Chapter 2685: The Psycho City Lord

Jin Chen walked toward the main hall following yesterday's memory; the closer he got, the thicker the yin qi became.

The hall was empty and spacious; the eternal lamp emitted a faint green light, and a stooped ghostly figure in tattered official robes waited with its back to the door.

Hearing the footsteps, the ghost slowly turned around.

Jin Chen made out its appearance—a peculiarly shaped ghost, small and emaciated, with a severely bent spine; the skin around its left eye socket was torn and rotting, and from that hollow protruded a finely scaled snake head, its forked tongue flickering out intermittently with a hissing sound, the snake's eyes locked fixedly on Jin Chen.

Duyan Gui looked Jin Chen up and down, saw the dark‑red netherworld flower mark on his brow, pulled its rotting mouth into a sneer, and emitted a hoarse, weird sound from its throat, as if mocking the newcomer ghost who was about to die without realizing it.

Jin Chen: "Don't laugh."

Duyan Gui froze, and its forked tongue flicked out even faster.

Jin Chen continued: "It looks ugly when you laugh, and it's unpleasant to watch."

Duyan Gui: "……"

It had been drifting in Ghost City for years, climbing from a lowly lackey in the Outer City to being able to walk in the Inner City and even gain an audience with the City Lord—yet it had never suffered such a blatant insult to its face.

Especially being mocked by a newcomer ghost who bore a seven‑day urging talisman and was on the verge of soul scattering!

Duyan Gui let out a low growl, yin qi surging around it, fangs bared, its withered ghostly claws lunging straight for Jin Chen's throat.

Half an incense stick later.

Yin Chaosheng walked in slowly, and the ghost attendant reported respectfully, "My lord, Duyan Gui has something to report; it's waiting inside the hall……"

The ghost attendant stared blankly at the empty center of the great hall—there was no sign of Duyan Gui, only a puddle of foul‑smelling flesh ooze slowly writhing on the floor.

Jin Chen emerged leisurely from behind the screen, holding a plain white handkerchief, and slowly wiped his fingers as if he had just touched something unclean.

Seeing Yin Chaosheng, he gave a slight nod, "My lord."

Yin Chaosheng's gaze swept over the puddle of flesh, then returned to Jin Chen; his gorgeous eyes revealed no emotion.

"Where is Duyan Gui?"

Jin Chen's face turned grave, and he answered bluntly, "I don't know."

While speaking, he unintentionally stepped back half a pace, landing precisely on the edge of the flesh puddle that was struggling to coalesce, and applied a little pressure.

The barely formed flesh puddle collapsed again.

Flesh puddle: "……"

Yin Chaosheng raised an eyebrow, too lazy to investigate further, and flicked his sleeve.

A yin wind swept across the floor, and the flesh puddle quickly reassembled into the stooped form of Duyan Gui, its breath feeble, the black snake limp and drooping in its eye socket.

As soon as Duyan Gui regained its form, it immediately pointed at Jin Chen, opening its mouth to complain.

But Jin Chen beat him to it, raising a finger at Duyan Gui, indignant and aggrieved, "My lord, this wretch actually dared to call me ugly!"

Duyan Gui: "??"

He deliberately turned his face to the side, "My appearance is exactly what you personally brought back; for him to say I'm ugly isn't he questioning your taste?"

Duyan Gui: "???"

Yin Chaosheng's gaze fell once more on the netherworld flower mark on Jin Chen's brow, his eyebrows slightly knitting.

Normally this ghost seal would gradually bloom as the soul's power waned, and when it was fully open after seven days, that would be the time of soul scattering.

But the flower before him remained tightly budded, unchanged.

He couldn't help reaching out; his icy fingertip lightly brushed the dark‑red mark, meeting Jin Chen's calm gaze, yet he could discern nothing unusual for the moment.

He withdrew his hand, Yin Chaosheng sauntered to the main seat and sat down lazily, no longer bothering with the farce, and asked, "What are you here for?"

Jin Chen readily followed, standing at the lower side, his tone natural, "To serve you."

Yin Chaosheng narrowed his eyes slightly, his stunning visage exuding a threatening chill.

"You really aren't afraid of soul scattering in seven days, are you?"

Jin Chen lowered his head, letting his lashes fall to shield his eyes, "Afraid."

"Not afraid—this netherworld flower is for slaying fierce ghosts, and he's a living person."

"If you're to serve, then stand guard outside the hall." Yin Chaosheng said indifferently, obviously not intending to let him come closer.

But Jin Chen lifted his head, "My lord, I can attend you personally."

Yin Chaosheng's eyes narrowed, "What?"

The Duyan Gui beside them darted its gaze between the two, instinctively covering its ears with its withered hand, even the black snake in the socket retracting halfway.

Yin Chaosheng inexplicably recalled the strange sensation from yesterday's carriage and the bite on his lip; a nameless anger flared in his chest, and his voice grew colder, "You're really bold!"

Jin Chen was startled, then realized, "My lord, you misunderstood—I misspoke; I meant close‑attendance service."

Saying that, he casually moved to the side rear of Yin Chaosheng's chair, assuming the respectful posture of "eyes on the nose, nose on the heart."

Yin Chaosheng: "……"

"Damn it."

Yin Chaosheng grew somewhat irritated by his fickle words and deeds, snorted coldly, ignored him, and turned to the feeble Duyan Gui below, "What's the matter?"

Only then did Duyan Gui dare to lower its claws, suppressing its immense hatred for Jin Chen, and report respectfully, "My lord, the seal at Blue Altar… can barely hold. The three ghost generals sent yesterday to investigate all had their soul lamps extinguished—none returned."

"Perhaps… perhaps only you yourself going there can temporarily quell that surging resentment."

Jin Chen pricked up his ears, though his expression remained unchanged.

Upon hearing this, Yin Chaosheng showed little surprise, drawing from his bosom a bronze mirror that glowed with a faint light.

He placed his palm over the mirror's surface, closed his eyes, and sensed for a moment.

The mirror's surface faintly roiled with dark qi, as if something were trying to burst through.

After a moment, Yin Chaosheng opened his eyes, pressed his fingertips hard, and the bronze mirror shattered into powder in his palm; his scarlet lips curled as he said, "Delusional to think you can break out? Dream on."

Seeing that the lord had made up his mind, Duyan Gui dared not speak further, bowed, and withdrew.

As it passed Jin Chen, it threw a venomous glance his way, which Jin Chen pretended not to notice.

Yin Chaosheng headed toward the dark passage behind the hall, and Jin Chen hesitated briefly before following him.