Chapter 1458: A Man of His Word
Ma Ling's earnest reply piqued Zhong Siyu's interest.
"Oh? Do tell."
With her gaze fixed on the twenty-eight figures, watchful for any sudden move or attack, Ma Ling began to explain. "They come from a mysterious organization known as the Myriad Ghost Grotto. Their movements are clandestine, their methods ruthless. It's said that every member of this group is a ghost practitioner, and each possesses considerable power. Few who become their targets ever survive, which is precisely why so little is truly known about them by outsiders."
Ma Ling spoke with grave seriousness, her words tumbling out rapidly as she strove to impart everything she knew to Zhong Siyu in the shortest possible time. No sooner had the words left her lips than she was about to elaborate further, when the twenty-eight figures abruptly vanished from their positions.
Zhong Siyu's expression remained impassive, seemingly unconcerned by their sudden disappearance. Indeed, it's often said that profound skill breeds immense courage, and Zhong Siyu clearly belonged to that category.
Ma Ling's face, however, paled dramatically. In her estimation, their sudden disappearance could only signal an impending assault. Swiftly, she clamped her mouth shut and mobilized her internal power, bracing herself for the inevitable attack.
Yet, the scene that unfolded next left Ma Ling utterly dumbfounded. Even Zhong Siyu, whose face had been contorted in a grotesque sneer, wore a look of utter bewilderment.
Under their bewildered gazes, the twenty-eight figures who had so abruptly vanished now reappeared directly before Yang Haoran. Without hesitation, they dropped to one knee, offering a respectful salute.
Their voices, uniformly resonant and clear, carried an unmistakable undertone of excitement. And the gazes that all twenty-eight directed towards Yang Haoran were, without exception, brimming with fervent devotion.
Hearing this, Yang Haoran shifted his gaze from the floating text suspended before him, turning to regard the twenty-eight figures kneeling at his feet.
"Heh heh, rise."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, and at his words, all twenty-eight rose to their feet. A gentle smile gracing his features, Yang Haoran's gaze swept over the group before he gave a slight nod, finally letting his eyes settle on the figure at the very front.
"The members of the Myriad Ghost Grotto who have yet to arrive are yours to manage. Report back to me once they are all assembled. For now, I need to delve into this Spiritual Art."
Yang Haoran said with a smile, and the figure at the forefront immediately responded.
"Yes, Master!"
This figure at the forefront was none other than Tang Shi, the very individual who oversaw the entirety of the Myriad Ghost Grotto. As this location was not the Myriad Ghost Grotto itself, he, too, wore a Smiling Face Mask.
With Yang Haoran's command delivered, Tang Shi immediately directed the twenty-seven individuals he had brought in this first contingent to stand respectfully before Yang Haoran, awaiting the arrival of the remaining Myriad Ghost Grotto members.
As this scene unfolded before Zhong Siyu and Ma Ling, there was no way they could fail to grasp what was happening. And precisely because they understood, neither of them made a move against Tang Shi and his group, instead dispersing the power they had mobilized.
Zhong Siyu, whose face had initially been alight with excitement, now wore an undisguised expression of regret. She let out a discontented huff, then vanished from Ma Ling's side, reappearing at her former spot to resume refining the Soul Crystal.
Zhong Siyu's discontent stemmed from her initial assumption that she was about to enjoy a hearty feast, only to discover that the newcomers were all Yang Haoran's people. Since they were all on the same side, she, of course, had no choice but to abandon the idea of devouring Tang Shi and the others whole. The sheer frustration of having a delicious meal snatched from her very jaws was, naturally, palpable.
Ma Ling, meanwhile, remained rooted to the spot, her mind reeling. She had never in her wildest dreams imagined that the enigmatic Myriad Ghost Grotto would actually be an organization under Yang Haoran's banner. This revelation inevitably gave her a profoundly new understanding of Yang Haoran.
Only moments before, Ma Ling had been puzzling over why the Myriad Ghost Grotto had appeared here, specifically descending within this restricted barrier. To call it mere coincidence would have been too incredible. Yet, upon realizing that the Myriad Ghost Grotto operated under Yang Haoran's authority, the enigma in her mind swiftly unraveled. It had to be Yang Haoran who had provided the Myriad Ghost Grotto with their precise coordinates, enabling them to materialize flawlessly within the restrictive formation.
Taking a deep breath, Ma Ling quelled the surge of excitement within her. Just as she was about to resume her task, Yang Haoran suddenly recalled something, turning his gaze towards her.
"Heh heh, come over here for a moment. It's time for me to make good on my promise."
Yang Haoran's voice reached Ma Ling's ears, leaving her somewhat puzzled. Nevertheless, she instantly flashed, reappearing before Yang Haoran, though she maintained a deliberate distance from Tang Shi and the other members of the Myriad Ghost Grotto.
Even though Ma Ling now understood that the Myriad Ghost Grotto was an organization under Yang Haoran's command, its formidable reputation still prompted her to instinctively keep a cautious distance from its members.
Zhong Siyu's attention, too, was drawn to Yang Haoran. The moment she heard him speak of fulfilling a promise, her interest was instantly piqued. Her eyes snapped open, and she watched him intently from afar, eager to witness precisely what promise Yang Haoran intended to keep.
Under the collective gaze of everyone present, Yang Haoran turned to Tang Shi and spoke.
"I recall that the Myriad Ghost Grotto has accumulated a considerable number of items related to formations over the years. Take them all out and hand them over to Ma Ling. I gave my word to bestow these items upon her, and I naturally wouldn't go back on it."
Yang Haoran issued his command with a smile, yet Tang Shi's heart gave a jolt. The Myriad Ghost Grotto had indeed amassed numerous items related to formations over the years, and none of them were of insignificant value. Items of negligible worth were never accepted by the Myriad Ghost Grotto, lest they occupy precious space—a fact he was certain Yang Haoran was well aware of.
But now, Yang Haoran was actually intending to relinquish the Myriad Ghost Grotto's entire collection of formation-related artifacts to Ma Ling. How could Tang Shi not be profoundly astonished? After all, this represented an enormous fortune, with some pieces being utterly priceless treasures.
Astonished though he was, Tang Shi not only refrained from refusing, but he didn't even utter a single additional question. He merely nodded in affirmative, then waved a hand, beckoning a subordinate closer.
"I recall that all the items pertaining to formations are currently in your keeping. Retrieve them all; leave not a single piece behind."
The Myriad Ghost Grotto and the Iron Blood Demon Hall had not merely relocated from the Jingling Continent today; their transfer had commenced long ago, with their concealed base established within the jurisdiction of the Tong Continent Administrative Courtyard. As it was a full relocation, all their diverse collections naturally had to be transported. Given the Myriad Ghost Grotto's extensive acquisitions over the years, Tang Shi's personal storage space alone was utterly insufficient to contain everything. Hence, Tang Shi had been compelled to delegate this responsibility among other members.
The first contingent of Myriad Ghost Grotto members to arrive today, numbering twenty-eight in total, including Tang Shi himself, all possessed Myriad Ghost Grotto's collections within their personal spatial storage devices. It was precisely for this reason that Tang Shi had kept these twenty-seven individuals close by, rather than dispatching them on missions. Should any mishap befall them while executing a task, given that each held a substantial portion of the Myriad Ghost Grotto's valuable acquisitions in their personal storage, the organization would incur catastrophic losses. Thus, Tang Shi would not permit them to undertake such risks.
The Myriad Ghost Grotto member dared not dally. After respectfully acknowledging the order, he proceeded to retrieve every single item related to formations, as Tang Shi had instructed. The sheer quantity was astonishing, leaving Ma Ling wide-eyed and dumbfounded. Upon regaining her composure, Ma Ling's face instantly lit up with excitement; her eyes sparkled, her breathing quickened, and from sheer exhilaration, even her cheeks flushed crimson.
Zhong Siyu held no interest in these particular items. Upon realizing that Yang Haoran's grand proclamation of fulfilling a promise merely pertained to this matter, her interest instantly evaporated. She let out a disdainful snort, averted her gaze, and resumed refining the Soul Crystal, not bothering to spare another glance.
"Heh heh, Ma Ling, are you content with these items?"
Yang Haoran asked with a smile. Ma Ling, overwhelmed with ecstasy, nodded her head vigorously, like a chicken pecking at grains.
"Content! Utterly content! Thank you, Brother Yang!"
Ma Ling, wasting no time on pleasantries, her face still flushed with ecstasy, thanked Yang Haoran before promptly collecting all the items retrieved by the Myriad Ghost Grotto members into her personal spatial storage device. She also made sure to offer her gratitude to Tang Shi and the specific Myriad Ghost Grotto member who had produced the treasures.
As she stowed away these items, Ma Ling felt an overwhelming urge to examine each one individually. More accurately, it was an impulse to appraise them, for she yearned to ascertain the precise function and value of every single piece. Yet, she recognized that such an action would be highly improper in their current circumstances, and so she firmly suppressed the notion, resolving to take her time appraising them once their present task was concluded.
Yang Haoran's unexpected fulfillment of his promise had brought Ma Ling to the pinnacle of joy, and she plunged into her work with renewed vigor. After offering Yang Haoran another heartfelt thanks, she immediately threw herself back into the task at hand, continuing to set up the unfinished formation.
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