“You’ve seen a Wenchang Noble, and you’ve even seen an Auspicious Noble?” Zhaoye counted on his fingers.
“How long has it been? You’ve already encountered two people with special destinies? And they’re alive?”
Chen Zhou replied, “I have indeed.”
Zhaoye took a deep breath and suddenly strode over to Chen Zhou, pressing his hands onto the boy's shoulders. His blurry face leaned in close—so close that Chen Zhou could see the flickering ghostly shadows within his pupils.
“Kid, tell me the truth.” Zhaoye’s voice turned uncharacteristically serious. “What on earth have you been doing this past year?”
“Your cultivation went from zero to the seventh-stage fifth symbiosis contract, your merit has accumulated into a golden wheel several zhang wide, and your followers have grown from a few refugees to tens of millions.”
“And you still had time to travel the world looking for people with special destinies?”
“Are you splitting every day into a year?”
Chen Zhou thought about it seriously before answering, “I was lucky.”
Zhaoye stared at him for several breaths before letting go and turning to Xuandu. “Xuandu, he says he was lucky.”
Xuandu said flatly, “He is indeed lucky.”
Zhaoye agonized over it for a while, and after finally calming his emotions, he spoke solemnly.
“Kid, an Auspicious Noble truly won’t do. The Auspicious Noble governs fortune; they gather the qi of heaven and earth, but they disperse their own personal blessings.”
“To put it simply, the core of the Auspicious Noble is sacrifice—sacrificing their own fortune to avert the calamities of others.”
“But the Zhaoye Ghost Mansion requires gathering—gathering the hearts of the people, gathering faith, and gathering the vows of tens of millions. It requires the support of many.”
“The Auspicious Noble cannot do this. The Moon Virtue and the Lucky Star are also slightly lacking.”
He paused and said with some regret, “If you do not have a Heavenly Noble, I’m afraid I cannot give the Zhaoye Ghost Mansion to your subordinate for the time being.”
Hearing this, Chen Zhou was not disappointed.
Being able to secure the Xuandu Ghost Mansion was already an unexpected windfall. While the Zhaoye Ghost Mansion was good, if the destiny didn't match, there was no point in forcing it.
He could look for a Heavenly Noble later.
“I understand, Senior,” Chen Zhou bowed slightly. “Thank you for being honest with me.”
Just then, the ground beneath his feet suddenly trembled.
In the center of the hall, countless dark-gold characters suddenly lit up. Light flowed down from the walls like golden streams, spreading across the floor along the patterns before surging toward him.
Chen Zhou looked down. The golden light converged and swirled beneath his feet before suddenly shooting upward and merging into his body.
A system notification rang in his mind.
【You have obtained a Heaven Grade special building—Eighth-Stage Wanchuan Pond: Black Sludge Pond.】
【This pond is a branch of the Wanchuan River once governed by the Northern Great Emperor. After the Wanchuan River dried up, the remaining waters flowed into this pond.】
【Black Sludge Boundary: By placing the Black Sludge Pond within your territory, a Black Sludge Boundary will be formed, covering the territory.】
【This boundary can block enemy invasions; attacks below the eighth-stage cannot penetrate it. The black sludge on the surface can devour the death qi and vitality of invaders to nourish the territory.】
【Note: The Black Sludge Boundary is affected by the status of the territory and the rank of the lord. It cannot block targets that exceed its limit.】
...
【Wanchuan Fishing: Subordinate gods can fish in the Black Sludge Pond. There is a certain probability of catching inheritance items deposited in the Wanchuan River.】
【Including but not limited to: Divine Path techniques, ancient divine weapons, heavenly treasures, and godhead fragments.】
【Fishing results are affected by the fisher's own cultivation and fortune. The fishing mechanism follows the rules of the Wanchuan River; results cannot be forced or coveted. Those above the seventh-stage can fish once per major rank.】
...
【Underworld Passage: The Black Sludge Pond is connected to the Great Emperor's Palace. Those who hold the Five Direction Ghost Decrees can freely enter and exit the Great Emperor's Palace through the Black Sludge Pond.】
...
【Death Qi Nourishing: The death qi within the Black Sludge Pond is extremely dense, making it suitable for evil spirits to cultivate. Placing the Black Sludge Pond in your territory will slowly increase the cultivation speed and recovery speed of all evil spirit subordinates within the territory.】
...
【Note: The Black Sludge Pond has been bound to your divine soul and can be moved and placed at your will. Once placed, its position cannot be changed easily. Please choose carefully.】
Chen Zhou let out a slow breath after reading the system notifications.
A Heaven Grade special building.
It could defend, provide cultivation benefits, allow for fishing, and serve as a portal.
He hadn't even obtained the Northern Great Emperor’s inheritance yet, but the "gift" included with it was already at this level.
Zhaoye saw the golden light flashing on him and smiled. “The fragment of the Wanchuan River has recognized you as its master. From now on, you can return to the Great Emperor's Palace at any time through this Black Sludge Pond.”
“Kid, you’ve already obtained two ghost decrees. The Great Emperor's Palace has chosen you as its temporary vessel, and part of the Wanchuan River belongs to you.”
“As for the remaining three ghost mansions—Suwei, Dongming, and Zongshe—I suggest you return to challenge them after you reach the ninth-stage.”
Xuandu nodded in agreement. “Zhaoye is right.”
“Suwei governs slaughter, Dongming governs judgment, and Zongshe governs the core authority of the Great Emperor. The trials of these three mansions are not something your current cultivation can handle.”
“Though you are blessed with towering fortune, the gap in realms is too large. If you try to force your way through, you will be heavily injured at best, or have your divine soul extinguished at worst.”
Chen Zhou listened intently and bowed solemnly. “I will keep that in mind. I will return to visit you both once I break through to the ninth-stage.”
Zhaoye grinned and patted his shoulder. “Go on then. Cultivate well and stay alive. The world outside is still waiting for you to clean it up.”
Xuandu also showed a rare, faint smile. Although it was fleeting, the Seven Evils all saw it.
The fat ghost whispered to his companion in the back, “Did you see that? Master smiled!”
The thin ghost replied, “Shut up. Don't let Master hear you.”
Xuandu’s gaze swept over them, and the two evil ghosts immediately straightened their backs, looking straight ahead.
Chen Zhou bowed once more to the two Ghost Emperors.
The scene before him began to blur. The dark-gold hall twisted in his vision like a painting soaked in water, the colors bleeding away layer by layer.
Zhaoye’s voice came from far away, carrying a hint of amusement and sentiment.
“Kid, next time you come, remember to bring some good wine from the outside. The Great Emperor's Palace is great and all, but there's nothing to drink.”
Xuandu’s voice followed immediately. “Don't listen to him. Alcohol is forbidden in the Great Emperor's Palace. This was the rule set by the Great Emperor himself.”
“Rules are dead, but people are alive!”
“You’re a Ghost Emperor; you’ve been dead as a doornail since an eon ago.”
“You—”
Their voices drifted further and further away until they vanished completely.
Chen Zhou felt his body floating upward. The surrounding darkness thinned from thick to sparse, then from sparse to transparent, and then he opened his eyes.
Before him was the familiar purple-red sky, the familiar grayish-white bone-ash earth, and a black shadow shaped like a little pig hurtling toward his face at incredible speed.
“Oink—!”
The little pig slammed into Chen Zhou’s chest, the force nearly knocking him back into the pond.
Its short limbs scrambled frantically at his robes, its snout burrowing into his chest, and its tail wagging like a propeller. It let out a rapid series of oinks that sounded like it was both scolding and crying.
Chen Zhou leaned back from the force of the pig's assault and pressed his hand against the round head. “Alright, alright. I’m fine.”
Rate on N.U.
