Sludge suction system

Night had fallen, and the entire palace was asleep, with only a few palace lanterns casting a faint glow, swaying in the cold wind. Inside Lord Linghuan's study, candlelight shone brightly, and Bao E stood respectfully before the desk, holding a star-shaped glass cup wrapped in gold brocade in both hands.

“Bao’e, this glass lamp is of great importance. You must hand it over to Zilang personally and make no mistakes.” Lord Linghuan frowned and looked solemn. “Zilang is going to the far north with the heavy responsibility of resurrecting the late king. Tell him to be careful in everything he does.”

"Your Majesty, rest assured, this old servant will certainly not fail your imperial command!" Bao E's hands trembled slightly as he carefully accepted the glass cup. After leaving the study, he hurried to Zilang's residence.

Zilang had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Bao E arrive, he immediately welcomed him into the house. Bao E looked around to make sure no one was there, then took out a glass cup from his robes: "Brother Zilang, His Majesty personally instructed you to keep this safe."

Zilang accepted the glass cup with both hands, a barely perceptible glint of greed flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Rest assured, Your Excellency, I will certainly not fail in my mission. However, this journey to the far north is long and fraught with danger. I hope Your Excellency will keep a close watch on His Majesty and report any changes immediately."

Bao E patted Zi Lang on the shoulder: "Of course. You just focus on your work, I'll take care of His Majesty."

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Zilang disguised himself as a traveling merchant and mingled with the caravan leaving the city, embarking on his journey to the far north. As he traveled north, the temperature dropped lower and lower, and the once lush green mountains and clear waters were gradually covered by ice and snow, with the biting wind slicing across his face like a knife.

A month later, Zilang arrived at the snow-covered mountains, a hundred kilometers from the entrance to the Netherworld. This place was perpetually covered in ice and snow, with howling winds whipping up blizzards that sounded like the wails of ghosts and wolves. Zilang rested briefly in a cave on the edge of the snow-covered mountains. In the distance, the settlement of the Snow Spirit Clan was faintly visible. The Snow Spirit Clan's houses were built from massive blocks of ice, shimmering with iridescent light under the sun, resembling a dreamlike ice city. Behind the settlement, a towering snow-capped mountain pierced the sky; the entrance to the Netherworld was hidden deep within its depths.

Zilang donned a warm fur coat, clutching the Starry Glazed Lamp, and headed towards the Snow Spirit Clan's settlement. As soon as he reached the village entrance, a group of Snow Spirit warriors surrounded him. These Snow Spirits were tall and slender, with skin as white as snow and pale blue eyes that gleamed with wariness. The lead warrior barked in broken Common, "Who are you? Why have you trespassed into our Snow Spirit Clan's territory?"

Zilang remained calm and took out the Starry Glazed Lamp from his robes, raising it above his head: "I am here on the orders of Lord Linghuan to present this sacred object to you. We have learned of the unusual activity in the Netherworld and have come to offer our assistance."

Upon seeing this, the Snow Spirit warriors' expressions changed drastically, and they began to whisper among themselves. Soon, an old man dressed in a white robe and wearing an ice crown emerged, surrounded by the crowd. The old man's eyes were piercing as he stared at the glass cup in Zilang's hand, and he asked in a trembling voice, "You say this was sent by Lord Linghuan? What proof do you have?"

Zilang took out a secret letter bearing the imperial seal from his pocket and handed it over: "Elder, please take a look. This is a letter written in Linghuan's own handwriting."

The elder took the secret letter, examined it carefully, and his expression softened considerably: "In that case, come with me."

Zilang followed the elder into the Snow Spirit Clan's settlement, outwardly remaining calm while secretly plotting his next move. Meanwhile, deep within the distant snow-capped mountains, at the entrance to the Netherworld, an evil aura was quietly stirring; a great crisis was about to unfold…

With ulterior motives in mind, Zilang followed the elder into the Snow Spirit Clan's territory. Along the way, he seemingly curiously surveyed his surroundings, but his eyes were inadvertently searching for the location of the altar. In the Snow Spirit Clan's streets, children laughed and played, and the clansmen looked at this outsider with curious yet friendly eyes, completely unaware of the danger that was lurking nearby.

Passing through an archway sculpted from ice and jade, the elder led Zilang to a spacious plaza. In the center of the plaza, a sacred altar made of massive blocks of ice rose from the ground, its top inlaid with a gem that emitted a soft blue light. That gem, like the eye of the Snow Spirit Clan, silently guarded this land, suppressing the evil power of the Netherworld.

"This is the sacred altar of our Snow Spirit Clan. For thousands of years, it has suppressed the Netherworld and protected us." The elder's voice was filled with awe.

Zilang feigned piety, pacing around the altar. While everyone was distracted, he secretly condensed a ball of demonic energy at his fingertips and quickly injected it into the ice layer at the base of the altar. The demonic energy spread rapidly like a venomous snake, and the blue light on the altar flickered a few times before weakening.

"Oh no! Something seems wrong with the altar!" a young Snow Spirit warrior exclaimed.

Zilang immediately stepped forward, feigning anxiety as he examined the altar: "Elder, this altar seems to have been impacted by the evil forces of the Netherworld. I know a little magic; perhaps I can lend you a hand in reinforcing the altar and suppressing the Netherworld."

The elder hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble you. But once the seal on this Netherworld Ghost Realm is loosened, evil spirits will surely escape, which is extremely dangerous."

Zilang was secretly delighted, but on the surface he was filled with righteous indignation: "To protect the Snow Spirit Clan, and for all living beings, this danger is nothing. I am willing to fight alongside you!"

Over the next few days, Zilang pretended to assist the Snow Spirit Clan in reinforcing their sacred altar while secretly plotting a massacre. He used illusion magic to control several Snow Spirit Clan warriors, instructing them to infiltrate the clan at night and steal their weapons and protective artifacts.

Meanwhile, he secretly went to the Snow Spirit Clan's warehouse where sacrificial supplies were stored and mixed a powder that could induce unconsciousness into the sacrificial wine. With everything prepared, Zilang awaited the perfect moment to launch a fatal attack, using the Snow Spirit Clan's blood to break the seal of the Netherworld.

Meanwhile, the Snow Spirit Clan remained immersed in the false sense of security created by Zilang, completely unaware that a catastrophic disaster was rapidly approaching like dark clouds...

In the dead of night, Zilang stood alone outside the Snow Spirit Clan camp, gazing up at the sky. At that moment, the stars twinkled, and seven bright stars were quietly converging, foreshadowing the once-in-a-century alignment of the seven planets that would occur in ten days. A sinister smile crept onto Zilang's lips; the plan entrusted to him by the Demon King had finally reached its crucial stage.

"Lord Zilang, why are you still out so late?" came the elder's voice from behind. Zilang turned around and said respectfully, "Elder, I observed the celestial phenomena last night and discovered that a rare alignment of the seven stars will occur in ten days. At that time, the power of the seal on the Netherworld will become extremely weak. However, this will also be the perfect opportunity for us to thoroughly reinforce the seal."

Upon hearing this, the elder's expression turned serious, and his brows furrowed tightly: "According to the clan's ancient records, the seal is indeed most vulnerable when the seven stars align. However, once the altar is opened, the slightest mistake could unleash a horde of evil spirits, with unimaginable consequences."

Zilang remained calm and took out the Starry Glazed Lamp from his robes. As he moved, the lamp reflected a dreamlike halo: "Elder, there is no need to worry. This Starry Glazed Lamp is a royal sacred object, containing powerful stellar power. On the night of the Seven Stars Alignment, with the help of the celestial power and the spiritual power of the glazed lamp, we will surely be able to strengthen the seal in one fell swoop and eliminate any future troubles."

The elder hesitated, his gaze shifting back and forth between Zilang and Liulizhan. At this moment, several Snow Spirit Clan warriors, secretly controlled by Zilang, stepped forward. "Elder, Lord Zilang was sent by Lord Linghuan, and he is wholeheartedly concerned for our Snow Spirit Clan. His method might work." "Yes, rather than living in constant fear, we should take this opportunity to eliminate the hidden danger."

After much persuasion, the elder finally nodded: "In that case, let's do as Lord Zilang says. However, this matter is of great importance, and we need to make thorough preparations over the next ten days."

In the days that followed, the entire Snow Spirit Clan mobilized to carry out various preparations around the altar. Zilang, meanwhile, secretly observed from the sidelines, ensuring everything proceeded according to plan. He also periodically used illusion magic to report the progress to the Demon Lord.

The day of the alignment of the seven stars arrived quickly. As night fell, the seven stars aligned in a straight line across the sky, emitting a mysterious and powerful light. Zilang led the Snow Spirit Clan to the altar, secretly sneering, "Snow Spirit Clan, today is your end. Once the seal of the Netherworld is broken, the world will be under my and the Demon Lord's control."