Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Suddenly showered with unexpected wealth, Shen Wang was like a mouse who had stumbled into a granary, utterly delighted and lost in joy.

After the excitement, Shen Wang remembered the Tang family members and the woman resembling Gu Dongting he saw at the auction, which somewhat dampened his elation.

He sent a message to Gu Dongting to inquire about the situation, but unsurprisingly, there was no reply.

Shen Wang, undeterred, pondered for a few seconds before calling Shi Yan.

Speaking of the Tang family, Shi Yan also felt somewhat embarrassed: "They refuse to admit any wrongdoing, insisting the curse was Dao Qingzi's doing, and unrelated to them... I don't know what they offered Dao Qingzi, but he took all the blame himself."

Even for the Special Department, in the absence of evidence, they could only detain the suspects for a few days.

Shen Wang clicked his tongue softly, as if he said nothing yet everything at the same time.

Shi Yan tried to justify the Special Department's actions: "We're a state agency, everything we do must adhere to laws and regulations, and follow due process."

It wasn't that they didn’t want to act against the Tang family, but the lack of evidence was the issue.

"Forget it," Shen Wang waved his hand in resignation, having anticipated this outcome.

After all, Tang Jiu was a child of destiny, favored by the world, and it was normal for him to turn misfortune into fortune. Shen Wang never expected to bring down such a person in one go.

Changing the subject, Shen Wang asked, "Dongting... I mean, Gu Dongting, does he have a sister?"

Shi Yan, aware of the grudges between Shen Wang and the Tang family, braced for a reprimand, but was caught off guard when Shen Wang abruptly changed the topic: "What?"

"Has Gu Dongting’s sister come to City C?" Shen Wang repeated.

Shi Yan, somewhat puzzled, recalled and said, "Gu Dongting does have a sister, but she’s not part of the Special Department, so I’m not clear about her whereabouts."

Gu Dongting having a sister was no secret, and Gu Manling herself was a renowned goddess in the metaphysical world with numerous admirers.

Why was Shen Wang suddenly asking about her? Shi Yan’s heart skipped a beat, almost thinking Shen Wang was interested in Gu Manling.

Fortunately, Shen Wang quickly dispelled his wild thoughts: "At the auction, I saw a girl who looked a lot like Dongting, sitting with Tang Jiu."

Shi Yan was startled, then responded seriously, "I understand, I'll inform Brother Gu."

After all, this involved a member of the Gu family, and it wasn’t his place to interfere; he could only let Gu Dongting handle it.

After hanging up the phone, Shen Wang sighed again, feeling heavy-hearted. He opened his photo album and looked at the picture with Gu Dongting, murmuring, "I hope your sister is worth it."

Gu Dongting had long known Tang Jiu's true nature and would surely intervene upon learning his sister had contact with Tang Jiu.

When that time comes... it will be a matter of whether Gu Manling values her brother more or the stranger.

Logically, this should be an easy choice, but Shen Wang couldn't shake the feeling that things wouldn’t be so straightforward.

Feeling restless, Shen Wang didn't practice cultivation but instead lay down to rest.

For the next two days, Shen Wang stayed home, busying himself with cultivation, drawing talismans, and studying artifact refining.

As he drew more and more talismans, Shen Wang gradually put Gu Manling’s issue to the back of his mind. When he finally stopped, he counted nearly fifty to sixty talismans.

Shen Wang thought for a moment, casually put them in a plastic bag, and sent a message to the vice president of the Metaphysical Association to come and collect them.

After finishing everything, Shen Wang remembered the technique Qingcheng Mountain had bought back for a high price and opened the metaphysical forum to check the situation.

The forum was in chaos, buzzing with discussions about the technique.

After watching for a while, Shen Wang realized they were not discussing the incident from the auction two days ago.

Understanding the whole story, Shen Wang was dumbfounded.

He had thought Xiao Hei's move against Qingcheng Mountain was just bidding up the price at the auction, making the sect leader pay more for their own item. He didn't expect there was more to it.

In other words, Qingcheng Mountain paid a high price to buy back the technique, but the technique had already been leaked, available to everyone.

Shen Wang: "..."

Ruthless, incredibly ruthless.

Shen Wang shivered silently, swearing to himself never to offend Xiao Hei, someone he couldn't afford to provoke.

In the forum, the discussion had moved beyond whether the technique was Qingcheng Mountain's. Everyone was eagerly practicing it, posting any issues they encountered in their cultivation journey and discussing them with other netizens.

The learning atmosphere on the forum was unprecedentedly enthusiastic, even the most popular gossip sections had gone quiet.

On the forum's task board, a pinned bounty caught Shen Wang's attention.

[Ten billion reward for two people]

Ten billion! Shen Wang gasped in shock. Who would offer such a high reward? Catching those people would make him rich overnight.

At this moment, Shen Wang had forgotten that he was already wealthy.

Looking closer, Shen Wang was speechless: the two people with bounties on their heads were him and Xiao Hei!

And the one who issued the task was Qingcheng Mountain.

Lamenting the lost ten billion, Shen Wang grumbled, "Qingcheng Mountain is too wealthy, spending thirty billion like that and still having ten billion to spare."

Rich die rich, poor die poor, he thought sourly.

While browsing the forum and waiting for someone from the Metaphysical Association to collect the talismans, Shen Wang lounged on the sofa with his phone, laughing heartily.

Soon, the Metaphysical Association called to inform Shen Wang of their arrival.

Wearing slippers and holding a prepared plastic bag, Shen Wang leisurely walked out to meet the vice president of the Metaphysical Association waiting at his door.

The vice president, seeing Shen Wang’s casual attire of a hoodie, shorts, and plastic slippers, forced a smile: "Shen Wang truly is unconcerned with minor details."

Shen Wang rolled his eyes, "I'm in my own home, I'll wear whatever's comfortable. Do I need to dress in a suit and tie?"

Saying this, he casually tossed the plastic bag to the vice president.

The vice president instinctively caught the bag, thinking it was trash, and his face darkened. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Wang said, "Here’s your stuff, we're even now."

Surprised, the vice president opened the shabby plastic bag to find it full of vibrant talismans!

The talismans were crammed haphazardly into the bag, clearly showing how their owner had roughly stuffed them in.

The vice president’s mouth twitched, nearly heartbroken: while others carefully preserved talismans, Shen Wang treated them like waste paper, stuffing them into a trash bag!

"So drawing talismans makes someone special?"

The vice president carefully cradled the bag, his smile almost obsequious, "I never expected Shen Xiao to finish over fifty talismans so quickly. Truly, a hero emerges in youth."

Yes, being able to draw talismans is indeed remarkable!

Shen Wang, uninterested in flattery, focused on his phone, not even looking up, "Count them and confirm the number. I won’t see you out."

Vice President: "..."

He was the vice president of the Metaphysical Association, yet Shen Wang didn’t even allow him inside, not offering even a cup of plain water.

"No need to count, I trust Shen Xiao's integrity," the vice president took a deep breath, "If Shen Xiao needs anything in the future, feel free to visit the Metaphysical Association. Our doors are always open for you."

Shen Wang nonchalantly nodded, acknowledging the statement.

A flicker of cunning glinted in the vice president's eyes, "Shen Xiao, have you heard about the Qingcheng Mountain incident?"

Hearing this, Shen Wang looked up, showing the vice president his phone screen, "I think I know about it."

Speaking, Shen Wang laughed unabashedly, not hiding his schadenfreude.

His forthrightness somehow reassured the vice president, "Besides that, there’s another matter... Chen Feng suddenly fell ill with a mysterious poison. The Qingcheng Mountain sect leader has searched everywhere for a cure, consulting doctors and skilled cultivators, to no avail."

"Chen Feng is in a terrible state now, his flesh rotting away to the bone, suffering unbearable pain every day." After a two-second pause, the vice president lowered his voice, whispering to Shen Wang, "His... private parts have rotted away."

Shen Wang: "..."

He felt deeply uncomfortable.

As a man, and a normal one at that, Shen Wang didn’t want to hear how someone's private part had rotted away. He felt a chill down his spine and couldn’t help but shudder.

"Who did he offend to deserve such a ruthless poison?" Shen Wang was certain it wasn’t caused by his powder. It must have been someone else Chen Feng crossed, "Did he offend a woman?"

The vice president was equally disturbed: "I don’t know. Qingcheng Mountain hasn’t figured it out, only suspecting the two masked individuals from that day."

Shen Wang, wrongly accused: "..."

He rubbed his arms, his expression distorted.

Seeing Shen Wang's reaction, the vice president felt assured of his guess, laughing heartily, "Shen Xiao, don’t worry, we all know you're not one of the 'Masked Evils'. If Qingcheng Mountain troubles you, our Metaphysical Association will surely clear your name."

Shen Wang just smiled in response to the vice president's overture, not committing to belief or disbelief: "Thanks for bringing the news."

Though he wasn’t as pleased as the vice president might have imagined.

Left standing outside with the door slammed shut, the vice president holding the plastic bag, his gaze flickered several times before he sighed.

Chen Feng had offended Shen Wang, creating a negative impression of the Metaphysical Association in Shen Wang’s mind. The potential Shen Wang had shown made the vice president choose to downplay the incident.

Even when Chen Feng attempted to kill Shen Wang a few days ago, due to Qingcheng Mountain's involvement, the vice president opted for leniency, merely expelling Chen Feng from the Metaphysical Association.

Now, looking at the bag full of vibrant talismans, the vice president frowned deeply.

Initially, when he proposed over fifty talismans, the vice president thought Shen Wang could only provide them in batches, maybe five a month at best. Over a year of continuous transactions, the Metaphysical Association could build some connection with Shen Wang.

In a year’s time, they might have diluted the Chen Feng incident and even drawn Shen Wang into the Metaphysical Association.

The vice president never expected Shen Wang to be so capable, completing over fifty talismans in less than a month!

He couldn't help feeling resentful towards Qingcheng Mountain for losing a talisman drawing talent over a worthless figure.

With mixed emotions, the vice president contemplated how to improve Shen Wang's impression of the Metaphysical Association while also strategizing for the possibility of Shen Wang siding with the Special Department.

Meanwhile, Shen Wang leisurely returned to his home. With his villa enveloped in protective formations and a spirit-gathering array in the backyard nurturing various spiritual plants, why would the vice president need to step inside?

As for the miserable Chen Feng, Shen Wang wasn't too concerned, as long as the effects weren't caused by his concocted powder.

Shen Wang focused on another matter, "Masked Evils? What’s that about?"

Searching the forums, Shen Wang was speechless.

Following the Qingcheng Mountain theft, everyone was curious about the perpetrators, initially perceiving them as cowardly evil cultivators.

Now, the fear was that whoever targeted Qingcheng Mountain might target other sects too.

Suddenly, all sects in the cultivation world felt threatened.

When Qingcheng Mountain's technique was leaked everywhere, forum users unanimously changed their tune.

[I think Qingcheng Mountain offended them, and this is their revenge.]

[If you don't do guilty deeds, you won't fear ghostly knocks. Why doesn't Qingcheng Mountain introspect on what they did to provoke such retaliation?]

[Honestly... with their ability to escape unscathed from the encirclement of Qingcheng Mountain, there isn't a sect in the metaphysical world they can't freely enter or leave. Yet, apart from Qingcheng Mountain, they haven't targeted any other sect.]

[Who knows how many dirty deeds Qingcheng Mountain has done behind the scenes.]

[By spreading such a valuable technique, even if their aim was to take revenge on Qingcheng Mountain, they're like righteous thieves.]

[Masked Evils, thieves with a code.]

[Masked Evils, thieves with a code.]

[Masked Evils, thieves with a code.]

After this post, the reputation of the Masked Evils spread, and someone even posted their photos: one in all black attire with a demon mask, the other colorful with a Zhu Bajie mask... both villainous and ridiculous.

Shen Wang: "..."

Looking at the hundreds of follow-up posts in the thread, Shen Wang didn't know what to say.

Little Black Brother's maneuvers had significantly tarnished Qingcheng Mountain's reputation, a blow perhaps greater than the theft of their technique – after all, they likely had backups of the technique, but restoring a tarnished reputation? Who knows how long that might take.

As Shen Wang pondered, he felt a chilling realization: "Could this all be part of Little Black Brother's calculation?"

Silently elevating his awe for Little Black Brother in his heart, Shen Wang was astounded. Such strategic cunning was something he couldn't match even in eight hundred years.

After resting for a while, as night fell, Shen Wang sat cross-legged for his usual cultivation in the spirit-gathering array, absorbing the streams of spiritual energy.

His body radiated refined spiritual energy, nourishing everything in the backyard.

The spiritual plants, two little spirit bees, and the materials for refining tools placed at the array's focal points.

When the moon reached its zenith, suddenly a dark cloud drifted over, obscuring the bright moon, blocking even the slightest moonlight.

Shen Wang opened his eyes sharply from his meditative state, his gaze keen and clear.

The gentle night breeze and the noisy chorus of frogs and insects had ceased. Everything around had fallen silent, as if it were a lifeless, dead zone.

Shen Wang sneered, "You've come all this way, why play these ghostly tricks?"

As his voice fell, a faint white light illuminated the surroundings of the house. Something that had sneaked in under the cover of darkness screamed miserably and retreated hastily.

Following the sound, Shen Wang saw the source of the disturbance.

A young man with blood-red eyes stood outside the courtyard, baring his teeth viciously, his gaze filled with ferocity as he stared at Shen Wang.

Shen Wang pondered, "Are you the Ghost King of Qingcheng Mountain?"

It was unclear which word ignited the fury of the young ghost king, but he suddenly looked up and screeched, his fingers swelling and viciously stabbing into the formation. In the next second, his nails, flickering with cold black light, abruptly broke off and dissipated into the air.

The young ghost king stared at his fingers, his expression dazed: "What?!"

He looked utterly disbelieving.

Shen Wang said sympathetically, “I advise you not to act rashly. Breaking your nails can be quite painful.”

Enraged by Shen Wang’s casual demeanor, the young ghost king screeched recklessly and kept slamming into the formation. Yet, all his efforts were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, not even stirring a ripple in the formation.

Shen Wang thought, amused, that the protective shell he created for himself wasn't easily breakable.

Shen Wang stood up and slowly approached the young ghost king, facing him directly with only a faint shimmering membrane between them.

According to the classification in this world, the weakest ghosts, the earthbound spirits, still retain their appearance from the time of death, can't move easily, and are non-aggressive. They can re-enter the cycle of reincarnation once their obsessions are fulfilled, or dissipate naturally over time if unable to reincarnate.

Next are the resentful spirits, filled with unwillingness and hatred. They can somewhat manage their deathly appearance and harm humans, though not very powerful. Most practitioners in the metaphysical community can handle them.

Then come the fierce ghosts, capable of using ghostly energy, not only harming humans but also capable of fighting back against practitioners.

The last are the young ghost kings and ghost kings.

A ghost king is a being of legend, said to look no different from the living and capable of surviving in sunlight. If you put a ghost king among people and don't scrutinize, you can't tell them apart.

Except for the legendary ghost king, all other ghosts follow one rule: the more powerful the ghost, the more controlled by obsession, and the more violent and bloodthirsty they are.

The young ghost king in front of Shen Wang was no exception.

He was more violent than any ghost Shen Wang had encountered before. When he opened his fanged mouth to screech, he had completely lost the label of 'human' and resembled a mindless beast.

However, Shen Wang noted with a slight frown that the Ghost King's eyes, devoid of any spiritual intelligence, showed only blind rage.

The ferocious ghost he encountered previously was also violent and bloodthirsty but still retained its sanity. In the original story, the male lead's harem included a red-dressed female ghost, who was initially a Ghost King.

When the red-dressed female ghost made her appearance, she was indeed fierce, but she could still communicate normally with the male lead and even make deals with him... After devouring another Ghost King, she evolved into a true Ghost King, regaining her full sanity.

So why did this Ghost King look so ghastly?

The Ghost King continued to ram against the formation like a zombie. With a thought, Shen Wang trapped the Ghost King inside the formation.

The seemingly fragile but indestructible light membrane suddenly vanished. The Ghost King, taken aback, immediately growled and lunged at Shen Wang, but in the next second, Shen Wang had disappeared from his sight.

Just a step away, Shen Wang watched the Ghost King trapped in an illusion, fiercely battling something and mimicking the act of devouring it.

A thought flickered in Shen Wang's mind, an elusive insight that he couldn't quite grasp. Suddenly, he noticed a small figure had stealthily entered the formation.

Shen Wang's pupils contracted: "Xiao Kong!"

Ever since Xiao Kong had devoured the yin energy of infant ghosts at Xu Cheng's ancestral home, he had fallen into a deep sleep and had not awakened.

Given the immense amount of yin energy to be digested, it made sense that Xiao Kong's sleep was prolonged, so Shen Wang wasn’t overly worried.

He never expected that Xiao Kong would choose this moment, of all times, to wake up and stealthily sneak into the formation!

Hearing Shen Wang's shout, Xiao Kong instinctively ran faster, finally slapping onto the Ghost King, clinging tightly to his leg, and then…

He took a vigorous bite!

Shen Wang: "???"

He was almost in tears of laughter, as Xiao Kong, this tiny creature, dared to hug the Ghost King's leg and nibble at his ghostly aura!

Shen Wang: "Little ghost, your tiny body can hardly digest unclaimed yin energy without sleeping for ten days to half a month. If you try to consume the Ghost King's ghostly aura, it won't end well for you!"

The Ghost King, lost in some realm of fury and bloodshed, wildly swung his arms, oblivious to the tiny ant clinging to his leg, stealthily stealing his ghostly aura.

The little ghost struggled to bite off a piece of yin energy and swallowed it: "I can do it!"

Shen Wang: "..."

Not knowing what else to say, he cautioned: "Eat less, don't burst yourself."

Xiao Kong giggled, nodded vigorously, and sweetly said, "Thank you, master. I understand!"

Turning his head, Xiao Kong's eyes were resolute, and he nibbled again.

Having consumed the yin energy of infant ghosts, Xiao Kong's spiritual intelligence had evolved significantly. He knew Shen Wang was a cultivator and a good person.

Born a natural infant spirit, Xiao Kong was both an ideal material for artifact refinement and the easiest ghost to control. Any other cultivator would either refine him or forcefully make him a ghost servant.

Only Shen Wang, despite verbally disparaging him, actually fed him yin energy and prepared a cultivation technique for him.

Xiao Kong had an intuition that Shen Wang's abilities far exceeded what others saw. He would become even more formidable, and if Xiao Kong wasn't strong enough, he would be left behind!

Since his birth, Xiao Kong had been wandering in this house, invisible to anyone until he met Shen Wang. He didn't want to be abandoned by Shen Wang.

Ignoring his increasingly plump body, Xiao Kong kept tearing and consuming the Ghost King's ghostly aura. Maybe due to losing too much ghostly aura, the Ghost King struggled and broke free from the illusion.

The Ghost King looked down and saw the little ghost clinging to his leg. Baring his teeth, he lunged at Xiao Kong!

Shen Wang's pupils contracted, and he immediately withdrew the formation. The next second, the vast ghostly aura previously restrained by the formation soared into the sky, alarming cultivators throughout half the city!

"What's that noise!"

"How can there be such strong ghostly aura in City C!"

"Be on guard! Seal off the area, don't let civilians wander in by mistake!"

"Hurry and notify the Metaphysics Association and the Special Department!"

"Senior Brother Gu is still in City C, he hasn't left. Quickly, go and ask for Senior Brother Gu's help!"

While all the cultivators in City C were in chaos, Qingcheng Mountain quickly received the news. The head of Qingcheng Mountain covered his mouth and coughed: "The commotion has actually become this big..."

The Third Elder, trembling nervously, said: "Master, what should we do? If outsiders find out we're harboring ghosts..."

"Who said it's us harboring ghosts?" In just two days, the head of Qingcheng Mountain had lost a noticeable amount of weight. His face was as pale as a corpse, his lips devoid of any color, but his eyes shone with an even crazier light, "The one harboring ghosts is clearly Shen Wang."

The Third Elder's eyes widened in shock: "But, that's the Ghost King!"

The head of Qingcheng Mountain glanced meaningfully at the Third Elder: "Harboring the Ghost King only further proves that Shen Wang is a heretic who deserves to be hunted down by everyone."

Before the Third Elder could say anything more, the head of Qingcheng Mountain coughed impatiently: "Or do you want the Ghost King to kill Shen Wang in broad daylight, then return to Qingcheng Mountain under everyone's watchful eyes?"

"Or perhaps, after Shen Wang's death, if the metaphysical community can't find the Ghost King, they start a thorough investigation?"

The Third Elder froze.

"It's just a foolish Ghost King. We can cultivate another, a smarter one," the head of Qingcheng Mountain said with a deep and meaningful tone.

"The members of the metaphysical community gathered in the direction from which the ghostly aura emanated, encountering fellow practitioners along the way."

"'Do you know what happened?'"

"'I'm not sure; we'll find out when we get there.'"

"'It's been years since a minor ghost king appeared; how come one suddenly emerged today?'"

"'Who knows? A few years ago, a fierce ghost appeared in another city, causing several deaths before it was jointly exterminated. And today, this minor ghost king…'"

"'It's uncertain how many will die.'"

"A heavy atmosphere hung over everyone, silencing them as they hurried towards the source of the ghostly energy."

"The members of the special department sat in the car, driving past some cultivators. Shi Yan, seated in the back, suddenly remarked, 'Although these cultivators have their own agendas, they immediately make a choice when faced with a problem.'"

"Even though some cultivators consider themselves noble and different from ordinary people, most are deeply involved in the mortal world, unable to easily let go of worldly concerns."

"When there's peace, these cultivators vie for resources, engaging in deceitful tactics between their sects."

"But when problems arise, all cultivators choose to bravely step forward, standing in front of countless ordinary people, shielding them from all dangers at any cost."

"Xie Qingming's usually stern expression softened slightly."

"Gu Dongting, sitting in the front, glanced outside the window, not joining the discussion. He watched as the car's direction became increasingly familiar, a flicker in his eyes."

"At this moment, Shi Yan also realized something was amiss: 'Isn't this… Shen Wang's home?'"

"After getting out of the car and pushing through the crowd, everyone immediately spotted Shen Wang, confronting other cultivators."

"Shi Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly grabbed someone nearby: 'What's going on? What happened?'"

"The person, holding a peach wood sword and warily watching Shen Wang, replied without turning, 'This man has been secretly raising a minor ghost king! Given the aura of that ghost king, it's heavily sinful; he must have killed more than one person!'"

"'This man is an evil deviant who's appeared out of nowhere!'"

"Shi Yan's pupils shrank sharply."

"Although the metaphysical community's rules state that raising ghosts must be registered with the special department and the metaphysical association, there are always exceptions. As long as they don’t commit evil acts, typically one turns a blind eye."

"Once someone is found using a raised ghost for evil, they become a public enemy of the metaphysical community."

"Shen Wang stood in front of the yard, his expression cold: 'I've said it before, I didn’t raise this ghost king. He's here to kill me.'"

"Someone sneered, 'If you keep insisting that the ghost king is here to kill you, why don’t you step aside and let us capture it!'"

"'Sounds noble, but it's just a stalling tactic!'"

"'Exactly!'"

"Shen Wang's brows furrowed slightly, feeling a headache, an incredibly bothersome headache."

"Even he didn't expect that Xiao Kong, wanting only to steal a bit of the ghost king's energy, would somehow enrage the ghost king, leading to a fierce fight between the two ghosts."

"Shen Wang almost thought Xiao Kong was devoured by the ghost king. Just as he was about to save Xiao Kong, he saw Xiao Kong suddenly turn into a faint grey mist, merging entirely into the body of the ghost king."

"Shen Wang: '???'"

"Had Shen Wang not seen Xiao Kong voluntarily merge into the minor ghost king, he would have thought Xiao Kong was absorbed by it."

"Subsequently, the ghost aura of the minor ghost king uncontrollably began to surge. Shen Wang was stunned for a moment, then reactivated the formation, only to find that it could no longer suppress the ghost king's aura."

"Shen Wang didn’t want to obstruct, but now, with Xiao Kong inside the minor ghost king, what if these cultivators scatter its soul, endangering Xiao Kong as well?"

"Despite resenting the trouble brought by Xiao Kong, Shen Wang, having spent so much time together, couldn’t remain indifferent."

"The vice president of the Metaphysical Association arrived again, looking at Shen Wang, he persuaded, 'Young Shen, if you insist the ghost king isn't yours, we are inclined to believe you. Just step aside and let us capture it.'"

"'Otherwise, if it escapes, the entire City C will suffer calamity.'"

"Shen Wang glanced back; the ghost king, no longer snarling, floated silently in the air like a soulless corpse, with no trace of Xiao Kong visible."

"'Could it be digested? Damn it, Xiao Kong, I told you not to be greedy.' Cursing inwardly, Shen Wang’s face remained expressionless as he calmly stated, 'My ghost was swallowed by the minor ghost king. Once my ghost is released, you can do whatever you want with this one.'"

"'Your ghost? It's probably already become part of the ghost king’s aura.'"

"'Stop making excuses. Now, while the ghost king is calm, let’s act quickly!'"

"'No more listening to his nonsense. Capture him too. For the crime of evil cultivation, arrest him!'"

"The ghost king was too terrifying; no one dared to confront its power directly. Under pressure and anxiety, the cultivators surrounding the yard couldn’t stay calm, wanting only to resolve the issue quickly."

"Though willing to fight to protect ordinary people, no one wished to die."

"As Shen Wang saw the situation spiraling out of control, his fingers twitched, ready to summon the formation. With its defensive strength, it should withstand attacks from everyone for a while."

"He could only pray that Xiao Kong, the damned fool, would come out soon. Otherwise, he’d have to abandon the brat and make a run for it."

"Just as he was about to activate the formation, someone walked up to him. Shen Wang's eyes brightened, then dimmed slightly, 'Dongting.'"

"Hearing the name 'Dongting,' Gu Dongting's expression turned icy."

"Shen Wang, oblivious to his change, asked, 'Are you here to persuade me to step aside too?'"

"Gu Dongting didn't speak; he slowly walked towards Shen Wang."

"In that moment, everyone present held their breath."

"Gu Dongting was the pride of the metaphysical community, the leader of the righteous path, representing not just his own will but symbolizing the entire metaphysical community."

"The cultivators, tense, watched Gu Dongting and Shen Wang, certain in their hearts that Gu Dongting, ever detesting evil, would not let Shen Wang go."

"No one doubted Gu Dongting's ability to defeat Shen Wang alone."

"Shen Wang nearly held his breath too, watching Gu Dongting step by step approach him, slowly enter the yard, into the formation, and then, slowly, come to his side."

"Shen Wang’s brows were tightly knotted, his spiritual power ready at his fingertips, prepared to activate the formation in an instant."

"Yet, even as Gu Dongting reached his side, stepping out of the formation's attack range, he didn’t activate it."

"Gu Dongting, too, didn’t draw his sword. He gave Shen Wang a faint glance, then, regaining his composure, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, facing all the cultivators together."

"'I believe him.'"

"The atmosphere on the scene suddenly became tense for two minutes before erupting into chaos."

"'Brother Gu, don't be deceived by him!'"

"'Brother Gu, how can you stand with an evil cultivator?'"

"'Brother Gu, are you still the same Brother Gu we know?'"

"These proud cultivators, now like fans witnessing their idol's downfall, ignored the minor ghost king, showing disbelief and utter devastation on their faces."

"Gu Dongting watched them coldly, a trace of fierceness barely perceptible in his eyes: Who did they think they were to influence his thoughts?"

"At that moment, a hand stealthily poked his waist from behind, prompting Gu Dongting to slightly turn his head."

"Shen Wang's eyes were bright, a smile on his lips. He quickly winked at Gu Dongting and silently mouthed, 'Thanks, Dongting.'"

"Gu Dongting didn't speak or react. He turned his head back expressionlessly, his fingertips twitching slightly, involuntarily gripping the hilt of his sword."

"'The Special Department believes in him too.'"

"Shi Yan had a bad premonition when he saw Gu Dongting step forward, and it came true with the words 'I believe you.'"

"With a twitch in his forehead, Shi Yan, pulling along Xie Qingming, also stepped out, standing opposite the group of cultivators."

"'Minister Shi?'"

"'What's going on? What's the background of this man that both Brother Gu and the entire Special Department are protecting him...'"

"While everyone was in a noisy uproar, the minor ghost king behind Shen Wang suddenly opened its eyes, red and swiftly drifting towards Shen Wang, who had his back turned."

"The crowd exclaimed, 'Be careful!'"

"The ghost king moved too fast for anyone to stop it, and some, unable to bear it, closed their eyes."