Chapter 494 - 501: It’s an Honor for Your Ghost King Valley

The voice was piercing, heavy with accusation and coercion, but above all, dripping with overbearing disdain.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately stood up and gazed out of the reception hall.

A man and a woman were striding toward the reception hall. Dressed in magnificent, expensive clothes, they carried themselves with an extraordinary air.

Ghost King Valley’s status in the Netherworld was so exalted that even these gangs didn’t dare act too insolently or casually offend them.

After all, who could guarantee they would never have to beg Ghost King Valley for a favor in their lifetime?

At the sound of the voice, Song Wanning looked over, her gaze meeting two pairs of sharp, piercing eyes.

The pair strode forward, heads held high, and cupped their fists. "Greetings, Song Bangzhu, and all the deputy gang leaders."

"I am Wu Mingxu, a disciple of Ghost King Valley, and this is my junior sister, Fang Lan."

The moment Wu Mingxu announced his name, a commotion erupted in the hall.

"That’s Wu Mingxu? He’s the genius disciple of Ghost King Valley’s newest generation. Rumor has it he has the best chance of successfully refining a Tenth Grade Ghost Pill!"

"And Fang Lan is one of the top disciples of her generation, too!"

"Tsk, why are so many disciples from Ghost King Valley showing up all of a sudden?"

The deputy gang leaders began to mutter amongst themselves. Disciples of Ghost King Valley were usually secretive and rarely left their sect. If someone wanted to buy Elixir Pills, they had to go to Ghost King Valley in person to make a request.

Whether or not they could actually make a purchase depended entirely on Ghost King Valley’s mood.

Despite this, no one ever complained. In fact, they all felt it was perfectly normal.

Now, seeing three disciples from Ghost King Valley all at once, the looks on everyone’s faces were a sight to behold.

Song Bangzhu, however, caught the implication in Wu Mingxu’s words. His expression darkened as he asked, "Ah, Mr. Wu and Fang. To what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

At these words, Wu Mingxu gave a cold laugh. His gaze fell upon Song Wanning, heavy with judgment.

"I heard someone was masquerading as a disciple of Ghost King Valley. I’ve come specifically to clear things up, lest Song Bangzhu be deceived!"

With that, he raised a hand and pointed at Song Wanning. "She is absolutely NOT a disciple of Ghost King Valley!!!"

"Speak! Who are you, and what is your purpose in impersonating a disciple of Ghost King Valley?"

An oppressive aura surged from Wu Mingxu toward Song Wanning, an attempt to put her in her place.

Everyone else in the hall froze for a moment before turning to look at Song Wanning.

"You... You’re an impostor?"

"Who on earth are you? Why did you deceive us?"

The deputy gang leaders, feeling the sting of betrayal, grew visibly outraged.

Wu Yaozu and his companions, however, were completely dumbfounded. They couldn’t understand how things had taken such a turn.

’What should we do now?’

The hall descended into chaos.

Song Wanning, however, remained perfectly calm. She effortlessly deflected Wu Mingxu’s oppressive aura, then suddenly closed the distance in a single step, grabbed his pointing finger, and squeezed. Hard.

"AAAAH—"

Wu Mingxu let out a pained scream as his entire finger was crushed to pieces.

He grimaced in agony, his face instantly paling.

The previously silent Fang Lan saw this and rushed forward to intervene, but Song Wanning, having already broken Wu Mingxu’s finger, had returned to her original spot.

"I hate it when people point at me."

Her gaze was dark, and a chilling light settled on Wu Mingxu’s neck.

Her eyes seemed to say that if he dared do it again, she would snap his neck.

Wu Mingxu shuddered violently. His face flushed red with rage. He started to point at Song Wanning and curse her, but forced his hand down halfway through the motion.

Song Wanning’s gaze was truly vicious; he was actually afraid.

This realization was a bitter pill for Wu Mingxu to swallow. Since his death, he had awakened his talent for Alchemy and been accepted into Ghost King Valley. For years, he’d had things his way; there was no one who wouldn’t show him some respect.

To think he’d been intimidated today by some unknown upstart.

"You use Ghost King Valley’s name to swindle people, and now you dare threaten me? Believe me when I say I’ll make sure you don’t walk out of this hall today!"

As Wu Mingxu spouted his threats, he watched Song Bangzhu and the others, trying to gauge their reactions.

’Any smart person would know who to choose.’

Sure enough, at his words, the expressions of the Qingfeng Gang members shifted.

Song Wanning took it all in, a flicker of discontent stirring within her.

’If this is how the Qingfeng Gang is going to be, then there’s no point in continuing our collaboration.’

"Hah."

"I’d like to ask you: when did I ever claim to be a disciple of your Ghost King Valley?"

"And what makes you think Ghost King Valley is so special that I’d even want to impersonate one of you?"

Song Wanning was not a patient person by nature. Being new here, she had already been incredibly restrained.

Unfortunately, some people were just shameless.

"You—what did you say? How dare you!!!"

Wu Mingxu was utterly enraged, and Fang Lan’s expression finally hardened.

She took a few steps forward, sizing up Song Wanning with a scrutinizing gaze. "You’d best watch your tongue. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to cut it out! As it happens, I’m researching a new Pill Recipe that requires just such an ingredient."

With that, she drew a dagger and toyed with it in her hand, a silent threat directed at Song Wanning.

At that, Song Wanning actually laughed out of exasperation.

She was reminded of that detestable Medicine King Sect from the Spirit Realm. This Ghost King Valley was cut from the same cloth!

’There’s always a higher heaven, and always a stronger person. Their arrogance was laughable.’

"Have I said a single thing that was wrong?"

Song Wanning’s lips curled, her eyes full of contempt.

"I never claimed to be a disciple of Ghost King Valley. If anything, the rumors only served to flatter you."

’She had no idea how such an absurd rumor had started. As if only people from Ghost King Valley were capable of refining High Rank Elixir Pills?’

’Even just now, before she’d had a chance to speak, these two had impatiently branded her an impostor from Ghost King Valley.’

’Shouldn’t they have at least tried to understand the situation first?’

’In the end, they were just far too arrogant.’

She turned to the Shopkeeper of Yuefeng Pavilion and asked in a cold voice, "Did I ever tell you I was a disciple of Ghost King Valley?"

"Huh?"

Put on the spot, the Shopkeeper froze for a second before quickly shaking his head. "No, never."

Song Wanning then turned to Song Bangzhu. "And did I ever tell you I was a disciple of Ghost King Valley?"

"No."

Song Bangzhu shook his head. His expression was grim, but his mind was already racing.

’So, Song Wanning isn’t a disciple of Ghost King Valley... A talent like her... if I could recruit her, wouldn’t the Qingfeng Gang never have to worry about Elixir Pills again?’

’He narrowed his eyes, making a private calculation. He would wait until Wu Mingxu was giving Song Wanning a hard time, then he would step in. She would owe him a favor, and it would only be natural for her to stay.’

The answers from the Shopkeeper and Song Bangzhu plunged the entire hall into silence.

Because Song Wanning was right. From start to finish, she had never once claimed to be a disciple of Ghost King Valley.

They had believed the rumors; the misunderstanding was their own.