C719 The Ghost King of the Razses

Deep within the Land of Terror stood the towering Shadow Mountain, rising majestically a thousand feet high. Its smooth surface was adorned with a vast painting scroll that cascaded down its side. Within the scroll, a dense mist of Yin Qi swirled like milky white celestial clouds, amidst which jade palaces and grand halls nestled, reminiscent of the ancient gods' dwellings.

Upon closer inspection, one could see fairies in vibrant attire flitting through the grandest palace, handsome youths wandering about, and Spirit Birds gracefully taking flight. Were it not for the painting's location on Shadow Mountain within the Land of Terror, the scene might be mistaken for the sacred cave abodes of the upper sects.

With a whoosh, a set of purple divine armor approached, emanating a gentle purple glow. Inside, devoid of flesh and blood, resided only the phantom of Ann Ziqing's Lunar Spirit. As Ann Ziqing, in her Lunar Spirit form, reached the base of Shadow Mountain, the scene within the painting scroll transformed dramatically.

The scroll now seemed to serve as a portal to the underworld, from which a multitude of ghosts and spirits surged forth. These apparitions, some with intelligent flames flickering in their eyes, were clearly of the Celestial Shade caliber.

The assembly of ghosts and spirits divided into two factions, arraying themselves as though to honor their approaching leader. Shortly thereafter, a child clad in a purple imperial dragon robe and crowned with a golden diadem strode confidently from the scroll.

The boy appeared to be no older than ten, his features exquisitely charming and endearing. Though his form was but a spirited body, he radiated the aura of one who could solidify into flesh at any moment, his ethereal presence brimming with boundless strength.

"Ann Ziqing, you have come to the Land of Terror specifically to aid Lord Razses in his quest for the title of God of Ghosts," she said softly, her voice emanating from within the divine armor, her smile neither arrogant nor humble.

The boy in the dragon robe, firmly wielding the Horcrux known as the Soul Locking Diagram, was none other than Razses, one of the five esteemed Ghost Kings of the Land of Terror. Razses, the youngest of the Ghost Kings, had ascended to his title a mere two centuries prior.

Before his reign as Ghost King, Razses had ventured alone from the Land of Terror, embarking on a clandestine journey beyond its borders. It was during this time that he drew the attention of the Ethereal Void Sect and the Thunder Sect's formidable masters, narrowly escaping their combined efforts to obliterate him.

Ann Wen, the leader of the Colddeath sect, opportunistically noticed the maneuvers of the Ethereal Void and Thunder Sects. She clandestinely intervened, aiding Razses, the "Ghost King," in his successful escape.

Razses, the "Ghost King," was subsequently invited by Ann Wen to Colddeath, where he spent some time. It is rumored that Razses's transformation from a mere Spectre to the formidable Ghost King was made possible with the support of Colddeath and the efforts of Ann Wen.

"The Goddess graces us with her presence in the Land of Terror. My king is deeply honored," the youthful-looking Razses, the Ghost King, stated with an air of aged wisdom. "Yet, given the current turmoil, the Goddess must be aware of the complexities. Assisting my king in the contest for the God of Ghosts seat will prove challenging."

Known for his volatile nature and foul temper, Razses, one of the Ghost Kings of the Land of Terror, had previously slumbered within the Soul Locking Diagram for thirty years.

Upon awakening, Razses swiftly executed a faction of his followers harboring treacherous intentions and rallied his forces, poised for significant action.

Just recently, while secluded in the depths of the Soul Locking Diagram, Razses detected the distinctive scent of Ann Ziqing's purple divine armor. Startled, he immediately emerged to investigate.

He always valued the envoys from Colddeath, especially when they arrived bearing such an enigmatic artifact as the purple divine armor.

"Rest assured, I came fully prepared. I have brought the Glacial Storm Seal, originally from the Obsidian Thunder Sect," Ann Ziqing said with a light laugh.

No sooner had she spoken than the Glacial Storm Seal, which she had cunningly used to ensnare Yu Yuan and Xie Bin, drawing Qi Yunhong into the fray and ultimately seizing it for herself, emerged from within the purple divine armor.

A myriad of sparkling particles, brimming with the soul-annihilating essence of thunder, shimmered within the Glacial Storm Seal.

"Glacial Storm Seal!"

Razses, the Ghost King, clearly recognized the item and was aware of the sigil's formidable power. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he exclaimed, "Excellent, truly excellent! This Glacial Storm Seal is a delightful surprise to my king! Colddeath's reputation is well deserved, as is that of the Goddess Ann Ziqing. Should my king ascend to the unattainable realm of the God of Ghosts, I shall never forget the aid of Colddeath!"

"I've come to assist Lord Razses in achieving his objective," Ann Ziqing said, her lips curving into a soft smile. As a Lunar Spirit who had attained the Spirit Walk Realm, she was able to connect with the artifact soul of the purple divine armor. Through this connection, she could faintly discern the approximate location of the red token she had given away.

"By the way, Lord Razses, there's a Celestial Shade named Liu Linzhi in that direction. Are you familiar with him?" Guided by the sensations from the purple divine armor, Ann Ziqing's gaze and a hand formed from Soul Power pointed towards Shadow Mountain, where Liu Linzhi resided, and she accurately mentioned his name.

"Liu Linzhi, a Celestial Shade?" Razses, the Ghost King, gently shook his head. "I haven't heard of him. I only recognize those close to me who have ascended to the rank of Spectre. A mere Celestial Shade far from here wouldn't be worthy of an audience with me; I wouldn't remember him."

"I'm aware, Divine Lady!" A ghost, taking the shape of a white fox, interjected. "Liu Linzhi was also from the Colddeath. I've heard his name before. It seems he's run into trouble. His followers have abandoned him, scattering in all directions. He must have been defeated in battle by a peer Celestial Shade, which would explain his current predicament."

"Defeated? His followers scattered?" Ann Ziqing's expression shifted as she nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, that's good to know."

...

In the palace once owned by the Celestial Shade, Liu Linzhi, Yu Yuan and Jiang Xingwen from the Abyssal Dawn sect had a brief conversation through an open skylight. Without disclosing his origins, Yu Yuan, considering his friendship with Su Yan, hinted at the might of the Crucible of Evil and suggested Jiang Xingwen depart on her own.

Having roamed as a Lunar Spirit for over two years, Jiang Xingwen was well aware of the perilous state of the Land of Terror and did not linger. She swiftly took her leave.

Shortly after her departure, the cauldron spirit relayed a message to Yu Yuan, "As soon as her Lunar Spirit exits Shadow Mountain, the ghosts waiting outside will rush to greet her. How can a solitary Lunar Spirit from the Abyssal Dawn, who ventured into the Land of Terror for cultivation, manage to leave the Nether Reaches and still command the loyalty of so many ghosts?"

"Who cares?" Yu Yuan said nonchalantly.

Some time later, the cauldron spirit spoke up again, "She didn't rush to leave the Land of Terror. Instead, she went to..."

"She went to another Shadow Mountain nearby! The one that Liu Linzhi conquered and entrusted to one of his subordinates!"

"Hmm?"

Yu Yuan's expression shifted subtly, revealing a hint of surprise.

He had assumed that once Jiang Xingwen left, she would immediately flee the Land of Terror, allowing her Lunar Spirit to return to her real body and cease meddling in the affairs of the Land of Terror.

Unexpectedly, the elder from the Abyssal Dawn had chosen to stay.

She had claimed ownership of another Shadow Mountain close to his own place of cultivation and had crowned herself ruler of that mountain.

"What is she planning?"

Yu Yuan furrowed his brow, puzzled, but holding the Crucible of Evil, he felt confident that Jiang Xingwen couldn't cause any real trouble.

Unable to figure it out, he decided not to dwell on it and continued with his cultivation.

Time slipped away silently.

The rich and potent Yin Qi of the Land of Terror greatly benefited his three souls of heaven, earth, and man. Practicing both Soul Forging through Enlightenment and Wraithbinding, he felt his soul strengthen every day.

This allowed him to immerse himself in his practice like never before, oblivious to fatigue.

Before he knew it, two months had passed.

After this period of cultivation on the modest Shadow Mountain, Yu Yuan could sense that the barrier to the middle period of Subtlety was about to be broken.

He had an intuition that it wouldn't be long before he could advance to the late period of Subtlety.

Even more gratifying was the heightened sensitivity of his heaven soul, refined by the Soul Forging through Enlightenment.

"Master, that woman is no simple character. She's been recruiting a host of ghosts and spirits on another Shadow Mountain. Even those who were once loyal to Liu Linzhi, including the Celestial Shade of the evilkind, have gradually started to obey her commands and recognize her as their leader."

One day, during a break in his cultivation, the cauldron spirit conveyed this message to Yu Yuan.

With the two Shadow Mountains in close proximity, it was quite easy for the cauldron spirit, with its current power, to sense the activities on the other side.

Moreover, this was the third time the cauldron spirit had mentioned that Jiang Xingwen was extraordinary.

"It's fine. Let her proceed."

Yu Yuan squinted his eyes, pondering deeply for a moment before speaking, "Just keep an eye on her. I want to attempt to establish communication with the Moonfall Sanctuary!"

"The Soulforge Pool and that peculiar little space beneath it?" the cauldron spirit exclaimed in astonishment.

"Yes, my heaven soul has been refined over this period, and I've suddenly found a new sense of confidence," Yu Yuan confirmed with a nod. "I'm curious to see if it's possible to make a direct connection with the Moonfall Sanctuary from within the Land of Terror!"

"Take care!"

"I will."

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