Chapter 107: The Corpse King

The Underworld Mansion is situated at the very heart of Ghost Abyss City. Looking out over it, one might mistake it for a magnificent imperial palace.

Jiang Xiaofei walked along the streets, marveling at the prosperity of Ghost Abyss City. Despite having visited before, the last time he arrived, it happened to coincide with the outbreak of war between the Underworld Mansion and the Ghost Realm, leaving the city a desolate shell.

Things were different now. The city was bustling with the figures of fierce ghosts, and patrols of ghost soldiers and generals were everywhere. The scene was nearly comparable to a major city in the mortal realm.

As he made his way toward the Mansion, Jiang Xiaofei felt a sense of anxiety. The Underworld was in turmoil, with various factions plotting their moves, and with Jun Yao still in seclusion, he felt deeply unsettled. Although he was no longer the person he once was, the weight of bearing this burden and resisting the pressures from all sides still felt daunting.

Seeing the anxiety on Jiang Xiaofei’s face, Su Muhe smiled and said, "Master Fei, you need not worry. Although our Ghost Abyss City has weakened, we are not without a chance of victory. Now that you are in charge of the Mansion and presiding over the city, I believe we will surely overcome these difficult times."

"Thank you for understanding," Jiang Xiaofei replied with a faint smile, continuing his stride.

As they ventured deeper, the outline of the Mansion came into view. It was a massive structure, a sleeping lion that, once awakened, would surely shake the entire Underworld. Though the lion currently slumbered and might prove difficult to rouse, Jiang Xiaofei firmly believed that under his leadership, the Mansion would recapture its former glory and ascend to even greater heights.

With these thoughts, Jiang Xiaofei moved forward.

At the entrance of the Mansion, two guards stood watch. Seeing Su Muhe and Meng Feixue approach, they immediately bowed, "Protector Su, Protector Meng, welcome back."

Su Muhe and Meng Feixue nodded slightly and walked directly into the Mansion, with Jiang Xiaofei following closely behind. Inside, the Mansion felt like a vast, deep-set palace, spacious and filled with maids and guards. As these attendants noticed the two Protectors, they all stepped forward to greet them with respect. The two women paid little mind, leading Jiang Xiaofei further inside, leaving the attendants to whisper curiously among themselves.

Guided by the two women, Jiang Xiaofei arrived at a spacious parlor where two maids were cleaning. They immediately bowed upon seeing the Protectors. "Protector Su, Protector Meng, greetings."

"You may both withdraw," Su Muhe said with a slight nod.

"As you command," the two maids replied, bowing before exiting.

Once they were alone, Su Muhe smiled. "Please, Master Fei, take a seat."

Jiang Xiaofei sat down and asked, "You brought me here—is there something you wish to discuss?"

Su Muhe smiled. "Naturally, I intend to report the current situation of the Underworld to you."

Jiang Xiaofei felt a surge of relief and nodded. "Very well, proceed."

Just as Su Muhe was about to begin, a woman's voice came from outside the door: "Reporting to Protector Su, the Corpse King has arrived. He says he wishes to see you. Shall I let him in?"

"Can he not help himself?" Su Muhe muttered with a cold snort as she looked at the female guard who had entered. She waved her hand dismissively. "Let him in."

"As you command." The guard retreated.

Watching the guard leave, Jiang Xiaofei frowned and asked, "Who is this Corpse King? Why are you so tense?"

Su Muhe’s expression tightened. "This Corpse King was once our Third Protector, but he has since defected and declared himself king, harboring ambitions to usurp the Master of the Mansion. Had he not betrayed us, our forces would not have been so soundly defeated during the last invasion of the Heavenly Ghost Army, and our Master would not have had to sacrifice so much to hold the line."

Jiang Xiaofei said indignantly, "A traitor like that should have been eliminated long ago. Why keep him around?"

Su Muhe shook her head. "Although he held the position of Third Protector, his cultivation has reached the Dao Extreme Realm. If it were easy to dispose of him, we would have done so already. However, he still retains some shred of sentiment and conscience, as he has not taken advantage of our Master’s seclusion to seize the Mansion."

Just then, a man’s hearty laughter echoed from outside. "Hahaha! Protector Su, when did you return? You should have notified me! I have been waiting so impatiently. If my guards hadn't told me you were back, I would have been none the wiser."

Su Muhe looked toward the door with visible displeasure, and Jiang Xiaofei frowned as well.

A man in a black trench coat walked in. He was handsome, but his smile carried an air of sinister charm. When Jiang Xiaofei caught sight of the man’s face, he was stunned. The man looked incredibly familiar—had they met before?

*Could it be him?* Jiang Xiaofei wondered, finding it hard to believe. The young "Little Corpse" he once knew had been hunted and nearly killed; he was never a powerful figure of such high standing and a master of the Dao Extreme Realm.

The Corpse King, too, was startled upon seeing Jiang Xiaofei. The man before him looked exactly like an old acquaintance. *Like... so much like him. Could it really be him?* If it were truly him, it would be difficult to strike.

Su Muhe and Meng Feixue noticed the two men staring at each other in astonishment. "Could Master Fei and the Corpse King already know each other?" Meng Feixue wondered, finding the thought inconceivable.

Su Muhe smiled thinly. "The Corpse King exaggerates. I am but a weak woman; I would not dare trouble you to keep me in your thoughts."

The Corpse King laughed. "Protector Su, you are too modest. A beauty like you, a master of the Heaven Transformation Realm, is the dream of many, and naturally, my own dream as well. I dream of you night and day, yet you refuse to reciprocate. Your rejection hurts my pride. If I were to lose my temper, I might have to resort to kidnapping!" His eyes flickered with a lecherous light as he stared at Su Muhe’s chest.

Su Muhe felt humiliated and furious, yet she dared not speak. Seeing this, Jiang Xiaofei felt a surge of displeasure and barked coldly, "Little Corpse, you have gone too far!"

The Corpse King shuddered at these words, struck by a mixture of shock and joy. He had never expected to encounter his benefactor from years ago here. Yet, he was troubled; he had betrayed the Mansion and was now effectively an enemy of the very person who had saved him.

"Farewell," the Corpse King grunted coldly before turning and striding toward the door.

Su Muhe was bewildered. She could not fathom how a single sentence from Jiang Xiaofei had caused the Corpse King to react this way. *Does he fear Master Fei?* she wondered.

Jiang Xiaofei watched the Corpse King’s retreating back with a knowing smile. He was certain now—the Corpse King was indeed the "Little Corpse" from his past; otherwise, he would never have reacted so strongly.

Noticing Jiang Xiaofei’s expression, Su Muhe could no longer contain her curiosity. "Master Fei, do you know the Corpse King?"

Jiang Xiaofei nodded. "I do. In fact, I am his savior."

Outside, Zhou Tong was waiting. Seeing the Corpse King emerge, he hurried forward. "Corpse King, did you see Master Fei?"

The Corpse King did not answer and kept walking.

Zhou Tong frowned and chased after him. "Did you not see him?"

"I saw him!" the Corpse King snapped impatiently.

"Then why do you look so troubled?" Zhou Tong asked, perplexed.

"Because I cannot bring myself to strike," the Corpse King sighed helplessly.

"Why?" Zhou Tong asked, bewildered.

"Because," the Corpse King hesitated, "he is the one who saved my life."

"Your savior?" Zhou Tong was incredulous. "Are you joking, Corpse King? With your strength, you don't need saving!"

"Do you remember when I first arrived in the Underworld?" the Corpse King asked.

Zhou Tong nodded. "I remember. You didn't have your current status back then."

"Do you know what happened before I came to the Underworld?" the Corpse King asked.

Zhou Tong shook his head.

"I was in a pathetic state," the Corpse King reminisced. "I had just broken my seal when I was hunted by high monks from the Daluo Temple. Having exhausted my magic to break the seal, I was no match for them. I thought all hope was lost, but then I met him. If not for his intervention, I would have died." He sighed, "How can you expect me to strike against him?"

Zhou Tong nodded in understanding. "If he is one of our own, we cannot strike. But Corpse King, should we proceed with our plan?"

The Corpse King pondered for a moment. "Let us wait and see. Let the old fools in the Mansion fight it out. If they succeed, we move; if they fail, we adapt."

Zhou Tong suddenly realized. "Ah, I see! You want them to exhaust each other so we can reap the rewards. That is a brilliant strategy!"

"Brilliant? It’s complete stupidity," the Corpse King scoffed, striding forward, clearly having no desire to entertain Zhou Tong any further.