The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

"Ying Li, this is a moonstone. It contains all the methods for controlling the Bone Ring. You need to go to the city of Yinling Kingdom and find a young master named Fu Cheng. He is skilled in illusion magic and is very familiar with the illusion magic on the moonstone. However, because of his eccentric personality, he generally doesn't help people. You need to be careful." Jiang Yanli handed a black, lustrous stone to Ying Li and gave him these instructions.

"Lord Xuan Ye's disciple is quite skilled in illusion magic. Couldn't he see through the control method on this moonstone?!" Ying Li asked doubtfully as he took the moonstone.

"There are also differences in illusion cultivation. The illusions of the Xuan stage are created by using illusionary beasts, while Fu Cheng's illusions are created by using his own spiritual power to build an illusion array. He himself is the center of the illusion. If you want to break the illusion on the moonstone, you can only go to Fu Cheng. He is a member of the Ghost Domain royal family, with strong spiritual power. In addition to his unparalleled illusions, his painting skills are also superb. When you go to him, you should be careful not only of him as a person, but also of his paintings."

Looking at Jiang Yanli's serious and tense face, Ying Li felt a surge of interest in this Fu Cheng. "I understand, thank you for reminding me. I will be careful with his paintings."

"Also, Ying Li, I'm very sorry about Qing Yu's matter. I will discipline her strictly." After Jiang Yanli finished speaking, Ying Li's expression was somewhat intriguing. "I know everyone has their own thoughts. You are not her, so you don't have to take all the blame upon yourself. Thank you for guarding the Spirit Lord. If I have the opportunity, I, Ying Li, will definitely repay you!"

After saying that, Ying Li took the moonstone and left without looking back. Behind her came Jiang Yanli's admonishing voice, "Ying Li, once you've learned how to control the Bone Ring, you must return here. Xuan Ye will upgrade your Bone Ring to a nine-star Bone Ring. Only then can you discard half of your Spirit Realm bloodline and become a true Ghost Realm person!"

"I will!"

Ying Li's response fell to the wind as she took the moonstone and embarked on a new path. The blood python appeared for a moment, then vanished the instant Ying Li's danger subsided. She would likely see it again when she encountered danger once more.

After feeding the eight guardian spirit masters, Ying Li's spiritual power dropped to the first level of the Spirit Master realm. Fortunately, he had collected thousands of different spiritual herbs in the tombs of Dong'an Kingdom, and some of the spiritual power absorbed from Lan Xiangning was not completely assimilated into his own. Therefore, after Ying Li assimilated the remaining spiritual power of Lan Xiangning and refined many more spiritual herbs, his spiritual power recovered to about 70-80%. Once he arrived at Fucheng, he should be able to successfully dispel the illusion on the moonstone.

Fu Cheng lived in a very secluded mountain villa in the city of Yinling Kingdom. It was said that he was a descendant of a princess in the royal family of the Ghost Realm. He looked down on his father's clan, so he gave up his right of inheritance and settled down in Fu Family Villa in the city of Yinling Kingdom. He devoted himself to studying illusion magic and gradually honed his painting skills.

It sounds like an inspiring story. If Fu Cheng's personality weren't so strange, Ying Li's future opinion of him would probably be more one of praise than doubt.

Relying on his special martial arts skills, Ying Li quickly arrived at the Fu Clan Manor. He glanced at the shadow behind him, a smile playing on his lips, and decisively walked in without looking back. The shadow behind him watched Ying Li enter the Fu Clan Manor, and after a long while, hesitantly stepped through the gate.

Who knew that as soon as they entered the Fu family manor, they stepped into quicksand, and the more they twisted and turned, the deeper they sank.

"Help! Help!" Qingyu kept shouting, her body sinking lower and lower. Ying Li walked into the Fu family manor, crossed his arms, looked at Qingyu, his eyes indifferent and his face cold.

Why are you following me?!

Qingyu was startled by Ying Li. She pointed at Ying Li and said in a trembling voice, "You clearly came in just now. I saw you come in. How could you be behind me?!"

"You overestimate yourself. You think I didn't know you'd followed me for so long?! Do you think you're so great, or do you think I'm so incompetent?!"

"Hmph!" Qingyu snorted coldly without saying a word, turning her head away. However, her body sank deeper and deeper. No matter how stubborn she was, she couldn't overcome her fear of death.

"If you rescue me, I'll tell you why I'm following you!"

"Heh, do you think I'm a fool?! Since you're unwilling to tell me, then I guess I can only say I can't help you!" Ying Li said, brushing the quicksand blowing on his body, and walked around the trap towards the villa.

As she approached the villa, quicksand was blown onto her clothes by the wind. Ying Li immediately sensed that there must be some kind of trap inside. Using illusion magic, she could create some quicksand that could drown people. Although the trap was too small, it would be perfect for stopping petty thieves.

"Hey! I followed you to steal the Eight-Star Bone Ring from you for Jiang Yanli. Now that I'm telling you, you'd better save me! You have to keep your word, or you'll be in for a world of trouble!" Qingyu shouted from behind Yingli.

Ying Li turned around and stared at Qingyu's face with amusement. "When did I say I would save you?! Say it if you want, or don't if you don't. Do you think I'd tolerate your bad temper?! Besides, you said you followed me to steal the Eight-Star Bone Ring from me, so I can't save you! Saving you would be a death sentence for me. Why should I?! If you want to live, figure it out yourself."

After saying this, Ying Li turned and entered the Fu family manor without looking back, ignoring Qingyu's calls from behind. Fu Cheng's temperament was rather strange, but not cruel; otherwise, his infamous reputation would have spread long ago. The quicksand was nothing more than a torturous trick, which was perfect for making Qingyu suffer.

Thinking of Qingyu, Yingli sneered twice. This kind of woman was stubborn and rigid, and unreasonable. She was really annoying.

The Fu family manor was vast, yet devoid of servants. It seemed that Fu Cheng's temperament was indeed as Jiang Yanli had described—quite peculiar. Apart from the quicksand array at the entrance, there was no trace of illusionary formations within the Fu family manor, giving Ying Li the illusion of having entered an ordinary manor.

However, a burst of laughter soon shattered Ying Li's illusion.

The laughter grew louder as it approached. Ying Li walked towards the sound, passing through several courtyards before finally reaching the source of the laughter. There, she saw a man of similar age sitting in a pavilion, surrounded by a multitude of beautiful women. He held a paintbrush in his hand, and on the paper before him was a painting of nine women. Ying Li rubbed her eyes. The women in the painting were exactly the same as the women surrounding him! Jiang Yanli had warned her to be careful of the man's painting. Could this man have used illusion magic to bring the women he had painted to life for her amusement?!

"Uh..." Ying Li thought to herself, and her expression changed.

"How can your thoughts be so filthy at such a young age?!" The man glanced at Ying Li, waved his right hand, and the nine women beside him obediently retreated behind him. The man smiled, his captivating fox-like eyes filled with an intoxicating smile.

"Filthy?! You mean I..." Ying Li pointed at herself in disbelief and questioned the man, but the man laughed even more happily, picked up the painting in front of him, and handed it to Ying Li with a flick of his wrist.

Ying Li took the painting and glanced at the nine women behind the man. They were indeed identical, yet there wasn't a trace of illusion in the painting. Just as she was wondering, Ying Li's expression suddenly changed. She abruptly raised her head, staring at Fu Cheng's face, and then looked behind her. Half of Qing Yu's body appeared to fall from the sky. After a long while, a large hole appeared in the sky, and Qing Yu crashed heavily to the ground!

"So the illusion in your painting is me." The scene reversed, and the painting in Ying Li's hand suddenly changed. In the painting, Ying Li stared incredulously ahead, while Qing Yu, covered in quicksand, fell to the ground behind her. The scenery of Fu Clan Manor was behind them and at their feet. At the same time, they had also become part of Fu Clan Manor.

"What a powerful illusion!" Ying Li exclaimed. Fu Cheng drew closer, taking the painting from her hand. Ying Li felt a sudden dizziness, her head spinning, but quickly her senses returned. Fu Cheng stood before her, dressed in a light blue robe with ink stains on the cuffs. He stared at Ying Li and chuckled, "Why has this beauty come here?! Perhaps you wish for me to paint for you?!"