Time passed faster than expected.

But whether slower or faster, it didn't matter. After all, they had to cross the Ghost Gate and head toward the Ghost City; one or two days wouldn't make much difference.

Chen Yi kept calculating matters related to the Ghost Gate along the journey. It was true he possessed Uncle Wu Chang's token, but a token alone wasn't enough.

If he recalled correctly, he'd entered the Ghost City not via the Ghost Gate but exited through it afterward—and even then, it had been terribly troublesome.

In his previous life, leaving the Ghost Gate had required extensive effort, running around up and down the entire Ghost Gate, and in the end, he'd brought an excellent cup of Daughter's Red wine for the temperamental gate guard general—that had been the only way to successfully leave.

If leaving was so difficult, crossing the gate would only be harder.

Especially given the guard general was rigid, unyielding, and highly difficult to persuade.

The key problem was his loyalty and integrity; even as a ghost, he upheld justice. Among all positions in the Ghost Gate, he seemed to be the only "clean official," making bribery completely ineffective.

Chen Yi took a deep breath to prepare himself, repeatedly giving Yin Weiyin instructions along the way.

The wind along the road grew frostier, the mist heavier, and skeletal remains littering the roadside increased in number. Crimson spider lilies became more abundant, their petals unusually elongated. Less than ten miles from the Ghost Gate, the flowers suddenly formed a sea of red, crawling over mountain slopes and stone forests.

Chen Yi's eyes flashed with a trace of confusion.

The ten-mile stretch was eerily quiet.

The Ghost Gate, usually bustling with activity—the Southern Border folks eating mushrooms before wandering here—why was it so deserted today?

It couldn't be that no one had died?

Even if no one had died, surely someone had eaten mushrooms?

Yin Weiyin also sensed something amiss, her face showing a hint of worry:

"The current underworld… how bizarre. Not to mention people committing brazen acts everywhere, even outside the Ghost Gate between the two halls of Yama, there's no one in sight. What's happening inside Yingdu Ghost City?"

By relying on his past life experiences, Chen Yi could naturally answer that it was Yingdu Ghost City, where the late emperor's spirit was seizing King Chujiang. But the successive changes unfolding now left him uncertain.

Regardless, they had to assess the situation at the Ghost Gate first. After Yin Weiyin performed a divination, the two continued forward.

The towering city gate stood majestic amidst the mountains. Nearby cliffs abruptly ended, with verdant-blue Nether River flowing peacefully below.

Along the journey, not even a shadow—human or ghost—was seen, yet the yin energy was bone-chilling, its murderous aura far surpassing any previous location. Yin Weiyin had no choice but to form hand seals for the Golden Light Body Protection Technique, while the Shariputra crystal in Chen Yi's arms emitted waves of Buddha Light on its own.

As they approached the Ghost Gate, they could see from afar the plaque hanging atop the city gate tower: "Netherworld Ghost Gate." Chen Yi scanned the surroundings, picking up on certain details.

Broken blades and shattered spears lay buried in the soil; at a glance, it resembled an ancient battlefield.

Someone attacked the Ghost Gate?

Chen Yi felt a surge of confusion. When he reached the city gate tower under the Ghost Gate and peered inside, his hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his blade.

Below the city gate tower at the Ghost Gate, men, women, ghosts, mortals, and fiends… hundreds and thousands of heads had been piled together, stacked and ascended to form mounds of skulls!

The largest mound of skulls bore the head of the gate guard general at its summit!

This horrifying scene unfolded before them, leaving not just Yin Weiyin stunned—even Chen Yi's hand, resting on the blade hilt, faintly trembled. Then came a tide of bewilderment swelling within him.

All previous preparations were instantly rendered moot—within the entire Ghost Gate, whether human or ghost, none had survived.

Just as his mind raced to process, a sudden ferocious wind swept through. The countless heads atop the skull mounds simultaneously twisted toward a single direction, screaming in agony!

Chen Yi turned to look and saw an imposing silhouette, as large as a small mountain, gradually emerge from the shadows. Accompanying this figure was the sound of armor scraping, broken arrows jutting from the armor, macabre cuts from blades and swords, and a banner adorned with a "Deng" character!

Deng Ai?!

When the figure stepped out of the darkness, the pupils of both Chen Yi and Yin Weiyin contracted almost at once.

Yin Weiyin, in particular, could never forget the events at Huaisui Village.

But this was the underworld, and what appeared before them now was no mere fragment or statue.

The aura of murderous intent emanating from Deng Ai suppressed the screaming heads atop the skull mounds, forcing them to shut their mouths one by one.

This was his true form!

Chen Yi's instincts told him so. His grip tightened on the blade, ready to draw it at any given moment.

Deng Ai stepped forward one step at a time, halting ten zhang away.

"I wondered who it was… thought there might still be survivors here."

His voice was hoarse as he slowly spoke:

"Ah, it's you."

Chen Yi froze for a moment, realizing something.

The ghost lord, who had brimmed with murderous intent moments ago, lowered the tip of his spear and said calmly:

"You and I are somewhat acquainted. Do you still remember me?"

At these words, Yin Weiyin froze, while Chen Yi furrowed his brow and asked:

"You know about the events at Huaisui Village?"

"So that place was called Huaisui Village… That was my fragment, so of course I know what happened."

The ghost lord's pale face revealed a hint of reminiscence. Upon recognizing Chen Yi, the hostility in his aura dissipated; he casually tossed aside his long spear and leaned backward, seating himself atop the mound of skulls.

A faint sound of bones cracking echoed.

Seeing Deng Ai display no hostility, Chen Yi glanced at Yin Weiyin. The female crown lowered her Peach Wood Sword slightly, and Chen Yi loosened his hand from his blade hilt.

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