Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 980 The arrangements of the Ghost Realm, a celebration!

The smile on Zhou Xun's face gradually faded.
His gaze calmly fell upon the Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord, making the latter feel an invisible pressure.
Upon seeing this, the Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord became even more respectful, bowing almost at a right angle, not daring to even breathe loudly.

“Purple Nightmare,” Zhou Xun spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.
"All the Nascent Soul cultivators remaining in the Ghost Realm, except for you, have been executed."

"what?!"

Despite having a premonition, hearing the news with his own ears still sent a jolt through the soul of the Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord!
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock and unspeakable terror!

All twelve Ghost Kings, along with the Crying Ghost Emperor who had dominated the Ghost Realm for thousands of years... were actually all killed by Zhou Tianjun before his eyes?
What terrifying power! What horrifying methods!

A chill emanated from the deepest part of the ghost core, instantly spreading throughout the entire body.

His last remaining ulterior motives vanished, replaced by utter submission and awe.

He bowed his head deeply: "Master's supernatural powers are unparalleled, and his might shakes the world... I admire you with the utmost respect!"

Zhou Xun seemed oblivious to his loss of composure and continued, "In the Ghost Realm today, you are the only Nascent Soul cultivator left."

He paused, his gaze landing squarely on the Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord, his tone calm yet earth-shattering:

"The position of the Ghost Realm Emperor naturally belongs to you."

"The Ghost Realm... Emperor? Ghost Emperor!" The Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord was stunned, almost thinking he had misheard.

After the initial shock, an indescribable surge of joy welled up from the bottom of his heart, instantly dispelling his previous fear!
This is simply an incredible stroke of luck!

He only hoped to save his life and prolong his existence.
But to everyone's surprise, there would come a day when I would be in charge of the entire ghost realm!
Although it is just a puppet of the terrifying being before us, it is still the position of Ghost Emperor, which is above all ghosts and revered by billions of ghosts!
The overwhelming surprise made his ghostly body tremble slightly, and without hesitation, he knelt down with a thud.
The voice was unwavering: "Zi Yan thanks the Heavenly Lord for his grace! Whatever command the Heavenly Lord gives, this humble one will gladly die ten thousand times over!"

"From this day forward, the entire Ghost Realm shall obey the Heavenly Lord's every command! I am willing to serve the Heavenly Lord with utmost loyalty for eternity. If I harbor any disloyalty, I will be devoured by ten thousand ghosts and never be reincarnated!"

Although he really wanted to refuse, he was offered too much!
Zhou Xun neither confirmed nor denied his declaration of loyalty, but simply nodded slightly: "I have one more thing for you to do while I put you in charge of the Ghost Realm."

"Please give your orders, Heavenly Lord! I will do my utmost!" The Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord remained kneeling on the ground, his voice incredibly loud.

All fear and concerns about the future of the Ghost Clan were swept away by the joy of the Emperor's throne!

Zhou Xun's voice remained calm, yet carried a cold, resolute quality, as if stating an unalterable fact:

"I do not wish for a second Nascent Soul cultivator to appear in the Ghost Realm in the future."

Upon hearing this, he felt a sudden chill run down his spine!
This is going to... completely extinguish any hope of the ghost realm's future rise!
Without Nascent Soul cultivators, the Ghost Realm will forever grovel in the shadow of humanity, with no hope of ever rising again.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I understand and will certainly obey the Heavenly Emperor's decree!"

Zhou Xun's gaze seemed to penetrate his ghostly body, seeing through his most subtle thoughts, his tone carrying a cold, admonishing undertone:

"Remember, if a second Nascent Soul cultivator appears in the Ghost Realm in the future..."

"Then, the next one to be completely destroyed, body and soul... will be you."

"You should know my methods. No matter where you hide in the ghost realm, I can find you."

The Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord trembled violently. He hurriedly banged his head on the ground, repeatedly saying:
"Your humble servant dares not! Your humble servant would never dare! The Heavenly Emperor's decree, your humble servant would never dare to disobey in the slightest!"

Despite his immense fear, his mind raced.

The Ghost Realm is vast, with numerous places where Yin energy converges; it's hard to guarantee that exceptionally talented individuals won't emerge there in the future.

If a new Nascent Soul cultivator were to accidentally appear, wouldn't I be the one to suffer the consequences and die without knowing why?

Moreover, if another Nascent Soul cultivator emerges, wouldn't they be competing with me for my position?

no! Absolutely not!
Thinking of this, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes.
An idea quickly took shape in his mind.

This matter must be controlled at its source!

Not only must the emergence of Nascent Soul cultivators be strictly prohibited, but the number of fourth-tier Ghost Kings must also be strictly limited, and even the number of Ghost Clan members must be restricted!

He immediately raised his head and reported:

"Your Majesty, I have a humble suggestion that may eliminate future troubles."

"I intend to issue the Ghost Emperor's Decree to strictly control the promotion of all fourth-order Ghost Kings in the Ghost Realm."

"From now on, any ghost in the Ghost Realm who wishes to break through to the fourth rank must obtain a special permit issued by the Ghost Emperor City,"

"Otherwise, they will all be considered traitors, wanted throughout the realm, and executed without exception! In this way, we can eliminate future troubles at the root. Please give your instructions, Heavenly Emperor!"

Upon hearing this, a genuine look of surprise and satisfaction flashed in Zhou Xun's eyes.

He hadn't expected that the Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord would switch roles so quickly and be so ruthless.

They came up with such a thorough plan so quickly, and took the initiative to become the knife that would strangle the future of the ghost realm.

"Very good." Zhou Xun nodded slightly, his tone softening somewhat.
"How you proceed is up to you. I only care about the results."

"Yes! I will certainly handle it properly and will never disappoint the Heavenly Lord!" The Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord felt a great weight lifted from his heart and quickly made his promise.

Zhou Xun said no more. With a flicker, he transformed into a purple streak and soared into the sky, heading towards the human realm. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the horizon.

Only the Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord remained kneeling respectfully in place, only daring to slowly raise his head after a long while.
Gazing in the direction where Zhou Xun disappeared, his eyes were filled with awe and fervor.
"Hahaha!"

He then stood up, threw his head back, and laughed wildly.

"What a stroke of luck! I never expected that this battle would become my opportunity!"

He then turned his gaze to the location of Ghost Emperor City, and unable to contain his excitement any longer, he immediately took to the air and sped away.

He must go immediately and ascend the throne!
……

Human Realm

On that day, Zhou Xun decisively defeated the Tiyu Ghost Emperor in the heavens, and the morale of the human army soared, immediately launching a full-scale counterattack.

Under the leadership of Liu Bai, Yun Ku, Yan Mo, and other Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords,

Human cultivators surged forth like a burst dam, pursuing the routed ghost army for three million miles, slaying millions of ghosts in the process.
They slaughtered the demons until they were terrified, leaving corpses strewn across the fields, before finally withdrawing their troops in triumph and returning to their camp in the Western Desert.

The Nascent Soul Celestial Lords did not return with the main army; instead, they directly occupied the main camp at the entrance to the passage that originally belonged to the Ghost Clan.

Using this place as the front line, we will guard the passage between the two realms and prevent the ghost clan from launching a counterattack.

After the Heavenly Lords returned to their camp, they discovered that Zhou Xun had not returned.

At first, everyone thought he had other important business to attend to, so they waited for him in the camp.

However, several days passed and Zhou Xun was still nowhere to be seen, and the atmosphere in the camp gradually became somewhat heavy.

On this day, inside the main hall, Lord Yun Kutian, with a deep worry etched on his brow, slowly spoke:
"Fellow Daoist Zhou Xun has not returned yet... Could something have happened to him?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Six Paths Demon Lord chimed in, his voice tinged with hesitation:

"Yes, the Ghost Realm is indeed fraught with danger. Although Zhou Tianjun's supernatural powers are invincible, it is truly worrying that he would venture deep into it alone. What if something unexpected happens—"

"Hmph!" Upon hearing this, Yama Heavenly Lord scoffed, his blood-red eyes filled with certainty.

"Master, Six Paths Demon, you are worrying too much!"

"Since Brother Zhou has slain Ti Yu, the number one expert in the Ghost Realm, who else in the Ghost Realm can threaten him?"

"In my opinion, Brother Zhou must have other important matters to attend to, or he's out hunting down those who escaped. Let's wait here for good news!"

Although Yama Tenjun spoke with certainty, the anxiety of waiting still permeated the hall.

Just as everyone was feeling uneasy—

Three days later,
A powerful yet familiar aura rapidly approached from the horizon, and a purple streak of light streaked across the sky like a meteor, landing steadily on the central square of the camp!
"It's Fellow Daoist Zhou!" "The Heavenly Lord of the River of Oblivion has returned!"

The Heavenly Lords inside the hall instantly sensed that aura, were overjoyed, and all stood up.

Led by Liu Bai and Yun Ku, the group quickly walked out of the main hall and stood solemnly on the steps outside the hall to show their respect for the hero who saved the human world.

A few breaths later, footsteps sounded, and Zhou Xun's figure slowly walked out of the square and appeared in everyone's sight.

He was still wearing that blue robe, his expression calm, but there seemed to be an imperceptible aura of bloodlust and a sense of travel weariness about him.

"Fellow Daoists, this is..."

He saw that all the Nascent Soul cultivators had gathered outside the hall, seemingly waiting there on purpose, and a hint of doubt appeared on his face.

At that moment, led by Liu Bai and Yun Ku, all the human Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords present solemnly bowed and clasped their hands in a grand salute to Zhou Xun!

They said in unison, "We pay our respects to the Heavenly Lord of the River of Oblivion!"

"The Heavenly Emperor turned the tide, slaying Ti Yu and saving billions of lives in our human realm from dire straits!"

"Thank you, Heavenly Lord, for saving the human world!"

Upon seeing this, Zhou Xun was slightly taken aback, and then a look of emotion appeared on his face.

He stepped forward and offered a gesture of support:
"Fellow Daoists, why perform such a grand ceremony? Zhou Xun is also a member of the human realm. Protecting our home and doing our best is simply our duty."

As he spoke, he gently flicked his sleeve, and a gentle yet irresistible force arose out of thin air, gently lifting everyone up.

The celestial rulers felt this power and were filled with even greater admiration:
"As expected of someone capable of slaying the Crying Ghost Emperor!"

"Such cultivation is truly unfathomable!"

"Heaven bless the human realm, for such a person has been born!"

Yama, the most straightforward of all, broke the slightly solemn atmosphere with a hearty laugh:
"Alright, alright, Brother Zhou's safe return is the greatest joy! What are you doing standing here? Let's go inside and have a chat!"

"Fellow Daoist Yanmo is right, Fellow Daoist Zhou, please!" Everyone laughed and echoed.

Upon entering the main hall, everyone unanimously invited Zhou Xun to take the seat of honor without further ado. Zhou Xun could not refuse and had no choice but to accept.

After they sat down, Lord Yun Ku asked with concern, "Zhou Xun, you have not returned for the past few days. We are very worried. We wonder where you have gone?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun calmly recounted his experiences over the past few days:
"Thank you all for your concern. After killing Ti Yu that day, I sensed that the other Ghost Clan Nascent Soul cultivators had all fled back to the Ghost Realm in panic."

"To prevent it from growing too powerful in the future and causing harm to the human world again, I followed its trail into the ghost realm."

His tone was flat, as if he were talking about something trivial:

"Now, apart from the Ghost Lord I specially left behind, all twelve other Ghost Clan Nascent Soul cultivators who participated in this invasion have been annihilated."

The hall fell into an absolute silence! You could hear a pin drop!

All the Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords were stunned, staring at Zhou Xun in disbelief.

Alone, he hunted down the demon race's Nascent Soul cultivators who had entered the demon realm, and... he even managed to kill them all!
What an earth-shattering achievement!
What domineering and powerful strength this is!
Zhou Xun seemed oblivious to the astonishment of the crowd and continued:
"As for the Purple Nightmare Ghost Lord that was left behind, I have already extracted its life soul and taken it under my command."

"Now, I have appointed him to rule the Ghost Realm. In the future, no second Nascent Soul cultivator shall appear in the Ghost Realm."

These seemingly casual words contain a terrifying power that can determine the fate of an entire world!
After a brief silence, the hall instantly became lively again.

"Hiss—" The Six Paths Demon Lord gasped, the first to react, his face filled with awe and admiration, clapping his hands in praise:
"Zhou Tianjun is truly a divine being!"

"Such a magnificent feat is unprecedented! I... am utterly in awe!"

The Golden Jade Heavenly Lord's beautiful eyes gleamed with excitement, and his voice carried a hint of agitation:
"That's not all! Fellow Daoist Zhou's actions have laid the foundation for eternal peace in our human realm!"

"After this battle, the Ghost Realm has lost all its high-end combat power and severed its path to becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator. It is no longer able to threaten our Human Realm!"

"This achievement... is enough to shine for eternity!"

Ji Wanren stroked his beard and sighed deeply, his imperial aura dissipating slightly due to the turmoil in his heart: "I... I thought it would be a blessing if we could repel the Ghost Clan, but I never expected that Fellow Daoist Zhou could... could do it so thoroughly!"

"Plow the court and sweep away the holes, eliminating future troubles forever! Fellow Daoist Zhou, please accept my bow!" As he spoke, he was about to stand up and bow again.

Everyone spoke at once, expressing their shock and gratitude.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was incredibly lively.
"correct,"

Ji Wanren said, "The major events here have been settled, but there is still one thing that needs to be dealt with properly—the 'Five-Colored Boundary-Suppressing Pillar' that the Ghost Clan used to expand the passage."

"Leaving this thing here will eventually become a hidden danger. I wonder what Fellow Daoist Zhou thinks we should do with it?"

Reminded by him, Zhou Xun also remembered the five strange pillars that reached the sky and the earth, and nodded, saying, "What the Heavenly Lord said is very true. Please allow me to take a look."

The group then moved together to the entrance of the Ghost Realm passage.

Five incredibly thick pillars, each shimmering with light of blue, yellow, red, black, and white, stood still in their mysterious positions.

It exudes a powerful force that stabilizes the space, and its surface is covered with ancient runes that are difficult to understand.

Zhou Xun stepped forward, closed his eyes and concentrated, carefully probing the structure with his divine sense. After a moment, he opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.

"What exquisite crafting techniques, what powerful spatial energy!" Zhou Xun turned to the crowd and exclaimed.
"These five-colored boundary pillars are no ordinary objects; they are extremely precious spatial treasures."

"Its core can actually draw power from the void to stabilize and even expand spatial channels. It is truly the crystallization of the Ghost Clan's wisdom in array formation. It would be a pity to destroy it."

After a moment's thought, he made his decision: "I intend to leave this pillar here, to preserve this stable passage to the realm of ghosts."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked puzzled. Liu Bai spoke up, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, by leaving the passage open, aren't we giving the Ghost Clan a way to invade again?"

Zhou Xun smiled slightly and explained, "Brother Dao, please let me finish. After this battle, the Ghost Clan's combat strength at the Nascent Soul level has been reduced to less than one-tenth."

"With the Purple Nightmare guarding and restraining us, there is absolutely no chance of us committing another offense. Preserving this passage will make it an excellent training ground for cultivators of our human realm in the future."

"The Ghost Realm has a unique environment, and although its resources are very different from those of the Human Realm, it has its own unique advantages, and it can also hone the disciples' will and combat strength. As long as we control this end of the passage, we can turn harm into benefit."

After listening and thinking it over carefully, everyone nodded in agreement.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou has considered things from a long-term perspective and turned harm into benefit. I agree!" Yun Kutianjun nodded.

"This plan is excellent! It's perfect for letting our human warriors go to the Ghost Realm to see what it's like and show off the might of our realm!" Yama Heavenly Lord laughed heartily.

Seeing that no one objected, Zhou Xun continued, "Even so, to ensure safety, there still needs to be a Nascent Soul cultivator like myself stationed here year-round to monitor the passage, just in case."

Before he could finish speaking, the Six Paths Demon Lord stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting:
“Lord Zhou, Fellow Daoist Liu, if you trust me, I will take on the responsibility of guarding this place for the first time! I am quite familiar with the formation here, and I can take this opportunity to study the mysteries of the Five-Colored Boundary-Suppressing Pillar.”

Zhou Xun gave him an approving look: "With the Demon Lord here, I am naturally at ease."

With everything settled, Liu Bai smiled easily and said loudly:

"Alright, this matter is settled! The human realm has achieved an unprecedented victory and should have long ago celebrated!"

"Before Fellow Daoist Zhou returned, none of us were in the mood to celebrate."

"Now that Fellow Daoist Zhou has returned safely, it's the perfect time! Let's all return to the Western Desert camp together and hold a grand celebration banquet today, drinking until we're completely drunk!"

"That's right!"

"Haha, we must drink three hundred cups!"

Everyone laughed and echoed, and the atmosphere became lively again. They transformed into streaks of light and sped towards the Western Desert camp.

(End of this chapter)