Lingzhou City.

At this moment, Lingzhou City seemed untouched by the merging of the Yin-Yang realms; the citizens continued to live peacefully, peddlers and merchants went about their business, and the entertainment districts thrived as usual, unchanged from before.

Above Lingzhou, six Void Great Realms were arranged sequentially, with the blazing sun hanging high. Each Void Great Realm had two suns and one moon.

The sun and moon of the Void Great Realm were fashioned by cultivators in the Returning Void Realm, mimicking the three eyes of the Outer Heaven True God. Although not as potent, they were sufficient for lighting and transmitting heat to Lingzhou City.

"The citizens of Lingzhou City still don't realize that these suns cannot grow crops."

Xu She looked at the bustling crowd on the street and said quietly, "Sooner or later, they'll discover this and fall into panic."

A deep voice emerged from behind him: "The people can be guided but not informed. Let these common folks have food and clothes, and they won't cause trouble. By doing so, we can buy time for the Xu Family to consolidate our power in the Underworld."

Xu She turned around to see that the speaker was Xu Yinglong, the current Family Head of the Xu Family.

Xu Yinglong appeared as a middle-aged man, but he was actually in his seventies. Cultivators of this age, even those in the Mahayana Realm, begin to decline, with qi-blood much weaker than before.

Xu Yinglong had long started planning for his successor, selecting outstanding individuals from the Xu Family's disciples. Xu She was not from the Sect Master's main lineage but was an outer disciple who lived a difficult life from childhood. However, due to acquiring a first-grade divine fetus, he almost got dug out by influential noble offspring of the same sect.

This matter reached Xu Yinglong, who promoted Xu She, first teaching him the highest outer sect skill, the "World Classics Collection," for cultivation, assessing his innate ability and insight. Discovering he was a cultivation prodigy, Xu Yinglong then taught him the Sect Master's main lineage's "Lesser Huguang Collection" for practice. Recently, he even sent him to the Upper Realm for cultivation, already treating him as the next Sect Master of the Xu Family.

Xu Yinglong came beside Xu She, his expression amiable, and said, "The merging of the Yin-Yang realms appears as a heavenly disaster, but for the Xu Family, it's unexpectedly a great fortune. Do you know why?"

Xu She bowed and said, "The Xu Family has laid groundwork in the Underworld for over six thousand years. After the Xu Family's masters pass away, their primordial spirits fall into the Underworld, occupying territory and forming ghost gods through incense. Therefore, even if the realms merge and expand Lingzhou Province tenfold, the ghost gods throughout still ensure our Xu Family's influence remains undiminished."

Xu Yinglong smiled, nodding in approval.

Xu She went further, saying, "Moreover, our foundation in the Underworld includes the Underworld Office and Territory. Yin Messengers, Yin Commanders, Judges, and even King Yan are numerous among our Xu Family's predecessors. Hence, after the realms merge, it's certainly not harmful but beneficial to the Xu Family."

Xu Yinglong laughed, "Seeing this aspect shows you're quite insightful. But the crucial point is, in the face of great calamities, the people will be at a loss and seek gods, making the incense in the Underworld favor the Xu Family, strengthening our ghostly entities. We don't lose primordial qi; instead, we gain power. Thus, it's a great fortune."

Xu She looked at the bustling crowd outside and sighed, "It's just a hardship for the people."

Xu Yinglong also sighed, "Let them suffer a bit first; good times lie ahead."

Behind them, Xu Manor was brightly decorated, very festive. Xu Yinglong sent people to contact the Xu Family's ghost gods throughout, planning to convene in Lingzhou, therefore the Xu Family was made to appear festive.

At that moment, a Yin Messenger rushed over in a small boat, coming to Xu Yinglong and whispering a few words.

Xu Yinglong frowned slightly, "A Yin Commander from the Xia Family came to Lingzhou, pursuing Chen Shi? Xia Xiude didn't even inform me before acting violently in our territory — bold!"

Xu She's heart stirred; he quickly asked, "Chen Shi has come to Lingzhou?"

Xu Yinglong nodded, "I've heard he killed the Xia Family's ghost god Lord Fengyang and then Xia Tianjie, leading Yin Commander Xia Xiude to pursue him. But to invade Lingzhou Province and kill so blatantly disregards our Xu Family!"

The Thirteen Families are of one accord but also have many conflicts.

For example, the position of Yin Commander and the vacancy of Judges often see disputes. There are also issues regarding the size of ghostly territories and the number of Yin soldiers, causing constant strife.

These years, if not for Yang Bi mediating, the Thirteen Families in the Underworld might have fought to the death over interests.

The Xu Family considers Lingzhou as their own plot; Yin Commander Xia Xiude committing murder in Lingzhou offends the Xu Family taboos, no wonder Xu Yinglong is furious.

Xu She was startled, "Xia Tianjie was killed by Chen Shi?"

Xia Tianjie was his companion in ascending the Upper Realm, chosen as the next Sect Master of the Xia Family. At that time, they challenged Chen Shi together, defeated by him under Li Tianqing's name, they admired Chen Shi greatly, unexpectedly meeting demise by his hands!

Right then, another small boat arrived, and the Yin Messenger on it came to Xu Yinglong, whispered briefly, then retreated.

Xu Yinglong was greatly shaken, exclaiming, "Yin Commander Xia Xiude died?"

He showed a look of disbelief, momentarily lost in thought.

Xu She inquired several times before Xu Yinglong regained composure, saying, "Among Xia Xiude's fifty-four Yin Messengers, most were killed by a dog and a hanged ghost. Yin Commander Xia Xiude died by the hand of a woman."

His expression was uncertain, saying, "This happened in Shenmu County; under the sacred tree, forty-nine demon transformations occurred, the Demon Domain envelops a temple, and numerous Heaven Listeners emerged. It's likely Despair Slope intervened!"

He paced around, slightly uneasy, muttering, "Why is Despair Slope going to Shenmu County now?"

The relationship between Despair Slope and the Thirteen Families is extremely delicate.

Despair Slope seems independent from worldly matters, uninvolved in worldly affairs, merely dispatching Heaven Listeners to monitor and eavesdrop. The Thirteen Families also seemed gentle and courteous, ignoring the monitoring of Heaven Listeners, treating visitors from Despair Slope with respect.

However, Despair Slope is far from detached; otherwise, they wouldn't monitor the world. Their surveillance of the Thirteen Families is most intense, aiming to find the hidden strength of the Thirteen Families. They've detected the Upper Realm's existence but can't find its location.

The Thirteen Families are also accumulating strength, waiting to retaliate and destroy Despair Slope.

But for now, Despair Slope's power far exceeds the Thirteen Families, hence Xu Yinglong's tension hearing Despair Slope's arrival in Shenmu County.

Suddenly, another Yin Messenger arrived by boat.

Xu Yinglong heard this Yin Messenger's report, his face showing a mix of surprise and slight fear.

"Despair Slope visitors, died?!"

No one dared touch people from Despair Slope, not just Despair Slope's men but even Heaven Listeners related to them weren't touched!

Yet now, two experts from Despair Slope unexpectedly died in Shenmu County!

Xu Yinglong was pleasantly surprised that there were two fewer adversaries, but the fear was that killing the Heaven Listeners would bring disaster, and killing the visitors from Despair Slope, how terrifying would Despair Slope's revenge be?

Would the revenge of Despair Slope implicate the Xu Family?

Moreover, who exactly killed the expert from Despair Slope?

Could it have been Chen Shi?

He was lost in wild thoughts when suddenly a Yin Messenger arrived and whispered a few words. Xu Yinglong's heart was greatly shaken, and he froze there, unable to recover for a long while.

Xu She hurriedly called, "Sect Master? Sect Master?"

Xu Yinglong came back to his senses and said woodenly, "Three old immortals, chasing Zhong Wuwang of Despair Slope, have arrived in Lingzhou. Zhong Wuwang is injured and hiding in Lingzhou, evading the three old immortals from the Yan, Gu, and Fei families."

He gathered his composure, suddenly waved his sleeve, and said in a deep voice, "The three old immortals have already reached outside Lingzhou, follow me to welcome them!"

He hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "They must be here because they can't find Zhong Wuwang and thus seek the help of the Xu Family's Ghost God forces!"

Xu She quickly followed and walked towards outside the city.

Outside Lingzhou City, the old patriarchs of the Yan Family, Yan Weizhong, of the Gu Family, Gu Tong, and of the Fei Family, Fei Zichong, were walking. Yan Weizhong appeared to be a middle-aged man, Gu Tong was a youth, while Fei Zichong had white hair.

Xu Yinglong approached the three and was suddenly startled.

He saw that Yan Weizhong, Gu Tong, and Fei Zichong were all injured!

The three old patriarchs, already the closest existences to True Immortals, could not manage to capture Zhong Wuwang, and instead, each was wounded by Zhong Wuwang.

"Is the Innate Dao Embryo really that powerful?" he was shocked inside.

Xu She's heart was even more shaken, having already witnessed Chen Shi's might, truly extraordinary. Though he considered himself a genius of extraordinary talent, compared to Chen Shi, the gap was still enormous. He might never catch up in this lifetime.

But Zhong Wuwang, who wounded three old immortals and escaped their pursuit, made him feel that it was no longer a matter of catching up.

It was like the difference between clouds and mud, the difference between heaven and earth!

A despairing gap!

"Just one Zhong Wuwang has left the three old immortals helpless, forced to come to the Xu Family for help. Can our Thirteen Families really break free from the shackles of Despair Slope?" He was in a panic inside.

Shenmu County, Qinghe Town.

Situ Wen was leading many local Lu Ban Sect disciples, racing against time, building houses, drawing talismans, and creating Yanshi Puppets.

He was originally from Qinghe Town, Shenmu County of Lingzhou. Later, he became the Sect Leader of the Lu Ban Sect, leading a bunch of hardworking craftsmen all over, trying to make a living. On the eve of the Heavenly Disaster outbreak, he returned to Qinghe Town with the group of craftsmen he had taken away back then, striving to ensure the survival of the families.

The mechanism was already destroyed, so he planned to make another one.

The mechanism had many houses, enough to store the Yanshi Puppets and allow residents of Qinghe Town to move inside for easier relocation.

He was always prepared, feeling that staying in the town wasn't safe.

"Don't kill the dog! It's hard to find a Black Dog these days! You let out too much blood, damn it, later I'll let out your blood... that's not a dog, that's a dog ancestor! If it's not enough, mix in some of your own blood..."

Situ Wen was angrily scolding a craftsman who wasted Black Dog Blood when suddenly a familiar voice came from behind: "Situ Wen! Heavenly Workers of the Heavenly Court!"

Situ Wen turned around to see a familiar figure walking this way, followed by a wooden cart in which lay a tightly bandaged black dog, with only its tail sticking out.

Situ Wen was taken aback: "True King? Chen Zhenwang! It's really you!"

Chen Shi smiled, saying, "I told you I would find you. Now I am here."

Situ Wen ran towards him, laughing heartily, and then tears fell as he laughed. He choked, "You finally came! I thought I would never see you or the other brothers again!"

He cried like a child, tears and mucus streaming, wiping them nonstop, mumbling, "When I rushed to Lingzhou, the sky turned dark! Only the Moon was left! The days got colder, the food in town got less! The officials from the county came every day to collect taxes, asking us to hand over grain! Many people were killed!"

Chen Shi was enraged: "Did you not kill the County Magistrate?"

Situ Wen said, "Lingzhou is the Xu family's, who dares to kill people of the Xu family?"

Chen Shi was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "If you dare not kill the County Magistrate, then I will."

He raised his hand, and the Heaven Measuring Iron Ruler flew out from the wooden cart, whistling away.

After a while, the Heaven Measuring Iron Ruler returned, carrying blood pearls on this Black Iron Stick.

Chen Shi's expression remained unchanged, smiling as he said, "The Shenmu County Magistrate is dead."

Situ Wen, both shocked and delighted, dared not say much, said, "True King, let's talk over there."

Chen Shi followed Situ Wen ahead, glancing at a beggar lying at the corner of the street, covered in blood and dirt, barely alive, not knowing what injuries were sustained.

Chen Shi looked away, saying, "Heavenly Worker, I have found a sunny place for you all, it is Yue King's Temple..."

Suddenly, excruciating pain came from the back of his head, and Chen Shi grunted, raising his hand to cover his rear head, feeling the centipede-like scar on his scalp becoming scorching hot!

He felt as if his skull was being pried open again, that heart-wrenching pain coming once more!

Chen Shi's heart skipped a beat, his eyes like lightning, sweeping towards the beggar at the corner of the street.

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