C1902 The Undead Ruler

In the Demon Territory, Yu Yuan stood on the Dragon Slash Platform, immersed within the Demon Territory Yin Palace Array set by Han Qi. He drew power from the platform to engage in battle. Aside from Yin energy, no other power could be harnessed in the Demon Territory, so to maintain his condition, Yu Yuan extracted power from his surroundings.

Countless souls and ghosts, loyal to Han Qi, emerged from the caves of the Dark Mountains like a dense Yin energy-infused Grim River, encircling the floating mountains. A terrifying pressure, reminiscent of celestial bodies plummeting, radiated from the Dark Mountains, shrouding Yu Yuan.

Boom!

In Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World, thirty-six gray soul vortexes were instantly crushed, dissipating like smoke into his primary soul. His vast ethereal soul underwent a transformation, becoming an immense, mysterious ocean—a vision that often surfaced in his dreams and daydreams, hinting at the depths of Yu Yuan's past.

As this ocean materialized, Yu Yuan became bewildered, as if another aspect of himself had been stirred. Simultaneously, the billions of surrounding ghosts were also agitated, including those lurking within the ancient vine.

At the Origin Realm Gate, Andrea's closed eyes twitched slightly—a detail Han Qi failed to notice.

"Han Qi!"

Vicious souls, once loyal to Matina but now under Han Qi's hypnotic bell, burst forth from the colossal ancient vine, wailing at him.

Whoosh!

The lush ancient vine tree thrashed its branches against the grayish-white soil.

Crack! Boom!

Han Qi's carefully constructed Demon Territory Yin Palace Array, built around the Dark Mountains, was ruptured by the thrashing branches of the ancient vine. The Dark Mountains and the encircling ghosts were caught off guard, erupting into oblivion.

In the depths of Yu Yuan's consciousness, the mysterious deep sea swiftly reverted to its original soul form, as if reluctant to expose its secrets before the eerie ancient vine.

Far away, above the Grim River, the occupants of the Ghost Ship—Yu Yiyi, the Skeleton Horse, and Fernand—were jolted from their slumber. Han Qi, a Ghost King, had his mental restraints on other Ghost Kings effortlessly undone, including those on the Yin Palace Array.

Whoosh!

The massive ancient vine, rooted in the dark soil, abruptly abandoned the grayish-white land and surged into the void.

The slender, supple roots at its base danced like the hair of Matina, the ghostly deity of the Banshee Clan.

In an instant, those twirling ancient vine roots transformed into blinding white bolts of lightning, piercing and annihilating the ghosts aiding the "Dark Palace Array."

Some roots morphed into fireballs, incinerating the Ghost Kings that were frozen solid, reducing them to ashes.

In the blink of an eye, all the ghosts that had pledged their loyalty to Han Qi were no more.

*Crack! Crack!*

The limbs of the ancient vine, like colossal blades, penetrated and then shattered the suspended Dark Mountain.

The "Demon Realm Yin Palace Array" was demolished before it could demonstrate its full might.

"Ugh..."

Yu Yuan, wielding the Dragon Slash Platform amidst the debris of Dark Mountain, had hoped for a hearty battle with Han Qi, but a fleeting anomaly in his main soul unexpectedly brought the fight to a premature end.

His awakening had roused not only the slumbering ghosts within the ancient vine but seemingly the vine itself.

Within the desiccated trunk, scattered thoughts flickered in the depths of the many ghostly minds, thoughts that sprouted as the vine broke free from the shadowy soil.

These minute thoughts, like seeds, took root in the souls of the mighty ghosts, dispersed throughout the years.

This ancient vine, akin to the Skeleton Horse, possessed both wisdom and sentience.

The vine leaves, now like watchful, chilling eyes, gradually fixed their gaze upon Han Qi.

Han Qi, poised for battle, eyed the unfamiliar ancient vine and felt its eerie presence, saying, "Matina has never trusted me!"

Whoosh!

He abandoned his attempt to seize the bodies of the three ghosts near the Origin Realm Gate, abruptly ending the battle and swiftly departing from the scene.

His actions suggested he had no intention of lingering in the Demon Realm any longer, eager to escape via the Shinra Net.

It wasn't Fernand or Yu Yuan he feared, but rather the ancient vine itself.

"Should I commend his prudence or deride his timidity?" mused Andrea, shaking her head, her eyes wide open as she watched Han Qi's retreat. "He withdraws decisively at the first sign of failure. He plans to return to the Vast Ocean to merge with his essence."

"Moreover, he's likely seeking alternative means to reconnect with Extreme Intelligence and assess the situation elsewhere."

Han Qi... quite the character," mused the tall and striking Andrea, massaging her slightly stiff neck with a chuckle. "He lured me into the Realm of Demons, through the tumultuous battle of the Shinra Net, and provoked the ghostly duo, Wagner and Matina, to besiege me."

"Yet, when I swayed Matina to my side, and he saw the tide turning against him, he was quick to withdraw, then promptly holed up and refused to come out." A mocking smile played on Andrea's lips. "He's not one to fully commit or take risks without being certain of success."

With that said,

She gazed at the ancient vine tree that had emerged from the underworld, now standing amidst a scattering of rubble. Her eyes, gleaming like polished crystal, settled on the twinkling lights as she asked with curiosity, "Are you another Undead Ruler?"

The ancient vine tree, which had effortlessly breached the Dark Mountain and shattered the Yin Palace Array, settled back down, its roots once again penetrating the earth.

Upon its descent, all the fragments of the Dark Mountain suspended in the void plummeted into the Grim River.

"An Undead Ruler?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.

He had previously heard from Andrea and Matina about the renegade Dark Vein of the Realm of Demons, which was one of the Undead Rulers.

He was unfamiliar with the concept of an Undead Ruler but was eager to learn more.

"You might consider the Undead Ruler as a devoted servant of the will of the Realm of Demons, or perhaps... a child," Andrea explained with a serene smile, her knowledge of the Dark Vein's enigmas evident. Having extracted the memories and techniques from the source of the Dark Vein and having conversed with Matina, she clearly understood the origins of the Undead Ruler.

"The will of the Realm of Demons governs the cycle of life and death. It represents the order of soul reincarnation. Unlike the Origin Soul and Origin Blood, it struggles to maintain awareness, which is why it created three Undead Rulers."

"The Dark Vein was once known as the Undead Extraditor within the Realm of Demons, tasked with forging paths for spirits to enter the Realm of Demons from the Outland Starry Sky, providing a haven for wandering souls."

"However, when the Dark Vein reached the Vast Ocean with intentions to establish the path of the dead, it encountered the Origin Soul and never returned."

"Nowadays, the task of laying out the path for lost souls is shared between Matina and Wagner."

After a brief pause, Andrea added, "There's another Undead Ruler who stands guard over the Reincarnation Furnace year-round, vigilantly monitoring every single movement, allowing no room for error."

"The third Undead Ruler is tasked with overseeing the Demon Area, keeping tabs on the various ghosts and gods, and is also in charge of selecting them."

She let out a soft chuckle.

"Matina is quite mischievous; she's never revealed to me the whereabouts of the third Undead Ruler. Back in the Origin Realm, she wore a look of concern, fearing you wouldn't be able to handle Han Qi, worried that her own body would be defiled by him."

A sarcastic smile played on Andrea's lips as she let out a light huff, her displeasure apparent.

No wonder Matina was the first to brave the separation of her soul and enter the Origin Realm Gate. It turns out the third Undead Ruler is none other than this ancient vine tree.

With this ancient vine tree present, Han Qi wouldn't stand a chance, and even if she and Yu Yuan harbored any second thoughts in the outside world, they wouldn't be able to cause any upheaval.

So, Matina's vigilance was directed not only at Han Qi but also at Yu Yuan and herself.

"You should head to the Shinra Net to ensure Han Qi can't escape," Andrea said, fixing her gaze on the ancient vine tree.

The dispersed consciousnesses among the evil ghosts and vicious souls suddenly coalesced.

The ghosts and gods loyal to Matina once again fell into silence within the ancient vine tree, as if slipping into another long slumber.

The thoughts of the third Undead Ruler, connecting the souls of these ghosts and gods, spoke in a resonant and profound Soul Sound, "I also oversee the Shinra Net. He won't be able to escape."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan felt as though the ancient vine tree had cast a glance his way.

In that moment, he realized that when he crossed the Shinra Net with the Dragon Slash Platform, he had been meticulously scrutinized by some will of the Demon Area.

It appeared that this vine tree was the third Undead Ruler in control of the Shinra Net, an entity of equal standing with the Yin Meridian.

Yu Yuan reflected for a moment before suddenly inquiring, "What is the name of the will of the Demon Area?"

"Before it was corrupted by the abyssal treasures, it was known as the Origin Soul in Hao Ran, and as the Origin Blood in the Dim Starfield. My father later referred to it as the Origin Soul."

Andrea's demeanor shifted to one of solemnity, her previous teasing and displeasure melting away.

She held the entities of the Origin Soul and Origin Blood in high regard, for they were the very foundation of the Great Dao and the wellspring of order.

"Origin Soul?" Yu Yuan exclaimed in surprise.

"Think of it this way: if you consider our world as a complete living structure, then the Origin Soul is the main soul, the Origin Blood is the Yang God, and what my father called the Origin Soul is actually the Yin God."

"The human race cultivates the three souls—Heaven, Earth, and Man—each aligning with these three entities. Sadly, the Yin God cannot leave Hao Ran, and the Yang God of the human race is formed from a fusion of spiritual energy and the Heavenly Soul, not from blood, which is a fundamental error from the start."

"In the end, we can only progress through the main soul, aligning solely with the Origin Soul."

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