C737 It Became a Accomplice

Yuan Lianyao was incredulous.

Faang Yao of the Ruby Hand had expended so much effort and resources to elevate White Bone to the status of a Spectre, and she had assumed that his bond with the Ruby Hand was unbreakable.

Moreover, to repay Faang Yao's favor, White Bone had specifically gone to her aid, guiding her to refine her soul at Shadow Mountain.

But why had White Bone's attitude shifted so drastically?

From White Bone's demeanor, it appeared he was preparing to distance himself from the Ruby Hand and align with Yu Yuan.

"Ask him yourself when he wakes up," White Bone suggested, his green eyes flicking toward Yu Yuan in the distance. "If he's willing, he'll explain. I'd rather not elaborate." His tone when addressing Yuan Lianyao had grown distant.

Yuan Lianyao was baffled by the sudden change, finding it utterly mysterious.

And so, half a month slipped by.

One day, Yuan Lianyao was jolted awake by an extraordinary disturbance. Upon opening her eyes, she saw White Bone's skeletal form, as pristine as jade, ablaze with ghostly white flames.

The flames, emanating from the skeleton, were clearly burning soul flames, casting an eerie yet beautiful glow.

The sinister white flames, when released from White Bone's jade-like form, paradoxically exuded a sense of sacred purity, as if capable of cleansing the world's impurities.

Despite being a ghostly form, White Bone seemed like a deity meting out punishment to lost souls, radiating an aura of authority, light, and sanctity.

With a whoosh, White Bone's eyes snapped open, his dark green irises sparkling with excitement.

He let out a soft howl, sending out a remnant soul message.

Soon after, the ghosts loyal to him corralled a dozen newly materialized ghosts, bringing these smaller, mysteriously acquired beings into the expansive stone chamber.

The orchestrator of this was a ghost in the form of a Fox Monkey, exuding an air of exceptional wisdom.

"Greetings, Master," the Fox Monkey ghost said obsequiously, turning to White Bone. "Shall I bring more later?"

The Fox Monkey glanced slyly at Yuan Lianyao and the meditating Yu Yuan.

"Follow his orders," White Bone responded icily.

"Oh, oh, oh," the Fox Monkey spectre nodded repeatedly.

At that moment, Yu Yuan, who was deep in meditation, slowly opened his eyes. His eyes, black as diamonds, seemed like a bottomless pond capable of swallowing any soul or ghost that dared to approach.

"Wraithbinding!" Yu Yuan silently chanted, and the mud pellet acupoint between his eyebrows suddenly emitted a startling light. Instantly, the newly materialized ghosts flew towards him in a frenzy and vanished upon reaching his forehead.

Yuan Lianyao stood up abruptly, her voice laced with concern, "Yu Yuan!"

"He's fine!" White Bone declared firmly.

Yu Yuan offered Yuan Lianyao a reassuring smile and said, "Don't worry, I'm indeed alright." He then turned to the Fox Monkey spectre with a grin, "We meet again."

"Lord Yu Yuan, you are magnanimous. When I first saw you, I was blind... I was..." The Fox Monkey spectre bowed repeatedly, pleading for forgiveness.

"Bring another batch in three days, slightly stronger than these," Yu Yuan instructed.

The Fox Monkey's eyes gleamed with eagerness as it quickly responded, "Yes! Absolutely! Your wish is my command!" With agile movements, it darted out of the stone chamber and vanished without a trace.

Yu Yuan closed his eyes once more, silently practicing Wraithbinding, melting down the ghosts that had been drawn into the Mindscape, using the remnants of their souls to temper his own.

Yuan Lianyao exchanged a questioning glance with White Bone, only to notice that the spectral glow in White Bone's green eyes had faded. White Bone then settled into his own quiet cultivation.

Three days later, the Fox Monkey spectre returned, leading White Bone's followers and bringing a new group of slightly stronger ghosts. Yu Yuan absorbed them into the Mindscape in the same manner, refining them completely.

Then, seven days later, another group was brought in and assimilated by Yu Yuan. Five days following that, yet another group arrived. After more than half a month had passed, Yu Yuan's form trembled, his eyes shining brightly in the dark chamber. He stood up and, with a wide smile, said to White Bone, "Lord White Bone, I am prepared!"

"Congratulations," White Bone replied, his eyes brightening.

"Lord White Bone, would you step outside for a moment? I'll join you shortly," Yu Yuan said, still smiling.

White Walker, the Spectre, nodded in understanding, realizing Yu Yuan needed to speak privately with Yuan Lianyao. He headed towards the exit, saying, "I've already assembled my forces. They're ready for your breakthrough and can depart at any moment."

"Understood, I won't take too long," Yu Yuan responded with a nod.

White Bone transformed into a beam of stark white light and vanished from the cave in an instant.

"Yu Yuan, what exactly is happening?" Yuan Lianyao, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, immediately began to interrogate him as soon as White Bone disappeared.

"I've made a promise to assist him in ascending to Ghost King status. It's as straightforward as that," Yu Yuan explained.

"He mentioned that to me, but I need the specifics!" Yuan Lianyao glared at him, huffing, "Lord White Bone is even willing to sever ties with the Ruby Hand for you! Yu Yuan, what's really going on? Do you truly have the power to help him become a Ghost King? We're in the Land of Terror, after all!"

"Do you recall the sword spirit I acquired from the Moonfall Sanctuary during our initial trial?" Yu Yuan countered with a question.

"Of course, I remember," Yuan Lianyao nodded, "I also remember how my soul benefited from your actions beside the Soulforge Pool there. It's because of that experience that I was able to gain the Ruby Hand's favor and quickly master their dark arts."

"Master White Bone might not remember everything, but he's always been aware that he came from the Moonfall Sanctuary to the Land of Terror," Yu Yuan revealed, delving into the deeper secrets, "Moreover, he's aware of his connection to the Boulderdawn."

"He's connected to the Boulderdawn?" Yuan Lianyao's complexion drained of color.

"Yes, it was actually my idea for him to cut ties with your Ruby Hand," Yu Yuan admitted candidly. "It's for your benefit, as well as for Lord Faang Yao and the state preceptor."

"But how did you manage to earn his trust?" Yuan Lianyao pressed urgently.

"Let's not dwell on that now. Continue your stay here on Shadow Mountain for a bit longer; I'll return shortly," Yu Yuan said with a gentle sigh, "Once we leave the Land of Terror, you'll need to tell everyone that the two of us..."

"Ah."

He left his sentence unfinished, swiftly taking flight from Shadow Mountain aboard the Crucible of Evil.

"Yu Yuan! You bastard!" Yuan Lianyao shouted angrily.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the instant the Crucible of Evil left the Shadow Mountain cave, White Bone gestured, and the entire Silver Peaks were shrouded in a bright, white light, as if a mysterious formation had been activated.

Outside the Silver Peaks, over two thousand visible ghosts were dispersed throughout the sky.

"Wow!"

Yu Yuan was astounded by the sight of the numerous ghosts. He realized that White Bone's display of power far surpassed that of Cuion.

A quick assessment made it clear to him that the ghosts loyal to White Bone were significantly stronger than those under Cuion's command.

The ghosts loyal to White Bone had been hidden, not revealing themselves even when White Bone was trapped.

Their absence was due to White Bone's absolute confidence in himself, not needing to rely on his subordinates' strength to defeat Cuion.

"To the domain of the Azure Spirit!" White Bone commanded in a low voice.

"Kill!"

At his command, the two thousand-plus ghosts and souls screeched in unison with their Soul Voices.

Yu Yuan felt the excitement too, his blood starting to boil. He was about to be an active participant in the clash between the two mighty Spectres, and he might even play a pivotal role at a crucial moment.

Reflecting on this, he appreciated that the place his dear friend Zu Ann had chosen for him was truly a fortunate one.

Two days later.

Yu Yuan, wielding the Crucible of Evil, followed White Bone and the two thousand ghosts and souls into the Azure Spirit's territory. They either annihilated all the Shadow Mountain dwellers they encountered or coerced them into pledging allegiance.

Yu Yuan also seized the opportunity, with White Bone's tacit approval, to claim six hundred evil spirits.

According to the cauldron spirit, some of these could be refined into Banes of the fourth and fifth rank.

Over the following two days, it appeared they had been forewarned, as no more ghosts or souls were seen within Shadow Mountain.

It wasn't until Yu Yuan laid eyes on a Shadow Mountain aglow with an emerald radiance and saw the swarms of ghosts that he understood where all the fleeing ghosts had gone.

"Lord White Bone! We have no quarrel, so why have you come to slaughter in my territory?" a giant tortoise soul, as large as a hill, demanded from its position in front of the green Shadow Mountain, its eyes gleaming with intensity. "White Bone, after killing Cuion, you now bring chaos to my lands. What exactly is your intention?"

"You're asking what you already know. It's obviously to seize the crown," White Bone stated bluntly. "Azure Spirit, when you and Caiyi ventured into Cuion's domain, did you encounter trouble at the River of Souls?"

At this revelation, Azure Spirit was visibly alarmed. "How did you find out?"

"You belong to me, and Caiyi is under Miss Jiang's wing," White Bone explained with ease. "As I encroached upon your territory, it's likely that Miss Jiang took the opportunity to visit Caiyi's realm. Azure Spirit, you're merely a stepping stone on my path to kingship. It's time to resign yourself to that fact."

"White Bone! There's a limit to how much you can push someone!" Azure Spirit rose to his feet slowly, casting a wary glance at the throng of souls and ghosts accompanying White Bone. "I am Azure Spirit, and I won't be taken lightly!"

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