Chapter 7: The Black River Blocks the Way

Following the passage, Lu Yun and the other six flew on their swords for hundreds of feet before arriving at a large gate. Upon closer inspection, they saw a layer of dark black energy shimmering on the gate, exuding a sinister and ghostly aura that permeated the surroundings. Yun Feng glanced at the gate and chuckled, "Everything here is different from our human realm, always filled with eerie and bizarre things. It's really annoying."

Lu Yun smiled, "Alright, let's not dwell on it. This is the Ghost Realm, naturally different from our human realm. We've never heard of anyone leaving here alive before, so none of us understand what strange things might be here. Time is short, let's just open this gate and leave. Otherwise, if the Abyssal Ghosts catch up, it will be troublesome."

Yun Feng thought it over and agreed. Provoking trouble in a place like this, especially with the addition of a notorious Abyssal Ghost, was not wise. Looking at the gate, he said, "Leave this to me. I'm most adept at these things. Watch me." With that, he formed a strange seal with his hands in front of his chest and chanted, "Yin and Yang, heaven and earth, reverse the universe, obey my command. In the presence of Yin and Yang, all shall be revealed, open!" With a push of his hands, the eerie black energy surrounding the gate merged with the surrounding black aura, gradually opening to reveal a faint light.

As they watched the gate slowly open, everyone marveled at Yun Feng's Yin-Yang technique, finding it quite mysterious. Turning back to look at the path they came from, Lu Yun said, "Let's leave here. We're heading straight to the Ghost King City, that's our goal." With that, he led everyone away.

Exiting the passage, they found themselves in mid-air above a cliff, a hundred feet from the ground. Ahead, a dense ghostly aura shrouded the area, giving off a chilling and terrifying vibe. Glancing at Yun Feng, the last to emerge, Lu Yun said, "Yun Feng, remember to place a powerful seal on this exit to prevent the Abyssal Ghosts from appearing. We'll head forward to check the situation, and you can join us once you're done. Let's go." With a flash of crimson light, accompanied by four other colored lights, they disappeared into the dark sky like shooting stars.

While flying, Ziyang Zhenren said, "Lu Yun, according to the strange cave's description, we should be able to sense the Black River within the hour. Won't we be close to the Ghost King City then? Since it's the dark night in the Ghost Realm, shouldn't we take the opportunity to sneak in and inquire about the whereabouts of the Soul-Transforming Pool?"

Lu Yun's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Soul-Transforming Pool. "Everyone, let's stop advancing for now. Once Yun Feng catches up, we'll sneak into the area ahead. We need to hide our tracks as much as possible, unless absolutely necessary, to avoid being detected," he said.

The others realized the importance of this and stowed away their weapons, standing silently in mid-air.

Looking ahead, Cangyue said calmly, "As far as this Ghost Realm is concerned, we are still too unfamiliar with it. Since our arrival, we've noticed that the lighting here is always dim, unlike the human realm. Also, there's one thing here similar to our human realm, which is the presence of armies. From what I've gathered from a second-tier general, there are three major legions here, with the third legion stationed in the Black River Basin, led by a Ghost Marshal and three first-tier generals. Our destination, the Ghost King City, is like the Forbidden City in the human realm, heavily guarded and filled with experts. Due to our limited time, we haven't had the chance to analyze the distribution of forces in the Ghost Realm. Therefore, this mission is full of dangers. How to enter the Ghost King City is a crucial question, and how to leave and return is equally important. Before entering, we should carefully consider these issues."

Aoxue added, "Cangyue is right. We all understand this problem, but we didn't have time to think about it earlier. We were completely unaware of the situation here before entering. Everything we knew was just hearsay, and we couldn't verify its accuracy until we entered. Now that we're here, we've discovered how eerie and bizarre this place is, with many things we've never seen before. Many things cannot be analyzed from the perspective of the human realm. Like now, we have no idea what's ahead, whether the Ghost King City is heavily guarded, or if there are dangerous creatures defending it. These are all things we need to consider."

Ziyang Zhenren sighed softly, "As you all say, this journey is fraught with difficulties and dangers. I wonder how the other group is faring. Are they encountering the same difficulties as us, or have they encountered smooth sailing? There are only eleven of us in the Ghost Realm, facing almost the entire population of ghost creatures here. Perhaps, apart from using our wits, we won't have much chance of victory. Besides strategic maneuvers, we absolutely cannot confront them head-on."

With a heavy sigh, everyone fell into a deep silence, realizing the severity of the situation. Just then, a silver light flashed from behind, and Yun Feng had arrived. Lu Yun stopped him, instructed him to stow his weapon, and whispered, "We're not far from the Ghost King City now. For safety's sake, everyone must conceal their weapons to avoid detection by the ghost army. As for how to enter the Ghost King City, all I can say is we must adapt to the situation. No matter how much we plan, we can't predict the unknown changes. Ordinary ghost soldiers won't be able to detain us here, so for now, we only need to be wary of the leaders of the Ghost Realm armies. Let's use our lightness skills to proceed cautiously." With that, he took the lead in scouting the path.

After traveling for dozens of miles, Lu Yun discovered the so-called Black River, which startled him. Glancing back at everyone, he said solemnly, "Take a careful look at this Black River. Be vigilant and see if you can discover anything. It will help us remain alert. Also, pay attention to the surroundings. Do you all feel that the ghostly aura here is ten times heavier than elsewhere?"

Everyone beside him stared at the Black River, hundreds of feet ahead. The Black River lived up to its name, spanning a hundred feet wide, with countless black waves shimmering silently, flowing with great momentum. However, strangely, despite its imposing appearance, the river made no sound, adding to its mystery.

Chapter Seven: Black River Barrier

Following the passage, Lu Yun and the other five flew on their swords for hundreds of feet until they reached a gate. Upon closer inspection, they saw a layer of dark flow shimmering on the gate, exuding a sinister and eerie atmosphere that pervaded the surroundings. Yun Feng glanced at the gate and chuckled, "Everything here is different from our human realm, always filled with creepy things. It's really annoying."

Lu Yun smiled, "Alright, let's not dwell on it. This is the Ghost Domain, naturally different from our human realm. We've never heard of anyone leaving here alive before, so none of us understand what mysteries lie within. Time is short now, let's open this gate and leave quickly before the Nether Ghosts catch up, otherwise, it'll be troublesome."

Yun Feng nodded in agreement, realizing the danger of lingering. He looked at the gate and said, "Leave it to me. I'm most skilled in these matters. Watch me." With that, he formed a strange seal with his hands in front of his chest and uttered, "Heaven and Earth, yin and yang reverse, all obeys my command. Before the Yin-Yang technique, all is revealed, open!" As he finished speaking, he pushed his hands forward, causing a black vortex to form around the gate, merging with the dark flow. With a faint sound, dim light slowly appeared before them.

As they watched the gate slowly open, everyone marveled at Yun Feng's Yin-Yang technique, finding it unexpectedly mystical in this aspect. Glancing back at the way they came, Lu Yun said, "Let's leave here. We should head straight to the Ghost King City; that's our goal." With that, he led everyone out.

Exiting the passage, they found themselves in mid-air above a precipice, with a dense ghostly aura shrouding the area ahead, giving off a terrifying vibe. After observing the last to emerge, Lu Yun said, "Let's leave this to Yun Feng. Remember to seal this exit with the strongest seal to prevent the Nether Ghosts from appearing. We'll head forward to check the situation. Once you're done, catch up with us." With a flash of crimson light, they disappeared into the dark sky, leaving no trace.

While flying, Purple Yang Immortal said, "Lu Yun, according to the strange cave's instructions, we should be able to sense the Black River after just a meal's time, which means we should be close to the Ghost King City now. Since it's the ghost domain's night, shouldn't we take the opportunity to sneak in and inquire about the whereabouts of the Soul Refining Pool?"

Lu Yun pondered for a moment, then replied, "Everyone, let's put away our weapons now. We might be detected by the ghost army if we keep them out. Let's temporarily halt and proceed cautiously. Unless absolutely necessary, we should avoid revealing ourselves." The others complied, concealing their weapons and floating quietly in mid-air.

Observing the surroundings, Cang Yue said, "We are still unfamiliar with this ghost domain. Since we arrived, we've noticed that the light here is dimmer compared to our human realm. It seems like there's never sunlight here. Similar to our world, there are also armies here. From what the second-ranked general mentioned, there are three major army corps, with the third corps stationed in the Black River region, led by a Ghost Marshal and three first-ranked generals. Our destination, the Ghost King City, is akin to the Forbidden City in the human realm, heavily guarded and filled with skilled individuals. Due to time constraints, we haven't had the chance to analyze the distribution of forces in the ghost domain, so this mission is perilous. How to enter the Ghost King City is a crucial question, and how to leave and return is equally important. We should thoroughly consider these issues before entering."

Proud Snow added, "We all understand this, but we've been too preoccupied to consider these matters. When we first entered, everything was unfamiliar, and all the information was mere hearsay. Now that we've entered, we've realized how eerie and unfamiliar it is. Many things are unprecedented, and many cannot be analyzed from the perspective of the human realm. For instance, we have no idea what lies ahead, whether the Ghost King City is heavily guarded, or if there are terrifying defenses or creatures. These are the things we need to consider."

Purple Yang Immortal murmured, "As you say, this journey is fraught with difficulties. We may face insurmountable challenges. Besides employing wit, direct confrontation may not lead to victory."

With a sigh, everyone fell into silence, acknowledging the severity of the situation. Suddenly, a streak of silver light approached from behind, and Yun Feng arrived. Lu Yun stopped him, instructing him to conceal his weapon and saying, "We are nearing the Ghost King City. For safety's sake, everyone should conceal their weapons to avoid detection by the ghost army. As for how to enter the city, we'll have to adapt to the situation. Conventional planning may not suffice given the unpredictable circumstances. Let's proceed cautiously using lightness techniques." With that, he led the way forward.

After traveling for several tens of miles, Lu Yun spotted the so-called Black River, which surprised him. Turning to the others, he said, "Take a close look at this Black River. Be careful and see if you notice anything unusual. It might help us stay alert. Also, observe the surroundings. Do you feel that the ghostly aura here is ten times denser than elsewhere?"

As they gazed at the black river stretching a hundred feet wide, they couldn't help but notice its eerie silence, contrary to the logic of flowing water. 

Purple Yang Immortal found it strange and said, "Why is there no sound coming from this Black River? It's impossible; it defies logic. Perhaps we're too far; let's get closer and listen to see if there's any sound?"

Yun Feng was equally puzzled, "Master's right; this Black River is truly mysterious. It doesn't sound like the rivers in our realm. Moreover, it seems to emanate an extremely potent ghostly aura, which could corrode all living beings from our world."

Proud Snow stared at the Black River and speculated, "Considering the direction of this river, could it act as a moat protecting the Ghost King City? If the atmosphere here is so gloomy, it implies that crossing this Black River won't be easy, suggesting it serves a purpose. In our realm, take the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, for example, they're the two major rivers obstructing countless travelers. Similarly, if this Black River can prevent ghostly beings from passing through, it presents a significant challenge for us."

Listening to Proud Snow, Cang Yue commented, "If this Black River can indeed impede the passage of ghostly beings, then perhaps there's a barrier akin to the Great Wall above it. Otherwise, how could it stop ghostly creatures? It doesn't make sense otherwise."

Lu Yun moved closer to the river, stopping ten feet away, and began to analyze the liquid within using his spiritual waves. Soon, he discovered that the Black River contained a strong ghostly aura, immensely chilling, as if it possessed a corrosive force.

After sharing his findings with the group, Lu Yun suggested, "Crossing this Black River

 won't be easy. To ensure our safety, we should send someone to investigate first. It's safer to send one person rather than risking everyone. Let's discuss who should go. Master, do you have any suggestions?" He glanced at Purple Yang Immortal, acknowledging his seniority and leadership role.

Purple Yang Immortal glanced at everyone and said, "Given the mysterious nature of this Black River, I'll go personally for safety's sake. The rest of you, observe closely for any sudden changes and be ready to alert me." He understood the importance of leading by example and not always putting the younger disciples at risk.

As Purple Yang Immortal cautiously approached the Black River, he felt a sense of unease creeping over him, as if something were about to engulf him. Observing the river's silent waves, he sensed a powerful force corroding his protective aura, emitting a faint, sinister sound. He carefully scrutinized the river's movements, realizing its treacherous nature.

Meanwhile, Lu Yun and the others watched from the shore, relieved to see Purple Yang Immortal navigating the river without incident. However, their relief was short-lived as Purple Yang Immortal suddenly cried out, his body pulled swiftly into the roiling waters.

Lu Yun's expression darkened as he commanded, "Stay calm, everyone. Trust that Master will be alright. It might be a sudden complication. Wait here; if Master doesn't surface soon, I'll go rescue him."

As they waited anxiously, Yun Feng exclaimed, "Look, Master's resurfacing, but he seems to be struggling. It's as if something's dragging him down." Everyone's gaze shifted to Purple Yang Immortal, who was indeed struggling to stay afloat. His face contorted with fear, sweat streaming down his forehead as he fought against an unseen force.

Lu Yun's face paled as he shouted, "Remember what I said; I'll go save Master." With that, he materialized beside Purple Yang Immortal. However, before he could reach out, a powerful force dragged him downward. He glanced at the surging black waves, realizing the true danger of the Black River.

With a flash of determination, Lu Yun summoned a cyan aura to lift himself upward, resisting the river's intense suction. Seeing Purple Yang Immortal's plight, he braced himself and leaped downward. Upon hitting the water's surface, he expertly propelled himself back up, seizing Purple Yang Immortal's body and retreating to the shore. As they landed, Purple Yang Immortal appeared disoriented, as if he had briefly lost consciousness. 

Looking around, Lu Yun noticed the concern in Proud Snow and Cang Yue's eyes. He nodded gently at the two women, a soft smile playing on his lips. Glancing at Purple Yang Immortal, he said, "Thankfully, nothing serious happened. Now we understand the secret of the Black River. It serves as a barrier, much like Proud Snow suggested, capable of impeding ghostly beings. However, unlike the mountains separating realms, it possesses a powerful suction force at its center, making it difficult to traverse."

Purple Yang Immortal added, "Moreover, the water of this Black River is incredibly malevolent. When I fell in, I felt a potent force attempting to devour me, as if it could consume all life. My protective aura was eroded by two-thirds, and I nearly perished. Crossing this river from above seems unrealistic; we need to devise another plan."

Their expressions turned somber as they contemplated how to overcome this obstacle. How did the ghostly beings usually cross this Black River? Did they use boats, like humans crossing the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers? If so, where were the boats in this ghostly domain? These questions lingered in their minds, leaving Lu Yun and his companions deep in thought.

At this moment, although Lu Yun appeared deep in thought, he was actually probing the Black River again with his spiritual waves. This time, he unleashed nine waves of spiritual waves in succession, spanning a wide frequency range. However, from the information gathered by the nine waves of spiritual waves, it was analyzed that the Black River basin was very narrow. The entire area above the Black River was filled with a strange force, like a protective layer, firmly guarding the land on the other side of the Black River.

Turning back to look at the Black River, Lu Yun whispered, "I intend to take another look at the situation with the Black River. Everyone stay here, remember not to approach too close to avoid accidents. If I can't find a solution this time, we'll leave immediately. We'll try to capture one or two ghostly creatures and inquire about the situation here. Once we have a clear understanding, we can take further action to avoid stirring up trouble."

Proud Snow whispered, "Be careful, the Black River is extremely mysterious." In just two sentences, it seemed like there were some hidden thoughts left unsaid. Lu Yun glanced at her, and their eyes met, conveying a mutual joy. There was no need for many words; even if left unsaid, they could both feel that sentiment.

Withdrawn his gaze, Lu Yun glanced inadvertently at Cang Yue, feeling a sudden shock. Those eyes with a faint radiance revealed a trace of concern and encouragement. Like a silent message, gently infused into Lu Yun's heart, nourishing his soul. With a slight smile, Lu Yun suddenly remembered his own life. What couldn't he do? Since he wanted to break free from the shackles of fate, why not follow his heart? There was no need for words; Lu Yun just smiled lightly, his eyes full of vitality, tightly fixed on Cang Yue's eyes, gently conveying that sentiment. In Cang Yue's eyes, there was a hint of shy blush, as if the thoughts of a young girl were seen through, making her feel somewhat unnatural.

On the side, Proud Snow watched Lu Yun and Cang Yue, her eyes carrying a faint sigh as she gently avoided their gaze and looked at the river in the distance. Yun Feng patted Lu Yun on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "Be careful; you're the most powerful among us. We're all counting on you, so don't let us worry."

Lu Yun reluctantly withdrew his gaze, looked at Yun Feng, and said, "Got it, I'll take the opportunity to replenish my depleted true essence when I have time. If I don't find a solution and come back later, there won't be time for you to replenish your true essence. I'm going now, wish me luck." With that, his body flashed and appeared on the surface of the Black River. On the shore, everyone watched Lu Yun, their eyes filled with blessings.

Slowly approaching the center of the Black River, Lu Yun's eyes emitted a faint black light, unfortunately invisible. Gently unleashing the Ghost Sect's "Soul Transformation", a faint black aura appeared on Lu Yun's body, almost completely invisible in the surging black waves of the Black River. When he reached the center of the river, the powerful attraction instantly grabbed Lu Yun's body, causing him to continuously descend. Lu Yun's eyes flickered with divine light, and his body didn't struggle much. Standing still on the black surface of the water, he maintained his posture without falling. Due to the splashing waves, countless black ghostly auras almost completely enveloped Lu Yun's body, leaving only his head visible to Proud Snow and the others on the shore.

Proud Snow looked at the scene and said to Cang Yue, "What do you think Lu Yun's strange appearance means? He's standing alone on the surface of the water, completely covered by black ghostly aura. Why isn't he resisting at all? Based on my feelings, the concentration of the ghostly aura around him is more than ten times stronger than the surrounding area. It's truly terrifying. It's fortunate that it's him; otherwise, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to endure it."

Cang Yue glanced at her and said, "Of course, don't you think the First of the Six Institutes is so simple? Can't you see how calm he is? It means that there's nothing wrong for the time being. I think he's probably trying to test the nature of that ghostly aura, to see how dangerous it is for cultivators. When he figures it out, maybe we can cross this mysterious Black River."

Proud Snow nodded slightly and watched Lu Yun's figure, whispering, "Or perhaps everything was destined long ago, but we just didn't know, so we're confused. Let everything go with the flow, let fate decide everything." In her gentle tone, there seemed to be something hidden, but how much could the listener understand?

Purple Yang Immortal glanced at the two women, naturally understanding that there was some indescribable affection between them and Lu Yun. With a slight sigh, Purple Yang Immortal looked up into the distance, lost in thought. Suddenly, Yun Feng exclaimed, and everyone's attention focused on him.

"Look, something strange is happening around Lu Yun. It's really amazing and bizarre, surprising," Yun Feng exclaimed. This statement immediately drew everyone's gaze to Lu Yun, wanting to see what had happened to him.