Encountering a Ghost?

Encountering a Ghost? . . . 

Qing'er gazed at Qin Wentian with wide eyes, her astonishment palpable. Could this fellow really be so incredibly powerful?

Upon hearing Qin Wentian's words, she communicated with him using voice transmission, her tone laced with concern, "As excavators, we're not permitted to cultivate in this place, let alone use the immortal stones we've obtained from the mine. If we're discovered, the authorities above will swiftly take action against us."

Qin Wentian responded with a confident smile, "It's a simple matter. Just follow me." With that, he gracefully took flight through the air, and Qing'er couldn't help but follow suit. As she recalled Qin Wentian's promise to protect her, a radiant smile graced her face. She had initially thought he was joking.

Within this meteor stone excavation site, numerous individuals were hard at work, many of them immortal kings. Qin Wentian and Qing'er soon encountered another group of cultivators, but he wasted no time engaging in conversation. Instead, he unleashed his soul energy, manifesting two spirit bodies that shot toward the two immortal kings.

Proficiency in soul energy was a rare talent even within the Supreme Ancient Immortal Realms. The two immortal kings were taken aback as they hurriedly summoned their law domains, but it was too late. Qin Wentian's formless soul energy had already entered their bodies.

"Destroy his body!" one of the immortal kings bellowed, launching a formidable fire attack at Qin Wentian's physical form. Witnessing this, Qing'er's complexion turned pale. Had Qin Wentian lost his mind?

Qin Wentian, however, was far from insane. Swiftly, his two spirit bodies reverted to soul energy and returned to his body, triggering a remarkable regeneration process. This left the two immortal kings in utter disbelief.

Was he some sort of monster? His body seemed indestructible. If they wanted to kill him, they could only target his soul. Yet, his soul was so powerful that it surpassed both of them combined. Was he not, in essence, a monstrous entity?

Moreover, traces of his soul energy still lingered within their bodies from the earlier attacks, creating a perpetual sense of threat. It felt as though Qin Wentian could unleash his soul energy at any moment and strike them down.

"I won't kill the two of you, nor will I take your meteor stones. You can continue excavating here. I'll venture deeper into the cave to cultivate. While you work, consider yourselves my guardians, preventing others from disrupting my meditation. If not, I won't hesitate to take action." Qin Wentian's tone was resolute as he turned to Qing'er. "Qing'er, whether you choose to cultivate alongside me or continue mining for meteor stones, I'll proceed first."

With those words, he made his way into the depths of the cave. The two immortal kings had expressions that alternated between shades of green and white. Their faces twitched as they felt the persistent threat of his remaining soul energy. Could they refuse?

"What are you all staring at? Get back to work!" One of the immortal kings barked at the onlookers, who quickly turned their attention back to their excavation tasks. Qing'er's beautiful eyes flickered with uncertainty. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to join Qin Wentian, venturing deeper into the cave's interior.

Qin Wentian produced the king-grade meteor stone he had acquired earlier. An illusionary domain enveloped him, giving rise to a myriad of illusions. He closed his eyes and settled into a cross-legged position, commencing his cultivation in earnest.

For someone like Qin Wentian, who had already reached the peak of the immortal king realm in the past, there were no inherent bottlenecks up to that level. 

Five years elapsed, and Qin Wentian ascended to the immortal king realm. His soul perception soared to the heavens, reaching the ninth heavenly layer. While his perception was formidable, it still fell short of the peak he had achieved in his heyday. Breaking through the barrier of the eighth heavenly layer to step into the ninth remained elusive.

Nevertheless, all seven of his astral souls were now at the eighth heavenly layer, a feat that was nothing short of astonishing.

Astral light of unparalleled brilliance descended from the heavens, setting off a spectacle of celestial wonder. High above, vigilant guards patrolling the skies couldn't help but notice the astonishing display. Their eyes sparkled with intrigue as they redirected their attention towards the very spot where Qin Wentian had chosen to meditate. A collective snort of disbelief escaped their lips. Could it be that someone was cultivating right under their watchful eyes?

In the blink of an eye, four formidable immortal kings materialized at the entrance to Qin Wentian's cavern. They unleashed their immortal senses with a cold, authoritarian demeanor that brooked no disobedience. Their words cut through the air like icy daggers, "Who dares to cultivate in this sacred mine? Vacate this place immediately."

The miners and even the two immortal kings tasked with guarding this location for Qin Wentian, not to mention Yang Yun'er, all trembled with trepidation. These four immortal kings were the guardians of this mine, and they wielded the power to swiftly and mercilessly extinguish the lives of those who dared to flout the rules.

Inside the cavern, an eerie silence prevailed, the sole disturbance being a surreal play of illusions.

"Behold the audacity!" One of the guards stepped forward boldly, his cultivation at the mid-stage of the immortal-king realm. His every step caused the earth to quake violently, sending shivers down the spines of those present. With unwavering determination, he marched deeper into the cavern, immersing himself in the ethereal illusions. His immortal sense surged forth, eventually revealing the exact location of Qin Wentian.

Meanwhile, Qin Wentian remained seated, unperturbed. He calmly surveyed the approaching immortal king who had ventured into his realm of illusions. The intruder's voice was laden with frost as he declared, "Cultivating within the mine is strictly forbidden. Do you dare to defy this decree?"

With eyes still closed, Qin Wentian replied nonchalantly, "You too are adhering to orders, responsible solely for safeguarding the mine. You don't even share in the spoils of the meteor stones we excavate. So why the solemnity? Depart quietly, and let's pretend nothing transpired here."

"YOU DARE!" The incensed immortal king bellowed, striding forward with an overwhelming aura. A sphere of black flames erupted around his clenched fist.

Qin Wentian's voice remained as serene as ever. He retained his closed-eye posture and uttered calmly, "Don't make it so you can't extricate yourself from this situation."

Undeterred by the warning, the furious immortal king snorted coldly, launching a devastating punch. The black flames swirled around his fist, and it bore down upon Qin Wentian like an impending tempest.

However, just before the crushing blow could land, a radiant burst of light emanated from Qin Wentian. In an instant, his entire form seemed shrouded in divine radiance, repelling the incoming punch with a deftness that made it seem as if it had never existed.

"I have no desire to be at odds with you. Kindly instruct those outside not to disturb my meditation," Qin Wentian calmly intoned as he finally opened his eyes. The intensity of his gaze inflicted a searing torment upon the mind of the immortal king, who let out a tortured scream. The pain was so excruciating that he could barely keep his eyes open. In a matter of seconds, his body was drenched in sweat, and his heart raced uncontrollably. When he finally managed to open his eyes, Qin Wentian had already closed his, returning to his contemplative state.

A resounding thud echoed in the immortal king's chest. Was this the true might of someone who had just ascended to the immortal king realm?

Without uttering another word, the humbled immortal king retreated from the cavern, his head bowed in submission. He communicated with the other three guards, and together, they departed in silence, as though nothing out of the ordinary had transpired. The astonishing scene left everyone else gaping in disbelief. Yang Yun'er drew a deep breath as she peered into the depths of the cavern. What kind of extraordinary being was Qin Wentian?

"Resume your excavations," the two immortal kings guarding Qin Wentian's meditation cave declared coldly. They knew all too well that Qin Wentian was not to be trifled with.

Qin Wentian remained secluded within the cave, resolute in his pursuit of mastery. Since ascending to the immortal king realm, the path to power had grown intricate and demanding. He grappled with the need to fathom novel attribute energies and forge fresh law domains. His seven astral souls had undergone a transformation, rendering his previous domains obsolete. Adaptation was paramount.

Time, an unyielding river, flowed unabated. In the blink of an eye, three more years elapsed. This marked the ninth year of Qin Wentian's sojourn in this enigmatic realm. Additionally, the spatial gateway would reopen in a matter of months, granting them an opportunity to return to their world.

Throughout these three years, Qin Wentian's ascent through the immortal king realm had been relentless. From the initial stage, he had vaulted to the mid-stage, needing only one more stride to regain his former peak. Today, he emerged from the cavern, clutching the king-grade stone that had fueled his meditations. The two immortal kings, mindful of their charge, had enlisted additional laborers for the excavation. Their exalted status deterred any other factions from interfering.

With a mere act of will, the two strands of soul energy that had inhabited their bodies returned to Qin Wentian. As he observed their palpable unease, Qin Wentian offered an assuring smile. "Rest easy. I assured you before that I harbored no ill intent. I merely required your protection during your excavation."

Only then did the two guards release pent-up breaths, their anxiety palpable. They had sensed Qin Wentian's cultivation and couldn't help but wonder if he had concealed his true strength all along.

Yet, his meteoric rise to power puzzled them. They had keenly felt the astral energy descending, a process that typically demanded an extensive duration. Yet, Qin Wentian had ascended to the mid-stage of the immortal king realm in a mere few years.

Turning to Yang Yun'er, Qin Wentian uttered, "Yun'er, it's time for us to depart."

"Mhm," she nodded in agreement. Qin Wentian gently grasped her arm, and with a fluid movement, the two vanished into thin air.

"Have we just crossed paths with a ghost?" the two immortal kings murmured to each other.

"I think we must have. In my thousand years of cultivation, I've never witnessed such an inexplicable phenomenon," one of them lamented.

"You…" Yang Yun'er ventured a question as she soared through the skies beside Qin Wentian. He paid little heed to the guards who watched their departure.

"What's there to fear? These individuals are simply following orders. When confronted with someone more powerful, they choose to turn a blind eye. After all, there's nothing to gain by provoking us, and risking their lives holds no appeal," Qin Wentian reassured her with a nonchalant smile.

Curiosity burning within her, Yang Yun'er asked, "What is your current cultivation base?"

Qin Wentian couldn't help but chuckle as he revealed his current cultivation level, saying, "I'm at the mid-stage of the immortal king realm." Yang Yun'er's gaze turned incredulous as she processed this information. "You were concealing your cultivation earlier?" she asked, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

With a casual shrug, Qin Wentian responded, "You could say that." He didn't feel the need to elaborate further on his reasons. Instead, they continued their flight through the skies, occasionally encountering surreal scenes of illusions that obscured their vision. Qin Wentian paid them no mind and charged right through.

"Could it be that more immortal stones have appeared?" Qin Wentian speculated aloud, curiosity piqued.

Yang Yun'er offered her insight, saying, "I doubt it. There are various types of mines, and this one we're in is relatively basic, producing mainly hallucinatory-effect stones. The higher-grade stones were likely excavated many years ago."

Nodding in understanding, Qin Wentian pressed forward. However, in a sudden twist of fate, a distant pillar of light erupted into the heavens, its brilliance captivating their attention. A moment later, a radiant astral light illuminated the surroundings, pulsating in unison with a mysterious force.

"Emperor-grade stone!" Yang Yun'er exclaimed with a glint in her eyes.

Qin Wentian, wearing a playful grin, mused, "The resonance of astral energy, the hallmark of the immortal emperor realm. So, this is an emperor-grade stone? It must be even more valuable than an immortal king stone, wouldn't you say?"

Yang Yun'er earnestly nodded in response. "You could put it that way. An emperor-grade stone can help immortal kings explore the mysteries of the immortal emperor realm. It can also generate an endless flow of law energy, deepening the user's comprehension of their law attributes. Of course, the stone's law attributes must align with the user's to be of maximum benefit. Otherwise, it can be used for trade."

Qin Wentian couldn't help but jest, "Well, isn't this convenient? I'm practically penniless at the moment. Jialan Mingyue has indeed been a great help." He chuckled, and in the blink of an eye, a spatial gateway materialized before them.

As Yang Yun'er lost herself in contemplation, Qin Wentian gently tugged her and guided her into the spatial gateway. In an instant, they emerged from another portal, far from their initial location.

Qin Wentian now possessed an astral soul of the spatial variety, a manifestation of his eighth heavenly layer powers. It took the form of a colossal spatial gateway, a testament to his unique abilities.