Ye Kaishan was left on his own. He lay on the bed, glancing at Song Yan. She was wearing a white dress, her face bright and serene. She wasn't overly plump, but her curves were well developed. Ye Kaishan smiled slightly—it could be said she was more beautiful than any actress he had seen in his previous life.
"Sigh… Let's check the space-time skill tree."
With a thought, Ye Kaishan summoned the image of the tree. It stood about fifteen meters tall, with four branching limbs covered in dark blue and bluish-green leaves. On the space branch, a single golden bud shimmered faintly.
There were no particular changes to the skill tree. His four abilities—Teleportation, Time Freeze (limited by opponent strength), Space Manipulation, and Time Manipulation—remained as they were. After Song Yan forged a perfect soul, his soul had also strengthened to her level. His qi and blood now surpassed the ordinary forging realm.
His body fitness and physical strength exceeded that of a typical forging realm cultivator. He had expected the skill tree to evolve, but to his disappointment, nothing had changed. He sighed and let his consciousness return to his body.
He looked at Song Yan, still deep in stabilization. Deciding she would take a while longer, he took a short nap. His space detection was sharp enough to alert him to any abnormality—even in sleep—so there was no worry in guarding her.
Meanwhile, after resting for some time, Wang Li stood in the meadows. Yang Bing and her group were still resting nearby. Her maid stood quietly behind her.
"Did you sense the old witch?" Wang Li asked.
"No," the maid replied calmly.
Wang Li felt slightly relieved. Truthfully, even her maid couldn't do much against that witch. The best strategy was still to escape.
She called out to Yang Bing and the others. "We must set off. That old witch could appear any time."
"We should keep moving until we can leave this place," Wang Li added.
"But where should we go?" Yang Bing asked thoughtfully.
Wang Li considered the witch's last known direction. Before she could answer, Yang Mon, who had been quiet, spoke up hesitantly. "H-how about heading north? It's the furthest from the south. It might take that old witch longer to reach there."
Wang Li nodded approvingly—she had also been considering the north. Yang Bing and Luo Xuan agreed as well.
"I didn't think you could be so thoughtful," Yang Bing teased Yang Mon with a smile.
"What do you mean!?" Yang Mon replied with an indignant glare.
"Nothing." Yang Bing chuckled, tapping her head. "Just teasing."
After some discussion with Wang Li, the group prepared to depart.
"So, let's head north." Yang Mon took the lead, flying toward the northern skies. The others followed suit.
Meanwhile, the old witch had finished devouring the ghosts.
She placed her hand over her forehead, where the arrow still stuck out. Her expression darkened.
"Now, let's clear those ants first… Where are they?" she whispered, scanning with her ghostly sense.
A moment later, she grinned. "Hehehe… They're heading in the same direction—very good."
She licked her withered lips. Chains hung from her limbs, making an eerie, metallic rattle as she walked. Her appearance alone was enough to strike fear into the bravest hearts.
She left the rocky meadows and entered the northern forests of the Ghost Territory.
Yang Mon, Yang Bing, and the others continued flying north.
Elsewhere, in both the eastern and western parts of the Ghost Territory, cultivators were still hunting. Some had already forged their souls and were now seeking loved ones or sect members. In this harsh land, many followed the motto: If quality cannot be attained, quantity will suffice.
Only a week had passed since Song Yan and Ye Kaishan entered the Ghost Territory. Many members of the Song Clan were still struggling, hunting wandering ghosts and forging their souls.
Half a Month Later – Northern Black Mountains
Inside the hut, Song Yan still sat cross-legged. She hadn't opened her eyes since that day. Ye Kaishan had thought it would take only a few hours to stabilize her realm, but the potency of the Emperor Orb and Yin Drop made the process far more complex than expected.
Ye Kaishan, having strengthened his qi and blood beyond the forging realm, no longer needed food or sleep.
He now sat lazily on a tree, playing with small projections of people using his abilities—captured from recent encounters.
"Hey, you nasty man! Why did you capture us!?" Yang Mon's voice rang out angrily from inside the space.
Ye Kaishan frowned. "Can your mouth stop for even a minute? You've been babbling for hours."
"Then let us out! We haven't done anything wrong!" she shouted again.
"Oh, that's not possible," Ye Kaishan replied calmly. "If I let you out now, that disaster you brought with you will sense your presence. I won't be able to cover for you, and everyone here will be in danger. So, for now, stay put."
"You—!" Yang Mon started again, but Yang Bing interrupted.
"It's okay. He's helping us, in a way."
"But Sister Bing! He's locked us in a weird cage with no door! How does this help?"
"Didn't you notice?" Yang Bing said calmly. "This cage is concealing our auras. That old witch won't be able to detect us in here."
Yang Mon tested her aura and confirmed it—her presence was fully concealed. "Fine… I'll stay quiet," she muttered, still glaring at Ye Kaishan.
"It's nice to have someone smart," Ye Kaishan thought with a sigh, climbing higher into the tree to rest.
Wang Li, also trapped within the invisible cage, turned to her maid. "Li Xu, can you break this?"
Li Xu examined the space. "No. I can't understand the law behind this cage. And within the Ghost Territory, I can't use my full power. It's not possible right now."
Wang Li glanced at Ye Kaishan, expressionless. She closed her eyes and entered her subspace. There, she found a rusty sword. She calmly picked it up and asked, "Do you know what law is restraining us?"
The sword vibrated lightly. A young male voice answered, "I don't know. There's no elemental force in it, so I can't tell. But… I sense no malice or hostility from him. I don't think he means harm."
"Okay, if you say so." Wang Li felt her worries ease. This sword had been her companion for a long time.
Her consciousness returned to her body.
Above, Ye Kaishan was lounging lazily in the tree, watching over everything