Slaying Wansha on Azure Wolf Plain

Black smoke is still rising from the ruins of Heavenly Wind City.

Chen Changqing grabbed Zhong Cheng by the back of his collar and began to walk with the "Drunken Immortal Moon-Gazing Step" style.

The two figures left afterimages in their tracks, shattering the sound barrier and transforming into a white rainbow as they hurtled northward.

The wind howled in my ears, and the Gobi Desert mountains on both sides rushed past.

Zhong Cheng's face stung from the strong wind, and he desperately covered his head and face with his hands, unable to utter a single word.

Chen Changqing's face was ashen. Within his Sea of Consciousness, the Twelve Primordial Spirits spun rapidly, sorting through the fragments of memories he had just extracted from Nangong Third Elder's mind one by one.

Seven days later will be the Ten Thousand Ghosts Worshipping Heaven Grand Sacrifice.

Xiaoqian was imprisoned in the Blood Pool Altar at the bottom of the Senluo Deathland, where she had to endure the torment of ten Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Heart every hour in order to purify the original essence of her Nine Netherworlds Pure Yin Immortal Physique.

Time is running out for him.

In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the yellow sand beneath our feet receded, replaced by a vast, boundless, dark red wasteland.

Azure Wolf Plain.

A Yin Baleful Intent black wind blows year-round across the wasteland, and the ground is littered with the ghastly white skeletons of giant wolves. A lingering, musty smell of blood permeates the air.

Chen Changqing stopped and casually threw Zhong Cheng on the ground, then spread his Divine Sense across ten thousand miles without reservation.

"Ahem... Brother Chen, the White Bone Ravine, three hundred miles ahead, is the only way back to the Zhong family's ancestral home!"

Zhong Cheng rubbed his aching neck as he climbed out of the pile of bones and pointed to a misty, open rift valley ahead.

"My second brother, Zhong Wansha, is inherently suspicious and has always enjoyed setting ambushes and hunting down his own kind in the White Bone Ravine area."

"No need to look anymore, he's right ahead, and it's quite lively there."

Chen Changqing withdrew his Divine Sense and strode towards the White Bone Ravine.

At this moment, the bottom of the White Bone Ravine, a hundred miles away, is completely shrouded in a layer of viscous black mist.

In the open space in the middle of the ravine, a young man dressed in a tattered blue robe was leaning against a wolf king skull that was ten feet tall. He was covered in blood, his left arm was broken off at the shoulder, and he was clutching a broken sword in his hand.

This person was Zhong Wuming, the ninth young master of the Zhong Family.

Opposite Zhong Wuming, a tall, burly young man in brocade robes watched the show with his arms crossed; he was none other than Zhong Wansha, the second young master of the Zhong Family.

Beside Zhong Wansha stood three mysterious old men dressed in black cloaks with skull patterns embroidered on their chests.

These three individuals were enveloped in genuine One-Tribulation Ghost Immortal Principle, their auras sinister and ruthless; they were none other than the top assassins dispatched by the Netherworld Palace to the outskirts of the Central Domain!

"Ninth Brother, stop struggling, just obediently wash your neck clean and stretch it out."

Zhong Wansha grinned and pointed to the faintly visible phantom of the Golden Fortune Ranking high in the sky.

"My eldest brother's name suddenly shattered just now. I don't know which fool ran into him. But that's good, because counting you and the third brother, there are still ten of us left in this generation."

"If I chop off your head right now, those last nine spots in the Ancestral Land will be locked up for good, and we won't even need to bother going to find that good-for-nothing third brother!"

Zhong Wuming coughed up a mouthful of black blood, his body sliding half a foot down the wolf bones, glaring at the three black-robed elders with gritted teeth.

"Zhong Wansha! In your quest for the position of family head, you actually colluded with assassins from the Netherworld Palace to slaughter your own people! If the Ancestor finds out, he will surely tear you to pieces!"

"Find out? Dead men tell no tales."

Zhong Wansha laughed loudly, and was about to wave his hand to have the three Netherworld Palace assassins finish off Zhong Wuming.

Boom!

The black mist above White Bone Ravine was suddenly torn apart by a brute force.

Two figures descended from the sky, landing steadily on the pile of broken bones at the bottom of the ravine.

The moment Zhong Wansha saw the person's face clearly, his maniacal laughter caught in his throat, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Third brother?! What are you doing here? Didn't your eldest brother lead three hundred Blood Armor Guards to ambush you in Heavenly Wind City?!"

Zhong Cheng, carrying the nicked Heavy Sword, glanced at his half-dead ninth brother, Zhong Wuming, then turned to Zhong Wansha and sneered.

"Zhong Wansha, weren't you just wondering how Zhong Wanchou's name got shattered?"

Zhong Cheng pointed to Chen Changqing beside him, his voice booming.

"Open your dog eyes and see clearly! Zhong Wanchou, along with his three hundred Blood Armor Guards and the third elder of the Nangong Family, were all cleaved into ashes by Brother Chen's sword half an hour ago!"

Today is your death day!

Upon hearing this, the bottom of the ravine instantly fell silent.

Zhong Wansha was stunned for two seconds. He scanned Chen Changqing with his Divine Sense and, upon realizing that the other party was only at the Early Heavenly Monarch Stage realm, he immediately let out an exaggerated sneer.

"Third brother, you've learned to lie and deceive ghosts when you're about to die? This pale-faced mortal in the Early Heavenly Monarch Stage Yang Realm n't even deserve to kill my eldest brother and the Tribulation Immortal Elder of the Nangong Family!"

Zhong Wansha's face darkened abruptly. He reached into his robes and pulled out a jet-black Soul Banner that was twelve feet long and swelled in the wind.

The surface of the Soul Banner is engraved with nine intricate Dao Marks of Quasi-Houtian Spirit Treasures. Once it is unleashed, tens of thousands of ferocious and malevolent ghosts that have reached the Heavenly Monarch level roar and swirl around the banner.

"Since you've come to me of your own accord, then I'll be a good guy today and send you and Ninth down to reunite with Eldest Brother!"

"Three elders of the Netherworld Palace, there's something strange about this young man in white. I'll trouble you three to come with me and extract their souls to refine them into this Nine Netherworlds Soul-Locking Banner!"

The three assassins One-Tribulation Ghost Immortal immortals from the Netherworld Palace, exchanged glances, said nothing, and simultaneously blended into the surrounding shadows.

Whoosh--!

Zhong Wansha shook the Nine Netherworlds Soul-Locking Banner in his hands violently, unleashing the full power of the Quasi-Houtian Spirit Treasure replica.

The overwhelming black mist that locked souls instantly filled the entire White Bone Ravine, and tens of thousands of Heavenly Monarch Evil Ghosts formed the Hundred Ghosts Soul Devour Grand Formation, baring their fangs and claws as they pounced on Chen Changqing and Zhong Cheng.

At the same time, from the shadows behind and to the left and right of Chen Changqing, three top-grade Peerless Immortal Artifact short daggers, coated with the strange poison of the netherworld, suddenly stabbed out without warning!

Three assassins at the One-Tribulation Ghost Immortal realm concentrated their life's cultivation into a single point. Before their short daggers even arrived, the chilling Principle had already frozen the space, targeting Chen Changqing's back, throat, and the Sea of Consciousness between his eyebrows!

Brother Chen, watch your back!

Zhong Cheng was so frightened that his hair stood on end. The stealthy assassination techniques of these Netherworld Palace assassins were impossible to defend against. If it were him, he wouldn't even have time to react before being riddled with holes!

Chen Changqing, who was in the center of the encirclement, didn't even turn his head.

"A mere Tier One-Tribulation Ghost Immortal dares to toy with my soul and attempt assassination?"

Chen Changqing took a step forward, and within his Sea of Consciousness, the Nine Great Red-Gold Primordial Spirits and the Three Great Star Primordial Spirits trembled simultaneously!

Boom--!

A vast Divine Sense spanning ten thousand miles, mixed with the essence of the Pure Yang Heavenly Monarch, transformed into an invisible golden divine soul storm, which exploded outwards from Chen Changqing's center!

The tens of thousands of Heavenly Monarch Evil Primordial Spirit that rushed forward were swept away by the overwhelming pressure of the twelve Primordial Gods, unable to utter even a single wail, melting and evaporating on the spot like ice and snow under the scorching sun!

The three Netherworld Palace Tribulation Immortal who suddenly attacked from the shadows were struck as if by a massive hammer blow.

Their proud concealment Divine Abilities were instantly shattered, and the ghost Ghost Immortal Primordial Spirits within their Sea of Consciousness were cracked all over. The three of them coughed up blood at the same time, unable to maintain their figures, and fell out of the shadows in the void!

Before they landed, Chen Changqing slowly raised his right hand and clenched his fist.

The nine Purple Mansion Worlds within his body spun wildly, and the Supreme Lore inherited from the Heaven-Stepping Immortal Emperor displayed their true magnificence on the path of immortality.

The Heavenly Emperor Divine Fist, Third Form: Reincarnation!

Rumble--!

With a single punch, the Spatial Laws in front of him completely distorted and collapsed, transforming into a gray-white Reincarnation with a diameter of a hundred feet. It carried the terrifying power to crush all the heavens and myriad worlds and crashed head-on into the Nine Netherworlds Soul-Locking Banner in Zhong Wansha!

"What?! What kind of fist technique is this?!"

Zhong Wansha was so frightened that his soul almost left his body, and he desperately poured all his Law Power into the Soul Banner to resist it.

Click--!

The Nine Netherworlds Soul-Locking Banner, Quasi-Houtian Spirit Treasure imitation bestowed by the Netherworld Palace and said to be able to trap and kill Two-Tribulation Ghost Immortal, couldn't even withstand half a breath under the crushing force of the "Dharma" level Reincarnation Fist Imprint. The banner pole broke in half on the spot, and the banner surface tore into countless fragments!

The gray-white Reincarnation Fist imprint, its power undiminished, crushed directly over the three Netherworld Palace Tribulation Immortal assassins and Zhong Wansha!

"No--!"

Four short, desperate screams rang out simultaneously, then abruptly ceased at the same instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The three arrogant Netherworld Palace One-Tribulation Ghost Immortals, along with Zhong Wansha, the second young master of the Zhong Family, were crushed into four clouds of blood mist as the Reincarnation Millstone turned, their protective immortal Immortal Artifacts and physical bodies were like beans thrown into a millstone!

[Ding! You have defeated three One-Tribulation Ghost Immortals of the Netherworld Palace and one Zhong Wansha, gaining 95,000,000 AFK Points!]

[Current AFK Points Balance: 235,000,000 points!]

As the system notification sound faded, the balance of AFK Points surged past the 230 million mark!

With a casual gesture, Chen Changqing grabbed the wisp of Zhong Wansha's remaining soul that had not yet completely dissipated in his palm, and roughly swept it over with his Divine Sense.

A moment later, Chen Changqing pinched his five fingers together, and the remnant soul was completely annihilated.

His brows furrowed slightly.

In Zhong Wansha's memory, the one who provided him with the Nine Nether Soul-Locking Banner and instructed him to intercept and kill his own clansmen was actually a powerful elder within the Zhong family's ancestral land!

The Zhong Family's interior had long been infiltrated by the Netherworld Palace, leaving it riddled with holes.

Just then...

Boom--!

The clouds above White Bone Ravine suddenly churned violently, and the Zhong Family's Golden Fortune Ranking scroll, which spanned a hundred miles, shook violently.

The three characters [Zhong Wansha], which were ranked second, shattered on the spot.

Immediately afterwards, the entire golden list burst forth with countless rays of light, and nine thick, crimson-gold pillars of fortune descended from the sky. Two of them traversed the void and landed with unparalleled precision on Zhong Cheng and the heavily injured Zhong Wuming in the corner!

"The nine-person list is finalized! The millennia-long breeding of Gu is over, and I've secured my place as the successor!"

Bathed in the crimson gold divine pillar, Zhong Cheng was so excited that his face turned red, and his injuries were rapidly healed under the baptism of the Lineage's fortune.

In the corner, the Ninth Young Master Zhong Wuming, who had lost an arm, was also enveloped by the pillar of fortune. He lowered his head, struggled to get up from the ground, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Chen Changqing and Zhong Cheng with his only remaining right hand.

"Many thanks to Third Brother and this senior for saving my life. If you hadn't arrived in time, I would surely be dead today."

Beneath Zhong Wuming's lowered eyelids, a shadow of gloom flickered unnoticed.

He didn't encounter Zhong Wansha by chance in Azure Wolf Plain; rather, he accidentally stumbled upon the secret of the Supreme Elder exchanging the Senluo Deathland defense map with the Netherworld Palace envoy, which led to him being chased all the way here.

Chen Changqing glanced at Zhong Wuming but didn't ask any further questions.

He casually picked up the four storage rings that had fallen to the ground, then turned to Zhong Cheng: "I've secured the spot for you. Now lead the way to your Zhong family's ancestral land. I need to see all the files of the Senluo Death Land immediately."

"Brother Chen, rest assured, I am now a formal candidate for the young master and can access the highest secrets of the Evil-Punishing Bureau at any time!"

Zhong Cheng patted his chest and assured him, then immediately led the way.

The three of them took to the air and sped towards the Zhong family's ancestral land in the heart of the Central Region.

An hour later, a colossal Obsidian city, spanning thousands of miles and built on the edge of a bottomless abyss, appeared below the three of them.

The most important town in the southern part of the Central Domain, Tianyuan Giant City!

Just as Chen Changqing was about to fly directly over the giant city.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Inside the Minor World of the Heaven-Stepping Ring, the six Heaven-Stepping Immortal Emperor Inheritance Tokens, which had been lying quietly, suddenly flew up at the same time without warning, emitting a violent, out-of-control clang!

Six dark red Tokens linked together in mid-air, forming a dazzling blood-red arrow that pointed straight at the magnificent, opulent Great Thousand Auction House in the very center of Tianyuan Giant City!

Above the Tianyuan Giant City, a fierce wind howled, carrying with it the chilling air from the bottom of the abyss.

Chen Changqing stopped, hovering atop a thousand-foot cloud, and forcibly suppressed the six restless Tokens within his Heaven-Stepping Ring.

A vast Divine Sense, spanning ten thousand miles, descended and instantly enveloped the enormous city below.

The city was paved with a single block of Obsidian, and tens of thousands of human skin lanterns floated on both sides of the streets. The Daqian Great Thousand Auction House in the very center of the city was built like an ancient gold-devouring beast with its mouth wide open, and it was always bustling with customers.

Chen Changqing's Divine Sense penetrated downwards, passing over the numerous pavilions on the ground of the auction house, and finally landed on the outer perimeter of a black iron treasure vault three thousand feet underground.

The treasure vault was surrounded by isolation barriers at the level of Three-Tribulation Ghost Immortal, which even blocked his Divine Sense that stretched for ten thousand miles. However, the yearning resonance emanating from the six Heaven-Stepping Tokens originated from inside that treasure vault!

What's hidden inside isn't the seventh Token, but a special inanimate object closely related to the Heaven-Stepping Immortal Emperor.

"Brother Chen, why did you stop?"

Zhong Cheng stopped in mid-air and looked down following Chen Changqing's gaze.

"Below is Tianyuan Giant City. This place is a den of iniquity jointly established by the Nangong Aristocratic Clan and more than a dozen top wealthy families in the Central Domain. It's a melting pot of all sorts of people. If we're in a hurry to get to our Ancestral Land, it's best to avoid it."

The one-armed youth, Zhong Wuming, chimed in, "Yes, senior. The Nangong Family has stationed an elite cavalry force in Tianyuan City, and there's also a Tribulation Immortal elder overseeing it. There's no need for us to go down and cause unnecessary trouble."

There's no rush.

Chen Changqing withdrew his Divine Sense, his figure flickered, and he landed directly at the city gate of Tianyuan Giant City.

"There's something in the Daqian Auction House that I can use. I'll get it and then go to your Zhong family's ancestral home."

Seeing that Chen Changqing had made up his mind, Zhong Cheng dared not utter a single complaint and quickly followed with Zhong Wuming.

The three landed on the spacious Obsidian main street of Tianyuan Giant City and went straight to the ten-zhang-high purple-gold gate of the Great Thousand Auction House.

At this moment, a large group of Ghost Cultivators were gathered on both sides of the gate to watch the spectacle.

A huge wanted poster, drawn in blood, had just been posted on the bulletin board next to the gatepost.

Because the Guiding Divine City was razed to the ground by Grand Elder Nangong's self-destruction, the surviving Cultivators on the outskirts were too far away to see Chen Changqing's exact appearance. Therefore, the portrait only shows a blurry white-robed swordsman's back.

Below the list was a line of menacing words: Anyone who provides clues about this white-robed swordsman from the Yang Realm will be rewarded with ten million top-grade Ghost Coins; anyone who beheads him will be honored as a guest elder by the Nangong Aristocratic Clan and rewarded with a High-grade Immortal Artifact!

Chen Changqing glanced at his lifeless portrait of his back, then continued walking towards the auction house entrance without stopping.