【Finally, Ye Yu led Ru Kong out of Shaoyin Ghost City openly and aboveboard!】
【And when their figures had completely vanished...】
【Li Anfeng collapsed directly onto the ground!】
【His soul body had become considerably dispersed!】
【Even though Ye Yu had done nothing, he still felt the crushing pressure of soul-shattering!】
【The ghostly guards behind him immediately moved forward to support him!】
“City Lord, how do you fare?”
“Damnable Ye Yu, conspiring with a monk from the Buddha Realm! What ‘Underworld Sage’? In my eyes, he’s nothing but a scoundrel of the netherworld!”
【Listening to the ghost-creatures around him murmuring their resentment at Ye Yu...】
【Li Anfeng did not reply, but instead sank into deep thought.】
【Just now, he had clearly sensed that if Ye Yu had wished to kill him, it would have been as easy as turning his hand!】
【So long as the City Lord fell...】
【There would be not a single ghost‐creature in the entire Ghost City able to stand against Ye Yu!】
【In other words, even without the help of that monk from the Buddha Realm...】
【Ye Yu alone could have slaughtered the entire Ghost City!】
【So why hadn’t he done so?】
【Could it be that he wasn’t actually cooperating with the Buddha Realm?】
【But if not cooperating, why act in concert with the monk?】
【And if they truly were allied, why treat the high monk that way—and not slay a single ghost-creature!】
【He had done nothing but stir the city’s resentment!】
【What on earth was this fellow plotting?】
【Li Anfeng clenched his fists, unable to fathom the answer.】
【Several hours later.】
【In a ghostly forest, Ru Kong gradually awoke. Intense pain coursed through his entire body, twisting his features in agony!】
【The most excruciating pain was at his forehead!】
【That damned ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) Ghost City Lord and his hammering fetish! He had shattered my skull!】
【One must know that the foremost virtue of the Vajra monks is bodily integrity!】
【A fractured skull was tantamount to total功破—his bodily defenses would be severely compromised from now on!】
【This was a disastrous loss!】
“You’re awake. Slept well?”
【Hearing these words, Ru Kong turned and saw Ye Yu nearby, leafing through a Buddhist manual!】
【The Buddhist radiance that once shone from its pages had been thoroughly suppressed by dense ghost qi, leaving it dull and lifeless.】
【Ru Kong flew into a rage, springing up and pointing at Ye Yu.】
“You demon deceived me—you never intended to propagate any Dharma, did you?”
【“Are you pointing at me with your finger?”】
【Ye Yu, far from angered, broke into an impish, savoring grin!】
【As if a masterful hunter had finally caught a glimpse of his prey’s weak spot!】
【Seeing this, Ru Kong’s smile vanished in an instant.】
【He realized something truly terrifying!】
【And indeed, his suspicions proved true!】
【Ye Yu formed a hand seal with one hand!】
【A waterfall rained down!】
【An utterly unfamiliar sensation surged forth!】
【Ru Kong’s face flushed crimson, and then he vanished from the spot!】
【After a long while...】
【Beneath the Underworld Blood Moon, a monk silently wept!】
“Forgive me, Master—this disciple has indeed grown defiled!”
“Enough, enough—stop your tears. I told you long ago my temper is foul—don’t provoke me! Yet you insisted on pointing at me. How could I bear it with my hot blood?”
【Ye Yu’s figure suddenly appeared at his side, reveling in his own taunts!】
【Ru Kong spun around in fury and shouted:】
“That’s a lie! When have you ever told this small monk your temper was foul?”
“Is it too late to say it now? And by the way, I’m timid—I don’t like being spoken to in a loud voice!”
【Ye Yu spoke once more, performing the hand seal again!】
【A second waterfall rained down!】
【Ru Kong broke completely—tears bursting forth uncontrollably!】
【These two waterfalls alone granted Ye Yu over a million negative-emotion points!】
【One must admit, Ru Kong was an absolute fount of experience!】
“Two hours later.”
【Ru Kong, utterly defeated, pressed his palms together and said with sorrow:】
“Venerable, what do you truly want of me? Enough with your games—let me go, I beg you!”
【In truth, after the second waterfall...】
【Ru Kong had already snapped!】
【He had tried to flee Ye Yu’s side, only to find that Ye Yu stuck to him like a shadow, with no intention of releasing him!】
【It left Ru Kong bereft of tears!】
【Thus he was forced to beg for mercy!】
【Ye Yu spoke softly:】
“Oh, don’t make things so hard on yourself! We are partners, are we not? We agreed to propagate the Dharma—so we must carry it through to the end! Half-measures are not in my nature!”
【Ru Kong wept again!】
“Brother, enough of this Dharma propagation! You were about to have me throw my life away in Shaoyin Ghost City! If this continues, I doubt I’d last two days!”
“Here’s the deal: either kill me, or let me go—what say you?”
【Ye Yu shook his head decisively.】
“Master Ru Kong, you seem to have forgotten one thing—you have no right to bargain with me. Obediently accompany me to the next Ghost City. Otherwise, you’ll fare far worse than now!”
【At these words, Ru Kong shuddered uncontrollably!】
【He instinctively tried to flee—but discovered an invisible ghost-qi barrier had completely enclosed him!】
【He could not move an inch!】
【Ru Kong’s eyes flew open in shock!】
【This fellow had, unconsciously, stepped into the half-Ghost-Emperor realm!】
【How had he achieved this?】
【And why had Ru Kong sensed nothing throughout!】
【Only now did Ru Kong fully realize the terrible being he had been negotiating with!**
【Truly, bargaining with a tiger over its hide!**
【Of course, Ru Kong had no inkling that all this was his own doing!**
【Ye Yu had converted all the negative-emotion points accrued during this time to ascend into the half-Emperor realm!**
【This proved that his plan was sound!**
【By stoking the anger and resentment of every ghost in the city, one casts a wide net to catch many fish!**
【And by sparing them, he allowed their negative emotions to continue to accumulate!**
【He could harvest them at will, ensuring long-term growth.**
【This was the true reason Ye Yu spared every ghost-creature in the Ghost City.**
【After guiding Ru Kong through several Ghost Cities, he might even become a full Ghost-Emperor!**
【Then the real fun would begin!**
“Let us go, Ru Kong—you still bear a heavy task on your shoulders. Accompany your brother to realize the Dao in the Underworld!”
