I subdue demons and monsters, and cultivate immortality in hell to become a saint.

The monkey grinned, brimming with confidence: "Don't you dare back out! What will you do if I really do it?"

In his view, overturning the table and tearing up the book were nothing more than a simple matter for a true immortal.

Zhong Jiu's smile was radiant, and his words were firm and resolute: "If you succeed, I will not blame you at all. The immortal apricot you just ate, tree and all, will be yours!"

"Okay! It's a deal!"

The Great Ape King's eyes flashed with golden light, "If I lose, the underworld official will summon me across mountains and rivers to my aid at a mere command!"

Zhong Jiu nodded, signaling the soul messenger to step back.

The monkey flashed and arrived in front of the table. Zhong Jiu's table was made of extraordinary material, but it was not worthy of the true immortal's attention. Logically speaking, he could turn it into ashes with a breath.

"Let's begin."

Chung Kau made a gesture of invitation.

"Watch closely!"

The monkey's eyes blazed with golden light, and two streams of Samadhi True Fire shot straight at the table.

Zhong Jiu was slightly startled but remained calm. He secretly cast a spell, creating an invisible barrier to keep the true fire out. Despite the raging flames, the table remained completely undamaged.

The monkey, instead of being angry, was delighted: "You really have some skill!"

He swung his fist, unleashing the full power of a True Immortal. In the outside world, this punch would have been enough to change the weather, but the City God Temple automatically isolated the fluctuations. The fist slammed down hard, but the table didn't even leave a mark.

The monkey's face darkened slightly. It punched, kicked, and even tried to bite, using every trick in the book, but the table remained unmoved.

Zhong Jiu sat firmly as a mountain, using only his divine power to protect the table completely, which made the soul messengers beside him secretly chuckle.

The monkey, unable to save face, flipped his hand, and a bronze magic staff appeared. He poured immense power into it, and with a single swing, it possessed the power to split mountains and cleave seas!

The Soul Messenger's laughter abruptly stopped, his face filled with horror. This attack was something even an ordinary True Immortal would find difficult to withstand!

A hint of surprise flashed across Zhong Jiu's eyes, but he remained seated.

boom!

The deafening roar echoed throughout the entire City God's Mansion, and even the main hall could not completely suppress it. However, the charlatan was firmly stopped by an invisible wall of energy just three inches away from the table.

The Great Ape King's expression changed several times. He withdrew his magic staff, dejectedly saying, "I'm not fighting anymore! It's pointless. I couldn't even break a small table!"

He was not stupid; he had already seen the vast difference between himself and Zhong Jiu, and the invincible arrogance in his heart was instantly extinguished.

"The Ape King is already extremely strong, but he shouldn't be compared to the Master," the Soul Messenger said at the opportune moment.

Zhong Jiu was not proud. In the past, the laws of heaven and earth were incomplete, and he could not fully display his strength. Now that the spiritual energy world has taken shape, suppressing a True Immortal Ape King is nothing to be proud of.

"Bring me the Book of Life and Death," he ordered calmly.

Hun Cha quickly retrieved a copy of the Book of Life and Death. Zhong Jiu pointed at the book and said, "This is a copy, recording the names of the people of Nanling Province. Go ahead and tear it open. If you can tear it open, you still win."

The monkey didn't reach for it, but looked up at Zhong Jiu: "If you secretly exert your strength, how can I tear it open?"

He had already recognized the gap between them; he couldn't even lift a table, let alone the Book of Life and Death, a treasure of heaven and earth.

Zhong Jiu chuckled, "Don't worry, I will not interfere."

Although this copy was not the original, it was no ordinary object either; he was certain the monkey couldn't tear it open.

The monkey gritted his teeth, rallied his spirits, and was determined to get revenge after his crushing defeat!

He poured all his strength into his hands, gripping the Book of Life and Death tightly, but the book remained unmoved. He used all his immortal power to tear it while standing, crouching, and even biting it with his fangs, but he couldn't tear a single page, or even leave a single crease.

"I'm not tearing anymore! I give up!"

The monkey slumped to the ground, utterly defeated. "Only today do I realize how vast the world truly is. I used to boast of being invincible, but I can't even handle a table or a book!"

His invincible spirit shattered, and his heart was filled with shock.

Just then, a crisp "snap" sounded.

Zhong Jiu raised his hand and smashed the table to pieces with a single palm strike!

He spoke softly, his tone encouraging: "King Ape, don't underestimate yourself. You have exceptional talent and a pure heart. Breaking a table is easy, but breaking through mental barriers is difficult. Believe in yourself. If you are not strong today, you will surely reach the summit one day. This is the heart of a true strongman."

Chung Kau had already seen that the monkey had developed mental obstacles due to setbacks, which would eventually become an obsession, so he stepped in to enlighten him.

The monkey pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then grinned at the shards of paper scattered on the floor: "I was too attached to appearances!"

His mental block shattered instantly. Moved, he plucked a hair from the back of his head and handed it to Zhong Jiu: "This hair was carefully refined by me, imbued with a wisp of divine will. I give it to you today. If you ever need my help in the future, just crush this hair, and I will cross mountains and rivers to come to you!"

Leaving aside the warmth within the City God's Mansion, on the other side, Feng Xuanzi and the Old Immortal of Penglai were rushing towards the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom.

Feng Xuanzi's face lit up with joy, and his tone was full of flattery: "I originally planned to ask my uncle to come along and join forces with the Crimson Prison Ghost Emperor to force the Black Mountain Ghost Mother to send troops, but I didn't expect that you would be willing to go in person. Now my uncle won't have to take action."

He had assumed that the Immortal of Penglai would remain indifferent after leaving the mountain, but upon hearing about the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom, he volunteered to go in place of his uncle.

He secretly rejoiced: the Immortal of Penglai was exceptionally powerful, and with the Penglai Black and White Chess in hand, his presence would ensure the success of the mission; more importantly, this demonstrated that the Immortal of Penglai was extremely enthusiastic about the siege of the Underworld.

The Old Immortal of Penglai remained expressionless, his tone icy: "I'm not meddling; your original plan simply wouldn't have been enough to defeat the Black Mountain Demon Mother!"

Feng Xuanzi frowned, his face full of confusion: "Can't defeat her? Impossible! She's only at the peak of the Ghost King realm. With me, the Crimson Prison Ghost King, and my uncle who's at the Earth Immortal realm, how could the three of us combined not be able to defeat her?"

He and Yuan Kong had already calculated this repeatedly, and this arrangement was sure to be foolproof. Moreover, the Black Mountain Ghost Mother was always mysterious and rarely made a move, so she did not seem to be a person with outstanding combat power.

"The Ghost Emperor?"

The Old Immortal of Penglai sneered, his gaze sweeping over him as if he were a fool. "Who said the Black Mountain Ghost Mother is the Ghost Emperor?"

"Not the Ghost King?"

Feng Xuanzi was shocked, and his face turned pale instantly. The Old Immortal of Penglai always kept his word and would never speak carelessly.

"Could it be... that she has broken through the Ghost King realm and advanced to Ghost Immortal?"

Upon realizing this, Feng Xuanzi's heart sank, and he secretly cried out: The Crimson Prison Ghost Emperor has probably already made his move!

He dared not delay, and moved even faster, desperately rushing towards the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom.

Just as he expected, at this moment, in the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom, the Crimson Prison Ghost Emperor was leading the eight Ghost Kings to the Ghost Mother's Palace, as agreed.

After the Thousand-Eyed Demon was annihilated, the number of Ghost Kings in the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom was reduced to eight. Now that the spiritual energy has recovered, some Ghost Generals have successfully broken through and filled the gap.

At the entrance of the main hall, the kings gathered, with tens of thousands of ghost generals standing behind them, each holding an ice blade and exuding murderous intent.

Today is not a military coup, but rather the Crimson Prison Ghost Emperor's attempt to use his power to overpower others, replace the Black Mountain Ghost Mother, and take the throne as the ruler of the Ghost Kingdom!

The Crimson Prison Ghost King had made up his mind. He turned and glanced at the ghost kings, his gaze finally settling on the Green Nether Ghost King. His tone was calm, yet carried a chilling coldness: "Are you afraid?"

The Green Ghost King's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed, saying, "This subordinate is not afraid!"

He knew in his heart that he had no right to defy the Crimson Prison Ghost Emperor.

Since the Crimson Prison Ghost Emperor broke through to the Ghost Queen realm, he has completely changed. The intimacy of the past has long since disappeared, replaced by an overbearing arrogance and ambition. He is increasingly dissatisfied with the status quo and is determined to take control of the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom and do something earth-shattering.

Although the Green Ghost King felt uneasy, he dared not show it in the slightest. Nevertheless, he forced himself to speak: "The Ghost Mother has treated us well, never lacking resources or cultivation techniques. The Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom has been able to remain peaceful until now entirely thanks to her transcendent seclusion! Brother, are you truly sure you've thought this through, breaking with her today?"

After saying this, Green Ghost lowered his head deeply. He knew that Crimson Prison would be angry, but he had no choice but to speak.

Even though he also wanted to step out of Black Mountain and see the outside world, the Ghost Mother's accumulated power and nurturing grace over the years ultimately overwhelmed his impulse.

"So what?"

The Crimson Prison Ghost King sneered, his voice suddenly rising, "My Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom is already incredibly powerful. Why should we cling to this tiny place because of her alone?"

"Looking at the world, we are no weaker than any other power! Why can others roam freely and act with impunity, while we must cower like turtles?"

"Cultivation is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind! That Ghost Mother has long lost her ambition; she's just a useless piece of trash abandoned by the times!"

His gaze swept over all the ghost kings and generals present, his tone carrying an arrogant, condescending tone: "Out of consideration for our past relationship, I will spare her life. This is merely to set things right and guide the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom onto the right path!"

These words weren't just spoken to Green Ghost; they were clearly meant for the entire audience.

Apart from Green Ghost, the other ghost kings and ghost generals could no longer restrain themselves, their eyes burning with murderous intent, and a ghost king immediately echoed their cries.

"Brother is right! Our Ghost Kingdom's territory should be expanded a hundredfold, a thousandfold, to establish an unparalleled Ghost Clan Dynasty!"

"Slay all humans and seize all cities—that's the only way out! Second brother, how dare you question our eldest brother? Following that woman, we'll never have a chance to rise again!"

"In this vast world, who recognizes our illustrious name? Brother, let's make our move!"

Enraged, the ghost kings' eyes blazed with bloodlust, and the ghost generals roared in unison, "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Terrifying malevolent energy soared into the sky, shaking the roof of the palace.

The Crimson Prison Ghost King, a smug look on his face, coldly glanced at Green Ghost: "Second brother, do you understand now?"

Green Ghost's face turned pale. Knowing that the situation was irreversible, he could only grit his teeth and nod: "I will fully support you, brother. However, the Ghost Mother is unfathomable. You must not underestimate her."

Upon hearing this, the excitement in the audience instantly cooled down, and a hint of hesitation flashed across the faces of the Ghost Kings.

During the Black Mountain Rebellion, the Ghost Mother never showed herself, but she crushed the rebels with just one overwhelming ghost palm. That awe was etched into the bones of every ghost.

"She is the Ghost Queen, and so am I. Why can't we fight?"

The Crimson Prison Ghost Emperor sneered, his tone confident, "Besides, I've already contacted reinforcements, they'll be here in a moment!"

"Since she wisely abdicated today, I will spare her life; if she dares to resist, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

Power had already clouded his judgment. Before he finished speaking, he strode into the Ghost Mother's Palace, followed closely by the other Ghost Kings.

Only Lvyou frowned, her heart heavy. Her elder brother had colluded with outsiders, and an ominous premonition welled up in her heart.