Chapter 773: Vitality in the Forbidden Land

The Ghost Nether Sound could indeed affect most Martial Artists, and even ordinary Nine Heavens Martial Emperors might not have been able to resist it easily. However, as a Soul Refiner possessing the Divine Spirit Gaze, Ye Xuan was completely unaffected. He seized the opportunity, feigning unconsciousness to make the Ghost Ruler Emperor lower his guard, and immediately fled the battlefield.

But Ye Xuan knew he was still far from safe.

With his Concealing Breath Skill, it wasn’t difficult to evade his pursuer. However, the lingering bloodline aura of the brown-haired Martial Emperor he had killed was still on him. The Nine Heavens Martial Emperor had undoubtedly used this very aura to track him down.

‘What rotten luck. I thought Wukong Mountain Villa didn’t have any experts nearby, but who knew a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor would be right here.’

Ye Xuan was speechless at his own misfortune. His luck was just too awful.

Ye Xuan’s guess was correct. The Ghost Ruler Emperor had been busy and hadn’t entered the Ancient Demon Land. He had only recently arrived at Celestial Yin Valley to learn that the place had closed.

Just as he was preparing to prey on the Martial Artists who had come out, he sensed the death of Emperor Dingkong from his Wukong Mountain Villa. That was what led him to track down and find Ye Xuan.

‘With my current strength, killing a Tier Nine First Layer Peak Martial Emperor is utterly impossible. A Nine Heavens Martial Emperor and a Martial Emperor of my rank are on two completely different levels. Even if my cultivation broke through again, it would be useless.’

As Ye Xuan flew at top speed, his mind raced.

First, he was certain that he was no match for the Ghost Ruler Emperor.

Although he hadn’t used his trump cards like the Devouring Martial Soul or the Celestial Fire earlier, it was because he knew it would have been pointless.

The Ghost Ruler Emperor had already reached the Tier Nine First Layer Peak. Unlike an ordinary Nine Heavens Martial Emperor who had just entered Tier Nine, his mastery over his domain and his control of Martial Emperor power had reached a state of near perfection.

Within his opponent’s domain, his own Celestial Fire and Devouring Martial Soul would be suppressed. Furthermore, his Devouring Martial Soul was only at the six-star level; though its power was astonishing, its rank was ultimately too low.

As for the Endless Molten Flame, it was still incomplete and would have great difficulty incinerating a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor. If he played these two trump cards and failed to kill the Ghost Ruler Emperor, he would be truly finished if word got out.

Thus, if the Ghost Ruler Emperor had been an expert who had only just become a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor, Ye Xuan might have considered fighting back. But facing a Tier Nine First Layer Peak Martial Emperor, he could only flee.

However, Ye Xuan also knew that running forever was not a solution. As long as the bloodline aura remained on him, the Ghost Ruler Emperor would inevitably find him again.

Although Ye Xuan had expelled the Bloodline Power itself, its residual aura would linger for at least half a month. Half a month was more than enough time for the Ghost Ruler Emperor to catch up to him several times.

‘I have to think of a way!’

An idea flashed through Ye Xuan’s mind. In this moment of crisis, his mind grew exceptionally clear, and his heart became even more composed and calm.

An ordinary Martial Emperor facing the pursuit of a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor would be doomed. But he was different. He was the Carefree Soul Emperor in his past life, with astonishing attainments in all fields. Ye Xuan refused to believe that a mere Tier Nine First Layer Peak Martial Emperor could leave him utterly helpless.

‘A direct confrontation is definitely out of the question.’

‘So, I can only rely on an indirect approach.’

‘My mid-stage Eighth Grade Soul Power attainment?’

‘That could give me some leverage, but it’s unlikely to change the overall situation.’

‘My mid-stage Eighth Grade Alchemy attainment?’

Ye Xuan scanned his Storage Ring, which was fully stocked with all kinds of Spirit Medicines. ‘I could indeed concoct some Pills with astonishing effects, but to think they would allow me, a mere Tier Eight First Layer cultivator, to kill a Tier Nine First Layer Peak Martial Emperor… that’s just not possible.’

At that moment, Ye Xuan pushed his mind to its absolute limit. While flying, he constantly changed direction and trajectory, creating obstacles for the Ghost Ruler Emperor’s pursuit.

Several hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Ye Xuan’s expression was grim. He had considered many plans during this time, but aside from prolonging his struggle, he hadn’t found a single one that could truly turn the tables.

He was growing agitated.

WHOOSH!

A hazy black mist drifted past. Ye Xuan looked up. In his continuous flight, he had unknowingly arrived in the deeper parts of Celestial Yin Valley.

‘Celestial Yin Valley?’

Suddenly, as if a spark had ignited in his mind, Ye Xuan’s eyes lit up.

‘That’s right! How could I have forgotten? This is Celestial Yin Valley! The outer regions are just training grounds for Tier Seven Martial Kings and Tier Eight Martial Emperors, with few fatal dangers. But its depths are one of the Profound Domain’s most infamous forbidden zones.’

A look of delighted surprise appeared on Ye Xuan’s face as he grasped a faint glimmer of hope.

In his previous life, he had visited Celestial Yin Valley several times. He had even ventured into some of its perilous depths, escorted by a group of powerful Martial Emperors, so he knew exactly how terrifying it could be.

‘Ghost Ruler Emperor, is it? If you want to kill me, then be prepared to die yourself.’

A cold, ruthless smile flashed in his eyes. With a flicker of his body, Ye Xuan shot toward a specific location.

Hundreds of miles behind Ye Xuan, the Ghost Ruler Emperor was still in hot pursuit.

‘That brat… daring to enter the depths of Celestial Yin Valley? He must have a death wish.’ The Ghost Ruler Emperor gazed at the ever-thickening black mist, his expression dark. Then, he sneered, ‘But if a mere Martial Emperor like you dares to enter, why would I, a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor, hesitate? Even if we encounter danger, you’ll die long before I do.’

Sensing the location of the bloodline aura on Ye Xuan, the Ghost Ruler Emperor’s lips curled into a cold smile as he gave chase.

「Three days later.」

After the relentless pursuit, Ye Xuan finally stopped before a mountain hollow.

“Finally, I’ve arrived.”

Ye Xuan let out a breath. The past few days of constant escape had left him mentally exhausted. Fortunately, he had finally arrived safely at his destination: Jueyin Cave!

‘Follow me if you dare,’ Ye Xuan thought, casting a cold glance behind him before his figure flashed and disappeared into a cavern deep within the hollow.

The moment he entered the cave, Ye Xuan felt a distinct chill, as if he had stepped into an icehouse, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

Inside the cave, an unknown subterranean river flowed toward the unfathomable depths, filling the entire cavern. To proceed, one had to wade into its waters.

Ye Xuan cautiously stepped in. An intense cold instantly seeped up from the soles of his feet, making him feel as if he were freezing solid.

‘So cold.’

Ye Xuan couldn’t help but exhale, and the moisture in his breath instantly crystallized into ice particles in the air.

‘The Jueyin River is as terrifying as ever.’

This subterranean river was known as the Jueyin River, one of the most frightening hazards in Celestial Yin Valley. Its yin-cold was intense enough to freeze any living creature solid.

Furthermore, this was not merely a physical cold, but one that assaulted the soul itself, making it impossible to resist.

Many Martial Emperors had entered it in the past, only to have their souls frozen, perishing within its depths without a trace.

However, the water from the depths of the Jueyin River was an extremely precious material known as Jueyin Water. The deeper one went, the higher the grade of the water.

In his past life, Ye Xuan had come to Jueyin Cave precisely to find Tier Nine Jueyin Water, so he was well aware of its horrors.

SPLASH! SPLASH!

Amidst the sound of flowing water, Ye Xuan activated his Nine Revolutions Saint Body and slowly advanced into the depths of Jueyin Cave.

「A quarter of an hour later.」

SWOOSH!

A figure stopped at the entrance of Jueyin Cave.

‘That brat actually entered Jueyin Cave.’

A look of shocked horror appeared on the Ghost Ruler Emperor’s face.

He knew all too well how terrifying Jueyin Cave was; it had been the tomb for many Nine Heavens Martial Emperor experts. Legend had it that several thousand years ago, a Tier Nine Triple Peak Martial Emperor had entered to explore its secrets, only to never emerge again.

In his time, that individual had been an absolute top-tier existence, a renowned figure said to have already had one foot in the Saint Realm. Yet even he had perished inside, to say nothing of others.

Ever since, Jueyin Cave had been known as one of the most terrifying forbidden zones in the Profound Domain. No Martial Artist was willing to enter, with the sole exception of certain Soul Refiners and Alchemists seeking Jueyin Water.

But even so, these Soul Refiners and Alchemists only dared to collect some low-grade Jueyin Water from the river’s periphery. They would never dare to venture into the depths.

‘Do you think entering Jueyin Cave is enough to scare me? Ridiculous. A mere First Layer Martial Emperor like you probably won’t even make it a few hundred meters into the Jueyin River.’

After his initial shock, a mocking sneer appeared on the Ghost Ruler Emperor’s lips. With a flash, he entered Jueyin Cave.

SPLASH!

He followed the aura of the Bloodline Power and plunged into the subterranean river. The freezing chill made him shudder, but he gritted his teeth and pressed onward into the depths of the Jueyin River.

Jueyin Cave was pitch-black. The icy chill it emanated completely froze one’s Profound Sense. It was impossible to perceive anything beyond a few dozen meters with the naked eye.

The Ghost Ruler Emperor advanced quickly. After only the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, he saw Ye Xuan just a few dozen meters away, shivering violently.

“Haha, brat, you can’t hold on any longer, can you? To think you’d enter Jueyin Cave just to escape—you’ve walked right into a trap! Did you really think I wouldn’t dare follow you in here?”

Seeing Ye Xuan’s pathetic state, the Ghost Ruler Emperor roared with laughter, his face full of scorn.

When Ye Xuan saw the Ghost Ruler Emperor approaching, a panicked look appeared in his eyes. He shouted, “Ghost Ruler Emperor, it is better to be merciful when you can. Why must you be so aggressive?”

“Aggressive? Haha, you haven’t seen aggressive yet!” The Ghost Ruler Emperor’s eyes narrowed, his killing intent boiling. “Brat, you killed a disciple of my Wukong Mountain Villa. No one can save you today.”

Ye Xuan shouted angrily, “Ghost Ruler Emperor, stay back! If you come any closer, I’ll go deeper! This is Jueyin Cave, a forbidden zone of Celestial Yin Valley! Even a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor like you could die here from a single careless mistake!”