Chapter 2765: Nine Netherworld Immortal Ye Haitang

Over the years, several family members have successively ascended to the Xuanyang Realm using the Flying Spirit Grand Array, and they all reported that Ye Haitang’s soul lamp had not extinguished.

Typically, when an immortal cultivator perishes, their soul lamp invariably extinguishes. However, an extinguished soul lamp does not necessarily mean the cultivator has perished.

The Xuanyang Realm is primarily divided into seven regions, along with some remote corners. Ye Haitang might have secretly traveled to a distant corner or another area. Since Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan are not widely known, it is understandable that Ye Haitang would not be aware of them.

Although the Wang family boasts over 100,000 members, only a few are truly close to Wang Changsheng, and Ye Haitang is one of them. Wang Changsheng had watched Ye Haitang grow up and had promised Wang Changyue to take good care of her. With Ye Haitang's whereabouts unknown, Wang Changsheng remains deeply worried.

He had purchased information from July Tower, but they were unable to provide any news about Ye Haitang. Ye Haitang is currently likely at the Void Refinement stage. For a cultivator at this level to make a name for themselves in the Xuanyang Realm, it is indeed quite challenging.

As long as Ye Haitang is alive, Wang Changsheng believes they will meet sooner or later. No matter how far apart they are or how long they have been separated, the bond of kinship cannot be broken.

***

In the southeastern part of the Xuanyin Continent, the Ash Toad Mountain Range stretches for hundreds of millions of miles. This was once the Ash Toad clan’s stronghold, but it has now been captured by the Azure Ape clan.

The Ash Toad clan, a staunch loyalist and subordinate species of the Lizard race, boasted as many as eight Integration cultivators. The Azure Ape clan, Thunder Ox clan, Snow clan, and several other smaller clans had to join forces, spending hundreds of years, to finally conquer the Ash Toad Mountain Range.

Deep within the mountain range, numerous buildings and a vast number of corpses were visible. Most of the fallen were members of the Ash Toad clan, though a small number of human cultivators could also be seen.

In a largely collapsed palace, a robust old man in golden robes was conversing with Qin Sen.

"Fellow Daoist Qin," the golden-robed elder said gravely, "We have captured the Ash Toad clan's stronghold. Can we rest for a while now?" He was Yuan Xin, the clan leader of the Azure Ape clan, at the mid-Integration stage.

"Of course," Qin Sen replied with a smile, "You won't need to participate in the upcoming battles, Fellow Daoist Yuan. However, you will need to send some of your clansmen to fight. I will report to the Sect Master and commend your contributions; Senior Martial Uncle Lin will surely be pleased."

The Human race only deployed a portion of their cultivators, primarily letting smaller clans like the Azure Ape take the lead against the Lizard race's subordinate species. They have already captured some territories. It seemed the Spiritfire clan and Yaksha clan had also coordinated with the Human race, having their own subordinate species engage the Lizard race's subordinates. The smaller clans led the assault, while the major powers watched from the sidelines, cheering them on and providing cultivation resources. There was no such thing as peaceful times; it was merely the subordinate races bearing the burden.

Yuan Xin agreed. While the Azure Ape clan had incurred significant losses in this major battle, their gains were substantial enough to be acceptable.

***

The Demon Realm, Fiery Demon Continent.

The Azure Falcon Mountain Range, stretching for hundreds of millions of miles, is located in the central part of the Fiery Demon Continent. It is home to many powerful demon beasts and abundant cultivation resources, attracting numerous cultivators who come here to hunt them. The Demon Realm is a plane dominated by the Demon race, though many other races also inhabit it.

From deep within the mountain range, a deafening roar echoed, shaking the earth and mountains. Various lights intersected, and waves of energy surged forth. A streak of green light shot out from the depths of the mountain range, moving at high speed.

A horrifying wail of ghosts rang out, spreading across a ten-thousand-mile radius. The streak of green light slowed down, revealing a corpulent old man in green robes. He had a round face, small eyes, a pale complexion, and a horrific bloody hole where his left arm should have been.

Ripples spread across the void above the green-robed elder's head, and a vortex hundreds of feet wide appeared out of thin air. A surge of intensely thick yin energy poured out, from which a pitch-black, hideous ghostly claw suddenly stretched forth, its ten fingers sharp and long, reaching for the green-robed elder.

The green-robed elder's face turned ashen with shock. He opened his mouth and spat out a shimmering green flying dagger, which flew towards the black ghostly claw. With a muffled thud, the green flying dagger shattered the black ghostly claw into pieces.

Ripples spread across the void in front of the green-robed elder, and a pitch-black giant palm appeared out of thin air. The entire palm was enveloped in black light, making it quite extraordinary. The moment the black giant palm appeared, the green-robed elder felt his body tighten, his breathing became difficult, and the void seemed to freeze.

The surroundings changed instantly, and the green-robed elder suddenly found himself on a vast bluestone plaza. Hundreds of graceful women in thin veils danced for him, performing various alluring movements.

"No, an illusion!" he exclaimed, realizing something. He felt an unbearable pain as the scene before him shifted. The black giant palm had shattered his protective spiritual light and struck his body. With a scream, the green-robed elder's body exploded into countless wisps of blood mist.

A miniature Nascent Soul, clutching the green flying dagger, flew upwards. After flying only a dozen miles, a colossal tower, shimmering with black light, appeared out of thin air and sprayed a stream of black light towards the miniature Nascent Soul. The miniature Nascent Soul tried to dodge, but a horrifying wail of ghosts rang out, and its eyes became dull. By the time it regained consciousness, the black light had already enveloped it, sweeping it into the colossal black tower, where it vanished.

Two streaks of light flew in from a distance. As the light receded, Ye Haitang and Fang Mu were revealed, both exuding a dense aura of malevolence.

Ye Haitang had switched to cultivating the "Nine Nether True Scripture," a technique that originated from the Nether Clan. The Nether Clan was a relatively powerful race in the Demon Realm, boasting as many as five Mahayana cultivators. However, their Grand Elder had incurred the sworn enmity of the Mystic Talisman Saint Ancestor, who then used great divine abilities to annihilate the Nether Clan, thus becoming renowned throughout the Demon Realm. After the Nether Clan was destroyed, many of their cultivation techniques and secret manuals circulated, including the "Nine Nether True Scripture," one of the clan's ten most powerful techniques.

The Heavenly Demon Palace's copy of the technique was incomplete, containing only the first twenty-one layers, which allowed cultivation up to the late Integration stage—an impressive feat nonetheless.

Ye Haitang and Fang Mu worked for the Heavenly Demon Palace, undertaking various missions to acquire cultivation resources. When a Void Refinement stage deacon of the Heavenly Demon Palace was killed during a mission, Ye Haitang and Fang Mu were ordered to investigate. It took them hundreds of years to finally locate the true culprit's hiding place and join forces to confront them.

Ye Haitang was a sixth-rank formation master who also cultivated the "Nine Nether True Scripture," possessing considerable divine abilities. She was widely known as the "Nine Nether Fairy" among cultivators and held a modest reputation within the Heavenly Demon Palace. Fang Mu had ten Spirit Transformation stage refined corpses and carried a coffin on his back, earning him the widespread moniker of "Heavenly Corpse Lord" among cultivators.

Ye Haitang was obsessed with formations and ghost-exorcism, holding no interest in romantic relationships. As for Fang Mu, even in the Demon Realm, he hadn't changed his old habits; he still loved collecting corpses, turning the bodies of demon beasts or enemies into formidable refined corpses for combat.

"Finally, we succeeded," Fang Mu said, letting out a relaxed breath and looking content. "We can report back now."

Ye Haitang nodded. She performed a hand seal, and the colossal black tower rapidly shrank, transforming into a streak of black light that vanished into her sleeve. They transformed into two streaks of light and flew towards the sky, returning to the Heavenly Demon Palace.