Ch. 1256 - Ghost Monarch Nether-Prime

“You don’t understand,” Hexben said. “These past few years, the number of Lost Souls and God-Slaves has dropped sharply. If it keeps on like this…” He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, waved his hand dismissively, and smirked. “No point in telling you more. Just do as you’re told.”

The group continued south for half an hour. The further they went, the more barren the surroundings became. No other Spectral Ghost Racesmen could be seen nearby.

“Boss Hexben,” Xie Changliu said, “aren’t we getting close to the gods’ territory?”

“Stop talking and keep walking,” Hexben replied coolly. “You two are lucky to have joined us when you did. There’s a good opportunity ahead.”

“What opportunity?” Xie Changliu asked.

Hexben halted and pointed toward a mountain in the distance. “See that spot halfway up the slope?”

Though it was far away, Xu Zimo could faintly make out something on the bare cliffside, a single purple flower blooming there.

He couldn’t see it clearly, but he asked, “The Flower of Death?”

“That’s right,” Hexben said with a grin. “You two just joined us, so here’s your chance to prove yourselves. Go pick that flower for me, and you’ll be handsomely rewarded.”

Xu Zimo gave a cold laugh. As expected, Hexben had ulterior motives. Recruiting them into his squad was just a ploy to use them as expendable pawns.

They were already at the border. The mountain he pointed to likely lay within the gods’ domain, crossing it would be extremely dangerous.

“What? You refuse?” Hexben frowned, his tone suddenly sharp and icy.

Xu Zimo smiled without replying, instead scanning the surroundings to check for any other ghost patrols nearby.

“I’ll leave it to you,” he said to Xie Changliu.

The ghosts before them weren’t strong. Even Hexben, their leader, was only at the Imperial Meridian realm.

Xie Changliu snapped his fingers, and countless sword energies burst forth.

In an instant, the ghosts fell like wheat under a scythe, every one of them dead where they stood.

Only Hexben remained alive, his legs severed beneath him.

“You… you’re not ghosts?” he gasped in horror.

“You’re in no position to ask questions,” Xu Zimo said coldly. “You’re only allowed to answer them.”

“What do you want?” Hexben stammered, panic rising in his voice.

“First question,” Xu Zimo said. “Tell me about the forbidden land.”

“You’re outsiders, aren’t you?” Hexben realized at once.

Before he could say more, he screamed in agony. One of his arms had been sliced off, black yin energy spilling from the wound.

“Seems you didn’t understand me the first time,” Xu Zimo said calmly.

“There are thirty-two cities in the forbidden land,” Hexben said quickly, trembling. “The ghosts and gods each control sixteen. Every city has a Ghost Monarch stationed there. On the gods’ side, I only know there are sixteen God Generals and one Primal God Sovereign. As for us ghosts, there are sixteen Ghost Monarchs, and the great Ghost God himself.”

“Do you know of Sunflower City?” Xu Zimo asked.

“Sunflower City?” Hexben shook his head. “None of the thirty-two cities have that name.”

“Third question,” Xu Zimo said. “What is the Flower of Death?”

“I don’t know either!” Hexben said frantically. “We only received orders from Ghost Monarch Nether-Prime to search for them. I swear I don’t know why. Please, let me go!”

Xu Zimo exchanged a glance with Xie Changliu. In the next moment, Xie’s sword flashed, and Hexben’s head rolled to the ground.

Xu Zimo stepped forward, tearing through the air, and reappeared halfway up the mountainside.

Only then did he get a clear look at the Flower of Death before him.

It had three petals, their dark purple hue swirling with black veins that rotated counterclockwise. A faint aura of decay radiated from it.

When Xu Zimo touched the petal, a surge of death energy flowed into him instantly.

It clashed violently with the energy of the Tree of Life within his body, the two opposing forces grinding against each other.

He plucked the flower and decided to study it later. For now, the priority was to locate Sunflower City.

The Wood God Jumang’s inheritance was far more important.

After returning to Xie Changliu, the two burned and buried the corpses of Hexben’s group, then began heading back the way they came.

According to Hexben’s words, there should be a city somewhere to the north.

If they couldn’t find any leads there, Xu Zimo would have to seek answers directly from the Ghost God himself.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the place where the evil aura was thickest.

Before them stood a massive city.

Its towering black walls exuded pure malice; the entire city radiated suffocating energy.

The dense waves of killing intent rose upward, shrouding the heavens themselves and even obscuring fate’s gaze.

“What heavy death energy,” Xie Changliu said gravely. “This place is only fit for the dead. If living beings enter, their life force will be drained in no time.”

“I have a way,” Xu Zimo said calmly.

He hadn’t expected the city’s aura to be this intense, but with the Tree of Life in his body, he was immune to such corruption.

He tore off a leaf from the tree and handed it to Xie Changliu.

“The life force within this will protect you until it’s spent,” he said.

“Yama City,” Xu Zimo murmured as they approached the gates, gazing up at the ancient black walls inscribed with eerie symbols.

On both sides of the gate were two lines of words:

‘When Yama comes at the third watch, life and death are decided by fate.’

They entered the city.

Inside, it was vast, ghosts by the tens of thousands brushed past them in an endless stream.

“Have you heard? General Hepburn’s won a hundred matches in the arena without a single loss!”

“Of course I’ve heard. For the past six months, no one’s been able to take that arena from him.”

All around them, the ghostly crowds were buzzing about the same topic, the arena battles.

Xu Zimo grabbed a passing ghost and asked, “Have you ever seen the Ghost Monarch Nether-Prime?”

“What’s this about?” the ghost said suspiciously.

“We have important intelligence to report to him,” Xie Changliu said quickly.

“If it’s important, report it to your captain,” the ghost said impatiently.

“Our captain was ambushed and killed,” Xie Changliu said, feigning grief.

“Then go to your division’s Ghost General,” the ghost replied. “The Ghost Monarch isn’t someone just anyone can meet. Even I’d like to see him.”

Xu Zimo and Xie Changliu exchanged a look. This was going to be tricky.

They knew Hexben had served under Ghost Monarch Nether-Prime, but as for the Ghost Generals, they knew little to nothing.

“Let’s check out the arena,” Xie Changliu suggested. “Didn’t they say there’s a Ghost General fighting there?”

Xu Zimo nodded. It was their best lead for now.

The city was large, so it didn’t feel crowded, but the arena was an exception.

There, the streets were packed shoulder-to-shoulder with ghosts, the massive crowd surrounding the ring so tightly that it was impossible to move freely.

Xu Zimo and Xie Changliu squeezed their way forward until they could finally see the scene on the stage.

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