Elder Yang, Elder Luo, and Song Tu were all stunned.How did they get out of the Ghost Territory?There was still time left before the territory was due to reopen.
Elder Yang scanned the group and immediately spotted Yang Bing and Yang Mon. She rushed over to them, and Elder Luo followed closely behind, heading toward Luo Xuan.
Song Tu made his way to Song Yan and Ye Kaishan. Upon seeing Song Yan, his expression tightened—she looked extremely weak, as though she had exhausted all her energy. Without hesitation, he pulled out a bottle and handed her an energy pill.
Who is he? Is he also an elder of the Song Clan?Ye Kaishan wondered silently.
"Thank you, Elder Song Tu," Song Yan said with a respectful nod.
Is this the old man? Ye Kaishan thought to himself.He doesn't look that old anymore. I remember he definitely wasn't this young—he looks like he's in his thirties now. Something must've happened while we were away.
After taking the energy pill, Song Yan felt noticeably better."Are you both alright?" Song Tu asked. "I heard you were chased by a Ghost Sect elder."
"Yes, we're fine now, Elder Song Tu," Ye Kaishan replied. "We just exhausted our source laws on the way here."
"Hmm... good," Song Tu said, nodding slowly. "You've both already forged strong souls." He could clearly sense the powerful soul force radiating from Ye Kaishan and Song Yan.
"Yang Bing, Yang Mon—are you both alright?" Elder Yang asked them.
Yang Bing cupped her hands and replied, "We're alright, Elder."
"Are you alright?" Elder Luo asked Luo Xuan."I am, Elder," Luo Xuan answered, cupping his hands in return.
Yang Bing handed energy pills to both Wang Li and Li Xu, helping them to heal their wounds and replenish their soul energy.
After confirming that everyone was safe, Song Tu turned to Wang Li, who was standing quietly beside her maid. His gaze fell on Li Xu. At a glance, she appeared normal—but with his sharpened combat instincts, honed through countless battles, Song Tu could feel a strange, invisible pressure that no ordinary Star Realm cultivator would emit.
Is she... a Creation Realm cultivator?Song Tu's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Well, can you introduce your guests?" Elder Yang asked, looking toward Yang Bing and the others.
"Oh! Yes, we forgot," Yang Mon said. "They're cultivators from the Eastern Region's Wang family. We ran into them by chance in one of the caves inside the Ghost Territory."
"From the Eastern Region?" Elder Luo asked, surprised. "But how could soul cultivators from the Eastern Region come through this entrance?"
"That's…" Wang Li and Li Xu exchanged a glance before stepping forward. They cupped their hands respectfully.
"We really are from the Eastern Region," Wang Li explained. "We were being chased by a Ghost Sect elder and fled through a space portal. By accident, we ended up here."She remembered Ye Kaishan's warning not to reveal too much about the teleportation, so she carefully avoided mentioning it in detail.
"Hmm… I see," Elder Luo said with a nod.
"So, why was a Ghost Sect elder chasing all of you?" Song Tu asked Song Yan and Ye Kaishan.
Elder Yang and Elder Luo also turned to them with concern, clearly wanting to know more.
Song Yan recounted the parts of their story that could be shared."I see," Song Tu muttered thoughtfully. "Given that, it's not surprising she came after you."
"Yes, it makes sense," Elder Yang and Elder Luo agreed.
Suddenly, Ye Kaishan frowned and looked up at the sky—the exact spot where the space portal opened and closed.
Not good…He sensed Lee Xiao's aura emerging from the portal, growing stronger by the second.
By now, Song Yan had fully recovered her soul energy. She noticed Ye Kaishan's grim expression and stepped closer.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Check the space portal," Ye Kaishan said.
Song Yan immediately sent her soul sense to probe the portal. A moment later, her eyes flew open in alarm. Black lines formed on her forehead.
"How did they follow us here?!"
"They must've come right after we teleported," Ye Kaishan said, deep in thought.
"Hmph! Those mongrels really followed us?" Song Yan's eyes blazed. "Fine. I've recovered—I'm still ready to fight for three days and three nights!"
"No—we still can't fight them."
"What do you mean 'can't'?!" Song Yan snapped. She was ready to face Lee Xiao again, her rage consuming her reason.The last battle had deeply wounded her pride as an empress.And now she dares to chase me still?I won't let her walk away this time, even if I have to burn all my strength!
"Calm down," Ye Kaishan said firmly. "Have you forgotten? We're outside the Ghost Territory now. Inside, we could hurt them because their power was suppressed. Out here... things are different."
Listening to him, Song Yan's fury subsided. "You're right. It won't be that simple. A Creation Realm cultivator is still... a bit much for us."
A bit? Ye Kaishan thought wryly.Are you sure we're speaking the same language? 'A little too much' is an understatement...
"I'll try to manipulate the space portal," Ye Kaishan said. "Maybe I can divert or delay them."
"No!" Song Yan stopped him. "Your source law isn't strong enough yet to handle a space portal from the Ghost Territory. The pressure alone could shred your body."
"Then do you have any ideas?" he asked, turning to her.
Should I use my Emperor Divine Soul? Song Yan thought.But... would I truly waste it on a mere Creation Realm cultivator? And I can only use it three times...She touched her forehead, visibly tense.
At that moment, Song Tu and the others noticed something was wrong and approached.
"Brother Ye," Wang Li asked softly, "is something troubling you and Sister Song?"
"Yes—is there a problem?" Song Tu added.
"That Ghost Sect elder…" Ye Kaishan began.
"What Ghost Sect elder?" Song Tu asked, puzzled. Elder Yang and the others looked equally confused.
"She's coming here," Ye Kaishan said quietly.
"WHAT?!" Elder Yang gasped. "How could she follow you out here?!"
"Brother Ye... is that true?" Yang Bing asked.
"Yes," he confirmed. "She's in the portal right now. She could arrive any moment."
"W-We should leave this place immediately!" Yang Mon said, trembling.
"It's no use," Wang Li replied calmly. "She's already locked onto our auras. Even if we try to run, she'll catch us instantly. She's in the Creation Realm."
"The Creation Realm elders from my Yang Clan are on their way," Elder Yang said. "But it'll take time for them to arrive."
"How much time do we have?" Song Yan asked Ye Kaishan.
"About ten minutes."
Ten minutes…And our only real fighting force is one Creation Realm and three Star Realm cultivators, Song Yan thought anxiously.
"Li Xu can handle Lee Xiao," Wang Li said to her, "but not her and her Dao companion together."
"We're also here," Song Tu said, his voice cold. "Even if we aren't in the Creation Realm, three Soul Star Realm cultivators should be enough to hold off her companion."
"Yes, we can still fight," Elder Yang and Elder Luo added.
"Yes, Elder Song Tu," Song Yan replied with a firm nod.
Seven minutes later...
Outside the Dead Land, in the three-clan camp—
Song Tu and the other elders were debating whether to negotiate with the Ghost Sect elder or prepare for a full confrontation.
Yang Bing and Yang Mon remained inside Elder Yang's abode, while Wang Li and Li Xu were urgently contacting their family to send reinforcements.
Song Yan sat in silent worry, her gaze distant. Ye Kaishan gently took her hand.
"Don't worry. I'm still here."
His warm touch gave her strength. She looked at him and managed a small smile.
Suddenly, a blast of black light shot out from the space portal—faster than lightning. It streaked behind Song Yan and Ye Kaishan, so fast that neither sensed it in time.
A ghostly whisper slid into their ears:
"Are you... talking about me?"