Su Xi originally thought that Ghost Elder, having been humiliated by True Master Tiangang, would directly lash out.
At the very least, he would retort verbally.
After so many encounters, she knew he wasn't a good person and was prone to outbursts of temper.
Facing humiliation from True Master Tiangang, any expert would surely find it unbearable.
However, to Su Xi's surprise, not only did Ghost Elder not retaliate, but he stood beside them like an idiot, motionless.
It was as if he hadn't heard True Master Tiangang's words at all, or simply didn't care, hence his lack of reaction.
???
What was going on?
Had Ghost Elder lost his mind, to have no reaction?
"Plop!"
Ghost Elder didn't answer Su Xi's inner thoughts. Instead, without any further nonsense, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, "True Master, I was wrong, please forgive me."
Even though many years had passed, he knew clearly in his heart that he would never forget the shadow True Master Tiangang had cast upon him.
This shadow left him with no courage to resist, only the desire to beg for mercy and endure less suffering.
Back then, he had appeared with great fanfare, full of youthful ambition.
He thought he could roam the world freely, wielding the Dragon-Slaying Saber and slaughtering all those who wrote fragmented stories.
Who knew that after meticulously planning to do something bad, and before he could even realize his ambitions, he encountered True Master Tiangang, who stopped him.
Just one encounter with True Master Tiangang rendered all his skills useless. In an instant, he was utterly defeated.
If True Master Tiangang hadn't intended to kill him back then, and if his cultivation technique hadn't been special, allowing him to automatically recover from his injuries, he would have died countless times over.
However, True Master Tiangang, though he didn't kill him, kept him by his side and vented on him daily.
He was beaten for a full hundred years.
After all, finding someone like him to relieve stress was rare.
If it weren't for that calamity that befell them by chance, he might have endured even more torment.
But after narrowly escaping that calamity, before he could even rejoice, he was imprisoned in this place, so infuriated he almost exploded.
Now that he had found Su Xi, he thought he could leave this accursed place and find another opportunity.
Who knew that before he could even leave, he would see True Master Tiangang appear before him again.
"Is there any justice in this world?"
He had only just been released, and yet he encountered such distressing matters. He was on the verge of tears.
He began to suspect if it was his zodiac year, which was why he was so unlucky.
True Master Tiangang paid no mind to Ghost Elder's complex inner turmoil. He walked up to Ghost Elder with a smile, patting his head, "Good boy, don't be nervous. It's been so many years since I've seen you, I won't beat you anymore."
Ghost Elder looked up at True Master Tiangang and asked incredulously, "Are you telling the truth?"
True Master Tiangang nodded, speaking with certainty, "Of course I wouldn't lie. Let me introduce you to my grand-disciple. From now on, you will obey him well, and I guarantee I won't hit you."
"What?!"
Su Xi and Ghost Elder's eyes widened instantly upon hearing True Master Tiangang's words.
What in the world was this?
Had True Master Tiangang been drinking?
Su Xi and Ghost Elder exchanged glances, seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.
Su Xi couldn't believe True Master Tiangang wanted Ghost Elder to be her subordinate. Clearly, Ghost Elder didn't want to accept True Master Tiangang's arrangement of a master.
He had only just escaped confinement; couldn't he be granted some freedom?
After all, it hadn't even been an incense stick's worth of time since he was freed.
Was his luck really that bad?
Seeing Ghost Elder's refusal, True Master Tiangang's face remained smiling, "Since you're unwilling, then I'll have you stay with me, by my side. I'll dote on you fiercely then."
Upon hearing True Master Tiangang's words, Ghost Elder shivered all over and said righteously, "True Master, I think you're absolutely right. I believe Su Xi is extraordinarily talented, and I'd love to follow her and have her be my master."
It was a joke! If he stayed by True Master Tiangang's side, he would only be bullied all day long.
He really didn't want to experience that feeling of being beaten relentlessly again.
He wasn't a masochist who enjoyed being beaten every day. He wouldn't die, but that didn't mean he wouldn't get hurt.
If he followed Su Xi now, he could at least have some initiative and not be beaten every single day.
True Master Tiangang looked at Ghost Elder and sighed helplessly, expressing his regret.
It would have been nice to have a stress-relief toy by his side, but now the toy was gone. Fortunately, it was given to his grand-disciple, who was easily obtained.
Su Xi looked at Ghost Elder, then at True Master Tiangang, and asked doubtfully, "Grandmaster, if he is with me now, and suddenly harbors murderous intent towards me, what should I do?"
With True Master Tiangang present, Ghost Elder wouldn't dare to act.
But if True Master Tiangang wasn't around, she couldn't guarantee what Ghost Elder might do.
After all, Ghost Elder was no easy character.
If she wasn't careful, she might capsize.
Ghost Elder saw that Su Xi had seen through his intentions and could only offer an awkward smile.
Admitting it now was the most appropriate course of action. Pretending to be foolish would help avoid more problems.
Hearing Su Xi's words, True Master Tiangang nodded and said with a serious expression, "This is indeed a problem, but fortunately, it's not a major one."
After speaking, True Master Tiangang chanted a few words and shot a white light towards Su Xi from his hand.
Before Su Xi could react, True Master Tiangang once again sent the white light into Ghost Elder's body.
As the white light entered Ghost Elder's body, he instantly felt a restraint upon him, as if his soul was being pulled.
Su Xi also felt a restraint in her consciousness. With a mere thought, she could strip Ghost Elder of his life.
Looking at Ghost Elder, Su Xi's face instantly lit up with a smile.
With this in place, she no longer feared what Ghost Elder might do to her.
On the contrary, if Ghost Elder misbehaved, she couldn't be blamed.
With the issue of Ghost Elder resolved, Su Xi turned to True Master Tiangang, "How should we leave this place now?"
Hearing Su Xi's question, True Master Tiangang looked at Ghost Elder, "For this situation, you should ask your newly acquired little brother."
Upon hearing True Master Tiangang's words, a line of black lines appeared on Ghost Elder's forehead.
Why did that appellation sound so strange?
Did Su Xi have a little brother?
Besides, he wasn't small, was he?
Although he was very dissatisfied with the name, he quickly explained, "This problem is simple. We need to leave through the teleportation array now."
How to leave? Su Xi looked at Ghost Elder.
Ghost Elder had suddenly acted earlier, destroying everything nearby. Was there still a teleportation array?
Even if they wanted to repair the teleportation array, they didn't have the tools.
Seeing Su Xi's expression, Ghost Elder instantly realized his actions and a string of black lines appeared on his forehead. He had forgotten about this problem.
He had been too excited earlier and hadn't controlled his strength well.
Now, how could they leave?
Ghost Elder rubbed his nose and said somewhat helplessly, "We cannot leave through other means now, but we can still leave through the underworld."
"What?" Su Xi looked at Ghost Elder, suddenly surprised.
How could they leave now?
With so many dangers, leaving through the underworld might be perilous.
Seeing the expression on Su Xi's face, Ghost Elder couldn't help but roll his eyes at her.
With two such experts like them, who in the underworld could they be afraid of?
If those others didn't avoid them, it would already be a blessing. Who would dare provoke them?
Su Xi saw Ghost Elder's disdain and realized.
She seemed to have made a low-level mistake.
Asking such a stupid question was impossible.
"Let's go, we need to leave this place quickly." Su Xi smiled, wanting to change the subject.
No one else had any objections and followed her out of the underworld.
After leaving the underworld, Su Xi once again saw the familiar scene before her.
Around the Three Lives Stone, Su Xi and the others appeared.
As their figures materialized, before Su Xi could react, a wave of ghosts rushed towards them.
Su Xi watched this scene and instantly realized something was wrong.
Although these ghosts were attracted to the smell of flesh and blood, they possessed such immense pressure that they shouldn't have been able to oppress her.
With such power, these beings should not have dared to approach.
Yet, these ghosts rushed forward without hesitation, which indicated a problem.
Although she didn't understand why the ghosts were rushing forward, she had no time to think. She had to resolve the current issue.
Su Xi originally intended to act herself, but suddenly remembered that she was no longer alone. She had a subordinate now.
With a subordinate, Su Xi looked at Ghost Elder beside her and said, "Shouldn't you be acting now? Do I need to remind you?"
Ghost Elder rolled his eyes at Su Xi, and under True Master Tiangang's gaze, he quickly rushed towards the people ahead.
These minor characters dared to trouble him and cause him annoyance.
As soon as Ghost Elder made his move, although the ghosts before them were not weak, they still didn't pose a significant threat.
After dealing with the ghosts, Ghost Elder said, "The Underworld is not quite right."
This place felt different from before.
While the Underworld used to have some lonely souls, there weren't this many. These scattered lonely souls were truly abnormal.
Hearing Ghost Elder's words, Su Xi replied, "These lonely souls are indeed strange, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with us. What we need to focus on now is how to leave here."
The Underworld held too many dangers. If they lingered any longer, they might encounter an even larger conspiracy. Therefore, for their own good, they had to leave as soon as possible.
Ghost Elder nodded upon hearing Su Xi's words.
Su Xi's opinion coincided with his.
Even if the Underworld had problems, it had nothing to do with him. What he needed to do most was to find a way to stay away from True Master Tiangang.
After all, True Master Tiangang had a tendency to attract trouble.