C778 The Battle of the Ghost King

In the dark and frigid reaches of the Extraterrestrial Star River, a dark red star drifted slowly through the void. Its surface was strewn with countless corpses: fragments of crystal that shimmered like glass from the exploded Solar Spirits, the massive bones of archdemons as large as mountains, and the continuous bodies of Sky Fiends, refined into black iron walls.

A colossal platinum skull, riddled with innumerable holes, seemed to echo with the wailing souls of Shura trapped within. Perched atop the skull sat an old man, his expression somber and deep. One eye blazed crimson while the other was a stark silver-white, his entire being exuding an aura of savagery and cruelty. He massaged the silver eye with his fingertip, his brow furrowed. "These new eyes always feel a bit off," he muttered.

From his vantage point on the enormous skull, he surveyed the scene below, where the tiny figures moved like flies. Dark red streams of light burst forth from the base of the star, converging like myriad rivers of energy into his slight frame.

Not far off, the Ghoul King, who had been shredded and reconstituted after escaping from Sword Prison, was busy refining the bones of a great archdemon. The archdemon, a colossal purple python, lay in broken segments, its once wild and untamed vitality now condensed into a sinister death aura that flowed into the Ghoul King.

This nefarious practitioner, once confined within Sword Prison and possessing the Unbound level of cultivation, could only feel a profound sense of awe before this notorious entity of the Star River.

"Master, what's that?" The Ghoul King exclaimed, his head snapping around to gaze into the distant, dim Star River, where a deep vortex was slowly taking shape. Voidfarers, their surfaces gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, emerged silently from the vortex like spectral vessels. The ten-thousand-meter-long starships, barely visible against the backdrop of space, were manned by numerous Otherkin experts.

The Voidfarers adjusted their course, setting off toward the Everlands. At least seven Otherkin experts, peers in power to the Ghoul King, unleashed their potent remnant souls, sweeping across the dark red star. But in a mere moment, their remnant souls recoiled swiftly, like birds startled by an archer's bow. That fleeting second was enough to send a shiver down the Ghoul King's spine, his skin crawling with trepidation.

Ming Kun, assuming a human form, perched atop the massive, platinum-grade head of the Abyssal Leviathan in the Dark Realm Shura. His expression was icy as he subtly curled his lips into a sly chuckle, "Things are heating up. The Everlands are becoming more and more vibrant."

"Master, what about them?" exclaimed the Ghoul King in alarm.

"At this juncture, no one dares to provoke me," the Abyssal Leviathan said with a grin. "The upper sects, the Devil Palace, Shadow's Keep, and the Sky Fiend have all suffered losses. They've learned their lesson. Those seven youngsters, knowing who I am, will stay as far away as possible. Once I refine another ten stars, I'll make my return to the Everlands."

"I haven't seen Yu Yuan in quite some time. He's rather distant, and just a glance would cost me a drop of lifeblood."

He sighed deeply, a look of regret on his face, as he extracted a drop of lifeblood from his chest and exhaled it upwards.

That breath, teeming with the essence of countless suns and moons, resembled a miniature, dazzling Star River.

Instantly, the Sunsorrow ignited with an outer ring of fire. A psionic power capable of traversing Endless Space burst forth from within the amber-like blood.

Inside, the scene of Yu Yuan sitting quietly in his little world, cultivating alongside Yuan Lianyao and the ghost in the guise of a Fox Monkey, came into view. This included the parched River Styx and the motionless body of the Ghost King, from which the soul had departed.

"What a clever lad, already cultivating his Lunar Spirit."

The Abyssal Leviathan broke into a strange laugh, "Well worth a drop of my lifeblood. Though I've been somewhat flush recently, refining lifeblood is still no simple task! Ah, what's this... the desiccated River Styx! The Land of Terror! This youngster is actually refining his Lunar Spirit in his real body within the Land of Terror!"

With a sudden slap to his thighs, he rose to his feet, animated with excitement.

Crack!

The colossal Shura head beneath him, nearly a kilometer in height, burst apart due to his fervor.

The Ghoul King, witnessing this, felt a shiver run down his spine, silently grateful for his allegiance.

Following the Abyssal Leviathan, they shattered through barriers and re-entered the boundless Star River. Having witnessed the Abyssal Leviathan reveal its true form and consume stars, he had come to understand the sheer magnitude of a true Cosmic Giant Beast.

The colossal head of the Dark Realm Shura, towering like a mountain in the vast Everlands, was a sight to behold.

Yet, when set against the immense form of the Abyssal Leviathan, it paled in comparison, barely worth a mention.

"Exquisite!"

With a stomp, the Abyssal Leviathan shattered the coveted platinum skull in the Everlands, "Time is of the essence. The lad's advancement is remarkable. I must return before he consolidates his Solar Spirit. If not, possessing him will become a challenge, given his robust physique and his cultivation as a human."

Musing to himself, he cast a glance at the soulless body of the Ghost King sprawled on the ground.

"Hmm, this little fellow appears to be..."

In mid-thought, he inadvertently looked at the Ghoul King, "The progenitor of your lineage."

"What?" exclaimed the Ghoul King, taken aback.

...

Deep underground.

Beyond the dim silver glow, Jiang Xingwen, Rahu, and the five Ghost Kings were all stirred.

The enigmatic circle of light, born from the Shadow Moon Essence and the thick Yin Qi, could only be tentatively touched by Jiang Xingwen. The remnant souls of the Ghost Kings would dissipate upon contact, as if it were a lethal toxin.

A pinpoint of white brilliance flickered within the small confines of the halo.

Soon after, additional points of white light began to emerge.

"White Bone!"

Thoaos, perched upon the ice tombstone, uttered in a chilling tone.

All the Ghost Kings, along with Jiang Xingwen, fixed their gazes on the luminescent specks.

Their vision blurred for a moment as a burst of light shone forth, revealing a diminutive skeletal form that had leaped from Shadow Mountain to materialize within this confined space, landing just outside the silver, misty light. Its emerald eyes glowed with increasing intensity.

"White Bone!"

Rahu Ghost King, upon seeing him again, sensed an unfamiliar presence. The White Bone before her seemed to have transformed into a different entity, no longer the Spectre that had previously challenged her.

"Do you also wish for my demise?"

White Bone inquired, looking perplexedly at Jiang Xingwen.

"It's not me," Jiang Xingwen replied with a bittersweet smile, gesturing to the River of Souls at her waist. "It's the artifact soul within. It desires your death."

"That would be the Dhoreus," declared White Bone.

"It's not the Dhoreus, but the artifact soul of the River of Souls," Jiang Xingwen clarified.

"The River of Souls has never possessed an artifact soul. The entity that has been communicating with you, the one guiding you, has always been Dhoreus," White Bone said, his voice tinged with a chill. "Dhoreus, it has indeed been quite some time."

"Yes, it has been a long while. I had begun to think you would never venture back to the Land of Terror."

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