C706 Land of Terror!

The fat old man's mastery of space magic made short-distance teleportation a breeze for him.

Yan Qiling could manage it, so naturally, he could as well.

However, long-distance teleportation that spanned continents required the aid of a rune circle.

Take Yu Yuan's instantaneous travel from Afnetalos in Aetherius to a secluded cave in the Land of Quiescence, for instance. Such a feat was only possible with the Chen family's teleportation circle.

Now, still within the Land of Quiescence, the fat old man had dispatched him to the Land of Terror. The journey was short enough to forgo the use of a teleportation circle. Instead, he could simply etch the rune circle into the void, resonating it with his own power to accomplish the feat.

Moments later, Yu Yuan emerged from a dazzling, bizarre tunnel atop a barren hillock.

The sky was a heavy, oppressive grey.

Ahead, the landscape was dominated by a vast range of mountains, where the howling winds sent shivers down one's spine.

Atop the low hill, even Yu Yuan's body, forged through the rigorous Evil Body Refining technique, felt a sting of pain.

At the mountain's base, the gaps between the peaks funneled the howling winds, as if they were flaying the corporeal body.

Perched on the mountain, Yu Yuan felt an extreme discomfort.

"The Land of Quiescence!"

He inhaled deeply, his gaze sweeping across the somber sky and the sprawling mountain ranges, his emotions stirring.

In his past life, he had devoted most of his time to the study of leechcraft on this very continent.

It was here that he had crafted countless extraordinary pills, and from here that his fame—and infamy—had begun!

Now, reborn as Yu Yuan, he was setting foot on this land for the first time in this new life.

The mountains and rivers under the dim sky were familiar to him.

Once known as the God of Medicine, he had braved the biting winds aboard a rare treasure, exploring these very mountains and rivers and witnessing the marvels of the Land of Terror.

Yet, he had never imagined he would return to traverse the Land of Terror once more, in a completely different form.

The Land of Terror, unlike many other Mysterious Realms, possessed winds with a fierce destructive force against the corporeal body.

In the Land of Terror, the corporeal bodies of those in the Lunar Spirit, Spirit Walk, and even the Solar Spirit realms might not endure the biting cold winds. Yet, the soul remains completely impervious to the chill, capable of soaring through the Land of Terror and using the dense Yin Qi to refine itself. This realm is a haven for intangible entities such as souls, ghosts, Terra Fiends, and Lunar Spirits.

Many prodigious cultivators from various sects, upon reaching the Lunar Spirit Realm and forming their Lunar Spirit, may be sent here to further temper their spirits in the Land of Terror. Indeed, this place is an unparalleled sanctuary for soul cultivation.

"We've arrived," the fat old man said with a carefree smile. "My name is Zhou You. Thank you for freeing me from the Sword Prison in the Godsblight Marsh. Heh, I've worked for the Skyreach Consortium for many years before I had to flee due to certain events."

"By the way, about half a month before you, I escorted someone else here to the Land of Terror."

Yu Yuan snapped out of his reverie, momentarily taken aback. "Who?" he inquired.

"Someone you know," Zhou You replied with a low chuckle. "She was entrusted to me by Chen Liangquan before the Silvermoon Queen regained her strength and entered the Moonfall Sanctuary. I managed to extract her from the Sword Sect and settled her here in the Land of Terror."

"Lee Yuchan?" Yu Yuan murmured in recognition.

"Correct," Zhou You said offhandedly. "The female general wasn't closely guarded when she was brought to the Sword Sect. With my expertise in space magic, it didn't take much effort to get her out. Her mastery of the Shadow Curse is quite unique, and she's making rapid progress training here in the Land of Terror."

Yu Yuan silently nodded in agreement.

Lee Yuchan hadn't committed any acts that the upper sects found unforgivable. She was apprehended by Ji Ningshuang because of Loong Jie. Chen Qingyan probably knew of her acquaintance with Yu Yuan, so when she was returned to the Sword Sect, she wasn't mistreated and was afforded considerable convenience.

This, in turn, made Zhou You's rescue mission exceptionally smooth.

As a Lunar Spirit Stage cultivator without any sins to her name, the female general was seen as a trivial figure by the Sword Sect. They likely didn't pay much mind to her being spirited away.

Amidst the tumultuous times, the three upper sects found themselves in a state of disarray.

"The Shadow Curse, when unleashed in the Land of Terror, can dramatically enhance her cultivation," Zhou You remarked, twirling his horsetail whisk and squinting his eyes. "Unfortunately, the Shadow Curse comes with a significant drawback: a powerful backlash. If she fails to rein in her greed, she's at risk of succumbing to the backlash and perishing in the Land of Terror."

After a brief pause, he continued, "The Land of Terror is far from tranquil at the moment. The outer areas may seem calm, but deeper in, various Spectres and several Ghost Kings are locked in fierce battles."

He shook his head, seemingly troubled by the unsettling developments within the Land of Terror.

Yu Yuan expressed his astonishment, "I've heard that the ghosts of the Land of Terror have longstanding ties with those who have returned from beyond our world."

Zu Ann once mentioned that the mightiest ghosts of the Land of Terror were once counselors to the Boulderdawn sect. Now that the Boulderdawn has returned from the Star River, seeking to reestablish their presence in the Everlands, shouldn't the ghosts of the Land of Terror be rejoicing?

"The turnover among the ghosts in the Land of Terror is rapid; it's quite common for a new generation to replace the old," Zhou You elucidated. "The recent disturbances stem from the Ghost Kings' disagreements, which seem to have sparked conflict."

"Ghost Kings..." Yu Yuan mused, nodding thoughtfully. "It looks like I need to proceed with caution."

The hierarchy of Soul Spirits in the Land of Terror is comprised of Earth Specters, Ghost Spirits, Celestial Shades, Spectres, and the Ghost King. The Ghost King, the apex of the Soul Spirits, boasts a might comparable to that of the primordial spirit and the Dark Deity. Spectres are on par with the Unbound, Celestial Shades with the Solar Spirit, Ghost Spirits with the Spirit Walk, and Earth Specters with the Lunar Spirit.

This classification has been in place since the Land of Terror became the final resting place for countless Soul Spirits. Nonetheless, the prevailing belief among the powerful individuals and sects beyond the Land of Terror is that its ghosts have deliberately overestimated their own strength.

From the perspective of outsiders, ghosts lacking a corporeal body are considered to have reduced combat prowess, effectively downgrading their power level.

To the various sects, the Ghost King is perceived as possessing only the cultivation level of the Unbound realm.

A Spectre is merely a Solar Spirit, with other ghostly entities ranking below it.

Ghosts that venture out of the Land of Terror face numerous limitations, and their true combat strength is certainly not as formidable as they claim.

However, within the confines of the Land of Terror, their power is significantly amplified.

This is precisely why, despite their efforts over millennia, even the upper sects, Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep have failed to conquer the Land of Terror.

"Oh, by the way, you still have some familiar faces in the Land of Terror," Zhou You suddenly remembered, adding, "I've heard that you've encountered Mo Yan from the Devil Palace in the Embers Sea?"

"Mo Yan!" Yu Yuan exclaimed in surprise, "He's in the Land of Terror?"

"Yes," Zhou You confirmed with a nod. "There's a Ghost King there who had dealings with his father. Mo Yan entered the Land of Terror to refine his Lunar Spirit. His approach is different from yours; he entered with his Lunar Spirit, seeking opportunities deep within the Land of Terror. That Ghost King, owing to his father's connection, will look after him. Be cautious and try to avoid crossing paths with him."

"Now that you're seen as a traitor to the Everlands, Mo Yan won't need any justification to kill you if you meet again."

Yu Yuan's expression grew somber as he acknowledged, "Understood."

"But don't worry too much," Zhou You said with a sly grin. "Mo Yan isn't entirely safe in there either. Only one Ghost King is allied with his father. The others might relish the chance to see his Lunar Spirit perish within. The current turmoil in the Land of Terror has led many sect powerhouses to enter and engage in talks with the Ghost Kings."

"Needless to say, the five greatest supreme sects are not keen on seeing those Ghost Kings align with Boulderdawn as they did in the past."

"If negotiations fail, it'll come down to a clash of arms, and then we'll let fate decide."

Having briefly outlined the situation and informed Yu Yuan of some peculiarities of the Land of Terror, Zhou You gestured dismissively and advised, "Be vigilant and use your judgment to discern friends from foes in the Land of Terror."

...