C1823 Halfway Through the Battle

Lee Yuchan wore a mask of indifference.

She stood beside Han Qi, her eyes regarding Yu Yuan's Yin God as if he were a stranger.

Clearly, she harbored no fondness for Yu Yuan at the moment.

A trace of bitterness touched Yu Yuan's lips.

He had once assisted Lee Yuchan in refining her Martyr Spell, a technique intimately connected to the Ghosting Arts. After his modifications, Han Qi had taken notice when she was on the brink of refining her Yin God.

Under Han Qi's meticulous guidance, and with the Martyr Spell as her entry into the path of the Ghost Dao, Lee Yuchan had achieved considerable success.

Yet, this unexpected encounter with Yu Yuan stirred memories of their complex past, a blend of camaraderie and conflict.

When Lee Yuchan's Yin God had been shredded by the Qianqiang Ghost in Horror Land, the ghost had uttered some words.

But...

Yu Yuan silently shook his head, knowing that the deaths of Lee Sha and Lee Yupan, along with the fall of the Lee family, had turned the once stoic female general against him.

"Master, please make the decision yourself."

Lee Yuchan's head was bowed, her meridians brimming with Yin Qi. Though she was made of flesh and blood, there was an eerie sense of ghostly possession about her.

"Nearly all of my kin are dead. And their deaths are, to some extent, connected to this man."

Lee Yuchan's eyes remained shut, unwilling to even glance at Yu Yuan, her grief seemingly beyond consolation, as if she had lost all interest in the world.

"Very well."

Han Qi nodded, his smile intact, yet he had no intention of binding Yin God Yu Yuan with ropes in the Sword Prison.

"When the Empyrean Array was breached at the Profound Sky Sect, you spared Cao Jiaze's life. That boy is also a treasured disciple of mine, whom I dearly love."

"Therefore..."

"I will keep your Yin God here in the Sword Prison, but I will not destroy it."

With a snap of his fingers, Han Qi reestablished the spiritual connection between Yin God Yu Yuan and his physical form.

...

Out in the vastness of the Oblivion Starfield.

Atop the Dragon Slash Platform, Yu Yuan's complexion was ashen. Tan Junshan of the Silver Moon Sect, having lost a Yin God, glared at Han Qi, who was revealed outside.

Jun Chen from the Babel Chamber of Commerce toyed with his whisk, while the Primordial Divine King had already made his way there.

"Han Qi!"

Zhou You rubbed his eyes, seemingly unable to believe that Han Qi, who held no significant rank in the Chamber's records, stood alone in the Sword Prison.

Moreover, he appeared ready to confront Yu Yuan.

"So, you practice the Ghosting Arts."

The moment Taishi materialized, he only needed a glance at the shimmering mountain to sense the dense Yin energy. Observing Han Qi's form, he discerned some signs: "You're missing one of the three souls. The absent Yin God aligns with this newly opened Sword Prison. What level have you reached in the Ghosting Arts?"

"The Realm of Ghosts and Gods," Yu Yuan declared softly.

"Ghost and God!"

"Another Ghost and God!"

Jun Chen and Zhou You's faces suddenly took on a shade of alarm.

"Return!"

Yu Yuan, positioned above the Dragon Slash Platform, attempted to coax the Yin God within the Sword Prison to slip away from Han Qi's presence, hoping to use the mystical connection with the Dragon Slash Platform to instantly transfer the Yin God inside.

However, Han Qi's snap of his fingers seemed to have the Yin God, which was trying to reconnect with its original body, confined within the Sword Prison.

His Yin God was unable to penetrate the enigmatic seal of the Sword Prison and failed to return to the Dragon Slash Platform as intended.

"What is it that you want?"

Taishi, ever composed, gestured for everyone to remain calm before smilingly addressing Han Qi, "You've brought the Sword Prison here for a reason, haven't you?"

"What I want, I've already discussed with Yu Yuan. But now that you're here, and since... I can sense the whereabouts of Shehun and Lin Daoke."

Han Qi, standing atop the Sword Prison, burst into a hearty laugh, "The Soul Divine King's greatest advantage in her battle against Lin Daoke is that he's never been able to pinpoint her location, rendering him powerless against her. Among countless demonic shadows, only one bears her soul's mark."

"Lin Daoke can't find her, but I can."

Inside the Sword Prison, the flow of the blood-yellow secret map known as the "Grim River," as named by Han Qi, suddenly accelerated.

Two streams, one clear and one turbid, manifested within the stone slab's design, resembling the twin channels at the source of the Yin Meridian.

In a desolate region of the Oblivion Starfield, amidst countless shards of rock, innumerable devil shadows howled as they pursued thousands of gleaming sword lights. Each devil shadow sported two long, twisty braids on their cheeks, resembling flowing streams.

Suddenly, influenced by the power of the "Grim River," the braids on the cheeks of one devil shadow became strikingly visible. Its vague visage emitted a twilight glow, as if it had been infused with newfound strength.

With a stolid expression, Lin Daoke's spirit jolted. "Found it," he declared.

Swiftly, the Divine Position concealed within his soul's sea of consciousness was extracted from his brow. A boundless sword intent unfurled, resonating with nearly all the formidable beings within the Oblivion Starfield.

Lin Daoke unleashed his full might!

A sword light, as if cleaving through primordial chaos, split the heavens and earth, erupting within the starry expanse of the Oblivion Starfield. It radiated a divine brilliance too intense for any creature to gaze upon directly.

In the heart of this celestial river, amidst myriad meteorites, the Devil Souls dispersed by Shehun converged in an instant, forming a colossal shadow towering thousands of feet high, as if it stood sentinel among the stars.

This immense shadow, perched at the confluence of two broad rivers, watched as shattered meteorites coalesced into stars before morphing into various celestial demons in the blink of an eye. There were the dancing witches of the Banshee Clan, the crystalline Freezing Devaputras, the spectral images of the Asura Clan, and the enchanting witches of the Banshee Clan.

These diverse Outsiders suddenly inhabited the stars reborn from meteorites, channeling their power from different dimensions and worlds into the hands of the towering demon figure.

With a resounding crack, the void itself seemed to split. From the chest of the immense figure, a cacophony of Outsiders and their inhabited stars disintegrated into cosmic dust. The demon shadow, standing amidst the rivers, bore a wound on its chest, yet no blood was shed.

Within Lin Daoke's sea of consciousness, azure-black flames ignited, consuming his awareness, soul, and the departed Yin God.

"You can wound me, and I can do the same to you," intoned Shehun's rich, unhurried voice, echoing around Lin Daoke and reaching the ears of Yu Yuan and Taishi.

Whoosh!

A statuesque figure emerged from the stone doorway of the Sword Prison, her striking red hair impossible to miss.

It was as distinctive as the beard of the Great Demon God Beilstein.

Her features were remarkably striking, each one—her eyes, nose, and full red lips—larger than those of the average woman.

Yet, combined, they complemented her tall stature perfectly, creating a harmonious and imposing presence.

The red-haired woman's deep purple eyes seemed to blaze with the essence of a Devil Soul.

Her shapely form was clad in armor of an indeterminate material, lending her an air of dominance and ferocity, radiating strength and assertiveness from every angle.

"Beyond Youyu, there exists another Ghost God between heaven and earth."

Upon her arrival, she cast a glance at Han Qi and instantly discerned his level of cultivation, including the path of his training.

"A Ghost God from the Demon Realm, that explains the lack of fame. Han Miaoyuan and Lin Daoke must trust you immensely to leave the Sword Prison under your control, a testament to your extraordinary nature."

While speaking, the commanding woman playfully blinked at the Yin God Yu Yuan.

"During my time in the Vast Ocean, it was only my soul that traversed; my true form was not present. Well then, let's reintroduce ourselves. I am known as Shehun, but you may call me Andrea."

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