Yu He and Yusai grew quickly thanks to the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm.
In just over half a month, they had nearly recovered to their peak cultivation.
Yusai was at the seventh-stage first symbiosis contract, while Yu He was at the sixth-stage third transformation.
Although there was still a gap between him and Yusai's seventh-stage, Yu He believed that since he was just a chef, his current cultivation was sufficient.
He stood up and looked toward the distant Gathering Fortune Pavilion.
"Did you also receive the Lord's summons?"
Yusai nodded.
"Let's go then," Yu He said. "Time to see the Lord."
Yusai jumped out of the pond, his silver tail transforming into legs as he followed behind.
The two of them walked toward the Gathering Fortune Pavilion one after the other.
On the top floor of the Gathering Fortune Pavilion.
Chen Zhou sat by the window, gazing at the city scenery.
Half a month had passed, and the City of the Wrongfully Dead had changed significantly.
The field of flowers outside the city had become even more lush, with layers of fiery red petals stretching to the horizon.
Inside the city, people came and went, creating a bustling atmosphere.
As he was lost in thought, a knock came from the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Hong Ling entered.
Behind her were Bai, Xiaoye, Yusai, and Yu He.
Hong Ling handed over a list.
"Lord, these are the candidates you requested to go to Cangzhou."
Chen Zhou took the list and scanned it.
Bai, Xiaoye, Yusai, and a squad of Yin soldiers.
These were all the personnel he had planned for.
Recently, Chen Zhou had watched everyone idling about and felt that such labor shouldn't be wasted.
So, he organized a team, letting Bai and Xiaoye work with Yusai to lead the Yin soldiers. They would first head through a secret realm rupture to clear out Cangzhou.
Chen Zhou's Living Dead secret realm still connected to several provinces, but there were only five ruptures in total, and none of them reached Tianchi Province or the Central Province.
Cangzhou was where the Corpse Soul Sect had previously suppressed the Locust Mother and where Chen Zhou had sacrificed Smiling Face.
Previously, there were too many matters in Gloomlight Province, and the overall strength of the City of the Wrongfully Dead was insufficient, but now that they were flourishing and strong, Chen Zhou felt it was time to expand their territory.
Hong Ling said, "Additionally, Miss Piao also wishes to go. She said she wants to see her former home."
Chen Zhou thought for a moment and nodded. "Approved."
Piao's hometown, Huangshawo, was located in Kushi County within Cangzhou. It was natural for her to want to visit.
Once all the arrangements were made, Bai, Xiaoye, and Yusai each took a squad of Yin soldiers and quickly disappeared into the entrance of the secret realm.
Piao followed them.
As she left, she looked back at the City of the Wrongfully Dead and at the Ugly Hag who had come to see her off.
A complicated look flashed through her heterochromatic pupils.
Then she turned and vanished into the secret realm.
Chen Zhou stood by the window of the Gathering Fortune Pavilion, watching them depart.
He considered that in Gloomlight Province, excluding external entities like the Judge and the Sky-Monitoring Vermilion Judgment's divine sense, the local natives included at least six seventh-stage combatants: the Toad Saint, Moon-Swallowing, Master Grand Vow, Yin Wudao, the Sea Emperor, and Tuoba Feng.
Although these individuals used to rule their own territories and rarely banded together, it was hard to say if they wouldn't form a united front against outsiders.
If Gloomlight Province was like this, Cangzhou likely wasn't much different.
Sending only three seventh-stage Yin Commanders plus Piao still felt a bit risky.
Chen Zhou believed that if one could crush the opposition with sheer power, one should never take unnecessary risks.
He had to be responsible for everyone and minimize risks as much as possible.
Thus, Chen Zhou continued to assign more personnel, calling over Zen Master Wu Hai, Huo Dou, the little pig, Poison-Wing, and Tuoba Feng.
Before long, the five of them stood before Chen Zhou in a neat row.
Chen Zhou looked at them and spoke plainly.
"The five of you, enter the secret realm and head to Cangzhou."
Zen Master Wu Hai's eyes lit up.
"Ancestral Master, are we going to expand our territory?"
Chen Zhou nodded.
Zen Master Wu Hai was overjoyed and was about to kneel on the spot.
"Ancestral Master is wise! Wu Hai is willing to go through fire and water for you without hesitation!"
Chen Zhou waved his hand, signaling him not to get too excited.
"Once you're inside, find Bai and the others first, then act together."
"I'm not entirely clear on the situation in Cangzhou, so use your own judgment."
"If you can recruit them peacefully, do so. If not, use force to suppress them."
"In short, I want Cangzhou."
Zen Master Wu Hai nodded vigorously.
"Understood. Rest assured, Ancestral Master, I will definitely take Cangzhou for you!"
With that, the five of them bowed together, turned, and entered.
Chen Zhou smiled and remarked with a sigh.
"Having plenty of hands is certainly convenient."
If so many seventh-stage experts couldn't settle one province, he would simply pack Prince Cangming, Su Xue, and Tuoba Lian together and send them over too. He didn't believe they couldn't take down a small place like Cangzhou.
Chen Zhou returned to the chair in the Gathering Fortune Pavilion, sat down, picked up a teacup, and took a sip.
The feeling of strategizing and controlling the situation was indeed quite good.
...
Another half a month passed.
Diting finally broke through, making Wu Gou so happy he drank three jars of wine.
When the large fleshy worm crawled out from underground and shrunk its body to jump into Wu Gou's arms, Diting's entire body emitted a faint golden light.
It wiggled its body, swaying back and forth in front of Wu Gou as if showing off.
"Yes, yes, I know you're amazing." Wu Gou patted its head, grinning from ear to ear. "How many people can you carry across realm barriers now?"
Diting wiggled and spat out several yellow bubbles.
One, two, three, four, five.
Five bubbles.
Wu Gou counted them and nodded. "Five. That's enough."
He picked up Diting and strode toward the Bone Altar.
Chen Zhou was already waiting there.
The altar remained as it was, built of piled bones and filled with a chilling aura.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Chen Zhou turned to see Wu Gou walking over with Diting in his arms.
"You broke through?"
Wu Gou nodded. "Yes. It can carry five people now."
Chen Zhou nodded and looked to the side.
Lord Rat had been waiting there for a long time.
Seeing Chen Zhou look his way, he immediately scurried over.
"Lord, Lord, when are we leaving?"
Chen Zhou glanced at him. "What's the rush?"
Lord Rat rubbed his hands. "This old rat just wants to go back early and show those grandsons how majestic Lord Rat is now!"
Chen Zhou ignored him and looked elsewhere.
Jian Huaishuang stood there in paper armor, a long sword on his back, his aura icy cold.
Behind him stood a paper person.
The paper person was crudely made, just a simple humanoid outline without even facial features.
However, there was a faint glow inside the paper person.
It was the remnant soul of the True Lord of Purity and Filth.
Jian Huaishuang spoke up. "Lord, the paper body has been prepared. It can temporarily house his soul."
Chen Zhou nodded and looked at the paper person.
The paper person moved, raising its hand and looking down at itself.
The voice of the True Lord of Purity and Filth came from within, raspy and filled with emotion.
"How many years has it been... I can finally feel the existence of a body again."
He looked up at Chen Zhou and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Lord."
Chen Zhou waved his hand. "Don't be so quick to thank me. You only have two months left."
"Having a body makes things more convenient for you."
"If you want to thank me, wait until the business in Tianchi Province is settled."
He looked at Wu Gou.
Wu Gou understood and placed Diting on the ground.
Diting restored its massive form and opened its mouth, spitting out five yellow bubbles.
The bubbles floated in the air, emitting a soft light.
Chen Zhou was the first to step into a bubble.
The bubble shrank slightly, enveloping him within.
Wu Gou, Lord Rat, Jian Huaishuang, and the True Lord of Purity and Filth also stepped into the bubbles one by one.
Five bubbles floated in the air, the figures inside barely visible.
Seeing that everyone was inside, Diting opened its mouth and swallowed all five bubbles at once.
Then it turned and used its burrowing technique to dive into the ground.
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