Sun Bu Er's face immediately turned grim upon hearing this.
A thousand-year-old Ghost King Vine with sentience was incredibly cunning. Trying to lie to it would be like bringing a knife to a gunfight.
Zi Lin Ling, with a smile that was neither a smile nor not a smile, produced a black pill and continued, "This thousand-year-old Ghost King Vine is now my spirit beast. If it determines that you are lying, then this Divine Grade Nine Connect Nine Break Bone Shattering Pill will be your reward."
The words "Divine Grade Nine Connect Nine Break Bone Shattering Pill" caused Sun Bu Er's expression to change drastically.
"I'll talk, I'll talk! His Majesty is in closed-door cultivation in the Ghost Cave!"
"The Ghost Cave? Where is that?"
A sharp glint flashed across Zi Lin Ling's eyes as she asked coldly.
Sun Bu Er quickly replied, "Beneath the Emperor's Hall!"
"Very well! Take me there!"
Zi Lin Ling, through her thoughts, instructed the Ghost King Vine to release Sun Bu Er's feet.
Ever since the Ghost King Vine entered the nascent world, it had been completely obedient to its master, Zi Lin Ling.
Thus, it followed Zi Lin Ling's orders and released Sun Bu Er's feet, but the vines binding him did not loosen in the slightest.
Zi Lin Ling warned, "Sun... Bu Er, you'd best not play any tricks, or you'll wish you could die but be unable to, and wish you could live but be unable to!"
Sun Bu Er nodded and, without his feet touching the ground, flew ahead to lead the way.
Half an hour later, the four of them landed on the ground, and before them appeared a grand hall.
On the plaque above the hall's entrance, three characters, written in a ghastly manner, read—Emperor's Hall!
Sun Bu Er rejoiced in his heart and, without his feet touching the ground, rushed towards the Emperor's Hall.
As long as he entered the Emperor's Hall, he could temporarily sever Zi Lin Ling's control over the thousand-year-old Ghost King Vine.
This way, he could combine the strength of the ten Great Ghost Messengers to annihilate the thousand-year-old Ghost King Vine. Then, they could collectively deal with Zi Lin Ling and her two companions.
Unfortunately, imagination was beautiful, but reality was cruel.
How could Sun Bu Er's little scheme escape Zi Lin Ling's notice?
Zi Lin Ling let out a cold laugh, stretched out her hand, and the Ghost King Vine binding Sun Bu Er directly grew longer, landing in her palm.
Sun Bu Er was only one step away from entering the Emperor's Hall, but no matter how hard he struggled, he could not move an inch.
He looked back and only then realized that Zi Lin Ling was pulling him back.
What was terrifying was that that slender hand seemed to possess infinite strength, and no matter how hard Sun Bu Er tried, he could not break free.
Zi Lin Ling teased, "Trying to run?"
Sun Bu Er felt bitter. Even on his own territory, he was still a captive. How incompetent was he?
Since he couldn't escape, he could only notify Chu He Zhou and the other nine to come out.
Sun Bu Er chuckled, deliberately raising his voice, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. I just wanted to notify my brothers so they could come out to welcome our three guests!"
Shen Liu Xing sarcastically remarked, "Welcome us? Are you welcoming us, or coming to save you?"
His thoughts exposed, Sun Bu Er no longer hid anything, "You'd best let me go, or else, hehe..."
Old Du stepped forward, disdainfully asking, "Or else what?"
"Or else..."
"Or else your lives will be forfeit!"
As soon as Sun Bu Er started speaking, a voice cut him off.
As the voice fell, nine figures emerged from the Emperor's Hall.
If Ye Zhan were present, he would recognize Chu He Zhou as the leader, and his old acquaintance Sai Wei was also among them.
Indeed, these nine were the Ghost Domain's Ten Great Ghost Messengers: Number One Chu He Zhou, Number Two Shi Liu Xiang, Number Three Qiao Mu, Number Four He Miao, Number Five Qing Kun, Number Six Fan Si Ren, Number Seven Zhao Ci, and Number Nine Sai Wei.
Among them, Chu He Zhou was at the Half-step God Lord Realm. Shi Liu Xiang and Qiao Mu were peak God King Realm powerhouses. He Miao, Qing Kun, and Fan Si Ren were late God King Realm powerhouses. Zhao Ci and Sai Wei were mid God King Realm powerhouses.
Zi Lin Ling said with a smile, "You are the infamous Ten Great Ghost Messengers, aren't you?"
Chu He Zhou said coldly, "Since you know who we are, why haven't you released our Eighth Brother?"
"Release him? Certainly! However, you must offer something in exchange!" Zi Lin Ling said with a smile.
Chu He Zhou raised an eyebrow and asked coldly, "What thing?"
Zi Lin Ling snorted, "The Gate of Hell!"
"You're playing us!" Shi Liu Xiang exclaimed angrily.
An artifact like the Gate of Hell was personally guarded by the Ghost Emperor. Even with all their abilities, the ten brothers would not dare to lay their hands on it.
"Playing you?"
Zi Lin Ling shook her head, "How can this be called playing you? If I were to ask you to bring the Ghost Emperor's head as an exchange, then that would truly be playing you!"
"You..."
Apart from Chu He Zhou, the other eight Great Ghost Messengers were so enraged that their teeth clenched, and they were about to attack Zi Lin Ling and her two companions.
Chu He Zhou waved his hand, signaling them not to act rashly, and said with a dangerous gaze, "Young lady, if you can release our Eighth Brother, then I will not pursue your intrusion into the Ghost Domain today, how about that?"
"Not how about it!" Zi Lin Ling said calmly.
Chu He Zhou sneered, "Young lady, you are being unreasonable. Are you forcing us to act?"
Zi Lin Ling snorted, "Act? It's not that I look down on you, but if you truly want to fight, the ten of you are not worthy!"
"Is that so?"
Chu He Zhou laughed in anger and said, "Third, Fourth, Fifth, the task is yours!"
"Yes, Elder Brother!"
Qiao Mu, He Miao, and Qing Kun responded and disdainfully stood opposite Zi Lin Ling and her two companions.
Qiao Mu faced the late God King Realm expert Old Du, while He Miao and Qing Kun respectively attacked Shen Liu Xing and Zi Lin Ling.
Zi Lin Ling did not even raise an eyelid, ignoring Qing Kun's presence, and said, "I advise you to come at me together!"
Ignored, Qing Kun was instantly provoked and threw a punch towards Zi Lin Ling.
He Miao and Qiao Mu simultaneously attacked Shen Liu Xing and Old Du.
Zi Lin Ling shook her head helplessly and said, "Since you are so eager to seek death, there is nothing I can do!"
"God Slaying Formation, rise!"
A fierce killing array rose in response, trapping all nine Great Ghost Messengers within it.
If Sun Bu Er had not been tightly bound by the Ghost King Vine, he would have been trapped as well.
This killing array was secretly set up by Old Du while Zi Lin Ling was confronting Chu He Zhou and the nine others.
As for the formation diagram of the God Slaying Formation, it came from the memories of the Formation Master Wanyan Lie, which Old Du had merged with.
Of course, Old Du did not keep it to himself and also passed the formation diagram to Zi Lin Ling.
As the God Slaying Formation activated, the attacks of Qiao Mu, He Miao, and Qing Kun all landed on the formation, were reflected back by the formation, and were borne by themselves.
Zi Lin Ling, Old Du, and Shen Liu Xing calmly retreated.
Chu He Zhou and the others, trapped within the formation, suddenly changed their expressions.
Zi Lin Ling and her companions had been within their sight all along; when exactly was the formation set up?
Little did they know, among the three people standing before them, two were Royal Grade Formation Masters. Setting up a formation under their noses was as easy as lifting a finger.