# Chapter 3876: All Appear
The Santu River basin was vast and boundless, shrouded by yellowish-brown yin energy or grayish-white death mist, filled with dangerous corpse seas, bone mountains, ghost domains, desolate marshes, and blood deserts. There were countless forbidden zones, rarely visited by anyone.
Disha Ghost City was the third largest ghost city after Fengdu Ghost City and Wuchang Ghost City, commanding seventy-two yin realms and one hundred thousand ghost stars. Its subordinate experts were as numerous as fish crossing a river.
The master of Disha Ghost City was known as the "Ghost Lord," a dominant figure among the Ghost Clan. He cultivated the Chaos Ghost Body, created the Abandoned Heaven Ghost Pattern, and was extraordinarily talented. He had once been Emperor Dust's most fearsome opponent, and even his son could contend with Emperor Dust. He was one of the most brilliant figures of this era.
But even someone like him found it as difficult as ascending to heaven to break through to the Infinite Realm.
After following the Yellow Spring Great Emperor, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, and only then did he see hope for the future.
Now, the Ghost Lord's cultivation had reached the Heart-Stopping Realm at the peak of Grand Void, just one step away from Infinite.
The Ghost Lord wore a knee-length chainmail armor, his spirit and energy full and vibrant. He stood alone outside the ghost city by a desolate marsh, gazing at the World Tree in the starry sky. He could use his divine thought to peer across time and space, observing the various changes happening there.
Between Disha Ghost City and Fengdu Ghost City's World Tree, the distance was eight hundred trillion li. It seemed distant, difficult for gods and ghosts to cross, but in reality, it was only about dozens of light-years apart. Between them, there were ancient god paths, space wormholes, and space formations.
Before long, wisps of ghost fire floated out from the Yin Tree Great Wilderness, condensing into a god wearing a blood robe and holding a Blood Soul Ghost Banner.
Luo Wen was a Grand Void realm great god of Fengdu Ghost City, his aura not much inferior to the Ghost Lord's.
The Ghost Lord smiled broadly: "Lord Wen, I've been waiting for a long time!"
Luo Wen's blood-red eyes emerged from beneath his hood, and he said in a deep voice: "I didn't expect your cultivation to advance so quickly, already walking ahead of me!"
The Ghost Lord said: "This is the benefit of following the Great Emperor! Otherwise, with our potential, how easy would it be to break through to Infinite and achieve the status of God King or God Venerable? Hun Qi was such a proud heavenly genius, yet he only barely achieved the position of God King."
"If Fengdu Dadi were still here, with the Yellow Spring Seal assisting, Hun Qi would surely have cultivated to become a God Venerable." Luo Wen said.
The Ghost Lord sneered: "Unfortunately, Di is a Half-Ancestor, and Fengdu Dadi cannot return. The Yellow Spring Seal has also returned to the Yellow Spring Great Emperor's hands. We Ghost Clan cultivators can only hope for the future by attaching ourselves to the Great Emperor's banner."
Luo Wen said: "Where is the Great Emperor? I wish to pay my respects."
"How could the Great Emperor be so easily seen by you? If you want to pledge allegiance, you must show sincerity or demonstrate your value." The Ghost Lord said.
Luo Wen said: "I have a matter of utmost importance to report, which can serve as a pledge of allegiance. This matter cannot be delayed even for a moment."
The Ghost Lord turned around and looked toward the mist-shrouded desolate marsh behind him.
The desolate marsh was boundless, with corpses floating for a thousand li.
In a small lake formed by corpse water, Yellow Spring flowers bloomed in abundance. The petals were crystalline, with flowing specks of light.
The Yellow Spring flowers were extremely dangerous; the aura they emitted could poison gods to death.
"Splash!"
The water surface bulged and surged upward.
The Life and Death Double Coffin flew out from the water, the skulls at both ends of the coffin appearing exceptionally ferocious, emitting the howling sounds of ten thousand ghosts. Countless ghost shadows surged out with it, transforming into black clouds.
The Ghost Lord and Luo Wen were affected by that terrifying aura, their divine souls bearing tremendous pressure. Both knelt on one knee, their bodies trembling.
"Paying respects to the Great Emperor!"
The Yellow Spring Great Emperor's voice came from within the coffin, deep and hoarse, piercing directly into the soul: "Speak, what important matter?"
Luo Wen immediately said: "Zhou Qi Ghost Emperor, Zhuque Huowu, and Hun Qi are secretly constructing a Time-Space Altar, intending to use sacrifices to bring back Fengdu Dadi. Currently, the altar is already more than half built."
The Ghost Lord stared at the ground, his heart greatly shocked.
From the moment he had gained sentience, the Ghost Lord had known of Fengdu Dadi's prestige. He was born with a natural fear. The more casually he had spoken earlier, the more horrified he was now.
"I am aware of this! This is a great merit, and you shall be rewarded."
From within the Life and Death Double Coffin, wisps of white yin energy flew out and surged into Luo Wen's body.
Luo Wen's ghost body emitted a crackling explosion sound, directly breaking through the Body-Stopping limit and entering the Soul-Stopping Realm at the peak of Grand Void.
...
White Wuchang Divine Temple.
He Qing knelt beneath Zhang Ruochen, her body twitching, emitting low and painful cries from her mouth, like a dying person about to breathe their last.
"Bang!"
The soul search ended, and He Qing collapsed limply to the ground.
Zhang Ruochen sat on the divine throne that originally belonged to He Qing, lost in thought.
Then, he took out the Celestial Pivot Needle.
He raised his right arm, and a space rift appeared in his palm, leading directly to the Black Wuchang Divine Temple.
"Lend me a strand of divine soul."
A strand of Gong Nanfeng's divine soul flew through the space rift and into the Celestial Pivot Needle.
Zhang Ruochen mobilized his divine energy, channeling it into the Celestial Pivot Needle. Using the yin energy belonging to the Yellow Spring Great Emperor that he had extracted from He Qing's body, he calculated the heavenly secrets and searched for the location.
"Bang! Bang! Bang..."
Heavy footsteps sounded in the divine temple, growing closer and closer.
The space vibrated accordingly.
Zhang Ruochen raised his gaze, looking along the carved bluestone floor toward the grayish ghost mist.
Gai Mie's tall and robust figure appeared, becoming clearer and clearer.
His hair was disheveled, and in his hand, he carried a woman dressed in a blue robe. The woman had a slender and graceful figure, but she was restrained, unable to move at all. Her limbs hung limply, and because her long hair was disheveled, her face could not be seen clearly.
He Qing, who had fallen at Zhang Ruochen's feet, was enduring a powerful spiritual pressure that prevented her from activating her divine power. Seeing Gai Mie's arrival, joy finally appeared in her eyes.
"Zhang Ruochen, I have heard that a Time-Space Altar is being built in Fengdu Ghost City, intending to welcome back Fengdu Dadi. You have been delaying in giving me an answer—are you stalling for time?"
Gai Mie stopped eighteen zhang away, his tiger-like eyes blazing.
Beneath his feet, a blood-red demonic land formed on its own. Behind him was an endless purple starry sky. His overwhelming demonic might radiated outward, displaying the profound realm and mysterious Dao techniques of a Heavenly Venerable-level expert.
The purple starry sky was something he had cultivated, a real starry sky, like Zhang Ruochen's "Phantom Extinction Star Sea," resembling a nascent universe.
Zhang Ruochen remained calm despite the change, putting away the Celestial Pivot Needle, and said: "I have not gone to Fengdu Ghost City, so I am not very clear about the situation there."
"Is that so?"
"If the Supreme Pillar had been well-informed, you should know that Feng Caiyi has detained my father, and I have almost completely broken ties with her. Otherwise, I would have already begun the full restoration of Wuchang Ghost City."
Gai Mie said: "You haven't restored Wuchang Ghost City because you want to use this to force Feng Caiyi to release your father?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said: "Among human cultivators, filial piety comes first. A mother is greater than the earth, a father greater than heaven. Feng Caiyi has touched my reverse scale—this is a path to death."
"I have already given her a chance, but the Supreme Pillar has seen for himself that not only has she not repented, but she has also sent Hun Qi to pressure me. A person with perfect spiritual power should have the fury to destroy heaven and annihilate the Dao. An emperor cannot be bullied!"
He Qing said: "Do not believe him. Zhang Ruochen and Feng Caiyi have been colluding for many years, their relationship ambiguous. Moreover, I have heard that although Qi Tian is detained, he has not been mistreated. He can freely enter and leave the Death Divine Palace, but simply cannot leave Fengdu Ghost City."
"Oh?"
Zhang Ruochen was still in the appearance of Void Heaven. He stepped on He Qing's back and said: "Since Divine Lord He Qing is so familiar with the situation in Fengdu Ghost City, why didn't you inform the Supreme Pillar about the Time-Space Altar?"
Gai Mie did not fully believe Zhang Ruochen. He smiled ambiguously: "Zhang Ruochen, no matter what scheme you are plotting, you must understand one thing—I may not necessarily need to cooperate with you."
"The Yellow Spring Great Emperor's Life and Death Double Coffin can collect all the strange blood springs in Wuchang Ghost City. Then, I can slowly refine and absorb them. It will just take a bit more time."
"A bit more? If you refine them yourself, the time spent will be ten times, a hundred times more."
Zhang Ruochen snorted deeply: "Gai Mie, before cooperating with the Yellow Spring Great Emperor, you had better think clearly about who truly rules the world today! The Half-Ancestors of this era are the invincible ones. If you go that far, I will surely ask the Heavenly Mother to slay you."
Gai Mie laughed: "I don't want to either, but if you continue to be perfunctory, aren't you forcing me to make a helpless choice?"
Seeing Gai Mie's aura weaken slightly, Zhang Ruochen also stopped being so aggressive. He said: "Give me three days, Supreme Pillar. In three days, I will surely give you an answer."
"Very well, three days I can still wait."
Gai Mie's gaze fell on He Qing, and he sighed: "Why is Emperor Dust so unappreciative of beauty? How about we make a trade?"
"Bang!"
Gai Mie threw the woman in his hand to the ground.
This woman was none other than Yao Guang, whom Zhang Ruochen had sent out not long ago to arrange divine talismans.
Gai Mie felt that Yao Guang had a special relationship with Zhang Ruochen, so he had captured her to use as a hostage. Otherwise, he would not have dared to enter the White Wuchang Divine Temple so easily.
After all, he was facing a person with perfect spiritual power.
Even if he was one or two realms higher, entering the territory of a perfect spiritual power cultivator required caution.
Moreover, Gai Mie was also worried that Void Heaven might really be in the White Wuchang Divine Temple. His visit was both to deliver an ultimatum to Zhang Ruochen and to probe the situation.
Zhang Ruochen said: "What do you want her for?"
"You should know what for!" Gai Mie laughed.
Zhang Ruochen said: "What if I don't release her?"
"No matter, I'll take her into Wuchang Ghost City with me." Gai Mie extended his hands and picked up Yao Guang, looking at her delicate and elegant jade-like face, meeting her gaze, and said: "But then, who will guard Wuchang Ghost City for you?"
Both He Qing and Yao Guang were uneasy, their peripheral vision fixed on Zhang Ruochen.
"Haha!"
Zhang Ruochen changed from Void Heaven's appearance back to his original face, laughing loudly: "I didn't expect the Supreme Pillar to be a sentimental person. Very good, we are kindred spirits. Take the person, and leave Yao Guang behind."
After Gai Mie left with He Qing, Zhang Ruochen pointed a finger, breaking the seal Gai Mie had placed on Yao Guang.
Yao Guang stood up, looking at Zhang Ruochen, who had already turned his back, and bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Emperor Dust, for saving me."
"It was just a small effort." Zhang Ruochen said.
Although Yao Guang was born in the Ghost Clan, her spiritual power cultivation method came from the Daoist tradition, giving her an immortal charm untouched by the mundane world. She said: "But Emperor Dust's compromise like this undoubtedly exposes a weakness to Gai Mie. In the future, he will likely become even more aggressive, continuing to use this as a threat."
"Weakness? Do you think you are my weakness, Imperial Consort?"
Zhang Ruochen turned around and looked directly at her.
How could Yao Guang not have some admiration for this legendary young man? Zhang Ruochen's aura and strength had a fatal attraction for all women in the world. Moreover, he had just paid a great price to save her.
Everyone said Zhang Ruochen was the romantic Sword God.
But Yao Guang would never arrogantly think that Zhang Ruochen had saved her because he was attracted to her beauty, nor did she think Zhang Ruochen had to save her.
Yao Guang could not meet Zhang Ruochen's gaze. She lowered her head slightly: "Yao Guang has self-awareness; how could I be worthy of being Emperor Dust's weakness? But I have heard Zhuque Huowu say that Emperor Dust values loyalty and righteousness, and with even a little friendship, he will give ten times in return. He is a true hero of this era."
Then she added: "The Ghost Emperor died at Gai Mie's hands! Yao Guang has an irreconcilable blood feud with him. Any cultivator in the world could forcibly take Yao Guang, but not him."
Yao Guang was the Imperial Consort of Wenhe Ghost Emperor.
Wenhe Ghost Emperor had fallen at the North Marsh Great Wall, killed by Gai Mie.
At this moment, Yao Guang's pitiful and somewhat resentful aura was enough to melt the most iron-hearted man, making him want to embrace and comfort her.
But Zhang Ruochen knew that a woman who could cultivate her spiritual power to the eighty-fourth rank and establish herself in Fengdu Ghost City could not possibly be a weakling.
Three spiritual power divine pills flew out from Zhang Ruochen's palm, and he said: "Zhuque Huowu didn't make it clear enough. Actually, even without sufficient friendship, if there is enough value, I can also help. Those who belong to me, I cherish."
Yao Guang sensed that Zhang Ruochen intended to recruit her. She took the three spiritual power divine pills and said: "Yao Guang will remember Emperor Dust's kindness today."
"Go now, and guard Wuchang Ghost City well. For now, don't tell Divine Lord Mingye about Divine Lord He Qing's matter." Zhang Ruochen said.
"If Feng Tian asks, how should I answer about today's events?" She added: "Earlier, after I carried eight divine talismans out of the White Wuchang Divine Temple, Feng Tian projected a clone to see me."
Zhang Ruochen felt speechless inside. The mighty Death God Venerable was always making small moves—couldn't she just come to see him directly?
Lingxi should have already explained to her about him and Void Heaven.
"No, I cannot take this step back. In the past, when my cultivation was not strong enough, I had already retreated too much in front of her, compromising everywhere. Now that I have perfect spiritual power, if I still give in first, she will only become more aggressive in the future. Today she takes my father, tomorrow what other methods will she use?"
On White Cang Star, Zhang Ruochen had chatted with Fengchen Sword God all night, gaining countless valuable experiences.
According to Fengchen Sword God, the more domineering and proud a woman is, the less one should cater to her. One must set rules and draw bottom lines.
The more you submit, the more she regards you as nothing. Today you cede five cities, tomorrow ten cities, then you get one night of peace. When you look around at the four borders, she is causing trouble again. How much room do you have to retreat?
Zhang Ruochen pondered and said: "If she asks, just tell her the truth."
...
Three days passed in an instant.
Zhang Ruochen attempted to break through to Indestructible Infinite but failed. When he condensed the Middle Palace Minor Derivation within his body, the yang energy was too heavy, enough to burn his Indestructible Dharma Body. At the critical moment, he dispersed the condensed five yangs to save his life.
Fortunately, he had enough indestructible matter in his body, so the injuries were not severe and would not affect his subsequent actions.
He set up formations in the White Wuchang Divine Temple, leaving Mo Yin and the sword spirit behind to guard the cauldron fire.
He used the sword bone doppelganger to guard the two cauldrons.
After making thorough arrangements, he finally set out.
Because entering Wuchang Ghost City this time would disrupt heavenly secrets, with unpredictable fortune and misfortune, he had to be cautious.
Those who scheme against others are also schemed against.
The old fellows who could dominate an era were not simple.
Even with the Wuji Circle and perfect spiritual power to conceal himself, Zhang Ruochen still felt it was not safe enough. So, he activated the Imperial Talisman's talisman patterns, his figure disappearing into space. Then, he stepped through the formation light barrier of Wuchang Ghost City.
Entering Wuchang Ghost City, Zhang Ruochen sensed the aura Gai Mie had deliberately released, located at the Origin Divine Temple in the city center.
Zhang Ruochen did not immediately rush over. Instead, he walked along the city walls of Wuchang Ghost City, quietly observing the environment within the city.
Naturally, he did not dare to release his spiritual power or divine soul. He relied entirely on his mind.
After most of the day passed, Zhang Ruochen was still in no hurry. His figure leaped across buildings that were half-submerged, as if testing Gai Mie's patience.
A full day passed...
At the Origin Divine Temple, on the top of a divine mountain that had not been submerged, Gai Mie leaped up and landed on the shoulder of a thousand-zhang-tall giant stone statue. He raised his voice: "Zhang Ruochen, I know you have already arrived at Wuchang Ghost City. If you do not show yourself now, I will consider that you have broken your promise!"
"What's the hurry, Supreme Pillar? I said I would do it, and naturally I will."
Zhang Ruochen's figure appeared in the Origin Divine Temple, separated from the divine mountain where Gai Mie was located by only a hundred li of blood sea.
The entire Origin Divine Temple was submerged by the strange blood spring, resembling a blood sea. Only the tops of a few divine mountains were still exposed, like small islands.
Zhang Ruochen had actually already prepared to withdraw, because Gai Mie's patience was too great.
Great patience meant he was setting a trap.
Gai Mie was secretly alarmed. His rule divine patterns covered the entire Origin Divine Temple, like billions of tentacles, yet Zhang Ruochen had still infiltrated silently.
Gai Mie said: "Three days have passed. What is your answer?"
Zhang Ruochen observed his surroundings and said calmly: "Where is He Qing? Why can't I sense her aura?"
"The strange power here is dense. With her cultivation, she might not be able to withstand it, so naturally she is staying in my divine realm world..." Before Gai Mie could finish.
Zhang Ruochen had already activated his flowing light divine power and fled toward the outside of the Origin Divine Temple.
"Zhang Ruochen, you won't be able to leave today!"
Every word of the Yellow Spring Great Emperor was a soul-suppressing curse, impacting Zhang Ruochen's divine soul.
The Life and Death Double Coffin flew out from the blood sea, raising thousand-fold waves, chasing after Zhang Ruochen.
"Zhang Ruochen, blame yourself for not trusting me enough, repeatedly being perfunctory. I had to make other plans."
Gai Mie pressed his palms together, raised his hands to the sky, and spat out a demonic energy light pillar upward.
Beneath his feet, a billion-li demonic land appeared, woven from infinite demonic Dao rules, containing order power, like the most solid cage in the world.
Those who did not understand order could not break it.
The purple star sea appeared in the sky, like the "heaven" in "round heaven and square earth," covering the entire Origin Divine Temple.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Ruochen, who had been prepared, merged his sword Dao and space Dao, slashing out a one-character sword energy, tearing open a several-zhang-long rift in the solid space.
"Clatter!"
From the Life and Death Double Coffin that had already chased behind him, eight chains flew out, striking the eight directions of the space rift, causing space to tremble.
Not to mention that the void world corresponding to Wuchang Ghost City had been arranged by Void Heaven, making escape difficult. In such a situation, even if he fled into the void world, he would be hit by the eight chains.
Behind him, the Life and Death Double Coffin carried a terrifying destructive death force, crashing toward him, arriving in an instant.
At this critical moment, Zhang Ruochen decided not to flee. Thousands of talismans flew out from his body. He turned around and punched, colliding with the Life and Death Double Coffin.
"Boom!"
The overwhelming force came from his arm. Zhang Ruochen flew backward, crashing through the space that had not yet closed, falling into the pitch-black void world.
In the void world, dense sword energy immediately flew out.
It was the killing move left by Void Heaven. The sword energy converged into a river, sharp and unstoppable, comparable to Sword Twenty-Three.
The Taiji Four Symbols Diagram Seal appeared behind Zhang Ruochen. His figure flashed, performing a spatial displacement in the void world, comparable to mastering space order.
The sword energy river brushed past Zhang Ruochen, hitting the pursuing Life and Death Double Coffin.
"Bang! Bang!"
The sound of metal collision was like divine thunder.
The Life and Death Double Coffin was knocked back, and the sword energy also dissipated.
Zhang Ruochen walked out from the broken space, cursing Void Heaven ten times in his heart.
The defensive formation of Wuchang Ghost City was perfunctory, but the sword formations, void divine formations, and illusion formations in the void world were densely packed like a net. Not to mention Zhang Ruochen, even a Heavenly Venerable-level expert would need considerable effort to break them all.
This cut off Zhang Ruochen's possibility of retreating through the void world.
Zhang Ruochen even began to have some suspicions...
Zhang Ruochen looked up at the purple star sea above, then at Gai Mie on the divine mountain peak, and the Life and Death Double Coffin suspended in the void. The four symbols manifested in the four directions, appearing as gold, wood, water, and fire attributes.
"Do the two of you think that even if you join forces, you can keep me here?"
As Zhang Ruochen's voice sounded, more talismans flew out from his body, manifesting a sea of talisman light above the blood sea.
Gai Mie said: "Don't you want to know where He Qing went? She went to White Wuchang Ghost City. You borrowed the fire source of the Black and White Yin-Yang Divine Fire, either to refine weapons or alchemy. Whatever you are doing, you must be using the Nine Cauldrons."
"Are you trying to disturb my state of mind?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Gai Mie said: "If we can seize the Nine Cauldrons, even if only one of them, even if we cannot keep you here today, it will still be a great gain."
A voice came from the Life and Death Double Coffin: "Even if you escape, we can destroy Wuchang Ghost City, release the strange blood spring, and create a great chaos in the Santu River basin. By then, Feng Caiyi will inevitably be unable to attend to everything, and our great plan can succeed."
"Of course, today, even if you fight to the death, your chance of escape is at most one in ten."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on Gai Mie: "Won't you reconsider?"
"No need to reconsider! The Yellow Spring Great Emperor said that you are not the only one who can activate the Nine Cauldrons. Using ancestral power, they can also be activated. You... can be replaced!" Gai Mie said.
"Then it seems we have no choice but to fight today!"
Zhang Ruochen said: "But it's not two against one, but two against two. Corpse Ancestor, show yourself!"
Grayish corpse energy clouds penetrated the purple starry sky, spreading into the blood sea, quickly covering half of the Origin Divine Temple.
Before coming to the Origin Divine Temple, Zhang Ruochen had already met with the Corpse Ancestor and finalized the exchange of interests.
Compared to the Yellow Spring Great Emperor, the Corpse Ancestor respected this era more. From the beginning, he had been clearing out the remnants of ancient powerful beings hiding on the Santu River, showing goodwill to the current heavens.
The Corpse Ancestor's voice came from the gray mist: "Zhang Ruochen, it's not two against two, but three against one."
Zhang Ruochen narrowed his eyes, turned around to look, but his expression did not change much. He had clearly prepared for the worst possible development.
This was the situation he least wanted to see!
(End of Chapter)