The male supporting character was actually myself.

After drifting through numerous courtyards, Jiang Chen finally saw the true face of the Ghost King, who had previously only been shrouded in thick black mist, in a gloomy hall. He looked to be about forty years old, with sinister eyes, a fleshy face, a tall and strong physique, and an aura that was not to be trifled with.

Chapter Seven: The Nineteenth Concubine

Finding a secluded spot, Jiang Chen took out a serving of Grade Nine Ghost Food from the food-making machine and devoured it in no time. A surge of abundant energy instantly spread from within to without.

This strange feeling is hard to describe; Duan Tang's use of the word "overflow" is very apt.

The Ninth-Rank Ghost Food contained enormous energy, which quickly replenished the original owner's depleted soul. Most of it seeped out and turned into a thick black mist that enveloped his body, and could change its form at will.

"So this is the form of the thick fog that appeared when the Ghost King appeared before." Jiang Chen suddenly realized. At the same time, he condensed the black fog that enveloped his body into a black line that looked almost tangible and wrapped around his wrist, which looked somewhat like a soul weapon.

The method of use is similar to that of Horcruxes, but it is not as powerful.

He mastered the technique after a few tries and now has the ability to protect himself.

The fluffy dumpling brought out another bowl of ninth-grade ghost food fish soup and asked solicitously, "Host, can you still eat? Have another bowl of soup, it's so great to be able to increase your strength just by eating!"

"No, I can't eat anymore for now." Jiang Chen shook his head, feeling the fullness in his "body". "Everything has to be done in moderation. If I eat any more, I might explode and die. I need to digest the energy I've already consumed and eat later."

"Okay, meow!" The fluffy dumpling happily put the soup away and asked, "What should we do next? Do you need me to help you find out what's going on with the Ghost King, meow?"

He beckoned the little white cat over, whispered a few words to it, and then it skipped away and disappeared down the bustling street.

The Ghost King's Mansion is located deep in the mountains, in the Lianhu District of Dujiangyin, a place with the heaviest yin energy and auspicious feng shui.

At this moment, ghostly figures bustled about in the grand mansion, yet not a single cough could be heard. The ghosts moved about under the slightly swaying white lanterns, creating a suffocating sense of oppression.

No ghost dared to speak or do anything that could be criticized. They were all silent and praying that the Ghost King would quickly capture the group of Taoist priests and vent his evil anger, lest they be beaten, punished, or even eaten if they were not careful.

"Damn you, Celestial Master!" The Ghost King angrily smashed the spiritual tea served by his servants, and the tables and chairs also shattered with a series of clanging sounds. He was so angry that he kept pacing around in circles.

Then, seeing the Ghost Doctor emerge from the inner room, the Ghost King demanded, "How is A-Yu?"

"Reporting to Lord Ghost King, the Nineteenth Concubine's condition is very bad." The Ghost Doctor spoke the truth tremblingly, and seeing the other party's expression change, he quickly added, "But there is still hope!"

Although the nineteenth concubine lost seventy percent of her energy and spirit, her soul wouldn't immediately dissipate. As long as a fifth-grade spiritual medicine is refined within three days, the nineteenth concubine can be fully restored!

A fifth-grade spiritual medicine?!

The enraged Ghost King immediately calmed down; that would require a fifth-grade evil spirit inner core.

While it may not be so precious as to be priceless, nor so expensive as to be unaffordable, is it really necessary?

Wouldn't it be better to keep the fifth-grade spiritual medicine for yourself to increase your strength?

It's such a waste to spend a huge sum of money to buy a fifth-grade evil spirit inner core for a concubine!

But then the Ghost King's anger flared up again. Damn it! It's all those damned Taoist priests' fault! A few clueless guys came to his door, and he had generously allowed them to see Yu Xian, thinking that having more friends meant having more options. He never expected that they would almost take her life.

If it were just an ordinary concubine, it wouldn't be a big deal, but Yu Xian was someone I met while I was doing business in the wilderness a while ago. I took a liking to her because she was pretty and charming, and she was being bullied by other wandering ghosts and had nowhere to go, so I played the hero and spent some money to bring her into the ghost market and raise her in my mansion.

Unexpectedly, such a small act of kindness yielded great results. The little beauty Yu Xian was born in a yin year, yin month, and yin hour!

For ghost cultivators, a pleasant appearance can nourish the soul and make cultivation faster, making it a walking furnace. But how could he not be angry that such an unexpected treasure was ruined by those guys?

Faced with a fifth-grade spiritual medicine versus a nourishing cauldron with minimal effects but long-term use, the Ghost King didn't even need to waver before deciding to give up on the beauty.

"A fifth-grade inner core..." he sighed, "is something you can only come across by chance, and finding one within three days is no easy feat."

The Ghost Doctor hurriedly followed his lead, flattering him, "Yes, these days even fourth-grade inner cores are extremely rare, let alone fifth-grade ones. Let's keep the Nineteenth Concubine on medicinal diets for now and see if she can get better."

The Ghost King was both heartbroken and furious, so he could only wave his hand to signal him to leave. Then, he gritted his teeth and thought that he had to capture those audacious celestial masters no matter what, tear them to pieces, and once they became ghosts, send them to the underworld to kill evil spirits and peel off their inner cores to pay off their debts.

Free strong laborers, why not take them!

Anyway, their practice of mingling with the dead to enter and exit the underworld is already a gray industry, so the officials in charge of the underworld are not so idle as to interfere so much.

"Lord Ghost King, Concubine Nineteen has woken up and is in great distress, crying and wanting to see you," a ghost maidservant serving Yu Xian reported cautiously.

He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Go tell the concubine that I'm busy chasing down the guy who harmed her and I must get revenge for her; I'm also trying to find a fifth-grade evil spirit core to heal her wounds. I'm busy and don't have time to go over there. Go and comfort her."

"Yes." The ghost maid didn't dare to utter a sound and respectfully withdrew.

The Ghost King didn't have time to deal with a useless furnace; he'd rather think about how to capture the Celestial Master.

The little white cat swaggered around the Ghost King's mansion a few times before hopping back to report.

"Tsk tsk, that little girl is quite pitiful, she died and was still scammed."

It perched on its host's shoulder, munching on dried fish and smacking its lips, sighing, "The world of ghosts is more cruel and complex than the human world. If you're unlucky, you might just be annihilated."

If she, a helpless little girl, could have relied on her talent to attach herself to the Ghost King, she could at least have lived a life of luxury and comfort, and even have the chance to be reincarnated into a good family through connections. Unfortunately, she was betrayed too badly.

"Host, should we get involved in this mess?"

Jiang Chen toyed with a few evil spirit cores in his hand, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Don't forget we still have a mission that's not finished yet. Exchanging a trivial trinket for connections is quite a good deal."

So just as the Ghost King was about to use his connections again to conduct a large-scale search for several Celestial Masters throughout the entire Dujiangyin region, a subordinate suddenly came to report that someone outside the door wanted to see him.

"No time. I, the mighty Ghost King, am busy with countless affairs of state. How could I possibly have time to meet some nameless nobody?" He sneered after hearing this. "If just anyone could easily come and see me, wouldn't the threshold of this mansion be trampled to pieces by ghosts?"

The subordinate almost bent over to the ground, replying obsequiously, "But the ghost who came said he knows the whereabouts of the escaped celestial masters!"

Upon hearing this, the Ghost King's eyes lit up. "Go and bring him up. If he dares to lie to me, I'll make him wish he were dead!"

After drifting through numerous courtyards, Jiang Chen finally saw the true face of the Ghost King, who had previously only been shrouded in thick black mist, in a gloomy hall. He looked to be about forty years old, with sinister eyes, a fleshy face, a tall and strong physique, and an aura that was not to be trifled with.

Chapter Eight: Jiang Chen's Scheme

The Ghost King sat on his throne, narrowing his eyes slightly as he carefully examined the other party.

The ghost standing in the hall was young, handsome, and had an extraordinary aura. Although he didn't show any signs of radiating energy, his instincts as a ghost who had lived for hundreds of years told him that the visitor was hostile.

At the very least, he's not someone you can easily manipulate!

"Your subordinate reports that you know the whereabouts of those Taoist priests who harmed my beloved concubine? Have you seen them hiding somewhere?"

"Of course, I not only know where they are hiding, but I also heard the whole story with my own ears. However, compared to the whereabouts of the Celestial Masters, there is something here that I believe Lord Ghost King will be more interested in."

Jiang Chen slowly took out an exquisite box from his pocket. Inside, a demonic inner core the size of a longan and emitting a faint glow lay quietly.

"A fifth-grade evil spirit inner core?!" The Ghost King's eyes lit up as he sensed the alluring energy emanating from the little thing in the box. "May I ask your name, little brother?"

"My name is Murong Jiangchen. You may simply call me Jiangchen, Ghost King."

Murong?!

Upon hearing this surname, the Ghost King's heart skipped a beat.

A mere brat with little cultivation can casually produce a fifth-grade evil spirit core. Sure enough, the Murong family must have had an old ancestor protecting them; otherwise, they would never have such an worldly-wise demeanor!

"Brother Jiang Chen, how long have you been in Jiangyin?" He adopted an approachable demeanor, gesturing for the other to sit down and having his subordinates serve tea.

"I just got here today." Jiang Chen didn't hide anything, pointing to himself and laughing, "After being murdered up there, I couldn't stand it and became a vengeful ghost trying to escape the ghost messengers. But I ran into a money-grubbing celestial master who suppressed and banished me."

Fortunately, they also received help and support in the underworld, so they were living a fairly comfortable life.

I'm giving away this fifth-grade inner core today, not selling it.

Make some friends when you first arrive; after all, there's plenty of time in the future.

Upon hearing the other party say "send it," the Ghost King couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

As the saying goes, ghost stories are endless. Who knows which of a ghost's words are true and which are false? Free things are always the most expensive. After all, when money is used for a transaction, there is no debt between the parties and the transaction is eventually settled. But the relationship between ghosts cannot be measured by price.

But that's a fifth-grade inner core!

The fact that he can casually give away a new ghost shows just how powerful the forces behind him are.

Are they members of the Murong family? Their family's roots aren't in Dujiang; their influence in various local ghost markets is deeply entrenched and extremely difficult to shake. It's understandable that Murong Jiangchen would befriend them...

After quickly weighing the pros and cons in his mind, the Ghost King's smile remained warm and friendly. "Why did you stay in Dujiang, young brother Jiang Chen? This small place can't compare to the other big ghost cities in terms of development."

"The person who killed me is in Dujiang. Only by staying here can I possibly avenge him!" He said with a solemn expression and gritted teeth, "I will not be a gentleman if I do not avenge this. No matter what the cost, I will drag him down."

Ghosts with obsessive motives are not easy to provoke, but their goals are strong enough. The Ghost King's heart stirred slightly. He took a sip of tea and returned to the main topic, "Since you want to give me your inner core, what do I need to offer in exchange?"

"A sincere cooperative relationship." A faint smile appeared on Jiang Chen's face. "Lord Ghost King, in the future I will need to do some things in the Dujiang Yin Realm, and I will inevitably need your help. This inner core is just a gift for our first meeting."

"In future collaborations, rewards such as inner alchemy and ghost food will naturally not be lacking."

So it turns out they came to demonstrate their strength and build connections at the same time. The Murong family is indeed generous!

"I wonder what kind of deal Brother Jiang Chen wishes to make that requires my cooperation?"

"I am now obsessed with revenge. Everything I do is to make those who killed me suffer a fate worse than death in the underworld! Therefore, I will not hinder Lord Ghost King in any way. However, the first thing I need to do is to ask you to save a few lives."

The Ghost King glared angrily, his body emanating a thick, menacing mist. "You mean those Celestial Masters who harmed my beloved concubine? You want to save their lives?"

Faced with the oppressive aura, Jiang Chen felt it was difficult to breathe, but he still circulated his internal energy to maintain an upright posture and steady breathing. His expression remained unchanged and his voice was firm as he said, "That's right, I really want to save their lives."

Lord Ghost King, please calm down and let me finish speaking.

Just imagine how foolish it would be for a few spirit mediums to murder your beloved concubine right in front of you, sir? If they were truly so suicidal, why would they be hiding and fleeing so desperately?

It is true that they harmed the master's beloved concubine, but that was not their intention.

For a dignified Ghost King to be betrayed is an utter disgrace, so I understand your anger. But indiscriminate killing of innocents is pointless; they were merely scapegoats. If you kill them, the humans who truly betrayed you will be laughing all the way to the bank.

After all, you will personally bear the consequences of this killing.

In this way, even the Ghost King was caught in the trap, while the true mastermind reaped the benefits and washed their hands of the whole affair.

"Hmph! You mere humans dare to scheme against me?" The Ghost King sneered. He didn't care about the karma of killing a few minor celestial masters. But if word got out that he, the Ghost King, had been outmaneuvered, where would his face be?

Jiang Chen pressed his advantage, saying, "They've been tricked. Even if the Ghost King doesn't kill them, they probably won't be able to enter and leave the Yin and Yang realms smoothly within three days. Why don't we join forces?"

If you use this fifth-grade inner core to treat your concubine, she will recover her health without any loss.

Furthermore, they spared those few celestial masters and helped them return to the human world safely. They were grateful for the great man's wisdom and generosity. In the future, having more friends and more options is always a good thing, no matter what happens.

As for me, I need them to return to the human world to help me, so that my revenge plan can proceed more smoothly.

"This is a win-win situation with no losses for us. What does Your Majesty think?"

"You're saying the gate between the Yin and Yang realms might be sealed?" The Ghost King frowned slightly, pondering the feasibility of the plan, and pressed further, "Does the mastermind behind my beloved concubine have such great power?"

"The adults were present at the time and should have been able to sense something. Those celestial masters analyzed that the other party was very likely a habitual offender who specializes in devouring the energy of ghosts born in the year, month, and hour of the Yin. Devouring ghosts is a major taboo, whether in the human world or the underworld!"

To silence them, the other party will definitely prevent them from leaving the underworld smoothly.

For some celestial masters in the human realm, temporarily closing the gates between the Yin and Yang realms and strictly controlling entry and exit is not difficult. For example, the celestial masters of Listening Wind Valley are said to have a very good relationship with the headquarters of the Underworld, so they can simply find an excuse to close the gates.

It's difficult for us in the underworld to interfere in matters of the human world. If we successfully send those celestial masters out, they will definitely try their best to find out the mastermind behind it all in order to survive.