"So what?" Song Yan spoke with her usual calm face.
"I've been observing this place for quite some time," the woman said, her tone cold and sharp. "You two have been lurking here for a while, as if you already knew about this thing." Her eyes narrowed as she glanced between Ye Kaishan and Song Yan.
She's been observing this place? Ye Kaishan slightly raised his brows. I didn't even sense her presence in my space…
As I thought, her realm is far greater than she's letting on. Song Yan's eyes turned grim with wariness. The air was heavy, filled with the distant roars of ghosts and wandering souls.
The woman's gaze carried a menacing gleam as her lips parted."How about this—we work together."
Song Yan's brows furrowed slightly as her thoughts churned. Work together?
"You should know," the woman continued with a faint smile, "even if you try to reach there, you won't be able to pass through the sea of ghosts and souls coming our way." Her fingers brushed her cheek in mock grace, but beneath that smile lurked a sinister light.
Ye Kaishan sneered inwardly. How could he not know what this "win-win" meant? It was written on both their dead bodies.
"Okay, it's a deal," Song Yan replied after a brief pause.
Wait—did she just accept her trap?Ye Kaishan narrowed his eyes, a slight frown touching his brows. Did she actually believe that woman?
Though what the woman said about the ghosts and wandering souls might be true, that didn't mean they could walk willingly into her trap.
Sigh… I don't know what she's thinking, Ye Kaishan mused, but if the time comes, I'll use space manipulation to teleport us both away.
And the same thought echoed in Song Yan's mind.
How could I not see through this façade? Win-win, you ghost old coot, she cursed inwardly. If I hadn't agreed, obtaining the yin drop would've become far more troublesome. Besides, I need someone to stall the wandering souls that might interfere. So in name, I'll agree to the deal.
The woman smiled pleasantly. "Good. The ghosts are coming. We'll handle them—you subdue the drop." As she spoke, her gaze shifted toward the man standing on the towering mountain.
He instantly received her divine sense message:After they subdue it, kill them. Both will become my ghost servants.
Her sword trembled slightly as she stepped forward.
Meanwhile, Song Yan approached the yin drop. It pulsed with an eerie, bone-chilling energy—like a chaotic stare capable of freezing one's very soul.
Ye Kaishan stood guard, cautiously observing the surroundings through space exploration.
The yin energy grew turbulent the moment it came into contact with Song Yan. It rapidly enveloped her body, the cold biting deep as if trying to freeze her blood. The warmth within her began to fade, but she didn't retreat. Her calm eyes glimmered as she activated the Soul Heavenly Treasure.
At the same time, the wandering ghosts howled and surged toward the dead river. The three ghost cultivators unleashed soul-arresting techniques, trapping the restless spirits and countering their attacks with Dao weapons.
Song Yan summoned the Soul Heavenly Treasure. The yin drop possessed extreme yin energy—to subdue it, one needed a treasure of above-saint level imbued with powerful yang properties.
Back when Song Yan's Dao companion had not yet awakened, she had used this treasure as a yang substitute. It was an extremely yang treasure, not aggressive, making it ideal for her to wield.
The Soul Heavenly Treasure flew toward the yin drop. The drop resisted violently at first, but in front of that sacred light, it soon yielded. The treasure absorbed it effortlessly before returning to Song Yan's hand.
Subduing the yin drop had been no more difficult than taking candy from a child. Song Yan hadn't taken it seriously from the beginning. Seeing the treasure return, she simply nodded with a faint smile.
At that moment, a ghostly arrow shot from the mountain.
"Hmm?" Song Yan's eyes twitched slightly. They didn't even give me time to breathe.
Sensing the attack instantly, she burst forth with soul power, controlling the Soul Heavenly Treasure to form a protective barrier around herself and Ye Kaishan.
Ye Kaishan activated his space manipulation in the same instant. The two vanished together along with the treasure.
Bang!A deafening explosion tore through the area, smoke billowing into the sky.
The woman's lips curled into a wide smile as she looked toward where the yin drop had been—but in the next second, her smile froze. The entire area was nothing but swirling smoke.
"Where are they?! Where did they go?!" Her eyes rolled wildly as rage burned within them.
"Elder Lee Xiao," the man with the bow stepped forward, looking perplexed. "I aimed directly at her, but some kind of barrier appeared. When my arrow collided, smoke covered everything—and they both disappeared."
Lee Mo's voice trembled slightly. Even he was uncertain about what had happened.
The woman's fury peaked—the treasure had been stolen right under her nose.
No! Stay calm. They must still be within the ghost territory. With their meager cultivation, how far could they possibly go?
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and regained composure.
"They must be using a teleportation treasure," she said coldly to Lee Mo. "We have to find them. They can't escape the ghost territory."
"You two go northeast. We'll search west."
"Understood, Elder Lee Xiao." The young man and Bu Ling cupped their fists and flew northeast.
"Let's go. They shouldn't be far. We must retrieve the yin drop." Lee Mo nodded, and both of them shot westward.
Elsewhere…
In the southern reaches of the ghost territory, space distorted before splitting open. Ye Kaishan and Song Yan stepped out from the void, Ye Kaishan holding her gently in his arms.
"Put me down!" Song Yan glared at him, her face flushed red—partly from anger, partly from embarrassment.
Ye Kaishan glanced at her, noticing the Soul Heavenly Treasure still in her grasp."I just saved you," he said with a playful smile.
"So what? As my Dao companion, that's what you're supposed to do!"
"Oh? No reward for me?" he teased, his grin deepening.
"What do you want?" Song Yan asked, her cheeks coloring further.
"You should know what I want," Ye Kaishan replied, eyes gleaming mischievously.
"I—I don't know what you're talking about!" Song Yan turned crimson, biting her lip.
He chuckled softly. "Is there a problem giving me a weapon? Even a sword would be fine. You know I have nothing to defend myself with."
Song Yan: (-_-)
"You…" Song Yan gritted her teeth, her expression caught between irritation and embarrassment. "Fine. Take this." She tossed a sword toward him.
Ye Kaishan caught it easily, smiling as he fastened it to his back.
"Let's go," Song Yan said, regaining her composure.
They walked together through the misty terrain. Along the way, they encountered many ghosts, wandering souls, and beasts
Time went by
As they delved deeper into the southern region, the number of enemies gradually decreased. The white mist grew denser with every step.
"In this area, space exploration doesn't work," Ye Kaishan muttered, frowning. "It's like a maze. Where are we heading?"
"I need one last thing to forge a perfect and complete soul," Song Yan said solemnly. "It's here, in the southernmost region—the Ghost Emperor Orb."
They continued forward.
Meanwhile, other cultivators from the three clans battled fiercely against the spirits and ghosts. Many outsiders from the east and north had also arrived, though most were merely lower disciples. The ground trembled under their chaotic clashes as everyone fought to seize the spirits' inner elixirs.
Ye Kaishan and Song Yan pressed onward, following the pull of the yin source. The path ahead was shrouded in darkness—nothing visible but Song Yan's unwavering back, moving as though she knew every turn.
Ye Kaishan followed closely behind. The air grew heavier with each step, the mist thick as if they were wading through an endless white void.
After a while, faint hues began to emerge—colors slowly returning to the world.
Ahead of them, twelve blue flames appeared—first one, then two, then twelve in perfect symmetry. The flames lined a stone wall, with an ancient door set in the middle.
"We've arrived," Song Yan said softly.
"Is this where the Ghost Emperor Orb is kept?"
"Yes." She reached out, picked up one of the blue flames, and pressed it against the door.
A long creak echoed as the massive door opened."Let's see what lies inside."
Ye Kaishan attempted to use space exploration again, but the space was sealed. He couldn't sense anything.
"Don't let go of my hand," Song Yan instructed.
Ye Kaishan clasped her hand firmly, and together they stepped inside.
As the door opened fully, the darkness and mist outside were suddenly sucked in, devoured by the space within. The phenomenon sent shockwaves throughout the area.
Nearby cultivators turned toward the south, greed flickering in their eyes—but none dared to act rashly. Ghost cultivators were already gathering in the skies.
The eight cultivators who had first entered the ghost territory were also heading south, ignoring the ghost cultivators entirely.
"You all stand guard. We'll investigate," one of them said before disappearing into the distance.
One by one, the ghost cultivators grew restless.
Meanwhile…
"Bu Ling, did you find them?" Lee Xiao's voice was sharp as she appeared beside her subordinates.
Bu Ling bowed with a gloomy expression. "No, Elder. We searched thoroughly but found no trace. We captured several female cultivators, yet none had any information."
Lee Xiao frowned, irritation flashing across her face. "You two keep searching. I'll head south."
She clenched her fists and soared into the southernmost part of the ghost territory.
After some time, she arrived at a desolate region where six female and two male cultivators had already gathered.
Quietly, she hid behind the bushes—waiting, observing.