When Zhao Chong appeared before Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao, his expression was gloomy, and his brows were furrowed, as if he had much to say.

But after all, he was Zhao Chong, and his reticence was notorious in the Netherworld. Thus, in the end, he said nothing and instead stared absentmindedly at Ye Yuqiao.

That look was filled with affection.

Seeing Zhao Chong's gaze, Chen Hao felt a hint of discomfort. However, he could completely control his emotions because he had experienced such scenes many times before; wherever she went, Ye Yuqiao would be the focus of any man, attracting the same looks as Zhao Chong's now.

"Zhao Chong, how have you been recently?" Ye Yuqiao was the first to speak to Zhao Chong, her tone slow and cold.

Chen Hao turned to look at Ye Yuqiao and realized that she, whether in demeanor or tone, was very different from the affectionate Yuqiao he knew from the previous night.

"Mhm!" Zhao Chong responded cautiously and removed his gaze from Ye Yuqiao, his expression turning indifferent.

He knew very well that Ye Yuqiao's inquiry about his well-being was not just casual concern but more about obtaining information on the affairs of the Netherworld.

"I have been okay," he continued, "but the Netherworld has not been doing well."

Suddenly, the pupils of Ye Yuqiao's eyes shrank to half their size.

"What happened?"

"Big trouble!" Zhao Chong answered, "On the day the omen for the new king of the Netherworld appeared, King Wanfa took his men and rushed to the Polar Ice Land. Many people thought he went to the Polar Ice Land to find the Ghost King, so there were many who attempted to kill King Wanfa along the way. Later, several experts from the Sun Clan were captured by King Wanfa and brought back to Netherworld City. The Dark Law King seized the opportunity and thus led ten thousand city guards to surround the Sun Clan."

The Sun Clan that Zhao Chong mentioned was the third-ranking clan among the Eight Great Clans of the Netherworld. Unlike the new Four Great Clans, which formed alliances privately, and the Qian and Li Families, which often interacted, the Sun Clan was somewhat isolated.

Although on the surface the Eight Great Clans seemed harmonious, in reality, there were many hidden grudges.

"How foolish!" Ye Yuqiao's expression darkened, "To even think about sending assassins after King Wanfa."

"In fact, it wasn't just the Sun Clan; every clan sent people, including me," Zhao Chong said coldly.

Hearing Zhao Chong say this, a sharp glint appeared in Ye Yuqiao's eyes as a realization dawned on her.

"If you knew the true location of the Ghost King's cultivation site, why would you send assassins after King Wanfa?" Chen Hao couldn't help but ask.

Zhao Chong swept Chen Hao with a blank expression and then looked back at Ye Yuqiao. It seemed that he had no intention of answering Chen Hao's question, as long as Ye Yuqiao understood his actions.

"Boyfriend," Ye Yuqiao secretly sent a hidden message to Chen Hao, "everyone guessed that King Wanfa went to the Polar Ice Land to find the Ghost King. If Zhao Chong didn't send assassins after King Wanfa like the other families, he would be suspected by the Dharma Kings of knowing the secret of the Ghost King's real cultivation site, and then he would become a thorn in the side of the five Dharma Kings."

Chen Hao's face revealed bitterness, as he had not expected the situation to be so complex.

"So, every family must send someone to kill King Wanfa when he goes to the Polar Ice Land?"

"Yes! And if they don't send someone to kill King Wanfa, they'll be suspected of being on the Ghost King's side by the Eight Great Clans," said Ye Yuqiao. "That's why King Wanfa's trip to the Polar Ice Land was such a clever move! Alas, why didn't I think of this before."

"Then, if that's the case, shouldn't all the assassins from the Eight Great Clans sent to kill King Wanfa have fallen into his hands? Why only the people from the Sun Family were escorted back?"

"That's the brilliance of the five Dharma Kings," sighed Ye Yuqiao coldly. "The Sun Family had no united allies in the Eight Great Clans and lacked the strength to match the Zhao Family, so they became the target for the Dharma Kings to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys and deter other families. It seems that the Dharma Kings are now out of options, willing to sacrifice King Wanfa just to intimidate other clans by taking down the Sun Family."

"Huh?" Chen Hao, puzzled and shocked, said, "But King Wanfa isn't dead, right? And he knows he won't enter the Polar Ice Land since the Ghost King isn't there."

Chen Hao had heard from Ye Yuqiao before that the Polar Ice Land was synonymous with death, full of mysterious and ancient beasts of the Netherworld, from which no one could return alive.

"No, King Wanfa has to go to the Polar Ice Land. He's being watched by tens of thousands of eyes, and if he doesn't go in, it'll be as if he's telling everyone the Ghost King isn't there. It would reveal that the five Dharma Kings are merely bluffing, and the Ghost King can't show up for the time being. That would cause the other families to rise up in rebellion under the pretext of supporting the Sun Family. Hence, King Wanfa must enter the Polar Ice Land to make everyone believe he's looking for the Ghost King, who could appear at any moment," explained Ye Yuqiao.

After explaining to Chen Hao, Ye Yuqiao turned to Zhao Chong and asked, "What's the situation with the Sun Family now?"

"The Clan Leader of the Sun Family led his finest soldiers across the inner bridge of Naihe Bridge and hid beneath the gateway of the Netherworld City."

"What!" Ye Yuqiao was greatly startled and her face showed displeasure. There was a rule in the Netherworld: The Netherworld's gateway was controlled by Niu Tou and Ma Mian, and crossing the Naihe Bridge was only allowed in one direction, not out, or it would be met with death.

Logically, the Clan Leader of the Sun Family, along with his soldiers who had crossed the Naihe Bridge, should have been beheaded by Niu Tou and Ma Mian. However, Niu Tou and Ma Mian did not stop them but instead let them pass. Ye Yuqiao guessed this was probably because the Niu Tou and Ma Mian Battalion had been indebted to an ancestor of the Sun Family thousands of years ago.

"So, how did the Dharma Kings respond?" asked Ye Yuqiao to Zhao Chong.

"The city guards did not cross the Naihe Bridge. They dared not confront Niu Tou and Ma Mian head-on and just blocked the end of the bridge, setting a deadline for Niu Tou and Ma Mian to hand over the Sun Clan Leader within fifteen days," Zhao Chong answered, "Meanwhile, two battalions from the legitimate Ghost King armies on the southern side of the Netherworld City have started to mobilize, and King Wumeng has also gone to the Witch Clan to summon tens of thousands of witch warriors to block at the fortress that leads to other areas of the Netherworld City."

Upon hearing this, Ye Yuqiao's frown deepened, and she asked, "What day is it today then?"

Zhao Chong gave a bitter smile and said, "Today just happens to be the fifteenth day!"

Ye Yuqiao was startled, feeling a bit panicked in her heart. She paused, then asked Zhao Chong, "How many troops do you have on hand?"

Ye Yuqiao's question clearly indicated she intended to consider a decisive battle with the Ghost King Battalion.

Zhao Chong shook his head, guessing Ye Yuqiao's intent and said, "Your Majesty, the time is simply not ripe yet. Even if all the clans joined forces, it would be too late to quell the immediate threat."

Ye Yuqiao's face darkened, filled with self-reproach.

"If only I had come back earlier."

"Your Majesty," Zhao Chong shook his head again, "Even if you had returned earlier, though you could have extinguished the fire in the Netherworld City, more places would have caught fire. If the time is not right, it's just not right."

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