C818 Building the Mountain

Beams of ghostly white light, like countless slender silver dragons, wrapped around a sharp spike.

The spike plunged into the earth, swelling in size and rising ever higher.

Majestic Yin Qi, as vast as the ocean, surged from deep underground, transforming into pure energy that reshaped the spike back to its original form.

In a short time, the gleaming silver spike had reformed into a towering silver-white peak.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Within the domain of the White Bone, seventeen craters dotted the landscape.

These craters were once the ruins of Dark Mountains, rich with the essence of the Yin Sunflower.

Now, with the earth trembling, the Styx's waters flowed, branching into rivulets that made their way toward the craters below.

At the base of each crater, abundant Yin Qi gathered, swelling and forming new mountain summits.

The Dark Mountains were reborn.

Inside the lofty silver-white Dark Mountain, the White Bone sat in silent meditation within a cave, enveloped in sacred divine light. It connected its spirit with the Styx, invoking a mighty divine power. With the Styx's will aiding, it reconstructed the ranges that had been ravaged by the spectral ghosts.

"Can the Dark Mountain be restored?"

Yuan Lianyao stood at the mountain's base, feeling the earth's movements beneath her, marveling at Luohou's explanation.

Yu Yuan's Yin God, now one with his physical form, stood alongside Luohou, observing the White Bone in the cave.

"After ascending to Ghost King, one can harness the Styx's power to rebuild the Dark Mountain within their realm," Luohou explained with an easy smile. "Otherwise, why would every Ghost King's mountain stand taller than those of other spirits?"

"Does it deplete the Styx's power?" Yuan Lianyao inquired further.

"Certainly, it consumes some," Luohou replied, glancing at the ground, her eyes piercing through obstructions to glimpse the expansive Styx below.

The White Bone is indeed far stronger than I am...

With the defeat of Cold Abyss and Black Staff, the Styx resonating with the White Bone had broadened considerably, its Yin Qi waters growing denser and more potent.

This meant that the White Bone could draw even greater benefits from the Styx, whether for cultivation or combat.

She understood that often, the might of a Ghost King could be discerned through their connection to the Styx.

Legend has it that when the Mingdu Ghost King was at the peak of his power, the Styx that echoed his might churned with extraordinary turbulence, its breadth several times that of the rivers belonging to other Ghost Kings.

This immense power allowed Mingdu to dominate over all the Ghost Kings of his time, earning him the title of the unrivaled sovereign.

Before the emergence of the White Bone, the clashes between the Ghost Kings never resulted in life-or-death outcomes. Each Ghost King's corresponding Styx was roughly the same size, which meant their combat strengths were evenly matched.

However, the balance of power among the Ghost Kings has since undergone a significant shift.

The Styx of the White Bone was conspicuously wider than those of her counterparts, indicating that her combat strength had surpassed both her own and that of the Initial Spirit Ghost King.

"Senior Sister, I must ask you to escort me out of Horror Land," Yu Yuan abruptly requested.

"Ah!" Yuan Lianyao's eyes widened with confusion as she swiftly turned to face him. "Yu Yuan, I'm perfectly fine here. Why do you suddenly want me to leave?"

"I'm planning to confront Chu Yao and Cao Jiaze, and I intend to act very soon," Yu Yuan stated gravely.

Yuan Lianyao's face paled. "Is it that urgent?"

A glint of multicolored light flashed in Luohou's eyes as she reacted with surprise. "Are you serious?"

Chu Yao was both the son-in-law and disciple of Zhong Chichen, and after being targeted by the current leader of the Voodoo Cult, she suspected Zhong Chichen's involvement.

Moreover, Chu Yao was Hong Qi's most cherished disciple. Yet, following the mysterious disappearance of Hong Qi's soul and his top disciples, Chu Yao quickly found favor with Zhong Chichen, who even promised him his daughter in marriage.

Something about Chu Yao just didn't sit right with her.

Luohou certainly harbored no fondness for Chu Yao, believing that Yu Yuan sought vengeance for their master, Hong Qi, and saw an opportunity to strike at Chu Yao in Horror Land.

She shared this sentiment but had reservations about the timing.

Naturally, she wholeheartedly supported Yu Yuan's decision to target Chu Yao.

"Chu Yao is a representative of the Medicine God Sect and is also on good terms with Cao Jiaze. Taking action against Chu Yao could lead to considerable complications," Yu Yuan earnestly explained to Yuan Lianyao. "Senior Sister, I urge you to leave Horror Land for now. Once I've made my exit, we'll surely have the chance to reunite. Also, Mo Yan is still alive, and I fear the Devil Palace's retribution. Could you visit the Absence Relic and ask Yu Zhu to look after the Yu family on my behalf?"

"I've been by your side without any reservations," Yuan Lianyao said, her beautiful face tinged with sadness. "Mo Yan is aware, and so are the cultivators of the Heavenly Source Continent. It won't be easy to distance myself from you if I leave."

"I understand," Yu Yuan replied, reaching out to gently touch her wrist, feeling the warmth of her skin.

"If you two want to get closer, Yu Yuan, you could try leaving your Yin God form. It's a unique experience; the soul's touch is quite extraordinary. It's not the same as physical contact, but it has its own charm," Luohou quipped with a smirk.

In her heart, she always saw Yu Yuan as her beloved junior brother, feeling a natural kinship with him.

Yuan Lianyao's unwavering support for Yu Yuan in Horror Land had earned her respect. She believed that the Flame Lotus of the Red Devil Sect deserved her junior brother's care and attention.

"Cut it out," Yuan Lianyao said with a pout, her expression sour.

"You can't just switch to practicing the Ghost Dao; your physical body is still with the Red Devil Sect. If you're set on a dangerous path, you should at least return to your Yin God form first," Yu Yuan reasoned. "We should act while things haven't escalated. Return to the Red Devil Sect as soon as you can. Otherwise, when I confront Chu Yao and Cao Jiaze, it'll be too late to explain."

His actions against the spirits in Horror Land weren't a major concern.

Everyone knew of his longstanding feud with Mo Yan.

Attacking Mo Yan wouldn't prove collusion with the Outland Evil Demon or that he was using Mo Yan to vent his frustrations.

But with Chu Yao and Cao Jiaze, it was different. There was no past animosity. If he acted against them now, and Yuan Lianyao was implicated, the situation would become much more complicated.

The Red Devil Sect would struggle to clear her name. They might even sacrifice her to appease the Medicine God Sect and Profound Sky Sect.

Yu Yuan certainly didn't want that to happen.

"Yu Yuan..."

Yuan Lianyao's eyes brimmed with unspoken words, a thousand thoughts longing for expression.

"We'll see each other again," Yu Yuan assured her with a deep, penetrating gaze. "I need you to visit the Absence Relic and inform Yu Zhu to look after the Yu family."

With that, he turned his attention to Luohou, communicating through a silent exchange of glances.

Grasping his intent, Luohou swiftly covered Yuan Lianyao with the flower basket she held, a slight smile playing on her lips. "He's right. It's time for you to restore the Yin God to its rightful place. After such refinement, advancing to the Soul Wandering Stage should be well within your reach. Take advantage of this moment, before more unfolds, and lean on the strength of the Red Devil Sect. They still hold you in high regard."

A resplendent glow wrapped around them both.

Yuan Lianyao descended into the basket, which, serving as her vessel, whisked her swiftly away.

Within the vast expanse of the Boundless Land, the Ghost King of Horror Land, unshackled by any soul artifact or magical array, could traverse great distances instantaneously with the Earth Shrinking Technique, returning to the Styx that resonated with his spirit.

As the Ghost King, Luohou could make the journey back in the span of a single breath, even after dispatching Yuan Lianyao.

And should she face dire peril beyond the borders of Horror Land, a Ghost King of her caliber could extricate herself with ease, her formidable powers paving the way for escape.

In the cavernous belly of the towering silver Dark Mountain, the white bones took on an eerie glow.

"Do you truly care for the Yu family?"

His question came abruptly, his gaze piercing into Yu Yuan.

His voice carried an odd inflection when he spoke of the Yu family, and the gleam in his eyes shifted, elusive and enigmatic.

"I hail from the Yu family of Darkmoon City. There are those within who have shown me nothing but genuine kindness since my earliest days. Naturally, I wish to spare them from disaster," Yu Yuan replied.

"Yu family..."

The white bones murmured, then fell silent, their attention returning to the construction of the Yin Mountain within their domain.

...

On the outskirts of Horror Land, a dazzling burst of light materialized, forming an ornate flower basket.

Within it, Luohou and Yuan Lianyao surveyed their surroundings, separated from the world by a translucent glow.

"Lord Faang Yao!"

Yuan Lianyao's face lit up with excitement as she instantly spotted a towering one-armed man within a massive, blazing fireball.

"Have a safe journey."

Luohou murmured with a light chuckle, propelling Yuan Lianyao's Yin God forward, and from a distance, he nodded in acknowledgment to Faang Yao.

Her gaze swept the surroundings, and sensing something amiss, her expression subtly shifted before she vanished abruptly.

Emerging from the fiery sphere, Faang Yao's voice boomed, "Is that the Luohou Ghost King? Where's Bai Gu?"

"It is Luohou. Bai Gu has other matters to attend to. My lord, I was just about to explain..." Yuan Lianyao began, her voice laced with urgency, but she stopped short as she noticed the presence of numerous formidable experts, each with an astonishing aura, stepping out of the shadows.

Each figure was a mighty practitioner of the Soul Wandering or Yang God Stage, and among them were even Unrestrained Stage cultivators lurking unseen.

With a glance, Faang Yao silently commanded her to remain silent, and she promptly clamped her mouth shut.

Witnessing the arrival of prominent individuals from the Devil Palace, Demon Palace, Red Devil Sect, and Blood God Cult, she knew, without a doubt, that the cataclysmic events at Horror Land had roused the attention of many powerful factions.

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