110: There is a ghost in the river

As night fell, Wang Ziming struggled to climb onto the skiff from the river. His entire body felt as if it were falling apart, and even moving a finger had become a luxury.

But he knew very well that once the skiff reached the shore, what awaited him was another one-sided beating.

In the past, he lived in luxury and only needed to Cultivate step-by-step. Although his cultivation progress was slow, he enjoyed it.

Now, living in the wild, he acted as a speedboat engine every day and had to serve as a human punching bag before bed. His cultivation progressed rapidly, but it was truly painful.

Wang Ziming gasped for air. Every day, a mental battle raged within him; he couldn't bear to give up the thrill of rapid cultivation, yet he couldn't stand the high-intensity physical devastation.

This was only human. Only a Saint could maintain perfect mental fortitude. Although he felt like retreating, the fact that he continued to persist in action was a good sign.

Wang Ziming was also waiting—waiting for Yin Chaoge to give him a severe beating after they went ashore.

Once he received that beating, the urge to quit rising in his heart would dissipate.

This was because Wang Ziming would hypnotize himself: since he had already taken the beating anyway, he would stay for one more day of improvement before leaving!

Then, after being beaten the next day, he would hypnotize himself again, pushing it to the day after tomorrow, and the day after that.

Thus, being beaten had become Wang Ziming's daily motivation to persist; he was even starting to look forward to it!

Under Wang Ziming's expectant gaze, Su Yi put away his fishing rod on time, slowly reeling in the line by the moonlight.

Wang Ziming grew more expectant. Usually, once the Immortal sitting in the boat finished with his fishing line, it was time to head to shore and rest.

But today, even after Su Yi had packed up his gear, the skiff remained quietly stationary in the middle of the Great River.

Furthermore, Gu Wanquan sitting at the bow and Yin Chaoge standing at the stern hadn't moved either!

"How strange? Why aren't we heading to shore today?" His body exhausted to the limit, Wang Ziming struggled to crawl up. When he raised his head, the confusion on his face turned into terror.

He realized the skiff was sitting silently upon the Great River, and at this moment, the river was as calm as a mirror!

This was the Great River!

The surging currents never stopped; even through various natural disasters and man-made calamities, this vast river had never ceased its flow!

Wang Ziming watched the scene before him in disbelief.

Having lived in the Zigai Immortal Estate beside the Great River since childhood, for as long as he could remember, he had never seen the river stop flowing!

Let alone this kind of eerie, unnatural stillness!

It was as calm as a mirror, with the stars and moon reflected on the water. For a moment, one couldn't tell if the skiff was in the heavens or the mortal realm!

This eerie yet magnificent sight caused an indescribable, massive dread to surge within Wang Ziming!

This fear felt like an ancient terror originating from deep within his Bloodline!

His originally exhausted body began to shake like a leaf from fear, as if he might faint at any second!

The ultimate silence, accompanied by a bone-chilling cold, instantly enveloped his body. Wang Ziming felt as if a thin wire had been tightened around his neck, suspending him high in the air.

That suffocating sense of dread made Wang Ziming almost want to end his own life!

Su Yi saw Wang Ziming's state. He didn't dislike this kid who had endured his Second Apprentice's inhuman special training for over ten days; seeing him so terrified, Su Yi felt a bit of pity.

Su Yi beckoned to Wang Ziming and said with a smile, "Come over here. It seems we've run into a bit of trouble!"

Wang Ziming practically crawled to Su Yi's side on his knees, shivering, and rolled into the cabin, his body still trembling uncontrollably.

Su Yi clicked his tongue and turned to light a candle inside the cabin.

As the candle flickered to life, the firelight instantly illuminated the entire cabin. The orange-red glow seemed to carry warmth, making the space feel cozy in an instant!

"Immortal, what's going on? Why..." Wang Ziming looked at Su Yi tremulously, stammering as he tried to voice his confusion, but he didn't know how to describe the terror in his heart.

A blanket was draped over Wang Ziming's shoulders. Su Yi patted him on the shoulder to comfort him, saying, "It's just some unclean things. Wanquan and Chaoge will handle it! Rest here for a while and put your mind at ease!"

Su Yi's voice, so nonchalant, acted like a stabilizing anchor for Wang Ziming's mind. Looking at Su Yi, that unknown dread receded like the tide.

"Unclean things?"

As Wang Ziming regained his ability to think and reflected on Su Yi's words, legends of the world suddenly flashed through his mind.

In this current world, the mortal realm belonged to the Gods, while the wild mountains and forests belonged to the Immortals.

With Gods and Immortals co-managing the world, nature naturally flourished.

But the world was vast, and there were always places beyond the reach of Gods and Immortals.

And these ungoverned places would give birth to the ultimate opposite of living beings.

Evil Ghosts!

Living beings for the living, Evil Ghosts for the dead!

The Souls of deceased beings, fused with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, gave birth to a type of Evil Ghost that only wanted to pollute everything into a world of the dead!

The places where these Evil Ghosts lived were areas that neither Gods nor Immortals could control.

Such places were usually deep underground, leading to the commoners' talk of the Yinworld or Hell!

Only now did Wang Ziming understand what that unknown dread was!

It was a living being's fear of death!

This natural fear triggered his body's instinctive resistance.

That's right, Evil Ghosts usually lived underground, but there was one place that neither Gods nor Cultivators could govern!

And that was the Great River before him!

The Great River, which nearly cut across the entire world, was the border between Great Xia, Great Liang, and Great Chu!

The vast, boundless waters offered no place to stand, and ordinary Cultivators would not choose to Cultivate in seclusion within the Great River.

As a national border, even though the Gods of the three nations had tried countless methods, they could never manifest a God upon the Great River!

This kind of natural power was simply not something mortals could bestow titles upon!

Naturally, the Great River became a place that neither Gods nor Cultivators could control!

This place could naturally become a habitat for Evil Ghosts!

Having suddenly figured everything out, Wang Ziming was no longer that afraid.

They were just Evil Ghosts; he was now a Third-Rank Cultivator, and ordinary Evil Ghosts would be like ants in his hands!

"Immortal, Ziming is no longer afraid. Please allow me to fight side-by-side with Brother Yin!" Wang Ziming cast aside the blanket and spoke with a firm voice.

These ten-plus days of inhuman training provided the perfect opportunity to verify his strength!

Su Yi looked with some surprise at Wang Ziming, who was volunteering.

"This kid's strength is lacking, and his brain is too?"

Su Yi slightly lifted the bamboo blind on the cabin window and said, "If you still want to go out after seeing this, then go ahead!"

Wang Ziming looked out the window with full confidence, but his legs instantly went weak, and his face turned pale.

Trembling, he wrapped the blanket around himself again and forced a dry smile at Su Yi, saying:

"Im... Immortal... I was just joking!"