“The First Ancestor of the Yu family has arrived!”
“It’s over, it’s over! Our Zhou family has no strength left to turn the tide!”
“Damn it, even if we die, we’ll take a few Yu family members down with us!”
Sensing the powerful aura, the Zhou family members were plunged into despair. Many had already thought of retreating, but a few, desperate, had their eyes red with bloodlust.
In stark contrast to the Zhou family, the Yu family members were all exhilarated and relieved.
“The Ancestor has finally arrived. Zhou Yuhu is definitely going to die now!”
“The Zhou family people have truly dared to provoke our Yu family!”
“Zhou Yuhu, surrender and we’ll spare your life!”
The situation within the Languang Pavilion had become one-sided. The Zhou family was routed, while the Yu family grew more courageous with every battle.
Zhou Yuhu’s expression was grim. He was even contemplating abandoning his descendants and fleeing alone. After all, as long as he lived, there would be a chance to rebuild. The most important thing for a Ghost King family was the Ghost King itself; descendants could be regenerated.
However, before Zhou Yuhu could make up his mind, a gust of chilling wind blew in, smashing open the locked windows of the Languang Pavilion with a bang!
Upon seeing this, Yu Jinhong laughed heartily, “Zhou Yuhu, my elder brother is here. Let’s see how you die this time!”
Zhou Yuhu gritted his teeth and made his decision. He turned into a mass of ghostly energy, attempting to escape. However, before his ghostly energy could reach the sky, it was enveloped by another mass of ghostly energy!
In the next second, Zhou Yuhu reappeared in his original form. However, he was being strangled by another giant, who pressed him firmly to the ground!
This newly appeared Ghost King was a staggering ten meters tall, his head nearly touching the ceiling! He wore a black robe, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes burned with a spectral blue fire. The arms that emerged from his black robe were incredibly thick, their grip on Zhou Yuhu’s neck leaving the formidable Ghost King with no room to resist!
He was the Yu family’s foremost Ghost King, Yu Jinhong’s elder brother, Yu Jinbo!
Yu Jinbo’s expression was somber, his eyes filled with disappointment. He coldly questioned, “Zhou Yuhu, how dare you?!”
In the past, when the Zhou family was weak, it was Yu Jinbo who had elevated them to their current position. Yet, he never expected that the first person to betray him would be Zhou Yuhu!
Zhou Yuhu, already weakened by Yu Jinhong, now fell into the hands of the powerful Yu Jinbo. Knowing he had no escape, he could only let out a cold laugh:
“Yu Jinbo, there’s no need for you to feign regret. We both know what kind of people we are. You destroyed the Liu family through your schemes back then, and now you would scheme to destroy my Zhou family. If I didn’t prepare for contingencies, wouldn’t I be at your mercy in the future?”
Yu Jinbo’s anger flared, “Is this your reason for secretly cultivating Ghost Kings?”
“What else?” Zhou Yuhu sneered dismissively.
Yu Jinhong stepped forward and said, “Big brother, no need to waste words with Zhou Yuhu. Just eat him directly! The soul of a Ghost King is a rare sight, we brothers are blessed today!” Yu Jinhong had been craving Zhou Yuhu for a long time, and upon learning of Zhou Yuhu’s treachery, he was ecstatic and had been waiting for a feast.
At this moment, Yu Jinbo had utterly lost all hope in Zhou Yuhu. Although he knew that the situation in Qiantang could not remain static forever, he had predicted that the first to cause trouble would be Shen Shuzhen or the Yao family, but he never expected it to be Zhou Yuhu.
Grief surpasses death. Yu Jinbo, a hundred-year-old ghost who had weathered many storms, did not hesitate. He directly crushed Zhou Yuhu’s soul!
Zhou Yuhu’s soul struggled in Yu Jinbo’s grasp, but despite being a Ghost King himself, Yu Jinbo’s power was far superior to his. Zhou Yuhu was utterly incapable of resisting!
Before he could even utter a final threat, Zhou Yuhu’s soul shattered, turning into a sky full of essence!
Yu Jinhong, ravenous, opened his mouth and began to devour Zhou Yuhu’s essence madly.
When a person dies, they become a ghost. The consciousness of a ghost after death transforms into ‘聻’ (jiàn), while their power becomes essence. The essence of a Ghost King was so rich it resembled a small downpour. Such power was not common. The lesser ghosts of the Yu family below were also eager, but they dared not contend until Yu Jinbo and Yu Jinhong gave their assent.
“Ancestor!!!”
With Zhou Yuhu’s soul dispersed, all members of the Zhou family looked on in despair. Zhou Rong, in particular, fell to his knees, his face etched with deep fear. Rebels in ancient times were executed. Now, with Zhou Yuhu dead, the fate of the Zhou family would only be more tragic! Death was not the end, hence suffering had no end. One could only imagine how the Yu family would torment the Zhou family.
“Arrest all the Zhou family members for me!” Yu Jinbo commanded coldly.
The Yu family’s forces immediately moved, and the Zhou family, not daring to resist, could only be led away.
As Yu Jinhong continued to absorb Zhou Yuhu’s essence, he said, “Big brother, Ghost King essence is rare. Won’t you try some?”
Yu Jinbo sighed and shook his head, “Your foundation is unstable. It’s better to leave it all for you. This bit of essence from Zhou Yuhu is of no use to me.”
“Then I won’t be polite!” Yu Jinhong was even happier.
Yu Jinbo said, “Leave some for the juniors.”
“Juniors? They can absorb what’s left of mine! As long as we are alive, the Yu family will not fall. Who cares about the juniors?” Yu Jinhong showed no regard for the younger generation of the Yu family.
Hearing this, Yu Jinbo shook his head helplessly. His younger brother, though a Ghost King, was simple-minded and short-sighted. Fortunately, the Yu family had him as its pillar. Yu Jinhong only needed to hold the fort. Indeed, Yu Jinbo’s ability to elevate the Yu family to its current status and maintain its prominence for so many years required not only strength but also intellect, something Yu Jinhong lacked.
Despite killing Zhou Yuhu and capturing the Zhou family, Yu Jinhong felt no joy. Zhou Yuhu had been a key supporter, and his actions today were akin to severing a disobedient limb. While it removed a hidden danger, it also removed his support.
Yu Jinbo frowned and patted Yu Jinhong’s shoulder. “Let me ask you, do you have sufficient evidence for the Zhou family’s rebellion?”
“Of course!” Yu Jinhong replied. “Didn’t you hear? Zhou Yuhu himself admitted it!”
“But I feel that things happened too suddenly, as if they were deliberately manipulated by someone,” Yu Jinbo said.
Yu Jinhong saw no issue with the situation. He said, “Zhou Yuhu was secretly cultivating Ghost Kings to replace us Yu family. However, fate intervened. His collusion with the Maoshan disciples was discovered, which led to his plan being exposed prematurely. We ambushed this place and caught them red-handed. Zhou Yuhu no longer concealed his intentions and directly attacked. Who would have thought that the new Ghost King he relied on as his trump card would arrive at the Languang Pavilion already heavily wounded, barely alive, and dissipating into nothingness after only a few words, and then you arrived…”
“Wait!”
Yu Jinbo interrupted Yu Jinhong, his brow furrowed as he questioned, “You said Zhou Yuhu colluded with Maoshan disciples. Where is that Maoshan disciple?”
Yu Jinhong faltered, “The Maoshan disciple… this…”
“Also, why was the Ghost King Zhou Yuhu summoned heavily wounded and on the verge of death? Who was it that attacked that Ghost King?”
Finally, Yu Jinhong also realized the crux of the problem. Zhou Yuhu’s intent to rebel was true, but it was evident that there was a third party involved between the Yu and Zhou families. This third party had accelerated the Zhou family’s rebellion; they were the true manipulator of the entire affair!!!