C709 The Celestial Shade Who Broke Through
A ghostly white figure emerged quietly from a corner of the ashen mountains. As the myriad of ghosts returned to the mountain, they were thrown into a sudden panic at the sight of this apparition. The ghosts shrank back, not daring to draw near, as if terrified of provoking its wrath. Only the ghost taking the form of a Fox Monkey approached with a sycophantic air, eager to please.
A peculiar remnant soul emanated from the Fox Monkey ghost as it explained to the figure why it hadn't pursued Yu Yuan or consumed his soul. After listening, the white figure spoke in a raspy whisper, "Are you certain it's the Spirit Magic of Boulderdawn?"
"Without a doubt," the Fox Monkey-shaped ghost hastily replied.
"If that's the case, then don't meddle with him. Keep your distance."
"Understood!"
At that moment, all the ghosts that had emerged from the mountain were permitted to retreat back into its depths. The white figure watched the direction in which the Crucible of Evil had departed, murmuring to itself, "So, the disciples of Boulderdawn are finally venturing into the Land of Terror to converse with the Ghost Kings?" It believed Yu Yuan had come back from the distant Star River in the extraterrestrial realms.
The Crucible of Evil continued to distance itself from the gray mountain. Yu Yuan, still shaken, glanced over his shoulder periodically, half-expecting the persistent ghosts to follow once he ceased using Wraithbinding. "That was a close call! Hundreds of ghosts, each capable of manifesting physically!"
He breathed heavily, feeling mentally drained, likely from the shock of the sudden ghostly onslaught. The ghosts capable of manifesting were mostly formidable, nearly on par with an Earth Specter. Among the horde, the Fox Monkey ghost stood out, being of the Ghost Spirit Level – a challenge well beyond his current means.
Yu Yuan was aware that had the Crucible of Evil not whisked him away from the gray mountain, he would have been forced to draw the ghosts into his Mindscape using Wraithbinding, just as he had outside the walls of Afnetalos. His earthly soul would have surely shattered under the strain.
Given his present level of cultivation, where even the Lunar Spirit had not yet evolved, it was inconceivable for him to absorb and assimilate the multitude of ghosts into his earthly soul.
Understanding that moderation is key, he was well aware of the dangers of excess.
Take, for instance, a gaunt and diminutive man who attempts to consume food several times his size in one sitting; he would inevitably choke.
"I never anticipated that the 'Wraithbinding' technique the Master practices would be so formidable and fearsome in the Land of Terror."
The artifact soul was equally astonished. Drawing on its experience, it navigated the cauldron on its own, steering clear of any mountains.
Each mountain was a repository for innumerable ghosts and spirits, which, if provoked, could lead to dire consequences.
...
Within the Land of Terror, one could gaze upward yet never catch sight of the sun, moon, or stars.
The heavens were perpetually shrouded in darkness and gloom.
Yu Yuan had lost track of time. His only instruction to the cauldron spirit was to avoid venturing too deep into the Land of Terror for now. Instead, they roamed the periphery to better understand the lay of the land.
Whenever he distanced himself from any mountain, he would covertly attempt to wield the Wraithbinding once more.
He soon recognized that the minuscule soul spirits within the biting cold wind, possibly due to their undeveloped spiritual wisdom, were impervious to the pull of Wraithbinding and thus unable to aid in the swift advancement of his earthly soul.
The more formidable soul spirits and ghosts were often found near or within the Yin Qi-rich mountains, where they practiced their cultivation in silence.
Yu Yuan refrained from rash actions, wary of disturbing the multitudes of alien souls and ghosts with the Wraithbinding, which could result in their thunderous emergence.
Should a Spectre-level soul make an appearance, not even the Crucible of Evil could offer him protection.
"It's the cautious mariner who avoids shipwrecks."
To err on the side of caution, he made a point of traveling around the mountains.
On that particular day, a deep brown mountain in the distance began to tremble violently. Thousands of visible soul spirits and ghosts shrieked as they emerged, forming ranks in the void and advancing toward another mountain.
This other mountain, cloaked in black and purple, suddenly radiated a deep, mysterious glow.
Almost instantly, another legion of soul spirits and ghosts, ensconced in the black and purple light, surged forth in an impressive procession, clashing with the invading ghosts and soul spirits.
A conflict involving nearly ten thousand ghosts and spirits erupted without warning!
Yu Yuan watched intently and could make out atop the dark brown mountain a ghostly figure clad in armor, its cavity devoid of flesh, inhabited only by a lone phantom.
The ghost's eyes glowed a deep, blood-red, radiating a fierce and brutal light.
Atop the purple-black mountains, a massive skeleton of the same dark hue burned with demonic flames, unleashing a ferocious howl at the attacking ghost.
Yu Yuan could see that the flames consuming the purple-black skeleton were actually the phantom of another ghost.
As the ghost howled, the purple-black flames scattered in all directions, causing the unprotected souls to burst like bubbles upon contact.
"Two Celestial Shades are waging war, commanding their Gloom Raiders and ghosts," the artifact soul's remnant soul conveyed to Yu Yuan, providing insight into the conflict. "The Celestial Shade within the purple-black skeleton was likely a powerful archdemon of the evilkind in life, believing its formidable body could resist the biting cold winds. Alas, its flesh and blood could not endure, leaving behind only its skeletal remains."
"The demon soul, having remained intact in the Land of Terror, seized control of a mountaintop and pursued its cultivation in the guise of a ghost."
"The other ghost appears to be a follower of the Colddeath, perhaps driven mad by an arcane mystique, with nothing left but a remnant of the Lunar Spirit. Out of desperation, it fled to the Land of Terror, adopting the path of necromancy with its surviving Lunar Spirit, transforming into a Celestial Shade."
"..."
The cauldron spirit's memories, seemingly restored, offered a meticulous analysis of the situation.
Yu Yuan nodded in silence, his interest piqued as he watched the ghostly battle unfold through the murky demonic light.
He suddenly realized that the Land of Terror was akin to another Aetherius, with each mountaintop ruled by a ghostly chieftain.
Deeper within, taller peaks were claimed by Spectres and Ghost Kings, resembling the structure of an empire.
Much like in Aetherius, the ghosts of the Land of Terror frequently erupted into warfare. The clashes between these ethereal souls bore a striking resemblance to the battles waged by imperial armies.
Victory crowned the king, with the triumphant ghost leader seizing all spoils and claiming yet another mountaintop.
Then, they would station their most formidable warriors to guard the newly acquired territory, breeding more Gloom Raiders and ghosts to amplify their power and influence, gradually penetrating deeper into the Land of Terror.
"Woo!"
Atop the mountain, a Celestial Shade clad in battle armor emitted a soul-piercing shriek.
In that instant, the Bracelet of Holding on Yu Yuan's wrist shimmered with an unusual glow.
The red jade pendant that Ann Ziqing had gifted him silently emerged from the Bracelet of Holding and soared straight toward the Celestial Shade through the Crucible of Evil.
The Celestial Shade, with its deep red eyes, was momentarily taken aback, turning its head in bewilderment to face the approaching red jade pendant.
In a flash, the armored Celestial Shade was overcome with excitement. It began to shriek wildly at the sight of the red jade pendant, as if possessed by madness.
Puff!
The red jade pendant struck the Celestial Shade's chest armor, causing a surge of bloody light to burst forth. The Celestial Shade swiftly departed from its mountain, charging toward another Celestial Shade undergoing a transformation into an archdemon.
"The jade pendant?" exclaimed the cauldron spirit in surprise.
Yu Yuan's expression was dark. "It was a gift from the Celestial Goddess Ann Ziqing of the Colddeath Cult."
"So, she gave you the Bracelet of Holding as well? Otherwise, the red jade pendant wouldn't have left on its own to fly toward the Celestial Shade," remarked the cauldron spirit.
Yu Yuan let out a sigh. "Once I leave this place, I'll seek out the Skyreach Consortium to purchase a Cosmos Ring."
