# Chapter 2544: Hai Ke and Nan Sheng
Whether it was because she wanted to repay Zhang Ruochen's favor or because she felt he was sincere enough, Yan Zhexian actually agreed.
However, she had conditions.
Since Zhang Ruochen had publicly claimed that he was bringing her out to visit famous scenic spots and historical sites, he had to follow through on that.
Hearing this condition, Zhang Ruochen was extremely surprised. He had thought she would take the opportunity to extort him. Involuntarily, he fell into thought—could Yan Zhexian have ulterior motives?
"Are you going to agree or not?" Yan Zhexian pouted and urged him.
"Fine! I've been in seclusion for many days, and I've grown restless from stillness. Taking this chance to walk around more and broaden my knowledge and experience—that's not a bad thing." Zhang Ruochen agreed.
The two entered the Seven Stars Imperial Palace.
Eighteen Six-Calamity Ghost Kings carried the massive palace, stirring up thick, cold ghostly mist. With full momentum, they swaggered toward the Rot Clan Sacred Land.
A Le sat on the stone steps outside the palace, holding an iron sword diagonally, lost in lonely and cold contemplation, thinking about who knows what.
The seven monks led by Grand Minister of Works and Second Minister of Works followed behind.
"Walk faster, stop dawdling."
Grand Minister of Works tapped Zhen Sha's rear with his staff. Zhen Sha wasn't angry and simply lengthened his strides.
Zhen Se, "Que Shenzi," and Zhen Nu, "Tian Shuzi," upon learning that Zhang Ruochen intended to go to the Rot Clan Sacred Land, were first overjoyed, then began to waver between hope and fear.
The reason for their joy was, of course, that almost all the Great Saints of the Death God Temple were gathered at the Rot Clan Sacred Land. Zhang Ruochen's trip there would surely be fraught with danger. And they could regain their freedom.
The wavering came because—if Zhang Ruochen didn't have some certainty, how would he dare go to the Rot Clan Sacred Land?
What was Zhang Ruochen's purpose in going to the Rot Clan Sacred Land?
Moreover, in their current state, if they went to the Rot Clan Sacred Land and those Great Saints of the Death God Temple saw them, wouldn't they be laughed at for the rest of their lives?
Inside the Seven Stars Imperial Palace.
Yan Zhexian asked, "In the Divine Maiden Tower of the Fate Divine Domain, that 'Heaven-Slaying Earth-Destroying Emperor' who helped me win the bet—that was you in disguise, wasn't it?"
"Mm."
Zhang Ruochen, while counting the boxes he had obtained from the Demon Wolf Clan, responded.
"Why?"
"No particular reason. It was just a simple favor."
Yan Zhexian wasn't satisfied with this answer. "Is it because of this child in my womb?"
Zhang Ruochen finished counting, stored everything into his Space Ring, then looked at her seriously and replied, "I actually already know that nothing intimate happened between the two of us."
Hearing this, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Yan Zhexian's fair face.
So... he had known all along.
Zhang Ruochen continued, "But outsiders don't know that. So if we appear close, even show some affection, the Yama Clan's face won't be too badly damaged. That's your idea, right?"
Yan Zhexian's embarrassment faded, replaced by a cold expression. "Good that you know. So, you'd better not have any improper thoughts about me. Our relationship can only remain at the level of mutual cooperation."
"Understood. That's what I need too." Zhang Ruochen said readily.
"Hmph!"
Yan Zhexian let out a delicate snort and strode briskly toward the palace exit.
Zhang Ruochen didn't go after her. Instead, he took out the quasi-emperor-grade sacred pill, the "Sacred Soul Pill," he had just obtained, preparing to swallow and refine it.
Yan Zhexian, who had reached the doorway, suddenly stopped, turned around, and said somewhat willfully, "The Death God Temple rules supreme among the Death Clan, with deep foundations and countless experts. You'd better be careful."
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Zhexian." Zhang Ruochen, sitting on the ground, bowed to her.
Yan Zhexian flicked her sleeve and left, feeling an inexplicable resentment in her heart. She thought to herself, "It's just a transaction, only putting on a show for the cultivators of the world, so those fellows won't secretly mock me or gossip about the Yama Clan. How annoying."
The Hundred Clans Royal City, already a gathering place of forces, was once again shaken today.
After many days, Zhang Ruochen appeared on the streets again, still riding the Seven Stars Imperial Palace, flamboyantly beyond belief. What truly shocked everyone were the seven monks following behind the Seven Stars Imperial Palace.
"Am I seeing things? Is that Que Shenzi?"
"And Tian Shuzi and the three White-Clad Death Gods."
"Heavens, how did they all get tonsured and wear monk robes? Are they really going to convert to Buddhism?"
"Five Ten-Thousand Deaths Life Realm Great Saints of the Death God Temple turned into monks—this is a spectacle that hasn't been seen in an eon."
"Zhang Ruochen is simply too audacious. This is going to be interesting. Just wait, the Death God Temple will definitely take action."
...
Everyone spread the news. More and more cultivators followed behind the Seven Stars Imperial Palace to watch.
The Rot Clan Sacred Land was called Ni Pen Ze.
It was a black mud swamp covering a hundred miles in circumference. Because it was surrounded by numerous ghost mountains and shadowy peaks, the terrain resembled a basin, hence the name "Ni Pen" (mud basin).
Ni Pen Ze was barren of vegetation, perpetually shrouded in yin energy, with a strong rotting force.
Today, two major figures of the Death God Temple arrived at Ni Pen Ze. One was called Hai Ke, and the other was called Nan Sheng.
Both were at the Ten-Thousand Deaths Life Realm but had already been listed on the "Divine Reserve Scroll." Their fame within the Death Clan surpassed even Que Shenzi and Tian Shuzi. Yuan Qianmo had personally written letters inviting them.
To welcome these two, the Rot Clan Sacred Land held a grand sacred banquet.
A line of voluptuous Rakshasa women carried jade plates with human heads balanced on their heads, forming a long queue, presenting them one by one before Nan Sheng.
"Nan Sheng delights in eating human heads"—this was well-known throughout the entire Hell Realm.
On the other side, a group of Undying Blood Clan maidservants with fleshy wings held luminous jade bowls, each containing an infant, presenting them to Hai Ke.
"Hai Ke loves infants, devouring eight hundred a day"—this too was famous across the world.
Nan Sheng and Hai Ke sat at the highest seats. Yuan Benji and a group of Death God Temple Great Saints sat below on the left and right sides.
As for the Rot Clan cultivators, including the clan emperor himself, they all stood, carefully attending to the side.
"I ate a thousand today—I'm full. Put the rest away and present them to me tomorrow."
After consuming the thousandth infant, Hai Ke grabbed two Undying Blood Clan maidservants, pulled them into his arms, and groped them, squeezing until they cried out in pain.
Just as the Undying Blood Clan could capture Six-Calamity Ghost Kings to carry their palace, other clans could also take Undying Blood Clan as slaves—it was perfectly normal. However, doing so in a formal setting carried a certain insulting implication.
The eighteen Six-Calamity Ghost Kings carrying Zhang Ruochen's Seven Stars Imperial Palace were deliberately arranged by Xue Jue War God to disgust the Ghost Lord.
After consuming a thousand human heads, Nan Sheng waved for the Rakshasa women to withdraw.
Unlike Hai Ke, he appeared as a very refined man, somewhat resembling a human, with two strands of white hair at his temples.
Nan Sheng said, "I was originally cultivating in Tiannan. If it weren't for giving face to Yuan Qianmo, I wouldn't have come this time. Can someone tell me why the mighty Death God Temple, with experts as numerous as fish in a river, has been utterly humiliated by a Hundred Shackles Realm Great Saint?"
Hai Ke bared a mouthful of sharp fangs and sneered, "A bunch of trash. Even if Zhang Ruochen had three heads and six arms, he's only at the Hundred Shackles Realm. And yet he captured five Ten-Thousand Deaths Life Realm Great Saints. How do you still have the face to sit here? Trash, all of you are trash."
The Great Saints of the Death God Temple were all embarrassed and uneasy, none daring to argue.
After all, these two before them had terrifying backgrounds. If nothing unexpected happened, they would eventually succeed Yuan Qianmo as the pillars of the Death God Temple's secular world.
If they flew into a rage and ate the head of some Death God Temple Great Saint, they would probably only get a scolding from the gods at most.
Yuan Benji let out a dry laugh. "Zhang Ruochen's demigod physical body is very powerful. In the Hundred Clans Royal City, he has a huge advantage."
Another Great Saint quickly chimed in, "Exactly. It's mainly that the environment is too favorable for him. If it were elsewhere, Tian Shuzi and Que Shenzi would never have lost to him."
"Demigod physical body, demigod physical body—so what? Just brute force... Haha, but I happen to have brute force too." Hai Ke's arms were as thick as elephant legs. With two explosive sounds, he crushed the two Undying Blood Clan maidservants in his arms into two clouds of blood mist.
The other Undying Blood Clan maidservants trembled in fear, prostrating on the ground.
Nan Sheng smiled calmly. "When it comes to physical strength, who can compare to Hai Ke? His body is originally a divine corpse, tempered for a thousand years in the Wuding Divine Sea. Forget a demigod physical body—even some weaker Supreme Dharma Bodies can be shattered with one punch."
Although Hai Ke was of the Death Clan, he had transformed from a divine corpse.
"Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power is also formidable," Yuan Benji said.
A hint of disdain appeared in Nan Sheng's eyes. He uttered the word "Xing" (行).
"Swoosh!"
In this space, countless figures appeared, too numerous to count.
Each one was a condensation of Nan Sheng's spiritual power thoughts.
"Zhe!" (者)
Another word sounded.
The countless figures, like birds returning to their nests, all rushed into Nan Sheng's body.
Nan Sheng said, "Do you think my spiritual power is stronger, or Zhang Ruochen's?"
Yuan Benji laughed heartily. "Nan Sheng, having studied under the Seventh Master of Tiannan, naturally surpasses Zhang Ruochen in both spiritual power intensity and application."
Legend had it that the Hell Realm had four legendary figures whose spiritual power had reached the ninetieth rank.
Yama Clan Tai Shang Jun, Void Great Calamity Palace.
Starry Sea Angler, Tiannan Life-Death Ruins.
The "Seventh Master" Yuan Benji mentioned was the seventh disciple of that figure from Tiannan Life-Death Ruins. Each of that figure's disciples was named after a number.
Seven was his last disciple.
Even so, many gods had to address him as "Seventh Master" upon meeting him.
Of course, these four legendary spiritual power figures were proverbs left from a hundred thousand years ago, names that shook the world during the divine war.
No one knew whether any of them had died over the past hundred thousand years.
Whether new ninetieth-rank spiritual power cultivators had emerged was also unknown.
Hai Ke grew impatient. "Let's go. Let's go capture that brat now. I'll make sure he knows what it means to wish for death but be unable to die. Demigod physical body, is it? I'll tear him apart with my own hands."
Suddenly, a Rot Clan cultivator, his expression terrified, rushed to the foot of the sacred banquet steps and stammered, "Zhang... Zhang... Zhang Ruochen is here! Zhang Ruochen has come... come to the sacred land..."
...
Tonight, I've been scrolling through my Moments and Weibo, reading news related to Dr. Li Wenliang. My heart feels especially heavy. May the collective prayers of all beings bring about a miracle.
For those who carried the torch for the masses, let them not perish in the wind and snow.