C1890 The Cauldron Reappeared

"Let me out."

A soft call emanated from the acupoints within Yu Yuan's body, clear and melodious.

"Master, in the enigmatic Wraithlands, I sense that... I can be of greater assistance to you than the Dragon Slaying Stage."

The voice belonged to the cauldron spirit, Yu Yiyi, from within the Crucible of Evil.

Yu Yuan had intentionally brought the Crucible of Evil, which he had placed on the Star of Wonder in the Ashlands, with the plan to summon it in battle should he face a formidable foe.

To his surprise, Yu Yiyi had volunteered to emerge shortly after their arrival in the Wraithlands.

Yu Yuan had noticed that the Dragon Slaying Stage was not well-suited to the unique environment of the Wraithlands, as even simple movements were draining an excessive amount of spiritual energy.

Yet Yu Yiyi's proactive request was brimming with confidence, as if she had intuited something.

"Very well."

With a mere thought, the Dragon Slaying Stage and the Crucible of Evil exchanged places.

The Dragon Slaying Stage receded into the acupoint in his chest, while the dark cauldron settled at his feet. The intricate glyphs and the numerous Bane within the cauldron suddenly surged with vitality.

"Master!"

"Greetings, Master!"

"Honored to see you, Master!"

As the beautifully adorned Yu Yiyi gracefully emerged from the cauldron's mouth, a succession of formidable Bane materialized, each paying their respects with a bow.

Frost Queen, Shadowfox, Chebus, Armor Crusher, Silver Chain, Grimlantern, Silver Chain, Coiled Snake, Bloodleech—nine mighty Bane in total!

Upon the awakening of their spiritual wisdom, some had even crafted rudimentary bodies for themselves, resembling the Demon Gods of the extraterrestrial Sky Fiends, inhabiting objects as their demonform, arrayed around the cauldron.

The Bane, hovering near the cauldron, varied in size, with some towering hundreds of feet tall, others exuding a chilling aura capable of consuming souls, and still others, like Chebus, whose low, eerie laughter could shatter the most fragile of spirits. The flickering flame of the Grimlantern swayed, competing with the Shadow Mountain for shadow energy.

The strength of these supreme Bane was on par with the Ghost King of the Land of Terror, akin to that of an Unbound cultivator.

Within the Wraithlands, beings like them could navigate with ease, much like Youyu, and perhaps even unleash greater combat strength.

Yu Yiyi, with a playful twinkle in her eye, peered over the rim of the cauldron and asked, "What do you think?"

Yu Yuan was utterly astonished as he scanned the formidable Banes before him, feeling the aura they emitted. "How have they grown so quickly?" he marveled.

He had not anticipated that by discarding the Crucible of Evil in the Ashlands—a place haunted by ghosts and residual souls—it would undergo such a transformation.

"Master, the Crucible of Evil may find an even greater destiny in the Wraithlands!" Yu Yiyi exclaimed, her eyes gleaming. She gazed toward the summit of Shadow Mountain, where a Silverscale Tribe warrior clad in ragged armor stood. She dismissively remarked, "That Spectre seems somewhat inferior."

Her demeanor made it clear she was contemplating the potential heights the Spectre could reach after being assimilated into the Crucible of Evil and transformed into a Bane.

"Master, this artifact is far from weak," Yu Yiyi, the artifact soul, stated. Having not seen Yu Yuan in some time, she felt neglected. Seizing the opportunity, she spoke with a hint of melancholy, "The previous master of the Terror Claws couldn't advance it further. If only I were stronger, if we had more Baneful beings like the Frost Queen, this cauldron might rival the Dragon Slaying Stage."

Her gaze intense, she declared, "The Wraithlands are the crucible for this cauldron's next ascension!"

Yu Yuan paused, then nodded pensively, smiling. "See? I've brought you and the cauldron here, haven't I?"

Meanwhile, at a distance atop Shadow Mountain, a Silverscale Tribe warrior donned his armor as if bracing for a formidable foe. Drawing a rusted ancient sword, he prepared to confront Yu Yuan, only to be taken aback.

The Crucible of Evil materialized out of nowhere, and Yu Yiyi, the cauldron spirit, emerged with nine mighty Banes in tow.

To him, each Bane seemed as formidable as the Ghost King of the Wraithlands. And the beautiful Yu Yiyi? She felt nearly akin to a God of Ghosts.

Who has entered this time?

The Silverscale Tribe warrior, having cultivated his soul into a Spectre over tens of thousands of years since his death, realized there was no escape.

So, with a clang, he dropped his decayed ancient blade and sat obediently at the summit of Shadow Mountain, hands raised in a gesture of surrender, resigned to his fate.

"He's quite the clever one," Yu Yiyi said with a light chuckle, her gaze playfully sweeping over the tributaries of the Levi River and the ghosts bobbing within. Shaking her head, she remarked, "The ones on the outskirts are too weak."

Her sights were set on the depths of the Levi River, deep within the Wraithlands, where the souls of Ghost Kings resided. To push the Crucible of Evil beyond its most formidable state, she needed to capture a multitude of naturally powerful ghosts.

With a whoosh, the Crucible of Evil, far lighter than the Dragon Slaying Stage, carried Yu Yuan through the void. In mere moments, it had traversed over a dozen Shadow Mountains to reach the Spectre who had preemptively surrendered.

Throughout the journey, other ghosts within the Shadow Mountains, though not extinguished in spirit, made brief appearances. Yet, seeing the Crucible of Evil and the formidable Banes, they quickly withdrew, terrified of attracting attention.

Fortunately for them, their weakness made them inconsequential; mere Celestial Shades and Ghosts, hardly worth Yu Yiyi's notice.

Even the mightiest of Banes, such as the Frost Queen and Shadowfox, found no pleasure in preying on such feeble spirits.

"What's your name?" Yu Yiyi asked as she stepped down from the cauldron, her delicate feet in embroidered shoes touching the chilly stones beside the Silverscale Tribe warrior, posing the question on behalf of Yu Yuan.

"I'm Caren! What would you like to know?" the Spectre of the Silverscale Tribe responded, his voice quivering with an eagerness to divulge all.

"Good, I'll do the asking," Yu Yiyi said, nodding with approval. She proceeded to ask a series of questions, to which Caren dutifully replied.

Yu Yuan stood by, listening intently.

"The legendary Wraithlands! I never imagined I'd have the chance to see such a place."

The Frost Queen, reminiscent of a statue carved from ice, wore a look of reminiscence as she spoke, "In the extraterrestrial realms, the Wraithlands are a forbidden zone for life. Yet, Master has ventured into this place."

"You're aware of it too? Oh, I almost forgot, you were once a prominent figure among the Frostfiends," Yu Yuan said with a smile.

"Prominent figure?" A touch of sorrow played at the corners of the Frost Queen's mouth as she gently shook her head and spoke softly, "Compared to our current Master, even the tenth-level warriors of our Frostfiend clan pale in significance."

Despite her constant companionship with Yu Yiyi and their prolonged stay in the depths of the Ashlands, Yu Yiyi would become privy to Yu Yuan's exploits whenever his main body or Solar Spirit returned.

As the cauldron spirit of the Crucible of Evil, Yu Yiyi could engage in conversation with other Bane creatures who had attained a similar level of spiritual wisdom.

They, too, would swell with pride and excitement.

Particularly when the Frost Queen learned that Boulderdawn had forged an alliance with the Star-Spawned Terrors, and that Yu Yuan had a favorable personal relationship with Reid, the High Priest of the Star-Spawned Terrors, she couldn't help but harbor a glimmer of hope.

Perhaps, one day, she might return to her homeland to see if any family or friends had survived.

She also aspired to one day have the strength to look after the Frostfiend tribe and contribute to her people's welfare.

Earning Yu Yuan's favor could turn her lofty dreams into reality, which is why she initiated the conversation.

Yu Yuan, who had always thought highly of the Frost Queen, noticed her interest in the conversation and her knowledge of the Wraithlands. While listening to Caren, he engaged in a casual dialogue with her.

He was rapidly gaining insight into the Wraithlands and comprehending the power structure there.

The Wraithlands had given rise to three God of Ghosts, but currently, there were four such beings present.

Apart from Han Qi and Youyu, the other two God of Ghosts were named Wagner and Matina. Matina, an enchantress from the evilkind, had become a God of Ghosts in the Wraithlands after perishing in a nefarious sacrificial ritual.

Matina was the most ancient and formidable God of Ghosts in the Wraithlands, reputed to be especially favored by the foundational rules of that realm.

Wagner was indeed a departed soul from the Shura and had transformed into a God of Ghosts.

In Caren's mind, both Matina and Wagner surpassed Han Qi in strength.

They regarded Han Qi as an outsider, since he hailed from the Everlands and was a human of that realm.

There had never been a human soul in the original Wraithlands. Creatures born in the Everlands did not enter the Wraithlands upon death and had no ties to that place.

For this reason, as soon as Han Qi appeared in the Wraithlands, he was instantly shunned by all the ghosts of this world.

Both of the mighty Gods of Ghosts, along with their Ghost Kings, had even attempted to assassinate Han Qi.

Somehow, Han Qi miraculously evaded all attempts on his life and continued to ascend, eventually breaking through to become a God of Ghosts in the Wraithlands.

It was as if Han Qi had the favor of the heavens.

As a foreigner, and despite being a newly ascended God of Ghosts, the number of ghosts willing to pledge allegiance to Han Qi was minimal.

Yet now, another God of Ghosts named Youyu had entered the scene.

Youyu was not just another God of Ghosts from the Wraithlands; he was an even more exceptional case than Han Qi.

According to Caren, from the moment Youyu fell into the Wraithlands, he was despised by Han Qi and the other two Gods of Ghosts.

The three Gods of Ghosts had once united their forces against Youyu, sparking a relentless campaign to eliminate him, a conflict that was still ongoing.

As for the dispute between Kaiya and Han Qi, Caren was utterly unaware.

"Soul-Capturing, Lady Kaiya!"

The Frost Queen, who was listening intently, shivered slightly.

Her eyes, cold as ice, swiveled, emitting a chill that seemed to reach into the soul. Her gaze subtly shifted, flickering with the hint of purple flames.

The Crucible of Evil, dark and foreboding, roiled with glyphs as if responding to her perception.

Yu Yiyi, with a look of intrigue, gestured for Caren to be silent and pointed her finger toward the cauldron.

Hovering above the Frost Queen's head, the Crucible of Evil drew forth more enigmatic glyphs, linking with the Frost Queen's devil soul, aiding her in her arcane search for the Sky Fiend.

"Have you managed to locate Kaiya?" Yu Yuan inquired with curiosity.

"The lord left behind a signal, employing the method of the Sky Fiend," the Frost Queen clarified. "These signals have recently become active, and I've sensed it."

"Keep searching!"

...