Chapter 27: The Cunning Old Fox

In the next second, the tide of battle turned. Not only was the dagger snatched from the Enchantress’s hand, but she was once again pinned to the bed.

The position was even more humiliating than the last.

The Enchantress was bewildered. When she was sent here, the organization’s leader had described Yang Xuan’s strength as, at most, the peak of a Ghost General. But looking at him now, how could this possibly be the peak of a Ghost General? Within the Ghost King faction, excluding the peak Ghost Kings, the Enchantress was a force of nature that slaughtered everyone else. Yet, against Yang Xuan, she didn't even have a chance to fight back.

Back at the organization, the leader felt at ease after hearing that the Enchantress had made contact with Yang Xuan. Standing nearby, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman looked worried.

"Boss, with the Enchantress’s personality, if you let her assist Yang Xuan, can he handle it? Besides, hasn’t Yang Xuan refused to join us yet?"

The leader let out a sly, wicked chuckle. He draped an arm around the Demon-Suppressing Talisman’s neck and whispered into his ear.

"What do you know? Before she left, I told the Enchantress that Yang Xuan had already agreed to join us, and that he was merely at the peak of a Ghost General. I know exactly what that girl is capable of. Letting her suffer a few setbacks at Yang Xuan’s place to temper her attitude won't hurt her. If she remains this arrogant and unreasonable, how will she ever find a husband?"

Upon hearing this, the Demon-Suppressing Talisman gasped, giving the leader a thumbs-up. "Boss, you’re the best! Truly cunning!"

"Shut it! Watch your mouth! How is the investigation into the matter I asked you about?"

The Demon-Suppressing Talisman unfurled a map. A close look revealed it was different from an ordinary map; it was marked with all the branch locations of the Soul Clan, as well as the gathering points of powerful human factions. After spreading it out, he said, confused, "Boss, based on my observations these past few days, I don’t quite understand the Soul Clan’s movements. The five great Ghost Kings of the entire Soul Clan are in complete chaos, especially the Xihua Ghost King and the Huangquan Ghost King, who are fighting each other! I even heard rumors that the Huangquan Ghost King has threatened to rip out one of Xihua’s front teeth!"

The leader moved his hand from his chin to his temple and rubbed it rapidly. He couldn't analyze what was happening in the Spirit Realm either. Ghost Kings seeking petty revenge and wanting to pull out front teeth? Such cruelty was beyond him.

"Keep watching, Demon-Suppressing Talisman. Report to me immediately if there are any new developments. As for the Enchantress, you don’t need to worry about her; I’ll handle the communication. Not only do I need to know how she’s doing, but I also need to continue verifying the quality of our new member."

"Yes, boss."

***

Inside the villa of the Xihua Ghost King, the Ghost King sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by swirling malevolent energy. The dense aura circled him several times before converging on the wounds on his arms, nourishing and repairing them.

Before the wounds were even halfway healed, the villa’s front door came flying in, kicked with such force that it embedded itself into the wall.

"Xihua Ghost King! Get your ass out here! I’m going to pull out your front tooth! And I advise you not to resist! I am here under the orders of our leader!"

Huangquan Ghost King’s barrage of words left Xihua stunned. He stood up and asked, "What are you talking about? Didn't you take the bounty? Where is the head?"

"The head? Ha! You’re truly naive. With your pathetic state, you still want the head?" Huangquan Ghost King mocked him without restraint.

This infuriated Xihua. "If there’s no head, fine! Hand over the one hundred thousand Yin Soul points now!"

While one hundred thousand Yin Soul points wasn't a massive fortune in the market, for the recent Xihua Ghost King, it was his last bit of wealth. He had lost his battle suit and his treasures; if he lost these points, he would never make a comeback.

Hearing Xihua ask for the points, Huangquan let out a lewd chuckle. "Consider those hundred thousand as an offering to our leader!"

"Leader? What leader?" Xihua looked blank. In the Spirit Realm, apart from a powerful leader who appeared hundreds of years ago, the Soul Clan had been leaderless for ages. Where would a leader come from now?

"Hmph!" Huangquan Ghost King looked annoyed and scolded, "I said the leader, so it’s the leader! Don’t talk so much nonsense! With your current strength, you aren't worthy of knowing who the leader is!"

Huangquan Ghost King said this, but the truth was that Yang Xuan had warned him not to reveal his identity. Only an idiot would try to go against the owner of the Soul Clan’s banner! Such a colossal existence was not someone Huangquan could afford to provoke.

***

He had to keep that secret safe.

"The leader has given the word: today, one of your front teeth must be pulled!"

Listening to Huangquan’s endless drivel, Xihua’s expression turned completely dark. "If the leader wants it, let him come find me himself! As for you, you don't have the capability!" Xihua said with disdain, not taking Huangquan’s words to heart. Despite losing his treasures, taking down the Huangquan Ghost King was not a difficult task.

But in the next second, Xihua was dumbfounded. A massive surge of malevolent energy rose around the villa. The concentration was so high that even touching it would cause erosion.

"Huangquan Ghost King! Have you lost your mind? You’d use the treasure left behind by the previous Huangquan Ghost Emperor just to pull out one of my teeth?"

Realizing that Huangquan was serious, Xihua was completely caught off guard. Huangquan had always survived by relying on the treasure left by his predecessor. Otherwise, with his moronic train of thought, he would have been wiped out ages ago!

Before Xihua could process this, he was pinned to the ground by that immense energy. Huangquan walked over swaggeringly, holding a pair of specialized pliers, and clamped them onto Xihua’s front tooth.

"I have to say, this tooth of yours is quite nice!" Huangquan remarked, admiring the tooth. After a moment, he seemed to remember something and added, "Oh right, that hundred thousand counts as your sincerity to the leader for this month. Remember to prepare another hundred thousand for next month!"

After Huangquan left, Xihua clutched his mouth, his face dark. "Charging me protection money? I’ll wait and see just how untouchable I am!"

On the street, the Huangquan Ghost King swayed happily, singing, "Little seagulls flying aimlessly, little conch shells blowing aimlessly~"

He hummed the tune all the way until he arrived at the hotel room where Yang Xuan was staying. Upon entering, he immediately knelt on one knee and gestured to Yang Xuan.

"Leader, the mission has been accomplished!"