Book 08 Chapter 072: Ancestor Mang Shan’s Bitterness
Due to Gu Hai’s orders, Kong Xuan did not refine the group of ghost kings and ancestors. Instead, he absorbed their Ghost Energy before expelling them.
When they were expelled, Ancestor Mang Shan, the other ancestors, and the ghost kings were limp, their bodies devoid of strength, shock writ large on their faces.
Kong Xuan did not even spare them a glance, leaving them strewn aside, disregarded.
“Ancestor, do you think he ambushed us earlier? If we attack again, do you think you can defeat him?” one ghost king asked fearfully.
Ancestor Mang Shan’s face turned unpleasant, but he remained silent.
He had come to realize that their group had run into trouble. Kong Xuan was at the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm, a level they could not possibly match.
Again? Even if we tried again ten thousand times, our group would simply be no match.
“Consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm?” one ancestor asked Ancestor Mang Shan, uncertain.
Ancestor Mang Shan nodded in confirmation.
“No, no, no, this can’t be true! He’s just a subordinate; how could he have reached the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm? The Bone Ancestor couldn’t achieve this level, right? How can it be like this? Is he delusional? Becoming a subordinate under the Bone Ancestor?” That ancestor could not believe it.
“Perhaps we just had bad luck,” Ancestor Mang Shan said bitterly.
“Yes, that must be it. We must just be suffering from bad luck. Kong Xuan is the only consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator in the Han Imperial Dynasty. Hah…we are just unlucky to encounter a consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. The other three commanders must not have such strength. The other three groups sure are lucky!” another ancestor lamented.
“Yes, the only consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator in the Han Imperial Dynasty, and we had to face him. Hah…we are so unlucky,” Ancestor Mang Shan agreed sullenly.
The ghost kings and ancestors were filled with frustration, when suddenly, a loud commotion rose in the distance.
“Where are the ghost kings?” An authoritative voice rang out.
“They are over there. The commander left them there,” a soldier replied.
A man in golden robes approached and tossed thousands of ghost kings and ancestors towards Ancestor Mang Shan.
“He is Shangguan Hen, the deputy commander of Gao Xianzhi’s army,” one of the ghost kings explained to Ancestor Mang Shan.
“The deputy commander?” Ancestor Mang Shan questioned, bewildered.
It was not just Shangguan Hen that he found strange. More importantly, all the ghost kings and ancestors had been captured; not a single one was missing. The ghosts from the other three groups had been restrained and dumped in front of them.
“They’ve been captured? This is impossible!” Ancestor Mang Shan exclaimed.
Shangguan Hen glanced at Ancestor Mang Shan, and the ghost ancestors and ghost kings immediately shut up, not daring to speak.
Ignoring Ancestor Mang Shan, Shangguan Hen looked around and asked a group of soldiers, “Where’s Lord Kong? I need to speak with him.”
“He’s over here. I’ll take you to him,” replied one of the Han Nation soldiers.
“Alright.” Shangguan Hen nodded and followed him.
In an instant, the pressure on the captured group of ghost ancestors lessened.
“Ancestor Mang Shan, you led us to our doom,” one of the recently captured ancestors exclaimed angrily.
“You…how did you all get captured?” Ancestor Mang Shan asked in shock.
“Didn’t you say we could casually crush them? Why was the Mosquito Daoist at the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm? Why?! All my Ghost Energy! When he waved his hand, countless mosquitoes appeared and consumed it all! Ancestor Mang Shan, compensate me! Compensate me!” an ancestor said bitterly.
“You said we could easily decapitate the four commanders. Why could Long Shenying scatter the Ghost Energy of all our ghosts with a single slap? If not for Gu Hai’s orders, we would all be dead!” another ancestor added, his voice filled with bitterness.
“It was you who claimed that the four commanders were nothing. We went to Gao Xianzhi’s camp, but he didn’t even need to act. His deputy, Shangguan Hen, is also at the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm! You liar! Is this an imperial dynasty? Is this an imperial dynasty?” Yet another ancestor expressed disbelief and anger.
Ancestor Mang Shan: “…”
The ancestors exchanged information. Then they all showed expressions of frustration and horror. What else was there to say? There were four consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators leading the Han Imperial Dynasty’s armies.
How can we fight? Just one consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator can sweep his way through the north. Now, there are four? How can we fight?
Why is the Han Imperial Dynasty so different from what Ancestor Mang Shan said?
Ancestor Mang Shan became the target of everyone’s criticism.
Ancestor Mang Shan himself was dumbfounded. Why have things turned out this way?
After a long, acrimonious discussion among the ancestors, he had no choice but to accept his bitter fate.
When he reflected on his earlier arrogance, he could not help but s.h.i.+ver. If not for Gu Hai’s order, our group of ghosts might have been annihilated.
A grand counterattack? More like delivering ourselves to be captured!
What alliance to destroy the Han Nation? They did not even think anything of it.
Why are we so unlucky?
“Everyone, I underestimated Gu Hai. However, I may have an idea why Gu Hai spared us,” Ancestor Mang Shan said.
“Why?” the ancestors asked anxiously, grasping at a glimmer of hope in his words.
“Advancement. I speculate that the Han Imperial Dynasty lacks the qualifications to advance to a heavenly dynasty. They want to use us to pacify the ghost population and gather countless blessings. You see, they can advance to the heavenly dynasty only with enough blessings,” Ancestor Mang Shan explained.
“That makes sense. Even though our strength cannot match that of Kong Xuan and his group, our factions have controlled countless cities for thousands of years. If they need blessings, they’ll have to rely on us,” another ghost remarked.
“So, Gu Hai still depends on us?”
“Hahaha! We’re safe now. As long as Gu Hai lacks the citizens’ support, he won’t harm us, as he lacks blessings. Advancing to a heavenly dynasty? While Kong Xuan and the others are strong enough to support a heavenly dynasty, what can he do without blessings? He needs us.”
The group of ghost kings and ancestors nodded in agreement, joy brightening their faces.
After their short discussion, Kong Xuan and Shangguan Hen walked over.
Most of the ancestors were immediately cowed into silence, but Ancestor Mang Shan and several others raised their heads defiantly, gazing coldly at Kong Xuan and his companions. Today’s humiliation will be avenged.
“Lord Kong, His Reverence has recalled us to the imperial court for the ceremony. What about these ghost kings?” Shangguan Hen asked.
“Bring them along. Let His Reverence deal with them!” Kong Xuan replied solemnly.
“Very well.” Shangguan Hen nodded in agreement.
With a wave of their sleeves, the two instantly whisked away nearly ten thousand ghost kings and ancestors, turning them into streaks of light that shot towards Everlasting Nether Capital.
As they flew through the sky, the ghost kings and ancestors finally relaxed.
“Everyone, there’s no need to fear. The Han Imperial Dynasty has too little blessings. Later, they will beg us to help them gather blessings because we represent blessings. They want to advance to a heavenly dynasty, and they must request our a.s.sistance!” Ancestor Mang Shan explained.
“Exactly! Hahaha!” The ancestors immediately relaxed, gazing ahead haughtily at Kong Xuan and Shangguan Hen.
Shangguan Hen glanced back at the grinning ghost kings, his brow furrowed.
“Don’t bother looking. They’re all a bunch of idiots!” Kong Xuan shook his head.
Shangguan Hen nodded, ignoring the ghost kings and ancestors.
“Look, they’re afraid now. Gu Hai will definitely beg us. That’s why Kong Xuan and Shangguan Hen dare not show us any disrespect!” Ancestor Mang Shan chuckled.
“That’s right. Blessings, does the Han Nation have enough blessings? They’ll have to rely on us!” the ancestors said excitedly.
As they were rejoicing, they arrived at Everlasting Nether Capital. Just then, Gu Hai’s true body in the land of the living suddenly sent an endless stream of blessings from the Huang Heavenly Dynasty.
Rumble…!
The surging blessings flooded the skies above Everlasting Nether Capital. Like a heavenly river collapsing, the ma.s.sive flood of blessings overwhelmed everything.
The blessings from the Huang Heavenly Dynasty were genuine blessings from a heavenly dynasty, and the Huang Nation had been acc.u.mulating them for thousands of years. The quant.i.ty was astronomical.
With the appearance of the surging blessings, the entire Everlasting Nether Capital was bathed in golden light. The entire world was dyed golden.
As the vast blessings continued to pour in, the smirks of the ancestors turned into stiff expressions. The ghost kings fell silent, staring dumbfounded at the ever-expanding sea of blessings.
“Ancestor Mang Shan, you said the Han Imperial Dynasty would request our help to gather blessings, right?” one ancestor asked with a bewildered expression.
“It-it seems so,” Ancestor Mang Shan replied in a peculiar tone.
The ghost kings and ancestors lapsed back into silence.
This silence continued until Kong Xuan and Shangguan Hen arrived at the plaza of Ground Control Palace with the ghost kings and ancestors.
They left the group of ghost kings and ancestors on one side of the plaza, watched by the Han Imperial Dynasty’s guards.
The blessings in the sky had already exceeded the ancestors’ understanding of a heavenly dynasty’s blessings, and the blessings cloud sea was still expanding. They watched as the golden blessings dragon grew longer and longer, roaring excitedly, and soon reached a length of twenty thousand kilometers.
Not far away, Gu Hai stood at a ma.s.sive altar, wearing imperial robes.
Kong Xuan and the others stood among the court officials, bowing to Gu Hai in reverence.
Unlike in the land of the living, the skeleton Gu Hai in the nether realm did not take out the Heaven Suppressing Divine Imperial Seal or the Invest.i.ture of the G.o.ds but merely bowed to the heavens.
The territories in both the land of the living and the nether realm were the Han Imperial Dynasty, not two separate imperial dynasties. With one side setting up the ceremony, the other just needed to synchronize with it.
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“Heaven above and the earth below, the immortal firmament birthed all life; the three thousand Great Dao birthed all things. Today, the Han Imperial Dynasty’s Gu Hai, acting in accordance with the will of heaven, shall enlighten all people and soothe all living beings. With the Heaven Suppressing Divine Imperial Seal as our foundation and the Invest.i.ture of the G.o.ds as our proof, we request the presence of heaven and earth as witnesses. May the three thousand Great Dao bestow their blessing for the Han Nation to formally advance to a heavenly dynasty, to gain the approval of the immortal firmament to become the Han Heavenly Dynasty!” Gu Hai shouted as he raised the Heaven Suppressing Divine Imperial Seal.
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Synchronous with the ceremony in the land of the living, the same voice resounded in the nether realm, confirming it was part of the Han Nation and would advance to being the Han Heavenly Dynasty.
“Roar!”
The golden blessings dragon in the land of the living rushed into the Heaven Suppressing Divine Imperial Seal, while in the nether realm, the golden blessings dragon plunged into the body of the skeleton Gu Hai, as if completing a solemn ritual for the immortal firmament.
Rumble…!
The blessings cloud sea in the sky churned, signaling a tremendous change.
By this time, the ghost kings and ancestors detained in a corner had long been dumbfounded.
“Ancestor Mang Shan, it seems the Han Nation does not need our help to advance to a heavenly dynasty?” One ancestor looked at Ancestor Mang Shan uncertainly.
“It…seems like it.” Ancestor Mang Shan’s face twitched.
“So, does that mean we have become completely worthless? Whether we stay or go, whether we live or die, Gu Hai suffers no loss?” that ancestor inquired cautiously.
“It…seems like it,” Ancestor Mang Shan repeated with a stiff expression.
“I don’t want to die!”
“It’s all your fault, Ancestor Mang Shan! I’m innocent!”
“Ancestor Mang Shan, you’ve brought misery upon us!”
The ghost kings and ancestors raised an outcry in anger and frustration, directing their grievances at Ancestor Mang Shan.