Chapter 1526: The Race

When Jian Changsheng returned to the Temple of the Dead, his eyes were still red.

Jian Changsheng didn't like to cry, and he didn't want others to see that he had cried, because it represented his vulnerability. For this reason, he even washed his face twice more with the water from the vat before leaving the well... But even so, those reddened eyes still made it obvious to anyone that he had just had a good cry.

When Chen Ling and the others saw Jian Changsheng limping back, they all noticed the redness in his eyes, but this time, even Sun Bumian, who loved to tease, tacitly chose not to ask. Only Chen Ling frowned slightly and spoke:

"So soon? You could have chatted a bit longer... We still have time."

"Everything that needed to be said has been said. If I kept talking, she would have started nagging me about marriage again," Jian Changsheng waved his hand dismissively. "Compared to these family matters, we have a more important mission to complete... right, Lord Red King~?"

Chen Ling: ...

Seeing this, Chen Ling didn't try to persuade him further and wobbled to his feet:

"...Then let's go. It's time to leave."

Chen Ling’s pace was very slow, not for any other reason than pure dizziness and weakness. Sun Bumian, beside him, was no better off and had to lean on a nearby pillar to barely move forward...

Seeing this, Jian Changsheng almost laughed out loud!

A dignified Red King, a world-ending calamity, and a thousand-year-old geezer, a Theater Path demigod, were now reduced to limping along while leaning on walls. Jian Changsheng certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity, and he laughed:

"Yo~ where did these two old ladies come from?"

Then he tried to limp after Chen Ling and the others.

Sun Bumian’s mouth twitched. How could he take this provocation? He knew his scumbag master might be watching from somewhere in the Underworld River, and if he were mocked by this cripple, where would he put his face?

Sun Bumian gritted his teeth and forced himself to speed up.

Jian Changsheng had been about to overtake Sun Bumian, but as the other man accelerated, his own crippled leg couldn't keep up. He glared, endured the pain, and huffed and puffed as he hurried forward, even reaching out to try and grab Sun Bumian’s shoulder.

Chen Ling: ...

Chen Ling watched the two childish men, speechless for a moment, but when he saw Jian Changsheng grinning and about to overtake him, he silently quickened his pace as well.

At the temple entrance.

Chu Muyun, who had just finished patching up Jiang Xiaohua, looked up and saw three "zombies" with extremely uncoordinated limbs rushing out of the temple. They didn't speak, just kept their heads down and charged forward—the scene was incredibly bizarre.

Jiang Xiaohua, who had finally managed to stand up, was stunned. Although he didn't know what was happening, he still called out anxiously:

"Wait for me!"

The mummy joined the fray, stumbling with every step.

Chu Muyun: ???

"Lord Red King isn't doing so well either, huh? I passed you so easily~"

"...Spade, your leg seems to be bleeding."

"Is it? It's fine, it doesn't hurt at all."

"Damn it, Spade, you're cheating! Why are you pulling on my shoulder?"

"Wait for me... you guys wait for me!"

“……”

The Underworld River flowed silently beneath the dim sky. The four figures stumbled forward, chasing each other, occasionally trading barbs and sarcasm. In the desolate, deathly silent Ghost City, their figures were vibrant and burning.

But their "vibrancy" didn't last long.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

With one hammer strike each, Chu Muyun knocked all four of them down. He had somehow cobbled together four simple wooden carts and used ropes to drag them along, bumping forward along the roads of the Ghost City.

"Wounded people should act like wounded people," Chu Muyun said with a dark face.

The "6" generation lay neatly on the wooden boards, their bodies jolting with every pothole in the road. Although they were still unconvinced, they realized that the four of them combined might not be able to beat Chu Muyun, so they could only honestly act as cargo being dragged away.

The Ghost City gradually faded from their view. Vaguely, three figures seemed to be standing atop the temple, watching them from afar.

"Are we really just letting them leave like this?" Suxi gritted his teeth.

Before Jiang Xiaohua left, he had released him. After all, the Envoy was far too weak after going to the world of the living to be of any use, and bringing him along would just be a burden... Of course, before leaving, Jiang Xiaohua had still cast several curses on him, leaving him with no strength to pursue or resist.

Liulian stood nearby, watching the departing figures with a complex expression:

"Even the Ghost Path isn't pursuing them, so why should we go and court disaster? It's better to just send these plagues away as quickly as possible."

"That Chen Ling spared our lives, so naturally, we must repay them once," Chiku snorted. "This is our karma."

"It's just a pity about Da'an..."

"Bai Qi’s soul has scattered; this karma is considered completely settled... After a long time, a new 'Da'an' will appear, though it may not be human. Perhaps... it will be some new form of life? That depends on who the new master of the living world is then."

"Do you still think humanity won't survive this tribulation?"

Suxi watched the departing theatrical robe, hesitating for a long time.

"Perhaps... there is hope?"

……

Tian-Shu Domain.

The ruins were a mess, as if they had just experienced a great battle. Su Zhiwei was still wearing her training clothes, standing calmly in place. Hongxiu and Lü Liangren flew over from the direction of the Tian-Shu base ruins.

"How did you handle that Wang Jian?" Su Zhiwei asked.

"Fortunately, you went easy on him. We found someone to treat him, so he won't die for now," Lü Liangren smiled. "He’s been locked up in the base, and I’ve set up layers of traps around him. There won't be any problems."

"We found this on him."

Hongxiu handed a small golden gourd to Su Zhiwei.

Su Zhiwei opened it slightly, took a look, and a look of surprise appeared on her face...

As a modern person, Su Zhiwei didn't know the secret of demigod resurrection, but since Wang Jian had gone to such lengths to bring these things out of the Ghost Path Ancient Treasury, they must be very important. She hung the small golden gourd at her waist.

"I'll keep it safe myself."

"Lord Red Dust, should we withdraw our men?" Lü Liangren pointed to the figures still surrounding the Ghost Path Ancient Treasury.

Su Zhiwei nodded and was about to say something when the ground beneath their feet began to tremble again!

It was as if something was rapidly rising from underground!

"Is there someone else?"

Su Zhiwei frowned.

The many figures surrounding the entrance turned serious, looking down at their feet, ready for battle!

*Bang—!!*

A dull, loud noise erupted, and a figure slowly took shape amidst the flying dust...