Chapter 3884: Departure
Compared to when Zhang Ruochen first arrived at Fengdu Ghost City, this magnificent divine city—one of the foremost in the Hell Realm—had undergone noticeable changes.
Gods could be seen everywhere, flying through the air on patrol. Every street, city gate, and pass was densely covered with formation inscriptions.
Any cultivator wishing to enter Fengdu Ghost City had to undergo layers of inspection, gods included. Several elders with spiritual power exceeding the eightieth level sat in true form at the most critical checkpoints.
Zhang Ruochen had transformed into the appearance of Void Heaven and walked alongside Feng Tian. The mere aura emanating from the two of them intimidated all the cultivators present into fearful silence. Naturally, no one dared to step forward and inspect them; they obediently opened the formations to let them pass.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If back then, Yellow Spring Great Emperor had hidden himself in He Qing's divine realm world, entered Fengdu Ghost City, and seized the Ancestor Realm, how would Feng Tian have responded?"
The two turned into streaks of divine light, weaving through layers of formation radiance as they flew toward the Ghost God Temple.
Feng Tian said indifferently, "First, He Qing did not know the exact location of the Ancestor Realm's entrance, so she could only help Yellow Spring Great Emperor enter the city, nothing more."
"Second, even if Yellow Spring Great Emperor had seized the Ancestor Realm, as long as I was stationed in Fengdu Ghost City, fully activated the city's divine formations, and lit the World Tree, he would have walked right into a trap with no chance to escape."
"Third, if he had tried to ambush me first, unless he could succeed in a single strike and suppress me instantly, once the formations were raised, he would still have been dead."
"For Black and White Daoist to seize power, two crucial factors were at play. First, I was not in Fengdu Ghost City. Second, he himself was the Ghost Clan's Clan Leader, thoroughly familiar with Fengdu Ghost City. Under the current circumstances, he had become the Ghost Clan cultivator with the highest prestige. Even Zhuque Huowu, caught between me and Black and White Daoist, leaned more toward him."
In moments, Zhang Ruochen and Feng Tian landed outside the Ghost God Temple.
The aura of the Twenty Heavens radiated outward, and the divine generals stationed outside the temple all knelt in salute.
Inside the hall, Black and White Daoist sat in the highest seat of the hall master. His body was over ten zhang tall, like a giant, his skin black as charcoal, containing pure and dense ghostly qi within.
He wore a Daoist robe with a black-and-white Taiji mark on his chest, his hair tied into a Daoist bun, with strands of white hair cascading down like a waterfall.
Zhouqi Ghost Emperor and Yangyun Ghost Emperor sat to his left and right, below him.
Blood Leaf Parasol Tree, Yan Ju, Mu Lingxi, and other gods of the Death God Palace had no right to sit and stood in the center of the hall.
Mingye Shenzun and He Qing Shenzun stood on either side, continuously handing scrolls from the table to Black and White Daoist.
As for other Infinite Realm powerhouses of the Ghost Clan, they did not appear in the Ghost God Temple, presumably stationed at various points in Fengdu Ghost City and the World Tree, ready to activate the formations at any moment.
"The Ghost Clan's Clan Leader has brought the gods of my Death God Palace to the Ghost God Temple—what does this mean?" Feng Tian's voice rang out before she even entered the hall, carrying a tone of accusation.
Black and White Daoist set down the scroll in his hand and smiled toward the hall's entrance: "The Death God and the gods of the Death God Palace have helped the Ghost Clan guard Fengdu Ghost City, a great service indeed. I am deeply grateful and naturally wish to host a banquet in your honor."
Seeing that the one entering the temple alongside Feng Tian was not Zhang Ruochen but Void Heaven, Black and White Daoist's eyes narrowed.
Mingye and He Qing were also somewhat surprised, their certainty about Zhang Ruochen's identity wavering.
This was exactly the effect Zhang Ruochen wanted—blurring the lines between reality and illusion, truth and falsehood, making it impossible for others to see through him.
Zhang Ruochen, using Void Heaven's tone, laughed heartily: "Haha, Yin-Yang Ghost, a trip to the Abyss of Darkness actually let you break through the shackles of the Indestructible Infinite. That impresses even me! Come on, tell me—what opportunity did you gain?"
On the way here, Zhang Ruochen had asked Feng Tian how Void Heaven addressed Black and White Daoist.
After all, Zhang Ruochen knew well that Void Heaven loved giving people nicknames, calling them whatever he pleased.
An eon ago, Black and White Daoist and Feng Tian were giants of the same realm, so he held no particular fear of her.
But Void Heaven was different. He had always been in the top tier of the Hell Realm, only being surpassed when Fengdu Dadi broke through to the Heavenly Venerable rank first, suppressing figures like Void Heaven, Yan Renhuan, and Jiusi Yitianhuang.
Toward Void Heaven, Black and White Daoist harbored a fair amount of fear, even now that he had broken through to the Indestructible Infinite upper level.
But from what Mingye and He Qing had told him, he did not believe the person before him was actually Void Heaven.
Black and White Daoist said, "The Abyss of Darkness is filled with strange beasts, especially ghost-type ones. For us Ghost Clan gods, each one is like a divine medicine. Though this trip to the Abyss of Darkness was perilous, after devouring a large number of ghost-type strange beasts, I finally defied fate and broke into the Indestructible Infinite. This clan leader position can now be held for another two eons without issue."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I heard that Yellow Spring Great Emperor also went to the Abyss of Darkness before. I wonder if he swallowed some ghost-type strange beasts and made great progress in his cultivation. Did you two run into each other?"
"Boom!"
Black and White Daoist slammed his palm onto the divine table before him and said, "Is Void Heaven implying that I colluded with Yellow Spring Great Emperor?"
Zhang Ruochen chuckled: "I didn't say that. Yangyun, Zhouqi, look—your clan leader is getting worked up!"
Yangyun Ghost Emperor and Zhouqi Ghost Emperor naturally dared not offend Black and White Daoist now.
Yangyun Ghost Emperor stood and bowed to Zhang Ruochen: "Lord Void Heaven, please don't joke. If the clan leader truly had colluded with Yellow Spring Great Emperor, he would only need to return half a month earlier, and Fengdu Ghost City would certainly have fallen."
"Void Heaven was just joking," Zhouqi Ghost Emperor said, smoothing things over.
Black and White Daoist said in a deep voice, "The lower realm where the Abyss of Darkness lies is vast and boundless. Feng Tian knows this well. If it were so easy to meet, I would have died long ago at the hands of humanoid strange beasts."
"Speaking of strange beasts, I have learned some important information."
"The clan emperors of the twelve strange beast tribes are continuously amassing power at the Ancient Desolate Ruins City and have even built divine city strongholds outside the Abyss of Darkness, ready to launch an attack on the Yellow Spring Star River at any moment."
"All twelve strange beast tribes have Indestructible Infinite-level powerhouses. Among them, the First Seven Sword Emperor of the Taichu Tribe can rival Jiusi Yitianhuang in strength. The mountain master of the Great Dark Mountain and the three musicians are even more unfathomable."
"Once they launch a full-scale attack, Nutian Shenzun and the Hell Realm gods stationed there will certainly be unable to hold them off. But if Void Heaven and Feng Tian could bring the Destiny Temple there to take charge, the twelve strange beast tribes would have to think twice before advancing."
Everyone present, including Feng Tian and Zhouqi Ghost Emperor who had been to the Abyss of Darkness, had limited knowledge of the twelve ancient tribes' strength.
Hearing Black and White Daoist's words, the gods in the hall all wore grim expressions.
The strength of the strange beasts far exceeded their expectations.
"No wonder Jiusi Yitianhuang fled the Abyss of Darkness with the Darkness Temple back then," Yangyun Ghost Emperor muttered to himself.
Suddenly, a bone-chilling coldness filled the Ghost God Temple.
Feng Tian said, "I hear you, Black and White Daoist, trying to teach me and Void Heaven how to do things?"
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand and corrected, "Yin-Yang Ghost means we can leave Fengdu Ghost City now—we're not needed here anymore."
"Exactly, that's what I mean." Black and White Daoist said without any beating around the bush, stating it outright.
He believed he now had the qualifications to speak firmly with Feng Tian and Void Heaven. They were all Indestructible Infinite, all giants of the Hell Realm.
Zhouqi Ghost Emperor and Yangyun Ghost Emperor's expressions changed several times. Feng Tian and Void Heaven—which one was easy to provoke?
Zhouqi Ghost Emperor quickly said, "For the Hell Realm, these are troubled times. Everyone should cooperate sincerely to overcome the crisis. Both Fengdu Ghost City and the Abyss of Darkness are important."
Feng Tian had never endured such treatment. Before Zhouqi Ghost Emperor could finish, she said, "Black and White Daoist, have you thought this through? Can you alone deal with Yellow Spring Great Emperor? The situation in the Santu River region is far more complicated than you imagine."
Yangyun Ghost Emperor quickly added, "Yes, it's not just Yellow Spring Great Emperor. Seventy-Two Lotus and Luo Tuluo have also appeared!"
"The ones who provoked Seventy-Two Lotus and Luo Tuluo are not my Ghost Clan," Black and White Daoist said loudly, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen. He continued, "As long as Void Heaven leaves, they will naturally leave as well. Does Void Heaven agree?"
"Yes, absolutely," Zhang Ruochen said.
Black and White Daoist caught the sarcasm in his tone and said, "What Seventy-Two Lotus fears is Heavenly Mother. As long as Heavenly Mother exists for one day, Seventy-Two Lotus's true body will never dare to emerge." Mu Lingxi said softly.
"Didn't she appear at the Shura Star Pillar Realm to save Luo Tuluo?"
"Is this a place for you to speak?"
Black and White Daoist's ghost-fire pupils contracted, fixing his gaze on Mu Lingxi.
In his eyes, a soul attack was contained.
"How dare you!"
Feng Tian's body erupted with blinding Fate Divine Light, dispersing the soul attack launched by Black and White Daoist.
Zhouqi Ghost Emperor and Yangyun Ghost Emperor immediately appeared between the two sides, fearing the outbreak of an Indestructible Infinite-level divine war.
As Feng Tian had assessed, Black and White Daoist, though arrogant, was not foolish. He knew his limits and did not press further.
"It was just a soul attack, yet Feng Tian had to release Fate Divine Light to neutralize it. It seems that in recent years, while her realm has advanced quickly, her foundation has become less stable than before."
Black and White Daoist felt even less fear toward Feng Tian's Indestructible Infinite middle-stage cultivation and said calmly, "The Ghost Clan's foundation is deep. When have we ever feared external enemies? With an Indestructible Infinite sitting in charge, we can handle any crisis."
"Feng Tian and Void Heaven helping to guard Fengdu Ghost City—the entire Ghost Clan is naturally grateful."
"But if this continues, where will the Ghost Clan's dignity be? Wouldn't the Ghost Clan become the Ghost Clan of the Destiny Temple? How can the Ghost Clan still command the cultivators of the Middle Three Clans?"
"Void Heaven, Feng Tian, do you agree?"
Feng Tian had completely calmed down, all coldness gone.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Yes, absolutely! Yin-Yang Ghost, your spirit of self-reliance warms my heart."
If it were before Mo Li Corpse Ancestor had been suppressed, Zhouqi Ghost Emperor and Yangyun Ghost Emperor would have desperately tried to keep Zhang Ruochen and Feng Tian. But now, with only Yellow Spring Great Emperor left in the Santu River region, they were actually confident in defending Fengdu Ghost City.
Having Void Heaven, Feng Tian, and the gods of the Destiny Temple stay would consume the Ghost Clan's vast cultivation resources. Moreover, it had subtly influenced Ghost Clan cultivators into believing the Destiny Temple was stronger than the Ghost Clan. Many cultivators had already joined the Destiny Temple.
"Whoosh!"
A mass of black ghostly qi emerged from underground, forming a vortex. Within the vortex was a spatial gate, releasing active spatial fluctuations.
Zhang Ruochen looked toward the center of the vortex, sensing the vast space inside and the awe-inspiring Ancestor aura. Realization dawned: "So the entrance to the Ancestor Realm left by Yellow Spring Great Emperor is right beneath the Ghost God Temple."
Within the Ancestor Realm, a ghost cultivator with three dragon heads spoke in a prolonged voice: "The will of the gods in the Ancestor Realm is the same as the clan leader's—to protect the Ghost Clan, we must rely on ourselves. However, if Fengdu Ghost City truly faces a life-or-death crisis, we still hope Void Heaven and Feng Tian will lend a hand, considering our interdependent relationship."
Feng Tian glanced at the figure in the Ancestor Realm and said, "So the Ghost God Temple's hall master has been sitting in the Ancestor Realm all along! May I ask why you and the gods of the Ancestor Realm did not act when Fengdu Ghost City was attacked earlier?"
The Ghost God Temple's hall master said, "The location of the Ancestor Realm is a great secret and cannot be easily revealed. That I open it before the two heavens shows absolute trust in you."
"Moreover, at that time, Fengdu Ghost City was not in danger of falling. Luo Tuluo and a divine river were not enough to force the Ancestor Realm to intervene."
"Zhouqi Ghost Emperor, Yangyun Ghost Emperor, the gods of the Ancestor Realm have decided to activate the sealed ultimate treasures—the Four Soul-Suppressing Divine Artifacts—to form the Soul-Suppressing Grand Formation. It will be wielded by the clan leader, myself, and the two of you to deal with the coming crisis."
The Four Soul-Suppressing Divine Artifacts were: the Soul-Suppressing Banner, the Soul-Suppressing Pearl, the Soul-Suppressing Hall, and the Soul-Suppressing Platform.
Each of the four artifacts contained Ancestor Divine Qi and formation inscriptions left by a spiritual power Ancestor. They were the Ghost Clan's ultimate trump card, activated only in times of life and death.
Zhouqi Ghost Emperor and Yangyun Ghost Emperor had been wavering, worried that Feng Tian and Void Heaven's departure would cause great upheaval in the Ghost Clan. But with the Four Soul-Suppressing Divine Artifacts activated, they no longer had such concerns.
With the four powerhouses wielding the four artifacts to form the formation, their combat power would certainly not lose to Feng Tian or Void Heaven—perhaps even surpass them.
Zhang Ruochen and Feng Tian led the gods of the Death God Palace out of the Ghost God Temple.
Feng Tian had long since shed all emotional fluctuations and said calmly, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled: "If we stay in the open, we have to be on guard against Yellow Spring Great Emperor and Seventy-Two Lotus at all times, and also against a possible remnant soul of the Life Ancestor. How dangerous is that? And it's exhausting!"
"Why not move from the open to the shadows, watch the situation unfold, and turn passivity into initiative? We couldn't leave before, but Black and White Daoist's return helped us greatly."
Feng Tian said, "Should we take the Wuchang Ghost City with us?"
Zhang Ruochen looked puzzled: "Wuchang Ghost City is Black and White Daoist's territory. Would he allow us to take it?"
Mu Lingxi said worriedly, "What if Wuchang Ghost City is breached because of Black and White Daoist's arrogance, and the strange blood spring flows into the Santu River? What then?"
"Thump!"
Zhang Ruochen was in an excellent mood and tapped Mu Lingxi on the head: "How bold! What cultivation do you have, daring to question an Indestructible Infinite?"
"You have a point. Let Black and White Daoist deal with the headache. We'll find a hidden place and focus on cultivation," Feng Tian said.