Ye Kaishan was left on his own. He lay on the bed, glancing at Song Yan.
She wore a white dress, her face bright and serene. She wasn't overly plump, yet her curves were gracefully developed. Ye Kaishan smiled faintly—it could be said she looked even more beautiful in this state of stillness.
"Sigh… Let's check the space-time skill tree."
With a thought, Ye Kaishan summoned the image of the tree. It stood about fifteen meters tall, its four great limbs branching outward, each covered in dark blue and bluish-green leaves. On the branch of space, a single golden bud shimmered faintly, pulsing with an otherworldly glow.
There were no particular changes to the skill tree.
His four abilities—Teleportation, Time Freeze (limited by the opponent's strength), Space Manipulation, and Time Manipulation—remained the same as before.
After Song Yan forged a perfect soul, his own soul had also risen to her level. His qi and blood now far surpassed the ordinary forging realm. His physical fitness and body strength exceeded that of typical cultivators of that stage. He had expected the skill tree to evolve again, but to his disappointment, nothing had changed.
He sighed softly and let his consciousness return to his body.
Glancing at Song Yan, still deep in stabilization, he decided she would take a while longer. Closing his eyes, he took a short nap.His space detection was sharp enough to alert him to any abnormality even in sleep, so there was no worry about guarding her.
Meanwhile
After resting for some time, Wang Li stood in the meadows. Yang Bing and her group were still recuperating nearby, while her maid stood quietly behind her.
"Did you sense the old witch?" Wang Li asked.
"No," the maid replied calmly.
Wang Li felt a measure of relief. Truthfully, even her maid couldn't do much against that witch. The best strategy was still to escape.
She called out to Yang Bing and the others. "We must set off. That old witch could appear at any time."
"We should keep moving until we can leave this place," Wang Li added.
"But where should we go?" Yang Bing asked thoughtfully.
Wang Li, narrowing her eyes, considered the witch's last known direction. Before she could answer, Yang Mon, who had been silent until now, spoke up hesitantly.
"H-how about heading north? It's the farthest from the south. It might take that old witch longer to reach us."
Wang Li's eyes flickered slightly before she nodded approvingly. She had also been considering the north. Yang Bing and Luo Xuan agreed as well.
"I didn't think you could be so thoughtful," Yang Bing teased with a small smile.
"What do you mean!?" Yang Mon replied, glaring indignantly.
"Nothing." Yang Bing chuckled, tapping her head. "Just teasing."
After a short discussion with Wang Li, the group prepared to depart.
"So, let's head north," Yang Mon declared, taking the lead and flying toward the distant skies. The others followed in formation.
Elsewhere
The old witch had finished devouring the wandering ghosts.
She placed a hand on her forehead, where the broken arrow still protruded, her expression dark and twisted.
"Now… let's clear those ants first. Where are they?" she whispered, scanning the surroundings with her ghostly sense.
A moment later, she grinned."Hehehe… heading in the same direction—very good."
She licked her withered lips. Chains hung from her limbs, producing an eerie metallic rattle as she walked. Her very presence could make the bravest hearts tremble.
Leaving the rocky meadows behind, she stepped into the northern forests of the Ghost Territory.
Yang Mon, Yang Bing, and the others continued flying north.
Elsewhere, in both the eastern and western reaches of the Ghost Territory, cultivators were still hunting. Some had already forged their souls and were now searching for loved ones or sect members. In this harsh land, many followed a simple creed—if quality cannot be attained, quantity will suffice.
Only a week had passed since Song Yan and Ye Kaishan entered the Ghost Territory. Many members of the Song Clan were still struggling, hunting wandering ghosts and forging their souls.
Half a Month Later — Northern Black Mountains
Inside a secluded hut, Song Yan still sat cross-legged. She hadn't opened her eyes since that day. Ye Kaishan had thought it would take only a few hours to stabilize her realm, but the potency of the Emperor Orb and Yin Drop made the process far more complex than expected.
Having strengthened his qi and blood beyond the forging realm, Ye Kaishan no longer needed food or sleep.
He now sat lazily on a tall tree, playing with small projections of people using his abilities—figures captured from recent encounters.
"Hey, you nasty man! Why did you capture us!?" Yang Mon's voice rang out angrily from inside the confined space.
Ye Kaishan frowned. "Can your mouth stop for even a minute? You've been babbling for hours."
"Then let us out! We haven't done anything wrong!" she shouted again.
"Oh, that's not possible," Ye Kaishan replied calmly. "If I let you out now, that disaster you brought along will sense your presence. I won't be able to cover for you, and everyone here will be in danger. So, for now, stay put."
"You—!" Yang Mon began, but Yang Bing interrupted.
"It's okay. He's helping us, in a way."
"But Sister Bing! He's locked us in a weird cage with no door! How does this help?"
"Didn't you notice?" Yang Bing said calmly. "This cage conceals our auras. That old witch won't be able to detect us in here."
Yang Mon tested her aura and confirmed it—her presence was completely hidden. "Fine… I'll stay quiet," she muttered, still glaring in Ye Kaishan's direction.
"It's nice to have someone smart," Ye Kaishan thought with a sigh, leaning back against the trunk as he closed his eyes.
Inside the space, Wang Li turned to her maid. "Li Xu, can you break this?"
Li Xu examined the shimmering space carefully.
"No. I can't comprehend the law behind this cage. And within the Ghost Territory, I can't use my full power. It's not possible right now."
Wang Li glanced upward toward Ye Kaishan, expression unreadable. Then she closed her eyes and entered her subspace.
There, she found a rusty sword resting quietly on a stone pedestal.
She calmly picked it up, her eyes firm and her lips slightly parted. "Do you know what law is restraining us?"
Her voice echoed softly through the quiet subspace. The sword vibrated lightly, and a young male voice replied:
"I don't know. There's no elemental force in it, so I can't tell. But… I sense no malice or hostility from him. I don't think he means harm."
sigh....
"if you say so." Wang Li exhaled softly, her worries easing. This sword had been her companion for a long time.
Her consciousness returned to her body.
Above, Ye Kaishan lounged lazily in the tree, one leg hanging freely as he watched over everything below.The northern winds carried a faint chill through the Ghost Territory, rustling the ancient leave
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