Chapter 1288: Rushing Back to the South China Sea

The more critical the situation, the calmer he needed to be.

If he directly asked Murong Bo to borrow spirit birds, Murong Bo, unless he was a fool, would immediately suspect something had happened to the Wang family. If Murong Bo was unwilling to travel to the South Sea, then so be it; Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan could use a secret technique to return first, though it wouldn't be sustainable.

"The South Sea is vastly different from the Central Plains cultivation world. Didn't you want to visit the South Sea, Fellow Daoist Murong? We're heading back now; why don't we journey together?" Wang Ruyan's tone was warm and inviting.

Murong Bo seemed somewhat tempted. After a moment of thought, he said, "Since you two fellow Daoists have extended the invitation, I shall accompany you! Allow me to finish my current affairs, and I will depart with you both tomorrow." Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan had no objections and readily agreed.

They proactively discussed matters concerning the South Sea, and Murong Bo appeared very interested.

Early the next morning, Wang Changsheng and his group departed from Kyoto Market. Murong Bo brought along more than ten of his clan members.

Murong Bo did not deploy his fourth-tier Lion-Peng beast for travel, instead sharing a third-tier one with his grand-nephew. Since they were merely visiting, a third-tier Lion-Peng beast was sufficient for travel, as he was not in a hurry.

Wang Qingling's eyes lit up, and she displayed an envious expression. "I've heard that Senior Murong possesses a low-grade fourth-tier Lion-Peng beast," she said, "whose flight speed surpasses even early Nascent Soul cultivators. Might this junior be so fortunate as to witness it?"

Hearing this, Murong Bo smiled and nodded. With a flick of his wrist, a powerful roar erupted, and a burst of spiritual light shot forth from his spirit beast bead. Before them stood a massive Lion-Peng beast, three zhang in size, with bright, vibrant plumage.

"A fourth-tier spirit beast! Fellow Daoist Murong possesses a fourth-tier spirit beast. I daresay few cultivators of the same rank could stand against you. It truly fills me with envy," Wang Changsheng remarked with a tone of admiration.

Flattery, no matter how transparent, always works. Murong Bo beamed with pleasure upon hearing this.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, Madam Wang, please come aboard! We shall use my Lion-Peng beast for our journey."

Murong Bo's journey to the South Sea served a dual purpose: first, it was at the invitation of the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple; second, it was an opportunity to strengthen his ties with the Wang family. For the Murong Royal Clan to gain more advantages, they needed to demonstrate their power, and a fourth-tier spirit beast served as a potent deterrent.

Wang Changsheng and the others successively boarded the Lion-Peng beast. With a powerful unfurling of its wings, the beast generated a fierce gale and soared skyward, disappearing from view within moments.

South Sea, Myriad Ghosts Sea.

In a vast, boundless black sea, Ye Haitang transformed into a streak of dark light, flying swiftly. A trace of blood stained her lips, and her face was pale.

For years, Ye Haitang had spent most of her time operating within the Myriad Ghosts Sea. She had subjugated numerous Foundation Establishment-level bone corpses and had thwarted many assassination attempts. However, as the saying goes, one who often walks by the river is bound to get their shoes wet; she had never imagined she would be targeted by a Nascent Soul cultivator.

The sea ahead was alight with lightning and thunder, indicating the presence of powerful restrictions. Ye Haitang dared not stop, pressing onward.

"Little one, it's best you hand over the item willingly. I can spare your life. If you don't know what's good for you, I won't hesitate to extract your soul and refine your spirit." A sinister male voice echoed from the sky, reverberating across the entire sea.

Upon hearing this, a flicker of terror crossed Ye Haitang's beautiful eyes. If she were captured by a Nascent Soul cultivator, not only would her own life be in peril, but all the clan members in the ruins would also be doomed. Her eyes blazed with a dazzling dark light, clearly activating her Yellow Springs Demonic Eyes.

If she continued to fly forward, she would enter the depths of the Myriad Ghosts Sea, where Nascent Soul-level ghost kings were rumored to reside. Desperate for survival, Ye Haitang had no choice but to press on. With no other escape route, she could only grit her teeth and flee. If not for a fourth-tier escape talisman, her pursuer would have already caught her.

Just then, a rapid, piercing ghostly wail pierced the air. Hearing it, Ye Haitang's gaze grew vacant, and she began to chuckle uncontrollably, as if trapped within an illusion.

A fierce yin wind swept through, and a barely visible dark shadow abruptly materialized. It was a Core Formation stage ghost creature. The shadow's long, slender fingers clawed towards Ye Haitang's crown.

At this critical moment, a resounding melody of Buddhist chants and celestial music emanated from Ye Haitang. A golden jade pendant flew from her chest, and the Buddha image on its surface seemed to come alive, forming a colossal spectral Buddha statue that suddenly appeared high in the sky. The ethereal Buddha statue clapped its hand towards the evil spirit, unleashing countless streams of vibrant spiritual light that coalesced into a giant, multi-hued palm, several zhang in size, striking the ghost creature precisely.

A shrill shriek tore through the air as the ghost creature was sent flying backward, spitting copious amounts of blood. Amidst the calming chants, Ye Haitang also regained her composure, though she was drenched in a cold sweat.

"A Buddhist spirit treasure! So that's it. In that case, I certainly cannot let you go." A male voice, utterly devoid of emotion, drifted from the sky. As the words faded, a vast expanse of dark energy surged from the void, revealing a tall, gaunt old man clad in black robes. His face was emaciated, his eye sockets sunken, and his complexion sallow. A string of white skulls hung from his waist.

This was True Man White Bones, Zheng Guqi. Ye Haitang had encountered him once before, though she had been disguised at the time.

Ye Haitang dared not be careless. She quickly put away the Golden Amber Jade Buddha Pendant, a Buddhist spirit treasure, and her body erupted in a brilliant dark glow as she sped forward.

*Boom!* A tremendous roar echoed as a thick silver lightning bolt ripped across the sky. In the pitch-black expanse of the Myriad Ghosts Sea, the silver lightning was strikingly conspicuous.

Ye Haitang was startled. The Golden Amber Jade Buddha Pendant resonated with waves of Buddhist chants, emitting a vast expanse of multi-colored spiritual light that enveloped her. The silver lightning instantly vanished.

Zheng Guqi watched this scene, utterly dumbfounded.

The depths of the Myriad Ghosts Sea were laden with numerous restrictions, highly sensitive to the aura of ghostly beings. Even ghost cultivators would trigger these barriers upon approach. Other cultivators could enter freely, but the inner reaches of the Myriad Ghosts Sea were home to Nascent Soul-level ghost creatures and countless powerful enchantments. A major power once organized an expedition to seek treasure there, but none of them ever returned.

Zheng Guqi had previously attempted to enter the depths of the Myriad Ghosts Sea in search of treasure, but his mere approach had triggered the restrictions, nearly costing him his life. He had never dared to go near the place again, yet now, someone had managed to pass through. If he could acquire this spiritual treasure, he would finally be able to delve deep into the Myriad Ghosts Sea for its treasures.

The Myriad Ghosts Sea was once the main headquarters of the Myriad Ghosts Sect, which had been one of the top ten sects in the South Sea. Even acquiring a single spiritual treasure from there would be an immeasurable boon for Zheng Guqi.

"I refuse to believe you can stay in there for a lifetime," Zheng Guqi sneered. He dismissed the ghost creature and flew towards a deserted island.

Ye Haitang's expression was uneasy; the yin energy here was overwhelming. She had to rely on her Yellow Springs Demonic Eyes to scout the path. After about fifteen minutes, she landed on a desolate island over a hundred li in size. Rumor had it that Nascent Soul-level ghost creatures resided here, along with numerous restrictions, so she dared not venture deeper.

"How many years has it been? Finally, someone has breached it! Hahaha, fate truly favors me!" A woman's maniacal laughter echoed through the air.

A gust of yin wind swept by, and a jet-black, refined token materialized before Ye Haitang.

The token was square, with small cracks on its surface and a missing corner, as if it had been cut by a sharp implement. Its front bore the image of a snarling evil spirit, while the back was inscribed with the two large golden characters: "Myriad Ghosts."

The malevolent spirit on the token seemed to stir to life, as a cloud of green mist surged forth, coalescing into a strikingly beautiful young woman in a green skirt. The terrifying fluctuations of yin energy emanating from her body clearly indicated she was a Nascent Soul-level ghost creature.