"Hmm..."

Zhang Kui frowned, why was this guy blocking his way?

The way he addressed him changed from "kid" to "Taoist friend," as he indeed said, the weak are prey to the strong, without any disguise.

The other party was mysterious, and Zhang Kui couldn't be bothered to guess wildly, as his sword light flashed, his figure swooped down.

Boom!

The ground beneath his feet shattered, dust rising up.

Within a ten-meter radius around the black-robed scholar, it was calm and unruffled. Staring at Zhang Kui, his eyes flashed red, and he twitched the corner of his mouth, "Taoist Friend Zhang, this Sword Escape of yours is quite distinctive..."

Zhang Kui waved his sleeve, striding forward with a smile, clasped his hands, "Why do you block my way, Taoist friend? Could it be you're afraid Old Zhang will renege on a debt?"

"That's not it..."

The black-robed scholar smiled, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, "You've cultivated to such a state, even if I don't bring it up, you will eventually go to the Underworld yourself. Why not travel with us and look after each other?"

Zhang Kui squinted his eyes, "You all?"

The black-robed scholar smiled slightly, "Please have a seat, Taoist Friend Zhang, have some food and drink. I will explain the cause and effect to you."

"So, your surname is Yuan..."

"I was negligent, my Taoist name is Yuan Huang."

After sitting down, the black-robed scholar Yuan Huang immediately picked up a bronze cup, "I didn't expect your cultivation to advance so quickly, I'm very pleased, please."

Seeing Zhang Kui's strange look, Yuan Huang chuckled,

"I'm not just being polite. The stronger you are, the better it is. If you die too easily, I'm afraid I'll have to wait another few hundred years."

"Please."

Zhang Kui didn't hesitate, raised the cup, and drank it all.

The black-robed scholar was genuinely offering drinks, with no tricks, no human hearts or livers. The food was simple river fish and Yellow Essence, but the wine was incredibly pure, identical to what the Lanjiang River God had given.

After putting down the wine cup, Zhang Kui stared at the black-robed scholar Yuan Huang calmly, "You can speak freely, Taoist friend."

A Mahayana realm evil guise, who during his weaker days sent people with messages to find the coffin lid, and gave away the supreme treasure Red Lotus Karmic Fire, couldn't possibly be without a grand scheme.

Back then, Zhang Kui had no choice and no time to think carefully, but today he wanted to figure it out.

Yuan Huang's eyes flashed with a blood-red light,

"Some things can't be said for now; you'll know when you reach the Underworld. However, I can tell you a little so you have an idea of what's at stake."

"A thousand years ago, I and some Taoist friends discovered something in the Underworld, related to the opportunity of the Immortal Path, and thus we made a blood oath, to advance and retreat together."

"But such an immortal fate is not easily obtained, fraught with difficulties and dangers. Of the six original Taoist friends, only three remain, and the Nether Soil stone coffin is the key to breaking the impasse."

"Oh, that's how it is."

Zhang Kui nodded, his expression unchanged.

This group must have discovered something incredible; otherwise, they wouldn't dwell on it for a thousand years, even losing several Mahayana realm beings.

Looking at this guy's attitude, unless he followed them to the Underworld, they would not easily disclose the information.

Subsequently, Yuan Huang picked up his wine cup and smiled playfully.

"I'm currently residing in the Water Mansion for the time being and am indifferent to the destiny of demon and human races, solely seeking immortality."

"The other two Taoist friends have the same mindset. Or else, why do you think the Spiritual Sect hasn't troubled you?"

Zhang Kui's eyes shone with a sharp light,

"Another Taoist friend is in the Spiritual Sect?"

Yuan Huang chuckled without confirming it.

"Whether you want to protect the human race or eradicate the Forbidden Land is irrelevant to us. But let me be frank, all rise and fall are illusions. When you live long enough, you'll understand."

"Haha, maybe..."

Zhang Kui casually brushed it off with a laugh.

A moment later, Zhang Kui mounted his Sword Light and took flight, piercing through the wind while examining the peculiar jade shell in his hand.

The black-robed scholar's intention was clear: a gentle reminder to cooperate well as there was an immense opportunity in the Underworld.

This Tongsheng Shell he held was a kind of magical artifact, used for mutual contact in times of urgency, and a gathering would be organized later.

Was he blending in with the evil spirits?

Zhang Kui's expression turned peculiar, yet he felt a sudden clarity in his heart—for the people of the doomed small town, the Yellow Eyebrow Monk and others were terrifying evil spirits.

To the vulnerable human race, these frightening evil spirits in the Forbidden Land, when powerful enough, can be seen as equally despicable and unimpressive.

Fear stems from the unknown—once known, it's just like that.

"Damn it, in the end, it's still the strong fist that makes reason!"

Zhang Kui snorted coldly, suddenly accelerating.

On the mountain peak, watching Zhang Kui's Sword Light disappear into the horizon, the smile gradually faded from Yuan Huang's face as he fiddled with the wine cup, muttering with a furrowed brow:

"This guy is strange—perhaps a year is too long..."

Suddenly, he frowned, looking toward the western mountain range direction, "Something has passed by... quite well-hidden, never mind, can't be bothered."

As those words fell, he vanished.

In the western barren mountain range.

The shadows of the trees swayed, and night crows flew together.

A cold wind arose, the sound of hooves clattered, and through the dense fog, the ghostly fire in the eyes of ghost horses and the mottled bronze war chariot could faintly be seen, shrinking the earth as it traversed the mountains, headed towards the Capital City...

...

"Mother, look at the field mouse I just caught!"

The dirt-smeared boy, holding a mouse in one hand, burst into the shack excitedly, raising it as a treasure and shouting.

The skinny woman's face changed instantly, and she scolded sternly, "You sneaked down the mountain!"

The boy shrank his neck, whispering:

"It's just beside us, there's hardly anyone there..."

"Shut up!"

The woman was so angry her face turned blue, "Lord Liu just said that place is haunted, do you want to die?"

"Mother, you were hungry with stomach cramps in the middle of the night, I..."

The boy hung his head, feeling wronged, tears trickling down.

The woman's lips trembled as she forced a smile, "Alright, Mother knows that Luo Bao is filial, just remember not to go again, I'll go make you some soup."

Looking at the boy who went from tears to smiles, the woman felt a deep sorrow. Just half a year ago, the family was doing small business in the Capital City, and now they had fallen to such a state.

Granny Li next door starved to death a few days ago, and the body wasn't found until it started to stink.

This life... when will it come to an end...

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, the sky erupted with several loud roars.

The woman looked up in confusion,

"Strange, it's a clear sky, why's there thunder..."

At the Yu Hua Temple on the distant mountain, Elder Huayan laughed out loud, "They say when Celestial Power thunders, an Immortal descends, Young Friend Zhang Kui, your Sword Control Skill truly lives up to its reputation."

Zhang Kui beamed,

"Who could have been spreading rumors about me, Elder Hua Yan, it's good to see you."

"Not bad, come in quickly..."

When old friends meet again, there's always a moment of catching up. Zhang Kui used this opportunity to retrieve the Eight Trigrams Furnace stored at the Jade Flower Temple into his Personal Space.

The two of them then arrived at the mountaintop, gazing at Earth City below, Zhang Kui's face gradually grew solemn.

"So many people have died..."

In his eyes, this broken, crowded Earth City was bustling with people, yet lifeless, with Yin Souls hiding in the dark drains and resentment continuously brewing.

Elder Huayan sighed,

"After great chaos, there must be a great epidemic. We're fortunate to have your Disease-removal Talisman, or else the death toll would be higher."

Zhang Kui shook his head, "The Disease-removal Talisman can cure diseases, but at a fundamental cost, it cannot be used frequently."

Elder Huayan looked grim,

"There's no choice. In the past, the Capital City gathered resources from all around, but now the evil spirits of Jingjiang Water Mansion have blocked the waterways, demons and evils gather in the mountains, the land routes are cut off, medicines and food are scarce, you can't buy them even with money. Who knows how we'll endure this winter."

Jingjiang Water Mansion...

A hint of Evil Qi flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes.

He flew in the sky using Sword Flight, shocked by what he saw along the way. The canal sections in Bozhou, Lai State, and Anqing State were all shrouded in black fog of Yin Qi, with white bones scattered along the banks.

This locust disaster was originally stirred up by Jingjiang Water Mansion, and now they've gone too far.

If this thorn could be removed, Elder Huayan, Helian Boxiong, and Huo Yu with Double Pupils could communicate freely, potentially saving countless lives.

"What are you thinking about?"

Elder Huayan felt an inexplicable chill down his back.

"Nothing much."

Zhang Kui laughed it off, but a plan was already forming in his mind.

At that moment, Princess Li Qing came riding a white tiger from the mountain below, upon meeting, she respectfully cupped her hands:

"Li Qing greets True Man Zhang."

Zhang Kui originally had no favorable impression of the princes and princesses of the Li Family, but Elder Huayan warmly introduced them.

Zhang Kui also noticed that Elder Huayan was projecting some nostalgia for his old friend, Imperial Uncle Li, onto Li Qing, and being that this princess was straightforward and sincere, they gradually became acquainted.

"True Man Zhang, this time you must capture that toad..."

Speaking of the toad, Li Qing gritted her teeth with anger, "If it weren't for that toad, this place would be much more peaceful."

"Oh, the one in the Inner Treasury?"

Zhang Kui showed interest, "Tell me what happened..."

......

The ruins of Haojing City.

After the Divine Corpse disaster, the terrain here drastically changed. The city was torn into pieces, with deep trenches crisscrossing the ground, and countless people died miserably, with Yin Souls drifting everywhere, almost turning it into a Ghost Realm.

This kind of place would typically be shunned, but after all, the Capital City had been prosperous for millennia, with treasures to be found in both the Imperial Palace and the homes of officials, attracting many Jianghu individuals.

Moreover, since the news of the Treasure Toad from the Inner Treasury spread, many cultivators joined the treasure-hunting frenzy. Thus it became a complete Asura Scene...

The night was pitch black with a chilling wind and gloomy clouds.

"Quick... run!"

The torches clattered to the ground and were extinguished in the ditch. Several men wielding knives turned pale with fright, leaping up in a bid to escape the crevice canyon.

However, from the darkness, a few white threads shot out, adhering to their backs, and they screamed as they were dragged into the darkness, followed quickly by the sound of chewing...

A few miles away, in a half-collapsed courtyard, a bonfire burned as an elder with a long sword at his waist smoked a dry tobacco pipe, shaking his head as he spoke:

"It's true that the ruins of the Capital City have many treasures, but they are also full of dangers with strange phenomena. If you're treasure hunting, you need to be clever, or you'll lose your life."

"Yes, Ancestor."

A group of small weasels around him nodded with curious eyes.

"Ancestor, what are those strange phenomena?"

At that moment, a voice suddenly came from outside,

"Yes, I would like to know too."

The elder wasn't surprised but pleased, seeing Zhang Kui emerging from the darkness he laughed heartily,

"Old Huang, it's been a long time."

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