C731 The Ghost King Was Killed

"What a coincidence," Jiang Xingwen mused, a tinge of bitterness lacing every wisp of her Lunar Spirit's remnant soul. She felt a mix of relief and fear wash over her.

In the past, due to her ties with Su Yan, Yu Yuan had released her from Liu Linzhi's cave. Her followers then presented her with the River of Souls belt. This miraculous item, famed throughout the Land of Terror, swiftly healed her injuries.

Soon after, numerous Celestial Shades and ghosts, drawn by the scent of the River of Souls and aware of its legendary powers, pledged their allegiance to her. In no time, she amassed an army of formidable ghosts, a force even mightier than the Spectres of the Land of Terror.

Many of her followers had once urged her to claim Shadow Mountain, where Yu Yuan resided. They advised her to disregard Yu Yuan's presence and seize the mountain by force. Recalling how Yu Yuan had spared her when she was vulnerable, she chose not to heed those suggestions. She also strictly prohibited her ghosts from disturbing Yu Yuan's cultivation on Shadow Mountain. Her intent was clear: she wanted to avoid any misunderstandings and conflicts with Yu Yuan. Now, she was grateful for her wise decision.

The artifact soul within the River of Souls had revealed to her that the sword concealed within Yu Yuan's scabbard was the very weapon that had slain the legendary Ghost King. The mere presence of the sword's will had sent shivers through the artifact soul.

The artifact soul had persistently urged her to uncover the origins of the crimson sword light before making any moves. Until the truth was known, the artifact soul had remained hidden deep within the artifact, too fearful to emerge. Such was its reverence and dread for the sword sheath's owner.

Jiang Xingwen felt a chill of fear as she realized the gravity of the situation. She was relieved that she hadn't acted on her subordinates' advice and provoked Yu Yuan.

"The River of Souls! It's truly the River of Souls, the one belonging to Dhoreus!" Cuion murmured with trepidation before the bright red palanquin, "Dhoreus, the most ancient Ghost King of the Land of Terror, was also the first to venture beyond its borders and boldly traverse the Extraterrestrial Star River!"

The disappearance of Dhoreus had spanned an extensive period, and the River of Souls was shrouded in mystery. Many ghosts within the Land of Terror were aware of the River of Souls' existence, yet they had never witnessed it firsthand.

Cuion, too, had never laid eyes on this enigmatic artifact that held a notorious reputation in the Land of Terror.

"Dhoreus!" Mo Yan's face visibly shifted with emotion.

Prior to venturing into the Land of Terror, he had thoroughly researched the enigmatic Nether Reaches.

He was well aware of the significance behind Dhoreus.

Dhoreus was far more formidable and ancient than the current five great Ghost Kings of the Land of Terror!

Legend had it that Dhoreus emerged from the Root of the Lunar Meridian, the most powerful ghost spawned by this primordial source.

From the moment Dhoreus manifested in the Land of Terror, it was deemed the embodiment of destiny, representing the will of the Root of the Lunar Meridian.

There was a belief that the Root of the Lunar Meridian, lying deep beneath the ground, was the final resting place for all beings of the Everlands after death, serving as the pivotal junction for the creation and dissolution of souls.

Some speculated that the Root of the Lunar Meridian possessed a form of nebulous spiritual wisdom, rather than being an inanimate object.

It was rumored that Dhoreus was a physical expression of the Root of the Lunar Meridian's spiritual wisdom, a being formed from the consciousness of the Root itself!

This was why Dhoreus had never faced defeat in the Land of Terror!

Upon its arrival, it vanquished all contemporary ghosts and souls with an air of invincibility, overpowering every Spectre and swiftly claiming the throne.

As Dhoreus ascended to the title of Ghost King, the other ghost kings instinctively acknowledged his supremacy.

Currently, the Land of Terror was ruled by five great Ghost Kings, each locked in their own struggle for dominance, with none willing to bow to another.

Yet, before Dhoreus departed from the Land of Terror, he was the undisputed leader of all ghosts and souls—their king.

The River of Souls that Jiang Xingwen wielded had once been Dhoreus's renowned Horcrux! When she unleashed its power, the ranks of all the ghosts and spirits under her command instantly surged. How staggering was this display of might?

Mo Yan was left in awe, his heart wavering with uncertainty.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The ghost that had sworn allegiance to Jiang Xingwen surged in power, its phantom expanding as it lunged at the ghosts following Cuion's commands.

Rip!

A ghost resembling a celestial bird, loyal to Jiang Xingwen, sliced a tiger shark-shaped Celestial Shade in half with its razor-sharp wings.

The bird-like ghost enveloped the tiger shark in a hazy blue phantom, slowly dismembering and consuming it.

The bird-like ghost let out an exuberant cry.

It was of the same rank as the tiger shark, a Celestial Shade, and they were long-standing foes.

Now, with the presence of the River of Souls, it had been infused with pure and refined shadow energy from the Root of the Lunar Meridian. Its strength had skyrocketed to that of a Spectre, effortlessly killing its old adversary and absorbing its soul to augment its own power.

Scenes like this unfolded repeatedly.

Ghosts of equal strength were now overwhelmingly superior, having been empowered by the River of Souls, and they successively overpowered and killed the ghosts summoned by Cuion.

The River of Souls, secretly connected to the Root of the Lunar Meridian, could briefly but significantly enhance a ghost's strength.

This was the fundamental reason for the one-sided nature of the current battle.

Mo Yan was restless, his mind racing as he sought an alternative path.

"Cuion! Stop right there!"

White Bone let out a piercing cry as massive stones, shining with a pure and sacred light like celestial bodies, hurtled towards the flamboyant red palanquin.

The holy light rained down, causing the illuminated ghosts to vanish into thin air.

White Bone traversed the void, covering hundreds of meters in a blink.

Cuion burrowed into the bright red palanquin, no longer concerned with the deaths of her followers or Mo Yan's cries. Streams of shadow energy and Soul Power frantically infused the palanquin.

The red palanquin, like a fiery blaze, drifted high into the sky.

White Bone pursued relentlessly but still found a moment to address Jiang Xingwen, "Her domain is now yours, Miss Jiang. I, White Bone, shall not interfere."

Previously, he had feigned interest in the Cloud Cruiser, but his true intent was to identify who was recruiting under his nose within his territory.

Upon seeing Jiang Xingwen, White Bone instantly recognized the green jade belt clasped around her waist—it was none other than the River of Souls!

After realizing it was the River of Souls, White Bone didn't make a big fuss and allowed Jiang Xingwen to continue her antics.

White Bone was also troubled about how to handle Jiang Xingwen and what arrangements to make.

Knowing it would be difficult to deal with Jiang Xingwen, who possessed the River of Souls, he understood that if she remained in his territory, conflict would inevitably arise between them.

Eventually, it would come down to either him or Jiang Xingwen having to leave.

Only by doing so could they avoid the battle that was bound to happen.

The arrival of Cuion with her followers sparked an idea in White Bone, providing him with a solution to his current dilemma—send Jiang Xingwen to Cuion's domain.

With Jiang Xingwen's current strength, her followers would find it challenging to overthrow Cuion.

But with his help, success was guaranteed.

Once Cuion was gone, Jiang Xingwen could do as she pleased in her new territory, and it would no longer be White Bone's concern.

This move could also foster a relationship with Jiang Xingwen, ensuring they stayed out of each other's way, and perhaps even support one another in the future.

"Lord White Bone, I am grateful for your kindness," Jiang Xingwen said with a smile.

Just as White Bone had no desire to clash with her, she too was reluctant to be at odds with the renowned Lord White Bone of the Land of Terror.

Even the artifact soul within the River of Souls had advised her to steer clear of conflict with White Bone.

This White Bone Spectre was a uniquely mysterious presence in the Land of Terror.

"It looks like I'm suddenly out of the picture."

Inside the Crucible of Evil, Yu Yuan held the sword sheath and looked around before grinning, "What's this about Cuion? Is she just a joke? She crossed realms to seize Lord White Bone's territory, yet she fled without even putting up a proper fight."

"Master! If you don't mind, shall I release the Soul Shatter Array and consume the residual souls of Cuion's followers?" the cauldron spirit called out.

Yu Yuan paused briefly, then, seeing White Bone in pursuit of Cuion and only Jiang Xingwen remaining behind, still dispatching Cuion's followers, he proposed, "Ms. Jiang, may I partake in the spoils? Could I take some of the ghost spirits to refine into the Crucible of Evil?"

"Do as you please," Jiang Xingwen responded hastily.

She had discovered from the artifact soul within the River of Souls that its previous owner, the Ghost King Dhoreus, had been slain by the original owner of the sword sheath. If the artifact soul itself harbored such fear of the sword sheath, how could she possibly defy Yu Yuan?

After all, they were merely soul spirits and ghosts, right?

With the River of Souls at her disposal, there wasn't a ghost or soul spirit in the Land of Terror that she couldn't find.

"Yu Yuan, you've saved my life and you're a friend of Su Yan. If there's anything you need help with, just let me know!" Jiang Xingwen offered magnanimously, extending an olive branch to Yu Yuan. "I'm not concerned with what people say about you elsewhere. Here in the Land of Terror, I have no need for such reservations!"

Yuan Lianyao of the Ruby Hand stood behind her, her face a picture of surprise, her eyes reflecting her bewilderment.

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