C715 The Spoils of War!

On the outskirts of Horror Land, a radiant red soul shadow settled upon a lotus platform, arriving as if carried by the wind.

"Greetings, Miss Yuan."

A crystal-white skeleton with eyes ablaze with green flames called out from the base of a modestly sized Dark Mountain. "It is with great respect that we welcome Miss Yuan to Horror Land for the refinement of your soul. Lord Faang Yao once cultivated here, aiding my rise to a Nether Ghost. His kindness is etched in my memory, and I shall ensure your safety, Miss Yuan."

This jade-like skeleton, slightly shorter in stature, had specifically come to assist Yuan Lianyao.

Yuan Lianyao, having advanced to the late period of the Yin God Stage and mastered the Magma Devil Spell, arrived in Horror Land under the guidance of the Red Devil Sect to further temper her soul.

"Thank you."

Yuan Lianyao's vibrant red Yin God, adrift on the lotus platform, seemed ethereal, her true form elusive.

"Let me first acquaint you with Horror Land and this Dark Mountain."

The white skeleton gestured behind itself. "This Dark Mountain is under the command of one of my subordinates. My own Dark Mountain lies deeper within Horror Land. It's currently unsettled there, unsuitable for your cultivation. For a newcomer like yourself, Miss Yuan, this Dark Mountain will suffice for the condensation of your Yin God."

With these words, the white skeleton made its way toward the Dark Mountain, the lotus platform bearing Yuan Lianyao's Yin God trailing behind, moving towards the mountain.

...

Deep within Horror Land, a majestic Dark Mountain loomed, surrounded by legions of formidable ghosts, each manifesting their presence as a testament to their exceptional power.

At the mountain's base lay Mo Yan's Kyara Demon Blade, enlarged manyfold, resting silently upon the earth.

This wondrous blade, at the foot of the Dark Mountain, seemed to be silently drawing in a rich stream of Yin Qi, fortifying the Devil Blade's strength from within.

The gleaming blade, mirror-smooth, bore a subtle "Water Shadow."

This "Water Shadow" was the manifestation of Mo Yan's Yin God.

Mo Yan, practicing the arcane methods of the Devil Palace, wielded the Kyara Demon Blade to seize the abundant Yin Qi of the Dark Mountain, provoking the emergence of numerous potent ghostly spirits.

The spirits, swirling midair, howled with a restless ferocity, as though poised to swoop down at any moment.

On the gleaming surface of the blade, Mo Yan's Yin God materialized, taking the form of a spectral figure perched atop the steel. He tilted his head upwards, surveying the myriad of ghostly beings with a sneer. "Be good, listen up, and don't rush to your demise."

A ghost, shaped like a white snake, was provoked by Mo Yan. Its vertical eye blazed with malice as it lunged for the Kyara Demon Blade.

Abruptly, a vast fissure split the face of Dark Mountain, and from within, a colossal arm burst forth, effortlessly ensnaring the white snake.

The serpent, dozens of meters in length, was reduced to nothing more than a tiny earthworm in the grasp of that massive, fur-like arm. Held tight, the white snake was crushed to dust, its remains trickling through the fingers of the immense hand.

A hush of terror fell over the assembled spirits and ghosts at the sight of the arm. The Heavenly Ghost, once a formidable white snake, was now mere smoke, and the ghost that had sought to challenge Mo Yan fell silent, daring not to make another move.

The soul of the white snake scattered, its smoky remnants drawn into the Kyara Demon Blade, which seemed to pull the essence into itself.

Mo Yan let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Haven't I made it clear? I am the Ghost King's most esteemed guest. Alas, a bunch of witless ghosts, oblivious to the vastness of the heavens and the depths of the earth."

With a whoosh, his Yin God withdrew back into the Kyara Demon Blade to continue refining his soul.

...

In the grandeur of Liu Linzhi's palace, Yu Yuan wielded a dagger that, upon invoking the Glorious Heavenly Wheel, blazed with a crimson glow. The flame pattern on the hilt flared to life, burning intensely.

The dagger grew searingly hot, its red hue dazzling to the eye.

Yet Yu Yuan, who was in the late period of mastering the Glorious Heavenly Wheel, could endure such fierce heat with ease.

"This is a top-tier Earth Level artifact, fitting for both myself and her."

Yu Yuan mulled over the weapon briefly but refrained from refining it. Instead, he placed the dagger into his Mustard Seed Bracelet, planning to present it to Yuan Lianyao when they next met.

Once an artifact is refined, integrating one's Qi, blood, and spirit, transferring ownership becomes exceedingly difficult.

Yu Yuan, believing he was well-stocked with spiritual arms, decided to part with the dagger.

He continued his inspection.

Within a dozen or so containers, he found pellets whose grade he could roughly estimate based on their color, shape, and scent—none were particularly high. Moreover, nearly all were intended for soul nourishment.

A few wooden chests and an iron box held shattered bones infused with Qi and blood, alongside various precious stones and jades. These would fetch a handsome price in the outside world, but to Yu Yuan, they were hardly noteworthy.

Upon opening the final white jade box, Yu Yuan discovered several drops of a blue liquid that emitted a cool, refreshing fragrance.

At that moment, the cauldron soul cried out, "Master!"

"What is it?" Yu Yuan's eyebrows quirked in curiosity.

"The Ice Concubine! She's having a strong reaction and craving for that liquid!" the cauldron soul blurted out, conveying the desires of the first-formed Evil Demon. "I'm not sure of the liquid's origin, but it appears to stem from the Nether Abyss. The Ice Concubine could use it to enhance her strength!"

"Then give it to her," Yu Yuan agreed with a nod.

Whoosh!

The Ice Concubine, who had just settled into her seat within the Demon God Seat, reemerged and drifted over to the white jade box.

Her ethereal, ice-blue form leaned forward, her eyes—radiating a chilly aura—gazed at the liquid with palpable excitement.

She inched closer to the blue liquid, cautiously extending her tongue to lap up a few drops.

Instantly, beams of ice-blue light emanated from within her!

To Yu Yuan, her peculiar form seemed to solidify after absorbing the liquid, the sense of illusion all but gone.

"This..." Yu Yuan mused, scratching his head before venturing, "Can the Evil Cauldron also condense a corporeal body like the Outland Devaputra?"

Whether it was the Ice Concubine or the second Evil Demon, they felt tangible to Yu Yuan, as though existing in a mysterious state between the corporeal and the ethereal, capable of shifting at will.

"Absolutely," the cauldron soul confirmed. "I distinctly recall, at the height of the Evil Cauldron's power, the twelfth Evil Demon on the tenth floor had a physical form. Being ethereal is a disadvantage in many battles. Why else would the Devaputra Race strive to condense physical bodies once they've amassed enough power?"

"The spirits and phantoms of Horror Land are bound by the rules of this realm, unable to manifest flesh and blood."

"Yet, Liu Linzhi is armored, and the skeletal form of the Heavenly Ghost he battled serves as both his vessel and blade."

"The Ice Concubine was already on the verge of materializing a corporeal form, and with the addition of these peculiar droplets, her transformation seems to be accelerating!"

At this, the cauldron soul couldn't contain its excitement.

"For me, Horror Land truly is a land of fortune!" Yu Yuan flashed a wide grin and plopped down on the ground. "That scoundrel Zu Ann, it turns out, didn't lead me astray."

Narrowing his eyes, he began to practice the Ghosting Arts, refining his Earth Soul.

Strands of spiritual consciousness, like unseen hands, touched the icy rocks of Dark Mountain.

In a flash, pure Yin Qi followed his spiritual consciousness, seeping into the soul within his Consciousness Little World.

"Wait! Something's not right!"

Yu Yuan's eyes sparkled with excitement.

He distinctly sensed that the Yin Qi drawn by his spiritual consciousness was not just directed at his Earth Soul, but also his overlapping main soul and Heaven Soul!

All three souls - of heaven, earth, and man - stood to gain from the Yin Qi!

This revelation shattered his previous beliefs and nearly made him burst into laughter.

"..."