Looking out at the scenery changing from towering high-rises to barren, stark trees standing in the cold wind, a sense of farewell melancholy suddenly spread within the van.

Since getting on the van, none of the four inside had said a word until the engine suddenly cut out and the vehicle stopped at the side of the road, prompting Chen Hao to ask, "Xie Xiaofeng, how many times have you driven before? I'm starting to doubt your driving skills!"

Sitting in the driver's seat, Xie Xiaofeng turned around and gave Chen Hao the middle finger as he said displeased, "Bro, I've driven far more times than you've kissed Yuqiao, okay?"

After that, he started the engine again and continued heading south. To the south of Y City is W City, and beyond W City is the transition from King Ning's Manor's territory to King Xin's Manor's territory.

King Xin's Manor, as the name implies, is the domain ruled by King Xin, the fifth-ranking Dharma King under the Ghost King. As the only female Dharma King among the Ghost King's subordinates, everything about her is enigmatic. After discussing with Ye Yuqiao, Chen Hao had decided that the first Dharma King they would eliminate was King Xin, Li Luo.

"You've driven more often than I've kissed Yuqiao? I doubt that," Chen Hao muttered to himself.

"Stop it, you're annoying!" Ye Yuqiao's displeased voice suddenly echoed in Chen Hao's mind.

"Haha, Yuqiao, you heard that!" Chen Hao chuckled inwardly as he reached out and tightly grasped Ye Yuqiao's cold hand.

Ye Yuqiao snorted angrily, her face wearing a sullen expression, and then conveyed to Chen Hao in a whisper, "She followed us here; you must be happy, right?"

"You mean Tang Jing?"

"Hmph!"

"Haha!" Chen Hao laughed heartily, "I just love seeing you get jealous and concerned. If she's here, she's here; we can't just send her away, right? Besides, she knows a lot about some things, and she might be able to help us when the time comes."

"It seems like you really hoped she would come!" Ye Yuqiao sounded strange.

Chen Hao sighed helplessly before saying, "If it bothers you, we could set her up with Xie Xiaofeng; what do you think?"

"Only a jerk like you would come up with such a bizarre idea. You don't understand; she wouldn't fall for Xie Xiaofeng."

"Why not?"

"I don't know!" Ye Yuqiao's tone turned icy. After pausing for a while, she continued, "Actually, Tang Jing is quite nice, and I quite like her. But I just feel unhappy, and since you're my boyfriend, I have to take it out on you!"

After a chuckle, Chen Hao pulled Ye Yuqiao into his arms, thinking lightly, "Then you be angry; as your boyfriend, I'm very willing to accept this kind of special treatment."

Looking up at Chen Hao, Ye Yuqiao could tell from his relaxed demeanor that Chen Hao genuinely didn't mind her venting on him. Remembering the time four months ago when she had first met Chen Hao, he was an irritable and insecure pest. Now, however, he had become gentle, generous, and full of confidence. With this in mind, a smile couldn't help spreading across Ye Yuqiao's face, and admiration for Chen Hao naturally welled up within her.

"Yuqiao, you look kind of infatuated when you smile like that!" Chen Hao teased her inwardly.

Resting her head on Chen Hao's chest, Ye Yuqiao closed her eyes and her face turned slightly red as she said, "You're right, I am smitten with my boyfriend!"

"Then I have to get even more handsome, so your infatuation with me becomes incurable!"

"So, how incurable is your infatuation with me now?"

"I'm beyond help; I have completely given up on treatment!" Chen Hao said.

"You're such a tease!" Ye Yuqiao pinched Chen Hao's arm lightly, "Why do I feel like you're getting slicker by the minute?"

"Isn't it because I have a girlfriend who's quick on the draw? Being tongue-tied would only get me bullied by the young ladies!"

Ye Yuqiao didn't say anything else and peacefully fell asleep in Chen Hao's arms.

At noon, the car stopped in Matou Town along the road, where they had lunch and rested for an hour before continuing on their way.

By evening, the car had reached a mountain village some two hundred kilometers from Y City.

"Ding ding!" The compass in Chen Hao's hand emitted a crisp sound, while blinking with a dim yellow light. Ren Deshan had given him this compass before they parted ways today, saying it would help him find unclean things.

If there were ordinary Yin Souls nearby, the compass would blink with a dim yellow light; if there were demons lurking around, the compass would emit a purple glow; if a devil showed up, the compass would blink red; and if it blinked green, it meant that a legendary beast had appeared. The brighter the compass's light, the heavier the Yin Qi, demonic Qi, or Demonic Qi on those unclean beings nearby.

"Everyone must be hungry, right?" Xie Xiaofeng said, looking somewhat tired from driving all day. "I guess it won't be until around eight in the evening that we'll be able to have dinner in Y City."

"Good thing I brought some chips and dry food!" Tang Jing said, pulling out a bag of snacks from her bag.

No sooner had Tang Jing torn open a pack of chips than Xie Xiaofeng turned to her and said, "Tang Jing, I want some, help feed me!"

"Why should I?" Tang Jing huffed lightly.

"Hey!" Xie Xiaofeng's eyes twinkled, "Alright! Tang Jing, if it hadn't been for me, Xie Xiaofeng, you'd probably still be working with those old fogies at the Yin Yang Master Association right now! Look at you, burning bridges as soon as you cross them. Believe it or not, when we get to Y City, I'll buy you a train ticket and send you straight back to Y City!"

Tang Jing rolled her eyes at Xie Xiaofeng and then very reluctantly twisted a few chips towards Xie Xiaofeng's mouth.

"Ah!" Xie Xiaofeng opened his mouth wide, a mocking smile on his face.

Suddenly, Tang Jing's eyes shone brightly, and she turned her head towards the front, where she saw a white figure...

Netherworld, Qian Mansion.

Qian Feng was dining in the hall, surrounded by seven or eight maidservants. Since Qian Feng disliked noise and preferred to ponder matters while dining, the maidservants stood tremblingly on the side, trying not to make a sound.

Qian Feng's seriousness was notorious in the Netherworld; aside from a few highly positioned individuals, no one dared to joke in his presence. Especially those eyes of his, like they were shrouded in fog, always kept people from seeing what he was thinking, which made him appear very cold.

"Master!" Just then, the steward floated over to Qian Feng and whispered. Usually, unless it was something very important, the steward wouldn't dare to disturb Qian Feng while he was deep in thought.

"How is the investigation going?" Qian Feng asked.

"That girl with Chen Hao, she indeed resembles the Nether King to a tee!" the legless steward reported with a bow, "And they've already left Y City today; it looks like they're planning to leave King Ning's Manor."

"Oh!" Qian Feng let out a cold laugh, "Seems our Nether King is ready to make a move against the other seven Dharma Kings and the Ghost King. Now we need to start gathering troops. When the Ghost King comes out of his cultivation retreat and the day comes for a showdown with the Nether King, that will be my time, Qian Feng, to make a move."

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