Chapter 264: Seeing Mr. Jin Again

The head of the Wen family, named Wen Juanhai, was a man who looked quite scholarly.

Usually, someone who looks like this is either doing business in the Earth Bunker or mixing in the Desire Tower.

However, Wen Juanhai was the second-ranked person in the Wen family for climbing the Slaughter Tower. He also held a seat in the top fifty of the Slaughter Tower’s Heavenly Ladder Ranking.

Compared to others, the Wen family head, Wen Juanhai, could be considered someone who knew quite a bit.

Whether Wen Zhaohua’s plan—or rather, the thing he sought—could actually gain the support of the Wen family members, in truth, depended on Wen Juanhai.

If he, as the family head, did not support it, the Wen family might have ended up in a different situation.

Today, apart from the two brothers, Zhaohua and Xishu, the Wen family could be said to have been slaughtered to the last person, yet Wen Juanhai did not believe his direction had been wrong.

He firmly believed that one day, even if he reached the netherworld, he would hear of Zhaohua’s achievements.

Yet, even he had not expected that before news of Zhaohua’s achievements arrived, the first thing he would hear about were the achievements of the fool, Xishu.

Wen Tingyun came to Wen Juanhai’s side and recounted a portion of what he had experienced today.

"Are you certain it isn't the Zhaohua Divine Sect... but the Xishu Divine Sect?" Wen Juanhai remained astonished.

Wen Tingyun said:

"Great Uncle, the prejudices in people's hearts should not be this deep."

Wen Juanhai nodded:

"Among the younger generation, you are the one who dislikes Little Shu the most... If even you are speaking up for Little Shu, then it seems Little Shu has truly made something of himself."

Wen Tingyun said:

"Don't be surprised just yet; there is something even more worth being surprised about, something that is even a bit terrifying."

"Little Shu, it seems, has arrived in the underworld while still in the state of a living person."

Wen Juanhai subconsciously wanted to touch Wen Tingyun’s forehead, wondering if this child’s brain had been scorched into a muddle.

But the dead do not run fevers.

Subsequently, Wen Tingyun recounted his own speculations.

After this series of words, Wen Juanhai’s expression changed repeatedly.

Death causes some memories to vanish; Wen Juanhai did not remember the scene of his own death.

But he remembered some words he had spoken with Wen Zhaohua.

That was an absurd conversation; looking back now, if he himself hadn't been crazy, then Zhaohua must have been.

Yet, when such a crazy conversation came out of Zhaohua’s mouth, he still believed it.

Because... the interests involved were too important, and the associated future was also too important.

"Father, what we must do... is to slaughter our own kin within the Slaughter Tower; this counts as part of the plan."

"The Wen family will very likely have to become sinners."

At that time, Wen Zhaohua looked at Wen Juanhai calmly.

It could be said that the Wen family’s status was raised by Wen Zhaohua alone; now, Wen Zhaohua’s plan seemed to be dragging the Wen family into hell.

"You have yet to peer into the highest level of the Trick Tower; let alone comparing yourself to Principal Albert, even Xun Hui and Wen Renjing... they are above you, child."

"Having never reached the ultimate, having never seen the battlefield at the peak, you dare to gamble everything on this?"

Wen Juanhai remembered asking this, and he also remembered Wen Zhaohua saying:

"The Trick Tower is very special; it’s not that you can’t obtain valuable things just because the level is low..."

"And opportunities are truly rare; I must make a decision. If we don't have this thing, humanity has no hope."

Wen Juanhai was unwilling:

"Is there no other way?"

Wen Zhaohua was silent for a very, very long time, and he finally said:

"There is. It’s just that it will be very long, and I will die. It’s just that I must entrust all of this to those who come after."

Wen Juanhai did not speak, and Wen Zhaohua said again:

"Father, I do not trust those who come after. Before the Trick Tower appeared, the Great Devouring of the Slaughter Tower could rely on the Principal, but after the Trick Tower appeared, even the Principal, when facing the Great Devouring, could hardly be said to have a chance of winning."

"Furthermore, on the Three Towers battlefield, there are existences that transcend the teachers."

"We... can only fight, can only gamble; even if we fall into hell, fall into the abyss, this kind of opportunity must absolutely not be lost!"

Wen Juanhai said:

"If you succeed, to what extent can you achieve?"

Wen Zhaohua said:

"I can make humanity’s future no longer desperate; I can make the rules of the Three Towers no longer bind me... or Little Shu. No, even more than just the Three Towers; the more it is used, the stronger its ability becomes. This is the opportunity to transcend gods."

"In fact, I have already briefly experienced this."

"Next, I will do extremely crazy things in the Desire Tower to ensure the relevant causality is directly snuffed out by me in the Desire Tower."

"And in the Slaughter Tower... it requires the Wen family to commit a crime comparable to treason."

When Wen Juanhai heard "treason," he knew just how heinous this matter had to be.

"Is it worth it?"

"It is worth it!"

"Even if you are left without a single relative? Even if the lives of your parents and brothers are wiped out, you still must do it?"

Facing this question, Wen Zhaohua was still somewhat hesitant, but in the end, he only said softly:

"I must go."

Wen Juanhai sighed:

"Since that is the case, then go do it. If you can truly achieve that, humanity will also have a better future, right?"

"Yes!"

"Then do it! The sin is in the present, the benefit is for a thousand autumns! Let our Wen family bear this kind of sin!"

In fact, Wen Juanhai also didn't know what exactly made the so-called gods "divine."

The Wen family was soon wiped out; after all, no matter how powerful this family was, they had no chance of winning if they were to slaughter the heroes of the Heavenly Ladder Ranking in the Slaughter Tower.

But before that, Wen Juanhai had indeed heard one thing...

Zhaohua had committed astonishing slaughters in the Desire Tower, where killing was forbidden.

"Great Uncle?" Wen Tingyun waved his hand, interrupting Wen Juanhai’s memories.

The astonishment on Wen Juanhai’s face gradually dissipated:

"Little Shu arrived in the underworld alive?"

After this recollection, he actually didn't doubt this absurd fact much anymore.

Breaking the rules, breaking through the shackles.

In the end, what Zhaohua wanted to do back then was exactly those eight words. Now, it seemed Little Shu had done it.

He suddenly revealed a smile:

"How good... how truly good!"

Wen Tingyun said:

"Do you... believe my analysis?"

Wen Juanhai said:

"Naturally I believe it. The things the flower-tree brothers can do are naturally hard for ordinary people to imagine; no matter how outrageous, I believe it."

Wen Tingyun said again:

"Then do we need to do anything? Little Shu coming to the underworld... it doesn't look like he is coming for our Wen family."

Wen Juanhai said:

"In the netherworld, what does our Wen family count for? We can't do anything. Don't go doing anything."

"Let’s just not hold them back. However, you should bring some merit tomorrow and gift it to him."

"By the way, he didn't reveal himself, didn't acknowledge you?"

Wen Tingyun nodded:

"Yes, Little Shu did not acknowledge me."

Wen Juanhai said:

"Then you don't acknowledge him either; just treat it as sponsoring a friend. Also, be clever in how you handle things; don't let anyone target you, and don't bring trouble to Little Shu. Furthermore, I am the only one who knows about this; don't reveal it to other Wen family members."

"Although everyone has found peace regarding why only the two brothers were able to survive in the end, and they would certainly be happy for the achievements they attained, but..."

"A living person coming to the realm of the dead is definitely a taboo; if the law enforcers find out, it might bring trouble to them."

Wen Tingyun responded:

"Don't you worry."

The conversation between the two was considered over.

Wen Juanhai had actually thought about contacting Wen Xishu; if necessary... the Wen family wouldn't mind dying one more time for these two brothers.

But in the end, he stopped himself.

Death is the greatest parting; the Wen family had already made its contribution.

Next, it was time to believe in those two brothers. One has to keep their spirit body to listen to the stories of the future, right? Otherwise, how stifling would that be?

In the downtown skyscraper of the Land of the Dead.

Wen Xishu had waited here for two days. He was waiting so long he was losing confidence; could it be that the dream-sending had failed?

However, the lady head of the horse-head clan clearly indicated that the other party had promised very cautiously and seriously in the dream; generally, in such cases, the delivery rate of a dream-entrusted message is absolutely guaranteed.

But after all, it was only a dream-entrusted message, and there was still too much instability.

Therefore, Wen Xishu was also uncertain.

Fortunately... on the morning of the third day, Wen Xishu finally saw a familiar face that did not belong to the Wen family.

When that person pressed the button for the thirteenth floor of the elevator, Wen Xishu immediately stuck close to him.

The elevator was still packed with people.

In spirit form, there is no such thing as a heartbeat.

But when Wen Xishu saw that person's face, he still felt as if his heart had accelerated.

Jin Zhenyuan!

He was really here; he had seen Mr. Jin.

But the problem was that Mr. Jin's temperament seemed to have changed.

Temperament is a mysterious thing; some say it is supported by money, others say it is supported by makeup and attire—as long as one knows how to pose, anyone can have temperament.

Wen Xishu did not really believe in temperament either; it is just like how someone can foolishly say, "To have meaning is to live well, and to live well is to have meaning," and then immediately change their temperament to say, "Both superiority and inferiority are determined, and life and death are decided."

However, at this very moment, Wen Xishu truly felt that this Mr. Jin was no longer as... immortal as the one he had seen in the bunker.

Instead, there was a sense of sneakiness.

When Mr. Jin entered the thirteenth floor, Wen Xishu followed behind him and suddenly shouted:

"Liu Zhizai!"

The Mr. Jin in front of him shuddered, then immediately turned his head.

He was a ghost now, in spirit form; to people, he was a ghost.

But at this moment, he did not seem like a ghost; he looked more like someone who had seen a ghost.

"I've seen a ghost!"

This thought suddenly appeared in Liu Zhizai's mind.

How could he encounter Wen Xishu here?

Seeing the other party's expression, Wen Xishu knew his guess could not be wrong.

Liu Zhizai had lived for eighty or ninety years after all... he wouldn't be easily frightened, but the mere mention of "Liu Zhizai" had immediately shocked him, which was enough to show that the name Liu Zhizai concerned a secret.

Liu Zhizai suddenly realized that this was a trap!

Wen Xishu did not know what method he used to increase his own merit by a large margin, and then, after receiving the news, he came to collect the merit, only to find Wen Xishu waiting for him here!

They were at odds while alive, so why wouldn't he let him go even after death?

Liu Zhizai wanted to run, but Wen Xishu had already blocked the elevator door.

"You are hiding a secret; you wouldn't want the Law Enforcers to come, would you?" Wen Xishu said.

In fact, Wen Xishu was more afraid of the Law Enforcers than Liu Zhizai was, but he was now very clear that he had stumbled upon a meticulously arranged secret.

A death fraud!

The one feeling guilty now was Liu Zhizai.

Regarding Mr. Jin's death, he only needed to interrogate him properly and pry open Liu Zhizai's mouth to know part of the secret behind it.

Wen Xishu said:

"I'm the one who got your merit; no need to thank me. For an old senior who heroically sacrificed himself at the Slaughter Tower, this is all I should have done."

"But you can collect it later; shall we chat for a bit?"

Liu Zhizai said:

"You died too?"

Wen Xishu shrugged:

"Yes, I died too. Senior, you died on the front foot, and I died on the back foot."

Liu Zhizai suddenly laughed, laughing very wildly:

"Hahahaha... died well, died well indeed!"

"What bunker legend? What number one person of the Trick Tower, died well!"

"Wen Xishu, since you are dead too, then this old man is no longer afraid of you."

In fact, Liu Zhizai should not have been afraid of Wen Xishu in the first place.

Regardless of status or strength, logically speaking, he was still above Wen Xishu.

But Wen Xishu's mention of "Liu Zhizai" just now had caught him off guard.

Because, after all, he was not Liu Zhizai right now.

So subconsciously, he was wondering if Wen Xishu had found out something.

How could he be so persistent as to chase him all the way here?

Thinking this way, his innate momentum weakened.

But now, Liu Zhizai had come to his senses; this was the Upper Spirit Zone, not the Lower Spirit Zone, and here there was no conflict between spirits.

Even if you, Wen Xishu, are guarding me here, what can you do?

"I have nothing to talk to you about; you are just like me now, a deceased person, and the dead should let go of their obsessions."

Everyone is a dead person, and no one can do anything to anyone, so Liu Zhizai became tough.

Wen Xishu said:

"I need to know why you are wearing Mr. Jin's appearance, and why your name is not on the death register, but Liu Zhizai, why are you appearing here?"

Liu Zhizai was no longer afraid and frowned, saying:

"Nonsense, I don't understand what you are talking about. I am Jin Zhenyuan, what Liu Zhizai?"

Wen Xishu clapped:

"Good, good, good. You think I can't do anything to you?"

Liu Zhizai said:

"Do you think this is the Trick Tower or the bunker? This is the Underworld! Even if it were a god, even that god who draws the bow and notches the arrow, if I blasphemed him here, he couldn't do anything to me, let alone you?"

Wen Xishu did not say much more and suddenly arrived beside Liu Zhizai.

Then he patted Liu Zhizai on the shoulder; this pat contained hidden force, but to outsiders, it looked like old acquaintances catching up.

Liu Zhizai was startled; he actually felt a certain power!

This was impossible!

Something beyond his understanding had happened. It made him widen his eyes and look at Wen Xishu in disbelief.

Wen Xishu smiled:

"Don't make a sound, otherwise I don't mind letting even your spirit shatter. Do you know that after death, one can die again? If you die again, there will be nothing left."

Liu Zhizai dared not say another word.

Wen Xishu had broken the rules of the Underworld?

How could this be possible?

Things beyond reason made Liu Zhizai's brain somewhat chaotic.

By the time he reacted, Wen Xishu had already brought him outside the building.

Subsequently, under Wen Xishu's duress, Liu Zhizai was forced into a basement where spirits were scarce.

Wen Xishu said:

"I am still not sure whether you heroically sacrificed yourself or are a victim of some conspiracy, so I have not been overly disrespectful to you."

"But you also know now that I can harm spirits. I can make a soul shatter."

"Understand?"

Liu Zhizai had not yet recovered from this strangeness; he still could not believe it—Wen Xishu was simply more bizarre than the existences in the Trick Tower.

This was the Underworld!

Wen Xishu said:

"Now, you must answer my questions. If you don't want your soul to fly away and scatter, and if you still want to collect that merit and be a carefree dead person in the Underworld, then you had better answer every one of my questions truthfully."

Liu Zhizai wanted to refuse, but when the words reached his lips, he still said:

"You... what do you want to know?"

Wen Xishu said:

"Tell me, is Jin Zhenyuan dead or not?"

Liu Zhizai did not hesitate and actually blurted out:

"Dead, Mr. Jin is dead, he went to the Lower Spirit Zone!"

The Lower Spirit Zone is truly dangerous; Wen Xishu knew very well that if he went to the Lower Spirit Zone, he would never come back.

If the Demon King went there, he would be done for in a matter of minutes.

Therefore, Wen Xishu dared not go to the Lower Spirit Zone.

"The pioneer of the bunker went to the Lower Spirit Zone? So many people respect him, how could he go to the Lower Spirit Zone?"

"Moreover, Mr. Liu, you answered my question too thoughtlessly, to the point that I feel there is a problem."

Wen Xishu said:

"Do you know, actually, I have a very special set of techniques for gathering information in the Desire Tower."

"Coincidentally, this set of techniques also applies to the Underworld."

(End of chapter)