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So it is... So it is!

The moment Old Liu of the Shen Family was grasped by the Ghost King Arm, his entire body instantly turned pitch black, the ancient worm of his spirit roared furiously, and the phantom of the Flying Centipede in the sky nearly stretched for a kilometer, revealing just how monstrous the original body was!

Second Elder Shen, looking at the phantom in the sky, trembled with excitement. So, this was the power that tempted the Old Ancestor back then?

It seemed that one couldn’t blame the Old Ancestor. After all, faced with such power, who wouldn’t be tempted?

"The world is indeed vast and full of spirits!

" Shen Yiyun laughed excitedly, pouring his Spiritual Power into his body without hesitation.

A massive eye opened behind him, a crimson-yellow eye with a ferocity from ancient times within its pupil, causing the flying centipede in the sky to instantly stiffen!

It could see, that was an eye identical to its own, the aura of an ancient worm!

No longer struggling, the now desiccated and dark Old Liu stared blankly at Chen Qing.

"The Ghost King Arm, the Insect Sorcery of Ninth Elder Shen, truly is an unreserved killing move!"

"Of course..." Chen Qing looked at the other party and replied with a smile: "Junior is very aware of what kind of monster Predecessor is. Facing you, no amount of preparation can be considered excessive!"

Old Liu nodded and looked at Shen Yiyun: "From the moment I allowed you to take Old Jiu out, was this what you planned?"

"I, of course, am not that divine..." Shen Yiyun shook his head: "You and Old Wu orchestrated a good play; over the years, I doubted Old Qi, doubted Old San, even doubted Old Ba, but never once doubted you. To be honest, I truly didn’t expect this outcome. Moreover, without the miraculous existence of the Lyuzhou Hell Ruler, I wouldn’t have had the chance to take control of Old Jiu.

Under normal circumstances, I probably would have been schemed against by you, taking Old Jiu to the Capital City where I presume there are already plans in place to deal with both him and me, right? "

"That’s... because of you?" Old Liu looked toward Chen Qing, his gaze unfathomably deep!

Indeed... Shen Yiyun’s guess was not wrong.

Old Wu had been laying out his plans in the Capital City for many years, and this time was meant to reap the fruits.

Once Old Er took Old Jiu to the Capital City, with the help of the Princess Royale, it would not be a problem to take down Old Er, and Old Jiu could also be safely secured.

But the monster that parasitized Elder Shen sensed something amiss and acted early, causing this catastrophe and throwing the plan into disarray, trapping Old Er in Lyuzhou.

Even so, he was confident that in cooperation with Old Wu, they could eliminate Old Er in Lyuzhou.

Only, they had not anticipated the appearance of such an enigmatic existence as Chen Qing in Lyuzhou!

"I’m very curious..." Old Liu stared at Chen Qing: "The Array outside Nanyang City is connected to me; I shouldn’t fail to notice anything approaching. How did Old Er manage to set up the Ghost King Arm trap in advance within my Array?"

"Junior has some understanding of Array techniques," Chen Qing responded indifferently.

"Some understanding?" Old Liu let out a strange cackle: "To lay a trap for Old Er without sound, without trace, only ’some understanding’?

This Array comes from the Dragon Palace, and no Sorcerer Family in the world possesses this information because those Sorcerers who knew ancient techniques were all slaughtered cleanly by that group of foreign monsters. Who exactly are you?"

Foreign monsters?

Chen Qing frowned, a sense of unease mysteriously rising in his heart. Had something in this world indeed been altered? The so-called foreign monsters mentioned by the other... could it be...

"Predecessor, Junior also has a question to ask."

"What do you want to know?" Old Liu asked, smiling.

"Predecessor schemed to have Ninth Master Shen go to the Capital City and handed over such a threatening Technique to Fifth Master. What was your safeguard?" Chen Qing narrowed his eyes and asked: "Aren’t you afraid, that Fifth Master with that Technique, would turn against you?"

Old Liu chuckled: "I thought you knew everything. You’re so smart, why don’t you guess for yourself?"

"Junior indeed has some guesses," Chen Qing said seriously, looking at the other party: "If Junior is not mistaken, there’s an entity in the Capital City acting as a mediator between you and Fifth Master.

The Insect Technique was not intended for Fifth Master to use, but for that person to use, right? "

"Your guess is interesting..." Old Liu looked at Chen Qing with a profound gaze: "Handing over our most threatening Technique to others, what do we stand to gain?"

"Naturally, the promised benefits must be substantial!

" Chen Qing stared intently at the other party: "So substantial that you’re willing to hand over even your own weaknesses.

That must be... the decisive factor that could tilt the battle over the Nine Worm Contention and unlock the Dragon Palace inheritance! "

Old Liu’s pupils shrank, staring back at Chen Qing: "Has Lord Chen thought of what it could be?"

"Flesh and blood!"

"You!!" Old Liu’s expression changed for the first time, a trace of horror in his eyes. This young man... why... does he know everything?

"Seize!"

Finally, Shen Yiyun’s Insect Sorcery took shape, the giant pupil shattered the thousand-zhang centipede, and after a heaven-shaking roar, Old Liu became like a puppet, his expression gradually dull and rigid, the light fading from his pupils.

"Is it a success?" Chen Qing looked toward Second Elder Shen.

Shen Yiyun nodded and formed seals with both hands: "Release!"

Old Liu, numbly mimicking Shen Yiyun, performed the same motion. As their seals connected, the next instant, the Arrays surrounding Lyuzhou City one by one extinguished their lights. Clearly, with this Insect Sorcery, Shen Yiyun had taken control of the ancient worm within Old Liu!

"Congratulations, Second Elder..." Chen Qing congratulated with a bow.

Shen Yiyun, looking at Chen Qing, licked his lips: "I must also thank Lord Chen for the strategizing all this way; without you, I doubt I could have even gotten close to Old Liu!"

"It was indeed the Second Brother!"

While the two were probing each other, a familiar voice came from afar.

It was Shen Qi, Shen Yifeng, arriving with two other Shen Family members, and at the same moment, Old Jiu, who was shocked for a long while before he could react, looked at Shen Yiyun, astonishment clear in his eyes: "Second Brother... you..."

"Thanks for the graciousness, Seventh Master!" Chen Qing expressed his gratitude to Shen Yifeng with a salute.

"Lord Chen is too kind..." Shen Yifeng returned the polite gesture.

"I suspect with Third Brother taking Minister Wang hostage to Lyuzhou in search of the truth behind Second Brother’s death, if something truly befell Second Brother, then Lyuzhou must be a significant vortex of intrigue.

However, for you to personally come here signifies that the situation in Lyuzhou must be at least half-stable under your influence.

After much thought, working with you would be the most likely possibility for Second Brother. "

"Seventh Master is astute in his speculations..." Chen Qing sincerely admired him. "Second Elder also mentioned that you are perceptive. Should you have no issue, then you’d certainly be able to cooperate silently."

"Second Brother does understand me," said Shen Yifeng, his voice carrying a trace of gloom as he turned to Shen Yiyun. "In that case, shouldn’t Second Brother explain what’s going on with his current situation?"

It had indeed crossed Shen Yifeng’s mind that maybe even Second and Third Elders were working with Chen Qing, but he never imagined that Second Elder would possess Old Jiu’s body!

Just as Chen Qing was about to help clarify, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

"Chen Qing, something’s happened!"

"Hmm?"

Chen Qing paused, and before he could ask, a series of images flashed through his mind, causing his brows to furrow deeply!

"Seventh Master!" Chen Qing spoke up, "The situation is rather complicated, and there have been new developments. Would you, um... consider discussing this further inside the city?"

"Inside the city?" Shen Yifeng smiled, looking toward Shen Yiyun. "Will Second Brother be joining us in the city for these discussions?"

Shen Yiyun glanced at Old Qi, who was clearly hostile, but ultimately he nodded, catching the derisively smiling Shen Yifeng off guard.

He hadn’t expected Second Elder to agree, especially since they were outside the city where his adversaries clearly had the upper hand, with the mysterious Magistrate and that little demon child’s aid, even with himself, Fourth Elder and Elders Eleven and Ten, they would probably not come out on top.

Yet the opposition was willing to give up their greatest advantage to come inside the city?

Elder Shen, looking toward Old Qi, immediately judged that this Fourth Elder Shen must be one of indecisive nature.

"Lord Chen has shown enough sincerity, so please, come on in..."

-------------------------------

The negotiation took place at the Governor-general’s Mansion.

First, Chen Qing made sure his frightened mother and sister-in-law were settled.

After the terrifying massacre that occurred in Nanyang City, the two women were indeed extremely shaken.

It took over an hour of reassurance from Chen Qing before they were somewhat calmed down, allowing him to leave for the meeting.

Upon entering the hall, Old Qi curiously observed Chen Qing.

This young fellow’s skills and strategies were top-notch. It seemed he must have known in advance that his family could be threatened, leaving one to surmise he had factored his relatives into his plans. Yet his current behavior suggested he valued his family greatly, a real contradiction...

"Lord Chen, you should do the talking," Seventh Master Shen said, looking at Shen Yiyun, who sat quietly in the corner. "I find it hard to trust what Second Brother says now."

Shen Yiyun: "....."

"So Seventh Master trusts the younger generation more?" Chen Qing asked with a smile.

"I personally find someone who values his family so highly to be relatively more trustworthy."

Such words were clearly a jab at Second Elder, but the expression on Shen Yiyun’s face didn’t change. Ever since he had taken action against Old Jiu, he knew his brothers would become disillusioned with him.

"I am honored by Seventh Master’s trust," Chen Qing replied, seizing the opening. "If that’s the case, I shall begin with the current situation."

Seventh Master nodded.

"Firstly, it is almost certain that Fifth Master and Sixth Master have been parasitized. Since Fifth Master could establish himself in Capital City and take part in the recent Jiangnan incident, that means... they have managed to woo quite a powerful ally within Capital City, someone who’s ardently supporting Fifth and Sixth Masters. "

"Someone in Capital City is supporting them?" Fourth Elder Shen frowned. "Why? What’s the benefit for them?"

"The Dragon Palace inheritance!"

All the Shens’ faces changed upon hearing this. They had long believed that the Dragon Palace inheritance was a secret known only to the Shen Family.

Yet they hadn’t considered that some influential figures far away in the Capital City had already started scheming.

"There are nine of these ancient worms, ancient beings that were sealed by the Array when they once tried to peer into the Dragon Palace," Chen Qing explained as he drew on the paper. "Nine Heavens Mirror Valley divided them into nine, splitting their divine souls. Under normal circumstances, these consciousness-lacking worms were never meant to break free from the Array, but instinct drove them to choose another path—tempting mortals from the outside world to find Nine Heavens Mirror Valley and willingly become hosts. This ’willing parasitism’ differs from the recent one involving Sixth Master, as it marked a fusion of divine souls, meaning those nine individuals who merged with the ancient worms retained their self-awareness. "

"Does that mean these nine worms are actually nine people who have inherited the ancient worms’ powers?" Seventh Master immediately grasped the concept.

Chen Qing nodded with a smile. "Exactly. Those nine individuals not only retained their autonomy but also carried some memories of the ancient worms. Once these memory fragments are pieced together, they form a living map leading directly to the Dragon Palace’s location!"

"I see..." Everyone nodded in understanding. This paved the way for cooperation—the influential figures in Capital City helped Fifth and Sixth Masters devour the other ancient worms, while they, in return, would share the location of the Dragon Palace!

"From the conversation between Sixth Master and Lord Chen, it seemed that Lord Chen... also had some dealings with these creatures, right?" Old Qi asked somberly.

"Yes..." Chen Qing nodded. "I had a brief agreement with one of them."

"So, with Second Brother controlling one, there are still eight of these creatures left, correct?"

"That’s not quite right..." Chen Qing shook his head. "According to the intelligence, three died during the earlier plot against Old Ancestor Shen, and just now, I’ve received information that there are only four left!"

"Hmm?" Everyone was taken aback, and Old Qi frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Your Elder Shen..." Chen Qing, recalling the images just transmitted to him by the ancient worm Princess Bai Yu, spoke in a lowered, grave voice, "has found the dwellings of two other brothers at sea and killed and assimilated them. Now, he... has three worms’ high-level minions, as well as.

.. five million low-level living dead minions, becoming the most powerful demon in the world today! "