Chapter Sixty-One: Subjugation

After Wang Shaoyang had left, Qu Yiqiu seized the cover of night, slicing through the darkness with swift speed. Three days later, she arrived at the Deep Valley of Autumn Crimson Leaves.

The evening sky burned with fiery clouds, mingling beautifully with the red-leaved mountains.

Little Yan drifted out from between her brows, perching cross-legged atop a smooth eyeball, swaying back and forth.

“Master, release the Golden Ghost King. Once we merge, we’ll be able to control everything within the Netherworld Domain.”

Hearing this, Qu Yiqiu summoned the Soul-Suppressing Banner, flicking her wrist. A mass of black mist slowly emerged, transforming into a humanoid shape.

The Golden Ghost King trembled, too afraid to lift his gaze toward Qu Yiqiu.

Yao Zhimei suddenly floated from her sleeve, delivering a sharp knock to his head.

“Your Majesty, this fellow is not honest at all—he never spoke the truth before!”

The Golden Ghost King’s legs shook violently, and he fell to his knees, crying out, “Master, spare me! Master, you are kind-hearted, I’ll never dare defy your will again!”

After nearly losing his soul last time, the Golden Ghost King had come to recognize her as his true master deep within his heart.

Qu Yiqiu regarded him calmly, saying nothing.

Little Yan, riding the eyeball, drifted closer, sensing the Golden Ghost King’s thoughts. “Master, forgive him. He truly admires you.”

Though he did not know what the Golden Ghost King had done before, at this moment he could clearly perceive the king’s intentions.

The Golden Ghost King, seeing Little Yan speak on his behalf, wept. “Master, your powers are vast. I was ignorant before, underestimated your abilities, and tried to deceive you. Please punish me!”

He dared not repeat his mistakes.

Once, he held himself in high esteem and dreamed of devouring the Netherworld Domain.

It was only when Little Yan attempted to refine him into one, and Qu Yiqiu rescued him at the brink of death, that he realized how feeble his own strength was, and how unfathomable Qu Yiqiu’s power.

The realm-stabilizing spirit he had craved for over a thousand years was effortlessly claimed by her.

In truth, he had no idea that this was all a misunderstanding.

Little Yan had chosen Qu Yiqiu as his master not only because he sensed she possessed a similar spatial treasure, but also because she had subdued the Golden Ghost King beforehand.

During his moment of peril, the Golden Ghost King’s desperate trust and plea for Qu Yiqiu to save him transmitted deeply into Little Yan’s consciousness.

Thus, Little Yan believed the king had willingly acknowledged Qu Yiqiu, sensed her uniqueness, and confirmed her strength.

He trusted his own essence and likewise pledged allegiance to Qu Yiqiu.

“Your Majesty, he cannot be forgiven. Once we have used his abilities, feed him to Sansha for nourishment!” Yao Zhimei shot the Golden Ghost King a wicked grin.

Terrified, the Golden Ghost King knocked his head repeatedly, tears streaming down his face, fearing he would become food at any moment.

Qu Yiqiu’s cool gaze swept over him. Her voice was icy: “Rise. The most important task now is to absorb the energy of the Netherworld Domain for me.”

Her efforts had all led to this moment.

As for the Golden Ghost King’s fate, that would depend on his future behavior.

Hearing her words, the Golden Ghost King felt he had received a pardon. He finished his kowtows and stood, declaring, “I shall accomplish this for Master!”

Qu Yiqiu nodded slightly and turned to Little Yan. “Can we begin?”

Little Yan nodded and floated to the Golden Ghost King’s side. “Let us unite for now. I won’t consume you.”

The Golden Ghost King’s expression was awkward, but he nodded obediently. “Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”

Yao Zhimei conjured a horrifying ghost face, flicking her tongue at the Golden Ghost King, then retreated with Qu Yiqiu.

Though the Golden Ghost King’s view of Qu Yiqiu had changed completely, he still harbored deep-seated resentment against Yao Zhimei.

“Focus—I’m starting now.” Little Yan stretched out two fair, small hands and grasped the Golden Ghost King, radiating a gray-white halo.

Layer after layer of gray-white light rippled outward from their joined forms, spreading to all directions.

Gradually, it obscured Qu Yiqiu and Yao Zhimei’s sight. They could no longer see what happened within, only faint flashes of strange light in the dim mist.

After some time, Qu Yiqiu suddenly felt her internal space tremble, uncontrollably releasing a terrifying power.

Yao Zhimei, who stood close by, was blasted ten yards away by this force. Dazed, she climbed to her feet, her gaze filled with awe and fear as she looked at Qu Yiqiu.

At the center of the swirling gray-white mist, a vortex suddenly rose up, dragging Qu Yiqiu inside.

She found herself at the vortex’s heart, battered by fierce winds that threatened to tear her in half.

In her agony, wisps of smoky clouds floated from deep underground, merging into her body, converging into her space.

Gray-white clouds continuously poured up from the earth into her, and after half a night, Qu Yiqiu finally digested them all.

Yao Zhimei solemnly guarded the perimeter, and Qu Yiqiu felt no concern for any possible danger.

She sank into her consciousness, curiously examining the gray-white light cluster within her space.

Now, she no longer needed to enter the space bodily; she could perceive everything inside and observe changes outside.

The gray-white light cluster spread in rippling waves, filling the space.

Qu Yiqiu was puzzled about its purpose when Little Yan’s clear voice rang out.

“Master, send a strand of pure soul into the Netherworld Domain.”

Pure soul?

Qu Yiqiu was startled.

That was far more than mere spiritual sense—it was tantamount to her very soul.

Her thoughts shifted quickly. Little Yan had no reason to deceive her, so she gathered her soul power and forcibly extracted a strand of pure soul.

Such a slight movement consumed tremendous soul energy, leaving her weak and pale-lipped.

“Master, when you fuse with the Netherworld Domain, whatever you do, think of nothing…”

After placing her pure soul in the gray-white light cluster, Little Yan’s voice grew faint and uncertain. Qu Yiqiu, groggy, tried to ask why, but could not hear her own voice.

She seemed to fall asleep, or perhaps to enter another world.

In her confusion, she recalled Little Yan’s warning, pondering what he feared, why he cautioned her so—was he afraid she might think of something?

Qu Yiqiu unknowingly entertained many thoughts, though she was unaware.

Until her mind wandered to the mysterious male cultivator—the only outsider she’d seen with Little Yan and the Golden Ghost King, possibly Huo Tangsheng.

Suddenly, the halo radiating from the gray light cluster expanded in circles, enveloping everything within the space.

Spiritual plants rooted in crimson earth sprouted and surged, thick green stems sprawling across the space, burying Yao Zhimei’s master contract.

A mighty, frightening force of Heavenly Law appeared overhead, its brilliance and aura undiminished even beneath layers of gray-white light.

Qu Yiqiu felt as if she had a pair of eyes within the space, inexplicably drawn to the Heavenly Law’s pressure.

Within the dense light, she glimpsed a thread of Heavenly Law.

Little Yan, eyes shut tight, suddenly opened them, seized the Golden Ghost King, and darted into Qu Yiqiu’s brow.

In the blink of an eye, the scene before her shifted wildly.

Qu Yiqiu’s chest surged, and she coughed blood, her last sight being Yao Zhimei’s panicked face.

(End of chapter)