A muffled sound echoed, followed by a five-meter-tall Yin soul clad in heavy armor charging out of the Netherworld Pool, its peak eighth-grade aura sweeping across the surroundings.
"It's the Ghost King guarding the Netherworld Pool!" Xu Xiaoqing exclaimed, a flicker of fear in her eyes as she saw the Yin soul appear.
She had grown up hearing her senior brothers talk about a Ghost King in the Netherworld Pool that devoured living beings and was terrifying beyond measure.
She had always dismissed their words as ghost stories, having been scared to tears many times as a child, and still carried psychological scars.
Now, seeing the Ghost King truly appear, Xu Xiaoqing's childhood trauma resurfaced, and she was filled with terror.
As the Ghost King emerged from the pool, it cast a cold gaze upon the three of them, asking in a chilling voice, "Who was refining pills just now?"
Ye Ling glanced at Xu Xiaoqing, took a step forward, and stood in front of her, smiling at the Ghost King. "I was. Is there a problem?"
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, the Ghost King sneered, "This Netherworld Pool is my territory. You trespassed and took Netherworld Fruits, a crime punishable by death. However, seeing your extraordinary alchemy skills, I can spare your life. You shall remain here as my pill boy, refining pills for me day and night. What do you say?"
Ye Ling chuckled, "You're just a mere malevolent spirit occupying this place. The Netherworld Fruits in the Netherworld Pool are ownerless. How can they be yours?"
"You brat, you've got some nerve!" The Ghost King's smile grew more arrogant. "Do you know who I am to speak to me in such a tone?"
Ye Ling mockingly replied, "Then enlighten me, Your Excellency, who exactly are you?"
The Ghost King, seemingly unaware of the mockery in Ye Ling's tone, continued, "I am the First General under King Yama, the best brother of the Black and White Impermanence of the Underworld, the Heavenly Origin Ghost King!"
"This Netherworld Pool is my fiefdom, so the Netherworld Fruits here naturally belong to me!"
"You took three Netherworld Fruits from me and refined three pills. Those pills should have been mine, but since you've already consumed them, I can't exactly rip open your bellies to retrieve them."
"Therefore, the one who refined the pills stays to be my pill boy, and the others may leave."
Hearing the Heavenly Origin Ghost King's words, Ye You couldn't help but laugh out loud. "You're merely an eighth-grade Yin soul, and you claim to be the First General under King Yama? Even the Black and White Impermanence, at their worst, are in the Heavenly Palace realm. How can you be their friend?"
"I!" Ye You's retort stunned the Heavenly Origin Ghost King, leaving him speechless and his face flushed red.
Ye You continued her taunts, "A Ghost King's face can turn red? How did you manage that?"
"Insolent whelp, you've truly angered me!!!"
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King's scalp tingled with rage. His aura erupted, causing the entire Netherworld Pool to churn. The surrounding Yin souls scattered in terror, intimidated by his power.
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King conjured a spear in his hand and lunged at Ye You, "I want to see what kind of ability you possess to be so audacious!"
As the Heavenly Origin Ghost King attacked, Ye You merely smiled slightly and unleashed her True Martial realm aura, pressing down on him.
"This, this..."
Sensing Ye You's aura, the Heavenly Origin Ghost King's expression changed drastically. His fighting spirit vanished completely, and he immediately knelt before Ye You, kowtowing repeatedly. "This humble one was blind and offended you, my lord. I beg for your mercy!"
Xu Xiaoqing and Su Ruoxue, who had been expecting a fierce battle, were stunned by the Heavenly Origin Ghost King's swift surrender, unable to react.
The current pathetic state of the Ghost King was a stark contrast to his previous imposing and aggressive demeanor.
Ye You retracted her aura and looked at the Heavenly Origin Ghost King, asking with a smile, "Are you still audacious?"
"N-no, not anymore..."
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King trembled, prostrating himself before Ye You, not daring to lift his head, quivering.
He had never imagined that the ones who came to the Netherworld Pool to collect Netherworld Fruits were such powerful figures in the True Martial realm!
Ye You continued, "Tell me honestly, what is your true origin?"
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King replied, "Reporting to my lord, this humble one was once a minor official in the Underworld. Later, due to a mistake caused by excessive drinking, I was punished to guard the Netherworld Pool, preventing living beings from entering the Underworld through here."
"This Netherworld Pool is not my territory; I am merely a gatekeeper stationed here."
Ye Ling chuckled, "A gatekeeper still calls himself a Ghost King?"
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King chuckled awkwardly, "The title of 'Ghost King' is a gimmick to scare people... it helps deter many who wish to enter the Underworld."
Ye You waved her hand, "Alright, I understand. Scram aside, we need to go to the Underworld from here."
Hearing Ye You's words, the Heavenly Origin Ghost King trembled and quickly clung to Ye You's leg, pleading, "My lord, please do not! Living beings traveling to the Underworld is a grave offense against heavenly law! If discovered, you won't even be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation!"
Ye You, with a hint of disdain, shook the Heavenly Origin Ghost King off. Just as he was about to enter the Netherworld Pool to find the entrance to the Underworld, the Heavenly Origin Ghost King cried out desperately, "The entrance to the Underworld has been sealed, and I absolutely cannot open it without my assistance. If my lord insists on crossing, then step over my corpse!"
"Everything I'm doing is for your own good, my lord!"
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King had now realized that Ye You was not a bloodthirsty individual; otherwise, with his earlier insolence, Ye You would have already killed him!
With that understanding, the Heavenly Origin Ghost King's courage grew, and he began to wail, attempting to move Ye You.
Unfortunately, the Heavenly Origin Ghost King had miscalculated.
It was true that Ye You was not bloodthirsty.
But her brother was.
"Step over my corpse?"
Ye Ling mused, then with a single hand gesture, he pulled the Heavenly Origin Ghost King towards him, grabbing him by the neck. "I'll give you two choices now."
"Either you take us to the Underworld, or you perish into soul fragments right now."
Hearing Ye Ling's words, the Heavenly Origin Ghost King trembled violently!
He felt an unimaginable pressure emanating from Ye Ling!
This oppressive force pierced directly into his soul, making him feel as if he were falling into a bottomless abyss!
It was then that the Heavenly Origin Ghost King truly understood that the most terrifying person present was not Ye You, but Ye Ling, who was currently holding him by the neck!
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King had a premonition that if he uttered a single wrong word, Ye Ling would kill him without hesitation!
This was a demon!
"M-my lord..."
The Heavenly Origin Ghost King looked at Ye Ling with sheer terror, stammering his address.
He could no longer withstand Ye Ling's pressure and could only nod in agreement. "T-this humble one will lead my lords in now."
Ye Ling smiled faintly, released the now weak-kneed Heavenly Origin Ghost King, patted his shoulder, and said, "That's right, this is what you should be doing."