As the pressure built, Bai Xiaochun finally moaned, “Your Highness, your humble servant made a grave error.... I didn't want to do it! But the thing is that the three great clans really do have it out for me. If it weren’t for the fact that your humble servant has such an impressive title, I think my poor little life would already have been exterminated.... By the way, the Bai Clan hates me especially deeply.
“Therefore, your humble servant felt he had no other option. Despite the fact that Your Highness had other plans for the three clans, your humble servant secretly instructed certain people to go cause problems for them....” By this point, Bai Xiaochun really looked like he was about to weep from fear.
The giant ghost king’s eyes widened. He had long since learned of the fact that Bai Xiaochun had sent people to put pressure on the three great clans. Therefore, this display of nervousness put him right in the middle of laughter and tears. Obviously, Bai Xiaochun misunderstood why he had been summoned, and had thus begun to grow nervous.
“Enough with the histrionics!” the giant ghost king said, glaring at Bai Xiaochun.
His glare instantly caused Bai Xiaochun to calm down inside. Externally, though, he looked up at the giant ghost king with glistening eyes.
The giant ghost king could tell that Bai Xiaochun felt wronged, but decided to simply ignore it. Voice casual, he said, “I summoned you here today because of some orders that came down from the arch-emperor. An arrest warrant has been issued for Bai Xiaochun, major general from the Great Wall and cultivator from the Starry Sky Dao Polarity Sect. I’m entrusting the matter to you. If Bai Xiaochun appears in the territory I control, you will be sent to arrest him.”
A serious expression appeared on Bai Xiaochun’s face. Without the slightest hesitation, he stuck his chest out and loudly replied, “Fear not, Your Highness! It was on my path to Giant Ghost City that I heard about this Bai Xiaochun. Hmmmphh! If Devil Bai dares to appear near Giant Ghost City, then your humble servant will apprehend him immediately!”
His words were spoken with decisiveness that could sever nails and chop iron, and caused the giant ghost king to nod in satisfaction.
“It's not really a big deal, to tell the truth. Unless he actually shows up, just forget about it. However, if you do run into him, be careful. Thankfully, you’ve made a cultivation base breakthrough, so that will help to some degree.” The giant ghost king then went on to offer a few more warnings and exhortations about the matter.
“Your Highness, when it comes to my cultivation base breakthrough, I have you to thank.... If it weren’t for your insistence that I go into secluded meditation, your humble servant would not have succeeded. Your Highness, you truly are divine and mighty, matchless through eternity! The words you spoke to me were like a mystical elixir that pushed me to new heights. Your Highness, I do hope that you summon me more often for audiences, that thusly, my cultivation base can continue to improve with rapid speed!” Bai Xiaochun didn't seem embarrassed at all to have so instinctively launched into a bout of flattery.
The giant ghost king snorted in response to Bai Xiaochun’s words, but inside, actually felt a twinge of pleasure. After all, he couldn’t forget about how Bai Hao had had the audacity to slap him across the side of the head and act in wildly presumptuous fashion. Therefore, this complete reversal was quite pleasing. After all, he was a mighty demigod, the type of person who could control every matter around him. If he wanted to, he could forgive anyone of anything. All of the karma had been resolved. In fact, after his cultivation base was restored, a mere thought on his part had retrieved all of the magical items he’d handed over.
Everyone respected power, and as for this Bai Hao, even if he got stronger than he was, he would still be at the giant ghost king’s beck and call. Therefore, to hear a bit of flattery from him was quite pleasing to the ear.
In terms of the fact that Bai Xiaochun had formed his nascent soul without any problems, the giant ghost king wasn’t interested in prying, nor did he even think to connect him with the wanted fugitive Bai Xiaochun. It wasn’t that the giant ghost king wasn’t quick-witted about such things, it was more that Bai Hao had a very clear and well-known background. Therefore, there was no reason to link him to Bai Xiaochun.
Although the timing was a bit odd, the giant ghost king knew that since this Bai Hao had received a drop of his own soul-blood, that would also make it much easier for him to form a nascent soul. As one of the giant ghost king’s subordinates, Bai Hao’s power came from the good graces of the king, and for him to get stronger was naturally a good thing. The giant ghost king didn’t even bother to look into the matter of the little turtle.
After their conversation was done, the giant ghost king waved his hand to dismiss Bai Xiaochun.
At this point, Bai Xiaochun was sighing with relief in his heart. Backing up respectfully, he was just preparing to leave when he decided that he needed to make his act even more convincing. Looking over his shoulder, he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but then held back.
The giant ghost king noticed, and said, “What’s wrong now?”
“Your Highness, might it be a good idea to go put a bit more pressure on the three great clans?” From the look in his eye, Bai Xiaochun seemed like he simply wasn’t willing to drop the matter.
The giant ghost king looked at him grimly for a moment. The truth was that he really did have some special plans in mind for the three great clans. After all, the fact that the incarcerated patriarchs of the Bai and Chen Clans had Deva Realm cultivation bases was of importance to him. Furthermore, the giant ghost king knew that if the three great clans fell, other clans would rise in their place, and he didn’t really feel like dealing with weak, rising powers like that.
However, after Bai Xiaochun made his suggestion, the giant ghost king thought about it for a moment, and then recalled the scene of being chased by those three clans.
“You really were wronged in all of this.... Those three clans have been around for thousands of years, and have deep reserve savings. Perhaps that is what gave them the courage to rebel....” With that, he gave Bai Xiaochun a meaningful look.
Bai Xiaochun was a bit taken aback, but after analyzing the king's words, his eyes began to shine. Then his heart began to pound as he realized that when the giant ghost king said deep reserve savings, he most likely meant that the three great clans were extremely rich.
Furthermore, that indicated that the king was hinting that he should... go shake them down? Was this his reward for risking life and limb for the giant ghost king?
Although he was excited by the prospect, he decided that he should probably double-check that his understanding was correct. “Fear not, Your Highness. My eyes are as sharp as swords. It doesn’t matter how deep the reserve savings of the three great clans are, your humble servant will see to the bottom of everything.”
The giant ghost king didn’t respond at all, and in fact, even closed his eyes. Inwardly, he was pleased that Bai Xiaochun could pick up on the meaning of his words.
Bai Xiaochun was immediately enthused by the giant ghost king’s reaction, and that it indicated his implicit agreement.... When Bai Xiaochun thought back to how the clans had chased him down, and how he had suddenly risen up in the world, his excitement began to build.
“A shakedown.... I’ve never done anything like that. How exciting to be able to go shake down an enemy.... However, considering the fact that the giant ghost king didn’t issue official orders, it indicates that he wants me to keep things low key....” Clenching his fists excitedly, he turned and walked out of the grand hall.
Even as he walked out, though, the lounging giant ghost king casually murmured, “The Chen Clan is particularly vile. Especially their clan chief. He always gets lucky with the women, and yet he dared to forge a taboo banner... hmph!”