Chapter 660 - 607: Scavenging the Land
Jiang Yuebai struggled free from the water vortex and was met with desolate ravines, crumbling walls, and exposed white bones.
It was completely different from the beautiful scenery seen through the entrance vortex from the outside.
Jiang Yuebai turned around in confusion, looking around blankly.
Had she made a mistake?
However, the seven-day period had not ended yet, and no one could leave the Secret Realm. She could forcibly use the Space Restriction...
Jiang Yuebai calmed herself. The Space Restriction was her confidence in daring to enter despite knowing the danger. Until she figured out the situation and ensured no further progress could be made, she wouldn’t dare to misuse the Space Restriction.
Jiang Yuebai ascended into emptiness, trying to overlook the surrounding lands from a high vantage point to determine her position. But as she went higher, her body grew increasingly heavy, as if an invisible force, as soft as water, was pulling her down.
Helplessly, Jiang Yuebai had to stop a hundred feet high, which was the limit her Cultivation could reach.
She discovered she was in an exceptionally wide dry riverbed. Being in it earlier, she thought she was in a valley.
The mountains surrounding the riverbed were layered and tiered. Upon closer inspection, they somewhat resembled the mountains seen outside.
The riverbed meandered eastward, with a red sun eternally half-sunken on the horizon behind her, its sunset glow dyeing the whole land orange-red, yet carrying no warmth.
Whoosh—
A chilling wind descended, swirling the yellow sand on the ground into a humanoid silhouette, which then dissipated with the wind.
"A wandering soul?"
Amidst the windblown sands, such ghostly images occasionally drifted by, but within the range Jiang Yuebai’s Divine Sense could probe, no signs of life were detected.
Jiang Yuebai returned to the riverbed and released Yann Hongyu, taking out and unfolding the Netherworld Hundred Ghosts Painting to unleash the fourth ghost, the Soul Capturing Ghost.
Yann Hongyu had been lounging in the Lotus Platform Cave Heaven, watching Jixiang lead the mice in running and jumping for Cultivation, when she was suddenly thrown into a desolate place, frightening her to a shiver.
"Wh-where is this place, True Monarch?"
"This is a good place, a rare opportunity. Take the Soul Capturing Ghost and capture all the ghosts around. Eat whatever you can, you’re the weakest in the Lotus Platform Cave Heaven!"
Despite the influence of the Netherworld Hundred Ghosts Painting, the Soul Capturing Ghost had Early-Stage Golden Core Cultivation. If a hundred ghosts could be gathered, the painting could ascend to Spiritual Artifact Level, allowing the ghosts to possess power rivaling Early-Stage Nascent Soul.
Hence, Yann Hongyu was the most useless in the Lotus Platform Cave Heaven!
The Soul Capturing Ghost had already received Jiang Yuebai’s command, with hooks and lock chains flying from its ghostly body, plunging into the sandstorm, capturing and devouring wandering souls.
The wandering ghosts swallowed by the Soul Capturing Ghost would transform into Yin Qi absorbed by the Netherworld Hundred Ghosts Painting, simultaneously boosting the strength of the other ghosts and the entire painting. Some of the power could also be extracted for Little Green.
Little Green was already a symbol of Chenzhou Wanderer and wasn’t convenient to appear here at the moment.
Jiang Yuebai also released Jixiang and eight mouse cubs, giving each a specially crafted storage bag to carry. The storage bags had Divine Concealment Turtle Breath Talismans to cover their tracks and aura.
"The usual rules, search the surroundings yourselves and collect everything of value. The good goes to me, the bad goes to you. Stay in line, don’t fall behind."
Chirp!
Jixiang had already sensed numerous cultivators’ and spiritual beasts’ skeletal remains around, along with some scattered Magic Treasure Fragments, surely with more bad than good.
He foresaw the hope of being well-fed again!
Jixiang used his head to nudge the unruly Yuanbao back into line, enthusiastically directing the mouse cubs to line up like tails following him underground to search for resources, ensuring they weren’t detected and attracted danger.
Looking on, Yann Hongyu couldn’t help but mutter, "Strip the land like this, what Secret Realm could endure..."
Jiang Yuebai glanced over with the corner of her eyes, causing Yann Hongyu to shiver all over, hastily using her own ghost energy to form white silk to hunt wandering souls.
Everything was orderly, as Jiang Yuebai continued east to explore.
Her pace was swift, and upon encountering formidable ghosts along the way, she casually struck them down with Jian Palace Thunder.
The dispersed Yin Qi was absorbed within her, while those she couldn’t fully dissipate were promptly handled by Yann Hongyu, rushing up to beat the drowning dogs, even sneaking glances at her, as if to say, ’True Monarch, see how industrious and perceptive I am.’
Jiang Yuebai took out the Dream Demon Thorn from the Lotus Platform Cave Heaven, placing it in the Yellow Jade Golden Cicada Pendant at her waist, which was specially designed for storing Spiritual Beasts.
She and Anan had already left marks on each other’s Dream Demon Bodies, allowing them to sense each other’s location from afar. As soon as Anan responded from his side, she’d head toward him.
After traveling along the riverbed for more than half an hour, the ghosts she encountered gradually grew in number and power, with Yann Hongyu unable to handle even the drowning dogs, only able to hide behind the Soul Capturing Ghost, pretending to be well-behaved.
Crack!
Jiang Yuebai struck down with a Jian Palace Thunder, silver electric arcs rippling out, dispersing the dense grey ghost fog.
Just then, all the surrounding skeletal remains suddenly began to quake and gather frantically.
Yin Qi surged from beneath the riverbed, many still retaining their original appearance, dressed in different clothes, resembling the residual souls of cultivators who died here long ago.
These fierce ghost-like residual souls converged into the pile of bones, their imposing aura climbing rapidly towards Nascent Soul Stage, before quickly transforming into the fearsomely grotesque, over ten-zhang-tall White Bone Ghost General.
Jiang Yuebai immediately summoned the New Taihe Umbrella, which, although not yet a Spiritual Artifact, was a top-tier Magic Treasure at present.
The umbrella opened, crane calls echoed, masses of white feathers floated from the umbrella, transforming mid-air into various bird forms, converging into a phoenix silhouette, charging towards the face of the White Bone Ghost General.
Boom!
Golden-red flames erupted, engulfing the White Bone Ghost General in Phoenix True Fire, ear-splitting screams of ghosts echoing.
Malicious ghosts and evil spirits could not resist the mighty force of the utterly Yang Phoenix True Fire, becoming ashes.
Seeing most of them burn, Jiang Yuebai griped the umbrella handle and pulled back, revealing her bright eyes hidden by the umbrella, as Phoenix True Fire detached from the White Bone Ghost General’s body, reverting into individual white feathers returning to the Taihe Umbrella.
Jiang Yuebai took out the Soul Gathering Gourd specifically for collecting souls, sucking the remaining remnants within, intending to feed Little Green.
A rare chance to gather so many High-Level Souls, she must properly reward her treasure.
Jixiang, biding his time underground, led the mice cubs up in a rush, collecting the remaining white bones, even stuffing the debris into their cheeks.
Nearby, Yann Hongyu swallowed hard, regrettably unable to ask for any due to her lack of contribution.
At this moment, there was a slight commotion from behind a mostly destroyed palace wall in the distance, causing Jiang Yuebai to squint sharply and raise her hand for a Five Thunders Bombing!
Boom!
"Stop, Fellow Daoist Wangshu, it’s me, Shen Mingjing!"
A handsome male cultivator in blue dodged the Five Thunders and jumped out nervously, with the palace wall behind him blasted into dust.
Shen Mingjing swallowed uneasily and raised his hands, stepping back slightly.
"I just want to propose forming an alliance, I have no ill intent, truly."
Jiang Yuebai raised a hand charged with black-and-white lightning, her face stern, demanding, "You came in with the Xiong Family, have you not heard them say, the Xiong Family and Zhuge Family relations are not very amicable?"
Shen Mingjing’s smile remained unchanged, "I naturally know, but with the Xiong Family, it’s merely a cooperative relationship. Compared to them, I’d much rather trust Fellow Daoist Wangshu. If you’re willing to escort me, I can share a significant secret about the Xiong Family!"