Chapter 822: Outside the Ghost Spirit Valley
If she were allowed to fully absorb the death qi, who knew what terrifying realm she might grow into?
However, for the new sprout of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, this was an extremely good thing. Without the obstruction of death qi, the new sprout could grow much faster.
Although he felt quite pleased inside, Zhang Ruochen did not show it on his face, remaining very calm. "I can agree to the second condition as well. So now, can you kneel and pay respects to your master?"
"Don't forget my first condition. Until your cultivation surpasses mine, we must be equals. So don't think you can enslave me."
Blood Moon Ghost King chuckled inwardly. As long as she could refine the death qi in the tree roots, her cultivation would surely skyrocket. How could Zhang Ruochen's training speed ever catch up to hers?
Once her cultivation grew strong enough, she could break through this world, and then she could slowly deal with this human before her.
"Truly wild and hard to tame. I'll need to use some methods to discipline her, or she definitely won't be an obedient subordinate," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
"You don't have to kneel. A Ghost King should have her own dignity—I can understand that."
Zhang Ruochen rubbed his chin with his fingers, took a colored glaze cup from his space ring, and handed it over. "Go fetch me a cup of spring water. I have some things I need to ask you."
Seeing Blood Moon Ghost King standing there unmoving, Zhang Ruochen's expression gradually turned serious. "If you can't even do such a small thing, I have to doubt whether you're truly submitting to me."
Blood Moon Ghost King clenched her five fingers, her arm trembling. She snatched the colored glaze cup and snorted coldly.
Then, her body transformed into a mass of black ghost qi, dispersing as she flew toward a distant mountain stream.
"Being able to order a beautiful Ghost King to fetch tea and water doesn't seem like a bad thing," Zhang Ruochen said, watching the departing ghost qi as he nodded slightly.
Although Zhang Ruochen had once been the Crown Prince of the Sacred Bright Empire and had studied the imperial art of governing people, he had never delved deeply into it.
If he could successfully subdue Blood Moon Ghost King, Zhang Ruochen's mindset would surely undergo a great change, gradually transforming into the heart of a strong one, the heart of a superior.
Before long, Blood Moon Ghost King returned with a cup of spring water, standing atop the tree roots with a cold face as she handed the cup to Zhang Ruochen. "Your spring water."
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged on the ground, glanced at her, took the cup, but didn't drink it. He simply held it in his hands. "Sit down."
Blood Moon Ghost King didn't stand on ceremony either, sitting cross-legged on the ground. Her black hair fell from both sides of her face all the way down to her pale white thighs, and her large, round eyes stared at Zhang Ruochen across from her.
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen didn't drink the spring water, she felt somewhat disappointed. Before filling the cup, she had first washed her feet in the water to express her displeasure.
Zhang Ruochen placed the colored glaze cup on the ground, remaining quite calm. "The female corpse in the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin—that should be your physical body, right?"
"Perhaps," Blood Moon Ghost King said.
Zhang Ruochen was naturally unsatisfied with this answer. "What do you mean, 'perhaps'?"
Blood Moon Ghost King said, "She died before I was born. How can I be sure she is my physical body? Besides, when I first came into being, like other undead, I was muddled for many years. It wasn't until I reached the Wuchang realm that I developed complete intelligence."
Zhang Ruochen could tell that Blood Moon Ghost King was telling the truth. "Don't you have any memories from when you were alive?"
"When I reached the Ghost King realm, I did obtain some memory fragments, but they were incomplete—mostly cultivation techniques and martial arts, nothing else. If my cultivation becomes higher, I might remember more," Blood Moon Ghost King said.
Since Blood Moon Ghost King had very few memories of her past life, Zhang Ruochen didn't press further.
Zhang Ruochen took out the ghost pearl, holding it between two fingers. "If you're willing to go with me into Ghost Spirit Valley, I'll return this ghost pearl to you and help you restore your cultivation."
Blood Moon Ghost King stared at the ghost pearl, narrowing her eyes. She licked her lips, snatched the ghost pearl away, and said, "Since I've chosen to submit to you, I naturally won't refuse."
Before long, Blood Moon Ghost King had refined the ghost pearl, restoring her cultivation to the Ghost King realm.
Immediately, an immense cold qi emanated from her body, forming thick ice crystals that spread outward with a crackling sound.
In her pupils, two green ghost flames reignited once more.
In the sky, leaden clouds rolled, plunging heaven and earth into darkness. In the distance, the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin absorbed a wisp of ghost qi, and a crescent-shaped mark appeared on the forehead of the female corpse inside. Moonlight completely enveloped her corpse, emitting specks of white light.
However, Zhang Ruochen, Blood Moon Ghost King, and the Devouring Elephant Rabbit had already left the Scroll World, so they didn't notice the change in the female corpse.
Upon entering the Scroll World, Blood Moon Ghost King's gaze turned sharp, her ten fingers curling into claws. At this moment, with her strength, she could easily deal with Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen returning the ghost pearl to Blood Moon Ghost King was, of course, a test.
He was also extremely tense, keeping the Sarira clutched in his hand. If Blood Moon Ghost King made a move, he would immediately unseal the third layer of the Sarira.
Just then, the blood moon suspended above the blood lake began to dim, its light gradually fading until it completely disappeared.
Seeing this, Blood Moon Ghost King felt quite surprised and temporarily abandoned the thought of dealing with Zhang Ruochen, looking up at the pitch-black sky. "How strange. The blood moon has hung in the sky for who knows how many years—why has it suddenly disappeared?"
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen sensed something and immediately channeled his spiritual power into the Cosmic Divine Wood Map. He discovered that a bright moon had appeared in the sky of the Scroll World, hanging above the Sun-Moment Crystal Coffin and the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree.
That moon was very clear, not a blood moon.
"This is truly unusual."
Zhang Ruochen became even more certain that Blood Moon Ghost King had been some important figure of the Moon Worship Demon Sect in her past life.
The change in the blood moon also calmed Blood Moon Ghost King down. Thinking of the Sun-Moon Crystal Coffin and the death qi in the roots of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, she ultimately held back and did not attack Zhang Ruochen.
Blood Moon Ghost King restrained her aura. "The blood lake is very far from Ghost Spirit Valley. I'll lead the way."
"Please," Zhang Ruochen said with a smile.
Blood Moon Ghost King transformed into a mass of ghost qi and flew out first.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit widened its black eyes, its pupils rolling around. "Master Chen, I feel like you were really nervous just now. Is that female ghost really that scary? I think she looks quite beautiful."
This foolish rabbit had no idea it had just narrowly escaped death.
But having passed this test, Zhang Ruochen no longer had to worry about Blood Moon Ghost King suddenly attacking him. He put away the Sarira, climbed onto the Devouring Elephant Rabbit's back, and said, "Catch up to her."
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit's body was a full thirteen meters tall, covered in long red fur, exuding dense demonic qi. Though it looked quite fat, its running speed was astonishing, surpassing the full speed of a fifth-step Half-Saint.
This was the talent of the Devouring Elephant Rabbit clan. Even with only first-step Half-Saint cultivation, its burst speed could leave human cultivators of the same realm far behind.
With Blood Moon Ghost King leading the way, they encountered no more danger along the road. After three days, they reached the outer area of Ghost Spirit Valley.
Zhang Ruochen did not immediately enter Ghost Spirit Valley. Instead, he observed from the edge for an entire day, soon spotting many cultivators from the Kunlun Realm.
Most of them were Half-Saints from various major powers, all clearly searching for the legendary resurrection medicine.
Of course, there might also be Saint-level old-timers who had already arrived, but Zhang Ruochen's cultivation was too low to detect their auras.
"Whoosh!"
A towering figure emerged from the darkness, clad in golden armor and holding a halberd. His face was covered in stubble, his gaze sharp, exuding a wild and unrestrained aura as he strode toward Ghost Spirit Valley.
This man was none other than the rising star of the Ministry of War, Bu Qianfan.
Besides Bu Qianfan, there were over a dozen Half-Saint-level commanders from the Ministry of War, clad in battle armor and riding powerful war beasts, entering Ghost Spirit Valley with grand momentum.
"The Ministry of War has shown up too. Interesting," Zhang Ruochen said with a smile.
Bu Qianfan had always been fearless, daring to venture even into the Death Ruins Realm. Having obtained the Undying Saint Body, he was even more dauntless, ready to fight even the undead of the underworld to the heavens.
Another genius of the Ministry of War, Chi Wansui, had already become one of the Nine Realm Sons. If Bu Qianfan wanted to catch up to Chi Wansui, he had to take risks. Only in the midst of death could he find greater opportunities.
Suddenly, several more figures appeared before Zhang Ruochen's eyes.
Seeing these people, Zhang Ruochen's eyes narrowed, and a surge of intense hatred welled up from his heart. He gritted his teeth. "Feng Han."
Feng Han, dressed in clean white robes, appeared graceful and composed, walking at the front as he arrived at the edge of Ghost Spirit Valley's entrance.
Behind him followed over a dozen old men, each exuding a very powerful aura. Clearly, they were all major figures of the Undying Blood Clan.
A white-haired old man with a youthful face stepped forward and bowed to Feng Han. "Sixth Prince, Ghost Spirit Valley is bound to be extremely dangerous. You should stay outside and let me lead the Half-Saints to retrieve the resurrection medicine."