Chapter 2707: The Mad City Lord's

In Ghost City, time flowed; in the blink of an eye, twelve days had passed.

In the Yang Realm, a new round of awakening was imminent.

Perhaps due to successive illusion trials, this time even the usually composed Zang Huaian betrayed a faint reluctance in his expression.

Just yesterday afternoon, he had promised his junior fellow disciple that, when free, he would teach him the advanced technique he had failed to master years ago.

Although he knew his junior fellow disciple had already become a ghost, warmth and regret still tugged at his heart.

However, yin and yang are separated, the boundary clear, not something mortal strength can easily overturn.

Forcibly detaining a yang soul in the Ghost Domain only damages the soul, possibly causing it to dissipate.

What surprised Jin Chen slightly was that this time, Yin Chaosheng appeared unusually calm, showing none of the previous murderous fury, merely standing silently to the side watching him.

It seemed as if all intense emotions, all obsession and madness, had been fully vented that night when they left the imperial palace jar and clung tightly together in the netherworld silkworm cocoon.

Ghost City's night was dark as ink; Yin Chaosheng stood before the window of the sleeping hall, gazing at the unchanging, pale moonlight outside.

At zi hour, as the formation's power began to draw the yang soul back to its place, he also watched Jin Chen's soul gradually turn translucent, returning to its mortal body.

The hall fell silent again.

Yin Chaosheng stood alone in the same spot, motionless for a long time.

Then he slowly walked to the bedside, lay down, and buried himself deep in the bedding still retaining Jin Chen's body heat and scent; the fragrance that soothed and entranced him filled his nostrils, and the lingering, unresolved thought that had repeatedly troubled him finally became utterly resolute.

Yang Realm, Imperial Merchant Ke Zhan.

Jolted awake from deep sleep, the heaviness of returning to flesh made several people frown in discomfort.

Fu Lingjing had barely opened his eyes when he spat out a mouthful of dark red stagnant blood.

The twelve days of torment in Ghost City, especially the crushing defeat and severe injury on the Nightmare Altar, had also visited a strong backlash upon his physical body.

Fu Lingjing swung his legs off the bed, his face ashen as paper, yet his eyes burned with humiliation and rage as he stumbled toward the National Teacher's quarters.

He intended to expose!

Expose the scandal of Jin Chen colluding with Ghost City Lord Yin Chaosheng! And there's also a secret collusion!

However, when he rushed to the National Teacher, opened his mouth, and tried to utter the accusations bottled up in his chest, he horrified to find that he could not utter a single word about 'the matter of Jin Chen and Yin Chaosheng's relationship'.

"Jin Chen he… he and…" Fu Lingjing's face flushed red, veins bulging, yet as if his throat were strangled, he could not get the words out no matter how hard he tried.

The National Teacher's disciple frowned at his state and impatiently asked, "Young Master Fu, what exactly do you want to say?"

"I… I…" Fu Lingjing tried in vain, sweating profusely from anxiety, but the words at his lips turned into meaningless breaths.

He abruptly turned his head, horrified, gazing at Jin Chen, who was calmly tidying his robes.

Jin Chen felt his gaze, calmly returned it; his amber eyes held no emotion, yet Fu Lingjing instantly felt as if plunged into an ice cellar.

Fu Lingjing broke out in a cold sweat, mentally shouting: "Immortal! Immortal! What is going on? What did Jin Chen do? Why can't I speak? How is he so powerful? Even you can't handle this?!"

In his mind, the immortal's voice fell silent for a moment, then said: "Shut up! Idiot! Go provoke him, give him some trouble—better than anything!"

Fu Lingjing: "..."

He felt like vomiting blood! What kind of damn advice is this?!

The National Teacher's mood was also terrible.

She had deliberately arranged another team to enter Ghost City together with Jin Chen's quartet, intending to create competition, dampen Jin Chen's spirit, and let him know there are always greater heights.

Who knew it wouldn't suppress Jin Chen but instead caused Black Wing to defect, leaving Fu Lingjing and his two companions crushed and disheveled.

Now wanting Jin Chen to truthfully report the many secrets he had uncovered in Ghost City, Jin Chen lounged against the chairback, sipping hot tea, tapping his fingers on the table as he set his terms.

"Trade your secrets for mine."

The National Teacher's face turned ashen.

She held a high position, wielded authority, and had never been threatened by a mere upstart from the martial world like this.

To have her exchange imperial and National Teacher Pavilion secrets for intelligence was utterly disgraceful!

For a moment, both sides reached a stalemate.

Jin Chen rested in Ke Zhan for three days, regulating his breath and meditating; he would occasionally think of Yin Chaosheng, wondering what method and when the inscrutable Ghost King would appear in the Yang Realm to seek him.

Given Yin Chaosheng's nature, he would certainly not wait passively for the next Ghost City opening.

Yet Jin Chen never expected that the first to come knocking would not be Yin Chaosheng, but an edict from the inner palace.

On the third afternoon, orderly footsteps and sharp chanting came from outside Ke Zhan.

A middle-aged eunuch with a pale, beardless face, dressed in inner-attendant uniform, escorted by the Imperial Guard, holding a bright yellow silk scroll, strode straight into Ke Zhan and fixed his gaze on Jin Chen.

"His Majesty has an edict! Summon Divination Dao Sect disciple Jin Chen to enter the palace immediately for an audience!"

Everyone inside Ke Zhan stared in shock.

The National Teacher also frowned slightly, wondering why His Majesty suddenly wanted to see Jin Chen.

The eunuch paused, his face showing a strange expression, then continued: "Princess Chiyin has been bedridden for five years; just recently her phoenix constitution recovered and she awoke. Hearing of Young Hero Jin Chen's name, Her Highness specially requested His Majesty's permission to summon Jin Chen to the palace… to keep her company and converse."

After the edict was proclaimed, Ke Zhan fell into silence.

All eyes turned to Jin Chen, filled with surprise and doubt, and… an indescribable subtlety.

Does the City Lord know that the Princess will take a liking to Jin Chen!

How thrilling.

Jin Chen took the heavy silk scroll, rubbed the silk with his fingertip, and raised an eyebrow.

Princess Chiyin, after waking from a five-year coma, specifically requested his presence in the palace to accompany her.

How strange.