The main headquarters of the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect, Ghost Gate Lake.
Deep in a primeval forest, surrounded on all sides by towering mountains, lies a hidden plain. And at the heart of this forest, shrouded by thick trees and cloaked in layers of miasma, venomous insects, and strange beasts, Ghost Gate Lake has rested in silence for untold millennia.
If seeing the sun in Tenghua Valley was already a rare event, then here, near Ghost Gate Lake.... it's something you'd be lucky to witness even once.
Sky-high trees, tangled vines, ever-present fog laced with toxins, and the sect's own secret techniques create dense layers of mist that completely shut this place off from the outside world. Not a single ray of sunlight makes it through. Even light comes only from ever-burning torches that never go out.
What Li Xun knew of this place came mostly from the basic teachings of the Mingxin Sword Sect. And from the notes left by Ghost Master in The Netherworld Record, where he described the so-called "Yin-Transforming Pool." According to him, Li Xun would have to soak in that pool at least once within a hundred years, or else be consumed by the backlash of Yin fire and die.
But a hundred years felt like forever. Most of the time, Li Xun completely forgot about it. It wasn't until he actually set foot here that the memory came rushing back.... only to slip from his mind again almost immediately.
The first thing he saw when he stepped onto the shore of Ghost Gate Lake was a floating fireball, burning above him beneath the forest's natural canopy.
Ming Li explained that the fire was a never-dying Yin flame, fueled by the Nine Netherworld Earth Qi As long as that energy flowed, the fire would keep burning.
In the pale, grayish light of the flames, Ming Li's face looked even more terrifying, shifting between shades of green and blue. But it was also clear that here, inside the sect's stronghold, he was being much more cautious than usual. As for You Wusheng, normally the silent type, he had gone completely quiet.
In the light filtering down through the air, Li Xun looked across the surface of the lake, following the direction Ming Li pointed, toward the center. But all he could really see was the dense, grayish fog. Beneath that haze were the outlines of some buildings. They looked massive, even imposing, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make out their full shape.
"Don't worry, Junior Brother Hundred Ghosts," Ming Li said with a laugh. "Even those of us who've lived here for over two hundred years haven't seen the whole place."
He gestured for Li Xun to walk with him across the lake, speaking as they went. "Back when I first came here, it took me over a year just to memorize the main paths. The way I see it, by the time you can walk every route in this place, you'll either be the sect master or an elder."
The joke wasn't particularly funny, but Li Xun gave a polite chuckle anyway. The sound startled a nearby flock of waterfowl. They looked like wild ducks, except their pupils were completely blood-red. With a flurry of wingbeats, they rose into the air in waves.
"They're coldwater ravens. Usually pretty docile. Some of our brothers who train in soul control, puppetry, or soul-capturing techniques even use them for practice. But if some clueless outsider wandered in here… well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty."
"Senior Brother Ming Li, how have you been?"
A voice cut through the fog, interrupting Ming Li. A young cultivator emerged from the mist.
Ming Li turned toward the sound, surprised. "Junior Brother Gui Ji? Is something going on with the sect master?"
The young man looked like he was no more than thirteen or fourteen, actually younger than Li Xun, but his eyes were far too sharp for someone his age. With just a glance, he sized Li Xun up from head to toe before answering, "Exactly. The sect master and the twelve elders are all waiting. They've called you in to report."
Ming Li drew in a sharp breath between his teeth. He glanced at Li Xun and gave a wry smile. "Junior Brother Hundred Ghosts, looks like our lives are in your hands now."
Li Xun understood perfectly what he meant. During this whole mission, those two shameful blackouts had cost Ming Li and You Wusheng their right to speak on the matter. Now, all their hopes were riding on him.
Still, Li Xun knew all too well, even if he did everything he could to cover for the other two, what he got in return might not be gratitude at all.
But on his face, there was nothing but a warm, sincere smile. "Don't worry, senior brothers. I understand."
The place where the sect leader had summoned the three of them was called the Hall of False Illumination. The name was strange, but the hall itself was even stranger.
It was carved deep beneath the island at the center of the lake, several dozen feet underground. The four walls were made of rock as hard as iron. The hall itself stretched over ten yards in both length and width, and stood seven or eight yards tall, grander, even, than the palaces of mortal emperors.
There were no tables or chairs inside. Instead, carved into the walls four to five yards above the ground were thirteen stone platforms; three at the front, five on each side.
When Li Xun stepped into the hall, the first thing he saw were the flames burning atop each of the thirteen platforms. They flickered in that familiar gray-white light so common throughout the sect. From Ming Li, he'd learned that the actual elders never showed their physical forms here; the fire took their place. When a flame ignited, it meant an elder had arrived. When it went out, they had left.
What a bunch of theatrics, Li Xun thought to himself. But still, he joined Ming Li and You Wusheng, bowing respectfully to the flame at the very center.
The gesture looked more like something from a strange cult ritual than a proper sect. It was eerie.
The central flame flickered without a breeze, and from within came the weak, rasping voice of Underworld Flame Yama. The sickness in his tone made it even hoarser.
"You three did well this time. Snatching victory from Luo Qichang and Shui Die Lan? That's a win for our sect, no matter how you look at it."
The three of them replied in unison, thanking him for the praise. But inwardly, they were all a little surprised. Did the thirteen top elders really summon them just to say... that?
There was a pause. Then Underworld Flame Yama spoke again, this time with focus.
"Hundred Ghosts."
Li Xun's brow twitched slightly. He stepped forward and answered, "Yes, Sect Master. I'm here."
"You did well." There was a note of real praise in Underworld Flame Yama's raspy voice this time, very different from the routine formalities earlier. "You haven't been in our sect long, but if we count from the time you returned the True Explanation of the Nether Division, it's been over a hundred years, hasn't it?"
The sudden shift in topic caught Li Xun completely off guard. He stiffened; this was exactly the subject he most wanted to avoid. The mention of that title made his heart skip a beat. But the sect master's tone remained calm and gentle, without suspicion, so Li Xun forced himself to relax.
Still, he had no idea what this True Explanation of the Nether Division even was. He could only offer a vague, noncommittal response and hope for the best.
Fortunately, no one present seemed to read anything unusual into it, and Li Xun got away with the bluff. Meanwhile, Underworld Flame Yama seemed to drift into reflection, his voice growing distant, almost nostalgic.
"A hundred years ago, your only real talent was knowing your limits. Even Elder Minghu, who first reached out to you and assessed your foundation, didn't hold much hope for you. Said you didn't have the potential to go far."
He paused for a beat.
"But time passes in the blink of an eye. Elder Minghu is gone now. I doubt he ever imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that you'd become who you are today."
While Underworld Flame Yama was reminiscing up above, down below Li Xun was struggling not to let his heart explode from the shock of it all.
Thankfully, years of training had made his self-control nearly flawless. Even shaken as he was, his expression didn't change. His breathing stayed steady. His heartbeat barely faltered.
By now, Underworld Flame Yama had returned to the matter at hand.
"This trip to Longhuan Mountain; you adapted well. In front of so many powerful enemies, you upheld the sect's reputation. That was no small feat. Even among our core bloodline disciples, few could've done better."
Praise like that, one line after another, left Li Xun completely unsure how to respond. Even worse, he could feel Ming Li and You Wusheng both looking at him now, strangely, sharply. Their eyes made his skin crawl.
Li Xun quickly spoke up, "Sect Master, you flatter me. I've spent many years wandering outside, so if I've developed any skill, it's just in knowing how to talk. I just happened to get a chance to put that to use this time… Honestly, if it weren't for these two senior brothers risking themselves to block the main assault for me, I never would've had the chance to respond. Back on Chicheng Mountain, that treasure would've ended up in someone else's hands."
He was in a rush, and the words came out a bit stiff, but they still did their job. Up front, Underworld Flame Yama let out a low laugh. "Their contribution won't be forgotten. You two, go to the Ghost Vault in the Nether Valley and pick a Class A advanced technique to study."
Ming Li and You Wusheng bowed in unison, understanding immediately that this was a polite way of dismissing them. With a quick bow in three directions, they quietly backed out of the hall.
The chamber was large, and they hadn't even made it halfway out when Underworld Flame Yama continued, "Hundred Ghosts, your merit this time stands above all. To hold your ground in front of Luo and Shui; figures of that level. And not lose your dignity, that alone is enough to grant you one of the sect's great surnames. Come forward."
Li Xun was still a little shaken, his thoughts not entirely clear. At the sect master's words, he stepped forward like someone in a dream. To everyone else, though, he just looked dumbstruck with joy.
And why wouldn't he be? Honors that others might not earn in a hundred years… A status thousands of disciples dreamed of… And here he was, having only joined the sect a few months ago, being handed it all with ease. Anyone else in his shoes would be overwhelmed too.
Ming Li and You Wusheng paused just short of the exit, exchanged a glance, and felt a strange, heavy mix of emotions.
Now they understood why all thirteen elders had shown up at once. Only a naming ceremony, the formal granting of a sect surname, would call for every one of them to be present. In just a few breaths, Li Xun would become their equal.
The ceremony itself was simple. As Li Xun stepped within thirty feet of the central platform, the ground beneath him lit up. Interwoven sigils etched into the stone seemed to come alive, glowing as they flowed like rivers of light beneath his feet.
In the shifting light, a glowing pedestal rose up in front of Li Xun, shaped entirely from light. Resting on it was an intricately crafted bracelet.
"Since your name already includes the word Ghost, there's no need to change your surname," came Underworld Flame Yama's rasping voice. "This Ghost Bell will serve as proof of your identity."
Li Xun slowly reached out and picked up the bracelet.
The moment his fingers touched it, all the light in the room vanished at once. As the last glimmer faded away, the flames atop the thirteen stone platforms suddenly flared upward in unison. And with them came thirteen piercing shrieks, each sharp as a blade, merging instantly into a single, ear-splitting scream.
The sound surged in pitch until it went far beyond what any normal person could endure, then, as suddenly as it had begun, it cut off with a metallic clang.
The floor returned to its normal, inert appearance.
Li Xun took a deep breath and slid the bracelet onto his left wrist. A chill spread through his skin, seeping into his limbs and bones, then, just as quickly, turned into a deep, steady warmth.
He gently brushed his fingers over the bracelet.
From this moment on, he was the twenty-second disciple in the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect to bear one of the great surnames. And from this moment on, the identity of "Hundred Ghosts" felt more real, more weighty, than it ever had before.
The ceremony was over. Li Xun knelt on one knee and gave thanks to the Sect Master and the elders for the special spell they had used to empower the Seven Ghost Bells.
From now on, the Seven Ghost Bells would be bound to his bloodline. As his cultivation deepened, it would evolve alongside his techniques, becoming a potent magical item tailored specifically to him.
Underworld Flame Yama gave a few rough coughs, then spoke again: "As for the Heaven-Seer Wheels…"
As soon as he heard this, Li Xun quickly pulled the bronze wheels from his robes, ready to present them with both hands. But before he could speak, Underworld Flame Yama said:
"I heard that the Bloodkiss you raised was taken by Shui Die Lan, and that's how you managed to get these wheels back?"
Just the mention of that reckless little creature made Li Xun grit his teeth. Kitty had never really submitted to him, and was always eyeing the treasures on his body, but after a few months together, to say he felt nothing for it would've been a lie. Thinking of it now, he couldn't help feeling a bit down. He just gave a quiet "Yes."
"Bloodkisses are naturally born demons; they are rarer, I'd wager, than even the Heaven-Seer Wheels... what a pity. By that measure, I'd say the sect owes you a debt."
Li Xun's heart skipped. He quickly lowered his head. "I wouldn't dare presume."
But Underworld Flame Yama ignored him and continued, "Madam Yan tells me you focus mainly on Nether Qi, with a secondary in corpse control and puppet arts. That's perfect. I'll offer you this wheel in place of the Bloodkiss. If you integrate it with your puppet cultivation, the Heaven-Seer Wheel will save you at least thirty years of effort. It's not a perfect trade, but it's close enough. What do you think?"
What could Li Xun say?
At this point, he was already dizzy from the wave of rewards crashing over him. His mouth opened, but no words came out.