The Great Winged Warship and the Desolate Spirit Warship chased across the vast ocean. Unsurprisingly, the Desolate Spirit Warship rapidly closed the distance due to its extreme speed, bringing the two vessels within mere dozens of li of each other.
Ye Qin could already distinctly feel the aura of the Desolate Spirit Ghost Lord growing stronger. However, as a cultivator at the eighth layer of the Nascent Soul realm, Ye Qin was no longer the weakling he once was; the Ghost Lord’s oppressive might had almost no effect on him.
Ye Qin stood at the stern, gazing coldly behind him at the increasingly clear spectral figure looming on the prow of the Desolate Spirit Warship.
The Ghost Lord also stood motionless at the head of his ship, his face sullen as he watched Ye Qin on the Great Winged Warship. He felt deeply unsettled. When he first encountered this brat, he was only at the Golden Core stage. After hunting him down several times, only to have him escape thanks to the Saint Emperor, the brat had now actually reached the late Nascent Soul realm, nearly on par with the Ghost Lord himself. Yet, the Ghost Lord remained stuck at the late Nascent Soul stage, his cultivation showing no progress whatsoever.
But, all of this brat’s good fortune ended here. He commanded over a hundred Nascent Soul level Ghost Cultivators, their collective power reaching an absolute zenith. Even the Saint Emperor himself would be no match for him here. Capturing a mere late Nascent Soul cultivator would be utterly effortless.
“Brat, you run quite fast! You’re heading south, trying to escape to the Southern Demon Continent? I presume you carry all your top-tier spiritual treasures with you!”
The figure of the Ghost Lord, cloaked in black robes, flickered in and out of the ghostly mist. Confident of victory, he was in no hurry, speaking with a chilling tone.
“Ghost Lord, why have you pursued me time and again? What exactly do you want!”
Ye Qin feigned ignorance. Though the pursuit and evasion between them was clear to both sides, they had never truly exchanged words.
“Hand over that Ice Lotus Seed you obtained from the Desolate Spirit Ruins, and I will spare your life! Otherwise, I will personally send you on your way, refine your physical bodies into Corpse Ghosts, and have your souls scorched by Yin Fire for a thousand years... My terms have been set. Believe them or not, it is up to you.”
The Ghost Lord stated coldly. He surmised that since Ye Qin was trying to reach the Southern Demon Continent, he would have the Ice Lotus Seed on his person rather than hidden elsewhere. If he could coerce Ye Qin into handing it over himself, that would be best.
“Husband, he is trying to trick us! If we give him the Ice Lotus Seed, he will attack immediately!”
However, Huangfu Bing’er exclaimed indignantly.
Ye Qin nodded slightly. Based on his understanding of the Ghost Lord, the being was capricious and unfathomably scheming; trust was impossible.
He was not overly concerned by the Ghost Lord’s threats. The Great Winged Warship possessed a small teleportation array. As long as the ship hadn't strayed too far from the East Sea, he could instantly teleport Bing’er back to safety, abandoning the warship if danger arose.
The difficulty lay with Qingqiu Li, the Demon Saint-level ‘maidservant’ aboard the Great Winged Warship. She could not reveal herself, lest the Three-legged Crow Demon Saint discover her and give chase.
The group of Ghost Cultivators before him would have to be dealt with by Ye Qin alone.
“Ghost Lord, the Ice Lotus Seed is on my person. Let us fight one-on-one. If you win, the seed is yours. If you lose, take your subordinates and leave!”
Ye Qin proposed.
On the Skull Warship, the assembled Ghost Cultivators were already growing restless.
“My Lord, why waste words with this Nascent Soul cultivator! Allow this general to slay him and reclaim the Ice Lotus Seed! Slaying a mere Nascent Soul cultivator—what difficulty is there!”
The Skeleton General roared.
“Kill them!”
A horde of Nascent Soul level Ghost Cultivators shrieked and clamored on the skull ship, itching for a fight.
“There is no need for this Lord to act. Skeleton General, go slay that brat and bring me the Ice Lotus Seed!”
Seeing that words could not sway Ye Qin, the Ghost Lord’s face, already sullen, was filled with immense fury. He waved his hand, sending the Skeleton General into battle. The Skeleton General was currently at the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Although somewhat weaker than Ye Qin, Ghost Cultivators possessed far greater inherent strength than ordinary cultivators, meaning victory was not impossible.
“Yes, My Lord!”
The Skeleton General was overjoyed. If he could seize the Ice Lotus Seed in one fell swoop, earning merit for the Ghost Lord’s advancement to Spirit Transformation, he would become the most meritorious Ghost Cultivator under the Ghost Lord. He dragged a colossal bone sword and leaped into the air from the ship’s prow, transforming into a black streak of light hundreds of zhang long, hurtling toward the Great Winged Warship.
On the Skull Warship, the mass of Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators immediately grew excited, cheering loudly. Against a mere one or two Nascent Soul cultivators, their large group meant victory was as simple as reaching out—it wouldn't require much effort.
Huangfu Bing’er and Bai Xiuer took up positions on the Great Winged Warship to observe the battle.
Ye Qin flew out of the Great Winged Warship, summoning the Eight Fiery Sword Array. Eight Lesser Divine Ability-level flying swords circled his body as he let out a soft cry, “Great Five Elements Sword Array, form!”
The Gold Eye Feather Ray Sword, the Azure Wood Python Sword, the Ocean Quelling Raging Tide Sword, the Exploding Flame Crimson Cloud Sword, and the Profound Spirit Earth Citadel Sword—these five Lesser Divine Ability-level flying swords assembled in the air, forming the Great Five Elements Sword Array of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. As the array materialized, the surroundings changed drastically; heaven and earth spiritual energy rolled in, and streams of five-colored spiritual energy circulated ceaselessly around Ye Qin, forging the Five Elements Qi Shield.
The Skeleton General, already wielding his giant bone sword, charged forward with unstoppable momentum, crashing violently against the Great Five Elements Sword Array.
“Boom!”
Light burst forth!
The dense, overbearing black Corpse Qi emanating from the bone sword rolled out like waves, corroding the Qi Shield and aggressively attempting to pierce the Great Five Elements Sword Array. However, the array’s spiritual energy replenished itself rapidly; almost in the blink of an eye, the consumed areas were restored.
“Sword Feather Volley!”
Ye Qin casually pointed a finger, and the Gold Eye Feather Ray Sword immediately unleashed a Lesser Divine Ability-level spell, bombarding the Skeleton General. Hundreds of dense, golden sword rays left the Skeleton General no room to evade, instantly pitting and scarring his bones, breaking dozens of them.
The Skeleton General was horrified. Ye Qin’s magical power felt overwhelmingly vast, making him feel as if he had struck a mountain ten thousand zhang high—impossible to shake. Under these circumstances, even before he could breach Ye Qin’s Qi Shield, his entire skeletal frame was in danger of being destroyed.
Observing the battle from his warship, the Ghost Lord snorted, clearly dissatisfied with the Skeleton General, and shouted, “Corpse King!”
“Yes, My Lord!”
The Corpse King received the command, let out a sharp, bizarre shriek, and eagerly launched itself from the Skull Warship.
A one-on-one duel was Ye Qin’s proposal; they, the Ghost Cultivators, had not agreed to it. Moreover, Ye Qin was an eighth-layer Nascent Soul cultivator; having two mid-Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators attack simultaneously was hardly considered bullying.
The Corpse King rapidly hurtled toward the fray between Ye Qin and the Skeleton General.
“Surging Ocean Tide!”
Before the Corpse King could approach, Ye Qin launched a Lesser Divine Ability-level spell with his Water Sword. A massive vortex of ocean tide erupted toward the sky, engulfing the Corpse King. Trapped by the tidal surge, its movements immediately slowed. The Corpse King raged furiously, tearing at the surrounding ocean tide vortex with countless sharp claws until it broke free.
But just then, accompanied by a light shout of “Heavenly Fire Scorches the Plains,” rolling heavenly flames descended from above, enveloping the Corpse King and burning its zombie flesh until it split open, letting out a mournful scream.
The Skeleton General was still desperately trying to break through Ye Qin’s Great Five Elements Sword Array. A giant python made of poisonous green gas coiled around it, poisoning its entire frame until the bones turned green and its Corpse Qi rapidly drained away.
The Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators filling the ship stared in astonishment. The Skeleton General and the Corpse King attacking together were actually gaining no advantage. By the looks of it, they were about to be easily dispatched by that single Nascent Soul cultivator.
“Attack him all! Kill him!”
The Ghost Lord’s skeletal eyes glowed faintly, wisps of Nether Flames dancing within, suppressing his surging rage. These two Ghost Cultivators, the earliest to follow him, were proving so useless—two of them combined couldn't even subdue one Nascent Soul cultivator. It was a disgrace. Since two wouldn't suffice, they would all attack together.
A group of over ten mid- to late-Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators immediately surged from the Skull Warship.
It must be noted that many of these Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators were originally cultivators from the East Sea who had chosen to become Ghost Cultivators out of unwillingness to accept death upon their demise, thus swearing allegiance to the Desolate Spirit Ghost Lord. Their status was quite high, and they valued their dignity, not easily resorting to such a dishonorable tactic as a ‘mobbing.’ Being forced into a group attack because they couldn't defeat an opponent was, for a Ghost Cultivator, a form of shame. Many among them even recognized Ye Qin. But now that they were separated by the division between life and death, there was no longer any connection; past affairs were erased. Most of the Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators on the ship did not rush forward at this moment.
The more than ten Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators who did charge forward did so disregarding their dignity as Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators, solely in hopes of gaining the Ghost Lord’s favor.
Ye Qin was currently dismantling the Skeleton General and the Corpse King. Seeing the group of Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators charging from the Skull Warship, preparing for a siege, the calm expression on his face finally shifted slightly. He couldn't help but curse inwardly: Ghost Cultivators are just as shameless!
Facing such a large-scale mob attack, he could no longer hold back.
“Eight Fiery Sword Array!”
Ye Qin roared. The Three Azure Luminous Wing Sword, the Cold Soul Ice Seal Sword, and the Star Howling Thunder Marsh Sword—three beams of azure, white, and dark light shot out, forming the Minor Three Wonders Sword Array. The Minor Three Wonders Sword Array, combined with the Great Five Elements Sword Array, formed the Eight Fiery Sword Array, deemed invincible among peers in the East Sea Cultivation World.
He used the Great Five Elements Sword Array to drive the Minor Three Wonders Sword Array.
Around Ye Qin, in addition to the concentrated flows of Five Elements spiritual energy, there were now added streams of Wind, Ice, and Thunder spiritual energy. This mixture of complex and chaotic spiritual energy, under the control of the sword array, fused together perfectly.
In the East Sea Cultivation World, no other person could control this Eight Fiery Sword Array with such flawless precision.
“Thunder Devour—!”
Ye Qin shouted fiercely, simultaneously striking out with both hands, channeling two torrents of robust magical power into his Water and Fire-attributed flying swords. The Water and Fire swords surged, each shooting a beam of light that struck the Thunder-attributed flying sword.
The body of the Star Howling Thunder Marsh Sword manifested a Thunder Mirage artifact spirit hundreds of zhang in size.
This Thunder Mirage opened and closed its mouth toward the sky, emitting a deafening, rumbling thunder.
The heavens and earth changed color as a dark cloud spanning over ten li materialized, pressing down until the sea domain was pitch black, visibility reduced to zero. Streaks of lightning burst from the cloud, illuminating the sea.
The charging Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators were instantly paralyzed with shock. They beheld the very object Ghost Cultivators feared most—a Thunder Cloud. A single bolt of Heavenly Tribulation lightning was enough to scatter their souls instantly.
Crack, boom!
A pillar of electricity comparable to a lightning tribulation cleaved down toward the sea below.
The Thunder Mirage spirit closed its jaws and swallowed the entire lightning pillar.
With each closing and opening, dozens of lightning strikes imbued the Thunder Sword.
The slender blade of the Thunder Sword, slightly curved, its dark blue body pulsed with brilliant, thick arcs of electrical light. Having absorbed vast amounts of lightning, it transformed into a genuine Sword of Heavenly Tribulation, its power no less than that of a Nascent Soul Great Tribulation.
The area surrounding Ye Qin was enveloped in thick, electric spiritual energy, sparking and flickering.
“Lightning Spit—!”
Ye Qin roared once more.
The Star Howling Thunder Marsh Sword transformed into an electric sword hundreds of zhang long, slashing across the heavens and sweeping outwards, wreathed in immensely powerful electrical radiance, aimed at the horde of Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators.
Useless!
No form of defense worked; the lightning directly impacted.
Crack! Splash!
The seven or eight fastest-charging Nascent Soul Ghost Cultivators had their hardened skeletal structures pulverized like brittle objects under the onslaught of the electric sword, their primordial spirits instantly vanishing in the electric glow. Wherever the lightning swept, the pervasive Corpse Qi vanished completely.
After unleashing this technique, Ye Qin’s face paled slightly. That single attack had consumed an enormous amount of his magical power. Were it not for the highest-grade spiritual wine replenishing his power, that continuous sequence of Lesser Divine Ability spells might have completely depleted him.
Ye Qin controlled the Eight Fiery Sword Array, gazing at the Ghost Cultivators on the opposing warship. His pupils held a distant, ethereal quality. A Ghost Lord of profound strength? Over a hundred Nascent Soul cultivators and thousands of Golden Core Ghost Cultivators? So what!
Had his eyes ever held a trace of fear?
“Come on!”
Ye Qin showed no intent to retreat, uttering two simple words lightly. He hovered ten li in front of the massive, two-thousand-zhang-long Desolate Spirit Warship, watching them coldly.
The giant Skull Warship, which had been loudly baying for a charge—both the Nascent Soul and Golden Core Ghost Cultivators—fell into a dead silence. Even the evil spirits and ferocious souls shrieking on the sails of the warship drifted motionless, emitting no sound.
They were utterly stunned.
They understood Ye Qin’s intention. This single Nascent Soul cultivator, commanding eight elemental Lesser Divine Ability-level flying swords, stood there with his sword, intending to confront the thousands of Ghost Cultivators aboard their entire Skull Warship single-handedly.