C832 The Third Forbidden Area!
The form of Dhoreus, risen from its shell, brimmed with such a formidable force that it sent the Altar of Rebirth within Yu Yuan's little world of vitality into a frenzied state!
This body had been crafted from the remains of a Forgeroses cultivator from the Unbound Realm!
A flesh and blood body, normally shunned by the Land of Terror, could defy such rejection if suffused with ample Shadow Moon Essence, allowing it to break the rules and soar at will.
Previously, Youling's body had this capability, and now Cao Jiaze and Yu Yuan were in the same position.
They could never have imagined that the body Dhoreus had been awaiting would share this condition, and even more shockingly, that it had already become the vessel for a soul—the Ghost King, Tian Zang!
When Dhoreus, White Bone, and Jiaze uttered this name, it left all the ghosts bewildered.
Among the current Ghost Kings, Tian Zang was elusive, rarely seen in the Land of Terror, his presence so subtle that it was often overlooked.
Yet, upon reflection, the ghosts realized that Tian Zang had been the Ghost King ever since they had entered the Land of Terror and begun practicing necromancy—without exception.
Even the eight ancient subordinates of Dhoreus, upon careful thought, acknowledged that Tian Zang had been the Ghost King since their time of existence.
Ironically, they too had easily disregarded Tian Zang's presence.
It appeared as though Tian Zang had deliberately concealed himself, or perhaps he possessed the theurgy to cloak himself, influencing their souls and minds.
"Youqian, the Sky Fiend Youqian, the third Evil Demon of the forbidden area!"
The first to regain his composure was White Bone, his emerald eyes flashing with astonishment, "Tian Zang, are you Youqian? Did you, in the guise of a Sky Fiend's soul, escape the confinement of the Soulforge Matrix and covertly enter the Land of Terror, ascending to Ghost King through the path of necromancy?"
"Youqian!"
"A Star-Spawned Terror that turned to necromancy and even achieved the status of Ghost King?"
"Tian Zang is actually a Sky Fiend from beyond our realm?"
The revelation sent the multitude of ghosts into an uproar.
The Terra Fiend's cunning and malice knew no bounds.
The Sky Fiend excelled in transformation and possession.
If Tian Zang truly was the Sky Fiend Youqian, ranked third in the Moonfall Sanctuary as White Bone had claimed, he had a perfect escape plan. To evade annihilation by the five great supreme forces, seeking refuge in the Land of Terror was an excellent choice.
Youqian, a master of unpredictability and a soul in form, harnessed the Yin Qi of the Land of Terror to practice necromancy. Having ascended to the status of Ghost King within this realm, he was untouchable even to the supreme forces.
The Ghost King's arcane powers granted him the ability to instantly retreat to the Styx if he sensed danger while roaming outside.
As a spirited body, he could depart the Land of Terror and upon entering the Moonfall Sanctuary, assume the guise of the Sky Fiend Youqian, bolstering his essence with evil souls.
Becoming Tian Zang, the Ghost King, offered Youqian countless advantages and conveniences.
"Tian Zang, how dare you seize my flesh?" Dhoreus seethed with rage.
Only by merging with his spirited body could he regain his peak strength. Without it, even at the Ghost King level, relying solely on his soul for battle, he could not claim to be invincible.
A physical body served as the soul's armor, providing an initial defense against numerous assaults.
Yu Yuan and Cao Jiaze, with their corporeal forms, were significantly more potent in the Land of Terror than an ordinary Lunar Spirit, for this very reason.
Luo Yue, who had refined Shadow Mountain into her body, and White Bone, who had sought out a skeletal form to enhance her own, did so to amplify their power and avoid direct soul damage from fearsome attacks.
Without a body, one is at a severe disadvantage in combat, burdened with numerous weaknesses.
Even the mighty Sky Fiend, upon reaching a certain stature, would coalesce a demonic form, so why not the Ghost King of the Land of Terror?
Dhoreus had long awaited the return of his body, and to find it inhabited by Tian Zang was intolerable.
Since Tian Zang was none other than Youqian, the Sky Fiend renowned for his stealth, it was no surprise that Dhoreus failed to detect his presence within his own body. He continued to channel the River Styx's energy, replenishing the Yin Qi within the body that had drifted away.
Possession was a divine ability that the Sky Fiend had mastered from a young age. For Tian Zang to use the arcane methods of the Sky Fiend to take over someone's body was hardly a challenge.
The real question was how Tian Zang managed to locate his body and wrest it from the Shura's grasp.
The Shura, with whom he had allied, possessed formidable power and had the covert endorsement and protection of the three upper sects. What could Tian Zang possibly have done to defeat those Shura?
"Surprised?" Tian Zang, having successfully possessed the body, stepped out of the shell and tucked it into his palm. He flashed a smile at Dhoreus and remarked, "Only when your soul and body are united can you do as you please. By taking over your body, I've addressed the issue at its root. I've grown stronger, while you will never regain your peak battle prowess."
"How did you pull it off?" Dhoreus asked, his composure returning as a thought struck him. "Was it them?"
Tian Zang gave a slight nod.
Them?
Cao Jiaze, White Bone, Luo Yue, and the other ancient ghosts quickly understood who Dhoreus meant by 'them.'
If it involved them, anything was possible.
They had been putting the five highest powers of the Extraterrestrial Star River and the Everlands under immense pressure, compelling the native forces of the Everlands to act with their hands tied.
For them to covertly assist Tian Zang in eliminating the Shura escorting the shell was hardly a feat.
"Fascinating, truly fascinating," Yu Yuan said, his mouth twisting into a strange grin as he laughed uproariously.
After possessing Dhoreus's body, Tian Zang turned at the sound of his laughter. He gave a slight bow and said, "Allow me to extend his greetings to you."
"Whom are you referring to?" Yu Yuan asked, puzzled.
"The one in the bronze coffin. Remember how he urged you to keep living well when he departed?" Tian Zang said with a smile.
Yu Yuan was thunderstruck. "You were in the Moonfall Sanctuary at that time?!"
"I was observing from the shadows," Tian Zang confessed without hesitation. "I'm unique in that I had already escaped the constraints of the matrix and excel at stealth. Unless it was that individual, no one else could find me. My connection with him goes way back, long before my time with Indigo Wraith; I've been serving him for ages."
The individual he referred to was the notorious Great Demon, known as the Sin of the Everlands, a titan of the previous era within the Boulderdawn sect.
"I..."
Suddenly, Yu Yuan was struck by a recollection of the Root of the Lunar Meridian and the conjectures it had inspired.
He had lived three lifetimes.
In the past, that very person had captured the Indigo Wraith, the Stormcrowned Emperor, and the White Walker. Together, they had shattered the heavens and ventured deep into the Star River. It was then that a remnant soul had sought him out.
It seemed to recognize something deep within his own soul and refrained from striking.
"Live well."
"In this life, you may well achieve your desires. It seems we are destined to meet again."
As the bronze coffin ascended, that individual imparted a message, leading him to erroneously believe they spoke of the God of Medicine Hong Qi's past life.
Only now did he come to the realization that the person he had seen was not the God of Medicine Hong Qi.
Hong Qi, who had not embarked on the path of cultivation and lived less than a century, immersed solely in the art of leechcraft, surely lacked the stature to be held in such esteem by that figure.
"You, and you, all of you!"
Tian Zang rose gracefully into the air, gesturing towards the Pale Reaper and addressing the eight ancient ghosts and the multitude of ghosts stirred into frenzy by Dhoreus' words, "Your fates are of no concern to me. I am well aware that you would never consent to a Star-Spawned Terror like myself ascending to become a God of Ghosts and ruling over you."
"I am also aware that it disagrees."
Tian Zang lowered his gaze to the earth beneath him.
He spoke of the Root of the Lunar Meridian.
Dhoreus, a ghost born from the Land of Terror, bore a fragment of the Root of the Lunar Meridian's will, embodying a native soul.
In this life, White Bone and Youling were foreigners, souls from beyond who had entered and risen to the rank of Ghost Kings.
Yet, the foundations of Youling and White Bone were firmly rooted in the Everlands.
The souls of the Everlands, caught in the cycle of life and death, remained under the dominion and orchestration of the Root of the Lunar Meridian.
Thus, the Root of the Lunar Meridian saw no issue with White Bone becoming a God of Ghosts.
The true conundrum lay with Tian Zang!
Tian Zang was a Star-Spawned Terror from beyond. Although he adhered to the rules of the Land of Terror and transformed to practice necromancy, becoming the Ghost King, a Sky Fiend is fundamentally a soul from outside the vast Everlands.
No one could predict the consequences of him ascending to the status of a God of Ghosts.
The Root of the Lunar Meridian chose White Bone, fully aware of Tian Zang's origins.
All the spirits and ghosts in the area, including Cao Jiaze, found it unthinkable to let an extraterrestrial demon like Tian Zang take control of the Land of Terror's future.
