Chapter 848: Returning to the Kunlun Realm
Zhang Ruochen felt a deep reluctance in his heart. After all, Hanxue was still so young, yet she was about to embark on an extremely dangerous path.
No one knew whether that path led to life or death.
He walked over, tightly embracing Hanxue in his arms. After a long moment, he released her, then took out a leaf shaped like a Qilin, threaded it with a silk cord, and hung it around Hanxue's neck.
This leaf had been plucked from the Seven Star Divine Ling, and its value was equal to that of the Phoenix leaf, which could revive the dead.
It was said that wearing a Qilin leaf on one's body could alter a person's fortune, allowing them to seek advantage and avoid harm. Whether the rumor was true or false, Zhang Ruochen chose to believe it.
Zhang Ruochen patted Hanxue's little head and said, "I hope that when we meet again, your cultivation will have surpassed your master's." He paused, then added, "You must come back alive."
Hanxue gently touched the Qilin leaf with her fingers, her eyes blinking as she nodded very seriously.
"Zhang Ruochen, your master's fate on this journey is uncertain, whether in life or death. Therefore, you remain the master of the Skyward Sword, and you should go to the Nether King Sword Grave," Xuanji Sword Saint instructed.
His words seemed to carry a very deep meaning.
Even if Xuanji Sword Saint had not given the order, Zhang Ruochen would have gone to the Nether King Sword Grave.
The Undying Blood Clan had been scheming to release the Nether King; how could Zhang Ruochen allow them to succeed?
Xuanji Sword Saint led Hanxue away, disappearing into the layers of ghostly mist, heading deeper into the Underworld.
Zhang Ruochen, Mu Lingxi, Xiao Hei, and the Demon God Rat turned toward the direction of the Kunlun Realm, embarking on two completely different paths.
It took them half a month to finally reach the edge of the Corpse River.
The water in the Corpse River was extremely turbid, exuding a chilling deathly aura, with rotting corpses floating on the surface. On the river, countless undead spirits surged forward, charging toward the opposite bank.
At every moment, a vast number of ghost soldiers and ghost generals were entering the Kunlun Realm.
"I wonder what the situation is like at the Liangyi Sect and the Eastern Domain now?"
Zhang Ruochen furrowed his brow and let out a long sigh.
Mu Lingxi knew that Zhang Ruochen had a special attachment to the Liangyi Sect, so she said, "The Liangyi Sect's heritage is extremely ancient. Even the great calamity at the end of the Middle Ages, it managed to survive. Those ghost kings on the outskirts of the Underworld definitely cannot destroy the Liangyi Sect."
"I hope so."
Just then, Zhang Ruochen suddenly became alert. A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes. He spun around quickly, his fingers flexing as he shot out ten sword waves simultaneously.
"Whoosh!"
The ten sword energies formed ten ripples of energy, each a hundred zhang in diameter.
Behind him, a large hand seal was struck by the ten sword waves and shattered with a bang, dissolving into wisps of sacred energy that scattered in all directions.
"Come out!"
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his hands and let out a cold shout.
"Who is it?"
"How dare you ambush Lord Mouse? You've got some nerve!"
Mu Lingxi, Xiao Hei, and the Demon God Rat all assumed defensive stances. In particular, Mu Lingxi and Xiao Hei each summoned thirty-six battle corpses, forming two battle corpse legions that stood neatly arrayed behind them.
By the Corpse River, a broken tomb door slowly opened.
Yin Xuanji rode a dragon corpse out from a tomb, his gaze cold and condescending as he looked down. "Zhang Ruochen, I've been waiting for you."
The ghostly aura in the air twisted slightly.
A black shadowy figure materialized out of thin air. She wore a water-patterned black robe and a black veil, appearing both eerie and mysterious.
It was the princess of the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan, Feng Yinshan.
Following her, six or seven half-saints from the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan and the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan emerged one after another, completely surrounding Zhang Ruochen and the others.
They could not cross the Corpse River, so they had hidden in the shadows. Seeing that Xuanji Sword Saint was not traveling with Zhang Ruochen, they decided to act together and capture him.
Only by controlling Zhang Ruochen could they escape the Underworld.
Mu Lingxi let out a light laugh. "Yin Xuanji, Feng Yinshan, your ancestors are already dead, yet you still dare to oppose Zhang Ruochen. If I were you, I'd kneel and beg for mercy. Maybe Zhang Ruochen would take you back to the Kunlun Realm."
Feng Yinshan stood opposite Mu Lingxi, within a mass of ghostly aura, her figure flickering in and out of sight. She said calmly, "If we capture you, won't we be able to leave the Underworld just the same?"
Yin Xuanji said harshly, "With the power of the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan and the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan, you have no way to escape."
The older half-saints of the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan and the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan were indeed formidable figures, with great strength and deep cultivation. Any one of them could dominate a region. Compared to them, Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi were too young and still somewhat lacking in power.
However, Zhang Ruochen remained very calm, not even showing any intention to act.
He gently shook his head with a smile. "The ones with no way to escape should be you."
"Is that so?" Yin Xuanji said coldly.
He had repeatedly confirmed that Xuanji Sword Saint was not returning to the Kunlun Realm with Zhang Ruochen. So, what power did Zhang Ruochen have left to contend with them?
An extremely seductive voice came from the ghostly mist: "You of the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan and the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan are truly audacious. Don't you know that opposing Zhang Ruochen means opposing me?"
Red Desire Star Envoy, dressed in a sexy red robe, soared into the air and landed on the top of a nearby tombstone. Her long, jade-like legs were fully exposed beneath her skirt, looking exceptionally alluring.
The cultivators of the Black Market First Class Hall also emerged, appearing below the tombstone.
The ground rumbled with the sound of savage beasts running, shaking the earth.
Moments later, Bu Qianfan led the half-saints of the Ministry of War to the bank of the Corpse River. They wore battle armor and rode savage beasts, glaring fiercely as they surrounded Yin Xuanji and Feng Yinshan.
Following that, other forces emerged from the darkness. There were sacred clans, ancient sects, and even some factions Zhang Ruochen had never heard of or had any connection with.
All the cultivators stood on Zhang Ruochen's side. If Zhang Ruochen gave the word, they would immediately charge forward and blast the cultivators of the Ghost-Raising Ancient Clan and the Corpse-Driving Ancient Clan into ashes.
There was no choice. They were all trapped in the Underworld, and only Zhang Ruochen could save their lives and bring them back to the Kunlun Realm.
So, given this opportunity, they naturally had to do everything they could to curry favor with Zhang Ruochen.
Whoever opposed Zhang Ruochen opposed them.
Although they could not see the expressions on Feng Yinshan and Yin Xuanji's faces, they could guess that their expressions were probably quite ugly at this moment.
Yin Xuanji gritted his teeth and stared at Red Desire Star Envoy. "Your Black Market has an irreconcilable blood feud with Zhang Ruochen. Even if you help him, he won't take you out of the Underworld. Why don't we join forces and capture him? We can still force him to lead us out. What do you say?"
Red Desire Star Envoy curled her red lips, revealing two rows of snow-white teeth, but she was not swayed.
Because she knew Zhang Ruochen well. He was a man who yielded to softness but not to hardness. Everyone who had tried to threaten him had ended up badly.
Feng Yinshan turned to the Ministry of War crowd. "Zhang Ruochen is a major criminal wanted by the imperial court. If you help him, aren't you afraid of being punished by your superiors? Why don't the Ministry of War join forces with our two clans to capture Zhang Ruochen? Once we return to the Kunlun Realm, you can deal with him as you see fit. I believe that if you escort him back to the Central Imperial City, it will be a great achievement."
It had to be said that Yin Xuanji and Feng Yinshan were extremely clever. They clearly saw that only the Black Market and the Ministry of War were the most powerful factions present.
If they could ally with either one, they would seize the initiative, and the other forces would immediately switch sides and all turn against Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen was a person the Empress had ordered to be captured. If someone could take him, it would certainly be a great achievement.