All around was silent, with only the sound of Black Pot's running footsteps.

Then, a weak voice rang out: "No living people. Not a single one left..."

Chen Shi followed the sound and saw a wisteria vine that had been uprooted.

Beneath the wisteria, a tattered purple-robed woman sat in the dirt, covered in wounds.

She was this village's Godmother, her true form being a wisteria vine that had lived for over a thousand years. Over time, she had become sentient, cultivating a Divine Manifestation through incense offerings, becoming the Godmother who protected this village.

But now, the wisteria's roots were severed, its leaves withered. Her time was short.

Chen Shi walked over and saw traces of battle all around. When the ghosts and monsters invaded, this Godmother had fought fiercely to protect the villagers, but in the end, she couldn't save the village.

Chen Shi dug into the dirt, placed her roots back where they belonged, and mounded soil over them.

The purple-robed woman shook her head, her breath as faint as silk. "I can't make it. Don't bother saving me. My roots are broken. Even if I could recover, without human worship, I would gradually fade away. It's getting colder, and in the darkness, I won't last much longer either."

Chen Shi crouched down, helped her up, and let her lean against the wisteria.

He lit a stick of incense and placed it by her feet. "Fellow Daoist, do you have any last wishes?"

The purple-robed woman shook her head woodenly. "No. My people are all dead. I was born from their worship, and I will perish with their passing."

Chen Shi bowed to her. Perhaps in better times, this Godmother could have become a deity of the surrounding area. But now, this place was already a land of no people.

He stood up and walked out of the village.

"That stick of incense might let her hold on a little longer," Chen Shi said to Little Duan beside him.

They left the village. Little Duan tugged at his clothes and pointed behind them.

Chen Shi looked back. Beneath the wisteria, the purple-robed woman reached out a finger and snuffed out the incense before her.

Chen Shi froze. He didn't light another stick for her.

There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart.

This Godmother's people were all dead, and she had lost the will to live.

Chen Shi and Little Duan boarded the Wooden Cart. In the distance, a few ghosts and monsters furtively glanced this way. Black Pot chased after them, and they scrambled to flee. Then, angry shouts came from afar: "Dog! Damn dog! Whose dog is that?!"

Black Pot ran back, barking twice at Chen Shi.

Chen Shi got off the cart, signaled Little Duan to stay put, and followed Black Pot.

A Herding Ghost was restraining those few monsters. Seeing him approach, it said furiously, "Who do you think you are? How dare you let your dog run wild here! Do you know whose territory this is? Do you know whose livestock these are?"

The Herding Ghost was huge, five or six zhang tall. Hanging on its back were several baskets, and inside the baskets were a few Little Yakshas burning incense.

Chen Shi's gaze swept over the monsters beside the Herding Ghost. They were the same kind that had been eating people in the village earlier. Clearly, this Herding Ghost was herding and feeding them here.

"Forgive my ignorance, but whose livestock are these?" he asked with a kind smile.

Hearing him speak ghost language, the Herding Ghost relaxed. "These are the livestock of Lord Fengyang! Your dog ate Lord Fengyang's livestock. Do you know your crime?"

"I know my crime! I know my crime!"

Chen Shi bowed. "This dog of mine has always been vicious and hard to control. Seeing these livestock, it thought they were wild. I didn't know they were domestic. Where might Lord Fengyang be? I'd like to go and apologize in person."

Hearing this, the Herding Ghost said, "You're a cultivator, right? No wonder you're so polite. Lord Fengyang always treats guests warmly. Seeing how cultured and reasonable you are, he certainly won't hold it against you."

Chen Shi said, "In the mortal world, I was a top scholar."

The Herding Ghost suddenly understood and laughed. "No wonder, no wonder. Lord Fengyang enjoys associating with scholars. A few days ago, a scholar came to visit him. I've heard that Lord Fengyang was also a big shot in the mortal world during his lifetime, that he once ranked third in the palace examination. He's quite famous."

Chen Shi's eyes flickered. "This Lord Fengyang—what's his surname? Which year's examination was he the third-place graduate in?"

The Herding Ghost said, "His surname is Xia. As for which year, I'm not sure. His Excellency was enfeoffed here over two thousand years ago. For tens of thousands of li around, this is all Lord Fengyang's territory."

Chen Shi smiled. "Could you take me to see Lord Fengyang?"

"Why not? I have to go back and report the loss of my livestock anyway. It's perfect—you can put in a good word for me."

The Herding Ghost led the remaining monsters along a great river. Chen Shi walked beside him, his feet not touching the ground. Whenever his feet landed, a wisp of gentle wind would rise to support him.

The Herding Ghost, on the other hand, had two big wheels that rolled along noisily.

The Wooden Cart came, carrying Little Duan, who curiously sized up the Herding Ghost.

On the river, countless dugout canoes drifted. On each canoe stood a Horse-faced Underworld Officer, each holding a Heavenly-Aperture Lamp, capturing wandering souls all around.

Their light shone on the ghosts, and the ghosts would be lifted up and fall into the boats.

Some dugout canoes, already full of ghosts, suddenly sped off and vanished without a trace.

This great river had many tributaries. The underworld officers traveled along the branching waterways deep into various places. Sometimes, the officers would even fly their canoes into the air to guide souls from elsewhere. Wherever a canoe passed, a small river would automatically form beneath it, carrying the canoe for a long distance.

Countless ghosts walked from all directions, dazed and confused. They were likely the people who died in the recent sun-extinguishing event, drawn by a strange force to the banks of the Dejiang River, where they boarded the underworld officers' canoes or were captured by the lamps' light.

"Living people!"

The underworld officers on the river all stared at Chen Shi, their expressions strange.

One officer said, "The yin and yang realms are merging these days. A lot of living people have come to the underworld. It's nothing unusual."

They continued their work.

Chen Shi withdrew his gaze and asked, "Where do these underworld officers take the souls they guide?"

"I heard they're sent to the underworld's courts," the Herding Ghost said. "Those souls are like crops in a field. They keep popping up for no reason. You harvest one crop, and another grows. But Lord Fengyang says that with the merging of yin and yang, there will be fewer of these crops in the future. After this harvest, there won't be a next one."

As he spoke, several more Herding Ghosts drove many monsters over and joined them.

These monsters weren't Shen Beasts but a kind of creature called Zhong Beasts, which produced a lot of meat. The meat was rich in intense yang energy, making it a delicacy for ghost gods living in the underworld.

"Simu, your Zhong Beasts seem to have dwindled quite a bit!" one Herding Ghost asked.

The Herding Ghost beside Chen Shi said helplessly, "This gentleman's dog ate them. His dog is terrifying. Its body is this small, but when it opens its mouth, its head is as big as a mountain. I'm taking him to see Lord Fengyang so he can apologize, and I can have something to report."

The other Herding Ghosts said, "Lord Fengyang treats scholars well. Since you're going, it'll definitely be fine."

Chen Shi thanked them and asked, "When you herd, do you often drive them into the villages?"

One of the Herding Ghosts said, "We just let the Zhong Beasts loose. They eat whatever they want. Lord Fengyang also said that most of these people who fall into the underworld won't live long. They'll either starve or freeze to death, so it doesn't matter if they get eaten."

Along the way, they passed more empty villages. There were no living people left inside—they had probably all been eaten.

But Chen Shi also saw some villages that still had living people. These villages worshipped the Red Mountain Lady.

"This is Gongzhou!" he suddenly realized. The Wangchuan River he had seen earlier must have been the Min River!

But with the merging of the yin and yang realms, the geography had changed drastically, and he hadn't recognized it at first.

They passed by a swamp. Chen Shi looked out and saw an endless expanse of Soul-Returning Lotuses in the swamp. Countless ghosts also wandered through the swamp, and if they were careless, they would be ignited by ghost fire.

"This lotus field..." Chen Shi froze.

The Herding Ghost named Simu said, "This lotus field is also Lord Fengyang's property. It produces Soul-Returning Lotuses, which can strengthen souls and extend lifespans. If you take them for a long time, your soul becomes powerful. There aren't many places suitable for growing Soul-Returning Lotuses in the underworld. This swamp counts as a treasure land."

Chen Shi's expression turned cold. "Using souls to grow Soul-Returning Lotuses—doesn't the underworld court have anything to say about that?"

"The underworld court and Lord Fengyang are from the same family. I've seen ghost gods from the court come here, and they have to call Lord Fengyang 'great-uncle,'" one Herding Ghost laughed.

Above the lotus field, a massive ghost god was hiding in the clouds, sound asleep. Woken by their voices, it rolled over, poked its head out of the clouds, glanced at them, and then went back to sleep.

Simu whispered with a grin, "That lazy ghost lost a lot of Soul-Returning Lotuses a few years ago. Lord Fengyang punished him severely. It's said that a giant black dog broke into the lotus field, scared him half to death, and he just watched as it stole the lotuses. For that, Lord Fengyang gave him over a hundred lashes."

As he said this, he suddenly froze, looked at Chen Shi, then at Black Pot. *"This guy also has a black dog. But it can't be that much of a coincidence, can it?"*

The Herding Ghosts drove the Zhong Beasts around the lotus field and headed into the distance.

Just then, the ghost god hidden in the clouds seemed to suddenly remember something. It let out a startled cry, opened its eyes, and leaned down to look at Chen Shi and Black Pot, who were already far away.

*"That kid... doesn't he look just like the little thief who stole the ancestor's Soul-Returning Lotuses? But the dog with him doesn't match."*

It lay back down again and laughed. *"That giant black dog was absolutely terrifying. But this is just a little puppy."*

More Herding Ghosts drove Zhong Beasts over and joined their group. The Herding Ghosts asked around, and they all laughed. "Lord Fengyang treats scholars well. You're a top scholar. Going to apologize will definitely be fine."

Chen Shi thanked them.

Just then, a mountain villa came into view. Inside the villa, palaces were neatly arranged, well-proportioned. Even in the underworld, it displayed the graceful elegance of the Jiangnan region.

It was hard to imagine that, in a time of apocalypse, such a beautiful place could still exist.

Around the villa were villages of various sizes, inhabited by ghost gods. Little Yakshas attended them, and their bodies were often a hundred zhang, or even several hundred zhang tall, truly astonishing.

Chen Shi's gaze swept over these ghost gods. Their strength was extraordinary, comparable to masters of the Spirit Refining Realm or Return to Emptiness Realm.

They watched Chen Shi, Little Duan, and Black Pot, seeing them off to the front of the villa.

Simu went in to announce them. Chen Shi looked up at the plaque, which read "Fengyang."

This was presumably the origin of the title "Lord Fengyang."

After a moment, a familiar laugh came from inside: "Chen Shi, Brother Chen! We parted in haste at the Upper Realm. I never thought we'd meet again here!"

Chen Shi was momentarily stunned. Xia Tianjie walked out of Fengyang Villa, followed by several cultivators of considerable skill. They should be experts from the Xia Family. They were living people, and Chen Shi couldn't immediately gauge their cultivation levels.

Seeing Chen Shi, Xia Tianjie was very enthusiastic. He laughed and said, "Last time at the Upper Realm, you went by the name Li Tianqing and taught me spear techniques. I benefited greatly from it."

His wounds had already healed, and his cultivation had improved since the Upper Realm. "Watching your battle with Yang Bi was an even greater gain. After recovering from my injuries, I feel I've made another breakthrough in my cultivation and strength."

Chen Shi also sensed his progress. His gaze fell on the Xia Family experts beside him. "And these are?"

"This is my fourth uncle, Xia Shichang."

Xia Tianjie only introduced one elderly man. He didn't introduce the others; they were probably outer disciples of the Xia Family. Xia Shichang laughed and said, "Top Scholar Chen, your dog eating a few livestock is no big deal. No need to come and apologize."

Chen Shi said earnestly, "When you've done something wrong, you have to admit it."

Xia Tianjie clapped his hands and laughed. "Well said! Let me take you to meet Ancestor Fengyang! You probably don't know this, but Lord Fengyang is an ancestor of my Xia Family. He's been running things here in the underworld for over two thousand years."

He extended his hand in invitation and walked side by side with Chen Shi.

Chen Shi asked, "Is Lord Fengyang's business here the Soul-Returning Lotuses?"

Xia Tianjie smiled. "You know about that?"

Chen Shi said, "The Young Master made his fortune by stealing Soul-Returning Lotuses and selling Soul-Returning Pills. I disrupted his business, so I know a little about it."

Xia Tianjie laughed heartily. "The Young Master came to steal our family's Soul-Returning Lotuses. Lord Fengyang knew all along. He just deliberately indulged him, turning a blind eye. At that time, our Thirteen Great Clans were determined to support him as the next True King. Too bad he couldn't be propped up."

They walked and talked, heading deeper into Fengyang Villa.

Surprisingly, there were very few ghost gods in this villa. The maids, servants, and attendants were mostly living people.

Chen Shi's gaze swept over a few maids who passed by. "Brother Xia, on the way here, I saw Lord Fengyang's livestock eating people. They've emptied many villages. Now, with this calamity from the heavens, the common people have fallen into the underworld and can barely survive. Since Lord Fengyang is a senior of the Xia Family, why doesn't he restrain the monsters? Shouldn't he be saving the people in times like these?"

Xia Tianjie was momentarily stunned. He unconsciously slowed his pace, then smiled. "Brother Chen, maybe you shouldn't see Lord Fengyang. Let me see you out."

Behind him, Xia Shichang and the other Xia Family experts seemed to sense something. They silently began circulating their cultivation techniques, and some even secretly prepared to activate their magic treasures.

Chen Shi stopped walking. "Brother Xia, I had a good time at the Upper Realm. Exchanging dao techniques with you, competing with Yang Bi—for a moment, I thought we might become friends."

Xia Tianjie smiled. "Aren't we?"

"No."

Chen Shi's tone was calm, but his words carried a resolute force. At that moment, a thick scent of incense wafted over. A deity walked toward them, laughing heartily. "Is that the Child Prodigy? Reputation is nothing compared to meeting in person. I am old Fengyang..."

Murderous intent exploded in Chen Shi's eyes. Lightning crackled beneath his feet as he shot forward with a *crack*!

"Heavenly Cycle Fire Domain!"

He reached out with his right hand, and with a *whoosh*, a realm of thunder and fire formed, spinning wildly. At the same time, a black iron rod flew out from the small temple behind his head. The fire domain raced along his arm, wrapped around the black iron rod in his hand, and surged to its tip. One by one, the complex patterns on the rod lit up, as if thunder and lightning were burning within them!

Chen Shi swung the rod and brought it crashing down on the top of Lord Fengyang's head!

*BOOM!*

With a thunderous roar, that single strike shattered Lord Fengyang's two-thousand-year accumulation of incense-offering divine power, smashed his skull, broke his spine, pulverized his undying divine body, and annihilated his dharma power!

Behind him, Fengyang Villa was split in two by the giant black iron rod!

Chen Shi turned his head, his face savage and defiant.

"You Thirteen Great Clans treat human lives like weeds! And I am that weed!"