In the bright central hall of an underground palace, numerous members of the Ghost Tribe moved about. Each Ghost Tribe member was a grotesque sight—green-faced with long tusks, resembling hungry demons. Having spent ages in the deep earth, they possessed an intense aversion to light, which mirrored their inner nature: dark-hearted, brutal, and bloodthirsty.

Every single Ghost Tribe member was diminutive, standing only about as tall as a human child of ten, yet their divine bodies were remarkably resilient, inherently cold to the touch. Most of the profound mysteries they cultivated were also decidedly sinister and terrifying.

At this moment, a Ghost Tribe member at the Prime God realm strode into this underground palace arranged by the Dragon Lizard Clan. He eagerly rushed up to the leader overseeing this current affair and exclaimed loudly, "Lord Balago, I have vital news that must be useful to you!"

Within the hall, Balago of the Ghost Tribe, a cultivator at the Immortal Second Heaven realm, served as the minor chief for this delegation to the Dragon Lizard Clan—one of the elite experts under the command of the Ghost Ancestor.

His eyes were a dull, grayish-white, giving him an aura of profound stagnation. Hearing the report, he merely grunted impatiently, "I am on my way to meet the Soul Clan members. Report whatever news you have quickly; do not waste my time."

"My Lord, as per your instructions, I have been relentlessly seeking any miraculous treasure capable of controlling souls. In an area above us, where a collection of third-rate races gathers, I discovered members of the Heavenly Eye Clan were selling an 'Eye of Soul Bewilderment.' According to them, this eye can directly cloud the mind of an Immortal realm expert..."

The man rapidly explained the situation, looking expectantly toward Balago, asserting with confidence, "I tested it, my Lord. It is truly effective; I fell victim to it immediately. Unfortunately, I did not possess the cultivation exchange items they required, so I could not acquire it. I could only report it to Your Lordship."

"The Eye of Soul Bewilderment?" Balago paused, a surge of joy rising within him as he silently nodded.

He knew that the Heavenly Eye Clan members possessed innate marvels in their third eyes from birth—this wasn't merely a cultivated profound mystery, but an innate divine ability that could be enhanced as their realm ascended. Even after a Heavenly Eye Clan member died, the peculiar nature of the third eye could sometimes be preserved. Many among them used the magical remnants of their ancestors' third eyes to trade for specialized cultivation materials.

Balago was dispatched by the Ghost Ancestor specifically to cooperate with Singh. Singh had previously mentioned needing items capable of manipulating the mind, instructing Balago to keep an eye out. Singh had been explicit: if Balago secured a supreme treasure for mind control, his reward would be substantial. Singh was the Great Commander of the Soul Clan, commanding respect even from the Ghost Ancestor. Earning Singh’s favor guaranteed immense benefits.

A thought stirred in Balago’s mind, and his expression turned icy. "What are the cultivation realms of those Heavenly Eye Clan members? Did you ascertain their exact location?"

"Rest assured, my Lord, I have everything clearly mapped out. Only two of the three have broken through to the Immortal First Heaven; the remaining female is merely at the Third Heaven of the Prime God realm. Once Your Lordship makes an appearance, acquiring the Eye of Soul Bewilderment will be as easy as taking something from your own pocket, absolutely without complication!" the subordinate replied.

Balago considered this, figuring that a gathering point for third-rate powers wouldn't harbor any truly formidable individuals.

"Lead the way. We'll pay them a visit!" His eyes flicked dismissively toward two of his Immortal First Heaven subordinates standing nearby. "You two will accompany me."

Those two, completely subservient to him, immediately rose. The quartet departed from that location, heading directly toward the vicinity of Shi Yan and his companions.

Not long after, the four Ghost Tribe members, led by Balago, materialized directly before the entrance of Evelyn's stone cave. Nearby, several members of other races watched. Upon seeing the arrival of Balago, an Immortal Second Heaven expert, and recognizing him as a member of the notoriously vile Ghost Tribe, their faces instantly contorted in terror. They all beat a hasty retreat, keeping a wide berth, terrified of attracting trouble.

In this adjacent stellar region, the Ghost Tribe was universally dreaded. Living in the sunless depths, their perverse and murderous nature meant they would exact vengeance for any slight. The Ghost Tribe itself was not weak, and backed by the Soul Clan—their masters—they were a constant headache for many second-rate races. The Aquatic Clan, in particular, loathed the Ghost Tribe but feared the Soul Clan's influence, preventing any true confrontation; they usually had no choice but to swallow their pride in many matters.

The Dragon Lizard Clan here held the duty of maintaining order, but upon Balago’s appearance, the few Dragon Lizard members present reluctantly retreated into the depths of the stone cave, merely observing from the entrance. Among them was the Dragon Lizard who had warned Evelyn earlier. His face was grim as he shook his head. "They brought this upon themselves. I warned them. If they had left immediately when I suggested it, they wouldn't have been cornered by the Ghost Tribe now. Getting out will be impossible."

"Alas, if the Ghost Tribe weren't the running dogs of the Soul Clan, we would have wiped them out long ago!" another Dragon Lizard sighed, his face etched with indignation.

They knew the Ghost Ancestor was tasked with monitoring them. The Ghost Ancestor frequently visited the Dragon Lizard Clan, personally engaging the elders in conversation, urging them to ally with the Soul Clan sooner rather than later. The Dragon Lizard, Ghost, and Aquatic Clans bordered one another, leading to frequent minor skirmishes. Each time, the Ghost Tribe gained the upper hand by flaunting the Soul Clan's authority. Since the Dragon Lizard and Aquatic Clans were no match for the Soul Clan, they typically had to yield. Over time, this only fueled the arrogance of the Ghost Tribe; in recent years, they had become increasingly brazen, acting as though they were the undisputed overlords of the nearby territory. This was evident in their audacity to strike at Evelyn and her companions within the Dragon Lizard Clan's domain, openly disregarding the clan's rules.

This location was a hub for third-rate powers. Most of these races were no match for the Ghost Tribe and, aware of their infamous reputation, chose to step aside, daring not to look too closely. Even the Dragon Lizard Clan could only feign ignorance, turning a blind eye.

Of course, there were exceptions.

In a corner ahead of Shi Yan’s cave, near another stone entrance, stood Tu Shi Qi and Ya Yun. They had altered their appearances again. Ya Yun was back to her repulsive old crone form; Tu Shi Qi’s bald head was gone, replaced by a tangled mess of hair like wild weeds, his entire being filthy and utterly hideous.

They stood at the cave entrance, their eyes wide with astonishment.

"Isn't that the cave the two youngsters mentioned? Why have the Soul Clan’s lackeys, the Ghost Tribe, come knocking? Strange. Could it be that the affair between them and us was discovered by the Ghost Tribe so quickly?" Ya Yun muttered, thoroughly bewildered, before giving a cold snort. "If they dare to act recklessly, we will have no choice but to reveal our identities and eliminate them!"

When they battled Singh, the Ghost Ancestor was an accomplice. After Tu Shi Qi was severely wounded and fled into the Spatial Lock, Ya Yun had spirited away, laying low to avoid detection by any Ghost Tribe spies. During their journey to Dragon Lizard Star, she had been incessantly harassed by the Ghost Tribe, leaving her boiling with suppressed rage.

"Don't alert them unnecessarily," Tu Shi Qi cautioned, remaining exceptionally calm at this critical juncture. "The Dragon Lizard Clan outwardly maintains good relations with the Soul Clan. If our identities are exposed now, and the Dragon Lizards are unaware of Singh's scheme, they might join forces with Singh against us. That would completely derail our plan, and escaping Dragon Lizard Star safely would be difficult."

"But those two children are no match for the Ghost Tribe. I fear they will be instantly annihilated," Ya Yun worried.

A strange light flickered in Tu Shi Qi’s eyes, and he let out a low chuckle. "You underestimate that child too much. Someone who grasps the essence of Dark Energy so early is not so easily killed. Furthermore, his level of vital transformation surpasses even ours by a margin, and he wields power far exceeding martial artists of his level. It won't be easy for the Ghost Tribe to kill him."

Hearing this, Ya Yun froze. "You rarely speak so highly of anyone. Not even the most promising juniors in our clan have received such praise from you. Do you truly believe that he, only at the Prime God realm, can defeat an Immortal Second Heaven Ghost Tribe member? How is that possible?"

"Confrontation is impossible. But a tactical approach... there is a significant chance," Tu Shi Qi smiled, reassuring her. "Don't fret. We will observe the situation. If an unpredictable accident truly occurs, I will intervene immediately, dispatch the Ghost Tribe members, and then we will flee Dragon Lizard Star at maximum speed with the young couple in tow."

Taking a deep breath, Tu Shi Qi grew serious. "He is more important than Singh's life. Even if he doesn't become a Guest Elder for our clan in the future, simply establishing him as an Ancestor-level enemy for the Soul Clan would benefit us greatly. Heh heh, the people of the Desolate Domain are not as weak as the outside world imagines; some among them are impossibly strong, though few outsiders realize it."

"You have seen people from the Desolate Domain?" Ya Yun asked in surprise.

Tu Shi Qi shook his head. "I haven't, but our clan records mention a figure from the Desolate Domain long ago named Bloodthirster. He visited the Void Sea Domain briefly, which is why few know of him. However, one of our clan elders wrote extensively about this person, describing him as terrifyingly powerful—capable of bringing a devastating change to the entire Void Sea Domain. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, he appeared like a flash in the pan and left the Void Sea Domain swiftly."

"Capable of bringing epochal change to the Void Sea Domain? Surely that elder was exaggerating? Could a person named Bloodthirster really be that horrifying?" Ya Yun chuckled dismissively, thinking Tu Shi Qi was overstating things.

"I do not think he exaggerated. Because he stated that he fought against that person, and he believed himself to be slightly inferior!" Tu Shi Qi said solemnly.

"Perhaps that elder's own strength was insufficient?" Ya Yun pouted.

"Insufficient strength?" Tu Shi Qi gave a wry smile. "Do you know who that elder was?"

"Who?" Ya Yun was startled.

"Lord Heaven Shaker," Tu Shi Qi stated with profound reverence.

Ya Yun’s body shuddered, and she fell silent, utterly stunned. Heaven Shaker was one of the Ancestor-level powerhouses of the Profound Sky Clan today, known as the most ferocious among them, renowned throughout the Void Sea Domain for his fierce and untamed power—one of the ten most famous Ancestors whose names echoed across the sea. Across the vast, immense river of stars, although there were more than ten entities who had broken through to the Ancestor realm in countless domains, the top ten strongest would inevitably include Heaven Shaker of the Profound Sky Clan. The Ten Great Ancestors were universally acknowledged as beings whose profound mysteries had reached the apex, the absolute peak existence for experts of countless races.