After ringing the warning bell atop the bell tower, the Clan Leaders of the Seven Great Clans proceeded hand in hand toward the Nether King Palace.

Inside the Nether King Palace soon, an intense battle of wits and words was inevitable.

Although there were many grievances among these Clan Leaders, they would unite against the Dharma Kings whenever confronted.

The only time a divide occurred was eighteen years ago when the Ghost King escaped the Nether King's gates leading the Eight Great Law Kings, with Zhao Chong and the four clans of Zhou, Wu, and Zheng opting to pledge allegiance to the Ghost King instead of uniting with the other three clans headed by Qian Feng. It was then that the deep-seated grudges among the Eight Great Clans surfaced.

Among the seven Clan Leaders, Zhao Chong and Qian Feng walked in the front, with the Li Family's Clan Leader following behind them, and the Clan Leaders of the four families of Zhou, Wu, and Zheng lined up in the very back.

The order of the seven Clan Leaders' procession precisely reflected their status within the Netherworld. Those at the front naturally carried themselves with pride and arrogance, while those at the back were unwilling to be subservient. This very reason led to the secret recruitment and purchasing of forces among the Seven Great Clans.

Some wanted to elevate their status, others to suppress and solidify their own. However, among these seven Clan Leaders, Zhao Chong was an exception.

He had far more profound plans.

The street from the bell tower to the great Nether King Hall, normally the busiest and most prosperous in Netherworld City, was eerily silent and deserted today. One reason was the commoners were all avoiding the Clan Leaders, and another was the combined Yin Qi Spiritual Power of the seven Clan Leaders, which was so overwhelming that people had no choice but to stay away.

From the bell tower to the great Nether King Hall, the pace of the Seven Great Clans' Clan Leaders seemed faster than usual.

As the seven stepped into the Nether King Palace, the four Great Law Kings led by the Dark Law King had been waiting for some time.

"Clan Leaders!" greeted the Dark Law King. Although he knew full well that the Clan Leaders of the Seven Great Clans had come with ill intent that day, he couldn't omit the necessary pleasantries. King Shuanglin, King Wumeng, and the Qingyu Law King stood behind the Dark Law King and followed suit in greeting, with King Shuanglin wearing an extremely reluctant expression on his face.

Compared to the Law Kings, the seven Clan Leaders were much less polite, with none of them returning the salute and all bearing unpleasant expressions on their faces.

Thus, the atmosphere within the Nether King Palace instantly became tense and serious.

"Dark Law King," Li Mou, the Li Family Clan Leader, glared at the Dark Law King with an accusing tone, "Yesterday, an important prisoner escaped from beneath the great gate of the Netherworld."

The Dark Law King hummed in acknowledgment, responding very succinctly. At such a moment, the best way to not let anything slip was to say as little as possible.

"The Dark Law King, acting on behalf of the Ghost King, is in charge of the Netherworld. Now that such an important prisoner has escaped, I wonder how the Dark Law King plans to handle this matter?"

"Send men to recapture the prisoner."

"And then?"

"There is no 'and then'!"

The Li Family Clan Leader snorted angrily, "Isn't someone supposed to take responsibility for this?"

"Indeed!" the Dark Law King responded quickly, "The Clan Leader of the Sun Family should answer for this, and it just so happens that he's already dead."

"What about others?" Li Mou pressed on, "Shouldn't Niu Tou take responsibility too?"

"Yes! But I can't control Niu Tou, we'll have to wait for the Ghost King to return to decide."

"What about you?"

After beating around the bush, Li Mou finally directed the conversation to the crucial point.

Suddenly, Dark Law King's pupils constricted, his expression turning ashen.

For a long time, he remained speechless. Crafting a reply that left no room for error seemed difficult.

King Shuanglin, standing behind the Dark Law King, struggled to control his emotions. Hearing his breath becoming heavy and rapid, King Wumeng next to him gave a light cough, signaling him to keep his composure.

"I will take responsibility for this matter!" Dark Law King declared, "When the Ghost King returns, I will personally ask for his forgiveness."

By invoking the Ghost King's name, Dark Law King sought to stabilize the situation, knowing any other excuse would seem feeble before the seven Clan Leaders.

Indeed, the Clan Leader of the Li Family was at a loss for words. All Clan Leaders, except for Zhao Chong, held the belief that King Wanfa's journey to the Polar Ice Land was indeed to seek the Ghost King in seclusion.

In the eyes of the six Clan Leaders, the Polar Ice Land was a place of no return. If after a period, both King Wanfa and the Ghost King had not emerged, it would mean both had perished there; if the Ghost King returned, its power would have increased to the next level, and no one would be able to defeat it—save for Chen Hao, backed by Yuqiao, the Fourth Generation Underworld King.

After a brief silence, Qian Feng finally spoke up.

"When will the Ghost King return?" he asked. Only he and Zhao Chong dared to pose such a question in front of the Law Kings.

Dark Law King frowned deeply, regretting having mentioned the Ghost King and backing himself into a corner. He was not Zhao Chong, who could easily skirt the question with a simple "no comment."

"The Ghost King will finish his retreat in one month!" Dark Law King said after much contemplation.

"One month?"

Everyone present was shocked, including the three Law Kings who stood behind the Dark Law King. To them, this statement meant he was preparing to seek the Ghost King within the sealed scroll. They dared not imagine the extent of the crisis if, after a month, both the Dark Law King and the Ghost King failed to return from within the scroll.

For the other Clan Leaders apart from Zhao Chong, the Dark Law King's words confirmed that the Ghost King was indeed cultivating in the Polar Ice Land. The planned return of the Ghost King in a month was unwelcome news for those who were prepared for a major showdown.

As the only Clan Leader aware that the Ghost King was actually cultivating within the scroll, Zhao Chong shared the Law Kings' view: someone was going to seek the Ghost King within the painting. He faced many choices: such as taking advantage of the Ghost King's return to kill the four Law Kings before him, removing the Ghost King's left and right hands; or leading his forces before the other families awaited the Ghost King's return to seize the initiative.

Whatever choice he made, he needed to consult with someone first.

The woman hidden within the Purgatory Fire Pool.

However, it was difficult for him to meet her during this period, for a pair of eyes had been watching him closely.

The watcher was no ordinary person, but the Qian Family's top expert.

After a prolonged silence, Qian Feng declared, "Then, we shall wait for the Ghost King's return in one month!"

"By the way," King Shuanglin finally could not help but ask, "the group leader has been emphasizing that the prisoner behind the Netherworld gate is of great importance. May I ask who exactly is this prisoner?"

"When the Ghost King returns, the Law Kings will naturally find out!" Qian Feng replied coldly.

"You!"

Not long after, the seven Clan Leaders left the Nether King Palace.

Dark Law King let out a long sigh of relief, but his complexion grew even grimmer.

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