Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 465

The bottom of the house was hollowed out, and blocks of amber-colored ice were moved in. However, the ice inside melted faster than it was added, and thick white mist rose from below.

The roof of the house was leveled, and a Vermilion Bird statue stood at each of the four corners. A circle of array masters maintained its operation, drawing in the essence of Yang and refining the essence of Zi Yang, guiding it downwards.

Ming Qinyun lay on the large bed in the room, her body radiating both yin and yang.

The old lady of the Ming family has gone mad.

A group of Ming family elders sat around the futons under the bed, some dejected, some anxious, some confused, all waiting for Ming Qinyun to awaken.

To be fair, Ming Qinyun is not an excellent choice for a qualified head of the family.

The problem is that among the Ming family's high-ranking members, almost none of them can "speak objectively" after cultivating this technique to a high level.

The martial world is not like the imperial court. The Xuanmen is fraught with danger, and the head of the Dragon King's family cannot talk about anything other than strength.

Otherwise, not only would you be unable to defend against hidden arrows from the martial arts world, but even curses and underhanded tactics from your own family could kill you instantly.

The reason why you elders of the Ming family can behave normally in front of the mistress and not get angry no matter how eccentric her personality is is because every time you get close to the mistress, she will take the emotions and thoughts of them into herself.

It can be said that, apart from being easily swayed by emotions, Ming Qinyun has almost no flaws, well, except for the matter of meeting that old lady Liu.

Outside the bedroom, Ming Qinyun's direct descendants—children, grandchildren, and even several newborn great-grandchildren—were all waiting quietly.

It wasn't that they didn't want to serve in the bedroom like the elders, but rather that the extremely yin and yang environment inside was simply unbearable for them.

Several infants in swaddling clothes were crying loudly.

The impatience in the eyes of the elderly men and women was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.

One of them had already raised his hand, intending to knock out the crying children and get some peace and quiet, but he was immediately stopped by the others.

We must be patient. If the mistress doesn't make it this time, the Ming family's secret method will surely give her a brief respite before she dies. At that time, according to etiquette, the mistress should be allowed to see all her descendants.

You cannot present the mistress with a child who has fainted.

"Take him out, and bring him back in when things really get too bad!"

Several wet nurses immediately took the children out.

The room quieted down, but the various suppressed breaths that rose and fell only exacerbated the mutual interference.

They were both like dry tinder, sparks flying everywhere.

This is the current situation of the Ming family. The Ming family has rules, but it is difficult to show that kind of etiquette. Everyone has a bad temper. Even during festivals and annual banquets, as long as Ming Qinyun leaves the table first and stops absorbing and suppressing their emotions, they can quickly start fighting and overturn the table over a few words.

A man entered quickly, holding a letter in his left hand and a token in his right.

Ming Qinyun's youngest son stood up, glared at the man, and reached out to take it.

As a result, a terrifying pressure enveloped him, and he immediately froze on the spot.

An elder of lower rank emerged from the bedroom.

Even though the mistress was unconscious, she continued to absorb the emotions of those around her as usual, but the scope of her absorption had greatly decreased. After the elder left the bedroom, his anger began to rise rapidly.

"The mistress is still alive, and you haven't been able to take her place yet. Besides, even if you were to take her place, it should be your brother, not you. Humph."

Ming Qinyun's youngest son coughed up a mouthful of blood, took a few steps back with resentment in his eyes, and sat back down in his chair.

The elder accepted the letter and token and returned to his bedroom.

The moment I stepped inside, my mind returned to peace.

He sighed silently.

The Ming family has no future. If even this patriarch can't hold on and collapses, then the Ming family is truly hopeless.

The elder informed the other elders of the contents of the letter.

A meeting will be held at Wangjiang Tower.

This meeting is definitely not aimed at the Ming family, because there's no need to send an invitation to the food on the table.

Of course, they must have held secret meetings with the Ming family before, and many times at that.

Second Elder: "Hehe, sigh..."

The main invitee to this gathering at Wangjiang Tower was undoubtedly that old lady Liu.

The original Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu dishes had already been placed on the table, but firstly, everyone was concerned about their reputation and was too embarrassed to use their chopsticks in public; secondly, the dish was poisonous and needed to be stewed over charcoal under the plate, and no one was willing to be the first to risk their reputation and test the poison before it was completely neutralized.

Now, the dishes that have been sitting on the table for so many years will have to leave the table and come back to sit at the table.

Who will make room for this seat, and who will fill the empty dish?

Third Elder: "Have these people lost their minds?"

Fourth Elder: "First, we'll orchestrate the destruction of the Lu Family Manor, then hold a banquet there to reveal our identities. The Great Emperor of Fengdu came to our Ming family through the cause and effect of the Lu Family Manor. Anyone with a brain knows this must be the work of the so-called Qin and Liu family heads!"
"Since that person has treated my Ming family this way, how could they possibly let the other clans and sects off the hook?"

Fifth Elder: "They know the situation, but they're not in a hurry. They believe they can handle it gradually, or even resolve it in other ways, after all, they have a long-standing family relationship..."

Fourth Elder: "They're not surnamed Qin or Liu, so what ancestral connection do you have with them?"

Third Elder: "Yes, that Madam Liu is clearly determined to break off all pretense of civility. I reckon she's driven mad by revenge. She'd rather offer the inheritance of both families and the position of family head as bargaining chips to an outsider, just to get that outsider to agree to avenge her!"

The First Elder said, "Are you all out of your minds? Even if that old lady Liu is really crazy, the people she gave her are definitely not crazy. All the intelligence is already very clear. In this wave, we can't find any outlaws from sects or factions. The inheritors of each family and sect, including those two from the Dragon King's family, are all being suppressed by that one person."

Such talent, temperament, and methods—ha, if it were you, you'd all go crazy too!

The other elders wanted to object, but in the end they all sighed.

Ming Yuwan, the contemporary guiding light of the Ming family, has already perished on the river. Before her death, she even used that old dog from the Yu family as a bridge to ferry the Yu family's evil power across.

Moreover, even though Ming Yuwan has a strong reputation on the river, she is far from being able to suppress her peers.

But this one, who has kept a low profile for so long, has already shown the aura of someone who is poised to seize the throne of the contemporary Dragon King once he officially appears.

This means that the competition between the rivers in this generation has entered a period of great challenges.

According to past patterns on the river, a group of mountains will emerge that surpass their peers, absorbing the merits of the river with overwhelming force; and the Dragon King, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will be born on one of these mountains.

In other words, the Qin Liu family head on the river has already obtained the ticket to the final round of the Dragon King competition.

Surnames and bloodlines are very important.

But in the face of absolute talent and potential, it can also be just a roadside dummy.

The Grand Elder said, "These people are either rising from humble beginnings and aiming to establish their own lineage, so they won't be recruited; or they already have a powerful sect behind them, and their background has already been set."

But if someone truly were a commoner, appearing before you... would you be reluctant to give it to them?

To put it bluntly, it wasn't that people didn't want it before, nor were they bound by rigid social prejudices; it was just that although there were plenty of cabbages by the roadside, the Jade Cabbage wasn't wild.

Fourth Elder: "The way of Heaven is so unfair! Qin Liu was clearly on the verge of death, just one last breath away, yet Heaven still bestowed its favor upon him!"

Sixth Elder: "Who's going now? Eldest brother, you go?"

The Grand Elder said, "I can go, but before I go, we need to finalize what kind of plan we should come up with."

Fourth Elder: "Elder, what do you think?"

The First Elder said, "Our Ming family has entered a period of decline. At this point, waiting for a higher price is wishful thinking, and following the crowd and slowly cutting our losses is even more foolish. Personally, I think it's better to swallow our pride and kneel down..."

At that moment, the bedroom fell silent.

Before the elder could finish speaking, he saw Ming Qinyun open her eyes and stare at him.

"Mistress".

The elder knelt down, his body drenched in cold sweat.

Ming Qinyun slowly sat up. Her full head of white hair had become withered and rough, and her skin was also dry and wrinkled. She used to be radiant even though she was old, but now she looked like a dried-up corpse waiting to be evaporated.

"Does the Grand Elder mean that my Ming family should kneel before that jinxed, cursed woman who brings misfortune to her husbands and relatives?"

The Grand Elder dared not speak.

The other elders also lowered their heads, but no one spoke up to echo or criticize the Grand Elder.

Ming Qinyun: "Let's not even talk about that one. She's not even the current Dragon King yet. Even if she were the current Dragon King, and even if the Liu family produced another Liu Qingcheng, they would only be punishing the Dragon King's family. They wouldn't be using their swords to destroy her!"

The elders around the bed remained silent.

Clearly, they were unwilling to follow the mistress's wishes this time.

Mingqin Yun:
"Everyone, I'm not crazy, nor am I delirious. It's my fault for not taking advantage of her illness and crushing her to death, and it's the fault of this martial arts world."

But if kneeling down and licking her boots now could bring a glimmer of hope to my Ming family, I would be willing, truly willing.

But would they be willing?

The negative energy that flowed back into the Yu family that time, and the 'personal visit' of the Fengdu Emperor this time, are both aimed at the most important family fortune of my Ming family.

The two worked together towards the same goal, finally shattering the foundation of my Ming family.

Although I haven't seen the intelligence report, I have a feeling that someone must be pulling the strings between the two.

Ladies and gentlemen, wake up!

They worked so hard, and finally managed to strip away all of our dragon scales.

Even if you wanted to kneel now, they would actually help you up, making it impossible for you to kneel, hahaha!

Ming Qinyun opened her hand, and the token for entering and exiting Wangjiang Tower flew into her palm.

"This time, I'll go without dressing up. I'll just go like this and let them see what the fate of my Ming family is."

Let them understand that if this isn't handled properly, then the Ming family's present will be their future.

My Ming family is already on the dinner table, and the crisis is imminent. Our current reliance is that we old guys are still alive, and the backbone below us is also still here.

Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu are both very powerful and influential. If we can crack their shells first, it will be enough to feed this martial arts world.

Only by doing so can we, the Ming family, buy ourselves the most precious time and wait for a turning point to appear.

Therefore, no matter what, we have to get them to decide to start eating Qin Liu first.

The elders understood this time and said in unison from the bottom of their hearts:
"The mistress is wise."

Ming Qinyun held the token and closed her eyes.

The Wangjiang Tower has been decorated, but it's still early before the meeting.

In the past, some people would arrive first, look at this artificial scenery, and chat with the others who arrived earlier.

This time, Ming Qinyun was the first to arrive.

She sat on the first floor of the building, facing the curtain at the entrance.

Anyone who comes in will see her at first glance, seeing her in a state that is like a zombie, just like the Ming family at present.

She didn't care and freely showed herself to others.

People kept coming in, but she didn't say a word. She just stared intently at the curtain at the door, waiting for the figure to lift the curtain and enter.

Come on, I'm sitting right here, waiting for you to laugh at me!

……

Aunt Liu stood in the hall, holding a piece of black cloth in her hand.

It's getting cold, so it's not suitable to set up a table outside to play cards. Liu Yumei can stand it, but these old sisters might fall ill that very night from the cold wind. And if they're unlucky, they might have to share a table to play cards in front of their old sisters' funeral hall next time.

Liu Yumei noticed Aunt Liu and also noticed the Wangjianglou token in the black cloth in Aunt Liu's hand, which was trembling slightly.

Her mind was a bit in turmoil.

In this chaotic situation, it's easy to accidentally win big and make a lot of money.

The old ladies had not only lost all the money they brought in the morning, but they had also borrowed some from Liu Yumei. Then, this money gradually returned to Liu Yumei and piled up high.

The morning's gathering ended, and Liu Jinxia left with Wang Lian and Granny Hua.

Wang Lian: "Sister Liu seems to have something on her mind today."

Flower Granny: "Yes, that's right."

Liu Jinxia: "Let's go to my house and get the money first. Since you're troubled, let's have a good betting session this afternoon to cheer each other up."

Even Wang Lian, whose family was the poorest, nodded and followed Liu Jinxia to her house to get the money.

Liu Yumei picked up her teacup, took a sip, and asked:

"How did this token end up with you?"

She has already given the token to Xiao Yuan.

Aunt Liu: "It's not my fault. Before Xiao Yuan left this token under my bed, he even sealed it. You know what level Xiao Yuan's array formations are at. Anyway, I didn't notice its existence before the token sent a message and vibrated."

Liu Yumei remained silent and continued drinking her tea.

Aunt Liu: "Xiao Yuan knows that if we put the token in his room, we won't go into his room; if we put it in your room, you'll notice it, which would be too obvious. Only if we put it in my room, given my personality, I'll definitely beg and pester you to go to the meeting and see those guys' faces."

Liu Yumei rolled her eyes at Aunt Liu.

Aunt Liu: "Oh, please go ahead and take a good look. I'll go fry some melon seeds to prepare them, and when you come back, you can tell me all about it."

Liu Yumei: "I used to dream about this day all the time, but when it actually came, I wasn't so excited anymore. The children were fighting tooth and nail in front of me, and I was just showing off in the back. It didn't feel right."

Aunt Liu: "The children are fighting tooth and nail at the front. If you don't go and show them what's what, wouldn't you be letting them down?"

Liu Yumei: "So Xiaoyuan wants to leave this token with you."

Aunt Liu: "Hehe, look how wise our master is! He's thought everything through. What do you call this, making the best use of everyone's talents?"

Li Sanjiang came downstairs, dressed in a smart Zhongshan suit, a high-brimmed hat, and leather shoes, with a fountain pen tucked into his breast pocket.

All of this attire was provided for him by Xiao Yuanhou.

Normally, Li Sanjiang is quite reluctant to wear it, but of course, he doesn't hesitate to wear it when needed.

The high school in Shigang Town, which is also Xiao Yuanhou's alma mater, is about to hold a rally for its graduating seniors to pledge their determination to take the college entrance examination.

In the auditorium, senior high school students and their parents would all attend together, and Li Sanjiang was invited by the school to speak as a guest.

It mainly discusses experiences in educating children.

We invited them once last year; the former principal personally came to invite them.

Li Sanjiang was stunned when he heard this. When Xiao Yuanhou was in his senior year of high school, he thought Xiao Yuanhou was still in elementary school. He had no educational experience whatsoever!
But after the old principal's persistent pleading, Li Sanjiang went anyway.

Li Sanjiang was still responsible. He didn't tell the truth that when Xiao Yuanhou was in his senior year of high school, he liked to go with him to meditate and search for corpses. The rest of the time, he would sit on the terrace with the pretty girl in his family and read miscellaneous books on fortune telling and feng shui.

He told the students and parents about the story of Zhuangzhuang getting up early and going to bed late during those six months, running, taking cold showers, and doing his homework diligently.

The results were excellent. Parents' faces were full of hope, and the students' eyes were brimming with fighting spirit, as if they had all drunk a large bowl of chicken blood.

"Cough...cough..."

Li Sanjiang stood on the dam, stamped his feet, and coughed dryly, as if a microphone was already placed in front of him.

Aunt Liu chimed in, "Uncle Sanjiang, you really have quite the air about you."

Li Sanjiang smiled and said bluntly, "The kids have earned us face, so we have to show off a bit."

A car drove up to the village road and made a U-turn at the path.

Li Sanjiang: "The school car came to pick me up, I'm going. Tinghou, I won't be back for dinner tonight, I'll be eating with the school leaders and town leaders, haha!"

Watching Li Sanjiang happily walk down the dam, Aunt Liu said:

“Look, Uncle Sanjiang sees things so clearly; he never spoils the children’s fun.”

"When Xiaoyuan and Ali return from their trip along the river, after dinner, you can sit on this dam and tell them how triumphant you were today. The children will be so happy!"

Liu Yumei put down her teacup: "Alright, help me comb my hair."

Aunt Liu smiled and said, "I'll get your clothes ready right away."

Liu Yumei: "Just take it out of the wardrobe. I already prepared it and had Shan'er make a new one for me."

Aunt Liu: "Tsk, this can't be made on the spot."

Liu Yumei: "When you told me that the account book under your bed was gone, I wrote to Shan'er to hurry up and make it for me. I knew this day would come."

Aunt Liu: "So, I have to go through all that trouble and ask for your help?"

Liu Yumei: "At such an advanced age, one should always be more dignified. You still have to invite him and persuade him."

"Okay, okay, you wait here, I'll get it for you right away."

Aunt Liu walked slowly towards the east room.

Liu Yumei: "Yours is in the bottom shelf of the wardrobe. It was also made by Shan'er. Come with me to Wangjiang Tower."

Aunt Liu rushed into the east room.

In front of the dressing table.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Liu Yumei sighed:

"old."

Aunt Liu: "Everyone gets old, but not everyone can have a meaningful old age."

Liu Yumei stood up, walked to the offering table, and lit three incense sticks.

Aunt Liu had changed out of her peasant clothes and into the fine clothes of the Liu family. She turned around in front of Liu Yumei and said:
"Aunt Shan's cooking skills are truly exceptional."

Liu Yumei: "You have a good foundation. Even though you're getting older, you still have a good figure."

Aunt Liu: "The way you're saying it, it's as if you chose me back then just because I'm good-looking?"

Liu Yumei: "Or what?"

Aunt Liu: "Even if I have some unorthodox methods and a less-than-ideal temperament, I still have some talent, right?"

Liu Yumei: "I didn't consider that. I just felt that I had already chosen Ali, that blockhead, and I was lacking some liveliness around me. When I saw you, this restless little girl, I took a liking to you. I thought that even if having you by my side wouldn't make things easier, at least it would bring more liveliness and fun."

Aunt Liu: "Well, so I was just an extra. I knew it all along. You still prefer that piece of wood."

Liu Yumei: "Am I not good to you? I picked out the wood for you long ago, but you delayed for so long, and the wood still hasn't blossomed."

Aunt Liu sighed and said calmly, "It's difficult for him. Most of the time in his life, he can neither pick things up nor put them down."

Liu Yumei poured herself a cup of yellow wine, looked at the memorial tablets on the offering table, and said:

“Xiao Yuanxuan is the head of the Qin and Liu families. We are both green, which is not very appropriate. The ancestors of the Qin family may not be satisfied and say that I am biased.”

Upon hearing this, Aunt Liu immediately reopened the wardrobe and searched carefully:

"I couldn't find Ali's new clothes!"

"Why bother with new clothes? Wood is all about its natural color."

"what do you mean……"

"Xiao Yuan is on the river. Even if they want to set up a plan to target us again, they will have to do it in the long run. Besides, I trust Xiao Yuan's abilities and don't need me to worry about things on the river."

We should just guard this small piece of land on the shore. We're not afraid of them resorting to desperate measures, but we are afraid that their actions will be erratic and disrupt our plans.

Call Ali along, let's go together.

Let them see that the person they failed to kill back then has risen again today.

It's true that both of our families are small in number.

But whether on the river or on the shore, there are pillars supporting it right now!

Aunt Liu pushed open the door and went out.

Qin Li returned from the field carrying a hoe.

Upon seeing Liu Ting in her elegant green dress, he slowed his pace considerably.

She had been wearing these clothes since she was a child. Back then, she liked to raise all sorts of insects and would play pranks on herself by putting them in her bed.

In recent years, she has rarely worn it, but every time she does, it gives him an increasingly stunning feeling.

It's beautiful, really beautiful.

Uncle Qin walked to the dam and drew a bucket of water from the well to wash his feet.

Aunt Liu stood to the side, tilting her head and smiling as she looked at Uncle Qin.

"How about it?"

Uncle Qin: "You're wearing these clothes?"

Aunt Liu: "Mm."

Uncle Qin: "It's definitely inconvenient to cook. Does that mean there's no lunch today?"

Aunt Liu raised her head, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled, saying:

"Come on, let's go to the east room. It's almost time. The old lady will take us out for the feast."

"it is good."

Uncle Qin put down the bucket, walked barefoot, leaving watermarks with every step, and headed towards the east room.

Aunt Liu: "I said, aren't you going to change your clothes? You don't have any new clothes, but you have some old clothes in the west room."

Uncle Qin: "I don't need it, just enjoy the show."

Pushing open the door to the east room, Liu Yumei sat on a chair next to the offering table, on which sat the Wangjianglou token.

Liu Yumei: "Ali is right. No matter how shiny your clothes look, it's useless. Those who are meant to look down on you will still look down on you. In this family, it still depends on people to earn the substance."

Uncle Qin scratched his head: "I didn't think that much about it."

Liu Yumei gently flicked the token with her fingertips and said, "Alright, it's almost time, we should go."

Aunt Liu walked over to Liu Yumei and stood down.

Uncle Qin squatted down beside the old lady, looking like an old farmer.

Liu Yumei lightly tapped the token, using the fragrance from the offering table to wrap the three of them together.

Wangjiang Tower.

The once grand square now appears deserted.

Unlike last time, when everyone gathered, they all tacitly brought out their younger relatives to meet the guests.

I don't know if the weather was bad at the real Wangjiang Tower, or if everyone here was generally feeling depressed, but in any case, it was gloomy here, as if it could rain at any moment.

When Liu Yumei and the other two appeared outside the building, everyone inside turned their attention outwards.

The appointed time hadn't arrived yet, but everyone had already come early.

One person arrived earliest and had been sitting on the ground floor the whole time, while another person arrived latest and had just arrived.

With Aunt Liu's help, Liu Yumei walked into the building.

Qin Li, who was squatting behind, wanted to stand up, but it was a bit difficult. He tried several times but failed.

Inside the building, all eyes were focused on him.

At the entrance of Wangjiang Tower, a middle-aged man was greeting guests, a warm smile already on his face.

The Qin family has always been like this: they believe in might and have little interest in anything else.

Arriving in this place bounded by the spirit, and facing so many spiritual scrutinys, it is perfectly normal to feel inadequate in one's spirituality.

Liu Yumei stopped and turned around slightly, saying, "Ali, everyone's laughing at you."

The middle-aged man greeting guests at the door said, "Madam, what you're saying..."

Qin Li stood up.

"Click...click...click..."

The middle-aged man froze, his expression blank.

From the dark, heavy clouds overhead, there seemed to be the low growl of a dragon, and figures appeared and disappeared.

Qin Li stood up and walked step by step toward the building.

Compared to the two women in front of him, he was dressed as a farmer, with mud still stuck in his toenails that hadn't been properly washed off.

But as he approached, everyone inside the building had the illusion of turning into crops, as if they would all be harvested by the man before them, one sickle at a time.

The reason why the Qin family dislikes cultivating other paths is that as long as their fists are strong enough, even if their spiritual level is inferior to the other's, they can easily destroy the other's physical body and cause the other's spirit to lose its vessel.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Qin Li's heartbeat seemed to interact with the sound of a dragon in the sky.

At the round table on the second floor, the patriarch and sect leader sat watching the tea in their cups, which rippled continuously.

One trick is hidden on the river, and another is kept on the shore.

Who would have thought that the person who failed to escape across the river and nearly died back then would not only be able to stand up again, but also take a big step forward?

Such powerful individuals, who sit around the round table, are never short of family members; they are the true cornerstone of martial prowess within a inherited power.

But all of this requires a sufficient base, built generation after generation, layer by layer, like the tip of this tower.

It's not unusual to find a few plump fish in a large lake.

How could such a creature be raised in such a small puddle with only a few fish fry?
Most importantly, this person's surname is Qin!

The Qin family is truly exceptional; regardless of their skill level, you can't really judge them based on that skill level.

Because an opponent of similar skill level wouldn't be able to kill him immediately, and would most likely be smashed to death by the Qin family's fists.

At this moment, the Qin family member outside the tower is gathering his strength and actively pressuring the building inside.

If anyone wants to take the challenge and step forward, then according to the Qin family's habits, they will inevitably follow suit and build up their strength.

The wind outside kept blowing against Uncle Qin, making his hair flutter.

He was neither arrogant nor repressed; he was inwardly peaceful and calm.

Because they can afford to lose, they are not afraid of any challenge, and even deliberately do not restrain themselves, subtly calling for a challenge.

The people at the round table exchanged glances out of the corner of their eyes.

The Dragon King, head of the Tao family, was the first to stand up; he appeared the most relaxed.

The other family heads and sect leaders also stood up.

This time, instead of waiting upstairs or stopping on the stairs, everyone went downstairs.

The middle-aged man at the door lifted the curtain, bent down, and gestured for them to enter.

Liu Yumei and Aunt Liu went inside.

Upon entering, one sees Ming Qinyun sitting upright on the ground floor, facing the main entrance, looking like a dried corpse.

In an instant, Liu Yumei understood Ming Qinyun's purpose and also realized the others' intention in letting her sit there waiting for them.

This old woman took the initiative to step forward, using herself as a representative to seek confirmation from Liu Yumei regarding her attitude towards the entire martial arts world.

Ming Qinyun smiled when she saw Liu Yumei and asked without any hesitation:

"You must be happy to see me like this, right?"

Liu Yumei didn't feign magnanimity; she spoke frankly:
"There was a time when I didn't want to talk to him because I felt that he saw me offering myself to him and that his eyes were dirty and disgusted me."

Looking back now, it seems I really did have a bad temper, acted impulsively, and wrongly blamed him.

He was truly going through a tough time, truly suffering. When he saw me during that period, his eyes were always red and swollen; he must have washed them for a very long time.

Ming Qinyun: "So you still hold a grudge against me, hehehe."

Liu Yumei: "I'm blaming you. Don't you know that the Qin family has a natural resistance to poison and mental imprint techniques?"

Those were a bunch of roughnecks with their noses sticking out.

You know, back then you poisoned him and left marks on his skin, but you couldn't even use anything good. Don't let him stay conscious.

Or is it that you're not reluctant to use it, but rather unwilling to?
Are you worried that he'll become completely infatuated and, while lying in bed with you, call out someone else's name?

Ming Qinyun's face flushed, and her lower body felt frosty.

Liu Yumei smiled.

The others also noticed this.

This indicates that the head of the Ming family is currently in a state of demonic possession, and his physical body is being suppressed by external forces.

After a long while, Ming Qinyun returned to normal and spoke again: "It really has been many years since I've seen you so smug. You must be missing me terribly, right?"

"It's alright. I was pampered by my elders when I was young, and my partner protected me when I grew up. When I get old, I'll still have my children to rely on. My life is really boring; I'm just destined to lie down and never get out of work."

At this moment, the other clan heads and sect leaders spoke up:

"I only just realized that some members of the Qin and Liu families live on the river in this generation."

"That's truly remarkable courage, and he's the ruler of both families."

"It's a sign of divine favor. Indeed, the martial world would be much more dull without Qin Liu."

"This is treating us like outsiders. The Qin and Liu families are training successors, but they don't even consult with us, their family friends. No matter what, considering our past friendship, we should still lend a hand. Otherwise, it wouldn't be right with our ancestors in the ancestral hall."

"That's right, they've been keeping it hidden until now, which has made us quite worried."

Liu Yumei waved her hand, interrupting everyone's opening remarks, and said with a smile:

"Hehe, you've misunderstood me. I didn't think that much. At this age, I've long since given up on any thoughts of fighting in the martial world."

I've retired to the countryside, and I only have two people around me: one farms, and the other does chores. As for me, I just drink tea and sew clothes all day.

But who would have thought,

Then one day, the child was carried on someone's back and brought to me. At first, I was blind to his true nature and thought that the child was just a little smarter and more clever, and that my granddaughter would have a good playmate.

Who knew that the child would treat my "Liu Family's Qi Observation Techniques" and "Qin Family's Dragon Observation Methods" like comic books right under my nose.

My granddaughter watched it with him, but she didn't tell me.

When that child later gained new insights and came to give me guidance, I was quite embarrassed.

What else could I do? I could only slap my thigh and say, "You've already learned everything you should and shouldn't have, and you've learned it all even better. I might as well just let you be the head of the household. No more picking and choosing. I'm afraid our ancestors will say I'm being unfair. Let you handle both responsibilities yourself; it'll save you trouble."

Everyone inside the building is a highly intelligent and spiritually powerful individual, and each possesses secret techniques or magical artifacts that allow them to determine whether a person is lying.

Moreover, Liu Yumei deliberately did not use feng shui techniques to conceal it, but instead placed the purest spiritual projection here, so that they could easily judge the truth from falsehood.

As everyone knows, Liu Yumei may not have told the whole story, but what she said is indeed true.

Ming Qinyun's upper and lower body were once again experiencing extreme contrasts of ice and fire.

Who would have thought that this opportunity to change the fate of two families would actually be a windfall?
The abbot of Qinglong Temple spoke:

"Amitabha Buddha, this old monk has a question. Even if it is obtained by chance or by the will of Heaven, shouldn't the child be sent to the river to light a lamp so early?"

Liu Yumei:
“Sigh, that child said that if he waits until he’s an adult to cross the river, the river won’t be as interesting.”

Everyone fell silent, even the abbot closed his eyes and immediately recited "Amitabha" several times to calm his mind.

The facts are clear, so there's no way to say it's just youthful arrogance or haughtiness.

Looking back from the past, this statement perfectly embodies the demeanor of a Dragon King. Even among all the Dragon Kings throughout history, few possess such confidence and grandeur.

Ming Qinyun recovered again. She stood up and stared at Liu Yumei:
"I understand now, you became the head of the family by trading your own granddaughter!"

Liu Yumei smiled even more happily:

"Thank you for your kind words. I really hope that these two children can get together in the future. I'm not afraid of being laughed at by everyone. I've secretly come up with several baskets of names for their two children."

I've been busy sewing quilts every night lately, and my eyes are blurry from sewing, but I really have no choice. My in-laws require these three quilts as part of my dowry.

All of you fellow martial artists are his elders..."

Aunt Liu spoke up to remind them, "We're already of the same generation."

Liu Yumei: "A-Ting, this is because you don't know any better. This is a speech for the people below, how can you put it here?"

You're making our little Yuan, at such a young age, stand among us old folks who are either heading towards their graves or becoming evil spirits, and be considered our peers?

Even if we old fogies were willing, Xiao Yuan would be too embarrassed.

Besides, treating each other as equals only creates more trouble.

Our generation is gone, the next generation is gone, and the generation after that is gone.

"Our Xiao Yuan's seniority has been set so high that he'll have to sit in the head seat at anyone's funeral, without even a single person of his generation to talk to. How lonely and boring will that be?"

As Liu Yumei spoke with great enthusiasm, the faces of everyone in the building gradually darkened.

In the millennia-long history of the martial world, what if an underage Dragon King were to emerge...?

Ming Qinyun: "Then I'll wait and drink the wedding wine of our Qin Liu family head."

Liu Yumei:
"Everyone must come then, no matter how busy you are, you can't be absent."

My child is gentle and doesn't like extravagance, but as her grandmother, I must help her fulfill the proper etiquette.

Ah Ting, remember what I'm about to say.

On the wedding day,

It is essential that all guests present today are present.
The tables for friends, relatives, and offerings were all full;
Drinks, delicacies, and incense—all you can eat!

……

The outer area of ​​Ailao Mountain is alright, just some eerie old forests.

But the deeper you go, the more lewd shrines you find. Many of these shrines are filled with eerie atmosphere, but they must have sensed the impending danger beforehand and have already been deserted.

As you continue deeper in, you'll encounter more and more miasma-ridden areas, restrictions, formations, and barriers.

Within the team, there are many excellent formation masters, led by Luo Xiaoyu. These are not obstacles for everyone, but they require more time and effort than usual.

Because Tan Wenbin issued a requirement that they should focus on deciphering the plan and preserve the main structure of the plan as much as possible, and not directly destroy the path.

Tao Zhuming used the square seal to suppress the swamp in front of him, and ordered the Five Elements to carefully dry the soil in front of him with thunder whips so that everyone could pass through smoothly. It would not affect the swamp from decaying back into a swamp in a few months.

"Does he not want to break any of the bottles and jars here? Does he want to live here?"

The Five Elements Command: "Just listen and do as instructed."

Tao Zhuming: "I don't understand. How can you get tired of living in the two ancestral homes in rotation?"

Ling Wuxing: "He has his own calculations."

Tao Zhuming: "Now the wandering ghosts and vengeful spirits on the outskirts have all been brought in. I'm afraid that when we face them later, that person will also tell us to cherish the moths and cover the lamps with gauze."

Ling Wuxing: "Then let's cover it up."

Tao Zhuming: "Brother, seeing your humble appearance, I truly feel sorry for you."

Ling Wuxing: "It's alright. When you get home and find out your family didn't tell you the truth, I'll see how you go from being arrogant to obsequious."

Tao Zhuming: "I asked repeatedly, and my grandfather, as the head of the family, personally responded to me to make sure that there was no problem."

Ling Wuxing: "To ensure that everything is done flawlessly and without any mistakes? If it is discovered, the consequences will be even worse and there will be no room for maneuver."

Tao Zhuming: "I was trying to comfort you, but you want to drag me down with you?"

Ling Wuxing: "You said it yourself, even in the Dragon King's family, apart from the Dragon King's spirit that shines in that ancestral hall, how many places are truly clean?"

The clearing operation lasted for three days in total.

In fact, by the second night, the team had already cleared their way to the entrance of the Valley of Living People and saw the huge valley shrouded in black mist.

However, Tan Wenbin, who was responsible for relaying messages to the entire team, did not ask everyone to prepare for an attack. Instead, he drew a new line, causing the team to turn a corner and clear another area.

The reason given is that if problems arise during the attack and a retreat and reorganization is needed, everyone will have another way out.

This explanation is reasonable, and everyone is happy to see the alliance leader being cautious.

It would be more reasonable if... the leader didn't require everyone to spend another night conducting geographical and hydrological surveys after completing the obstacle clearing on the third day.

The next morning, Ling Wuxing was ordered to submit the data summary, which was still that thick file bag.

Tan Wenbin wasn't there, nor was Lin Shuyou; only Runsheng sat on the outside guarding the fire.

Li Zhuiyuan had just finished brushing his teeth and was wiping his face with a handkerchief when he said to Ling Wuxing:

"give it to me."

Ling Wuxing handed over the file bag.

Li Zhuiyuan opened it and checked it.

In a real engineering survey, the data could fill several rooms, so it's impossible for it to be this "thin". However, the data filling in inside has been refined by Li Zhuiyuan. When the engineering survey team officially enters the site, none of the necessary procedures can be omitted. But going through the procedures doesn't take much time. What's worrisome is the error and distortion of the data. With this, it's like having a reference answer in hand. After the survey team takes the measurements, they can compare them with the answer. The efficiency improvement is not small.

Moreover, compared to the Lujiazhuang area, this place is much more dangerous. Without these people helping to clear it out, if something is accidentally dug up or caused any impact during construction, the project could be halted.

Others use public resources for private purposes, but he's using private resources for public purposes.

Even the proportion of Xuanmen members at the Ji'an construction site isn't as pure as here. Moreover, many second-generation Xuanmen members there come to freeload, while his subordinates are standard Jianghu elites.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you for your hard work."

The Five Elements Commander said, "That's right."

Seeing that Ling Wuxing hadn't left after giving him the gifts, Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the pot that Runsheng was cooking in and asked:

"Have breakfast together?"

Ling Wuxing shook his head: "There's something I'd like to mention to you, senior."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Speak."

Ling Wuxing said, “Senior, you are very cautious. I can roughly guess why you want us to observe this data. However, we have been lingering on the periphery for too long.”

We entered from this side, and even if we returned to clear this area after reaching that valley, it's still within our control and perception range, at most only this half.

My thunder whip would flash faintly every now and then, and Tao Zhuming's square seal would also react accordingly. Many other people also sensed it.

We gave Living Valley far too much time to prepare.

Including the night we spent resting after defeating those Yama Kings on the riverbank, we've given them a full four days.

In these four days, they will have enough time to gather all the ghosts and monsters from the surrounding area and even more remote places into the valley. Every day we delay, the number of fierce ghosts in the small hell will increase.

Even a large number of ants can kill an elephant.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I know, I did it on purpose."

Ling Wuxing: "Senior, do you mean to accomplish everything in one go? Let them clean up the mess themselves first, so we can clean it all at once?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Barely, I suppose."

Ling Wuxing said, "Since you have a plan in mind, I won't say anything more. But if needed, please send me as the vanguard."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Have you recovered from the injury you sustained when you used the secret technique last time?"

Ling Wuxing: "It's not a big problem, we can still use it."

Li Zhuiyuan opened his backpack, took out a notebook, and handed it to Ling Wuxing.

When Ling Wuxing opened the window, his eyes widened in disbelief.

He looked up at Li Zhuiyuan, then at the contents of the notebook, and couldn't believe it.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your secret technique uses yourself as the bearer of heavenly thunder and earthly fire, which will cause excessive damage to your body. Try to carve this array pattern on your thunder whip according to the array diagram, and then arrange the array pattern on your body. When you use this secret technique, it will be able to help you share the pressure very well."

Although it's a one-time use item, requiring rearrangement after each use, and has durability—it will break if used for too long—it should double your ability to use this secret technique.

Ling Wuxing pursed his lips: "Senior, you should know why I'm so obedient."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I know."

Ling Wuxing: "To be honest, senior, even though I'm so obedient, I still haven't made up my mind."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You can keep thinking."

Ling Wuxing: "Then what does this mean?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You've done a lot of work, you should get overtime pay."

The Five Elements Command: "The elders are generous."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Not really. I designed this formation. If you use this formation to use a secret technique to attack me, I can just move a finger and have you exploded by lightning."

Ling Wuxing smiled and nodded, took a step back, bowed to Li Zhuiyuan, and then left with the notebook.

"Runsheng, is breakfast ready?"

"All right."

Why did you only cook such a small amount?

Runsheng: "When Ayou comes back, I'll go find Zhu Yiwen to have breakfast together."

"You two get along really well."

"Because there are many people who want to curry favor with you, Xiao Yuan, he came specifically to find me."

Breakfast was rice porridge with dried meat and dehydrated vegetables. Li Zhuiyuan served himself and A Li a bowl each, and the two of them sat on a rock to eat.

The boy stopped cooking and said to Ah Li:
"It's not as good as the porridge Wang Lin cooked last time."

Ah Li nodded.

“That guy has an ancient prescription on him.” Li Zhuiyuan put another spoonful of porridge into his mouth. “He himself is an ancient prescription.”

"Brother Xiaoyuan!"

Lin Shuyou is back.

Runsheng got up and went to find Zhu Yiwen for dinner.

After serving himself some porridge, Ah You sat down and reported, "Brother Xiao Yuan, a few nights ago there were many ghosts entering the Valley of the Living from the other side, but last night there were far fewer. It seems that all the ones that were supposed to enter have already done so."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You're really slow."

It is indeed a small hell. Every night, a large number of powerful ghosts from other places come to Fengdu to worship, paying their own travel expenses and organizing ghost hands.

Even so, the gates of hell won't open for them. They can only complete their worship in the Fengdu Emperor Temple above, which is a tourist attraction for the living during the day.

Here in the Little Hell, the Ghost Gate on the other side of the Valley of the Living opens, frantically pulling out ghost heads.

It must have been by promising great benefits that Fang Yuan Da Gui brought his undead subordinates to help him.

This shows that in the entire ghost realm, Fengdu is still generally considered the orthodox capital.

Lin Shuyou pointed to his forehead ribbon and said, "Brother Xiaoyuan, it's a little itchy here."

"Untie."

"it is good."

Lin Shuyou removed his headband and exerted a slight force, causing the Ghost General's mark to flash.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I didn't activate it."

"It's someone from underground calling you."

"Is my three-eyed relative calling me?"

"Try responding."

"it is good."

Lin Shuyou closed his eyes, and after a while, the Ghost General mark between his eyebrows lit up, but instead of emanating ghostly energy, he exuded Buddhist energy.

After the Ghost General mark between his brows flickered, the True Lord mark appeared.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at it, then lowered his head and continued drinking his porridge.

Lin Shuyou calmed his breathing, put his headband back on, and picked up the bowl of porridge: "Brother Xiaoyuan, what's wrong with me?"

"The Zhao family's ghost official sacrificed a demon who had converted to Buddhism to you."

"A demon who has converted to Buddhism?" Lin Shuyou chewed on his porridge. "Why does that sound so incongruous?"

The spirit medium said, "Speak clearly! What's out of place? What's out of place?"

Lin Shuyou: "Oh, Brother Xiaoyuan, the officer!"

Guan Jiangshou was originally a ghost king in the human world, but was later converted by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and became his disciple.

Li Zhuiyuan: "It should be that the Bodhisattva took advantage of the Great Emperor's departure from hell to help me, seized the opportunity, and gained control of several levels of hell, and converted the ghosts in those levels of hell."

Therefore, there are now quite a few evil spirits with Buddhist attributes in Hell. If the Zhao family's ghost officials offer them as sacrifices to you, it can activate your True Lord effect.

Lin Shuyou: "The three-eyed relative works very hard too."

Li Zhuiyuan: "They wouldn't dare to provoke the Bodhisattva. These evil spirits of Buddhism must have been sent here by the Bodhisattva on his own initiative, through you, to show goodwill to me."

What the Great Emperor can give himself, the Bodhisattva must also prove that he can give himself.

The boy said, "Alas, those Buddhists are truly pitiful. Most of them seek Buddha's teachings their whole lives but cannot obtain them. This one is sought after by Buddha."

Li Zhuiyuan: "However, I only designed one array for you, specifically for offering sacrifices to the evil spirits of hell. The attributes of the evil spirits of Buddhism are different, so it is not suitable to use the same array. I will redesign an array diagram later and burn it for Mengmeng, so that Mengmeng can take it to the ghost officials of the Zhao family and have them build another execution platform in the Shaojun Mansion."

Lin Shuyou: "So, in my True Monarch state, I can also reach the same strength as in my Ghost General state?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "The medium of transmission is still the White Crane Boy. For you, it is not an absolute improvement in strength, but it adds a power attribute that can be switched to deal with different situations."

Lin Shuyou: "I still prefer the True Monarch state."

Boy: "The same goes for me."

Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the file bag: "After you finish your porridge, ask Brother Binbin for a mountain spirit waist token, take this to the outskirts of Ailao Mountain, find a mountain spirit and have it deliver it to Brother Liangliang."

"Okay, Brother Xiaoyuan."

After Lin Shuyou finished breakfast and waited for Runsheng to return to take over the shift, he took the file bag and found Tan Wenbin at the forward camp.

After explaining his requirements, Tan Wenbin carefully selected a mountain spirit brand, took it off his keychain, and handed it to Lin Shuyou.

Lin Shuyou held the brand sign to his nose and smelled it, then asked, "Brother Bin, why does this brand look so sultry?"

Tan Wenbin: "She's a vixen; it's convenient for her to deliver things into the mortal world."

Lin Shuyou: "Won't this scare Brother Liang?"

Tan Wenbin: "How could that be? Your brother Liang is a worldly man."

Lin Shuyou: "No, what I meant was, Brother Liang has a family, and you can't expect him to be with a vixen like that..."

Tan Wenbin: "That's even less likely. You can't imagine the world your brother Liang has seen."

After Li Zhuiyuan drew the formation on the yellow paper, he had Runsheng set up an offering table for the Great Emperor.

Incense is lit, and the brazier is burning.

Li Zhuiyuan threw the yellow paper into the brazier.

then,

"boom!"

The brazier exploded, scattering fragments of unburnt yellow paper everywhere.

Runsheng: "Xiaoyuan, shall I rearrange it again?"

"No need, Runsheng."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the messy offering table and shook his head:

"mean."

Everyone was tired last night, so let everyone rest during the day.

As night fell, the group broke camp again, this time without lingering on the outskirts, and went directly to the large valley they had visited earlier.

The gates to the Lesser Hell are two in number, one in front and one in back, both formed from black mist.

Li Zhuiyuan handed over the Ghost Gate Breaking Formation he had designed to Luo Xiaoyu.

Looking at the thick stack of blueprints in front of him, Luo Xiaoyu flipped through them a few times and asked, puzzled:
"Senior, I admit your mastery of formations surpasses mine, but I have, after all, studied formations. The way you dismantled this grand formation is truly..."

"That way you can assign them tasks and have them help you set up the formation."

Luo Xiaoyu's eyes lit up.

Holding the blueprints, Luo Xiaoyu went straight to Ling Wuxing.

Tan Wenbin was responsible for relaying orders and communicating matters, but whenever there was a problem, it was Ling Wuxing who was the foreman.

After the Five Elements understood the meaning, they immediately began to arrange manpower to set up the formation.

As a result, just as the assignments were being made and the personnel in each department began to set up, a long, booming sound came from the valley.

The black mist continued to condense, evolving into a towering, majestic gate.

Then, the door slowly opened to both sides, revealing a completely dark interior.

Everyone stopped what they were doing. The other side had already opened the door. Did they still need to set up a defense to break down the door?

Tan Wenbin's voice rang out: "Continue setting up the formation, keep the initiative in our own hands, what if the other side suddenly closes the gate again?"

Tao Zhuming, hands on his hips, grumbled softly, "Seriously, do we have to be this cautious?"

Ling Wuxing: "You must have seen someone suffer losses because of things like opening and closing doors."

Tao Zhuming: "Your brother is becoming more and more well-behaved."

Ling Wuxing said, "You should do more work too."

Tao Zhuming: "Heh, if you're willing to do it, then do it. But what's that on your arm, a new tattoo?"

Ling Wuxing said, "You should do more work too."

Tao Zhuming: "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. Who cares?"

Even with many people and great strength, it was already late at night when the grand formation was completed.

After Luo Xiaoyu set up the array's core and successfully activated it so it could operate on its own, Tan Wenbin relayed the order to enter the Ghost Gate and descend into hell.

The Ghost Gate is towering high and deep inside; once inside, you are indeed descending.

The valley is like a basin with a large depression.

Flames and beams of light continuously emerged from the ranks as everyone used various methods to provide illumination.

After reaching a certain depth, a "humming" sound came from ahead, and a huge eye, as if hanging in the sky, slowly opened.

The crimson light shone downwards, bringing visibility to this little hell.

Ahead of them was an even steeper cliff, and when they reached the edge and looked down, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

Below was an extremely vast area filled with bones and rotting corpses.

Above that are an even larger number of various wandering souls and vengeful spirits.

Individually, these ghosts wouldn't be enough for anyone present to easily eliminate. Even if they were dealt with one by one, it would only take a little more time. But such a massive number of ghosts, like a great lake, poured down...

Tao Zhuming: "Luckily, there was an array set up at the entrance to prevent the door from closing. Otherwise, if the door had closed, the spirits here would have rushed in and we would have all drowned."

Ling Wuxing nodded.

In fact, what he was thinking was that if the attack had been launched earlier, such a large number of dead souls wouldn't have accumulated here.

"Waaaaah~~~~~~"

A chilling wind blew, sounding like the beating of war drums. On the opposite platform, ghost generals, ghost soldiers, and ghost commanders stood in neat rows, exuding an eerie aura.

Immediately afterwards, living people appeared from behind. They came to the very front of the formation, some holding magical artifacts and others carrying banners. These were living people, the inheritors of the Valley of Living People.

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

Five consecutive booming sounds rang out, and five sections of the towering rock wall below the opposite platform collapsed. Inside each collapse, there were one or two enormous figures, some of which were huge skeletons, and others were large pieces of rotting corpses. They were all wearing large official robes.

The style of their official robes reveals that they correspond to the Five Ghost Emperors of Fengdu.

The five Ghost Emperors all shuddered.

Above, the inheritors of the Living Valley frantically waved their banners;
Below, a massive number of undead souls roared and howled in unison.

The dense and powerful ghostly energy formed a solid ghostly miasma without any need for guidance.

"Click...click...click..."

In the center of the recess below, a tower of white bones stands.

At the very center of the five collapsed rock walls, one of the two enormous skeletons swayed forward, its skull facing upward, and a beam of green light emanated from its eyes, landing on the tower and projecting the image of a man in an official robe.

He was one of the central ghost emperors in the Lesser Hell, gazing ahead.

"Crashing... crashing..."

From the tower, a staircase of white bones extends all the way to the platform where everyone is.

Tao Zhuming: "Is this a negotiation? It seems even ghosts know how to be pragmatic."

Ling Wuxing turned around and looked at Li Zhuiyuan: "Senior, I'll go talk to him!"

Xu Mofan: "I'm going!"

Mu Qiuying: "I'm going!"

Zhu Yiwen and Feng Xionglin followed.

Seeing so many people shouting, the others followed suit and started shouting as well.

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and walked forward, and the crowd on both sides automatically made way for him.

Ling Wuxing: "Senior, are you going in person?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Ling Wuxing said, "It's dangerous, I'll go instead."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You're not qualified."

Commander Wu Xing: "Okay."

The five elements were ordered to make way.

Li Zhuiyuan told Runsheng to go up the staircase of bones first.

Before Runsheng could even step onto the stairs, they began to shake.

The Central Ghost Emperor stood on the high platform, his gaze fixed on this place.

To ensure the sincerity of the negotiations, its actual location is far away; it is a projection.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed that the staircase was uneven and had hollowed-out bone steps in the middle.

The boy felt his balance was good enough, but he didn't think he needed to take the risk of such a difficult high-altitude performance.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his eyes, looked at the central Ghost Emperor on the tower, and reached out to pat Runsheng on the back.

Runsheng climbed the stairs again, and this time, the stairs did not sway.

Runsheng squatted down.

Li Zhuiyuan stepped forward, intending to climb onto Runsheng's back as he always had.

Then, wisps of wind blew out from Runsheng's acupoint, lifting the boy's body upwards, his feet landing on Runsheng's shoulders, and Runsheng stood up naturally.

Surrounded by air currents, Li Zhuiyuan didn't need to worry about shaking at all; it was as if he were standing on flat ground.

Runsheng: "With so many people watching, it won't look good if I carry you on my back, Xiaoyuan."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I don't believe this is something you, Runsheng, can figure out."

Runsheng: "Mengmeng taught me that our Xiaoyuan is an adult now, and we can't be carried around like that anymore. We have to stand up."

Below, there was not only an extremely high drop, but also countless dead souls.

Runsheng walked steadily, and Li Zhuiyuan stood steadily as well.

Finally, Runsheng reached the high platform, and Li Zhuiyuan took a step forward, landing steadily with the help of Runsheng's energy wave.

The Central Ghost Emperor lowered his head and looked at the boy.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at both sides.

Behind them, the enormous white skeleton of the central Ghost Emperor swayed, and the souls below roared even more desperately. The ghost miasma twisted, and neither humans nor ghosts on the platforms at either end could see the scene on the high platform, nor could they hear any sound.

The Central Ghost Emperor spoke up: "Boy, my lord is in seclusion and cannot be disturbed. Please leave, and all grudges will be settled."

The deaths of the Ten Directions Yama Kings and the Young Lord outside are a great loss to the Lesser Hell.

Right now, they are simply trying to win by sheer numbers by manipulating the souls of the dead. But for Li Zhuiyuan, there are many ways to slowly dissolve these souls, whether they advance or retreat.

If all else fails, we'll set up camp outside this valley and prolong the time.

When the Central Ghost Emperor erected the high platform, adopting a posture of wanting to negotiate, it meant that it, and the five Ghost Emperors it represented, had recognized reality.

Listen to this, they've even brought up the fact that "our Lord is in seclusion."

In this respect, he is quite similar to Feng.

The Central Ghost Emperor frowned slightly, wondering why this young man, having arrived, was not responding.

Left with no other option, the Central Ghost Emperor could only continue to issue explicit instructions:

“Listen to me, kid. This place is not only a valley of the living, but also a small hell, a place where our souls rest. No matter what, we will not give up this home. The world is vast, but there are not many places we can go in broad daylight.”

This means that if your goal is the Valley Master, we can discuss it.

But the boy in front of him just stared at it without saying a word.

Central Ghost Emperor: "It seems you have no sincerity whatsoever. You want to use us to exchange for merit. In that case, then let's begin..."

The sound abruptly stopped on the high platform.

The Central Ghost Emperor saw the young man in front of him reach into his pocket, and then, right in front of him, open his palm, revealing a Ghost Seal.

Karmic fire appeared in Li Zhuiyuan's palm, enveloping the Ghost Seal and causing it to radiate its brilliance, exuding an aura unique to the Great Emperor.

At the same time, the phantom of the Ghost Gate appeared behind the boy.

It is much smaller than the Ghost Gate outside the Valley of Living People, but every line on it is imbued with the vicissitudes of time and tradition.

A ghost seal personally crafted by the Great Emperor, and a ghostly phantom that only inheritors of Fengdu can summon—needless to say, one hard and one soft, their identities are confirmed.

Central Ghost Emperor: "Boy, who are you...?"

Li Zhuiyuan knew that although he was the real young lord, he had to play the role well in order to force the other party to make a decision and change course in a short period of time.

The boy was too lazy to figure out how to act dignified, so he simply brought out the emotionless state he was most used to. He felt that the way he used to look in the mirror was quite similar to the expression of an emperor painted on a statue.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his head, all emotion vanishing from his eyes, leaving only a deathly coldness:

"What name shall I be called now?"

The Central Ghost Emperor first lowered his head, then lowered his body, and finally knelt down on one knee:

"Lord!"

(End of this chapter)