Chapter 474: Section 261: Crossing the River
“Ugh! Ugh!”
Cang Xu gasped with an unprecedented intensity.
His eyes were full of confusion.
“I… I thought I was dead?”
The confusion quickly dissipated as Cang Xu realized something and rapidly checked the spatial bag at his chest.
Inside the bag, he found the death replacement puppet.
It was forcibly purchased by the survivors at the Twin Eyes Island auction.
The death replacement puppet, shaped like a doll made of ghastly green wood, had straw the color of withered yellow as hair. Its eyes and nose were askew, giving off an odd and eerie sense of beauty.
Now, the death replacement puppet had crumbled apart, with limbs detached and its torso shattered. The largest remaining piece was half of its head.
Cang Xu, together with Zi Di, had purchased the death replacement puppet for the Dragon-man youth.
To the survivors, the Dragon-man youth was the most important and critical individual.
But before attending the Undead Gathering, considering the risks of the journey, the Dragon-man youth entrusted the death replacement puppet to Cang Xu.
“It was the death replacement puppet that resurrected me.”
“No, it was the squad leader who saved my life!”
Overwhelmed by intense fear, Cang Xu was once again filled with a warm surge of gratitude.
“Is this water from the Nether River?!” Realizing his situation, he sprang up as if electrified.
Before, just by gazing into the Nether River, he had nearly lost his life. Now, having come into contact with its water, what terrible consequences might occur?
Having suffered once before, Cang Xu was immensely wary of the Nether River. He leapt violently onto the bed, completely distancing himself from the water of the Nether River.
“Eh?” The mysterious figure in black instinctively turned to look in Cang Xu’s direction.
The moment Cang Xu was resurrected, his life breath had leaked out, and the figure in black immediately sensed it.
“He’s actually come back to life?” The figure in black was briefly astounded, then quickly guessed the answer.
“It seems it was that death replacement puppet.” The figure in black was well-informed.
Cang Xu and Zi Di had purchased many items at the auction, including the death replacement puppet.
Many people were aware of this intelligence.
The figure in black and the Sea Snake Lady, tracking down Cang Xu, naturally wouldn’t overlook such crucial information.
The figure in black turned his head away, disregarding Cang Xu.
A mere Silver Level, not a concern!
The figure in black reasoned: if he could easily kill Cang Xu once, he could surely do it a second time.
His strength was formidable. He was oblivious to the nearby Little Prince and Ku Feng, for his true target was just one.
The ship ghost!
“Ship ghost, how about it?” the figure in black pressed.
A heavy sigh came from the ship ghost, “Ku Feng, put your weapon away.”
Ku Feng’s gaze intensified.
The ship ghost continued, “I know not to fear death, but at this moment, there really is no need for pointless sacrifice.”
Ku Feng clenched his teeth but eventually sheathed his knife.
The ship ghost spoke weakly, “I still do not know where exactly you come from, what power you belong to, or what your specific identity is. If I surrender, what kind of treatment can I expect?”
With these words, the ship ghost’s intention to surrender became very clear.
The Little Prince was spirited.
A slight smile appeared on the lips of the figure in black.
The atmosphere in the cabin eased considerably.
Cang Xu stood on the bed, watching as the level of Nether River water on the wooden floor rose swiftly.
“The ghost ship is leaking and is sinking!”
“But the ship ghost isn’t repairing it.”
“What’s going on?”
“What happened after I died?”
Cang Xu looked toward the cabin where the figure in black, the Little Prince, and Ku Feng were.
Although his line of sight was blocked by the walls, he could still clearly sense their three life breaths.
“They’re not fighting, they seem to be confronting each other?” Cang Xu wasn’t clear about the current situation.
But that didn’t stop him from taking action first.
He pulled out a magic scroll of the Flying Technique and tore it open then and there.
His body floated up, cautiously keeping a distance from the water of the Nether River, and then soared into the air.
Cang Xu left the bed behind, pushed open the cabin door, and followed the ship’s stairs up to the deck.
He fell directly onto the deck, his body ice cold, with strong bouts of darkness before his eyes and a very intense feeling of dizziness!
Such a simple use of the Flying Technique drained Cang Xu to this extent.
Although he had been resurrected, his condition was extremely dire!
Cang Xu immediately checked himself.
He was horrified to discover that his left chest was pierced front and back; his heart was gone, turned into debris by the figure in black.
His entire body was filled with violent negative energy.
Clearly, this negative energy came from the water of the Nether River and was furiously eroding Cang Xu’s body and spirit.
There was also a ghastly green power struggling to maintain Cang Xu’s life.
Most of this ghastly green power hovered around Cang Xu’s left chest, replacing the heart, powering him.
At the same time, strands of green light extended from where the heart was, like roots and vines, spreading into Cang Xu’s organs and limbs.
“This is the power of the death replacement puppet, the divine power of the Voodoo Sect.”
After inspecting himself, Cang Xu immediately found that the ghastly green power was rapidly fading before his very eyes.
Even though he had escaped the water of the Nether River, the previous soaking had already allowed a vast amount of negative energy to fill Cang Xu’s shattered body.
“This negative energy is dragging me back to death!”
“What should I do?”
Cang Xu’s forehead broke out in cold sweat as he urgently pondered how to save himself.
Firstly, he thought of the Reduction Technique and the Reduction Technique.
The supplementary volume of magic from the ship ghost was still in his hands and had not been taken away by the man in black.
But the Reduction Technique and the Reduction Technique inside it had been used up.
It was impossible for Cang Xu to cast spells on his own.
“Right, there are potions!” Cang Xu quickly focused his spirit into the Storage Bag and took out some potions.
He drank these potions or poured them directly into the hole in his heart.
The effects of the potions were very poor.
“There are very few potions suitable for Undead Life to begin with.”
“Now my body is filled with negative energy, which greatly reduces the effect of the potions.”
Most of the potions refined by Zi Di were of the Bronze and Black Iron Level, with fewer Silver Level potions being produced.
As for Golden Level potions, she currently lacked the ability to refine them.
After using the potions once, Cang Xu’s dire condition did not improve much.
He took out some black crystals.
These crystals were of varying lengths and sizes but were all elongated. They were deep and mysterious, exuding an inexplicable chill; they were Soul Crystals.
Using Soul Crystals was very simple.
Cang Xu only needed to hold them and connect with his spirit to gain the nourishment from the Soul Crystals.
One after another, the Soul Crystals in his hands rapidly shrunk, like ice meeting high temperatures until they disappeared entirely.
After using several Soul Crystals in succession, Cang Xu’s spirit was greatly nourished, forcibly invigorating his spirit.
“At least I feel a bit better now.” The dizziness that Cang Xu had originally felt was significantly reduced.
But the problem of negative energy was not solved in the process.
Although Soul Crystals could enhance his Soul Essence, they could not resolve the immediate life-threatening crisis he was facing.
At this moment, a Skull Mage flew over and came in front of Cang Xu.
“New guy, I’m here to help you!” The newcomer was Little Prince.
After being resurrected, Cang Xu could sense the Life Breath of others, and Little Prince could naturally sense Cang Xu’s breath as well.
Cang Xu’s Life Breath was extremely weak, like a flame in the wind.
Little Prince felt huge psychological pressure while staying beside the man in black, Wei Ying, and was very uncomfortable. Daring himself to try something different, he boldly flew out of the cabin to save Cang Xu.
When Cang Xu saw Little Prince, he quickly inquired about the situation of the battle.
Little Prince spoke with a heavy tone, “The enemy is too strong, but they are not killing outright. Right now, the enemy is negotiating terms of surrender with the ship ghost.”
Cang Xu’s eyes flashed.
The situation did not surprise him; it was within his expectations.
“If the ship ghost gives in and surrenders, I’ll end up a prisoner too.”
“Ah, my strength is still too weak.”
Things were beyond his control.
Cang Xu quickly discarded his distracting thoughts; now was not the time to worry about the future. If he didn’t deal with his own issues, death was imminent.
Undead Magic—Reduction Technique!
Undead Magic—Reduction Technique!
Little Prince cast spells on Cang Xu in quick succession.
The speed at which Cang Xu was plummeting into the death Abyss slowed even more, but the trend was still not reversed.
Little Prince spoke with a grave tone, “This is bad, new guy, you’ve been exposed to the waters of the Nether River, and there’s too much negative energy.”
“This energy has not only permeated your body, but most of it has actually poured into your spirit.”
“If you hadn’t modified your body, the waters of the Nether River would have assimilated you by now!”
“At this rate, I can’t save you.”
“Ship ghost, help us, save the newbie!” Little Prince looked up and shouted, his plea as crisp and practiced as ever.
Inside the cabin.
Wei Ying heard Little Prince’s call for help and laughed, “Ship ghost, do you want to save him? Then sign a Magic Contract with me first.”
If the ship ghost truly took action and cast a spell to help Cang Xu, he would have to reveal his true form.
At that point, Wei Ying would be free to attack.
Wei Ying was using Cang Xu as a bargaining chip, pressuring the ship ghost, “I’ve heard that you usually have nice conduct and take good care of the Undead around you.”
“However, you are the Undead Orthodoxy, a direct descendant of You Can, and caring for other Undead is what those of your orthodoxy should do.”
The ship ghost interrupted Wei Ying, “Who exactly are you? How do you know my identity?”
Wei Ying sneered, “You’ve held the Undead Gathering on Songfeng Island no less than ten times.”
“Many pieces of intelligence are easily accessible.”
“You being able to sell Soul Crystals and consistently provide them proves you know the method to create them.”
“That is the most distinctive feature of the Undead Orthodoxy.”
“Don’t ask about my origins and identity anymore. I won’t tell you, but I will reveal that my power is far greater than yours!”
The ship ghost immediately responded, “My ancestor You Can is a Legendary Mage, and although Firebeard is also a Legend, he is just a fighter. The power of the Undead Mage isn’t as exposed as Firebeard’s pirate group, but the strength hidden within far surpasses what is imagined by the outside world!”
Wei Ying scoffed, “There’s no need for pointless probing.”
“Ship ghost, my patience has run out.”
“Come out.”
“Sign a contract with me, and I’ll spare your life.”
“Otherwise, I’ll shatter your Ghost Ship, and you’ll go down with the ship!”
The ship ghost let out a long sigh, “In the end, I am a Golden Level Spellcaster and an Undead Mage. If I surrender and become your slave, leading a life worse than death, then it would be cleaner for me to die in battle instead.”
Wei Ying emitted a strong murderous intent, “You still want to bargain with me?”
“Then I’ll destroy your Ghost Ship first and let you face reality!”
“Reality?” Suddenly, a foreign voice came from afar, “It’s you who needs to face reality.”
Accompanying the voice, Cang Xu, Little Prince, and the others on the deck were shocked to see a figure stepping over the Nether River, approaching them.