C1892 Gradually the Irritable Old Ape Sat There Waiting for the Gods and Ghosts to Come and Meet Him
"I'm here to see your leader, Wagner."
Yu Yuan flashed a grin. He didn't wait for the Ghost Kings aboard the Ghost Ship to utter a word before he leaped and landed firmly on the deck.
"Lead the way."
Boom!
The somewhat cramped Ghost Ship rocked violently from the impact of Yu Yuan's sudden descent.
The ship even sank a little amidst the shaking.
His weight alone seemed to be several times that of all the ghosts on board combined!
The Ghost Kings and Nether Cats fixed him with a hostile glare, poised to act, when Yu Yiyi stepped in.
Flanked by the mightiest Evil Demons, including the Ice Concubine, the black crone, and the Nether Cat, Yu Yiyi led them in a sinister chuckle, encircling the Ghost Ship.
The presence of nine supreme Evil Demons, along with the inscrutable Yu Yiyi, quickly brought the ghosts on the Ghost Ship to their senses.
"Behave yourselves, or I'll pull you into the cauldron and refine you all into Evil Demons."
Yu Yiyi then descended gracefully, her Evil Cauldron transforming into an armor adorned with intricate patterns. She glanced at the Ghost Kings loyal to Wagner and scoffed, "Pathetic."
There were five Ghost Kings in total, three ascended from the souls of the Asura Clan, with the remaining two from the Dark Elfkind and Shadow Clan.
These five Ghost Kings were clad in nothing but patched-up battle robes and hole-riddled armor, giving off an air of destitution.
Could the Realm of Devils really be this impoverished?
Even other Ghost Kings from Horror Land, like Qianjie and Luo Yue, not only had corporeal forms but also wielded formidable treasures.
Yet these five Ghost Kings before her paled in comparison to even the least of her Evil Demons.
The Realm of Devils was evidently not the treasure trove she had envisioned.
Though lacking in wealth, the soul essence of these Ghost Kings and the power they radiated were far superior to Ghost Kings like Luo Yue and Qianjie.
With a bit of refinement, these Ghost Kings had the potential to transform into formidable Evil Demons, a prospect that thrilled Yu Yiyi.
"I—"
The leading Asura Ghost King had intended to issue a threat, but upon witnessing the encircling Evil Demons and their daunting aura, he faltered.
"Yu Yuan, someone wishes to meet with you first."
A Ghost King, who had ascended from the souls of Dark Elfkind, presented herself in the form of a female spirit. She was enshrouded in a white sheet, her face a pallid gray, devoid of any trace of emotion. Yet, her demeanor was graceful and proper. "My name is Blanca," she introduced herself.
She cast a glance at the Asura Ghost King and furrowed her brow, "Shall I take over the communication with them?"
The Asura Ghost King huffed but remained silent.
"Karen, is it? Come down as well."
Blanca looked up at Karen, who was hesitating, trying to withdraw to the safety of Dark Mountain.
"What does this have to do with me?" Karen's voice was tinged with desperation.
"Just come down!" Blanca commanded assertively.
"Fine, fine."
Karen complied and made her way toward the Ghost Ship from Dark Mountain.
"Don't frighten them, and keep your distance," she ordered.
Yu Yiyi nodded in approval, gesturing dismissively. The most formidable Evil Devils crowding the Ghost Ship scattered in an instant.
Freed, if only momentarily, the Evil Devils whirled about the Nightmare Realm, their curiosity piqued by the Dark Mountain and the stealthy ghosts emerging from its shadowy depths.
Yu Yiyi was unconcerned.
As the controller of the Evil Cauldron, she could sense that these Evil Devils, long confined within, thrived in the Nightmare Realm's atmosphere, drawing in Yin energy to bolster their powers.
Even the slightly more powerful ghosts were no match for the Evil Devils, who could consume and assimilate them to fortify their own spectral essence.
The Evil Devils that emerged from the cauldron were linked to her by a soul connection, a tether that allowed her to reel in those who strayed too far. Consequently, she harbored no fears of mishaps.
As Karen had mentioned, the mightiest entities in the Nightmare Realm were the ghost gods, with only two indigenous to the area.
The intelligent and spiritually aware Evil Devils faced no peril unless they stumbled upon these ghost gods.
Yu Yiyi was no longer a mere pawn at the mercy of others. With Yu Yuan, the custodian of the Dragon Slash Platform, as well as Youyu and Andrea likely in her vicinity, she felt little to no trepidation.
The Ghost Ship sped along the Grim River.
Yu Yuan watched with fascination as the spectral vessel darted by, noting the Ghost King and the ghosts aboard. He observed that when they approached the Grim River, souls with lingering spirituality would leave the Ghost Ship to capture them.
The ghosts they caught were tossed into the ship's cabin for nurturing.
Souls with undiminished wisdom were immersed in an amber liquid within the cabin, seemingly having their spirituality and memories incrementally restored.
"Ghosts of value are recruited for the cultivation of the Ghost Dao after our assessment deems them suitable," Branka explained, seeing Yu Yuan's interest. "Lord Wagner has a penchant for talent and also needs capable individuals in his service. However, most souls are cleansed by the Grim River, their memories and spirituality erased, leaving them unable to pursue the Ghost Dao."
"Upon arriving from the outer world and sinking into the Grim River, it's rare to find any with remaining spiritual intelligence."
"Those who are pulled up undergo further screening to identify potential candidates. Not all who are eligible for the Ghost Dao are willing; some prefer to enter the furnace sooner rather than later."
"For instance, there are souls who passed away peacefully without regrets or simply from old age," Branka elaborated.
Yu Yuan nodded, recognizing the similarity to the circumstances in Horror Land; not every soul aspired to exist as a ghost.
After an indeterminate time, the Ghost Ship came to a halt before the imposing Dark Mountain. Its summit was adorned with rudimentary buildings made of chilly stones, and a host of ghosts awaited their arrival.
Among them stood Fernand, surprisingly the weakest of the group. He was merely a Heavenly Ghost, his soul appearing turbid as if it hadn't been properly refined.
Yet, the more powerful ghosts by his side treated him with considerable respect.
"Fernand is the one who wishes to meet with you," Branka informed Yu Yuan, who looked astonished as the Ghost Ship docked. "He's been fortunate. Several Asura Ghost Kings were once under his command. They vouched for him to Lord Wagner, earning him the trust of our lord."
As Branca spoke, he took a deep drag of the dense mist and made his way toward the summit dotted with buildings, with Yu Yiyi following close behind.
Without a moment's hesitation, Yu Yuan also disembarked from the Ghost Ship alongside Yu Yiyi. He quickly reached the mountain's peak, paying no mind to the Ghost King and the Nether Ghost flanking Fernand. His gaze fixed on Fernand, merely a Heavenly Ghost, and he remarked with a hint of nostalgia, "I never thought we'd have the chance to meet again."
"It was my fault... I wronged you," Fernand admitted, his consciousness clearly intact. As soon as Yu Yuan landed, Fernand began, "When you were in the outer world, you freed me from Yue Mu's Heavenly Water Net. You've helped me greatly, and you've also spared Elena from numerous perils. I'm well aware of all that."
"Ah, but in the end, he was our king. How could I possibly defy his command?" Fernand lamented. Years ago, it was Fernand who clandestinely aided Lim Zhuyun in unleashing the Frost Well within the Plover Realm, aiming to engulf it in the Dark Domain's utter darkness, in concert with Grec's plan to annihilate the Divine Soul Sect and the merchants. The Chaos Roc had a hand in it too.
But their scheme ended in utter failure.
The Asura King Sabonis fled, gravely wounded, while Grec perished in the Plover Realm, his pure blood utilized by Taishi to nurture the second Titan spinosaurus. The Chaos Roc, sensing doom, fled, but Fernand and many from the Asura Clan met their demise.
Fernand was executed by President Lyi.
"There's no point dwelling on the past," Yu Yuan said, his demeanor untroubled as he spoke with a nonchalant air. "Since you're able to relay messages to Wagner, let him know that I, Yu Yuan, have arrived in the Dark Domain. I wish to pay him a visit, so ask him to meet with me at his earliest convenience."
His request for a visit was phrased more like a summons for Wagner to come to him. The Ghost King and the host of spirits atop the peak were left bewildered by Yu Yuan's audacious attitude.
Had the outsiders become so brazen these days? Who did Yu Yuan think he was?
"Just a moment, Lord Wagner is already en route," Fernand replied, his expression a mix of emotions as he gave a slight nod. "You won't have to wait long."
...
