245: Chapter 244 The Ghost Market Changes Hands and is Renamed Zhentian!

At this time, the Tianlan Ghost Market was in utter chaos.

The news of the Ghost Mother of the Nether's fall had spread to every corner within a few hours, as if it had grown wings. This behemoth that had ruled the Ghost Market for tens of thousands of years had collapsed, bringing not just shock, but endless greed and disorder.

Without the suppression of this Grand Unity Golden Immortal, the already chaotic Ghost Market instantly spiraled out of control, turning into a primitive jungle where the strong preyed on the weak.

"Loot it! The Nether Palace has fallen! Their treasury is right below!"

"This territory is mine! Anyone who dares to step forward dies!"

"Wanbao Tower must have good things too. Brothers, charge in!"

Every major chamber of commerce felt threatened, closing their doors and activating Formations to hold their ground. Meanwhile, the Loose Cultivator Devil Heads who were usually oppressed by the Nether Palace were now like sharks smelling blood, frantically destroying and looting. Flames reached the sky, and the sounds of shouting and killing were deafening.

Even a few Golden Immortal old monsters who usually stayed deeply hidden in seclusion emerged at this moment. They floated in mid-air, shrouded in Devilish Qi, greedily staring at the direction of the Nether Palace headquarters—a power vacuum.

"Jie jie jie! The old ghost hag of the Nether is dead. It’s time for this seat to take a turn as the master of this Ghost Market!" An old man clad in a black robe and holding a bone staff laughed sinisterly.

"Hmph, Old Devil Withered Bone, you think you're worthy? This Ghost Market should belong to my Blood Hand Sect!"

Just as the Devil Heads were arguing and a massive brawl engulfing the entire Ghost Market was about to break out...

"What's all this chaos! Everyone, open your damn eyes!"

This angry shout wasn't loud, but it carried a strange penetrating power, like ice water poured onto boiling oil, instantly causing a moment of dead silence in the noisy battlefield.

Following that...

"Boom!"

A terrifying, suffocating, and unreasonably overbearing pressure erupted from deep underground like a volcanic eruption, instantly enveloping the entire Ghost Market space!

Before this pressure, the previously arrogant Old Devil Withered Bone and the others turned pale instantly. Their bodies felt as if an invisible giant hand was clutching their necks, forcing them down from mid-air to the ground.

Thud! Thud!

Whether they were Heavenly Immortals or Golden Immortals, they all felt their knees go weak, and the immortal power in their bodies stagnated as if they had encountered a natural enemy.

"This... what kind of aura is this?!"

"Grand Unity?! Has another Grand Unity Golden Immortal descended?!"

Under the watchful, terrified eyes of the crowd...

A figure wearing a black robe with gold patterns stepped onto the Void Realm, walking up step by step from the entrance of the Nether Abyss.

With every step he took, a circle of golden ripples emanated from the Void Realm beneath his feet, making a dull thud that seemed to stomp on everyone's hearts.

On his shoulder sat a Twin-tailed Weasel cracking melon seeds, with an extremely punchable look in its eyes, even flipping the middle finger at everyone.

Lin Feng!

The ruthless man who legendary stories said had charged into the Nether Palace alone and ultimately slain the Ghost Mother!

He actually hadn't left? He actually dared to come out so openly?!

Moreover, the aura on him... was even more terrifying than before! If he was a sharp sword before, then now, he was a towering mountain, a vast ocean!

Lin Feng hovered at the very center of the Ghost Market, right atop the spire of Wanbao Tower. His gaze indifferently swept across the scene. Wherever his eyes landed, the Devil Heads who had just been shouting about seizing territory lowered their heads one by one, cold sweat pouring down, fearing they would be targeted by this bringer of calamity.

"It seems everyone is quite energetic."

Lin Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached every corner.

"Since everyone is here, I'll announce something."

He pointed to the land beneath his feet.

"From today onwards, this place has a new name."

"It won't be called Tianlan Ghost Market anymore. That name is too full of Yin Qi; I don't like it."

"It's called—[Zhentian City]!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted.

Zhentian?

In a place where the most devil cultivators and evil cultivators of the Nine Heavens gathered, to name it Zhentian City? This was a blatant provocation! This was like shitting on everyone's heads!

But no one dared to voice their objection. The pile of corpses on the ground, shattered by invisible Qi for trying to resist, was the best deterrent.

With a wave of Lin Feng's hand, a massive Obsidian Stele hundreds of feet high appeared out of thin air and crashed down at the entrance of the Ghost Market. On the stele, three large characters were carved with supreme Sword Intent—[Zhentian City]!

Every word was like a knife, radiating a chilling killing intent. Those with low cultivation felt a stinging pain in their eyes and a shock to their Divine Soul with just one glance.

"All territories, resources, and businesses of the Nether Palace are hereby confiscated and belong to the Zhentian Bureau."

"The old rules are abolished. Things like killing for treasures or forced buying and selling won't work with me."

"From now on, I set the rules."

"Who agrees? Who opposes?"

Lin Feng looked around, a faint smile playing on his lips, his right hand lightly resting on the hilt of the blade at his waist.

Oppose?

You must be joking!

The scene was deathly silent, with only the sound of the wind whistling through the ruins.

"Where is... that fat man from Wanbao Tower?"

Lin Feng suddenly spoke, his gaze turning toward the Wanbao Tower below.

"Here! I'm here! Lord! This little one is here! I've been admiring your heroic posture the whole time!"

With an extremely fawning cry, a round figure rolled out of the Wanbao Tower like a ball, with an agile speed that completely contradicted his physique.

It was Wan Sanqian.

This old fox was all smiles now, though the smile looked worse than crying, but his movements were incredibly smooth. He knew the situation perfectly: Lin Feng wasn't dead, the Ghost Mother was, and Lin Feng had become even stronger. Talking about backbone now? That was for dead people! Now was the time to talk about 'recognizing the circumstances'!

He jogged all the way to Lin Feng's feet and without a word, thud, performed a textbook-perfect sliding kneel, leaving two long trails on the ground.

"Wan Sanqian, Master of the Wanbao Tower, pays respects to the City Lord! Your Lordship's Divine Might is peerless, unifying the Ghost Market for thousands of generations, and soon to unify the Immortal Realm!"

Wan Sanqian was practically in tears as he flattered him loudly, as if Lin Feng were his long-lost father.

"City Lord Lin! These are the account books of my Wanbao Tower over the years, and a contract for thirty percent... no, fifty percent of all business shares! From now on, Wanbao Tower will follow the City Lord's lead! If you point east, I will never go west! If you tell me to bite a dog, I will never chase a chicken!"

Wan Sanqian held up an exquisitely crafted storage ring with both hands, his attitude humble to the extreme.

The surrounding people were dumbfounded.

This was Wan Sanqian! The God of Wealth known as 'Wealth Throughout the Nine Heavens,' to whom even Grand Unity Golden Immortals had to give some Face. He usually walked with his nose in the air, but now he was sucking up so thoroughly? So shamelessly?

"This fatty has a future."

Huang Fugui, on his shoulder, spat out a melon seed shell and commented like an old veteran, "He's much smarter than that Zhao Wujiang. Lord, this lackey can be taken in; he can be used as a wallet at critical moments, and even as a meat shield."

Lin Feng smiled and with a casual wave, took the storage ring. A sweep of his Divine Sense made even him raise an eyebrow. This fat man was indeed filthy rich.

"Rise."

"Since you are so sensible, the Wanbao Tower will still be under your management, and the commercial affairs of Zhentian City will also be handed over to you to handle."

"Thank you for your great kindness, City Lord!!" Wan Sanqian felt as if he had been granted a massive amnesty, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as the heavy stone in his heart finally fell.

"Liu Ming!"

Lin Feng gave a light shout.

"Your subordinate is here!"

From the crowd, Liu Ming, who was already trembling with excitement and had tears in his eyes, walked out with several hundred remnants of the Zhentian Bureau.

Their clothes were ragged, and some were still injured, but at this moment, their backs were straight, and the light in their eyes was brighter than the sun.

They had thought they would have to hide like rats for the rest of their lives, hunted by major forces. They never expected that today, their Bureau Chief would return with invincible power! And establish their own city here!

"Take the brothers and take over the former site of the Nether Palace. Hang up our sign for me!"

"From now on, this will be our Zhentian Bureau's—First Branch in the Nine Heavens!"

"We want all the immortals and devils of these Nine Heavens to know that the Zhentian Bureau is back!"

"Yes!!!"

The shouts of Liu Ming and the others shook the heavens and earth, venting their long-suppressed grievances and heroic pride.

However, in this moment of universal joy (except for the looted forces)...

In the sky, the wind and clouds suddenly changed.

The originally dim dome cracked without warning, as if a giant wound had been torn in the heavens.

There were no dark clouds, nor was there thunder; instead, there was starlight so brilliant it made it impossible to open one's eyes.

Twelve massive pillars of starlight, like twelve swords of judgment, descended from the Nine Heavens, instantly sealing off the entire Ghost Market... no, every direction of Zhentian City!

Each pillar of starlight contained power capable of destroying heaven and earth, connecting with each other to form a giant cage.

An aura a hundred times more terrifying and oppressive than that of the Ghost Mother of the Nether enveloped the entire city!

"Lin Feng!!"

"You killed my beloved disciple! You ruined my plans! Do you truly think... these Nine Heavens are your backyard?!"

A roar filled with endless killing intent, as if coming from the ancient starry sky, echoed from deep within that starlight, shaking the entire Zhentian City.

The Seven Luminaries Immortal King, who had been biding his time, finally could not hold back!