Chapter 6291 - 6295

…

Through the void passage, the three figures were enveloped by endless spatial power, flying towards the fifteenth heaven.

This wasn’t Kai’s first time traversing the void passage.

Last time, when traveling from the thirteenth to the fourteenth heaven, his palms sweated with nervousness, fearing the passage would suddenly collapse and he would fall into a spatial rift and be shattered to pieces.

But this time, his mindset was much calmer.

Perhaps it was because his strength had increased, or perhaps it was because—he had someone with him.

Yun Xi was on his left, black ghostly energy surging on her body, resisting the erosion of spatial power.

Her expression was calm, even somewhat expectant; after being away from the fifteenth heaven for so long, they were finally going back.

Jiang Xuelan was on his right, icy blue divine light flowing across her body, freezing spatial power into tiny ice crystals, then gently shattering them.

She closed her eyes, as if resting, or perhaps sensing something.

“What’s the fifteenth heaven like?” Kai asked.

Yunxi thought for a moment, “It’s more desolate and dangerous than the Fourteenth Heaven. The spiritual energy is denser, but the laws are also more stringent.

There, cultivators at the Upper Immortal Realm can barely protect themselves; only those at the True Immortal Realm can truly have a foothold.”

“Then how did you manage to get from the Fifteenth Heaven to the Fourteenth Heaven?” Kai asked.

Yunxi was silent for a moment, seemingly choosing her words carefully.

“The Ghost Clan was slaughtered by the God Clan. My people were either dead or scattered. We barely survived. For the future of the Ghost Clan, I could only place my hopes on the Gate of Reincarnation. Once the souls of the Ghost Clan cultivators trapped in the Reincarnation Division are released, then the Ghost Clan will have hope,” Yunxi said.

“I’ll try my best to help you, to contact Mr. Shi and get the Gate of Reincarnation,”

Kai sighed softly.

He knew that feeling; being chased and hiding was something Kai had also experienced.

He was all too familiar with that sense of powerlessness.

Yunxi glanced at him, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, but she didn’t speak.

Just then, Jiang Xuelan suddenly opened her eyes.

“Something’s wrong.”

Her voice was cold, so cold it seemed to lower the surrounding temperature.

Kai felt it too.

The void passage was vibrating.

Not the normal, slight tremors caused by natural fluctuations in spatial power, but a violent tremor forced by external interference.

Spatial fragments began to peel off the passage walls, emitting a piercing shriek.

“Someone’s interfering with the passage!”

Yun Xi’s expression changed drastically. “That’s impossible! Void passages are randomly torn apart, not fixed passages. How could someone interfere?”

Before she could finish speaking, a terrifying force crashed into the passage from the outer wall.

Boom!

The entire void passage twisted violently, spatial fragments scattering like a torrential rain.

Kai felt his body being torn apart by an irresistible force, Yun Xi and Jiang Xuelan growing further and further away.

” Kai!” Yun Xi’s voice came from afar, growing increasingly faint.

“Yun Xi! Jiang Xuelan!”

Kai desperately reached out, trying to grab something, but all around him were empty spatial fragments and endless darkness.

His body was swept up by the spatial storm, plummeting in an unknown direction.

During the fall, he sensed a trace of energy.

It was demonic energy.

Black, cold, and filled with endless malice.

He recognized it; it was Ning Zhi’s.

No, not exactly the same.

Ning Zhi’s demonic energy was pure black, while this energy also contained a trace of scorching heat, like magma.

Could it be the Flame Demon?

Thinking this, Kai’s heart trembled. If the Flame Demon wanted to attack him, his strength wouldn’t be enough!

Kai gritted his teeth, trying to steady himself, but the power of the spatial storm was too great.

His chaotic energy circulated wildly within him, purple light surging from his body, barely protecting his vitals.

Then, everything went black.

He lost consciousness.

…

Kai was awakened by a sharp pain.

He opened his eyes to an unfamiliar sky.

The sky was deep purple, with two suns hanging high, one golden and one silver.

Two suns shone simultaneously, dyeing the earth a strange golden-purple hue.

The spiritual energy in the air was at least ten times denser than in the Fourteenth Heaven, and its quality was purer and more substantial.

But Kai had no time to appreciate this.

Every part of his body ached.

The bones in his left arm seemed cracked, his right leg was sprained, and there was a wound on his chest, cut open by a spatial fragment, from which golden blood was still seeping.

Most of his chaotic power had been consumed, and several small cracks had appeared on the blade of his Dragon-Slaying Sword.

He struggled to sit up and looked around.

It was a wasteland.

The scorched, gray-black earth stretched to the horizon, barren of any vegetation.

The ground was covered with cracked ravines and weathered rocks, and the distant hills cast long shadows under the purple sky.

A faint smell of sulfur permeated the air, along with an indescribable stench of decay.

“Yun Xi? Jiang Xuelan?” he called out twice.

No one answered.

He had been swept away by the spatial storm.

Yun Xi and Jiang Xuelan were nowhere to be found.

Kai took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

Yun Xi was a member of the Ghost Clan; the Fifteenth Heaven was her homeland, and she should know how to survive.

Jiang Xuelan’s strength was unfathomable; there were only a handful of people in the entire Fifteenth Heaven who could harm her.

In comparison, he was the one who needed to worry.

He checked his injuries; they weren’t fatal, but they weren’t minor either.

With the regenerative abilities of his Golden Dragon bloodline, it would probably take two or three days to fully recover.

Just as he was about to find a place to heal, a sound suddenly came from afar.

It was the sound of metal clashing, mixed with shouts and screams.

A battle was taking place.

Kai hesitated for a moment, then stood up and walked towards the direction of the sound.

He wasn’t one to meddle, but this was the Fifteenth Heaven, and he knew nothing about it.

Finding a local to understand the situation was far better than blindly searching alone.

He walked for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, crossed a small hill, and saw the scene below.

Below the hill was a dry riverbed, where a one-sided massacre was unfolding.

On one side were warriors in black armor, about a dozen in number.

Their armor was tattered, covered in knife marks and bloodstains, and their weapons were varied—some wielded knives, some swords, and others spears.

They were protecting a group of elderly, weak, women, and children, huddled in a corner of the riverbed, trembling.

On the other side were cultivators in white robes, about thirty or forty in number.

Their white robes were embroidered with golden divine patterns, shimmering in the purple sunlight.

Their equipment was excellent, and their movements were perfectly synchronized, clearly indicating rigorous training.

Kai’s pupils contracted slightly; he recognized the divine patterns on those white robes.

Similar patterns appeared in the divine halls and palaces of the Fourteenth Heaven.

They were gods.

The black-armored warriors fought desperately, but they were too few in number and their strength was vastly inferior.

Leading them were several True Immortal Realm First-Rank warriors, while the opposing leader was a middle-aged man with a sinister expression, a True Immortal Realm Third-Rank.

A True Immortal Realm Ghost Clan warrior was surrounded by three God Clan cultivators, managing to cut down two with all his might, but was pierced through the chest by the third’s sword.

As he fell, he still clung tightly to the God Clan cultivator’s ankle, buying time for his clansmen to escape.

“Retreat! Retreat quickly!”

the old man in the black armor shouted.

His voice was hoarse and weary, but carried an undeniable authority.

As he shouted, he swung his sword to block an attack from a God Clan cultivator, then with a backhand strike, forced the cultivator back.

But his movements were noticeably slower; his left arm hung limply at his side, blood dripping from his fingertips, clearly indicating a serious injury.

The elderly, women, and children stumbled and swam towards the riverbed, but they were too slow.

A little girl of seven or eight years old was at the very back when she stumbled and fell to the ground.

A divine cultivator rushed forward, grabbed the little girl by the collar, and lifted her up.
“Let me go! Let me go!”

The little girl struggled desperately, kicking and biting, but her strength was like an ant trying to shake a tree before the divine cultivators.

“Stop!”

the old man roared, trying to rush over to save her, but two divine cultivators blocked his way, one with a sword and the other with a knife, forcing him to retreat repeatedly.

The middle-aged man leading the group slowly walked over, took the little girl from his companion, pinched her chin, and looked her up and down.

“A little brat from the Ghost Clan.”

His voice was cold, with a cruel, cat-and-mouse-like quality. “She’s quite good-looking. It’s a pity, the bloodline of the Ghost Clan doesn’t deserve to live.”

He raised his hand, a ball of golden light condensing in his palm, and slapped it towards the little girl’s head.

The little girl closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Grandpa… save me…”

“Xing Lie, stop…” the old man shouted at the middle-aged divine man.

But Xing Lie seemed not to hear him.

Just at this critical moment, a purple light pierced the darkness of the riverbed.

Before Xing Lie’s palm strike could land, he was blasted away by a terrifying force.

He tumbled several times in the air before crashing heavily into the riverbed’s rocky wall, creating a large crater.

Golden blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

“Who?!” he shouted sharply, his gaze sweeping towards the direction from which the light had come.

Kai stood on the hill, slowly withdrawing his hand.

His face was still somewhat pale, and his injuries hadn’t fully healed, but his eyes were as cold as knives.

“A human cultivator?”

Xing Lie recognized Kai, paused for a moment, then sneered, “A human cultivator, you dare interfere in the affairs of the gods? Do you know who we are?”

“No.” Kai walked down the hill, each step steady, “and I don’t want to know.”

Xing Lie’s eyes narrowed.

He sensed something unsettling about this human cultivator who appeared to be only at the Upper Immortal Realm.

“I advise you not to meddle in other people’s business,”

Xing Lie’s voice lowered. “The Divine Clan’s Judgment Hall is handling matters; idlers should stay away. If you know what’s good for you, you can still leave now.”

Kai ignored him.

He walked to the little girl’s side, squatted down, and softly asked, “Are you alright?”

The little girl opened her eyes, saw Kai’s face, and burst into tears, throwing herself into his arms.

“Don’t be afraid.” Kai patted her back, stood up, and shielded her behind him.

Then, he looked at Xing Lie.

“Get lost.”

Only one word, but the killing intent contained in that word made the Divine Clan cultivators behind Xing Lie involuntarily take a step back.

Xing Lie’s face turned ashen.

“You’re courting death!”

He waved his hand, “Kill him!”

Thirty or forty Divine Clan cultivators attacked simultaneously, golden holy light surging towards Kai like a tide.

Kai raised his right hand, purple chaotic power condensing in his palm.

He didn’t use the Dragon Slayer Sword; the Dragon Slayer Sword had been damaged in the spatial storm, and he didn’t want to add to its burden.

He simply clenched his fist and then unleashed a punch.

The purple fist energy, like a shooting star, trailed a long, fiery tail as it crashed into the golden tide of holy light.

Boom!

The golden holy light was like paper before the purple chaotic power, torn apart, devoured, and annihilated layer by layer.

Wherever the fist energy passed, the divine cultivators fell like wheat being harvested.

Some were blasted away, some had their protective holy light shattered, and some were directly stunned.

In less than three breaths, thirty or forty divine cultivators lay on the ground.

Xing Lie’s expression finally changed.

“You…who are you?”

His voice trembled, “Immortal Realm…this is impossible…”

Kai did not answer.

He took a step forward, his figure like a purple lightning bolt, instantly appearing in front of Xing Lie.

Xing Lie was shocked and exerted all his strength to activate his holy light, the golden light condensing into a thick light shield in front of him.

Kai punched the light shield.

Crack!

The light shield shattered.

The second punch struck Xing Lie’s chest.

*Pfft…

* Xing Lie spat out a mouthful of golden blood, his body sent flying again, crashing into a boulder on the riverbed.

He struggled to his feet, the fear in his eyes impossible to conceal.

“Retreat!” he hissed, “Retreat quickly!”

The surviving divine cultivators helped him, and they scrambled away.

Silence returned to the riverbed.

Kai turned to look at the ghost warriors and the elderly, women, and children.

They were looking at him with complex expressions.

There was gratitude, surprise, but mostly a cautious wariness.

Like a small animal wounded countless times, hesitant to trust anyone’s kindness.

The leading elder struggled to his feet, walked to Kai, and bowed deeply.

“Thank you for saving my life, my benefactor.” His voice was hoarse and weary. “I am Youying, an old servant from Youyue Kingdom.”

Kai helped him up. “No need for formalities. You are badly injured, please sit down and talk.”

Youying shook his head. “It’s nothing, just superficial wounds. But you, my benefactor…”

He looked at Kai’s pale face and the unhealed wounds on his body, a trace of guilt flashing in his eyes.

“My benefactor aggravated his injuries while saving us. This old man…”

“I said no need for formalities.” Kai interrupted him. “I was just passing by and couldn’t bear to see it.”

He paused, then asked, “Are you the Ghost Clan? Were those who were chasing you the God Clan?”

Youying nodded, a trace of hatred flashing in his eyes. “The people of the God Clan’s Judgment Hall. They have been chasing our Ghost Clan for thousands of years. My people… are either dead or scattered, and now only these old, weak, and disabled remain.”

His voice grew softer and softer, until it was almost a muttering to himself.

Kai was silent for a moment.

He recalled Yunxi’s words: the gods, under the guise of “eliminating evil,” had launched a massacre against the ghost race.

Less than one in ten ghosts survived, the survivors hiding in various places.

So these were Yunxi’s people.

“Where are you going?” Kai asked.

Youying said, “We’re going back to Youyue Kingdom, the last hiding place for the ghost race. Deep in the Youming Mountains, the gods haven’t found it yet.”

He glanced at the elderly, women, and children behind him and smiled bitterly: “There were originally over three hundred of us, but we were hunted down all the way, and now only these are left.”

The little girl still clung to Kai’s leg, refusing to let go.

Tears still clung to her face, but she had stopped crying, only looking at Kai with her bright black eyes, as if afraid he would disappear.

Youying looked at the little girl and sighed: “This is Xiaoyou, her parents… in that battle just now…”

He didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.

Kai looked down at the little girl and reached out to pat her head.

“Your name is Xiaoyou?”

The little girl nodded, her voice soft, “Yes.”

“Where’s your grandfather?”

Xiaoyou’s eyes reddened again, “Grandpa… Grandpa protected me…”

She couldn’t continue, burying her face in Kai’s legs, her shoulders shaking.

Kai didn’t ask any more questions.

He was silent for a moment, then said to Youying, “I’ll take you back.”

Youying was taken aback, “My benefactor, how could I accept this…”

“Just call me Kai.”

Kai interrupted him, “Besides, I have a friend who is also a ghost. She was swept away by the spatial storm, and she might be nearby. I’ll take you back and look for her.”

Youying’s eyes suddenly lit up, “A friend? Also a ghost?”

Kai nodded, “Her name is Yunxi.”

Youying’s body trembled violently.

“Yunxi… Princess?”

His voice was trembling, “You know Princess Yunxi?”

“Yes!” Kai nodded.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Youying burst into tears: “Princess Yunxi is the princess of our Youyue Kingdom! She is the daughter of King Yunquan!

Princess Yunxi left some time ago, saying she was going to find the Gate of Reincarnation, and there has been no news of her since. The king is still worried about her…”

He grabbed Kai’s arm, his voice trembling: “My benefactor, is the princess… is she still alive?”

Kai nodded: “She is alive. She got separated from me in the spatial storm, but she should be out of danger.”

Youying knelt down, tears streaming down his face: “Heaven has eyes… Heaven has eyes…”

The ghost warriors, the elderly, women, and children behind him, upon hearing the news that Princess Yunxi was still alive, also knelt down. Some cried, some laughed, and some murmured to themselves.

Kai helped them up one by one: “Get up, don’t kneel. When we return to Youyue Kingdom, I will find a way to find her.”

Youying wiped away his tears and nodded repeatedly: “Okay, okay. My benefactor… no, Mr. Kai, let’s set off now. Youyue Kingdom is deep in the Youming Mountains, two days’ journey away.”

Kai nodded, bent down, and picked up Xiaoyou.

Little You nestled on his shoulder, her tiny hands clutching his clothes tightly, and soon fell asleep.

The group headed towards the Netherworld Mountains.

Behind them, the winds of the wasteland whipped up gray-black sand, slowly burying the bloodstains and traces of battle on the riverbed.

Under the purple sky, two suns shone brightly, casting long, long shadows.

Two days later, Kai and his group finally arrived at the Netherworld Mountains.

This was a mountain range shrouded in black mist, with steep peaks, deep valleys, and strangely shaped rocks and unknown plants everywhere.

The black mist flowed through the mountains, blocking out the sunlight and shrouding the entire mountain range in darkness.

“This is the Netherworld Mountains

,” Youying said softly. “It’s shrouded in ghostly energy year-round, and outsiders easily lose their way. Our ghost race has hidden here for thousands of years, and the gods have never been able to find our exact location.”

Kai nodded and followed Youying into the black mist.

Youying knew the terrain intimately, leading the group through the mountains, avoiding all traps and dangerous areas.

After about two hours, they arrived at a massive mountain gate.

The gate was natural, forming a natural archway between two mountain peaks, behind which lay a deep valley.

The rock walls on both sides of the valley were covered with ancient runes, emitting a faint blue light.

“These runes were left by our ancestors,”

Ghost Shadow explained. “They can block outside detection and also resist the holy light of the gods.”

Passing through the canyon, the view suddenly opened up.

This was an ancient underground city.

Built against the mountainside, layer upon layer, it stretched from the bottom of the canyon deep into the mountainside.

The buildings were constructed of a black stone, ancient and heavy, still showing traces of its former glory despite the passage of time.

But that glory was long gone.

Now, the ancient city was dilapidated, with collapsed buildings and dried blood everywhere.

Countless marks from attacks adorned the city walls, some places still bearing the scorch marks of holy light.

Several Ghost warriors stood at the city gate, wearing the same black armor as Ghost Shadow and his companions, but looking far more weary and haggard.

Seeing Youying return, a young warrior ran over: “Elder Youying! You’re back!”

His gaze fell on Kai, instantly turning wary: “This is…”

“One of us,” Youying said. “He’s a friend of the princess, he saved us.”

“The princess?” The young warrior’s eyes widened. “Princess Yunxi?” ”

The princess is alive.” Youying’s voice choked slightly. “This Mr. Kai is the princess’s friend.”

The news spread, and the ancient city was in an uproar.

Ghosts poured out from all directions, surrounding Kai, bombarding him with questions about Yunxi.

“Is the princess really alive?”

“Is she alright?”

“When will she return?”

Kai was surrounded, unsure of whose questions to answer.

Just then, a deep voice came from behind the crowd.

“Make way.”

The crowd parted automatically, making way.

A tall, middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd.

He wore a long black robe, his face was gaunt, his eyes sunken, and his temples were already gray.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was etched with the marks of time and hatred. Even in his exhaustion and haggard state, he still possessed an aura that commanded respect.

His gaze lingered on Kai for a long time.

Then, his eyes widened suddenly.

“You… carry Xi’er’s aura.”

Kai looked at the haggard middle-aged man, a complex emotion welling up within him. “Are you Yun Xi’s father?”

The middle-aged man nodded, his voice hoarse: “I am Yun Quan. The ruler of Youyue Kingdom.”

He walked up to Kai, scrutinizing him from head to toe, his eyes filled with indescribable emotions—concern, pain, and a sliver of hope suppressed for too long.

“Xi’er… is she still alive?”

Kai nodded: “Alive. She was swept away by the spatial storm, and we don’t know where she landed. But I assure you, she is still alive.”

Yun Quan’s body trembled slightly.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the tears in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a heavy, resolute determination.

“Come in.” He turned and walked deeper into the ancient city. “Tell me, what exactly happened?”

In the council hall of the ancient city, Yun Quan sat in the main seat, listening to Kai recount his journey from the fourteenth to the fifteenth heaven.

When he heard about Yun Xi’s experiences in the fourteenth heaven, his brows furrowed and relaxed intermittently.

When he heard that the void passage had been interfered with and the three of them had been separated by the spatial storm, his expression darkened.

“Mr. Chen, could you tell me if Xi’er obtained the Gate of Reincarnation?” Yun Quan asked.

Kai shook his head and then recounted the situation regarding the Gate of Reincarnation to Yun Quan.

When he learned that obtaining the Gate of Reincarnation was not guaranteed, Yun Quan’s expression turned very grim.

“The Reincarnation Bureau is a place where the souls of our Ghost Clan cultivators transition.”

“Its purpose is to house and protect the souls of Ghost Clan cultivators who died in war.”

“For tens of thousands of years, the Reincarnation Bureau has been the place where the souls of hundreds of millions of Ghost Clan cultivators have been reincarnated and reborn…”

“But in the last few hundred years, for some reason, the souls within the Reincarnation Bureau have been unable to leave; tens of thousands of Ghost Clan cultivators’ souls are trapped there.”

His voice grew heavy: “If these souls could be released, the Ghost Clan would have hope for revival.”

“Is there any other way?” Kai asked.

Yun Quan remained silent for a moment.

“Yes, but it’s very difficult.”

Yun Quan sighed softly. “Ancient texts record that as long as three supreme treasures are collected and the Netherworld Lamp is lit, the Path of Reincarnation can be opened, releasing all trapped souls.

The three supreme treasures are the Netherworld Lamp, the Core of Reincarnation, and the Soul-Guiding Fire. Unfortunately, the Ghost Clan has been hunted down for so many years, and these three supreme treasures have been lost; their whereabouts are unknown.” ”

However, there are rumors that the Netherworld Lamp is in the hands of the God Clan’s Judgment Hall, the Core of Reincarnation is in the hands of the Demon Clan’s Shadow Hall, and the Soul-Guiding Fire is in the hands of the Beast Clan’s Heavenly Wolf Tribe.”

“With our current strength, we can barely protect ourselves, let alone collect these three supreme treasures.”

“As long as there’s another way, that’s fine.” Kai breathed a sigh of relief.

If the only option was the Gate of Reincarnation, Kai was truly in a dilemma. He couldn’t contact Mr. Shi; did he have to risk his life again?

Perhaps Mr. Shi would appear when he was about to die.

But Kai didn’t want to do that. Since there was another way, that was fine!

“I beg you, help us.” Yun Quan looked at Kai, his face full of pleading.

Kai remained silent for a long time.

He wasn’t a saint and didn’t want to get involved in the messy grudges of the Heavenly Realm.

But he had to deal with the matter of the Ghost Clan, for Yun Xi and for Ming Li.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you.” Kai nodded. “Not for the Ghost Clan, but for Yun Xi.”

Yun Quan was taken aback when he heard Kai say this and looked him over.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn’t.

Then he only said, “Thank you.”

Kai smiled slightly: “Don’t thank me. You should still send someone to look for Yun Xi, and my other friend Jiang Xuelan.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Chen. I’ve already sent people. Since you’re here, Xi’er and the others can’t be too far away. The opening of the void passage also has its limitations.”

Kai breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

He stood up, walked to the entrance of the council hall, and looked at the dim sky outside.

Purple sunlight shone through the black mist, dyeing the ruins of the ancient city in an eerie color.

Outside the council hall, Xiao You, holding a tattered rag doll, sat on the steps waiting.

Seeing Kai come out, she ran over and grabbed his sleeve.

“Uncle Chen, are you leaving?”

Kai squatted down, looking into her eyes: “No. I’ll take you home.”

Xiao You’s tears flowed again, but this time she didn’t cry out loud, only nodding vigorously.

“Okay.”

Kai picked her up and walked deeper into the ancient city.

Behind him, Yun Quan stood at the entrance of the council hall, watching Kai’s back, motionless for a long time.

“Xi’er, this Kai, is he related to you…” he murmured.

Then, he turned and walked into the council hall.

Kai carried Xiao You as they walked for a while through the ancient city.

Xiao You nestled on his shoulder, her small hands gripping his clothes tightly, her breathing gradually becoming steady.

She was asleep, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes, but a slight smile played on her lips, as if she were having a sweet dream.

Kai slowed his pace, not wanting to wake her.

The streets of the ancient city were narrow, the buildings huddled together, their walls covered with ancient ghostly runes.

Some runes had faded, while others still emitted a faint blue light, like fireflies flickering in the darkness.

The ghostly cultivators they encountered on the road stopped, looking at Kai with complex expressions.

There was gratitude, curiosity, but mostly awe.

They had heard about what had happened on the riverbed: a human cultivator, at the Upper Immortal Realm, had repelled a True Immortal Realm third-grade divine race adjudicator with a single punch.

Just who was this young man?

“Mr. Chen,”

Youying caught up from behind, panting, “I’ll take you to your lodgings. The King said you are a distinguished guest of our Youyue Kingdom and has arranged the best room for you.”

Kai nodded and followed Youying through several streets to a relatively intact stone hall.

The stone hall wasn’t large, but it was very clean.

Two ghost warriors stood guard at the entrance, and immediately straightened their backs when they saw Kai approaching.

“This was the princess’s former residence,”

Youying pushed open the door, his voice tinged with emotion, “After the princess left, the King had it cleaned, saying he was waiting for her to return. Please rest here for now, and when we find the princess…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: once Yunxi was found, this would be her home.

Kai entered the stone hall, which was simply furnished.

There was a stone bed, a stone table, a few stone chairs, and a painting hanging on the wall.

The painting depicted a young woman with delicate features, whose eyes and brows bore a resemblance to Yunxi.

“That was the Queen Mother,”

Youying said softly. “Many years ago… she died at the hands of the gods.”

Kai was silent for a moment, then gently placed Xiaoyou on the stone bed and covered her with a thin blanket.

Xiaoyou turned over, mumbled something, and fell into a deep sleep again.

“Mr. Chen, please rest. I’ll go prepare some cultivation resources for you.” Youying said, turning to leave.

“Wait a moment.”

Kai called after him, “Elder Youying, I want to ask you something.”

Youying stopped. “Mr. Chen, please speak.”

“How many people are there in the Ghost Clan?”

Youying was silent.

He stood at the door, his back to Kai, his shoulders trembling slightly.

After a long time, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper was being rubbed.

“Originally… there were tens of millions.”

He said, “Thousands of years ago, the gods began to slaughter us. Ghost Clan cultivators began to die, flee, or escape to the lower realms.”

“I don’t know exactly how many Ghost Clan members are left in the entire Heavenly Realm now, but we…”

Youying paused, looking at Kai, his eyes reddening.

“Now, in the Youyue Kingdom, there are fewer than three hundred people who can wield weapons. The old, weak, women, and children combined number less than a thousand. A thousand… Mr. Chen, our Youyue Kingdom once had a population of one hundred thousand, and now only a thousand remain.”

His voice trembled.

“We are not demons. We are simply… born ghosts. We cultivate ghost energy because of our bloodline. We don’t harm or kill; we only want to live peacefully.

But the gods say we are demons, that we pollute the spiritual energy of the heavens, that our existence is a desecration of the heavens.”

“They kill our men, steal our women, and throw our children into the fire to burn them. They say this is purifying the heavens.”

Youying’s tears finally fell.

“Mr. Chen, what did we do wrong?”

Kai remained silent.

He didn’t know how to answer this question.

He thought of the humans and demons of the Celestial Realm, of the innocent people slaughtered indiscriminately because of their race.

He thought of Dashi Village, of the villagers slaughtered by the demons.

This world had never changed.

“Elder Youying,” Kai’s voice was soft, “I will help you.”

Youying looked up at him, her eyes blurred with tears.

“Not for any grand cause, nor for the revival of any race,”

Kai said, “but simply because it shouldn’t be like this. You shouldn’t be treated like this.”

“One day, I will establish a completely equal celestial realm, even a universe, without classes.”

“Regardless of race, all should live together equally, and intermarriage between races is permissible, without any distinction of rank.”

Youying opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he only bowed deeply.

Then he turned and left. He knew Kai’s idea was good, but what use was it?

The way of Heaven is such, and who can defy the laws of Heaven?

Kai sat down by the stone bed, looking at Xiaoyou’s peaceful sleeping face, a complex emotion welling up inside him.

This child, her parents are dead, her grandfather is dead.

She is only a few years old, yet she already knows what loss is, what fear is.

But she is still smiling.

She smiled when she was in his arms.

Perhaps that is why he was willing to help them.

It wasn’t for any grand cause, not because of any promise, it was simply because…

a child smiled in your arms, and you wanted to protect her.

That’s all.

Kai had just closed his eyes to rest when a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside.

“Quick! Quick!”

“Assemble! Everyone assemble!”

“Take the children to the basement! Quick!”

Kai abruptly opened his eyes and jumped out of bed.

Xiao You was woken up, rubbing her eyes as she sat up, asking groggily, “Uncle Chen, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Kai patted her head. “You wait here, Uncle will go check.”

He strode out of the stone hall and saw chaos on the streets outside.

Ghost warriors were running, some towards the city gate, others towards the city wall.

Elders were carrying children to the basement, women were gathering supplies, and everyone’s face was etched with tension and fear.

Kai’s heart sank.

Had the gods attacked?

He grabbed a ghost warrior who ran past him and asked, “What happened?”

The warrior recognized Kai and quickly said, “Mr. Chen, the king sent me to invite you. He’s waiting for you at the city gate!”

Kai followed the warrior through the chaotic streets to the city gate.

Yun Quan was standing on the city wall, looking at the distant sky.

His face was even paler than yesterday, but his eyes were bright, almost frighteningly so.

“King Yun Quan, what happened?” Kai walked up to the city wall and asked.

Yun Quan turned to look at him, his expression grave.

“Mr. Chen, we found her. We found Xi’er.”

Kai was stunned: “Found her?”

“Yes.” Yun Quan pointed to a ghost cultivator on the city wall, “We just received news that our scouts discovered Xi’er’s aura in the eastern section of the Netherworld Mountains. She… she’s still alive.”

Kai’s heart skipped a beat: “Where is she?”

Yun Quan turned around and pointed east.

“Heavenly Fire Pit.”
“What is the Heavenly Fire Pit?” Kai asked.

Yun Quan didn’t answer immediately.

He was silent for a moment, then walked down the city wall and led Kai to a stone hall in the center of the ancient city.

Three large characters were carved on the door of the stone hall: “Scripture Repository.”

“This place stores tens of thousands of years of records and texts of the Ghost Clan.”

Yun Quan pushed open the door and led Kai inside.

The interior of the stone hall was much larger than the exterior. Rows of stone shelves were filled with jade slips and ancient books. Some jade slips were already dim, and some ancient books were yellowed and brittle.

Normally, such a place would be the most secret place of every race, and outsiders would never be allowed to enter.

But now, Yun Quan had actually brought Kai here, showing his trust in him.

Yun Quan walked to the innermost stone shelf and took down a dark red jade slip.

“The records of the Heavenly Fire Pit are here.”

He pressed the jade slip to his forehead, and it glowed faintly.

After a moment, he handed the jade slip to Kai.

“Take a look for yourself.”

Kai took the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense.

The information from the jade slip flooded in like a tidal wave.

Tens of thousands of years ago, a celestial fire descended from the sky, landing on the eastern section of the Netherworld Mountains.

This celestial fire was no ordinary flame.

The instant it struck, it smashed a mountain range tens of thousands of feet high, creating a crater

thousands of miles in diameter. Rocks melted, the earth cracked, and all living beings within a radius of tens of thousands of miles were reduced to ashes in that instant.

The celestial fire did not extinguish.

It burned in the crater for tens of thousands of years, never extinguished.

No one had ever witnessed the aura of the flames within the crater, hence the name “celestial fire.”

This celestial fire possessed its own will, its own anger, and its own hunger.

It would devour any living being that approached it, then turn their souls into new fuel, making the flames burn even brighter.

There was also a creature in the crater… the Celestial Fire Beasts.

They were ferocious beasts that naturally formed within the crater after the celestial fire descended.

Their bodies were formed from condensed flames, and each possessed strength above the True Immortal Realm.

They guarded the Celestial Fire Crater, attacking any living being that approached.

For tens of thousands of years, cultivators at the fifteenth level of the Heavenly Realm had avoided the Celestial Fire Crater.

No one dared approach, no one dared fly overhead.

A True Immortal of the fifth rank had once attempted to explore the secrets of the Heavenly Fire Pit, but never returned.

The Heavenly Fire Pit was the most dangerous place in the Fifteenth Heaven.

Without a doubt.

Kai finished reading the records in the jade slip and remained silent for a long time.

Then he raised his head and looked at Yun Quan.

“Yun Xi and Jiang Xuelan are in the Heavenly Fire Pit?”

Yun Quan nodded, his face ashen.

“The scouts reported that they are trapped on the edge of the Heavenly Fire Pit. They are injured and still being attacked by Heavenly Fire Beasts. They can’t get out of the Heavenly Fire Pit, and those outside can’t get in either.”

“But…” He paused, his voice becoming even lower, “They are still alive. The scouts could sense Xi’er’s aura; although it was weak, she was indeed still alive.”

Kai stood up and placed the jade slip back on the stone shelf.

“I’ll go.”

Yun Quan looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, “Mr. Chen, the Heavenly Fire Pit…”

“I know.” Kai interrupted him, “But I must go.”

He didn’t say why.

But Yun Quan understood.

It wasn’t for any grand cause, nor for any promise.

It was simply because there were people there he needed to protect.

That was all.

Yun Quan remained silent for a long time.

Then, he did something that surprised Kai: he knelt down on one knee.

“Mr. Chen, on behalf of the Youyue Kingdom and the Ghost Clan, I beg you for something.”

Kai quickly helped him up: “What are you doing? Get up and speak!”

Yun Quan didn’t get up.

“Xi’er is my daughter, the princess of the Youyue Kingdom. She’s been disobedient since she was little, always running away, always making me worry.

During the time she was gone, I thought I would never see her again. Now she’s back, but she’s trapped in the Heavenly Fire Pit.”

His voice trembled, his eyes were red, but he didn’t let the tears fall.

“I, as her father, am useless. I can’t defeat the God Clan, I can’t protect my people, and now I can’t even save my own daughter. I can only… I can only beg you.”

He raised his head and looked at Kai.

“Mr. Chen, please bring Xi’er back.”

Kai looked at him.

This man, tormented by hatred for thousands of years, this man who had lost his wife, lost his people, lost almost everything.

He wasn’t the ruler of Youyue Kingdom, nor the leader of the Ghost Clan; he was simply a father.

A father worried about his daughter.

“I’ll bring her back,” Kai said.

Yun Quan’s tears finally fell.

The news spread, and the entire Youyue Kingdom was in an uproar.

It wasn’t fear, nor retreat, but a long-suppressed determination finally erupting.

“The princess is trapped in the Heavenly Fire Pit!”

“We must go save her!”

“Your Majesty, let me go!”

“Me too! My life was saved by the princess!”

Below the city wall, hundreds of Ghost Clan warriors gathered. Though their armor was worn and their weapons uneven, a fire burned in every one of their eyes.

Yun Quan stood on the city wall, looking at these people, her eyes red-rimmed.

“Brothers,”

his voice was hoarse, yet it resonated in everyone’s ears like the tolling of a bell, “I know she is your princess, my daughter, the hope of our Youyue Kingdom.”

“She is trapped in the Heavenly Fire Pit, injured, and besieged by Heavenly Fire Beasts. You all know what the Heavenly Fire Pit is. This trip might not be a return.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across each face.

“I will not force you. Those who wish to go, stand on the right.”

No one moved.

Then…

everyone stepped forward simultaneously, standing in unison on the right.

Yunquan’s lips trembled.

“You…”

An old warrior stepped forward, a scar running from his brow bone to his chin, a mark left many years ago during the pursuit of the gods.

“Your Majesty, have you forgotten?”

His voice was calm. “If it weren’t for the princess holding off the gods’ pursuers, we would all be dead long ago. The princess saved our lives. Now that she is in danger, if we cower in the back, would we still deserve to be called the Ghost Clan?”

“Yes!” another young warrior shouted. “What do we care about the Heavenly Fire Pit! Even if it’s the eighteen levels of hell, we’ll go!”

“Save the princess!”

“Save the princess!”

The shouts rose like a tide, wave after wave.

Kai stood on the city wall, watching this scene, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

This was the Ghost Clan.

Hunted for thousands of years, slaughtered millions, the Ghost Clan, hiding in the darkness, barely surviving.

They were poor, weak, exhausted, and desperate, but when their princess was in danger, they stood up.

Without hesitation, without retreat.

Yun Quan took a deep breath and nodded vigorously.

“Alright. Let’s go then. Everyone, take your best weapons and all the elixirs. We’ll depart in an incense stick’s time!”

The ghost warriors responded with a roar and turned to prepare.

Kai walked to Yun Quan’s side and whispered, “Your Majesty, I have a request.”

Yun Quan looked at him: “Please speak, Mr. Chen.”

“Once we reach the Heavenly Fire Pit, let me go in first. You all wait outside.”

Yun Quan’s expression changed: “How can that be…”

“The Heavenly Fire Beasts in the Heavenly Fire Pit are too much for ordinary ghost warriors to handle.”

Kai interrupted him, “Your going in will only increase casualties. I’ll go in alone, find Yun Xi and Jiang Xuelan, and bring them out.”