But now, it was too late for regret.
"I'm going to the Ancestor. If the Ghost Mother dares harm our child, I'll make her pay with her life. Even if I must give everything I have—I won't hesitate."
Meng Qi's eyes burned with icy determination.
Anyone who dared take her child had crossed an unforgivable line.
She would see them pay dearly, even if it was the legendary Ghost Mother herself.
"Don't worry, Ah Qi. With me around, that Ghost Mother won't cause any waves,"
said Acha, sneering coldly.
"Underworld King, where is the Ghost Cavern?"
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, turning to her.
Just from the name, one could guess it was no pleasant place. But this was no time for hesitation. The sooner he found the Ghost Cavern, the better. The more he knew, the less the uncertainty. Every second wasted increased the risks.
"The Ghost Cavern isn't just some dark hole—it's a forbidden zone even here in the Underworld. In the mortal world, you'd call it a dead zone, a land of certain death."
Acha's expression grew serious.
"No one knows how it came to be. Some say it's the birthplace of the ancient and mysterious Nether Serpent, and it's saturated with strange, ominous energy. The Ghost Cavern is filled with winding tunnels like a massive maze. Once you go in, if you take the wrong path, you could wander for thousands of years without ever escaping."
Even the Underworld King herself felt wary talking about it.
It was one of the oldest forbidden zones in the Underworld—possibly the most dangerous.
Many had entered. Few had returned.
Even more terrifying, this zone had a master—a being powerful enough to rule it. Every such "master of a forbidden zone" was a monstrous existence, defying heaven and earth, nearly unkillable. The Ghost Mother was one of them.
The Ghost Cavern was among the most powerful forbidden zones.
Because the Ghost Mother had made her lair there, her influence was unmatched. It was said the cavern could connect to any point in the Underworld, making her movements nearly impossible to track. The internal maze alone was enough to trap even the greatest of cultivators.
"The cavern is her nest, shielding her naturally. Without guidance, finding her true body is nearly impossible. That's what makes her so difficult to deal with," Acha said grimly.
She had no illusions that this would be easily resolved. A clash was inevitable, but destroying the Ghost Mother might not be so simple.
"What exactly is the Nether Serpent?"
Yi Tianxing asked after a pause.
"The Nether Serpent is said to be one of the oldest beings in the Underworld,"explained Meng Qi."It was born from the origin of death itself and holds dominion over the nether realms. It gave birth to countless children, called Yin Candle Serpents, which merged with the land and became the Yin Veins of the Underworld, generating endless Nine Nether Yin Qi."
"Of course, this is just legend—no one knows if it's true. But the tales have spread far and wide. Even if not entirely accurate, there's probably some truth in them. At the very least, the Ghost Cavern being born from the Nether Serpent's remains seems likely. The powers left behind in there are so potent that even a great cultivator can't avoid being affected."
Whether or not the serpent existed didn't matter. What mattered was that the Ghost Cavern was real, and extremely dangerous.
"The cavern lies beneath Yin Mountain," Acha added."That mountain is the most sacred place in the Underworld. Think of it like the Underworld's version of Mount Buzhou. It's massive, majestic—so large it defies imagination. They say the Holy River of Yellow Springs originates from it."
"Any living being that approaches it will feel its suppression. Near the base, it's manageable, but the higher you climb, the stronger the pressure becomes. If your strength isn't enough, you'll be crushed—literally."
Yi Tianxing noticed a faint flicker in Acha's eyes as she spoke.
The Underworld was vast—at least as vast as the world of the living. But it was much more mysterious, with many regions still cloaked in fog and uncertainty. Even the local races didn't dare explore too far.
One thing was certain: Yin Mountain was the foundation of the Underworld.
All cultivators saw it as sacred—equal to or greater than reincarnation itself. Anything connected to Yin Mountain was never simple.
And the Ghost Cavern was inside Yin Mountain.
"Ah Qi, do you know exactly where the Ghost Cavern is? Give me a map—I'll go to the Ghost Mother myself,"
Yi Tianxing asked seriously. Given Meng Qi's status, she was bound to know the location.
Now was not the time for discussion. Action was all that mattered.
"No need for a map. I'm going with you,"
she said without hesitation.
Her voice was firm. That was her child—torn from her arms just moments after birth. The pain was beyond anything others could imagine.
"No. You just gave birth. Your essence and energy are depleted. You're in your most fragile state. This isn't the time to head into danger—especially not against someone like the Ghost Mother. Stay home and rest. I'll bring our child back safely. And if I can't… then the Ghost Cavern will be his tomb."
Yi Tianxing's voice left no room for argument.
Even cultivators weren't immune to the drain of childbirth. Though a female cultivator might appear fine afterward, the internal loss of vitality was very real.
A Prison Suppression Divine Body child? The toll on Meng Qi's body must have been enormous.
She needed time to recover.
"He's right," Acha added firmly."Trying to use your powers now could damage your foundation—and ruin your chances of future breakthroughs. Let your clan handle this. A child like this… your Meng Clan will never let him be taken away."
"Fine!"
Meng Qi reluctantly nodded, eyes filled with worry."Husband… bring him back."
Her gaze locked with Yi Tianxing's.
"I will."
Yi Tianxing nodded with unshakable resolve.
"Your Majesty Acha,"
Zhao Li returned and bowed."The orders have been issued. Our brothers will gather at Yin Mountain."
"Excellent. Let's move out."
Acha waved her hand. A giant ghost gate appeared before them. The door was carved with images of terrifying demons, and its ominous presence sent chills down the spine.
"This gate allows us to traverse the Underworld. The one at Yin Mountain is the true body—everything else is just projection,"Zhao Li explained.
"Understood."
Yi Tianxing nodded and stepped through with them.
Outside, a dark passage appeared, wrapping around them with flickering light. Within mere moments, they emerged on the other side.
What greeted them was a pressure so intense that it nearly made them stop breathing.
"So this… is Yin Mountain."
Even Yi Tianxing, hardened as he was, couldn't help but gasp.
What stood before him was a colossal mountain with no visible end. It wasn't just towering—it was everywhere.
He couldn't even tell if it was a mountain. Everything in sight was the mountain.
It soared into the heavens, shrouded in dark mist, sacred and terrifying.
At the base, they were as small as ants.
That pressure—falling like a mountain on their shoulders—was almost too much to bear.
If not for his recent advancements—his elevation to the Dao Platform Realm, and his repeated tempering through heavenly tides—he might have been forced to kneel under the sheer pressure alone.
He looked up once more.
Yin Mountain loomed.
And somewhere inside… was the Ghost Cavern.