Seeing Lin Huashan knocked out by the woman, Zhou Wuke, Niu Tou, and several trusted warriors from the Zhao Zhou families were all somewhat surprised.

"Clan Leader Zhou, I'll leave this girl for you to deal with," the woman commanded Zhou Ke.

"You!" Zhou Ke appeared somewhat angry, thinking to himself what right did a woman who appeared out of nowhere have to issue commands to him, a clan leader. However, considering that Zhao Chong, Niu Tou, and Ma Mian all showed nothing but respect and obedience to the woman, he could only swallow his pride and agree.

"How should I deal with her? Will we never see her again, or is there a chance we might in the future?"

From behind her mask, a cold light flashed in the woman's eyes as she said frostily, "You will never see her again, but do not kill her!"

"Understood!" Zhou Ke said, "Meng Xuanwu!"

"Present!" A swordsman rose quickly from beside a campfire, came to stand behind Zhou Ke, and bowed with a fist in hand.

"Take this girl to our secret military camp immediately and ensure she is well looked after; do not let her take even half a step outside the camp. And remember, no one is to touch her," Zhou Ke instructed.

After speaking, he took out a jade ring from his waist and turned to hand it to the swordsman named Meng Xuanwu.

"Once you arrive at the military camp, hand over this jade ring to General Zhou and tell him to dispatch ten thousand soldiers to support us immediately," Zhou Ke said, patting Meng Xuanwu's shoulder.

After Meng Xuanwu left with the unconscious Lin Huashan, the woman gave another order, "Clan Leader Zhou, Niu Tou, Ma Mian, Zhao Chong might bring a few helpers later. Remember, don't mention me in front of them."

Having said that, the woman leapt into the air and disappeared into the night sky.

"Niu Tou, Ma Mian, who exactly is this woman?" Zhou Ke asked, looking at Niu Tou and Ma Mian with doubt.

Niu Tou and Ma Mian shook their heads, refusing to answer Zhou Ke's question, and fell into deep thought.

"And he said Family Leader Zhao is bringing helpers? Who might they be?" Zhou Ke continued to ask. At this moment, he looked close to exploding with anger; after all, even though he was a clan leader and one of Zhao Chong's allies, not a subordinate, he was kept in the dark about many things. If Niu Tou and Ma Mian still refused to speak, he was prepared to turn hostile.

"It's Chen Hao!" Niu Tou replied.

"Ah!" Zhou Ke showed a look of astonishment, hardly able to believe, "You mean the Onmyoji from the mortal world who has killed three Dharma Kings consecutively?"

Niu Tou nodded.

Zhou Ke chuckled twice and sighed, "I had no idea that young man was one of Family Leader Zhao's people!"

"There might be one more person," Niu Tou added.

"Who else?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"You!" Zhou Ke was fuming with rage.

...

...

On the eastern side of the Netherworld continent.

Inside Wind Shelter Valley.

Though it was the fifth watch of the night, Qian Feng's house was still lit; he was waiting for the latest news to be sent back by the scouts from Sunset Pass.

He sat at his desk, eyes fixed on the map laid out in front of him, his hand holding an inkless brush swept back and forth across it.

"The Dark Law King and King Wanfa are stationed here, with tens of thousands of king generals currently marching towards the Dayang Mountains," Qian Feng muttered to himself. "Zhao Chong and his party, including Niu Tou and Ma Mian, should be near the Valley of a Thousand Ghosts by now, not far from Sunset Pass. If by dawn the king general's troops haven't found them, King Wumeng might lead the Wumeng army out of Sunset Pass, enter the Great River Wetlands and the Valley of a Thousand Ghosts area to search northeast, thereby forming a pincer movement with the king general's troops on the Dayang Mountains."

After a long silence, Zhao Chong put down the brush in his hand and sneered, "Zhao Chong and the others can't defeat the Dark Law King and King Wanfa, so they will only be able to flee eastward. By that time, I will be able to reap the benefits of the fishermen's efforts."

Having said that, Qian Feng immediately summoned a deputy general, ordering him to take twenty thousand soldiers and leave Wind Shelter Valley at once, heading to the upper reaches of the Red River in the Broken Mountains, waiting for the people from the Zhao and Wu families to fall into the trap.

...

...

The mortal world.

Xiufeng Town, Mount Xiufeng.

After arriving in the mortal world, Zhao Chong hurriedly came to the tomb of King Zhou Wu.

With a flick of his wrist, a surge of spiritual power was released from his hand, instantly breaking the seal barrier Chen Hao had set up at the entrance of the tomb.

Inside the tomb, Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao, who were already asleep, opened their eyes upon sensing the barrier had been broken.

"The seal barrier at the entrance has been broken!" Chen Hao exclaimed. Ever since the time for the Ghost King to leave seclusion was upon them, it felt as if there was always a sword hanging over his heart.

Ye Yuqiao frowned slightly and said, "Don't panic, it seems to be Zhao Chong!"

After getting dressed, Ye Yuqiao then led Chen Hao out of the tomb.

Seeing that it was indeed Zhao Chong standing at the tomb's entrance, Chen Hao breathed a sigh of relief and eagerly asked, "Has the Ghost King emerged?"

"He has!" Zhao Chong nodded, "He left seclusion four days ago as scheduled. After emerging, he sent the Dark Law King to the mortal world to search for your whereabouts. Fortunately, you had the foresight to hide in this tomb."

"You being here now must mean that the Dark Law King has returned to the Netherworld," Chen Hao guessed.

"That's right!" Zhao Chong nodded, "Today the Ghost King wanted to kill Niu Tou and Ma Mian, but I rescued them. Now my Zhao Family, the Wu Family, as well as Niu Tou and Ma Mian, are trapped in the Great River Wetlands. I've come to you at this time to take you down to the Netherworld to join forces against the Dark Law King and King Wanfa."

"Ah!" Chen Hao was astonished.

"The Ghost King wants to kill Niu Tou and Ma Mian!" Ye Yuqiao was quite surprised, "Thank goodness you saved them. This is not a convenient place to talk, let's go back inside the tomb."

Zhao Chong nodded and followed Ye Yuqiao back into the tomb. Then, upon seeing that the tomb was a replica of Netherworld City, he was amazed.

"The owner of this tomb, King Zhou Wu, was actually a guardian with the Hand of Death," Ye Yuqiao explained to Zhao Chong, "He must have missed the Netherworld dearly, so after he tired of being emperor in the mortal world, he built a tomb that imitated Netherworld City."

The three of them walked in front of the Nether King Palace.

Upon seeing the Nether King Palace, Zhao Chong was immediately ashamed, realizing the palace had been destroyed completely. However, he couldn't disclose this to Ye Yuqiao; otherwise, she would certainly have suspicions.

"Your Majesty, let's not go into the Nether King Palace, we'll just talk here," Zhao Chong stopped in front of the Nether King Palace.

"Mm!" Ye Yuqiao nodded. She subconsciously brought Zhao Chong to the Nether King Palace, hoping to receive Zhao Chong with the courtesy of a monarch and subject as in the past.

Next, Zhao Chong recounted everything from rescuing Niu Tou and Ma Mian the previous day to being trapped in the Great River Wetlands by the Dark Law King and King Wanfa. However, he deliberately omitted the woman from the Purgatory Fire Pool.

After hearing what Zhao Chong had said, Ye Yuqiao pondered and then spoke after a long time, "Zhao Chong, are you suggesting that we go down to the Netherworld right now to join hands with you in eliminating King Wanfa and the Dark Law King?"

"That's right!" Zhao Chong nodded.

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