Chapter 489

After patrolling every corner of Nanxiang County and finding nothing unusual, Hua Changxi arrived at the county seat.

Ever since the Zhuque Army took over the county seat, the motley assortment of cultivators who had been stirring up trouble inside the city had calmed down, and those who had wanted to "profit from the chaos" either fled far away or kept their heads down.

The number of cultivators in the city had decreased significantly, but the previous chaos was gone.

Song Weimin did have genuine talent in governing the people's livelihood; having been in charge of the county government for just over a year, the city's appearance had been completely transformed.

The old ethos of "cultivators lording over the masses and treating commoners like grass" had quietly changed, and now cultivators and mortals in the county seat could coexist peacefully.

Cultivators no longer stood aloof, and commoners no longer walked on eggshells or lived in constant fear. Seeing this atmosphere, Hua Changxi couldn't help feeling a bit proud, believing she had shown good judgment in promoting Song Weimin.

After making a round of the city, Hua Changxi left.

Outside the city, she could still see many cultivators venturing deep into the wilderness and forests. Most of these cultivators traveled in groups and had the backing of aristocratic families and powerful figures.

Hua Changxi knew that the various forces had not yet given up their intention to explore the "Southern Elephant City Cave Heaven Paradise."

However, under the iron-fisted deterrence of the Zhuque Army, these people now only dared to cautiously seek opportunities, no longer killing for treasure or disrupting order with the same reckless abandon as before.

After making her rounds, Hua Changxi felt that although Nanxiang County could not yet be called a peaceful, song-and-dance paradise, it did show signs of a stable livelihood and thriving prosperity.

She couldn't understand—if everything was developing in a good direction, where did that unease in her heart come from?

Unable to find the source of her unease, Hua Changxi had to suppress her inner irritation and transformed into a red shadow as she headed straight for Zhurong Tomb.

After spending a year settling in Zhurong Tomb, Jingsheng should have fully absorbed and refined the medicinal power of the Profound Yellow Fruit.

She planned to pick up Jingsheng and go to the Ghost Fire Well. Then, through the Ghost Fire Well, they would enter the Ghost Domain Forbidden Land again.

Entering the Nine Nether this time served two purposes: first, to investigate the reason for the vibration of the black broken blade.

Since Tong Yao had said this broken blade had no rank and its unleashed power depended on the user's strength, Hua Changxi felt there was a need to repair it.

Second, there was the Nine Passes Auction. Since this auction was held only once every fifty years and had already been held many times, it meant that among the cultivators attending, there were certainly many "old monsters," and she needed to go and broaden her horizons.

The third reason was that since the Ghost Domain Forbidden Land was located deep in the Nine Nether, along the way from the Ghost Clan's territory to the Nine Passes of the Demon Prison, she could take the opportunity to explore the territory of the Nine Nether.

Hua Changxi reached Zhurong Tomb quickly. With a thought from her divine sense, she located Jingsheng.

"Not bad, your physical body has grown even stronger."

Seeing Hua Changxi, Jingsheng's face lit up with joy: "Big Sister."

Hua Changxi nodded and continued, "In the future, when there's nothing to do at the Ghost Fire Well, you can come to Zhurong Tomb to cultivate. You've broken through five layers of your fleshly shackles, so you're very suited for the path of the physical body."

"The Nine-Layered Prison Tower is a Dao weapon. If you can comprehend and realize the Dao rhythm within it, it will definitely help you walk your own Great Dao."

Hearing Hua Changxi's advice, Jingsheng showed gratitude on his face: "Everything I have today depends on Big Sister. I will cultivate well..."

Seeing him put on that look of grateful devotion again, Hua Changxi quickly cut him off: "I want to enter the Ghost Domain Forbidden Land, and I need your help."

Jingsheng agreed solemnly. Then, without further small talk, the two rose into the air side by side and raced toward the Ghost Fire Well.

Soon, the two arrived at the Ghost Fire Well.

Entering the Nine-Layered Prison Tower, Hua Changxi first met with Fang Zhuyue and chatted with him for a while, then checked on the Zhuque Army. Seeing that they were all adapting well, she followed Jingsheng down to the bottom of the tower.

"Big Sister, I'll go first."

At the mouth of the Ghost Fire Well, Jingsheng jumped into the well first, and Hua Changxi followed closely behind.

After the Zhuque Prison Suppressing Grand Array resumed operation, the ghost qi and ghost fire seeping through the cracks into the well had greatly decreased. Now inside the well, only the bottom was filled with ghost qi and a few wisps of ghost fire.

Without even needing Hua Changxi to act, Jingsheng could clear them away.

But neither of them did so. The Nine-Layered Prison Tower used ghost qi and ghost fire to punish errant cultivators, so leaving a small amount of ghost qi and ghost fire helped maintain the tower's operation.

"Big Sister, once you enter the Nine Nether, you must be careful in everything."

After giving this worried instruction, Jingsheng manipulated the Ghost Fire Token and opened the restriction of the Zhuque Prison Suppressing Grand Array.

Instantly, a circular opening appeared in the center of the array stone platform.

Hua Changxi nodded at Jingsheng, then, without any hesitation, leaped down and quickly disappeared into the deep, dark crack.

The moment Hua Changxi jumped, Jingsheng also closed the restriction.

The entire process lasted only a few breaths. The ghost qi that had seeped in was dispersed in a single wave of Jingsheng's hand, scattering it into nothing.