C800 !

"You're quite generous with her," Ann Ziqing remarked with a hint of bitterness, her lips curled in a pout. Chen Qingyan of the Sword Sect had just departed, leaving Ziqing to air her grievances. Despite serving Yu Yuan for years, even after his soul's awakening, she hadn't done anything to truly endanger him. To her, teasing Yu Yuan had been nothing more than a bit of fun.

Yet, Yu Yuan was ever vigilant around her, treating her as if she were a venomous scorpion, something to be avoided at all costs. She couldn't help but wonder, what deep bond did that Sword Sect girl share with Yu Yuan? Had she dressed him during his spiritual infancy or tidied his bed? Why did he show such warmth towards her while offering Ziqing nothing but cold indifference?

The more Ziqing dwelled on it, the more her anger flared, her exquisite face growing cold with resentment. Yu Yuan, for his part, remained unfazed, merely glancing at her without offering an explanation.

"Fine, I'll just have to kill her eventually!" she declared. With Chen Qingyan gone and her interest waning, Ziqing transformed into a streak of purple lightning and drifted away from the cauldron. This time, she didn't linger, instead drawing closer to the ominous black clouds.

"Neither she nor Chen Qingyan are fools. They both know that a few words with you are harmless," Yuan Lianyao spoke gently, "As long as they don't join you in attacking practitioners from other sects, they'll have an excuse to avoid repercussions from their own sects later on."

Yu Yuan nodded in agreement. "It doesn't bother me."

"I know," Yuan Lianyao responded with a radiant smile. "I'm not like them. When the battle truly begins, I'll stand with you. Whether it's the Demon Palace, the Devil Palace, or those in the celestial palaces, anyone you consider an enemy, I will too."

She reached out to link arms with Yu Yuan, then paused, suddenly recalling her ethereal Yin God form. With a self-deprecating chuckle, she withdrew her arm.

Yu Yuan, however, was visibly moved. "Sister Yuan, there's no need for that," he assured her.

Deep down, he was well aware that Chen Qingyan's visit and Ann Ziqing's entrance into the cauldron were not overt signs of allegiance; they were not truly aligning with him. Only when the next wave of conflict arose, when he set his sights on the celestial palaces, the cultivators of the Heavenly Source Continent, and Mo Yan of the Devil Palace, would their true stances become clear.

It's premature to speak of such matters at this point.

Yet, Yuan Lianyao stands apart.

Her declaration signifies a resolute heart; she would stand by me without hesitation, even if it meant being labeled a traitor to the Boundless Land and taking the world as her adversary.

How could I, Yu Yuan, not be deeply touched by her loyalty?

"Thanks to your significant efforts, both my father and I were selected by the Red Devil Sect to practice the Devil Spell. You are highly esteemed by the Imperial Advisor and Lord Faang Yao. Moreover, the White Bone Lord, chosen by our sect, has shown you exceptional favoritism."

She paused briefly, the renowned beauty known as the red lotus, bit her lip and looked down, "And naturally, my feelings are no different."

She said no more, yet her sentiments were crystal clear.

After a moment of silence, Yu Yuan broke into a radiant smile and said, "Once we leave the Horror Land, and our true selves meet in the world beyond, we can discuss everything else."

The stunning City Lord before him was merely a Yin God, limiting any display of affection.

"Understood," Yuan Lianyao responded cheerfully.

Yu Yuan stilled the ripples in his heart lake and inhaled deeply, settling into a profound tranquility.

In his Consciousness Little World, his transformed Yin God was suffused with streams of soul thoughts.

His Yin God mirrored his true form, its appearance and stature unaltered by artificial refinement.

Though the Yin God was an ethereal spirit, its form was vividly distinct.

With a single intent, his Yin God morphed, becoming a colossal pill furnace within the Consciousness Little World.

He attuned to the sensation and quickly realized that since the Yin God was crafted from soul thoughts, he could manipulate it into any shape, whether for practicing unique soul techniques or for offense and defense.

For instance, Yuan Lianyao's Yin God could transform into a molten lava pool, while Chen Qingyan's could become a razor-sharp sword.

Another thought, and the dark red pill furnace shifted into a fiercely burning sun.

His mind shifted once more, and it became a slab of ice, smooth as a stele.

"The Yin God requires a specific soul technique to manifest its might. Its innate form doesn't deplete soul power, but each transformation aligned with a soul technique consumes a bit of soul power," he mused, quickly arriving at an insight.

The Yin God, in its primal form within the Consciousness Little World, sat undisturbed, free from any additional soul power consumption. However, the frequent shifting of its form would inevitably lead to some loss of soul power, and casting spells in tandem with soul techniques would accelerate this depletion even more.

Thankfully, he found himself in Horror Land, a place where the source of the Yin Meridian offered its protection. Replenishing his Yin Qi was a trivial matter here. By merely stepping into any Dark Mountain and connecting with the Yin Meridian's source, he could swiftly gather surges of Yin Qi, replenishing his expended soul force in no time.

"In Horror Land, my Yin God should be able to leave my body," he mused. The thought lingered, and he was on the verge of attempting it when Yu Yiyi's urgent cry halted him. The warning jolted him back to his senses, and he refrained from any impulsive actions.

For those newly initiated into the Yin God Stage, the Yin God remains delicate, not yet robust enough to separate from the flesh. The nascent Yin God is too fragile, unable to endure the elements or withstand the assaults of formidable beings.

In the peculiar realm of Horror Land, his Yin God might theoretically be capable of venturing forth from his body, despite not having reached the Soul Wandering Stage, to roam freely. But with many harboring malicious intent and their formidable powers, it was a perilous notion. Protected by the Evil Cauldron and his corporeal form, it wouldn't be easy for the sects' visitors or spectral entities to inflict serious harm on his soul spirit.

Yet, if he were to foolishly release his newly formed Yin God from the sanctuary of the Evil Cauldron... Netherworld ghosts, the Initial Spirit Ghost King, Black Staff, Qianjie, and their ilk could obliterate it with a mere Soul Blade strike.

"Activate the Wisdom Eye!" With a touch to his brow, he focused his spiritual consciousness at the seat of his Heavenly Soul. The Heavenly Soul and his core soul vibrated in a mystic cadence, as if a ray of light poured into the depths of his pupils. His eyes blazed with brilliance, piercing through the dense, impenetrable black clouds, revealing the ongoing struggle between the white bones, Black Staff, and Qianjie within.

Cao Jiaze locked eyes with him from a distance, his gaze intense and unwavering.

It seemed that with just one look, the heir to the Profound Sky Sect's leadership had glimpsed the extraordinary nature of his "Wisdom Eye."

"What's so peculiar?" Chu Yao of the Medicine God Sect asked, clearly puzzled. "Cao, your high regard for Yu Yuan is baffling. I've been observing him for quite some time and noticed that you're more focused on him than on the clash between the three Ghost Kings."

"He's a pivotal figure; you'll understand in due time," Cao Jiaze replied with enigmatic assurance.

"Eh?"

Yu Yuan gasped inwardly.

Though his Tianhun had not transformed, his Spiritual Sense remained sharp. Now, with his Wisdom Eye open, he could peer into the black cloud's depths as Luohou once did—despite the vast distance.

Within the dense, ink-like cloud, the white, bone-chilling flames were instantly snuffed out as they met the engulfing darkness.

The white flames, meant to cleanse impurities, seemed powerless within the black cloud's embrace.

Moreover, the brilliant light that blazed from his skeletal form couldn't pierce the black cloud, leaving Black Staff and Qianjie unscathed.

In contrast, the Black Staff Ghost King within the cloud wielded his towering, black staff like a colossal pillar, striking the white skeleton with ferocious force.

A torrent of black cloud burst forth from the staff itself!

"His weapon can counter the white skeleton's purifying flames, including its radiant light!"

With a single glance, Yu Yuan realized the Black Staff Ghost King was a shade more fearsome than Cold Abyss.

Countless fragmented souls were concealed within the rocks, forming an array in the black cloud's void that ensnared the white skeleton, preventing its escape.

Armed with a gleaming, sharp awl, the white skeleton was left to fend off the relentless assault of the black staff.

The Kalpa Ghost King's soul-crafted array left it mired as if in quicksand, making every joint's movement feel cumbersome and strained.

"Yu, do you remember me? You must have seen me back in the Ember Waters, right?"

A white robe glided silently into view. The White Coat Mercurial, once ranked even above the White Bone Lord, approached leisurely, escorted by eight venerable specters.

These eight ancient spirits shifted their soul shadows continuously as they traveled. The emanating aura and the scent that wafted from them sent shivers down the spines of many a ghost.

Even those who had attained the ghostly plane of existence found themselves kneeling in awe at the sight of these ancient beings.

Near the dark clouds, tens of thousands of ghostly spirits swirled, with a handful of leaders driven to madness by the appearance of the eight ancients.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Numerous proud and defiant spirits, those who had rejected the overtures of the reigning Ghost King, now flocked to greet the eight.

"Those are the ones!"

Aboard the Roam Ship, Jin Xiaolie and Ma Jianjiang were struck with a mix of shock and fury upon witnessing the arrival of the eight ancient ghosts.

"White robe!"

"White Coat Mercurial!"

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