C830 Mingdu's Grand Aspiration

"Haha!"

The White Coat Mercurial burst into a sinister laugh upon witnessing the trio ejected from the Muddy Devil Embryo.

Subjected to the relentless erosion of numerous filthy luminescent abilities, the once pristine and radiant skeletal form now bore the marks of rust, as if mercilessly weathered by the passage of time.

The already diminutive frame was riddled with cracks, resembling a discarded skeleton in a heap of refuse, devoid of any remaining enchantment.

The once resplendent flower basket, meticulously refined by Luo Yue, now lacked even a hint of its former glow. The once delicate and ornate basket was now in tatters.

Her spirit languished, curled up in a corner of the basket, seemingly lost in a bewildered haze.

Both she and the white bone had sustained grave injuries within the Muddy Devil Embryo.

As Ghost Kings, their spectral wounds could heal more swiftly, thanks to their personal connection to the Styx.

Take this moment, for instance...

As soon as the white bone and Luo Yue emerged, the waters of their respective Styx surged with urgency. Despite the distance, they could still draw upon the Yin Qi from the two rivers.

The white bone's once clouded eyes began to brighten incrementally, casting aside the shadows with flickers of light.

Luo Yue's once vague soul shadow also swiftly gained definition upon her exit.

In Horror Land, where dense Yin Qi permeates the air, a Ghost King's soul can gradually mend, sustained by the energy that fills their essence.

Yet, the white bone's physical form and Luo Yue's refined flower basket could not be mended by Yin Qi alone.

The white bone's structure must have been forged by some external force, likely in a peculiar realm where he harnessed and refined those ghostly white flames to fortify his skeletal form.

To restore his bony physique and purge the internal impurities, he would need to depart from Horror Land.

His formidable power lay in the ability of his skeletal form to emit white flames that could cleanse tainted spirits, instilling dread in the denizens of Horror Land with its immaculate force and radiance.

Stripped of his skeletal form, his combat prowess had significantly diminished, and with his soul also grievously wounded, how could he possibly contend with Mingdu?

The same held true for Luo Yue's flower basket, her painstakingly crafted divine weapon, her potent Soul Artifact.

Naturally, the basket's creation did not rely on the Yin Qi of Horror Land. To see it once again brimming with rainbow luminescence, Luo Yue would need to venture beyond this realm to a place bathed in brilliant light, where she could gather and infuse the necessary energies into her basket.

Yu Yuan surmised that Luo Yue's flower basket was almost certainly connected to Zu Ann of Ascension Peak.

He had witnessed Zu Ann's radiant Yang God form there, bathed in a glory of endless light, exuding vibrancy.

It was quite plausible that Zu Ann, appreciating Luo Yue and aware of her quest for the truth about her past life's demise, had taken her under his wing. He likely collected the celestial light to aid her in refining the flower basket.

With the flower basket now severely damaged, Luo Yue needed to meet Zu Ann for any hope of restoration.

"You all seem to be in a weakened state," Cao Jiaze commented with a smile.

The two Ghost Kings were feeble, both in spirit and in the integrity of their bones and flower basket. They were clearly no match for Mingdu.

Yu Yuan, however, merely appeared exhausted.

In truth, he was unscathed. Both his physical form and soul remained whole, untouched by injury.

Moreover, free from the corruption of the flowing light and the invasion of complex thoughts and malevolent intentions, his mind regained clarity. The seven apertures in his chest, opened by the Yin Sunflower Essence, voraciously consumed the surrounding Yin Qi, channeling it into his Consciousness Little World.

In no time at all, he was rejuvenated with vigor.

Without a word, he retrieved several pellets from his Mustard Seed Bracelet, designed to swiftly bolster his Qi and spirit. After ingesting them, he quickly called forth his sword sheath, his gaze fixed on Mingdu.

Mingdu, however, paid him no heed, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the white bones, speaking solemnly, "Youling, are you prepared to concede defeat?"

The white bones, gravely damaged and with a soul yet to regain its strength, were no longer in the same league as him.

"To think that someone as proud as you would choose to ally with the three upper sects," the white bones' green eyes sparkled with renewed life and focus. "I faintly recall that it was the upper sects of the Heavenly Source Continent who instigated that person to bring you to your current plight."

"White Bone Lord, at this juncture, what purpose does it serve to stir up strife?" Cao Jiaze asked, his smile unwavering.

"Youling, your words are of no consequence to me," Mingdu said with a dismissive snort. "You're well aware that when I ventured into the galaxy, my quest was for the Dao of Ghost and God. Back then, I sought external aid. But now, with the conditions in Horror Land ripe for my advancement, I won't let this rare opportunity slip by."

White Bone remained silent upon hearing Mingdu's declaration.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan was stealthily attempting to connect with the source of the Yin Meridian. The source, known for transmitting its will through any of the Styx, had fallen eerily quiet.

Beneath him flowed a Yin Meridian, surging in sync with the Styx. Yet, as Yu Yuan reached out, the source's will eluded him, leaving no trace. Instead, he detected faint remnants of sword intent, a legacy of the Chopping Moon cultivator.

It dawned on him that the Soul Crossing River had merged with the Styx, drawing upon its power to bolster its own.

"Soul Transformation Pool!" he exclaimed internally.

With the Yin Meridian source unresponsive, Yu Yuan shifted his focus to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. At that very moment, White Bone and Luo Yue were languishing, their soul power slowly rejuvenating with the aid of Yin Qi. Their bone bodies and flower baskets lay dormant, unable to serve their purpose.

Yu Yuan knew he had to create a diversion, something to preoccupy Mingdu and Cao Jiaze, leaving them no room to respond.

Despite the vast distance separating him from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, he could sense the presence of the Soul Transformation Pool.

The Ghost Kings instinctively cast their gazes skyward.

Cao Jiaze, caught off guard, looked up at the dimming heavens and remarked, "Impressive, indeed. You've managed to keep your wits sharp after such an extended stay in the Muddy Devil Embryo, and you've reestablished contact with the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area the instant you emerged."

Surprise notwithstanding, he harbored no fear and refrained from taking action.

Hiss! Hiss!

Above, in the gloomy expanse, crimson sword light intertwined with dark soul energy, as if intent on breaching the fabric of this realm.

The anomaly in Horror Land sent a wave of dread through the ranks of the Devil Palace, Demon Palace, Red Devil Sect, and the many visitors from the Heavenly Source Continent.

Countless eyes were riveted on the skies above Horror Land. The White Coat Mercurial's face turned pale with shock as he swiftly turned his gaze to Mingdu.

"Now that I've regained the stature of the Ghost King, this sky is no longer yours to command at will," Mingdu declared with a detached tone. With an outstretched hand, he reached into the void and grasped the Soul Crossing River, drenched in the waters of the Styx.

This mighty Soul Artifact, a symbol of Horror Land's power, settled behind Mingdu, shimmering like a resplendent river of stars.

Within the Soul Crossing River, countless soul shadows writhed, forming a complex and mystical array that quelled any disturbances within Horror Land.

Ding!

It was as if a chord had snapped. The psychic link between Yu Yuan and the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area severed abruptly.

The Soul Transformation Pool could no longer detect his presence.

The nascent crimson sword glow in the murky firmament, along with the dark soul energy that had crossed realms, lingered for mere seconds, seemingly lost without Yu Yuan's location, then faded into obscurity.

"As the Ghost King, it will amass Yin Qi, reigning supreme over Horror Land," Mingdu proclaimed, baring his teeth in a tyrannical smile. "White Bone, Luo Yue, should you choose to pledge your allegiance to me, I will grant you both mercy. Qianjie has already struck a pact with me; upon my ascension to Ghost God, she has vowed her fealty. Should you two show the same wisdom, our combined might will usher in an era of unparalleled glory for Horror Land!"

"Once I ascend to Ghost God, we shall seize this chance to carve out our rightful place within the Boundless Land!"

"The three great upper sects, along with the Demon Palace and the Demon Palace, will be compelled to consult us at every turn!"

Mingdu laid bare his ambitions, sparing no detail.

His goal was to reunify Horror Land under his rule, to use the might of the Ghost God to proclaim his presence across the Boundless Land!

He envisioned Horror Land as a sovereign power, equal to the three great upper sects, the Demon Palace, and the Demon Palace!

For millennia, this distinctive realm had been a haven for souls of all origins to pursue their cultivation freely: Earth Demons, the great demon spirits from beyond, and the human Yin Gods, all had the liberty to act as they pleased here.

Horror Land's independence was not due to oversight by the five supreme sects, but rather its exceptional circumstances.

This was due to the fact that both human and demon cultivators could only send their Yin Gods to battle; otherwise, they would suffer a significant reduction in combat power.

Yet, to the exalted sects beyond, the spirits of Horror Land were nothing more than turtles, too fearful to leave the safety of their shells.

Venturing out meant losing their edge, turning the formidable ghosts of Horror Land into mere lambs to the slaughter.

From its inception, Mingdu had harbored grand ambitions and taken a solemn vow to alter this status quo.

And now, at long last, they had been presented with such an opportunity.

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