Ye Kaishan and Song Yan arrived at the guest room to rest briefly. Not long after, they dressed and joined the other disciples at the training ground.
A group of thirty disciples stood assembled. These were the chosen members from the Song Clan selected to explore the Ghost Territory. Song Yan had been added later by her mother, Song Qian. Many disciples were quietly dissatisfied, but they could hardly protest—after all, Song Qian was the matriarch.
"Alright, everyone is here," announced an elder with a long beard, his voice loud and commanding. "You must understand: while Ghost Territory holds many treasures, it is also filled with deadly dangers—undead ghosts, ghost kings, wandering souls, and savage spirit beasts."
He paused, sweeping his eyes across the group.
"The wandering souls and beasts are manageable. But if you encounter a Ghost King... do not provoke them. Understood?"
The crowd nodded solemnly.
A massive flying boat descended from the sky, its body engraved with the word Song. This was the Song Clan's signature flying treasure.
"Board the ship! We're departing now for the Holy Summit of Mopin," the elder announced.
Everyone stepped aboard, and the flying boat rose into the air, gliding toward the summit. The Holy Summit was located near the portal to the Ghost Territory—only about fifty miles apart.
Ye Kaishan made his way to the edge of the deck, gazing out at the vast expanse of the Spirit Soul Continent. It was his first time traveling openly in this new world.
Unlike Earth, the continent was dotted with huge cities and countless villages. He overheard that each city held between one to two million people, while the landmass itself was hundreds of times larger than his former world.
"So this is the southern region," he murmured to himself. "This continent is divided into four parts—north, south, east, and west. Beyond them lies the 'outside world' where true powerhouses and great empires fight for dominance."
He sighed. "The southern region is the weakest. No Great Emperors here—only Saints and Saint Kings. The real monsters reside in the north and east... like the empress of the Yaochi Holy Land."
He leaned against the railing. "I just hope she doesn't stir up any monsters when we get there…"
Villages passed beneath them, followed by vast forests—some crimson, others pitch black. The scenery was strange and beautiful.
The sun dipped low in the sky, painting the horizon gold.
"Enjoying the view?" came a voice behind him.
Ye Kaishan turned to see Song Yan. "Just bored. I figured I'd get some fresh air."
"You're thinking about the Ghost Territory, aren't you?" she said with her usual calm tone. "Don't worry. I've studied it well."
He smiled faintly. "Good to know."
"We'll arrive in two days. Get some rest."
"Alright." With that, Ye Kaishan entered his soul subspace.
Song Yan found a quiet place to meditate. Even without Ye Kaishan's presence, she could still cultivate. Dual cultivation only affected breakthroughs and progression—stabilizing the realm could be done alone.
She didn't plan to rush to the late forging realm. Ghost Territory offered rare soul-forging materials like spirit cores from wandering souls, undead beasts, and even Ghost Kings. She aimed to use those to perfect her foundation.
Inside the Soul Subspace
Ye Kaishan stood before his space-time skill tree, now towering 15 meters tall with four glowing branches.
Two new branches had appeared. The leaves varied—dark blue for space abilities, green for time. One new bud on the space branch shimmered gold, unlike any other part of the tree.
He frowned. "What is this? It doesn't radiate any power… Is it still growing?"
Curious and cautious, he kept watch.
Two Days Later – Holy Summit of the Three Clans
A majestic waterfall cascaded from a floating island high above the clouds. The water glittered under the light of a red moon, turning each droplet into a shimmering gem.
"The red moon..." Ye Kaishan whispered. "Why is it that color?"
"It boosts the power of ghost cultivators and strengthens wandering souls," Song Yan explained. "It'll last for fifteen days."
As the flying boat descended, they saw other clans had already arrived. Dozens of late-stage forging realm cultivators were gathered around a giant stone platform with three ornate chairs—for the elders of each clan.
The elders from the Yang and Luo Clans were already seated.
When Song Clan arrived, the Yang elder—a middle-aged woman—frowned.
"Where's Song Mian?"
"She had clan matters to attend," Song Tu answered calmly, stroking his black beard. "I'll be overseeing the disciples this time."
"Hmph. Only star realm cultivators are allowed to activate the ghost gate. You're just late Nirvana. Can you handle it?"
"You worry too much," Song Tu replied with a smirk. "Don't underestimate this old man."
The elder gritted her teeth but said nothing further.
Once seated, two more cultivators stepped forward—a playful woman and a stern man.
"The Ghost Territory is full of hidden dangers," said the man. "Use caution."
The woman smiled lazily. "You have three months. After that, the realm will throw you out whether you're ready or not."
"One last thing," she added. "The Ghost Territory has multiple entrances. Don't think you're the only ones inside. Disciples from the northern and eastern regions might be there too."
With that warning, they both flew off toward the back of the platform.
Ye Kaishan felt a hand tighten around his. He turned to see Song Yan gripping him, her face unreadable.
"Don't leave my side once we're inside," she said firmly.
Ye Kaishan glanced at her hand. "So soft..." he thought. But when he peeked at her expression, a cold aura sent a chill down his spine.
"R-Right. I won't stray."