C773 A True Enemy!

Yu Yuan's brow furrowed, and he suddenly fell silent.

He had once struck a deal with White Bone, pledging to do everything in his power to help White Bone ascend to the rank of Ghost King. In return, White Bone would assist him in amassing a host of ghosts to be absorbed by the Crucible of Evil, thereby enabling the cauldron's continual progression.

Together, they had fought side by side on numerous occasions, claiming victory with ease.

Through White Bone, he had also reaped substantial gains from the battles against the Spectres.

That was until they encountered Rahu, the Ghost King, and suffered a crushing defeat.

After their confrontation with Rahu, the unspoken agreement between them had all but dissolved.

Severely wounded, White Bone retreated to his domain within the Ossuary, tapping into the vast subterranean Yin Qi to restore his strength. Word of his retreat spread quickly, prompting many ghosts who dreaded White Bone to take action.

Yu Yuan was under no obligation to come to White Bone's rescue.

Luo Yue had cautioned him that White Bone's mysterious origins made him unwelcome among the Ghost Kings. If Yu Yuan continued to align himself with White Bone, navigating the Land of Terror would prove exceedingly challenging.

Yet, inexplicably, Yu Yuan felt a strong kinship with White Bone, a sense that White Bone was destined for greatness in the current state of the Land of Terror.

This sentiment persisted even upon learning that Rahu, the Ghost King, had been a quasi-disciple in a former life. It was perplexing and difficult to grasp, but his innate affinity for White Bone remained steadfast.

"White Bone might not be able to avoid this predicament," Ann Ziqing said, her smile fading as she adopted a grave expression. "The Shadow Moon Essence has emerged in the Ossuary, driving many ghosts into a frenzy."

She elaborated briefly.

The Shadow Mountains, long ago refined by White Bone, began to produce the Shadow Moon Essence. These mountains, which White Bone considered his eyes, allowed him to maintain a mental connection.

The Shadow Moon Essence that White Bone had cultivated within the Shadow Mountains was especially potent and shone like stars.

Ann Ziqing informed Yu Yuan that the Shadow Moon Essence was a fabled substance with an irresistible allure for all manner of ghosts. Numerous Spectres were converging on the Shadow Mountain where White Bone was cultivating, intent on forcing him to emerge and refine the Shadow Moon Essence for their own ends.

White Bone emerged to confront his enemies, only to suffer further injuries amidst the relentless assault of numerous Spectres of equal rank.

Ultimately, White Bone retreated to the sanctuary of his Shadow Mountain.

Thanks to the Shadow Moon Essence, the Shadow Mountain had become impervious, withstanding the Spectres' onslaught without yielding an inch.

Soon after, Cao Jiaze of the Ebon Star Sect descended upon White Bone's domain aboard a grand palace crafted from the Mark of the Celestials.

The future leader of the Ebon Star Sect had Thoaos, the Ghost King, relay a message to the assembled Spectres. He revealed that the Shadow Mountain where White Bone sought refuge was linked to seventeen others, all forged by him into a fan-shaped, mystical array.

Including White Bone's own, all eighteen Shadow Mountains were nurtured by the Shadow Moon Essence.

If White Bone's mountain proved indestructible for the time being, they could start by shattering the other seventeen. As each fell, the remaining mountains' power would wane significantly.

Eventually, even White Bone's stronghold would crumble.

"There are eighteen in total, each infused with Shadow Moon Essence. They must be shattered one by one to breach the mountain where White Bone hides," murmured Yuan Lianyao, her face twisting into an odd expression. "Yu Yuan, you may have unwittingly become a villain in this tale."

Yu Yuan's expression darkened as he gave a slight nod. "I've inadvertently turned into the very knife aimed at White Bone!"

Upon entering the Ossuary, he had detected mountains rich with Shadow Moon Essence. Using the Crucible of Evil, he vanquished the external ghosts, while internally, he harnessed Evil Body Refining in conjunction with Wraithbinding to assimilate the Shadow Moon Essence, resulting in the collapse of each peak.

If every mountain was an extension of White Bone's consciousness, his very eyes, then wasn't White Bone watching as his own foundations were dismantled?

First, White Bone was gravely wounded by his quasi-disciple Luo Yue, and then, on his own terrain, he suffered further at the hands of his peers, the Spectres.

For someone as proud as White Bone, what frustration must he feel, concealed within his Shadow Mountain?

Yet now, in pursuit of the Shadow Moon Essence, I have become an unwitting accomplice, destroying the Shadow Mountain and cornering White Bone just like those ghosts.

If White Bone knew everything, what would his reaction be?

Yu Yuan's frustration peaked at the thought. He longed to take the Crucible of Evil and race to Shadow Mountain, where White Bone was training, at top speed. He'd eliminate every Spectre and then explain to White Bone that it had all been unintentional.

"Young Master, in your current condition, going there would be tantamount to suicide," Ann Ziqing stated bluntly. "You're merely at the Subtlety level. The Crucible of Evil you wield is nowhere near regaining its Divine Artifact status. Your most formidable asset is your sword spell, but..."

She sighed softly, "But due to your insufficient level, you'll deplete your energy after just a few uses."

Whoosh!

Beneath the dim heavens, a majestic palace stood, as if it were the dwelling of deities, with the void echoing around it.

A ceaseless divine glow emanated from the palace, stunning all the ghosts and spirits into keeping their distance.

Lunar Spirits moved through the palace with awe-inspiring presence.

"Cao Jiaze!"

Ann Ziqing uttered the name with a mix of reverence and gravity, "Young Master, although you've met him, you can't fathom his terror. Cao Jiaze is hailed as the mightiest beneath the Solar Spirit. Not even Zhou Cangmin, who appeared so suddenly, could alter this fact at the peak of his Spirit Walk."

"This man will reshape the entire dynamic of the Land of Terror. With his support, I have no confidence in our chances against Thoaos."

She was sent to the Land of Terror, bearing the Glacial Storm Seal, to assist Razses, the Ghost King.

She believed Razses to be marginally stronger than Wintermaw, but once Cao Jiaze made his allegiance to Thoaos clear, the Ghost King, once deemed the weakest, suddenly became the most sought after!

In an incredibly brief span, numerous deeply concealed ghosts and spirits pledged their loyalty to Thoaos!

These ghosts and spirits, on par with Imdohr, had previously remained obscure, choosing not to vie for the Spectre ranking, deeming it pointless.

Emerging now, they believe that Thoaos could very well become the ruler of the Land of Terror.

The Lord of the Land of Terror!

Should Thoaos become the sole ruler of the Land of Terror, they might ascend to the rank of Ghost King, given the current extreme density of Yin Qi!

This is precisely why they have come forward and pledged allegiance to Thoaos so early on.

And the person responsible for Thoaos's rapid rise is none other than Cao Jiaze of the Ebon Star Sect!

"Cao Jiaze!"

Across tens of thousands of meters, within the Crucible of Evil inside the little world, the Altar of Rebirth within the little world suddenly resonated, becoming tumultuous.

"So it's him!"

Upon entering the domain of White Bone, he sensed that something had disturbed the Altar of Rebirth.

A presence of overwhelming vitality within the domain of White Bone had shaken the Altar of Rebirth, keeping Yu Yuan on high alert.

At this moment, he finally understood.

Simultaneously, the voice of Yu Yiyi, the cauldron spirit's remnant soul, echoed in his mind.

"Master, Cao Jiaze, like you, has infused his body with the Shadow Moon Essence cultivated from other mountains. He, too, has descended in a corporeal body, refining even more Shadow Moon Essence."

"At present, he may appear to be concealed within that palace, but he likely no longer fears the harsh, cold winds outside."

"He should be capable of stepping out and walking this world in the flesh."

Yu Yiyi let out a wistful sigh.

"He is probably more formidable than Mo Yan," mused Yuan Lianyao.

"Mo Yan?" Ann Ziqing scoffed, her lips twisting with a hint of scorn. "Mo Yan is nothing without his father's covert schemes. Could Mo Yan have reached his current heights without his father's influence? Even with such a father, Mo Yan's accomplishments are modest at best; he's not the top-ranked Hellbreed in the Devil Palace."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Cao Jiaze, on the other hand, has relied on no one but himself, fighting his way up from the bottom. Now, Cao Jiaze is rightfully seen as the next leader of the Ebon Star Sect! What does Mo Yan have that could possibly measure up to him?"

Yu Yuan inhaled deeply and declared, "He's a formidable opponent."

"Young Master, please, don't see him as an enemy," Ann Ziqing pleaded with a pained expression. "At least for now, don't regard him as such. The gap between your abilities and his is too vast. Young Master, there's no need to feel disheartened. You're much younger than he is; it's not shameful to be where you are in comparison."

Yu Yuan nodded in agreement, "I've made up my mind to take on White Bone!"

"Ah!" Ann Ziqing and Yuan Lianyao both looked shocked.

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