C718 Five Great Ghost Kings!

Jiang Xingwen was steeped in gloom.

Two years prior, she had advanced to the Middle Period of the Soul Wandering Stage. In pursuit of mastering a distinct Soul Art, she ventured to Horror Land and sought refuge in the Dark Mountain, an ally of the Taiyuan Sect, where she honed her skills with the Yin Qi day and night.

Immersed in her relentless training, she was blindsided by a bizarre upheaval within Horror Land.

A Heavenly Ghost, favorably disposed towards the Taiyuan Sect, fell prey to a more formidable Yin Ghost lurking in the depths of Horror Land, who commanded a sudden assault.

The Heavenly Ghost perished instantly, its soul shattered.

Jiang seized the chance to flee, only to be bested and captured by Liu Linzhi en route. Her Yin God was subsequently imprisoned within the Rose Armor.

During her exchange with Liu Linzhi, she learned of the tumultuous state of affairs in the Boundless Land.

Rumors swirled that the Divine Soul Sect's adepts, long vanished to the heavens, were encroaching upon the Boundless Land, their presence stirring unrest even in Horror Land, prompting many Ghost Kings and Yin Ghosts to harbor ulterior motives.

Isolated in Dark Mountain for over two years, Jiang Xingwen, hindered by the peculiar conditions of Horror Land, found herself cut off from her Yin God, oblivious to the world beyond.

Before her foray into Horror Land, she had taken Su Yan under her wing, imparting the Spiritual Spell and secret arts. Their time together was fleeting; they parted ways shortly after their mentorship began.

Now, confronted by a youth wielding an enigmatic Soul Artifact who spoke of Su Yan, Jiang was puzzled.

"Su Yan is my disciple from the Taiyuan Sect, hailing from the Su family of the Devil Moon Empire. Our acquaintance was brief; less than a month passed before her father whisked her back to the Devil Moon Empire. And then, I entered Horror Land," Jiang Xingwen said, her face etched with skepticism. "Who are you, and how do you know her?"

Yu Yuan massaged his forehead. "Quite the coincidence," he mused.

With a dismissive wave, he paused to connect with the cauldron soul, cautioning it against any impulsive actions.

Given that Jiang Xingwen hailed from the Taiyuan Sect and was Su Yan's mentor, he decided to show leniency and let her go.

"Two years ago..."

It was two years prior that Su Xiangtian had introduced Su Yan to the Taiyuan Sect, where she was soon taken under Jiang Xingwen's wing as a disciple.

Su Xiangtian and Su Yan had used the Spirit Void Sect's formation in the Absence Relic to return from the Heavenly Source Continent. That's where he encountered Su Xiangtian and Su Yan, along with several Taiyuan Sect elders undergoing trials.

He bore no grudge against the Taiyuan Sect. In fact, the Taiyuan Sect elder who perished in the Absence Relic had been quite courteous and friendly toward him. Considering his connection to Su Yan, he resolved to release Jiang Xingwen.

"Let's continue this conversation outside."

With a single stride, Yu Yuan soared out to the cavernous palace beyond the cauldron.

The cauldron soul, acting on Yu Yuan's signal, didn't trouble Jiang Xingwen. The elder's Yin God emerged without issue, hovering in the open air. "Do you know Su Yan?"

"I do," Yu Yuan confirmed with a nod. "You've spent years in Horror Land, devoted to your cultivation, so you're likely out of touch with recent events."

He paused, opting to keep further details to himself.

He refrained from formally introducing himself to Jiang Xingwen or disclosing his connection to Su Yan. He wanted to avoid complications should Jiang Xingwen leave Horror Land and her Yin God rejoin its true form, potentially revealing his whereabouts to the Taiyuan Sect or other factions.

At this juncture, he was considered a defector by the five most powerful forces.

"I've had limited interactions with her. Since you're acquainted with Su Yan, are you aware of her current status?" Jiang Xingwen asked, her anxiety easing as she sensed his hostility wane. "I'm somewhat familiar with the inner workings of Horror Land, but I'm quite out of the loop regarding external affairs. Perhaps we could exchange information."

Yu Yuan considered the proposal and nodded in agreement. "That sounds reasonable."

He then briefed Jiang Xingwen on the current turmoil within the Boundless Land. The sects and powers, including the Divine Soul Sect, were in disarray due to the sect's resurgence and the incursion of Outland Devaputra and other foreign entities.

Beneath the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, a spatial passageway to the outside world had opened wide. Outland Devaputras surged in, and a multitude of Heavenly Devils broke free, clashing fiercely with the forces led by the Primordial Yang Sect.

In the Desolate Swamp, a faction led by the Desolate God refused to heed the directives of the Three Great Upper Sects, the Devil Palace, and the Demon Palace, choosing instead to remain insular and self-contained.

Across the Profound Sky Continent, all empires were embroiled in war with no end in sight.

The once-mighty Luan Bird Empire saw its ruler replaced by Chen Liangquan, while the Luan Bird Queen shattered her dharma form and retreated to the Outland Star River, withdrawing from the empire's and the Chen family's affairs.

Zu Ann of Ascension Peak had positioned himself against the five supreme beings. Jiang Xingwen would be privy to such news immediately upon the return of her Yin God to her original body, thanks to the Babel Chamber of Commerce. With nothing to hide, she laid bare all the details.

Jiang Xingwen was both shocked and intrigued upon learning this. "No wonder the Horror Land is thick with Yin Qi, stirring unrest among the Ghost Kings and ghosts, prompting them to unfurl their banners of war," she exclaimed.

She revealed to Yu Yuan that deep within the Horror Land, there were five formidable Ghost Kings. Historically, these Ghost Kings coexisted peacefully, each ruling their own domain without interference.

On the fringes, however, a dozen lesser ghosts were in constant conflict, battling for control of the Dark Mountains and engaging in endless strife.

Recently, the five Ghost Kings had stirred from their ancient slumber and resumed their cultivation. Upon awakening, they launched into conquests much like the empires of the Profound Sky Continent, engaging in fierce battles and voraciously annexing each other's territories and Dark Mountains.

The warfare initiated by the Ghost Kings spread rapidly, engulfing the entire Horror Land in the blink of an eye. Ghosts and Heavenly Ghosts alike were locked in combat, their strength burgeoning due to the rich Yin Qi. Even the gravest of soul injuries sustained in battle were swiftly healing.

Simultaneously, numerous Yin Gods had begun to venture into the outside world.

Meanwhile, numerous Yin Gods had infiltrated from the outside world. Some hailed from the Heavenly Source Continent, while others were formidable beings native to the Quietus Continent. These entities had formed alliances with the Ghost Kings and Specters, stirring up chaos in Horror Land.

Initially, Jiang Xingwen was unaware of the underlying causes, but Yu Yuan's explanation brought clarity to the situation. "The turmoil in Boundless Land and the mass deaths of living beings will surely impact Horror Land! With the return of the Divine Soul Sect from their exile and the invasion of numerous Devaputras and other races, a multitude of lost souls will emerge! The Yin Vein's source beneath Horror Land will become richer and more potent than ever before!"

"It's even possible that the Yin Vein's source will undergo an extraordinary transformation! I'm not entirely sure what that change entails, but the Heavenly Ghosts allied with the Taiyuan Sect have hinted that if the death toll in Boundless Land reaches a certain threshold, the Yin Vein's source will evolve."

"Inside Horror Land, this could potentially give rise to the legendary Ghost Gods!"

"Ghost Gods have been a myth within Horror Land since time immemorial, yet none have ever truly been born!"

"There's a belief that while there can be many Ghost Kings, there can only ever be one Ghost God. The Ghost God is the sole deity of Horror Land, an entity capable of contending with Primordial Spirits and Tenth Level Demon Gods, even beyond the confines of Horror Land!"

"Before, the five great Ghost Kings coexisted without conflict, knowing that no matter the extent of their struggles and battles, they were bound to the rank of Ghost King, the pinnacle of their power and form."

"However, the cataclysmic upheaval in Boundless Land has awakened the five great Ghost Kings to the realization that in this era of chaos, Horror Land could usher in its most golden age! The forces that once capped their rank and form have shifted, and they now stand on the cusp of evolving further, potentially into a Ghost God, an entity unprecedented in the annals of Boundless Land!"

"This is the root of the turmoil in Horror Land."

Jiang Xingwen pieced together the puzzle of Horror Land's chaos for Yu Yuan, drawing on Yu Yuan's own words, her knowledge of the place, and the secrets shared by the deceased Heavenly Ghost.

"Deities of Ghosts and Demons!"

Yu Yuan was overwhelmed with emotion upon hearing this revelation.

He had always believed the Ghost King to be the pinnacle of power in Horror Land, yet to his astonishment, there existed a mythical Ghost God above the Ghost King, one that had never before come into being!

Generation after generation, the title of Ghost King had been inherited, but none had ever ascended to this legendary status, constrained as they were by the vastness of Boundless Land.

Now, the conditions for the emergence of a Ghost God had materialized, explaining why the five mighty Ghost Kings had stirred from their deep slumber.

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