Green Ghost Desert.
A wretched figure hugged the desert surface, flying low and fast.
"Suan Bu Jin! You actually didn't chase after me — the arrogance! Hmph, I'll settle this debt with you sooner or later!!" Old Ghost Baijun's face twisted with rage. The mere thought of Fang Yuan made his eyes blaze with fury.
He had originally lost three limbs in the soul explosion, but now they had all been restored.
This showed that Old Ghost Baijun's healing methods were quite remarkable.
Suddenly, his body shuddered. He opened his mouth wide and spat out a small mouthful of fresh blood.
Hatred flooded Old Ghost Baijun's face once more. Gritting his teeth, he said: "My soul beasts — it took so long to accumulate them, and now they've all been killed. Damn it! The losses this time are enormous, and what's worse, I've missed the window. If Master finds out, what will I do?"
At the thought of his Master, Old Ghost Baijun couldn't help but shudder, fear and panic surging through his heart.
"No — I've failed this task. I'll definitely be severely punished by Master. What do I do? No, I can't let Master find out. I'll conceal it for now and grow another soul beast army to report."
"Sigh... the time pressure is crushing, but as long as I'm willing to pay any price, by activating the Soul Beast Token, what soul beast can't I enslave?"
As he pondered this, a woman's figure suddenly appeared ahead of Old Ghost Baijun.
"Eagle Maiden! What are you doing here?" Old Ghost Baijun recognized her immediately, and panic flooded his expression.
Eagle Maiden wore a tight-fitting night outfit that perfectly accentuated her curvaceous figure. Yet her face was deathly pale — as if she rarely saw sunlight. Not only was there no trace of healthy color, but her eyes emitted a sinister, chilling light.
She sneered: "Old thing, don't you understand why I'm here? You've ruined Master's plans and returned in disgrace. Master has specifically sent me to bring you back for punishment!"
"What?!" Old Ghost Baijun's entire body went rigid, his face a mask of terror.
Cold sweat streamed down his forehead: "How could Master know?"
Eagle Maiden laughed coldly: "Did you really think Master would hand over just the Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu — the Soul Beast Token — without any other means of surveillance? You underestimate Master far too much."
"I would never dare underestimate Master! Hmph, Eagle Maiden, don't even think about driving a wedge between us!" Old Ghost Baijun roared, then continued, "Yes, I've failed this task and set back Master's plans. But I'll make up for it — there's still time. I can definitely give Master a satisfactory answer."
Eagle Maiden slowly shook her head: "You still want to make up for it? Hmph, you've already lost your chance. Did you think my earlier words were a bluff? Master truly did send me to capture you and bring you back."
"Master really ordered this personally?" Old Ghost Baijun's face went deathly pale, though a sliver of desperate hope remained. He asked cautiously.
Eagle Maiden nodded: "Give up on that. Why would I deceive you about such a thing? Come along — don't make me use force. You know Master's divine might. Be obedient and come back with me."
"Fine... I'll go back." Old Ghost Baijun let out a bitter laugh, and his entire being collapsed into dejection. Against his Master, he harbored not the slightest will to resist.
The two Immortals set off together. After traveling tens of thousands of li, they dove into a quicksand pit in the ground.
Once inside the pit, they drilled straight downward for nearly a thousand li before suddenly breaking through into a wondrous space, bathed in a green glow.
The two Immortals were thoroughly familiar with the path. Each performed their own technique, and the green glow shifted — from its azure hue, a golden staircase materialized.
Bathed in the green glow, they had lost the ability to fly, so they ascended the staircase step by step.
After exactly nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, the two Immortals arrived before the gates of a palace.
The palace towered like a mountain — solemn yet imbued with vitality, stately while nurturing life. Green bricks and golden tiles gave off a rich, fresh scent of vegetation.
Above the palace gates hung a plaque inscribed with three large characters — Bean God Palace!
It was none other than the Immortal Gu House of Immortal Venerable Yuan Lian, which the Fang Family had schemed across generations to seize!
The two Immortals arrived at the gates but dared not push them open. Instead, they knelt on the ground, kowtowing with utmost reverence.
In a moment, the palace gates slowly swung open, revealing an extraordinarily vast hall within.
Dozens of massive pillars stood in the hall, each thick and robust, gleaming with a bronze luster.
A colossal soul beast lay prostrate in the hall — it had a turtle's shell, four tiger claws, a dragon's tail, a serpent's neck, and a human head.
Upon seeing this monster, the two Gu Immortals hastily bowed and called out in unison: "Baijun (Eagle Maiden) greets Master."
Eagle Maiden's face was full of reverence, while Old Ghost Baijun was drenched in cold sweat, his body trembling like a sieve, shaking from head to toe with fear.