Chapter 818: New Plans, New Doubts
By the time Blood Moon Ghost King burst into the Scroll World, Mu Lingxi had already arrived and was standing beside Zhang Ruochen, naturally overhearing the conversation just now.
She furrowed her two slender brows, and after a long moment, said, "Zhang Ruochen, I feel as if someone is hiding in the shadows, deliberately pushing this matter forward. Could it be Shenchu Ghost King?"
Shenchu Ghost King was one of the most powerful existences on the outskirts of the Underworld, capable of commanding all the Ghost Kings and billions of ghost soldiers.
The opening of the passage between the Underworld and the Living World was certainly connected to him.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "If Shenchu Ghost King could break Qiangu Nüdi's seal, he would have succeeded long ago. Why wait until now? Besides, there are too many doubts that cannot be explained."
"First, how did the Void Sword fly out of the Underworld?"
Although the Void Sword was given to Zhang Ruochen by Yuanlong Half-Saint, Zhang Ruochen was certain that Yuanlong Half-Saint had never crossed the Corpse River to enter the Underworld.
He must have obtained the Void Sword in the Fallen God Tomb Forest, mistaking it for an ordinary sacred artifact, and then brought it back to Liangyi Sect.
"Second, who spread the news about the resurrection medicine? What was the purpose of luring everyone into the Underworld?"
"Third, why did the Death Zen Sect send so many people into the Underworld on such a large scale? I believe they are definitely not just here to dig up half-saint corpses. There must be secrets we don't know about."
Xiao Hei chuckled, pushed Galo Lan forward, and threw him to the ground. "That's simple. We can interrogate him."
"Amitabha."
Galo Lan lay on the ground, pressed his palms together, and closed his eyes.
Zhang Ruochen was not skilled at interrogation, so he glanced at Galo Lan and waved his hand. "You and the Demon God Rat interrogate him. Wait."
Zhang Ruochen walked over to Galo Lan, searched his monk's robe, and quickly found a drop of divine blood.
"As expected, he also carries a drop of divine blood." Zhang Ruochen clenched the divine blood tightly in his five fingers, his expression growing even more serious.
Xiao Hei and the Demon God Rat took Galo Lan away.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze returned to Blood Moon Ghost King. "You should understand that even if I don't kill you, I will never release you from the Scroll World. So now, I give you two choices."
"The first is to submit to me. If you work for me, I will give you enough benefits to help you break through to a higher realm."
Blood Moon Ghost King revealed two rows of snow-white teeth and sneered disdainfully. "With your current cultivation, you can help me break through to a higher realm? You should at least become a saint before speaking such big talk."
Getting a Ghost King to submit to a Fish-Dragon Realm cultivator was indeed nearly impossible.
If he used too forceful methods, he would likely only force her into a desperate struggle, which would bring no benefit to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen was not in a hurry. "Then you must be choosing the second option."
"What is the second option?" Blood Moon Ghost King asked.
"Stay in the Scroll World."
With that, Zhang Ruochen, Hanxue, and Mu Lingxi turned and left, beginning to discuss their next course of action, leaving behind a bewildered Blood Moon Ghost King. Zhang Ruochen was just letting her go like that? He wasn't even locking her up?
According to Blood Moon Ghost King, the second Corpse River was located at the end of the world, far from Shenchu Ghost King's territory.
Even with a Ghost King's cultivation, it had taken her over a year to reach the location of the second Corpse River. With Zhang Ruochen's cultivation, it would likely take over ten years just to get there.
If Qiangu Nüdi had truly crossed the second Corpse River and gone deep into the Underworld, Zhang Ruochen would have to revise his original plan.
With just their group's cultivation, if they continued to pursue Qiangu Nüdi, they would probably be dead before even reaching the second Corpse River.
Based on various pieces of information, Zhang Ruochen identified a key location:
Ghost God Valley.
So, Zhang Ruochen shared his thoughts.
Mu Lingxi rested her cheeks on her hands, pursed her lips, and showed a playful expression. "You mean we should abandon our original plan and investigate Ghost God Valley instead?"
She was fully in favor of this plan.
After all, the depths of the Underworld were far too dangerous. Even someone like Qiangu Nüdi had never returned. For Zhang Ruochen to continue pursuing her would be like stepping step by step into hell, with no chance of survival.
Zhang Ruochen analyzed, "Since Qiangu Nüdi used the Void Sword and the divine corpse to seal the passage between the Underworld and the Living World, she might have left some contingencies in Ghost God Valley. Also, I'm very curious about the Death Zen Sect cultivators' purpose in going to Ghost God Valley. So, no matter what, we have to go there."
"I'll go with you," Mu Lingxi said.
This time, Zhang Ruochen did not refuse and nodded. "On this trip to Ghost God Valley, whether we gain anything or not, we must at least ensure our own survival."
If it was within his ability, Zhang Ruochen naturally wanted to contribute to the living beings of Kunlun Realm.
But facing the vast, boundless Underworld, Zhang Ruochen felt incredibly small. Some things were simply beyond his current power to influence.
That was precisely why he was even more eager to become stronger, to use his own strength to protect those around him, to hold up a sky for them, rather than placing them in danger.
"Do what you can with all your might. If you can't, at least protect those by your side," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
"Boom!"
A deafening sound came from afar.
The ground shook violently.
Soon after, Xiao Hei and the Demon God Rat, covered in dust and looking disheveled, hurried over.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What happened?"
Xiao Hei's fur was singed in a large patch. He shook his head. "I miscalculated. That bald monk used some secret technique and self-detonated his Qi Sea. I didn't anticipate that, so I suffered a bit of a loss."
"Cat Lord, you only suffered a minor loss, but I almost got dragged down with him. Honestly, that bald monk was ruthless. He was a half-saint with a hundred years of cultivation—not easy to come by—yet he self-detonated without a moment's hesitation," the Demon God Rat said.
The Demon God Rat was in a terrible state. The impact of the self-detonation had torn off large patches of its skin, and its flesh and blood had exploded everywhere, leaving it severely injured.
Considering that the Demon God Rat was a primordial descendant with a powerful body capable of crossing the Corpse River, the fact that Galo Lan's self-detonation could injure it so badly meant that anyone else would have been reduced to ashes.
"A half-saint's final counterattack is indeed terrifying. Everyone must be more careful from now on," Zhang Ruochen said.
Mu Lingxi shook her head. "Galo Lan may not have chosen to self-detonate his Qi Sea on his own."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "What do you mean?"
Mu Lingxi smiled, her bright eyes and white teeth showing. "As far as I know, the medieval aristocratic clans of Kunlun Realm are all skilled in a secret technique that imprints a talisman on the Qi Sea wall of a cultivator, to protect the clan's secrets."
"If a clan member falls into enemy hands and cannot withstand torture, revealing the clan's secrets, the talisman on the Qi Sea wall will immediately explode."
"Most heirs of medieval aristocratic clans have such a talisman planted on their Qi Sea wall before leaving home."
Xiao Hei's eyes spun, and he scratched his head. "So that's it. I thought I had suppressed his spiritual power, so how could he still have the will to resist? Turns out there was a self-detonation talisman imprinted on his Qi Sea wall."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Then let this matter end here. Xiao Hei, keep a close watch on Blood Moon Ghost King. I feel she has an unusual connection with the woman in the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin."
Mu Lingxi blinked her eyes. "So that's why you didn't kill her?"
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Mu Lingxi and smiled. "Actually, the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin has a great connection to the Moon Worship Demon Sect. The person inside might even be a predecessor of the Moon Worship Demon Sect. As for the specifics, you can ask Xiao Hei. He definitely knows more than I do."
Mu Lingxi and the Demon God Rat both looked surprised.
Connected to the Moon Worship Demon Sect?
After giving all the instructions, Zhang Ruochen once again came to the base of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree and sat cross-legged on a thick root.
Then, he took out a fist-sized bead and held it in his hand.
Inside the bead was sealed a drop of divine blood, taken from Galo Lan.
"How strange. Why does every Death Zen Sect cultivator carry a drop of divine blood?"
Zhang Ruochen tapped his Space Ring, activated the space inscriptions, and took out Galo Kong's corpse.
Sure enough, a drop of divine blood was also found on Galo Kong.
"Death Zen Sect, divine blood, Ghost God Valley, divine corpse, Void Sword, resurrection medicine, Shenchu Ghost King, the passage between the Underworld and the Living World... What is the connection between all of these?"
Zhang Ruochen felt completely lost and shook his head gently.
Since he couldn't figure it out, he picked up the two drops of divine blood again. "Since I've obtained two more drops of divine blood, I might as well use this opportunity to attempt the legendary Fish-Dragon Tenth Transformation."
"Break!"
Zhang Ruochen unsealed one of the drops of divine blood. Instantly, the immense divine power within the blood radiated out, forming a brilliant light.
The divine blood floated above Zhang Ruochen's head, like a ball of fire, each ray of light it emitted carrying destructive power.
The sixth drop of divine blood.
Zhang Ruochen raised both hands upward and began to refine it.