The next day, south of the city, Gouzhong Tower.
Gouzhong Tower was not a single building, but a complex of buildings. It stood near the territory of the Ghost King clan in the south of the city, serving as the place where the ten great ghost clans of Fengdu City usually gathered for meetings and discussions. All buildings were constructed of white stone, with outer walls covered in various patterns in bright, vivid colors, creating a magnificent and imposing atmosphere.
By the beginning of the Rat hour, over a thousand ghost cultivators had already gathered outside.
Due to the recent defeat at the Ghost Gate battle, the atmosphere in the extreme realm was not very good. Combined with various heart-stirring “rumors” coming from the front lines at Mao City, some people’s hearts in Fengdu City were inevitably wavering in secret.
So when gathering before this building, everyone whispered among themselves.
Standing among the crowd from the Wuchang clan, Jian Chou observed the ghost cultivators from other ghost clans around her, estimating their realms and combat power, while also secretly listening to their discussions.
After a night had passed, still no one knew what this recruitment was really for, much less where they would go if selected.
Compared to previous times, most people’s enthusiasm was not very high.
Although there was currently no clear message from the Eight Directions Yama Hall, one could guess that recruiting ghost soldiers at such a time should be to deal with the Nineteen Continents. Moreover, with such high cultivation requirements for ghost cultivators, it was very likely not an easy assignment.
“I hope I won’t be selected. With so many experts here, someone with cultivation like mine shouldn’t be chosen.”
“Who can say for sure?”
“Yes, that Lihan has a strange temperament. Back when he was in the Ghost King clan, he was already cold and ruthless. After becoming a judge, his methods haven’t been any gentler than the dead-faced Zhang Tang. I heard Zhang Tang disappeared, and he just happened to emerge from seclusion. At this critical moment, the timing is too coincidental. Clearly, Lord Qin Guang relies on him most now. Sigh, why did they have to send him of all people to make the selection?”
“There’s no need to worry so much. When selecting ghost cultivators, several elders from the ghost clans will also participate in the selection together. I heard they discuss and choose together.”
“In any case, those with higher cultivation should be more likely to be selected…”
…
“Lihan’s” reputation in the extreme realm could actually be compared to the dead-faced Zhang Tang. How detestable and annoying he was could be seen clearly.
Listening, Jian Chou couldn’t help but ponder for a moment.
Fu Chaosheng was born a great demon, naturally possessing supreme evil demonic nature. The principle of “survival of the fittest” was deeply ingrained in the memories formed by his clan’s condensation. Whether killing people or destroying things, he never considered them evil, nor would he feel the slightest guilt. So although he seemed more peaceful than Zhang Tang on the surface, his inner temperament was absolutely more indifferent than Zhang Tang’s.
In a certain sense, he was indeed more terrifying than Zhang Tang.
But this didn’t seem to be a bad thing.
Withdrawing her gaze from surveying the surroundings, Jian Chou looked up at the connected three-story buildings before her. She could faintly see long staircases bridging between the second and third floors, with several figures walking across those stairs and ascending to the third floor.
Soon, loud bell sounds rang out from before the building.
A young ghost cultivator in black robes walked out, with a sharp black horn growing from the top of his head. He should have already cultivated his dharma body, reaching the “Golden Body” realm. His attitude toward everyone seemed quite contemptuous. Without even looking at them, he said: “Starting with the Ghost King clan, in order, ten people at a time come in.”
The ten great ghost clans naturally had their ranking order. The Ghost King clan had always ranked first, and moreover, this recruitment was presided over by Lihan, who was from the Ghost King clan. Having the Ghost King clan go first was naturally beyond reproach.
Immediately, ten ghost cultivators stepped forward and entered the building.
Almost everyone’s gaze fell on these ten people. Through the gaps between the second and third floors, they watched them ascend to the third floor. After a short while, only seven came out, clearly leaving three behind. These three came down from another side but remained in the building.
These seven were obviously somewhat confused. When questioned by the crowd after coming out about what the selection criteria actually were, they knew nothing at all. They only said that after entering, they paid respects to Lihan and several other elders, then had a wisp of soul essence taken by a small bowl. Those whose bowls glowed green were not taken; among those that glowed blue, only those with higher cultivation were kept.
The three who were selected were all experts at the Golden Body realm.
“Taking soul essence?”
“What kind of bowl is that?”
“From this perspective, even if one meets the requirements, those with low cultivation probably can’t get in. I’m only at Jade Nirvana, so I probably don’t need to worry.”
“That makes sense, I probably can’t get in either…”
…
Just from these ten people’s experience, everyone could see some clues and began discussing. The ghost cultivators who continuously entered and came out afterward further verified everyone’s guesses step by step.
The pace was not slow, and soon it was the Wuchang clan’s turn.
In Jian Chou’s group of ten people, there were six male cultivators and four female cultivators.
As they were about to enter the building, Xue Yin said nothing, but the other two female cultivators clearly laughed mockingly, looking at Jian Chou with obvious gloating.
Needless to say, they wanted to see Lian Zhao make a fool of herself.
Such opportunities were truly rare.
Not just them—
The moment Jian Chou, ranked last, walked out from the Wuchang clan’s area, the surroundings immediately fell quiet.
All the whispering disappeared completely.
Silence came suddenly.
This was actually something no one had expected. After all, when they knew it was the Wuchang clan’s turn, they had turned their attention, secretly watching. When they saw Lian Zhao walk out, they instinctively held their breath, wanting to see what would happen next.
Since everyone did the same thing, naturally it became quiet immediately.
In this Fengdu City, who hadn’t heard of Lian Zhao?
Being famous for beauty to some extent also meant being notorious. Male cultivators all lusted after her seductive and charming body, while female cultivators despised her frivolous behavior. But whether it was covetousness or jealousy, few people truly liked her.
So when she threw herself at Lihan and lost all face back then, it became a laughingstock known to everyone.
Today, it was precisely Lihan presiding over the recruitment!
The recruitment order had clearly stated that cultivation must be at least Jade Nirvana, meaning this recruitment very likely needed experts among ghost cultivators.
But what was she?
Her cultivation was barely at Jade Nirvana, and she had caused that laughable incident back then.
Any normal person would probably be too ashamed to even register their name.
But she actually came brazenly, as if the incident of being thrown to the ground back then had never happened, acting like nothing was wrong!
Everyone wanted to see her performance and guess her purpose.
But contrary to everyone’s expectations, Lian Zhao at this moment was unusually calm, showing neither the shyness of someone about to see their beloved nor the embarrassment of recalling past humiliation.
Her entire person even seemed cold.
Even…
One could clearly see that her mood was not very good.
Her face even gave people a dazed feeling, looking ahead yet seeming to see nothing.
Though it wasn’t a particularly special expression, it somehow made everyone think of the rumors from these past two days: that Xiao Mou, who had been bullied by Lian Zhao and never resisted or spoke up, had actually loved her desperately in private…
Between the two of them, Xiao Mou had higher cultivation.
But in the Ghost Gate battle, Lian Zhao returned alive, only injured, while Xiao Mou died. Seeing Lian Zhao’s pale and dazed appearance now, it was hard not to wonder what had happened between them.
But before everyone could observe more carefully, the female cultivator in loose black robes had already entered the building with the other nine people.
Her figure moved through the gaps between buildings, becoming indistinct.
Step by step, approaching the third floor, the place for selection, and also where Lihan was located.
Jian Chou and Fu Chaosheng had planned this.
Qu Zhengfeng chose to attack the extreme realm together with most cultivators from the Nineteen Continents, no longer exploring the extreme realm with her. For her to fight alone was ultimately dangerous. And Fu Chaosheng had once impersonated Lihan, and when leaving the extreme realm back then, he only claimed to be going into seclusion, precisely so that if he ever returned to the extreme realm, his identity could be useful.
So she had requested “Lihan” to emerge from seclusion.
Compared to Xiao Mou, whom Qu Zhengfeng had impersonated, Lihan’s identity as a Grand Judge was obviously more useful. The information he could investigate would be more, and the power he wielded was incomparable to Xiao Mou, a mere small ghost cultivator from the Wuchang clan.
However, this identity was also more dangerous.
Fu Chaosheng had not contacted her these past days, so she temporarily didn’t know his specific situation. But she figured that with his Bimoku Universe eyes, he should know something about her situation and could respond accordingly.
The stairs were long and somewhat narrow. When people walked on them, they would actually feel steep.
Jian Chou was right behind Xue Yin, precisely the sixth person among these ten.
The entire third floor of the building was constructed extremely spaciously, with bright colorful paintings on the walls and beams, revealing a primitive roughness.
Upon ascending, one could immediately see four people sitting in the center.
Two on the left, one on the right, all appearing elderly, wearing different clothes but all with dark gold demon patterns embroidered on their lapels.
All were elders of the ghost clans.
The two on the left were elders from the Day Wandering clan and Night Wandering clan; the one on the right was an elder from the Ghost King clan.
As for the fourth person sitting in the middle, without question, he was naturally the Grand Judge presiding over this recruitment, “Lihan.”
Compared to the elders on either side, he looked very young.
He wasn’t wearing official robes like Zhang Tang always did. He wore a heavy-colored navy blue long robe. His cold features carried a hint of gloominess, and when his dark blue eyes, like glass, moved, they only gave people a spine-chilling sense of oppression.
As soon as the ten people ascended, his gaze turned over.
At this moment, no one dared to look directly at him. Almost instinctively, the moment they met his gaze, they lowered their heads and bowed in unison: “We pay respects to Lord Lihan and all the elders.”
Only Jian Chou was an exception.
She first raised her eyes to look calmly at “Lihan” for a moment, then calmly bowed, obviously half a beat slower than the others.
When others were so uniform, her behavior naturally stood out extremely, immediately drawing the attention of the three elders.
They couldn’t help but look over.
Originally thinking it was just someone with slow reactions, when they looked, they suddenly laughed: “Isn’t this Lian Zhao? She actually came too.”
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but curse silently in their hearts.
Xue Yin especially felt in her heart that Lian Zhao was deliberately using this half-beat-slow action to attract the attention of those above, especially Lihan’s attention.
Because she had used this trick back then!
It was almost exactly the same now!
She could almost visualize in her mind Lian Zhao’s next moment of raising her head with a charming smile, pretending to be shy while speaking to Lihan.
However, contrary to her expectations, it didn’t happen!
Facing the Ghost King clan elder’s question that couldn’t be distinguished as surprise or mockery, Jian Chou’s face showed no expression at all, appearing extremely calm. She only stood with everyone else, maintaining the respectful posture, saying nothing.
This made everyone somewhat surprised.
The Ghost King clan elder named Li Yan had heard about this female cultivator Lian Zhao from the Wuchang clan’s behavior, and because Lihan was from their Ghost King clan, he was also very clear about that widely spread “old matter” from back then.
Originally, he wanted to make a joke, but who would have thought the other party wouldn’t respond.
The atmosphere immediately became somewhat strange.
Li Yan directed his gaze toward “Lihan.”
“Lihan,” or rather Fu Chaosheng, at this time had not yet moved his gaze away from Jian Chou.
Although he had already seen her disguised like this through his Bimoku eyes, it was different from seeing with his own eyes. Now that he saw her, he inevitably felt a strange and unfamiliar sensation.
It was uncomfortable.
That snow-white skin combined with the jet-black robes – clearly the old friend he knew, but the whiteness was so dazzling that he wanted to look away, yet couldn’t quite manage to do so.