Chapter 104: Ghost Manor

Chapter 104: Ghost Manor

Murong Wushuang hurried forward, anxiously asking, "Brother Chuan, how is it? How is my grandfather?"

Ning Xiaochuan's expression was grave as he shook his head.

Yu Yan came out of the house carrying a basin of bloody water.

Murong Wushuang froze on the spot, muttering to himself, "How could this be? A whole basin of blood... A whole basin... Grandfather, Grandfather..."

Tears streamed from his eyes. His grandfather was his only remaining family.

"Don’t misunderstand. This is just the water I used to wash my hands. I’ve already reconnected your grandfather’s Meridians, but his Martial Arts Profound Qi has been sealed for too long. Without several months of recovery, his cultivation won’t return to its peak," Ning Xiaochuan explained.

From inside the house came a deafening cold snort, radiating a sharp and domineering aura. "My cultivation will recover sooner or later. Once it does, it will be time to take Yue Wuyang’s life."

After all, Murong Hua had once been a Dragon Warrior. Now that his seal was broken, he was like a dragon emerging from the sea—his formidable aura had returned.

Murong Hua’s cultivation was extremely high, and his physical body was exceptionally strong. With his Meridians reconnected and Martial Arts Profound Qi circulating through his body, his wounds would heal rapidly.

The old man walked out of the house dressed in a gray robe. Though his cultivation hadn’t fully recovered, he was already able to walk. He approached Ning Xiaochuan and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Young Master Ning, for saving me. I already owed your father my life, and now I owe you mine as well. This debt can never be repaid."

Lin Sanzhi was also deeply moved, his fighting spirit burning fiercely.

For the past ten years, they had endured humiliation, living in misery and suffering immense pain, while Yue Wuyang, the one responsible, had thrived, enjoying a decade of wealth and luxury.

"Yue Wuyang’s days of fortune are over. Once your cultivation recovers, we’ll join forces and storm the Cloud Marquis House to take his life," Lin Sanzhi declared.

A hoarse voice suddenly echoed through the courtyard, accompanied by a cold laugh. "They say Murong Hua and Lin Xiao are the Twin Heroes among the Dragon Warriors, worthy of admiration. But seeing them today, I’m sorely disappointed—turns out they’re just a pair of reckless fools."

Tianchenzi, wrapped entirely in a black robe like a ghost, stood atop the vermilion-glazed tiles of the pavilion, his eerie green eyes fixed on the group below.

Lin Sanzhi sneered. "I’ve long sensed a ghost lurking in Haitang Manor, but I never managed to catch it. Since you’ve come out on your own, I’ll play the role of a ghost hunter today."

Though blind and with a disabled arm, Lin Sanzhi’s cultivation was unfathomable. He pointed a finger toward the roof, and a Finger Sword Beam shot forth.

"Whoosh!"

Tianchenzi let out a cackling laugh, conjuring a massive black barrier between his hands, shaped like an Indestructible Divine Tower.

"Boom!"

Lin Sanzhi’s Finger Sword Beam was far more powerful than Tianchenzi had anticipated. It transformed into a spiritual serpent, shattering the black tower of Profound Qi and striking Tianchenzi directly.

"You’ve reached the Earthly Venerable Realm?"

Tianchenzi let out a surprised exclamation, swiftly evading the incoming finger sword attack with ghost-like movements before landing on the ground.

Lin Sanzhi was no slower than Tianchenzi, chasing after him and preparing to strike again.

"No more fighting. I’ve decided to discuss serious matters with you. If you still want to kill Yue Wuyang, it’s best to stop now." Knowing he was no match for Lin Sanzhi, Tianchenzi chose not to continue the battle.

In truth, Tianchenzi’s greatest strength was not his martial prowess. His cultivation level didn’t even rank in the top five within Dark Emperor City, yet his authority allowed him to command Martial Venerable-level figures stronger than himself.

With overwhelming martial power, one could establish a nation.

But ruling a nation well required more than just brute force.

Tianchenzi’s true value lay in his ability to govern the vast dark forces of Dark Emperor City.

The current prosperity of Dark Emperor City owed much to Tianchenzi’s contributions.

Yet, precisely because he knew too many of Dark Emperor City’s secrets, he dared not return, fearing the Necropolis Lord would silence him permanently.

Lin Sanzhi demanded, "Who exactly are you?"

"He is Tianchenzi of Dark Emperor City," Ning Xiaochuan answered.

"A man of Dark Emperor City?" Lin Sanzhi’s body surged with Earth Martial Essence once more, ready to slay Tianchenzi.

There were no good people in Dark Emperor City, let alone a high-ranking figure like him—all the more reason to kill him.

Yet Tianchenzi remained utterly composed, smiling as he said, "I am no longer part of Dark Emperor City. In fact, its experts are hunting me down to eliminate me. All of this is thanks to Yue Wuyang, making him our common enemy."

Ning Xiaochuan also didn’t want the two powerhouses to clash within Haitang Manor, knowing their battle would surely destroy the entire estate. So, he explained Tianchenzi’s situation to everyone.

After hearing Ning Xiaochuan’s words, Lin Sanzhi withdrew his Earth Martial Essence and sneered, "Who would’ve thought the renowned Tianchenzi would fall to such a state? You’re worse off than us now—Dark Emperor City wants you dead, and the imperial court does too. The moment you show your face, you’re doomed."

Tianchenzi replied, "That’s exactly why we must cooperate. Only by joining forces can we eliminate Yue Wuyang, our shared enemy."

"Why should we ally with you?" Lin Sanzhi retorted.

Tianchenzi countered, "Do you know how much Yue Wuyang’s cultivation has advanced in the past ten years? Do you truly believe the two of you alone can storm Cloud Marquis House and take his life? With the vast influence Cloud Marquis House now wields, it’s not something one or two people can shake. Killing Yue Wuyang requires careful planning—otherwise, you’d only be marching to your deaths."

Lin Sanzhi and Murong Hua fell silent.

Tianchenzi was right. Over the past decade, Yue Wuyang’s personal strength and the power of his faction had grown more than tenfold. Killing him had become a near-impossible task.

Murong Hua asked, "So what do you propose?"

Tianchenzi had been waiting for Murong Hua's words and immediately began to elaborate, saying, "We must establish our own faction, secretly develop our own strength, and ultimately reach a level where we can rival the Cloud Marquis House—even to the point of challenging the imperial court itself."

Murong Hua snorted coldly. "With just the few of us?"

Tianchenzi let out a hoarse laugh. "Is the few of us not enough? A single Martial Venerable can establish a martial manor. Brother Lin has already reached the Martial Venerable realm, while the two of us are at the Quasi-Martial Venerable level. With the three of us overseeing things, it’s more than enough to help the Manor Lord achieve great ambitions. Within five years, the influence of Haitang Manor will undoubtedly grow powerful enough to rival the Cloud Marquis House. I have this confidence—do you?"

Ning Xiaochuan chuckled coldly. "Senior Tianchenzi, are you certain you’re helping me achieve great ambitions, and not just furthering your own? You want to turn Haitang Manor into another Dark Emperor City, don’t you?"

Tianchenzi smiled. "The Manor Lord saved my life. It’s only natural for me to offer strategies in return. Moreover, the Imperial City is currently in turmoil, with many major factions eyeing the Jian Pavilion Marquis House with ill intent. Don’t you want to do something for the Jian Pavilion Marquis House? Only by building Haitang Manor into a formidable force can we gain a voice in the whirlpool of the Imperial City. Only when Haitang Manor’s power grows vast enough—so vast that even imperial authority can be ignored—will rescuing Miss Yu Ningsheng from the Guan Yu Tower become an easy task."

Ning Xiaochuan narrowed his eyes. Tianchenzi’s information network was alarmingly sharp. He must have known about the events in the Fire Demon Mountain Range, hence his earlier words.

Yet, it had to be admitted—Tianchenzi had swayed him.

The Jian Pavilion Marquis House had indeed made many powerful enemies. While it appeared glorious on the surface, it was actually teetering on the brink. If he could command a formidable faction of his own, he would have the standing to negotiate with the major players—even challenge the marquises and princes.

Tianchenzi continued, "Haitang Manor is an excellent place to conceal our activities. We can develop it into our headquarters, then expand our influence throughout the Border Market, the entire Imperial City, and even the entire Yulan Empire."

Murong Wushuang, unlike Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Hua, harbored no reservations. Stirred by Tianchenzi’s words, he grew excited and eager to pursue grand ambitions. "I think this is a brilliant idea—truly brilliant. However, we have too many formidable enemies at the moment, so we must develop in secret. The name 'Haitang Manor' can’t be used anymore. We need something more imposing."

"How about Ghost Manor?" Tianchenzi looked at Ning Xiaochuan, Lin Sanzhi, and Murong Hua.

Murong Wushuang asked, "Why Ghost Manor?"

Tianchenzi smiled. "Because Brother Lin, Brother Murong, the Manor Lord, and I have all died once. Though we live in this world, we can no longer appear before others with our original identities. Doesn’t that make us just like ghosts?"

Murong Wushuang’s eyes lit up. "Then, from now on, Brother Chuan will be the Young Master of Ghost Manor?"

Tianchenzi nodded and said, "The master of Ghost Manor, Young Master Chuan. This name will surely resound throughout the Imperial City in the future, becoming an existence feared and revered by countless people. At the same time, Brother Lin and Brother Murong shall serve as the Left and Right Guardian Kings of Ghost Manor, while I can be granted the title of Ghost Envoy. Master, what do you think of this arrangement?"

Ning Xiaochuan knew that Tianchenzi must have already planned everything meticulously. This old schemer was thorough and calculating, leaving no room for error.

At present, Ning Xiaochuan's cultivation was still too weak to truly command Ghost Manor—the one issuing orders would ultimately be Tianchenzi.

However, Ning Xiaochuan believed in his own talent. Within five years, his cultivation would surely surpass Tianchenzi's.

By then, if Tianchenzi remained loyal, he could continue as the Ghost Envoy. But if he dared to harbor ulterior motives, Ning Xiaochuan would have the power to eliminate him.

Most importantly, Lin Sanzhi and Murong Hua were both formidable experts. With these two powerhouses overseeing matters, Tianchenzi would not be able to dominate unchecked.

Ning Xiaochuan made his decision—to establish Ghost Manor.