C820 Riding in the Air

In the resplendent palace, a hush fell over the assembly of formidable figures gathered within. None feared Yu Yuan; deep down, they even held him in contempt. Yet, the White Bone and Luohou were of the Ghost King echelon.

They had borne witness to the White Bone King's slaying of Cold Abyss and Black Staff, fully aware that the rising White Bone King was at the zenith of his power. With their Yin Gods present, who would dare challenge the White Bone King?

"And you?" Cao Jiaze pivoted to face Chu Yao of the Medicine God Sect with a serene gaze. "I'm aware of your desire to gather Yin Sunflower Essence. You wouldn't dream of obtaining mine, but you're after the portion refined by Yu Yuan. Only with ample Yin Sunflower Essence can you aid your master in concocting a pellet."

"Will you continue to wait? Wait for Yu Yuan's demise before you extract the Yin Sunflower Essence?"

He saw through Chu Yao's scheme, his eyes reflecting a hint of curiosity. Unbeknownst to others, he could communicate directly with the Mingdu Ghost King and had uncovered numerous secrets through this connection. For instance, the current Luohou Ghost King was none other than Luo Yue, the former leader of the Voodoo Cult.

And he knew well that it was Chu Yao, not Zhong Chichen, who had played a pivotal role in Luo Yue's rise to the Ghost King. A fact even Luo Yue was oblivious to.

"Are you certain?" Chu Yao, ever composed, inquired, "You've never tasted defeat. Wherever you are, victory is yours if you're involved. You haven't withdrawn, so... do you have another ace up your sleeve?"

At his words, many who had been contemplating retreat perked up. Indeed, who had ever bested Cao Jiaze of the Profound Sky Sect? Through countless trials and inter-sect conflicts, the name Cao Jiaze had been etched into the annals of the Boundless Land. When had he ever faced defeat?

In the past, there had been similar challenges. Hadn't he always made it through?

"Stay or go, the choice is yours," Cao Jiaze said with a carefree smile, no longer gazing into the distance. He stepped out of the palace and sat atop the modest peak of Dark Mountain. "I'll be waiting."

...

Whoosh!

In the bleak and desolate wilderness, the Evil Cauldron shrunk to a fraction of its size, becoming a small cluster of black light. Perched at the mouth of the cauldron was the diminutive figure of Yu Yiyi.

A force, aimed at ensnaring the soul, sprang forth. From beneath the earth, a ghost with two sets of black and purple wings was violently drawn out, hurtling towards Yu Yiyi.

Yu Yiyi, her plain robe now a pristine white dress, ran her fingers over the folds of her skirt, her eyes sparkling with curiosity like precious stones. She paid no mind to the ghost ensnared by the Evil Cauldron.

"With Master having forged the Yin God, the pace at which my lost memories return has quickened. It's odd; I haven't gathered nearly enough Evil Devils, yet I..."

As the ghost spirit fell into the cauldron, she was aware that another entity of the fourth echelon was about to emerge.

But it didn't concern her.

What she found peculiar was the sudden, inexplicable surge in her power, a rise that defied logic and warning.

She meticulously reviewed the events and pinpointed the shift to the moment Yu Yuan's Yin God had separated from his corporeal form, revealing itself for the first time in Horror Land.

From that instant, layers of her long-buried memories began to peel away, revealing themselves.

As the oppressive heavens of Horror Land were infiltrated by an enigmatic force, her linen garment transformed into the long dress she had longed for.

She discovered she could now mold her own soul and form at will, sculpting her features and visage.

She had assumed that it would take the gathering of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Evil Devils before she could craft her spiritual form into a shape that satisfied her, to resurrect the visage she envisioned.

Yet, some force had hastened her metamorphosis and nurtured her growth.

The rank of the Evil Cauldron had advanced in tandem, and with it, her intellect, her strength, and her bond with the great cauldron had all ascended.

"Could this be a boon from the source of the Yin Meridian?"

Yu Yiyi was utterly perplexed, unable to unravel the mystery before her when she suddenly felt Yu Yuan's presence. Overjoyed, she exclaimed, "Master, I'm right here!"

...

Yu Yuan glided through the sky effortlessly. The secret was simple: a seamless connection between the upper, middle, and lower dantians. Soul power descended while spiritual power ascended, coursing through a meridian in the middle dantian's mystical acupoint, intertwining with his Qi and blood. This natural synergy allowed him to soar, using his soul for navigation and his spiritual power and Qi for propulsion.

The art of flight at the Yin God Stage was remarkably straightforward, devoid of any challenge.

What delighted him even more was the additional boost he received from the seven acupoints in his chest, opened by the Yin Sunflower Essence, which made him as buoyant as if he were weightless. He was only slightly slower than the Ghost Kings, White Bone and Luohou.

"Different realms offer unique vistas and experiences," Yu Yuan mused to the cauldron soul, savoring the thrill of unaided flight. "To fly on my own is indeed a worthy accomplishment of this journey."

In his past life, he was confined to flying with the aid of objects, traversing various skies.

But now, unassisted by the Evil Cauldron or any external means, the sensation of whistling through the air on his own power was a novel and exhilarating experience.

"Your flight will be slower when you return to the Boundless Land," Luohou remarked with a smirk, looking back at him. "The Yin Sunflower Essence has been a significant aid to you."

"I still don't quite grasp what the Yin Sunflower Essence is," Yu Yuan admitted, puzzled.

"Think of the Yin Sunflower Essence as akin to the Ice Soul Crystal. The Ice Soul Crystal is found only at the very depths of the Nether Abyss, a highly concentrated crystallization of extreme cold, brimming with infinite wonders. Unlike the crystal, the essence of the Yin Sunflower isn't formed by the Nether River but is nurtured within the core of the Yin Vein," Luohou clarified.

After pondering for a moment, Yu Yuan began to grasp the concept. "Originating from the source of the Yin Vein, it's no wonder it's so mystical. It's no wonder that after assimilating it into my body, I can withstand the fierce cold winds of this realm without fear."

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

Inside the miniature world of Qi and blood, the "Life Altar," resembling a blood jade red crystal, suddenly trembled violently.

Yu Yuan, who was still reveling in the thrill of flight, was struck by a sharp pain in his chest and plummeted from the sky.

Crash!

He hit the ashen ground, creating a human-shaped cavity surrounded by a web of cracks.

Climbing out of the hole with a grim expression, Yu Yuan fixed his gaze on the orb of bloodlight at the Xuan Men point and said gravely, "Cao Jiaze possesses something infused with terrifying Qi and blood."

The tumultuous surge he had sensed before entering the White Bone Territory was back—a fierce quake of Qi and blood that sent the "Life Altar" into disarray and threw his own Qi and blood into chaos.

"Cao Jiaze will be a tough opponent," Luohou remarked, his face etched with concern.

"I'm not exactly easy to handle either," Yu Yuan replied with a smile.

Summoned by his call, the Evil Cauldron zoomed in from afar. Now, with his newfound understanding of flight, he conserved his strength and leapt effortlessly into the cauldron.

"Let's seek out the Heaven Palace Seal."

A mere flicker of his consciousness, and he sensed a transformation within the cauldron soul.

Yu Yiyi had withdrawn back into the cauldron's small world, yet he could vividly see her refined features, her simple white gown, and her delicate, slender form. Her eyes sparkled with unusual vivacity, radiating energy and the essence of life, as if she were a freshly minted being.

Simultaneously, White Bone and Luohou cast astonished glances at the Evil Cauldron.

Their intuition was even sharper...

In the brief time since they had parted, the cauldron soul had undergone a metamorphosis, perceptible to the two Ghost Kings.

It was akin to Yu Yuan's Earth Soul ascending to the stage of Yin God.

"Thank you, Master," Yu Yiyi expressed her gratitude softly from within the cauldron, "I'm not sure what transpired, but it seems that shortly after Master refined the Yin God, I truly awakened. Although my memories have not returned, I feel transformed. I am certain that my change is due to you, Master."

The cauldron was already en route to Cao Jiaze's location.

Yu Yiyi continuously shared with Yu Yuan, revealing the wonders of Horror Land and the essential rules that must be upheld to preserve the Yin Vein source—a source that even she couldn't break.

The Evil Cauldron had ventured into Horror Land before, and this wasn't Yu Yiyi's first time there either. She remembered having visited in the past, but the details of what had transpired had slipped from her memory.

Now, as her memories began to resurface, not all parts had come back to her yet. But the sealed memories of Horror Land had been unlocked. These recollections dated back to a time before Mingdu's existence when her former master sought to gather a substantial number of Evil Devils for the cauldron.

Her narrative suggested that this previous master had once encountered the source of the Yin Meridian many years prior. The meeting between them was far from cordial; the former master had been driven away by the source of the Yin Meridian.

"I just hope it doesn't hold a grudge against you because of that."

​