Did you surrender so easily? A smirk of triumph appeared on Chen Xiao's lips!
Immediately, Zhu Jiuyang's massive body appeared in the river.
Its eyes held hatred and unwillingness, but it was clearly aware of the situation.
Knowing it was no match for the killer of its kin, it had no choice but to temporarily yield. After all, if the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn!
"Alright, hand over the sacred relic to me!"
Chen Xiao commanded imperiously, beckoning Zhu Jiuyang with a flick of his finger.
"If you want it, come and take it yourself. I don't know how to remove it!"
Zhu Jiuyang said resentfully.
"Oh?"
Chen Xiao's gaze sharpened. "You don't know how to remove it? Then how did you put it on?"
"I didn't put it on myself!"
"Then who put it on you?"
"A human wearing an iron mask. He placed the sacred relic, the Thunderclap Divine Crown, on me and ordered me to guard this place. It seems I will disappoint him."
Zhu Jiuyang sighed.
An iron mask? Another iron mask?
Why was he everywhere he went?
Chen Xiao was secretly shocked, but outwardly asked calmly, "So, you also came here five hundred years ago?"
To Chen Xiao's surprise, Zhu Jiuyang shook its massive head.
"I'm not sure how many years. I don't count. It's been a very, very long time. Ever since this Forgetfulness River began, I've been here."
Hearing Zhu Jiuyang's answer, Chen Xiao was even more shaken.
He remembered Meng Po saying she hadn't seen a human from outside the Underworld for three thousand years, which meant the Underworld had existed for at least three thousand years.
This implied that the iron-masked man had been active in this world since before three thousand years ago.
Not five hundred years, as Chen Xiao had initially thought.
Three thousand years... five hundred years... what secrets were hidden within this?
Chen Xiao fell into thought until Zhu Jiuyang's slightly impatient voice brought him back.
"Hey, do you still want this Thunderclap Divine Crown?"
"Of course, I do. Otherwise, why would I have gone to all this trouble to come here?"
Chen Xiao replied irritably.
The emperor isn't anxious, but the eunuch is! You're rushing me!
"Since you want it, then think of a way!"
"I've thought of a way, it just depends on whether you cooperate!"
"What way?"
"I'll chop off your head, and the sacred relic might fall off by itself."
"You scoundrel, you still want to kill me!"
"..."
Chen Xiao didn't want to kill this simpleton; he was just joking about chopping off its head.
Chen Xiao had also thought of a way to get Zhu Jiuyang to remove the Thunderclap Divine Crown: he would get outside help.
The outside help was the Yin Yang Jade.
"Old Yin, it's up to you again. I want to remove this Thunderclap Divine Crown. Can you help me think of a way?"
Chen Xiao repeated his old trick, starting to give the Yin Yang Jade a full-body massage.
Hum—
The Yin Yang Jade vibrated violently again.
"It has to be you, Old Yin. I knew you'd have a way... Oh, damn it..."
Just as Chen Xiao finished praising, he felt a dizzying sensation.
When he opened his eyes again, he was in the world within the Yin Yang Jade.
Zhu Jiuyang had been sucked in with him.
"Where is this place?"
Looking at the quiet, clear, and boundless space before him, Zhu Jiuyang's triangular eyes showed deep confusion.
Clang—
As soon as it spoke, the two dragon horns on its head detached automatically and fell to the ground.
At this moment, they were no longer in the form of dragon horns but had transformed into a purple crown.
Several electric arcs, like small snakes, coiled around it, crackling!
With great success, Chen Xiao immediately picked up the Thunderclap Divine Crown and put it on his head without hesitation.
The Thunderclap Divine Crown seemed tailor-made for him, fitting perfectly.
However, after putting it on, the Thunderclap Divine Crown began to contract rapidly, causing Chen Xiao immense pain as if his head were tearing apart.
The pain did not last long. The Thunderclap Divine Crown transformed into a purple light and penetrated Chen Xiao's scalp.
Then, the purple light condensed and contracted, finally gathering above Chen Xiao's brow, forming a purple cloud pattern.
It was like an extra tattoo.
Chen Xiao immediately became one with it, mastering its innate skills: the Art of Divine Concealment and Paralytic Lightning.
These two skills were not very offensive, but they were perfect escape tools.
Chen Xiao thought that if he were to fight Yama King now, even if he couldn't win, he would definitely be able to retreat safely.
Most importantly, with the acquisition of the Thunderclap Divine Crown, he now possessed four out of the five sacred relics.
He only needed to find the last one to complete the set.
For some reason, Chen Xiao couldn't help but grin foolishly.
Zhu Jiuyang, standing nearby, nudged him with its tail. "Hey, why are you grinning? You've got the Thunderclap Divine Crown now, aren't you going to let me out?"
Chen Xiao snapped back to attention and suddenly thought of something.
"Old Yang, let me ask you, did you feel anything unusual when you came here?"
"Who are you talking to?"
"To you, who else?"
"My name isn't Old Yang!"
"..."
Damn it, calling you Old Yang is a compliment.
The Yin Yang Jade is much more powerful than you. Calling you Old Yang is like ranking you alongside Old Yin!
Hmph, you ungrateful wretch!
Chen Xiao grumbled inwardly, and then heard Zhu Jiuyang say, "Now that you mention it, I do feel something a bit different."
Zhu Jiuyang looked towards the magnificent palace in the distance, its gaze thoughtful.
"Are you trying to fly in?"
Chen Xiao asked tentatively.
"How did you know?"
Zhu Jiuyang looked at Chen Xiao in disbelief. "Could you be a mind reader?"
"..."
Chen Xiao was speechless again. This simple-minded brute was truly unwell!
"I have something to tell you, and I hope you won't get agitated. Your brother is not dead."
Chen Xiao said calmly.
"You're lying. I clearly saw you behead him. How can you be so hypocritical? If you did it, just admit it openly!"
"I did behead him, but what happened after that?"
"After that, there was a flash of white light, and I couldn't sense his presence anymore. Naturally, he was killed by you!"
"That's right!"
Chen Xiao snapped his fingers. "Actually, your brother is truly not dead. After I beheaded him, we both came here!"
"Huh? What happened next?"
"Then, a pair of fleshy wings grew from his head, and he flew towards there. He hasn't flown out since."
Chen Xiao pointed to the magnificent palace in the distance.
"Such a strange thing happened?"
Zhu Jiuyang's expression turned serious, and it appeared to be thinking.
"How about I chop off your head and try it?"
Chen Xiao suggested.
"..."
This time, it was Zhu Jiuyang's turn to be speechless.
After a moment, it said, "No need."
Immediately, with two muffled thuds, a pair of fleshy wings grew from Zhu Jiuyang's back!
The moment the wings appeared, Zhu Jiuyang flapped them and soared into the air, flying towards the palace without a word.
"What the hell is going on!"
Chen Xiao shouted, "Hey, what's happening? Explain it to me before you go!"
However, Zhu Jiuyang ignored him. In less than two minutes, Zhu Jiuyang had flown into the magnificent palace.
First Zhu Jiuyin, then the Fire Phoenix, and now Zhu Jiuyang... Why could all these little animals fly in, but he couldn't?
Chen Xiao was very indignant. He unleashed his Phoenix Plume, spread his wings, and also flew towards the palace.
Two and a half hours passed, but the distance between Chen Xiao and the palace remained unchanged.
"Damn it, it seems it's still not the right time!"
Chen Xiao gave up, cursing inwardly.
Then he left the Yin Yang Jade and returned to the waters of the Forgetfulness River.
With Zhu Jiuyang's departure, the temperature of the Forgetfulness River had dropped considerably.
On the Bridge of Helplessness, the ghost officers, judges, and Meng Po could no longer feel the heat emanating from the Forgetfulness River.
In mid-air, Yama King's gaze narrowed. "Could it be that the kid actually did it? That Candle Dragon, was it really killed by him?"
Meng Po yawned lazily and said, "It seems so. From now on, there will be no place for this old woman on the Bridge of Helplessness!"
With that, she began to pack up her tea stall.
"Meng Mama, what do you mean by that?"
The judge asked, confused.
Meng Po said, "Don't you feel it? The heat from the bottom of the Forgetfulness River has disappeared, which means that Candle Dragon has been killed by that young man surnamed Chen!"
"The kid actually managed it... It seems I might lose my Judge's Brush!"
The judge stroked his chin, thinking very seriously.
"Pah, you fool, why are you still thinking about that... From now on, nothing in this world can stop us!"
A fanatical gleam appeared in Meng Po's old eyes.
This was a stark contrast to her previously kind and benevolent demeanor.
Just then, Yama King's voice echoed from the sky: "Meng Po, heed my command!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
Meng Po cupped her hands respectfully.
"Three days from now, at midnight, the Forgetfulness River will change course and flood into the human world!"
Yama King commanded.
"Meng Po obeys!"
The fanaticism in Meng Po's eyes intensified!
She had waited for this day for three thousand years!
"Judge, heed my command!"
Yama King continued.
"Your subordinate is here!"
The judge replied respectfully.
"You have three days to muster your troops. Gather thirty thousand ghost soldiers and generals, and lead them back to the human world! I want the human world to be devastated, with rivers of blood!"
Yama King clenched his fist, gritting his teeth.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The judge's expression was solemn, his eyes shining brightly, completely different from his usual foolish demeanor.
Just then, with a bang, a figure flew out of the Forgetfulness River.
Chen Xiao, with wings on his back, hovered in mid-air, staring at Yama King, his eyes narrowed into a straight line.
"I knew it, you dog. You were up to no good!"