C799 The Cold Horn Sword!

Chen Qingyan swiftly removed the snakeskin scabbard strapped to her back.

A smile played at the corners of Yu Yuan's mouth as he eyed the sword. "How does this sword fare in use?"

He remembered their first encounter at Jade Peak. The instant he had seen the scabbard, he recognized Chen Qingyan's origins.

Within the scabbard lay the soul of the Nether Flood Dragon, whose body he had interred in Chilly Wind Valley.

The notorious dragon, infamous for its ferocity across the Nether Abyss, had been subdued by Ji Ningshuang and then poisoned by him.

Ultimately, the demon soul was sealed within the scabbard, its snake pattern forming a potent array of restrictions.

The dragon's body was placed in Chilly Wind Valley, a contingency for his own rebirth.

In this lifetime, he unearthed the dragon's body from the valley, transforming its bones into a slender, gleaming sword that nestled into the scabbard, fusing with the dragon's soul.

By a twist of fate, the sword became Chen Qingyan's divine blade.

The cold dragon, once a Ninth Level Great Demon of the Nether Abyss, had a formidable reputation.

Three centuries prior, Ji Ningshuang could only restrain the dragon to an extent. But it was his poison that ultimately brought about its demise.

"My master has bestowed a new name upon this sword—Cold Chi," Chen Qingyan said with a radiant smile. "The Cold Chi Sword is of the Fifth Grade at Heaven Level! My master believes it has the potential to ascend to an Artifact in time."

"Cold Chi Sword! An excellent choice," Yu Yuan nodded in approval.

This sword stood as a testament to his and Ji Ningshuang's collaborative genius, born from their combined efforts.

"The Cold Abyss Ghost King is a scion of the Sword Sect, sharing lineage with my master," Chen Qingyan added after a pause, lowering her voice with intention. "His true name isn't Cold Abyss, but Du Binghai. By seniority, he's my Martial Great Uncle, and even my master refers to him as Martial Uncle."

"The lineage of the Starfrost Sword?" Yu Yuan exclaimed, surprised.

The Sword Sect's repertoire of sword spells and secret arts was vast, with distinct internal factions. Ji Ningshuang, the current head of the Starfrost Sword lineage, wielded considerable influence.

Ji Ningshuang didn't stand out among the numerous factions within the Sword Sect. Her master, shortly after taking Ji Ningshuang as a disciple, fell in battle deep within the Outland Star River. It seemed she had only reached the Yang God Stage before her death, never advancing to the Unrestrained Stage.

Her master's junior, once known as Du Binghai and recently deceased as the Cold Abyss Ghost King, likely wasn't a particularly prominent figure centuries ago. If he had been, I would have known of him in my past life as the Sect Master of the Medicine God Sect.

"He was from the lineage of the Starfrost Sword," I recalled. "Before my master joined the Sword Sect, he suffered a crushing defeat in a duel with members from other factions. Due to certain events, he left the sect to refine the Starfrost Sword in the Nether Abyss, where he eventually perished."

"My master didn't realize that, upon escaping with a remnant of his soul, he would take an alternative path and cultivate the Ghost Dao, ultimately becoming the Cold Abyss Ghost King."

Chen Qingyan shared these details before glancing up at Cao Jiaze, "It was him. He recently had someone inform my master that the current Cold Abyss Ghost King was once Du Binghai."

Yu Yuan, taken aback, followed her gaze to Cao Jiaze, who was lounging on the white jade railings hundreds of meters away.

Cao Jiaze was unlike the rest. In this moment, as the battle raged with the White Bone, Black Staff, and Qianjie within the black cloud, the attention of the Yin Gods and spectral beings was fixated on the tumultuous darkness.

Many ghosts, as if drawn by an unseen force, edged closer to the black cloud. Mo Yan of the Devil Palace, too, silently maneuvered the Kyara Demon Blade, drawing near to the cloud's swirling chaos.

Yet, Cao Jiaze remained within the palace, his demeanor composed, his gaze steady on our direction, on the Evil Cauldron and me.

Catching the exchange of looks between Chen Qingyan and myself, Cao Jiaze flashed a grin and gave a subtle nod, as if the distance and the light shield were no barrier to our conversation.

Yu Yuan's brow furrowed as he appraised Cao Jiaze with newfound respect.

"Brother Yu, about that Ice Stone Tombstone..."

Chen Qingyan, eyes fixed on the Mustard Seed Bracelet in his grasp, pleaded, "Du Binghai belonged to our Starfrost Sword lineage. Now that he's gone, could I have a piece of the tombstone? Just a small fragment with his name on it?"

Yu Yuan paused, his soul consciousness slipping into the tombstone.

"Sword Sect, Starfrost Sword lineage, the tomb of Du Binghai!"

The ancient, strong characters emerged clearly on the mirror-smooth surface of the tombstone following the death of the Cold Abyss Ghost King.

Yu Yuan realized then that the inscription had always existed, merely obscured by the Ghost King's power, rendering it invisible to all.

With the Cold Abyss's demise, there was no power left to conceal it, and the inscription was laid bare.

This revelation also suggested that the cultivator from the Sword Sect had never lost sight of his identity, always considering himself a part of the Sword Sect, a scion of the Starfrost Sword lineage.

"He wasn't swayed by the Cold Yin Sect, but by Senior Brother Cao," Chen Qingyan murmured. "Senior Brother Cao assured him that if he became a Ghost God, the ruler of Horror Land, he could reclaim his true name and be recognized by the Sword Sect as Du Binghai." At this, Chen Qingyan let out a wistful sigh.

"Cold Abyss Ghost King, the forsaken disciple of the Sword Sect," Ann Ziqing remarked scornfully.

"Once this affair is settled, I'll remove the inscribed portion from the top of the tombstone and give it to you," Yu Yuan decided swiftly.

"Thank you."

From high above in the majestic palace, Cao Jiaze of the Profound Sky Sect offered a distant bow, his fists clasped in salute. "I made a promise to him, though sadly, it wasn't to be. Nevertheless, if the epitaph can be returned to the Sword Sect and accepted by Senior Ji into the Starfrost Sword lineage, then at least part of my vow will be honored."

Yu Yuan responded, "I'm doing this for Chen Qingyan, not for you."

"Gratitude all the same," Cao Jiaze said with a smile.

"Before Senior Brother Cao convinced him, he consulted with my master and received his blessing," Chen Qingyan clarified. "My master consented, agreeing that regardless of whether the Cold Abyss Ghost King could ascend to Ghost King or not, as long as he stood with the Heavenly Source Continent, his remains would be welcomed back to the Sword Sect."

Yu Yuan's face remained impassive, and he chose not to reply.

Ji Ningshuang and Cao Jiaze, acting in the interests of the Heavenly Source Continent, had convinced the Cold Abyss Ghost King to make his ascent in Horror Land. This move indirectly led to the Ghost King's premature challenge against the white bones, resulting in his soul-shattering demise.

Regardless of who the Cold Abyss Ghost King once was, within Horror Land, he was an adversary to both the white bones and Yu Yuan.

However, now that he was no more, and considering Ji Ningshuang's standing, parting with a piece of Ice Soul Crystal didn't seem too significant.

"Brother Yu, I'll be heading off now," Chen Qingyan said, her eyes twinkling as she gestured towards a man with a sullen expression aboard the distant Roam Ship. "His name is Shen Yan. He's been tasked by my master to keep an eye on me, and he's been fussing over me the entire journey, to the point of annoyance."

"Go on then, and make sure Shen Yan doesn't bother me again," Yu Yuan replied, understanding her predicament and dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

In light of Ji Ningshuang's favor, Yu Yuan decided to overlook the icy remarks from Shen Yan, a fellow member of the Starfrost Sword lineage.

"I always knew you were the best, Brother Yu," Chen Qingyan said with a sweet smile. She nodded at Ann Ziqing, gave a light huff, and was the first to soar away from the Evil Cauldron.

Back on the Roam Ship, Shen Yan, who had been anxious throughout, waited until she returned to the cabin before scolding her. "I've told you time and again, but you don't listen. Associating with that boy, aren't you just inviting trouble for your master? She's one of the Nine Great Sword Immortals. As her disciple, how can you fraternize so casually with a demon?"

"I'm going back to retrieve a portion of Grand Martial Uncle Du's stone tablet," Chen Qingyan explained.

"He agreed to give it to you? That's an Ice Soul Crystal that's been around for tens of thousands of years! For practitioners of the Cold Yin Sect and our Starfrost Sword lineage, it's an invaluable treasure!" Shen Yan exclaimed, astonished.

"He played a significant role in forging this sword," Chen Qingyan said, clutching the Cold Chameleon Sword with a hint of frustration. "Yet, my master refuses to acknowledge him, labeling him an opportunist. She believes his fortune came from acquiring that person's sword soul in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, which fortuitously aided me in Chilly Wind Valley."

"I've spoken at length with my master about him, mentioning his familiarity with the sword and how he's assisted me, but my master remains unimpressed."

Chen Qingyan couldn't help but sigh. Thoughts of her master's icy demeanor when discussing Yu Yuan always left her feeling restless and irritable.

"Silly girl, you're simply unaware of the full story. That young upstart gained his sword legacy in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. The original owner of that sword soul was responsible for the long decline of our Starfrost Sword lineage!" Shen Yan huffed, "Before your master's time, our branch was the least regarded within the Sword Sect, all thanks to him!"

"Yu Yuan's sword legacy is derived from that very person. It's no wonder your master can't hide his displeasure!"

Taking a deep breath and pausing, Shen Yan voiced his mixed feelings of reverence and discontent, "What's more, in the end, that individual parted ways with the Sword Sect altogether."

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