Chapter 439 - 437: Fishing for Treasure in the Ghost River

"Ahhh—" A bloodcurdling scream rang out as a young cultivator was impaled through the chest by a white bone. With a SPLASH, the young cultivator’s corpse was dragged into the Ghost River by the bony hand.

"Kill—" The other young cultivators roared, unleashing the most powerful ultimate skills they knew. The river erupted, its waters churning violently.

These four young Ghost Race cultivators were all Hero Level experts. Having unleashed their most powerful ultimate skills, they finally slew the vicious creatures attacking them and burst out of the river.

At this point, each of the four Ghost Race youths had retrieved a Ghost Algae Box from the river. Once ashore, they immediately paid the Night Sun Fish to the Ghost Envoy from the Ghost Fortune Sect.

After paying the Night Sun Fish, the four youths eagerly scraped away the thick layers of ghost algae covering their Ghost Algae Boxes. Once the algae was gone, two of the youths found they had gotten useless junk. One got a broken helmet, and the other, a shattered shield, both forged from the cheapest metal and utterly worthless.

The other two youths fared slightly better. One had obtained an Ancient Badge. Though its purpose was unknown, the badge emitted a wisp of divinity, which at least proved it was a treasure.

The last youth had the best luck, managing to get a Fire Sparrow Stone. The fist-sized stone flickered with flames, as if a tiny Fire Sparrow were about to leap out from within.

"Ha, I’ve struck it rich this time." The youth who got the Fire Sparrow Stone was overjoyed. This Fire Sparrow Stone was indeed quite valuable, and he excitedly put it away.

The others present couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement. One young cultivator said, "That’s some pretty good luck. I’ve been waiting here for ten days, and that Fire Sparrow Stone is the best thing pulled out in that time."

After this single haul, some youths gave up on trying their luck here. After all, the Ghost River was too dangerous; almost every time people went in to retrieve Ghost Algae Boxes, one or two would die. However, some were unwilling to give up and stayed behind.

"The Ghost River may be perilous, but it’s truly one of the most treasure-laden evil lands in Fengdu City. Some evil lands have never even produced a Divine Artifact, but several have been found here." The young cultivators who remained still wanted to try their luck again.

There was truth to this. Although the Ghost River was dangerous, it was indeed one of the most bountiful treasure spots in Fengdu City. The most world-shaking treasure of all was the one obtained by the Giant Sky Immortal Emperor. Legend has it that the item he found here was an extremely ancient Immortal Object.

From time to time, Ghost Algae Boxes would drift down from the upper reaches of the Ghost River—sometimes many, sometimes few, and always at uncertain intervals. The young cultivators hoping to try their luck all remained at the ferry crossing, waiting for each batch of Ghost Algae Boxes to float by.

Some people had even been here for several months, hoping to study the Ghost Algae Boxes and see if they could uncover their secrets.

Whenever a batch of Ghost Algae Boxes floated down from upstream, some would make a move, and some would die a tragic death in the Ghost River. And once you died in the Ghost River, your body would never be seen again, sinking forever to the riverbed.

Li Qiye and Qiu Rong Wanxue remained at the ferry crossing. He never made a move, simply watching every batch of Ghost Algae Boxes that drifted by. And so, Li Qiye and Qiu Rong Wanxue stayed there for over ten days. During this time, new young cultivators arrived to try their luck, while others gave up, unwilling to take the risk any longer.

In those ten-plus days, some gained nothing at all, while others managed to get one or two decent items, but no world-shaking treasures appeared.

"Ghost River, let’s see what my luck is like." On this day, as Li Qiye and Qiu Rong Wanxue were still watching the Ghost River, a sinister voice rang out. The eerie sound echoed across the ferry crossing, as if a ghost were speaking.

Although the voice echoed across the crossing, the speaker was nowhere to be seen. Not a single one of the young cultivators who came to try their luck was weak, but now, hearing a voice without seeing its owner, many of them felt a chill, knowing this was a formidable expert.

POOF. Just as many of the young cultivators were looking around for the speaker, there was a sudden soft sound. Wisps of mist gathered in the middle of the crowd, instantly coalescing into a human figure that looked just like a phantom.

When everyone got a good look, they discovered that the person formed from the mist was an exceptionally handsome young man. However, his face was deathly pale, as if he hadn’t seen the sun in years, and he seemed like a specter living in the darkness.

"Ye Sha—" When this young cultivator suddenly appeared in the crowd, the expressions of the others changed, and they all took a few steps back, putting distance between themselves and the newcomer.

Hearing the name "Ye Sha," Qiu Rong Wanxue’s expression also changed. In fact, many of the young cultivators present were extremely wary of him.

Ye Sha. The young man before them was a famous figure in Nanyao Yun and even the entire Ghost Sacred Realm. He was the successor of the renowned Great Sect in Nanyao Yun, the Nightwalker Sect, and hailed from the Ye Xing Clan.

The Ye Xing Clan was a branch of the Blood Race. Members of this clan came and went without a trace, silent and unseen. Especially at night, they could blend into the darkness as if the night itself were their paradise.

Ye Sha was an assassin, but he was not for hire; he only killed those who made an enemy of him. In recent years, his reputation had grown. He had assassinated several major figures, including not only genius-level opponents but also some Sect Leaders and Emperors who had offended him.

Some Sect Leaders of the older generation, who were even stronger than him, had ultimately died tragically by his hand.

Ye Sha never fought his opponents in a fair and open duel. Once you offended him, he would lock onto you, sticking to you like a shadow, a persistent thorn in your back. Anyone he targeted would be hunted until they were dead.

For cultivators, grievances and vendettas were normal. The most common ways to resolve disputes were one-on-one duels or group brawls.

Geniuses, in particular, preferred to rely on their own strength to deal with their enemies. To them, this was a form of tempering. Only by sweeping aside all enemies could they ascend to the peak in the future.

As for something like assassination, never mind geniuses, even disciples with some status from Great Teaching Territories would disdain such methods. They would rather choose a group brawl, as that would at least demonstrate the strength of their sect or country.

However, Ye Sha, who came from the Nightwalker Sect, cared nothing for this. He was an assassin. As long as he could eliminate his opponents, he would not hesitate to use any and all means of assassination.

Because of this, although Ye Sha couldn’t be counted among the absolute top-tier geniuses of the current Ghost Sacred Realm, he made many people wary. Even some geniuses of the younger generation who were stronger than him were extremely cautious around him.

When the young cultivators present all took a few steps back, Ye Sha smiled, clearly enjoying their fear. He said with a grin, "Fellow Daoists, I have no grievance or enmity with any of you. Why treat me like a viper or a scorpion?"

"Brother Ye Sha’s fame is as loud as thunder. The moment we hear your name, it’s like being struck by lightning," a young cultivator hurriedly said with a laugh.

No one wanted to offend Ye Sha. He wasn’t the strongest of the younger generation, but he was the one everyone was most unwilling to provoke. Being targeted by him was like having a constant, unnerving prickle on one’s back.

Ye Sha laughed, a sinister sound that made one’s hair stand on end. His gaze fell on Li Qiye, the only one present who hadn’t moved. He said with a smile, "Human Race junior, are you not afraid of me?"

Li Qiye glanced at Ye Sha, his expression calm and nonchalant. "I don’t even know you," he said. "Why should I be afraid of you?"

Hearing Li Qiye say this, even some of the young cultivators present broke out in a cold sweat for him. If he offended Ye Sha, he might not even know how he died.

Ye Sha looked at Li Qiye, saw how utterly ordinary he was, and thought it made sense. He nodded and said, "You have a point. An ant like you probably isn’t even qualified to have heard of my great name."

Li Qiye couldn’t help but chuckle, too lazy to bother with Ye Sha. Likewise, Ye Sha couldn’t be bothered to spare Li Qiye another glance. In his eyes, a Human Race junior like Li Qiye was less than an ant, not even worthy of his attention.

However, while Ye Sha was arrogant, he truly had the strength to back it up. He stayed at the crossing for a day before finally setting his sights on a batch of Ghost Algae Boxes floating down from upstream. He instantly appeared above the Ghost River, his speed so astounding that he snatched four Ghost Algae Boxes from the water in a flash.

The moment the four Ghost Algae Boxes were pulled from the water, SPLASH, four vicious creatures emerged from the Ghost River. But Ye Sha wasn’t the least bit afraid. He laughed sinisterly and instantly transformed into four streams of black mist. With a series of PFFT, PFFT, PFFT sounds, cold glints of light slashed down.

In a very short time, the four ghosts were slain. He drifted down to the ferry crossing, tossed down the Night Sun Fish, and vanished in a flash, leaving everyone to wonder if he had found any treasure in his Ghost Algae Boxes.

"So strong—" After Ye Sha disappeared, the young cultivators present couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. No one wanted to be around an assassin; it was just too dangerous.

"He really has the strength. I heard that not long ago, he assassinated the Demon Emperor of the Iron Bull Country. They say the Demon Emperor of the Iron Bull Country was already a Little Saint Venerable, but he still died a tragic death at Ye Sha’s hands," another young cultivator said.

The young cultivators present all felt a chill in their hearts. For young cultivators, even geniuses, a Saint Venerable was a very powerful existence, especially one from the older generation. Yet Ye Sha had managed to assassinate a Little Saint Venerable. One could only imagine the extent of his power.

Li Qiye and Qiu Rong Wanxue stayed at the ferry crossing for a full twenty-one days. On the twenty-second day, as a new batch of Ghost Algae Boxes floated down from upstream, Li Qiye, who had been staring at them all this time, suddenly narrowed his eyes, his gaze locking onto one particular Ghost Algae Box.