C758 Giving Name to Yu Yiyi!

The little girl, dressed in coarse linen, sat upon the steps like a fairy at rest.

Beneath her, the terraced seats were filled with fierce spirits, reminiscent of the Ice Concubine and the Second Evil Demon, numbering in the thousands.

Her face hidden, the little girl's exposed arm radiated a captivating luminance.

To Yu Yuan, it seemed she had only managed to manifest two arms.

The rest of her form, her jade-like feet included, had yet to materialize.

"Please bestow upon me a name."

Sitting upright on the stairs, the little girl adopted a solemn demeanor. "With Master's aid, I've barely managed to coalesce a soul shadow. And thanks to Master, I'm slowly reclaiming the fragmented memories of my soul. I have now begun my journey towards awakening. As my new master, I implore you to name me anew."

Had Lee Yuchan been present, he would scarcely believe that the cauldron soul, taking the form of this little girl, could exhibit such an expression.

In her presence, the cauldron soul's usual coldness and mercilessness, akin to the aura of a malevolent deity ruling over this realm, were enough to deter Lee Yuchan from approaching.

Yet before Yu Yuan, the cauldron soul was docile and endearing, like the girl next door.

Her demeanor was one of untainted innocence and playful charm.

"A name?"

Yu Yuan, now within the small world of the cauldron, had to look up to catch a glimpse of her faint soul shadow. "Didn't you have a name before?"

"The past is the past, and now is the present," the little girl replied with a gentle smile. "The reborn me is not entirely the same as before. The me now is the true me; the past no longer defines me. Master, I kindly ask you to give me a name, with just one small condition."

Yu Yuan murmured to himself, "The past is the past, now is the present. The current me is the real me..."

Isn't that true for me as well?

In a past life, I was Hong Qi, and now, I am Yu Yuan. Are they truly one and the same?

Should I hold onto the identity of Hong Qi, the Medicine God of the Medicine God Sect? Or should I let go of my past life and embrace who I am now?

I am Yu Yuan in this life, and I must walk this path as Yu Yuan, step by step!

The unintentional words of the cauldron soul, like an enlightening elixir, struck deep into his heart, clearing away the emotional fog that had long clouded his mind.

His mind trembled subtly, and Yu Yuan's eyes sparkled with sudden brightness. He broke into a wide grin and burst into hearty laughter, "You're absolutely right. The you that stands before me now, the you that follows me—that is the true you! Now, what is it that you desire?"

"I wish to bear the Yu surname, like Yu Zhu."

Though she lacked a physical form, Yu Yuan could sense her sweetness in the request, her smile radiating with delight and eager anticipation.

"The Yu surname, Yu..."

Yu Yuan massaged his temples, pondering aloud, "You are the soul of this cauldron, ever at my side. Henceforth, you shall be known as Yu Yiyi!"

"Yiyi, I am grateful for the name, Master. I truly adore it," she responded, her giggles echoing throughout the cauldron's miniature realm.

In an instant, the space was suffused with an infectious sense of mirth and exuberance.

"Very well, Master, you may step outside now," Yu Yiyi said with a light laugh, "Our ambusher couldn't resist revealing himself, though he's no formidable foe."

"Ah," Yu Yuan acknowledged with a nod.

With a mere thought, he transported himself outside the cauldron. Casting his gaze about, he spotted the gaunt, stern-faced elder of the Cold Yin Sect who had previously stood behind Cao Jiaze of the Profound Sky Sect.

The Cold Yin Sect elder, with his sallow complexion and insincere smile, greeted, "We meet again."

To the elder's left hovered a pale green banner.

The banner snapped in the wind, concealing a ghostly creature within. Resembling a frigid serpent, it glared at the Evil Cauldron with dark red eyes.

"That's a titleless ghost, likely a minion of the Cold Abyss Ghost King," Lee Yuchan whispered in caution.

Ghosts with titles claimed their own domains, reluctant to bow to the Ghost King, striving to preserve their autonomy.

Others, conceding they would never vie for the title of Ghost King, pledged allegiance for the sake of their own security and interests.

The ghost before them was such a being, a titleless spirit evolved from a cold serpent, now in the service of the Cold Abyss Ghost King.

Even the banner it clung to was a gift from the Cold Abyss Ghost King.

"I am Song Wenheng from the Cold Yin Sect, currently in the early stages of the Soul Wandering Stage. I've been tasked with aiding the Cold Abyss Ghost King in his ascension to the path of ghosts and gods. I..."

The man who introduced himself chuckled darkly. "Yu Yuan, I'm quite familiar with you. Over the past five years, your name has been on repeat throughout the Cold Yin Sect."

"I'm truly flattered," Yu Yuan responded with a dry laugh, well aware that his frequent mention was undoubtedly linked to Lim Zhuyun. "I have just one question for you. You've stealthily brought one of the Cold Abyss Ghost King's subordinates to find me. Is Cao Jiaze of the Profound Sky Sect aware of this?"

"He doesn't know. I just thought that I..." Song Wenheng began.

"Knowing the outcome is enough for me," Yu Yuan interjected, nodding. He had no interest in further conversation. He gestured to Lee Yuchan to stay by the Evil Cauldron and commanded, "Come out and escort them to their fate!"

"Yu Yuan, hahaha!" Song Wenheng pointed at him, laughing scornfully. "You haven't even stepped into the Yin God Stage, and you're sending me off? Are you joking?"

In the next instant, Song Wenheng's laughter died as he caught Lee Yuchan's gaze, cold and detached as if he were looking at a corpse.

A chill ran down Song Wenheng's spine.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Ice Concubine and the second Evil Demon burst forth from the cauldron.

Following them, a deluge of over two thousand Fiend Devils surged like a frenzied tide of souls, threatening to engulf Song Wenheng in waves of rage, bloodlust, and terror.

Swoosh!

The Dark Ghost, transformed from a cold dragon, sensed danger and attempted to flee.

But it was too late.

As soon as the Ice Concubine made her entrance, the cold dragon sensed the frigid aura of the Nether Abyss. One look at the Ice Concubine's form, and it was petrified with fear.

This cold dragon, too, had emerged from the Nether Abyss, where it had heard tales of an Outland Devaputra lurking in its depths.

The presence of the Ice Concubine, with her unmistakable aura and unique visage, confirmed its worst fears.

In every way, the Ice Concubine was its superior, her chilling power overwhelming and leaving the cold dragon with no choice but to desperately flee.

"Why the insistence on a death wish?" Lee Yuchan grumbled under his breath.

Moments later.

The cold jiao, persuaded by Song Wenheng of the Cold Yin Sect to set an ambush here, was overtaken by the Ice Concubine. It became her prey, refined into a frigid ice stream, and assimilated into her being.

Yu Yiyi's soulful voice timely intervened, "That cold jiao shares the same elemental aura as the Ice Concubine, making it suitable only for replenishment. It's a soul that has surrendered its vigor and resilience, devoid of any fierce will or deep-seated hatred. Such a lackluster soul cannot condense into a Fiend."

"I'm aware," Yu Yuan acknowledged with a nod.

In the midst of conversation, he caught sight of Song Wenheng of the Cold Yin Sect, trapped within the Soul Split array. A Yin God at the Soul Wandering Stage was being slowly ground to nothingness within the soul-shattering formation.

Whoosh!

Yu Yuan seized the banner that the cold jiao had used as refuge, which now fluttered aimlessly. "This artifact..."

He was cut off mid-sentence as a blurred visage burst forth from the banner, roaring and hurtling straight for Yu Yuan's forehead.

"Cold Abyss Ghost King!" Yu Yuan's face paled.

The name escaped his lips instinctively, even before he could discern the figure clearly.

"Fallen Moon Slash!"

With a flick of the scabbard, crimson sword glows burst forth, each carrying a terrifying might capable of annihilating life. The assault not only obliterated the Cold Abyss Ghost King's soul but also riddled the banner with countless holes.

The banner burst with a loud pop, disintegrating into fluttering fragments.

"Kid! I, Cold Abyss, will remember you!"

The icy voice of the Cold Abyss Ghost King pierced sharply from the remnants of the shattered banner.

Yu Yuan merely snorted, his demeanor unfazed.

...

Simultaneously, deep within Horror Land, the Cold Abyss Ghost King let out a furious howl from within the Ice Stone Tombstone.

A short distance away, within the majestic palace formed by the Heaven Palace Seal, Cao Jiaze's brow furrowed as he inquired, "Cold Abyss, what's transpired?"

The Cold Abyss Ghost King, addressed thus from within the Ice Stone Tombstone, bristled at the name but held back any outburst.

After all, the man was Cao Jiaze, the future Sect Master of the Profound Sky Sect, and the master of the Heaven Palace Seal.

Moreover, he had come specifically to lend his aid.

"That member of the Cold Yin Sect convinced one of my underlings to seek out Yu Yuan's trouble," the Cold Abyss Ghost King said with fury.

"Dead?" Cao Jiaze was utterly unfazed, speaking with a nonchalant air, "With Song Wenheng's mere early-stage Soul Wandering abilities, he had the audacity to challenge Yu Yuan in Horror Land."

He gave a slight shake of his head. "He was asking for it. Can't really blame anyone else."

"Song Wenheng chose his fate, but he had to drag one of my Ghost Kings down with him!" lamented the Cold Abyss Ghost King. "It's rare to find those who obey me as loyally as that Cold Flood Dragon did."

"With Song Wenheng gone, there's no one left in the Cold Yin Sect. It'll just be you and me handling things from here on out," Cao Jiaze said with composure. "What's your take, Cold Abyss?"

The Cold Abyss Ghost King was taken aback. "Did you intend for Song Wenheng to die?"

"Stop spouting nonsense. I haven't lifted a finger," Cao Jiaze said, his face a mask of indifference as he looked towards the palace where Yin Gods from various sects were gathering. "You've all been with me from start to finish. Should the Cold Yin Sect ever bring this up, I expect you to vouch for me."

"Absolutely!"

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