Annihilation Nebula. There, they were to trade the exotic treasures of the Land of Terror for soul crystals and unique items to bolster their might.
Tian Zang, once a Sky Fiend, was aware of the many extraordinary objects in the Star River of the extraterrestrial realms that could greatly benefit beings like themselves.
Thus, the four great Ghost Kings arrived in unison.
After paying their respects and conveying White Bone's regards, Taruer, who had once reigned as the Queen Bee of Shadow's Keep, departed with a graceful smile.
Tian Zang exited the grand hall alongside Hantian, seemingly intent on discussing the plans for Boulderdawn in private.
"Luo Yue, since you've been teaching her pill refining, I've decided to take her on as my disciple," Yu Yuan stated, gesturing toward Wen Lu. "She's quite talented and possesses a unique bloodline. Impart to her your medicinal knowledge and highlight the areas she needs to focus on."
Luo Yue wasn't the least bit upset; she nodded with a smile. "I'm currently free, so I'll take care of it."
Wen Lu, aware that Luo Yue was once the leader of the Poison Cult and had spent time studying under Yu Yuan, was both shocked and elated by the news, quickly bowing in respect.
"There's no need for formalities. You're quite fortunate. I never had the opportunity to be acknowledged by him, nor did I receive the title of an official disciple," Luo Yue said, her face alight with envy.
Yu Yuan acted as though he hadn't heard her comment.
"Is the Goddess from Colddeath in your care?" Razses, wrapped in the Soul Locking Diagram and exuding the presence of a young sovereign, inquired with a grave tone.
Yu Yuan nodded, giving a brief update on the situation. Aware of the close bond between Razses and Ann Wen, he knew Razses would be concerned about Ann Ziqing's poor condition.
"I'll stay until she awakens," declared Razses, the Ghost King.
"As you wish."
...
Two days later, Yu Yuan, meditating in the secluded chamber on the third floor of the tower, felt a disturbance in the blood energies and slowly opened his eyes.
In a flash, he was standing before the blood cocoon partially enveloping Ann Ziqing. He watched as the exquisite Ann Ziqing's eyelashes quivered and the purple crystal at her brow spontaneously detached.
As the purple blood vanished, Ann Ziqing's sealed Mindscape sprang back to life.
She opened her eyes to see Yu Yuan, clad in a sleek black outfit, his features sharp and handsome.
A knowing smile played at her lips as she sat up slowly. "When I heard you were the first to enter the Annihilation Nebula, I knew you'd come to my rescue."
With a whoosh, Razses, the Ghost King, materialized. Seeing her awake and in no grave danger, he breathed a sigh of relief. "I heard you didn't wait for the Starway to reopen and recklessly chose to venture into the Annihilation Nebula on your own. Why take such a risk?"
He admonished Ann Ziqing with the tone of an elder.
Ann Ziqing was aware that the Ghost King from the Land of Terror was on good terms with her father, so she remained calm. "The cultivation of the Solar Spirit should indeed be honed in the Star River beyond our world. I was simply adhering to the tradition."
"Who did you encounter?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"Cao Yi." A sharp look flashed in Ann Ziqing's eyes.
Razses, the Ghost King, showed a flicker of concern. "Ah, it's him! That explains it. Cao Yi managed to take over Ann Jieshan and master the mystique of your Colddeath Sect. He's been masquerading as an ancestor within your sect for so long, and you had no clue, which speaks volumes about how formidable he truly is."
Yu Yuan also felt a lingering unease about Cao Yi, who had once walked the earth under the guise of Ann Jieshan.
The prodigious young talent from the Ebon Star Sect wasn't overtaken by Ann Jieshan; rather, he turned the situation on its head, seizing all of Ann Jieshan's assets and stealthily infiltrating the Colddeath Sect under that identity.
Had it not been for the tumult at Moonfall Sanctuary that exposed him, Cao Yi would have remained undetected within the Colddeath Sect, which could have led to a significant disadvantage for Ann Wen in the future.
"Cao Yi has mastered our Colddeath Sect's mystique. He had previously manipulated me, and based on the disturbances in my vitality, he lay in wait for me at the edge of the Annihilation Nebula," Ann Ziqing said, taking a deep breath and pausing to reflect. "Yu Yuan, besides Cao Yi, I've also encountered numerous Warpbeasts of legend."
"Many Warpbeasts appear to have been compelled to enter the Annihilation Nebula through a concealed boundary."
