The Supreme Martial King Shocking All Realms Chapter 3296 - 3291: Plan, Success!_1

Yang Chen's face turned grave as he inquired: "Has Miss Qiu Ying been absent this entire time?"

Zhou Yiming let out a heavy sigh: "Indeed, it's the case."

Standing with hands clasped behind his back, Yang Chen replied with resignation: "I see."

A hint of disappointment washed over him, for he had targeted Wan Qiuying prior to arriving. Rescuing her would have netted him no less than 200,000 JiYu Essence, boosting his merit several ranks in one go.

Yet with Wan Qiuying vanished, that merit reward would surely drop by more than half.

Zhou Yiming understood this as well, suggesting their next probe should focus on those Ghost Kings.

While lost in thought, a series of rumbling echoes erupted from below the earth.

In the instant that followed, Ling Huan Sha and her companions emerged, guiding a band of cultivators toward this spot.

Upon their arrival, the man surnamed Han locked his gaze straight on Zhou Yiming.

"From the looks of it, the scheme devised by Brother Zhou and Brother Yang Chen involved snatching the Calamity Sphere to draw in those Ghost Kings," the man surnamed Han declared.

Zhou Yiming confirmed: "Exactly, that's the plan."

"Then, since the Calamity Sphere is taken, we ought to pull back from this area," the man surnamed Han suggested.

At those words, Zhou Yiming shook his head: "Brother Han, I'm in no rush to depart right now. If your group wishes to go, you can do so without delay. Soon enough, I'll head back to Earth Spirit Hall alongside Brother Yang Chen and assist in securing the JiYu Essence for you."

"You!" Fury flashed across the man surnamed Han's features for a moment, though he restrained himself from lashing out.

After all, Zhou Yiming formed the heart of this mission. Crossing him meant risking his refusal to aid in its completion—what recourse would there be?

More baffling still, whatever charm had Yang Chen cast over Zhou Yiming to make him so reluctant to exit now?

Ling Huan Sha parted her crimson lips slightly, then raised her delicate hand to quell the man surnamed Han's rising ire, before asking: "What exactly do you intend, Brother Zhou?"

"I plan to stick with Brother Yang Chen until the very finish," Zhou Yiming stated firmly.

He yearned to witness whatever astonishing feat Yang Chen might unleash next.

Those words prompted Ling Huan Sha to glance toward the rest of the cultivators.

The man surnamed Han snorted right away: "Hmph, if these two are set on courting death, that's on them. We're leaving."

Though Ling Huan Sha had initially leaned toward departure, she now reconsidered, her red lips curving faintly: "Wait, we'll stay put here for now."

"Sister Ling, Zhou Yiming's lost his senses—surely you're not following suit?" The remaining cultivators grew restless. With the other Ghost Kings closing in, fleeing later would prove disastrous, yet Ling Huan Sha had abruptly shifted her stance.

Ling Huan Sha reflected on the staggering prowess Yang Chen displayed in slaying those two Ghost Kings before, and noted the clear shift in Zhou Yiming's demeanor.

Her intrigue toward Yang Chen deepened by the moment.

As for her earlier dismissal of him as a mere foolhardy pest, she realized adjustments to that view were in order.

Yang Chen could very well prove extraordinary.

All at once, she found herself eager to uncover the unique tactics Yang Chen possessed for confronting the incoming Ghost Kings.

...

While this underground assembly debated, up on the surface, over the skies of Calamity City, the forms of six Ghost Kings materialized in unison.

The Boundaryless Ghost Venerables hastened forward to pay their respects.

"Salutations to Scorpio Ghost King, salutations to every Ghost King."

All these Ghost Venerables bowed low in deference, their bodies quaking with dread. This was especially true in the presence of the lead Ghost King, where their shivers intensified.

It required little deduction to identify the frontrunner—cloaked in dark robes with a scorpion tail trailing behind—as the fabled Scorpio Ghost King.

Scorpio Ghost King's rank clearly surpassed the others. His arrival prompted the trailing Ghost Kings to avoid aligning abreast with him, even falling back a step.

His countenance devoid of feeling, Scorpio Ghost King intoned: "What's the situation with the Calamity Sphere? How did it vanish? Chaos and Purple Mountain—those utter failures."

"Lord Scorpio, Lords Chaos and Purple Mountain have vanished too," the Ghost Venerables reported in haste. The full details eluded them.

Two Ghost Kings who oversaw this domain, gone without a sign, alongside the Calamity Sphere itself.

How could such an occurrence fail to rouse suspicion?

Absorbing these details, Scorpio Ghost King sneered: "Pathetic fools. Humans must have slain them. The Calamity Sphere was doubtless pilfered via spacetime arts. Yet standard spacetime talismans fall short for that, leaving me to ponder the fresh trickery humans have devised."

"Lord Scorpio, the Calamity Sphere's loss counts as a grave incident. Ought we alert our higher-ups?" Two Ghost Kings ventured the question uncertainly.

"Worthless! Reporting to the superiors daily? If the Calamity Sphere is truly lost, accountability falls on someone. Which of you will shoulder it? You speak of notifying the superiors yet shirk the blame yourselves?" Scorpio Ghost King snapped.

The pair of Ghost Kings deflated instantly, the mention of "accountability" stirring fears of dire repercussions. They dared not endorse the idea.

"Hmph, too cowardly for blame yet eager to tattle upward? What good are you? From the instant the Calamity Sphere vanished, I've monitored the Heavenly Dao. None have escaped this realm, confirming those culprits linger in the Spirit Fire World. Scour every inch and recover both the thieves and the Calamity Sphere," Scorpio Ghost King commanded, his presence turning icy.

His directive spurred the other Ghost Kings into swift motion.

Below ground, Yang Chen spied on them covertly via his soul sense.

"Just six showed up..." Yang Chen muttered, shaking his head.

"Give it more time," Zhou Yiming urged.

Outwardly composed, he was drenched in sweat across his brow, his pulse racing with unease.

Yang Chen, unhurried as ever, quietly anticipated the frustration Scorpio Ghost King and his ilk would display upon failing to locate the Calamity Sphere.

Roughly half a month onward, the Ghost Kings reconvened in a cluster. This assembly revealed their mounting anxiety.

Even Scorpio Ghost King's demeanor shifted from cool detachment to faint restlessness.

Soon after, Scorpio Ghost King issued certain directives. A few days hence, Ghost Kings converged from every quarter, racing toward this site.

Once every Ghost King had assembled, delight bloomed on Zhou Yiming's countenance: "Fourteen Ghost Kings—haha, Brother Yang Chen, perfect timing. They've all been drawn right here."

Yang Chen's eyes narrowed: "Fourteen? The full set?"

"Absolutely, every last one is present," Zhou Yiming replied, excitement bubbling over.

At that, Yang Chen grinned: "With them all gathered, excellent. Zhou, stay and recover here. I'll handle the foes up top."

Their exchange concluded, Yang Chen leaped skyward, abruptly exiting the isolated realm he'd forged, materializing over Calamity City.

The very second he emerged from the isolated space, the Ghost Kings whipped around, ensnaring Yang Chen within their soul perceptions.

"A human's emerged..."

Refusing to overlook any lead, the Ghost Kings surged into action, encircling Yang Chen in a flash and boxing him in completely.