C720 So Your Name Is Yu Yuan!!

"No."

Yu Yuan immediately sensed a barrier as he exerted his full power using the Soul Forging Technique to reach out to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. There were insurmountable barriers between heaven and earth that his current strength simply could not break through. The Horror Land was the source of his limitation. His strands of consciousness, gathered within his Heavenly Soul, struggled to penetrate the barriers with the secret technique.

"Perhaps the master's current realm is still somewhat lacking," the cauldron soul suggested tactfully. "That individual, Jiang Xingwen, along with other human cultivators, experience a severance from their main bodies when their Yin Gods enter the Horror Land. The Yin God exists independently within the Horror Land."

It clarified for Yu Yuan, informing him that cultivators who had attained the Yang God Stage and the Unrestrained Stage maintained a constant mental connection with their main bodies, even as their Yin Gods roamed the Boundless Great World. This, of course, did not apply to notorious places like the Horror Land.

For instance, cultivators at the Yang God Stage or the Unrestrained Stage could wander other lands, such as the Quietus Continent or the Heavenly Source Continent, and even the Profound Sky Continent, and still exchange thoughts with their main bodies. However, in peculiar places like the Horror Land, the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area activated by the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation, or the Nether Abyss, such assurances were hard to come by.

Furthermore, once a cultivator reached the Yang God Stage, it was common for the Yang God to embark on journeys to the Outland Star River for tempering, often resulting in temporary disconnection from their true form. It was only upon the Yang God's return from the Outland Star River that an instant reconnection with the main body could be reestablished.

Yet, it was rumored that Primordial Spirit experts at the pinnacle of cultivation were not subject to such constraints.

"I understand now. It's a matter of my realm not being sufficiently advanced, coupled with the Horror Land's inherent suppressive force on the soul," Yu Yuan acknowledged with a nod. "I haven't reached the bottleneck yet, so I can continue to cultivate for some time."

...

The Dark Mountain, with its purple-black hue, loomed ominously.

Within the mountain, a cavern hundreds of times more expansive than Liu Linzhi's dwelling had been carved out. Unlike a palace, the vastness of the cave was its only remaining feature. Its original master, the Heavenly Ghost, had fled in pieces but now returned, towering in the center of the cave as a colossal purple-black skeleton.

Wisps of purple-black demonic flames seemed to eternally burn upon the skeleton.

Nearly a thousand visible ghosts were scattered throughout the cave, each with ghostly flames of varying colors flickering in their eyes, casting a lively glow.

All the ghosts turned their intense gaze upon the figure hovering above the Demon Clan's skeletal remains.

That figure was none other than Jiang Xingwen.

Now, unlike when she bid farewell to Yu Yuan, Jiang Xingwen's Yin God form had become even more delicate, her waist so slender it could be encircled by a mere clasp of the hand, accentuated by a jade belt.

Her ethereal form shimmered with the jade belt's radiant, colorful light.

The green jade belt, resting on Jiang Xingwen's Yin God waist, was constantly drawing in the thick Yin Qi of Dark Mountain, ceaselessly aiding in the refinement of her Yin God.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Over ten more ghosts of various ranks, including Earth Ghosts and ghost spirits, were led by Jiang Xingwen's soul servants, swiftly arriving from beyond.

Upon their arrival, the newcomers immediately turned their attention to the green jade belt at Jiang Xingwen's waist.

The jade belt, aglow with a luminous radiance, began to reveal numerous shadows, and in an instant, transformed into a river so clear it seemed one could see to the bottom.

Within this river, "fish" swam joyously.

The Heavenly Ghost, transformed from a great demon, stirred with excitement beneath Jiang Xingwen's Yin God.

The purple-black demonic flames surged with even greater ferocity.

In that moment, nearly a thousand ghosts and soul spirits within the cave fixed their hopeful eyes on the green jade belt at Jiang Xingwen's waist, as if it were the paradise of their dreams.

Jiang Xingwen's lips curled into a gentle smile.

One by one, the "fish" leapt from the green jade belt, transforming into soul spirits with eyes full of intelligent fire.

It seemed that within the green jade belt, they had gained wisdom, becoming more astute and spirited.

"Those who swear fealty to me will have the opportunity to traverse the Soul Crossing River and evolve their souls," Jiang Xingwen said, gesturing to the green jade belt at her waist. "As the spirits and ghosts of Horror Land, you must understand the significance of this 'Soul Crossing River' jade belt, right?"

"This is merely the beginning."

"As the Yin Qi at the source of the underground Yin Meridian becomes even more concentrated and potent, the Yin Water within the depths of my 'Soul Crossing River' will also transform. The souls and ghosts birthed from Horror Land lack the wisdom of those from beyond. To swiftly enhance your intelligence and gain greater spirituality, entering the 'Soul Crossing River' is the optimal route."

Jiang Xingwen, the master of the Soul Crossing River, effortlessly won the allegiance of numerous ghosts with the aid of this artifact.

When she made her escape, Jiang Xingwen, who had refined the aquamarine jade belt known as the Soul Crossing River, fled separately from the Yin God and the artifact itself.

Although she was captured alive by Liu Linzhi and sealed within a suit of armor adorned with roses, the Soul Crossing River was not lost.

Her faithful ghostly followers carefully hid the Soul Crossing River elsewhere. Since Jiang Xingwen had already mastered it, these ghosts couldn't take it by force. To continue benefiting from the Soul Crossing River's marvels, they had no choice but to devise a rescue for Jiang Xingwen.

Once free, Jiang Xingwen's loyal ghosts promptly retrieved the Soul Crossing River and restored it to her possession.

Using the extraordinary powers of the Soul Crossing River, Jiang Xingwen rallied a formidable host of spirits and ghosts to her side atop the mountain, securing their fealty.

This group included the mountain's original ruler, the skeletal Heavenly Ghost, as well as another ghostly general who had been loyal to Liu Linzhi, and the majority of spirits that had scattered after Liu Linzhi's demise.

...

Two months later.

Yu Yuan found himself grappling with an inexplicable sense of frustration and irritability during his practice of the Ghosting Arts and the Soul Forging Technique, unable to concentrate.

He also keenly noticed that the Yin Qi he drew in with his spiritual awareness was no longer integrating well with his soul.

This sensation...

Opening his eyes, he rose from his meditative stance and said, "My cultivation has hit a wall. For some reason, I have this overwhelming urge to break out and engage in a fierce battle."

The cauldron soul responded with concern, "The emergence of a heart demon is ominous. It looks like you can't keep on with your cultivation unchecked. Step into the cauldron, and I'll take you out for a while."

"Okay," agreed Yu Yuan.

"In the last two months, the ghostly spirits that lay dormant above Dark Mountain have been drawn away by that Taiyuan Sect woman named Jiang Xingwen," the cauldron soul explained as he entered the Evil Cauldron, which then soared upwards. "You must have felt it; you're the only one left on Dark Mountain."

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "What's Jiang Xingwen up to?"

"That woman is quite astonishing. Recently, the Heavenly Ghosts from six nearby peaks have all sworn fealty to her," the cauldron soul said, equally astounded. "Six Heavenly Ghosts, no less, have pledged their loyalty and are ready to serve under her command. The forces she can now marshal are even mightier than some of the lesser Nether Ghosts in Horror Land."

"But how is that possible? She claimed to be merely at the Soul Wandering Stage. How does a Yin God of that level command the obedience of Heavenly Ghosts in Horror Land?"

The cauldron soul, ever-present at Yu Yuan's side and not one to venture out for intelligence, had limited information to share. Nonetheless, its revelations were enough to astonish Yu Yuan.

"Su Yan's master is truly extraordinary," he murmured to himself. Shrouded in dark demonic light, Yu Yuan boarded the Evil Cauldron and departed the solitary Dark Mountain where he had been cultivating to venture once more into the outside world.

Whoosh! The fierce wind howled, growing increasingly tempestuous.

From his vantage point within the Evil Cauldron, Yu Yuan surveyed the scene. The neighboring purple peak bustled with the comings and goings of soul spirits and ghosts, a stark contrast to the desolate quiet of the mountain he had just left, where he had been the sole occupant.

At Jiang Xingwen's mountain, soul spirits and ghosts, their eyes alight with intelligence, took notice of the Evil Cauldron's arrival. Their ghostly flames leapt as they hurried into caves to inform Jiang Xingwen.

"Hmm?" Yu Yuan, scanning the surroundings, caught sight of a familiar vessel, his expression turning to one of bewilderment. "A Roam Ship?!"

There it was—a Roam Ship adorned with the distinctive seven-colored ladder banner of the Babel Chamber of Commerce, moored at the purple peak.

The Roam Ship, typically used by the Babel Chamber of Commerce for transporting spiritual materials, had made an unexpected appearance in Horror Land, a place frequented by soul spirits and ghosts, catching Yu Yuan off guard.

As he was silently pondering the oddity, several soul shadows darted out from the purple mountain. Among them, he recognized two figures. One was Jiang Xingwen, and to his surprise, the other was Ma Jianjiang, a deacon from the Babel Chamber of Commerce in Luan Bird City.

Ma Jianjiang, along with three other cultivators from the Babel Chamber of Commerce, burst out from within the dark purple mountain in a rush. Upon laying eyes on Yu Yuan, Ma Jianjiang's excitement was palpable. "It really is you!"

Ma Jianjiang and his companions were all on a journey of the Yin God.

Jiang Xingwen stood behind them, her waist cinched by a green jade belt that sent shivers through Yu Yuan's very soul. Her eyes deep and mysterious, she spoke, "So, you're Yu Yuan! The infamous Plague God, Yu Yuan!"

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