528: Chapter 528 Outsider

Black Death Marsh.

The endless gray mist never disperses throughout the year, the skylight cannot reach the bottom, and the water surface is as black as congealed fat, without the slightest ripple.

No birds or beasts are seen, no insects are heard; it is cold and sticky, as if all vitality has been sucked dry by something.

The further one goes toward the center, even Demon Lord Cangyuan at the Peak Nascent Soul stage feels exceptionally uncomfortable, as the thick yin fiend energy suppresses his Demonic Qi.

Suddenly!

The view ahead becomes open and clear, with pure white moonlight spilling into a small town of ancient charm.

The small town is filled with low houses; it is not bustling, yet it is very exquisite and full of charm.

Most surprising is the bright moon in the sky; it is neither round nor crescent, but shaped like a lotus flower, incomparably holy.

Demon Lord Cangyuan descends from mid-air, bows toward the lotus moon in the sky, and then follows the bluestone road of the street to a pavilion.

Two ferocious-looking evil ghosts stand at the door; they do not block him, allowing Demon Lord Cangyuan to walk into the pavilion.

"Fellow Daoist Cang Yuan, what wind has blown you here? Have you brought some good things again this time?"

A fair-faced scholar fans himself with a folding fan, stepping forward quickly with a signature smile on his face.

The space inside the pavilion is vast and very lively; a cursory glance reveals no less than several hundred people, including Yao Beasts, ghost cultivators, and even a few Human Race Cultivators.

Though this pavilion might not look like much, it is the most high-end trading venue in Lianyue Ghost City.

High-grade medicinal herbs, Medicinal Pills, Heaven And Earth Treasures, ill-gotten treasures, forbidden items... it can be said to have everything one could want.

The fair-faced scholar is named Yun Shuchen, with the cultivation of a Peak Nascent Soul Ghost Commander. He is the master of this 'Buwen Pavilion' and one of Ghost King Lianyue's confidants.

Demon Lord Cangyuan is clearly not here for the first time, as he cups his hands and says, "I am not here to trade this time, but have important matters to report."

The smile on Yun Shuchen's face disappears, he snaps his folding fan shut with a click, and leads Demon Lord Cangyuan deep into the room.

Passing through a layer of yin fiend ghost mist, Yun Shuchen brings Demon Lord Cangyuan to a quiet room, where a white-clad female ghost is reading.

"You are... Demon Lord Cangyuan?" The white-clad female ghost puts down the book in her hand and asks after a moment of thought, "I remember you should be at Biyou Pool. Why have you come at such a critical moment?"

The white-clad female ghost is named You Ruo, with a Middle Stage Nascent Soul cultivation. She is one of the messengers of Lianyue Immortal Palace, in charge of general affairs and intelligence from all sides.

Demon Lord Cangyuan bows and says anxiously, "It happened like this: a few months ago..."

After listening to Demon Lord Cangyuan's account, You Ruo's expression becomes strange. "You are saying Ghost Commander Youming disappeared after entering Star Academy, and there has been no news for a full month?"

Demon Lord Cangyuan nods and says with a serious face, "Whether the mission succeeded or failed doesn't matter; what I'm worried about is the leak of information, which would affect the overall situation."

"Wait a moment." Realizing the seriousness of the matter, You Ruo immediately waves her hand to summon subordinates to inquire about the latest news regarding Ghost Commander Youming.

Upon confirming that Ghost Commander Youming has indeed gone missing, You Ruo's expression becomes extremely grave.

How could a Peak Nascent Soul Ghost Commander disappear without a sound?

Ghost Commander Youming possesses extraordinary means and is considered a top expert even among the Peak Nascent Soul Ghost Commanders of Lianyue Immortal Palace. Even if he encountered a Dao Monarch's Dharma Idol, he should be able to escape. At the very least, he would cause a great commotion; he wouldn't just vanish silently.

There are only two possibilities. First, Ghost Commander Youming was not captured or killed, but is unwilling to appear for some reason. Second, Star Academy is hiding a super powerhouse whose strength is great enough to easily slay Ghost Commander Youming.

Regardless of which possibility it is, it's a variable enough to affect the overall situation and must be reported to the Ghost King immediately.

"You go back first. I will report this to the Ghost King. Do not act rashly or take matters into your own hands."

Leaving those words behind, You Ruo turns into a streak of white light and flies toward the lotus moon in the sky.

Demon Lord Cangyuan also walks out of the pavilion. He looks toward the lotus moon for a moment before vanishing into the northern horizon using an escape technique.

...

Lianyue Immortal Palace.

The moonlight is pure white, and Immortal Qi drifts about; it is hard to imagine that this is the residence of a Ghost King.

"Your subordinate You Ruo pays respects to the Lord." You Ruo stands below the main hall of the Immortal Palace and bows deeply.

The Immortal Qi disperses, revealing a stunning Fairy at the top of the hall. With white clothes and white hair, she is extremely cold and aloof, as if a moon goddess has descended to the world.

"What is it?" A faint voice rings out, sounding as if it comes from the clouds.

You Ruo keeps her head slightly lowered, not daring to look directly at Ghost King Lianyue, and recounts the matter of Ghost Commander Youming in detail.

"Missing?"

A ripple finally appears on Lianyue's cold and calm face. After a moment of silence, she gives a faint instruction: "Go and investigate it personally."

"As you command!"

You Ruo bows to accept the order. Seeing that her Lord has no other instructions, she slowly withdraws from the hall.

"Wait!" Ghost King Lianyue waves her hand and throws a glimmering white lotus seed to You Ruo. "Take this with you."

"Thank you, Lord!" You Ruo shows a look of joy and turns back to bow in thanks.

After You Ruo leaves, Ghost King Lianyue slowly paces to the outside of the Immortal Palace. She stands at the edge of the cloud steps, her plain white immortal dress falling like flowing frost, moonlight swirling among her sleeves. Her white hair hangs down to her waist, moving without wind, like cold jade emitting mist.

With a pair of glaze-colored eyes looking toward the north, Ghost King Lianyue whispers to herself, "A variable? Or is it some trick by Old Daoist Qingxuan?"

Only a Spirit Transformation Dao Lord could have the means to make Ghost Commander Youming disappear silently; even Demon Saint Xuanyu could not do it.

Although a Demon Sage's strength is great, their methods are violent, lacking the mysterious control over Laws that a Dao Monarch possesses. Killing You Ming would be easy, but doing it so quietly would be very difficult.

The Spirit Transformation Dao Lord closest to Star Academy is Old Daoist Qingxuan; he is the most likely candidate.

"Or, has Daoist Lord Lihuo's true body snuck over?"

Daoist Lord Lihuo cultivates the Path of Li Huo, which is extremely restraining to ghost cultivators. If he had snuck here, the possibility would also be high.

However, seeing as there has been no change on the front lines, it doesn't seem like these two Dao Monarchs have made a move. It's more like an outsider has gotten involved.

After thinking for a long time, a smile tugs at the corner of Ghost King Lianyue's mouth. "Am I not also an outsider? In the Southern Border Pioneering War, from beginning to end, only Demon Saint Xuanyu and Daoist Lord Lihuo have entered the game."

Ghost King Lianyue doesn't have much worry about Ghost Commander Youming's disappearance; it is mostly just curiosity.

Whether he is alive or dead, whether he was killed by Old Daoist Qingxuan, Daoist Lord Lihuo, or some unknown Dao Monarch, it doesn't have much impact.

After admiring the night scene for a while, Ghost King Lianyue waves her hand to draw a rune in the air.

A moment later, the rune converges into a single point and turns into a white light flying toward the north. The white light grows fainter and fainter, vanishing after flying a distance.

At the same time, at the Black Mountain Holy Land, Demon Saint Xuanyu feels something and reaches out into the Void Realm to retrieve a glimmering white Jade Slip.

After reading the contents of the Jade Slip, there is no expression on Demon Saint Xuanyu's face, only his eyes are as deep as water.