"It's a long story, let's go to the City Lord's Mansion and I'll tell you slowly!"

Ghost Hand King tore open a gap in Yuanjiu City's City Defense Array, and both Chu Ming and he could easily pass through.

...

In the palace of the City Lord's Mansion, Chu Ming and Ghost Hand King sat opposite each other.

"A lot has happened on the Celestial Martial Continent during the two years you were gone!"

Sitting on the left side of a sandalwood table and chairs, Ghost Hand King said faintly.

"When the news of your fall in the ruins first came out, the strongmen of the Human Race did not believe it. But as you did not show up for a long time, they gradually accepted it as fact!"

"At the beginning, because of the appearance of the ruins, both the Human Race and the Restricted Area focused their attention on the ruins, but as the ruins were almost fully explored and both sides gained many treasures, friction continued to escalate until full-scale war broke out again!"

"The war has been going on for over a year now, with both the Human Race and the Restricted Area suffering losses, but overall, our Human Race is currently at a disadvantage!"

Hearing this, Chu Ming nodded slightly. Now that he had become Di Rong's designated disciple, his perspective had undergone a tremendous transformation. While the Demon Emperor could dominate in the Celestial Martial Continent, he couldn't stir much in the vast Cosmos. Nonetheless, even so, the current Chu Ming was not a match for the Demon Emperor. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"I came from the North Sea and saw many signs of Demon Kings there. What is the reason?"

Chu Ming's eyes revealed a hint of suspicion, thinking of Demon Kings Dick and Su Qi, and asked.

"Blood Sword King may not know, three years ago, Beiling Alliance Leader Liu Wuxiang obtained a map, the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram. Somehow the news leaked, making it known throughout the North Sea. Such a treasure, even to the Demon Kings, has fatal attraction. To obtain the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram, the Restricted Area dispatched three top-tier Demon Kings to hunt down Liu Wuxiang. It's feared that his situation is dire at this moment!"

Ghost Hand King sighed and shook his head. In his opinion, Liu Wuxiang was a bit short-sighted. A treasure like the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram required emperor-level power to be kept. Otherwise, the reveal of its existence would lead to fatal consequences, as is the case with Liu Wuxiang. In the blink of an eye, the mighty Beiling Alliance turned into smoke and mirrors.

"What kind of thing is the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram?"

Chu Ming's eyes flashed. He had also heard of Liu Wuxiang, who was Liu Shengchuan's biological father and was famous among the top-tier Kings, with one foot already in the emperor-level realm. If not for the outbreak of the Human-Demon War, within ten years, the Human Race would surely have another emperor-level powerhouse.

"Has Blood Sword King never heard of the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram?"

Hearing Chu Ming's words, Ghost Hand King was slightly surprised, then understood.

"I almost forgot, you've just broken through to Life and Death Realm King and aren't very familiar with some things in this realm!"

"Legend has it that in the depths of the North Sea, there is a vast Great Wilderness, containing numerous heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Every hundred years, this Great Wilderness appears in the depths of the North Sea once. Anyone holding the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram can enter the Great Wilderness to seek opportunities. Liu Wuxiang has been at the top-tier King peak for many years. This time, he got the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram, probably aiming to seek the opportunity to break through to the emperor-level in the Great Wilderness!"

Ghost Hand King, clad in a black robe, said slowly, a flash of intense desire in his eyes when mentioning the emperor-level.

Becoming an emperor-level expert is the lifelong wish of all martial artists. If they could achieve it, they would die without regrets.

"Oh? The Great Wilderness contains opportunities to become emperor-level?"

Chu Ming's face was shocked. Now that he was also a top-tier King, he had thought that emperor-level experts should also be Life and Death Realm Kings. However, compared to ordinary Life and Death Realm Kings, emperor-level experts at least cultivated two top-tier Secrets Martial Arts to Transformation Realm and had several times more Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power inside them.

"The Great Wilderness is boundless. Throughout history, most martial artists entering it have died, but those who came out have made extraordinary progress. For instance, the Blood Moon Emperor of the Blood Cloud Palace. Five hundred years ago, he was also a top-tier King, but he accidentally obtained a Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram, entered the Great Wilderness, and when he emerged, he had become an emperor-level expert."

Ghost Hand King said plainly. The current Liu Wuxiang was strikingly similar to the former Blood Moon Emperor.

"How many Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagrams appear each time the Great Wilderness opens in the Celestial Martial Continent?"

Chu Ming asked curiously. Just one Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram had caused such turmoil. The Beiling Alliance was even wiped out. Does it mean only emperor-level experts can enter the Great Wilderness?

"To be honest, quite a few Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagrams appear each time the Great Wilderness opens. At the most, there were about fifty diagrams, but now there's still a year left until the opening, and only Liu Wuxiang's diagram has surfaced. That's why he is being chased. Liu Wuxiang is out of luck. If he had obtained it later, things wouldn't be so troublesome."

Ghost Hand King sighed. He also held a glimmer of hope for the Great Wilderness. Given his talents, he might never achieve emperor-level in his lifetime. But if he entered the Great Wilderness, there was a slim chance. However, the Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram was so precious that many top-tier Kings ended up giving up, let alone himself.

"Aren't there any strong Human Race experts to interfere?"

Chu Ming frowned and asked.

"I understand your point. No matter what, the Beiling Alliance is a top Human Race force. If possible, the Human Race would naturally help. But now the Human-Demon War has fully broken out, and we are at a disadvantage. High-tier Kings don't have the capacity, let alone top-tier Kings."

Ghost Hand King shook his head with a bitter smile and continued.

"If top-tier Kings had the capacity, the position of City Lord of Yuanjiu City would never have fallen to me. Yuanjiu City is near the North Sea, a key passageway between the North Sea and the Celestial Martial Continent. It's a crucial time now, and typically, the City Lord here should be a top-tier King. However, all top-tier Kings are resisting the top-tier Demon Kings, so the title of City Lord of Yuanjiu City fell on me."

Hearing this, Chu Ming nodded slightly. Indeed, the Human Race is already at a disadvantage and can't afford to fight desperately for a Nine Shepherds Cloud Diagram, especially since there are more than one.

"By the way, does Blood Sword King have any place to go? If not, why not stay in my Yuanjiu City?"

Ghost Hand King asked Chu Ming casually but seriously.