The night was deep.

In the Netherworld, at Sunset Pass.

King Wumeng and King Qingyu stood atop a high peak south of the pass, gazing into the north, remaining vigilant at all times.

At this moment, the seventy-thousand-strong alliance army of the five major families was resting on the plains of Luobei more than two hundred miles north, ready to launch an attack on Sunset Pass at any moment.

Although there were a hundred thousand troops stationed, holding an absolute advantage in numbers, King Wumeng and King Qingyu were somewhat pessimistic. A few days ago in the Huiyin Mountains, the five major families had managed to severely damage and repel their one hundred thousand army with only forty thousand troops, and now the allied forces of the five families had doubled in number.

What most chilled the two Law Kings was that among the allied forces of the five families, there were three terribly powerful individuals: Zhao Chong, the woman who inherited the blood of the Netherworld Azure Bird, and Chen Hao. When the five families' allied forces attacked, they had no generals on their side whose strength matched any of those three.

At this moment, what the two most hoped for was the Ghost King's swift emergence from the Demon-Sealing Scroll. Only with the Ghost King present would they stand a chance of victory.

Just then, a lengthening shadow silently approached the two from behind.

Having sensed the powerful Yin Qi Spiritual Power emanating from the shadow, King Wumeng and King Qingyu turned around. Just as they did so, the shadow ceased its advance, and the Dark Law King stepped out from within it.

"Dark Law King, why have you come personally? Is there any movement from Qian Feng's side?" King Wumeng asked with a furrowed brow.

The Dark Law King first cast an emotionless glance towards the north, then turned his gaze to King Wumeng and said, "If the allied forces of the five families do not attack, I expect Qian Feng and his troops will remain stationary. That old fox is truly cunning and crafty! I came to you in person because there's a matter I wish to discuss."

"What matter?"

"I think we should have our hundred thousand troops abandon Sunset Pass and fall back to a position near Netherworld City," the Dark Law King said thoughtfully.

"Dark Law King!" King Wumeng exclaimed in surprise, "To give up Sunset Pass is to surrender Wushuang City!"

West of Sunset Pass, hundreds of miles away on a plateau, lies an ancient city on a scale comparable to Netherworld City—Wushuang City. It was there that the Ghost King, following his first escape from the Gate of the Nether King, encountered King Ning in the Valley of a Thousand Ghosts, forming the very first Ghost King Battalion. Then successively, he recruited the other seven Law Kings, ultimately bestowing upon them their titles as the Eight Great Law Kings within Wushuang City.

Thus, the Law Kings all had a sense of special sentiment towards Wushuang City, akin to nostalgia for a hometown.

"I'm worried about a surprise attack by an army emerging from behind, taking us in a pincer movement with the allied forces of the five families to the front. The essence of military strategy lies in the element of surprise. Sunset Pass is somewhat distant from Netherworld City, and I'm afraid reinforcements might arrive too late. We can't summon undead soldiers or create armies out of nowhere like Chen Hao, or Niu Tou and Ma Mian," the Dark Law King voiced his inner apprehensions.

"Indeed!" King Wumeng sighed, "To think back to a year ago when King Shuanglin, in his impetuosity, wanted to kill Chen Hao. We, in consideration of the bigger picture, strictly ordered him to hold his temper. Looking back now, we should have let King Shuanglin kill Chen Hao when he was still in his fledgling stage, sparing us this raising of a tiger only to invite trouble!"

"Considering the situation at the time, our handling of it was not inappropriate. If there is blame to be assigned, it can only be to fate, which brought us face to face with Chen Hao, a rare genius to appear once in a thousand years!" the Dark Law King sighed.

King Qingyu laughed bitterly twice, secretly relieved that he had never crossed swords with Chen Hao. Then, he looked at King Wumeng and asked, "So, shall we retreat?"

King Wumeng glanced in the direction of Wushuang City, the proudest moment of his life being when he was anointed as one of the Eight Great Law Kings by the Ghost King in front of tens of thousands of troops.

"Let's retreat, the Dark Law King makes a valid point!" King Wumeng said, his eyes growing dull.

Half an hour later, the hundred thousand Ghost King troops that were originally stationed near Sunset Pass withdrew, heading toward Netherworld City.

..

..

On the Luobei plains.

The moon was obscured by dark clouds, and the surface of the Luo River looked ashen. An occasional gust of cold wind would sweep over, creating ripples on the river that resembled the wrinkles on a dead man's face.

On the bank, Ye Yuqiao stood alone with her Nether Soul Body, staring blankly at the ashen river surface. Not far behind her, seventy thousand soldiers were making final adjustments for the impending battle. Yet, her thoughts were on Chen Hao.

Ever since Chen Hao disappeared with her Yang Soul, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Although she hadn't spent too many days in close company with Chen Hao, every moment they had shared was enough for her to dwell on for a long time, perhaps even a lifetime.

"Yuqiao!" Zhao Chong approached from behind Ye Yuqiao.

"Is there any latest news from the Ghost King's side?"

"The scouts just reported that the army of a hundred thousand stationed at Sunset Pass has completely withdrawn."

A strange light flashed through Ye Yuqiao's eyes, the event was entirely beyond her expectations.

"They've really withdrawn? They don't even want Wushuang City anymore?"

"Wushuang City holds no strategic value for them, it seems they are very rational at the moment, which is not good for us—the more rational the enemy, the worse it is for us," Zhao Chong said expressionlessly.

Ye Yuqiao hummed in agreement, then turned back to look at Zhao Chong and coldly smiled, "It would be better if we were in Qian Feng's position."

"Why?"

"If Qian Feng were in our place, he would definitely massacre Wushuang City again! I wonder if the Ghost King and his followers could still remain rational after knowing that."

"But we are not Qian Feng! And I don't approve of him doing that!" Qian Feng said solemnly. The cold smile from Ye Yuqiao just now made him feel a chill; it seemed that apart from Chen Hao, Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body was indifferent to every other life, which was totally unlike the Ye Yuqiao he knew.

After a silence, Zhao Chong asked again, "Yuqiao, what are your plans for the next step?"

"I'm thinking of Chen Hao!" Ye Yuqiao's tone suddenly became despondent.

Zhao Chong's brows furrowed deeply.

Subsequently, the two fell into an awkward silence once again.

"Actually, I have already sent people to investigate in the mortal world, and they are at Chen Hao's house."

Ye Yuqiao's eyes suddenly widened, her voice tinged with anger, "Then why didn't you tell me?"

Having said that, Ye Yuqiao set out to find Niu Tou and Ma Mian to send her to the mortal world.

"Now might not be the best time!" Zhao Chong cautioned, "You might disrupt their mood."

Yuqiao stopped in her tracks, the thought of Chen Hao being intimate with another her ignited a fury within her.

"We set out for Sunset Pass tomorrow!"

..

..

The next morning.

At Chen Hao's home.

The kitchen was emitting the "sizzle, sizzle" sound of hot oil boiling.

Chen Hao was frying eggs, preparing a loving breakfast for Ye Yuqiao.

He was lightly dressed, the kitchen somewhat cold.

Just then, a wave of warmth suddenly spread through the air of the kitchen.

In the room, the sleeping Ye Yuqiao suddenly opened her eyes.

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