C802 From the Extraterrestrial

In the Extraterrestrial Star River, atop a dark brown star that had lain desolate for countless years, starships of the Otherkin cascaded down like a splendid fireworks display, crashing to the surface after shattering the void. This place served as a defensive line in the extraterrestrial starry sky.

Tan Junshan, of the Starmoon Sect, wielded the theurgy of a cultivator in the late Unbound Stage. He harnessed the nearby crescent moons, refining the divine moonlight power and causing seven Shura starships to burst into fragments.

The surviving Shura warriors, not yet perished from the fallen starships, found themselves besieged by over a dozen Human cultivators at the Solar Spirit Stage. Tan Junshan stood atop the wreckage of a battleship, his brow furrowed as he gazed into the dark, icy expanse of space at a small, palm-sized, fan-shaped shell.

This tiny shell radiated a divine light, brilliant and blinding, like a miniature sun.

Whoosh!

Zhou Cangmin of the Ruby Hand Sect, his form embodying the Solar Spirit Body, floated towards the scene. He regarded the Starmoon Sect's formidable expert, who possessed the might of the late Unbound Stage, with evident admiration.

Having achieved the Solar Spirit, the High Oracle had traveled the Extraterrestrial Star River and had just borne witness to Tan Junshan unleashing a formidable divine ability. With it, he seized the immense lunar light from three full moons, instantly refining it into lethal Moonblades that obliterated the massive Shura starships one by one.

Within the starships, black iron and bronze-level Shura clansmen perished as their vessels shattered.

The Jade Shura, whose strength matched that of the Human cultivators at the Solar Spirit Stage, were gravely wounded and plummeted onto this forsaken star. They were now being hunted down by cultivators of equal might, on the brink of extinction.

Moments earlier, a fan-shaped shell had emerged from a Shura starship, its radiant light capturing Zhou Cangmin's attention. Yet, as he moved to pursue it, Tan Junshan intervened.

Tan Junshan instructed him to disregard the shell and instead focus on eliminating the lingering Jade Shura.

Now, with the conflict drawing to a close and the last two Jade Shura nearing their demise at the hands of their peers, Zhou Cangmin, still harboring doubts, approached Tan Junshan for answers.

"Despite its palm-sized appearance, the shell is incredibly durable," Zhou Cangmin said with a furrowed brow. "A wisp of my remnant soul slipped inside and glimpsed a desiccated corpse. Moments later, that wisp was consumed by the corpse, severing the connection with me."

Tan Junshan listened attentively before responding with a slight smile, "What is it you wish to know?"

The Hellbreed before him was the youngest Solar Spirit on this defensive line. His remarkable performance in several battles had earned Tan Junshan's respect.

Moreover, with the Ruby Hand's profound foundation and their sect master's recent ascension to primordial spirit, Tan Junshan was even more careful not to slight him.

"Let me speak frankly—you must have allowed that shell to escape on purpose!" Zhou Cangmin declared candidly.

Tan Junshan gave a slight nod, straightforwardly confirming, "I was acting under orders."

"Orders?" Zhou Cangmin's expression shifted subtly.

As a late-period Unbound cultivator, Tan Junshan commanded respect for both his power and status among the human race of the Extraterrestrial Star River.

In the vast Everlands, only a handful of individuals could order him around and expect his compliance.

"The current sect master of Ebon Star," Tan Junshan revealed quietly.

Zhou Cangmin was taken aback. After a moment of reflection, he asked, "Am I entitled to know the identity of the withered corpse within the shell, and its final destination?"

"If you were merely an ordinary Solar Spirit of the Ruby Hand, Zhou Cangmin, you would not be privy to such information," Tan Junshan said with a smile, his tone laced with admiration. "However, as the foremost Hellbreed, you've earned the right to know. Besides, I find you quite agreeable, so I'm inclined to share with you."

Zhou Cangmin bowed respectfully, expressing his gratitude.

"The corpse is that of Dhoreus, the Ghost King. He was slain by a figure you're familiar with, deep within the Star River. After his body was shattered, the remains scattered across the extraterrestrial realms. The Nether Capital and the Shura once formed an alliance. The Shura spent a century gathering his remains from various Astral Domains, ultimately assembling them within that enigmatic shell."

"Once his body falls into the Land of Terror, it will be detected by the River Styx. After the soul from the River Styx inhabits his body, a simple refinement process will allow him to use the River Styx to reconstruct his body," Tan Junshan explained the situation quietly.

"Dhoreus!" Zhou Cangmin inhaled sharply, his voice tinged with astonishment. "Is he not completely dead?"

"A single wisp of a residual soul took refuge in the River of Souls. Over a millennium, it has gradually regained strength after the River of Souls fell into the Land of Terror," Tan Junshan said with a hint of resignation. "The current chaos in the Land of Terror has created fertile ground for the birth of a God of Ghosts. So..."

"They've chosen Dhoreus? How did this happen? If I recall correctly, wasn't it their influence that led to Dhoreus being slain by the sword?" Zhou Cangmin asked, confused.

"The times have changed," Tan Junshan replied.

...

Descending from the heavens into the Land of Terror, Rahu, now a Ghost King, stood on equal footing with the Crucible of Evil.

She held a basket of flowers, facing off against the Pale Reaper and the eight ancient ghosts who had returned.

Her arrival caused the situation to become deadlocked in an instant.

Back when they were both Spectres, the Pale Reaper was no match for her, suffering defeat after defeat.

Now that Rahu had ascended to Ghost King status and received the favor of the Root of the Lunar Meridian, along with a gift of the River Styx, what could the Pale Reaper, still a Spectre, possibly do to contend with Rahu?

The other eight ghosts, despite having emerged in the Land of Terror before Rahu and possessing great age, had not achieved Ghost King status.

Only a Ghost King could claim the pinnacle of power in the Land of Terror. Without that title, even the combined strength of the eight ghosts and the Pale Reaper could not guarantee victory.

Moreover, no one knew the extent of Yu Yuan's combat prowess or how many beings like the Frost Queen remained within the Crucible of Evil.

Lacking certainty of victory, the Pale Reaper had no choice but to suppress his frustration under Rahu's mocking gaze.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan, hidden within the crucible, overheard a whisper of consciousness emanating from the Root of the Lunar Meridian below: the corpse of Dhoreus was drawing near!

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Yu Yuan immediately felt an invisible pressure enveloping him. According to the Root of the Lunar Meridian, once Dhoreus's corpse returned, the fusion of his soul and body, coupled with the River of Souls in his possession, would restore his combat prowess to its peak.

At his zenith, Dhoreus was an unrivaled force within the Land of Terror. Now, he would prove to be a formidable challenge. Even with Yu Yuan wielding the sword sheath capable of unleashing Spiritrend, it was uncertain whether he could vanquish Dhoreus with a burst of sword light.

"Do you know where Dhoreus is hiding?" Yu Yuan inquired of Rahu, the Ghost King, telepathically, "If we can find him while his corpse is returning, eliminating him early would save us a great deal of trouble."

"Dhoreus, along with Jiang Xingwen and the River of Souls, are currently in Cuion's domain," Rahu replied with a sigh. "But knowing this is of no use. The River of Souls can bridge the gap to the River Styx in the Land of Terror. With Jiang Xingwen controlling it, she can traverse space at will. Even if we rush to Cuion's territory, we can't confine her or Dhoreus."

Yu Yuan and Rahu had both witnessed Jiang Xingwen's ability to teleport through space with the River of Souls. Even as a Ghost King, Rahu couldn't hinder her, and Yu Yuan was even less capable.

"Let's wait for the outcome of the battle between White Bone, Black Staff, and Taruer," Rahu suggested. "If White Bone emerges victorious and Black Staff and Taruer are defeated, it will force Dhoreus to reveal himself. Seeking out Dhoreus is unwise. If we find him and he refuses to fight, he can simply escape using the River of Souls."

"The best strategy is to make him come to us, to force him into a confrontation."

"White Bone's current tactics seem to be aimed at quickly dispatching Taruer and Black Staff. By leveraging their deaths, he seeks to advance further. The Land of Terror can only give rise to a single God of Ghosts. If Dhoreus realizes that White Bone is close to achieving that title, he will stop at nothing to prevent it."

Rahu analyzed the situation with a clear head.

"I hope the conflict between White Bone and their forces comes to a swift end," Yu Yuan mused, his mind on the corpse of Dhoreus, which was rapidly hurtling towards the Everlands from a distant point in the Star River. He was acutely aware that Dhoreus, through the Pale Reaper and those eight ancient ghosts, was keeping a close watch on his every move.

With a sigh, the Pale Reaper suddenly exclaimed, "Lord Rhutar!"

A towering ancient ghost, bearing the likeness of a Titan, abruptly wrenched a cold, stunning phantom from his own chest and lofted it towards the Crucible of Evil. With a chilling smile, he shredded the phantom into clusters with his talon-like ghostly hand.

The phantom emitted a piercing scream of agony, so intense that it was clear she wished for death to escape the pain.

"She fought alongside you, practiced the Shadow Curse, and has consumed and refined numerous souls and ghosts. Her crimes are unforgivable," the Pale Reaper declared coldly as he watched the female general's Lunar Spirit being torn apart by Rhutar.

"Defy Dhoreus, and you'll suffer the same fate!" Rhutar cackled menacingly.

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