Chapter 3203: Two Daoists
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen's attitude was firm and his will unshakable, Bore said, "Fine! But once the formations within Fengdu Ghost City are fully activated, the city can suppress and kill God Kings and God Venerables. Once we enter, it will be a near-certain death. If you encounter danger, don't trust anyone—come find me. The identity of Nutian Shenzun's disciple is at least a protective talisman."
"Alright, it's settled!"
Zhang Ruochen smiled as he saw Bore off, but gradually, the smile faded.
If his identity were truly exposed and he fell into a desperate situation, how could he possibly go find her?
...
Although Tang Lan was a member of the Ghost Clan, she had no ghostly aura about her and was no different from a human woman. She appeared to be in her thirties, with a voluptuous figure and a mature charm.
Huang introduced her, saying, "Young Lord, Lan Shen is the Dao companion of Chi Chaluo. Their bond is deep, and she is trustworthy—worthy of plotting great matters."
Upon seeing Zhang Ruochen, Tang Lan's expression turned extremely hostile. "So the Young Lord you spoke of is him? Hmph, even if I were at the end of my rope, I would never scheme with the Quantity Organization."
Tang Lan turned to leave.
"You're merely at the Taibai realm cultivation level. Do you think you can leave?"
Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power, forming a field of his own.
In recent years, although Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power had not improved much, it was more than enough to deal with Tang Lan.
Trapped, Tang Lan was not flustered. She sneered, "The Quantity Envoy's spiritual power is indeed formidable. In your presence, I can't even self-detonate my divine source. But if you think you can use me to deal with Fengdu Ghost City, you've miscalculated. If you want to search my soul or silence me, go ahead!"
Zhang Ruochen extended his finger, tracing inscriptions in the air. "I'll search your soul first, then refine you into a puppet. That way, you can take me into Fengdu Ghost City, and I can do whatever I want."
Xue Mu let out a dark chuckle, perhaps misunderstanding the intent.
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen had already drawn out a Puppet Divine Talisman.
"Despicable! Zhang Ruochen, with such treachery, you'll die a miserable death sooner or later. When the Great Emperor returns, a single thought will scatter your soul!" Tang Lan said with deep resentment.
Zhang Ruochen closed his five fingers, crushing the divine talisman. "Forget it, no more jokes. Let's talk business. I am not the Quantity Machine. The real Quantity Machine is Xue Changjin. I don't believe you've never suspected this!"
Of course, Tang Lan had suspected it.
After Chi Chaluo was falsely accused and imprisoned in the Divine Prison, she became even more convinced that Xue Changjin was the problem. But she also had her doubts about Zhang Ruochen.
Tang Lan said, "Show me the evidence!"
Zhang Ruochen took out the corpse of Xueyao Divine Lord and placed it on the ground.
Tang Lan's expression changed. She immediately rushed over, using divine qi to examine the corpse, and exclaimed in shock, "This is impossible! How can this divine corpse contain such a thick deathly ghost aura belonging to Wenhe Ghost Emperor?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Back then, it was Xueyao Divine Lord who killed the son of Zhouqi Ghost Emperor. Don't you understand now, Lan Shen, why Xueyao Divine Lord's body has Wenhe Ghost Emperor's deathly ghost aura?"
Tang Lan said, "Is it Xue Changjin? He wanted to provoke a conflict between the gods of Wenhe Ghost Emperor's lineage and Zhouqi Ghost Emperor's lineage?"
"Unfortunately, I stumbled upon this, and so I became the scapegoat. You could say I took the blade for Wenhe Ghost Emperor back then," Zhang Ruochen said meaningfully.
The deathly ghost aura within Xueyao Divine Lord's body was not just a wisp—it was extremely thick, something Zhang Ruochen could never have obtained on his own.
Only a god of Fengdu Ghost City, over long years, could have collected so much of Wenhe Ghost Emperor's deathly ghost aura.
Tang Lan already harbored deep hatred for Xue Changjin, and now she was thoroughly convinced by Zhang Ruochen's words. "Xue Changjin is indeed highly suspicious, but you, Zhang Ruochen, still haven't cleared yourself. Unless you let me investigate!"
"You don't have that qualification!" Zhang Ruochen said with a smile.
Tang Lan said, "Then we can't cooperate."
"Actually, even if you investigated, you wouldn't find anything. It's too easy for me to hide the secrets on my body."
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment and said, "How about this: you take me into Fengdu Ghost City and bring me to see Xue Changjin. When we meet, it will be a life-or-death struggle between him and me. Whoever dies, their secrets will be exposed. Then you'll know who the Quantity Organization member is."
Tang Lan thought she had misheard and exclaimed in shock, "You want to fight Xue Changjin, and inside Fengdu Ghost City?"
"Is there a problem?" Zhang Ruochen asked back.
"Nothing. Since you want to court death, I won't stop you. But your cultivation and Xue Changjin's are both too high. Even if I find out who the Quantity Organization member is, I'll definitely be silenced. So, I have one condition!" Tang Lan said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Speak!"
"You have to help me rescue Chi Chaluo first."
Tang Lan's repeated insistence that she didn't trust Zhang Ruochen was all leading up to this. She planned to use him to save her husband.
With Wenhe Ghost Emperor's fall, their lineage had scattered like a tree falling and its monkeys fleeing. Many gods, fearing Xue Changjin's retaliation, had already sought other paths.
Some had even defected to Xue Changjin's side.
After learning that Xue Changjin was the Quantity Machine, Tang Lan grew even more worried about Chi Chaluo, who was still in the Divine Prison. She feared that Xue Changjin would kill him long before the Great Emperor returned.
In a way, Zhang Ruochen's appearance gave Tang Lan a glimmer of hope.
Zhang Ruochen saw through Tang Lan's intentions clearly. He smiled and said, "I accept your condition. Here's to a pleasant cooperation."
...
Zhang Ruochen and Cang Jue entered Tang Lan's Divine Realm World and headed toward Fengdu Ghost City.
Huang and Xue Mu did not accompany them. Instead, following Zhang Ruochen's orders, they went to prepare a birthday gift for Xue Changjin.
Three hundred thousand years ago, when the Saint Realm still existed, the Hell Realm was far less glorious than it is now. Although the Ten Clans had long histories and deep foundations, they still couldn't compare to the Twenty Heavens of the Heavenly Court or those eternal, undying great worlds.
But even then, Fengdu Ghost City held an extraordinary status. It was a place revered by the three undead clans, and gods of the Heavenly Court dared not enter it lightly.
Although Yama Heaven Beyond Heaven and the Fate Divine Domain were also called divine cities, their foundations could rival Fengdu Ghost City's, but they were more like worlds, with far weaker defensive capabilities than Fengdu Ghost City.
Fengdu Ghost City, however, was a true city atop the World Tree. A branch of the Santu River flowed past the city, its surface as wide as an ocean, serving as a moat.
Inside the city, it was dark and sunless.
Strange, eerie buildings stood deep and gloomy, with spirits drifting in and out. Some buildings burned with ghostly green flames, making the scene even more sinister and terrifying.
The entire city was eerily quiet. An ordinary mortal entering would likely be scared to death on the spot.
Standing in Tang Lan's Divine Realm World, Zhang Ruochen released his spiritual power to sense his surroundings. He found that the rules within the city were densely packed and the space was extremely stable, suppressing cultivators' power to the extreme.
Even if a true god self-detonated, it would probably cause little damage within the city.
This was truly the number one divine city of the Hell Realm.
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's sense of danger surged. He detected two powerful divine auras hidden in the shadows and was about to warn Tang Lan. But he changed his mind at the last moment.
Tang Lan had already sensed something was wrong. This stretch of the street was far too quiet.
"Shua!"
A spike-shaped Supreme Sacred Artifact flew out from her chest and into her hand. She said coldly, "Xue Changjin, why don't you show yourself?"
"Bang! Bang! Bang..."
The buildings along the street all exploded, turning into wisps of gray ghostly mist.
Two Daoists emerged from the mist, one in front and one behind.
The Daoist in front wore a white Daoist robe and a ghost mask, holding a whisk. It was Zhao Wu, who had pursued Zhang Ruochen by the Santu River.
Tang Lan was surprised. "Why is it you?"
In Tang Lan's view, anyone daring to ambush her in Fengdu Ghost City had to be a top-tier expert of the city. That was why she had guessed Xue Changjin.
Although Zhao Wu was also a Taixu realm great god of Fengdu Ghost City, he belonged to Zhouqi Ghost Emperor's lineage and had no grudge against her.
Under his mask, Zhao Wu let out a sharp laugh. "Wenhe Ghost Emperor has fallen, and Chi Chaluo is sealed. The gods of your lineage have all scattered. Tang Lan, would you like to join Zhouqi Ghost Emperor's ranks?"
Tang Lan turned to look behind her. The Daoist there had a half-rotten body with dark red flesh, but his Daoist robe was very clean, with wide sleeves fluttering, as if he thought himself an immortal.
"Yunjing Shangren!" Tang Lan frowned, her confusion deepening.
This Yunjing Shangren was not a member of the Ghost Clan but a disciple of Huang'e Divine Lord, the strongest below the Infinite realm among the Corpse Clan.
Yunjing Shangren smiled. "No need to fight, right? Seal your cultivation and come with us. This way, you'll suffer less. I, this poor Daoist, am devoted to kindness and don't wish to bully a woman."
Both Zhao Wu and Yunjing Shangren were Taixu realm great gods. Without Zhang Ruochen, Tang Lan would have no choice but to burn her divine soul and fight to the death.
Just as she was about to communicate with Zhang Ruochen, Yunjing Shangren's eyes darkened. He took out a rust-covered bronze mirror and swung it.
The mirror emitted a blinding light, each beam shaped like a divine chain, locking onto Tang Lan.
"You won't succeed!"
Tang Lan let out a long cry, releasing her divine qi. She thrust her Supreme Sacred Artifact forward, clashing with the bronze mirror.
But the expected powerful force did not come. Tang Lan felt her thrust hit nothing, and her body was pulled into the mirror.
Yunjing Shangren flicked his sleeve, retracting the mirror. He immediately used corpse blood to inscribe runes, completely sealing Tang Lan inside.
"Haha, Brother Zhao Wu, see? I told you there was no need to be so tense. She's just a Taibai realm great god. How could she escape from us?" Yunjing Shangren said.
Zhao Wu said, "Yaoguang is still in the city. If she senses this, it will be troublesome."
Yunjing Shangren seemed unconcerned. "To be honest, the only one in Fengdu Ghost City worth fearing is Hun Qi, but like his master the Great Emperor, he doesn't bother with these matters and has been in seclusion for years. Brother Zhao Wu, you're being overly cautious!"
"This matter is of great importance. Not a single mistake can be made. Let's go!"
Zhao Wu reached out, and a porcelain bowl flew down from the sky, landing in his palm.
Immediately, the scene here dissipated, restoring the street to its original appearance.
...
The characters and factions in the book have become very numerous now, and many things may have been forgotten. You can follow the WeChat public account "Feitian Yu," where detailed introductions of each character and analysis of their deeds will be provided, making the reading experience clearer.
(Chapter End)