Before long, Clan Leader Sun Shouyi was burned to ashes by that mass of crimson flames, and both his Yin Soul and Nether Soul were thoroughly consumed by the fire.

His heart-wrenching wails still echoed in the cold prison and drifted up along the pitch-black, damp staircases and corridors to the city walls.

However, atop the city walls, Sun family's elite soldiers and warriors were deeply engaged in fierce combat with the Niu Tou and Ma Mian army, their clashing swords and battle cries drowning out the screams coming from the prison below the city walls.

No one noticed that Sun Shouyi was dead!

Beneath the gate to the Netherworld, as corpse after bloodied corpse fell from the city walls, the Yin Souls arriving to report and the protective army on the other side of the Naihe Bridge were shocked into a daze.

What in the world happened? Everyone was abuzz with speculation.

Inside Netherworld City, upon receiving the news, the clan leaders of the six major families and the murderously intent Dharma Kings within the Nether King Palace simultaneously stepped out of their houses, looking towards the direction of the Netherworld's gate.

Though they could faintly hear the clash of weapons, all they saw was a thick mass of dark clouds. Most had already guessed that Niu Tou and Ma Mian were going to abandon Sun family's clan leader, Sun Shouyi.

What followed was a brief period of calm in the Netherworld.

Everyone knew that this calm was destined to be short-lived!

This brief peace was a time for the clan leaders to seriously contemplate their future choices, whether to continue being loyal to the Ghost King or to rise in rebellion, unwilling to be subordinate. Ultimately, what decisions they would make depended on two individuals: one was the Ghost King; the other was Chen Hao, or more precisely, Yuqiao, the Fourth Generation Nether King behind him.

All the clan leaders already knew that Ye Yuqiao was the one supporting Chen Hao. It wouldn't take long for the five Dharma Kings to learn of this as well, and if not, someone would make sure they did.

Everyone was waiting for the right moment.

For the Netherworld, a great war was inevitable.

Originally, everyone thought that the battle on the city walls of the Netherworld's gate would last a long time. However, the noise from the city walls ceased abruptly before not too long.

The protective army at the end of the Naihe Bridge had no idea why there would be sudden silence atop the walls.

And atop the city walls, those in the midst of battle were stunned.

For a mysterious and terrifying Spiritual Power suddenly filled the air. To the elite soldiers of the Sun family, they had never experienced such profound power. This Spiritual Power was on par with, or even surpassed, the Ghost King's.

Although experienced and knowledgeable, Niu Tou and Ma Mian had not felt such profound Yin Qi Spiritual Power in a long time.

That Yin Qi Spiritual Power kept rising and spreading.

In a while, the protective army at the end of the Naihe Bridge also felt that Yin Qi, and like the soldiers on the city walls, was astounded.

This Yin Qi was indeed powerful.

"Whose Spiritual Power is this?" a soldier in the crowd asked, the Yin Qi making him feel somewhat uneasy.

"Quickly expel the Yin Qi Spiritual Power from your bodies, stop this mysterious Yin Qi from disturbing your minds!" the leading commander hastily ordered.

The soldiers complied, and the discomfort eased slightly. However, those Yin Souls nearby with weaker Yin Qi Spiritual Power couldn't defend themselves like the soldiers and were helplessly invaded by the terrible Yin Qi, gradually dispersing their spirits.

"Ugh!" Piercing screams emanated from the wall, as the elite members of the Sun family suddenly burst, sending up massive sprays of blood on top of the city wall. The thick scent of blood dispersed into the air, and with it, the Yin Qi drifted to the far side of Naihe Bridge and into Netherworld City.

It was then that Niu Tou and Ma Mian realized that King Nanlin Yao, who had been imprisoned in the dungeon below, might have escaped!

With a "boom," the blood of the Sun family soldiers ignited, instantly creating a crimson fire wall atop the city wall.

"Run for it!" bellowed a Niu Tou. Immediately afterward, all the Niu Tou and Ma Mian leaped down from the city wall, surging onto Naihe Bridge.

Seeing this, the defending army on the other side thought the Niu Tou and Ma Mian troops were coming to attack and drew their weapons. They seemed to have forgotten that the strong Yin Qi had already floated into Netherworld City.

"Gulp, gulp!" the Niu Tou and Ma Mian plunged one after another into the turbulent waters of the Nai River, their roars filling the air.

The defending army looked at one another, clueless, wondering why the Niu Tou and Ma Mian had jumped into the Nai River.

"Bang, bang, bang!" Loud noises came from beneath the bridge, followed by countless jets of water shooting upward into the thick clouds above.

The defending army was unaware that Niu Tou and Ma Mian were trying to extinguish the fire.

At that moment, within the Nether King Palace, the five Dharma Kings smelled the dreadful Yin Qi. Almost immediately, the shadow of the Dark Law King elongated and stretched forward vertically, crossing avenues, penetrating walls, and passing houses, until it finally stopped at the head of Naihe Bridge. In an instant, the Dark Law King appeared at the bridgehead.

However, the Dark Law King was not the first important figure to arrive at the bridgehead.

Beating him by the blink of an eye was Zhao Chong, who had been out of sight up until that moment.

Seeing two influential figures appear at the same time, the commanding officers of the defending army were somewhat panicked. If the two did not restrain themselves, their Yin Qi Spiritual Power and the mysterious Yin Qi present in the air could match.

"Family Leader Zhao, you've come!" the Dark Law King called out to Zhao Chong first, "I take it you also smelled that strong surge of Yin Qi?"

Zhao Chong nodded, his expression still one of pride mixed with melancholy, and he appeared unpanicked.

"Tell those city guards to withdraw," Zhao Chong said coldly.

The Dark Law King squinted his eyes, seeming hesitant.

"If you don't mind them being gravely injured later, there's no need to act."

The Dark Law King twisted his mouth bitterly, considering that Zhao Chong was right—if that Yin Qi were to suddenly burst forth, the city guards would likely be severely injured. Moreover, Niu Tou and Ma Mian seemed to have given up on the leader of the Sun family; their objective had been achieved.

Thus, he turned, with his hands clasped behind his back, and said to the leading officer of the city guards, "Quickly take your men and leave this place, the faster, the better!"

After a while, when the city guards had gone far away, Zhao Chong asked, "Beneath the city wall, an important prisoner is about to escape. What I want to know is, who does the Dark Law King think should take responsibility for this?"

The Dark Law King's expression darkened, his pupils contracted, as he fell into deep thought.

The Dharma Kings needed to take responsibility, as did Niu Tou and Ma Mian, but not those major families. From beginning to end, the seven major clans had not been involved in this affair.

"Could it be you?" Zhao Chong pressed on. Although his tone was as usual, calm, it exerted intense pressure on the Dark Law King.

Just then, there was a loud bang...

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