Kneeling, lying, and slouching corpses stood up one after another, their hands waving about like drowning men. A wave of bewildered voices chanting, “Who am I?” surged repeatedly amidst the cacophony, creating a chaotic scene of numerous demons dancing wildly.
A cold shiver ran down Meng Qi’s spine as the voice of the Master of the Six Realms resonated in his consciousness: “To complete the third step of the Mystery of Zhenwu’s Fall, you must locate the Worry-Free Valley.”
The fourth step of the Mystery of Zhenwu’s Fall is to search for clues left behind by the Great Emperor Zhenwu within the Carefree Valley.
Ye Yuqi’s expression remained unchanged as she whispered to Meng Qi, “Block off your physical senses and rely entirely on spiritual perception.”
Upon hearing this, Meng Qi closed his eyes and sealed his ears, allowing his spirit, which had long merged with heaven and earth, to spread infinitely.
A vast valley, half the size of the Kingdom of Hala, appeared in Meng Qi’s mind: wide and open, with grey, lifeless rocks and not a blade of grass in sight. From a deep fissure rose a suffocating black mist, and countless mummified corpses, numbering in the tens of thousands, filled the valley. The spirits within these corpses were confused and cold, their presence vividly clear to Meng Qi, especially those nearby, down to the finest details.
Beyond this, something previously obscured by physical senses emerged. It was cold and damp, lifeless and gloomy, blending with the ocean of primordial energy, submerging the entire valley and seeping into each of these spirits, forming countless nodes like hands and eyes, swaying and trembling slightly…
“Are these spirits being controlled by something cold, damp, and lifeless? But why are they murmuring, ‘Who am I’…?” Though surprised, Meng Qi remained calm, his mind as still as a lake, his grip on his sword steady and firm.
Ye Yuqi shook her head slightly, her thick black hair swaying slightly. “It’s hard to say.”
As time passed, the spirits and mummified corpses gradually calmed down, returning to stillness and resuming their previous postures.
Meng Qi kept his eyes closed, sensing his surroundings, trying to find clues from the corpses or their vicinity.
Their skin and muscles had lost all moisture, appearing pale and dim. The white robes and black armor on their bodies had long since rotted to decay. Meng Qi had no doubt that a mere touch would reduce them to mud.
Other ornaments, weapons, and books were the same, already reduced to decayed sludge, as if something had sucked away their essence!
Suddenly, Meng Qi let out a soft exclamation of surprise. Beside one of the mummified corpses, he found a treated piece of parchment inscribed with ancient Western Region script.
With a wave of his hand, the parchment flew into his palm.
“Hanbing Xianzi” (Fairy of Cold Ice), Ye Yuqi, glanced at it and said flatly, “‘The Grand Tutor has gone mad.'”
“Judging from the handwriting and the abruptness, it seems this was hastily written in a moment of crisis.”
It appeared that was the only sentence written on the parchment.
Meng Qi’s spiritual perception had a limited range. Ye Yuqi closed her eyes and gently beckoned with her right hand. From near the most elaborately dressed mummified corpse, sheets of similar parchment flew toward her.
“He has gone mad!”
“Grand Tutor…”
The parchments all contained similar messages.
Suddenly, a book bound from several sheets of parchment landed in Ye Yuqi’s hand.
She flipped through the book and began reading aloud in a clear, slightly magnetic voice:
“…All the people of Bomi Kingdom can see the King of the Underworld in their dreams, either seeking solutions to their worries, receiving secret techniques, or being promised a pure land after death. Therefore, we need not doubt—we are indeed the children of the King of the Underworld!”
The book’s introduction clearly stated the origin of the worship of the King of the Underworld in Bomi Kingdom.
Listening thoughtfully, Meng Qi suspected that it was because Zhenwu the Great Emperor had sealed “the Yellow Spring” (Huangquan) here. Over the years, its power had seeped out, influencing mortals through dreams.
No! Meng Qi suddenly furrowed his brows.
So many ten-thousands of years have passed—how could the Yellow Spring still be alive!
If such a powerful being were still alive, there would be no match for it in the current age, where martial cultivation has declined, and it would be capable of dominating the entire era!
Ye Yuqi read selectively, her voice low and clear:
“…Guided by the King of the Underworld in dreams, and after sacrificing many skilled warriors, we have finally found the path to His kingdom. From now on, we must prepare to welcome the King of the Underworld’s descent into the mortal world.”
“…Nine years of preparation, today will witness sacred glory. The King of the Underworld will surely become the ruler of the mundane world, and we, too, shall return to His kingdom and exist eternally!”
“…I sense the mighty presence of the King of the Underworld. With trembling hands, I record this glory…”
“…Now, I shall enter the King of the Underworld’s kingdom and pray for His descent…”
“No!”
“What is he doing!”
“He has gone mad!”
“The Grand Tutor…has gone mad… Could it be that when the people of Bomi Kingdom attempted to unseal the Yellow Spring, something went wrong with the Grand Tutor, leading to this tragedy and the strange changes in Bomi?” Meng Qi speculated based on the clues he had gathered so far.
Ye Yuqi glanced at him: “Unseal the Yellow Spring?”
Oops, he had let something slip… Meng Qi chuckled awkwardly. At least for now, no one else could have guessed that the Great Emperor Zhenwu had once been here: “The ‘Five Elements Reversal and Containment Formation’ has turned inward instead of outward, and the Bomi Kingdom is attempting to ‘pray’ for the descent of the King of the Underworld. I suspect the Yellow Spring is sealed within the Carefree Valley.”
“All the great powers of ancient times perished during the Middle Ages…” Ye Yuqi frowned slightly, also doubting that the sealed Yellow Spring could still be alive. It wasn’t like the Green Emperor, a mysterious and free-spirited figure.
She murmured softly, as if thinking aloud: “The Worry-Free Flower, fragrant enough to intoxicate, can be used to brew water that washes away all worries, erasing past troubles… The water of the Yellow Springs transforms into Mengpo’s broth, which makes one forget past lives…”
That’s right! Mengpo’s broth, Huangquan water!
As Meng Qi listened, it was as if he had been struck by lightning. After hearing Doumu’s words, it was indeed strange that the Carefree Valley had no connection to the Yellow Spring!
Ancient times were truly filled with secrets…
He became even more convinced that the Great Emperor Zhenwu had come to the Carefree Valley in connection with the King of the Underworld, the Yellow Spring.
“Let’s go deeper.” Since there was nothing more to gain nearby, Ye Yuqi flew forward, surrounded by cold mist, truly resembling a fairy.
Meng Qi followed closely behind, feeling that the further they flew into the black mist, the heavier the sensation of cold, dampness, and death became.
He switched his sword to his left hand and drew out the “Tianzhi Shang” (Heaven’s Wound), not daring to be the slightest bit careless—even if someone saw him, he would still do this!
After a while, as the two were about to fly into the black mist, Ye Yuqi softly exclaimed, signaling Meng Qi to land.
“What’s wrong?” Meng Qi asked, puzzled.
Ye Yuqi’s expression turned contemplative: “Let’s try walking in first.”
Meng Qi stepped cautiously forward, entering the black mist. The moment he made contact, a sizzling sound rang out as his protective qi was corroded and dissolved!
A pale golden glow appeared, stabilizing the protective qi. Meng Qi found that he could no longer sense the surrounding world or grasp the Daoist principles!
The ocean of primordial energy in the world had turned pitch-black, frozen in a deathly stillness, exuding an eerie and sinister aura. A sense of danger surged in Meng Qi’s heart, and he dared not absorb the primordial energy, as it seemed poisonous!
In an instant, the connection and fusion between his inner world and the outer world were forcibly severed. If he tried to fly, he would plummet like a stone thrown into the air!
Within his limited vision, ahead lay a deep fissure, its bottom unfathomable, only black mist rolling out.
The fissure wasn’t very wide, about a dozen zhang across. Relying solely on martial prowess would make it impossible to leap across, but with the aid of grappling hooks or similar tools, it wouldn’t be difficult to cross.
“This feels like the core of the Netherworld (Nine Nethers)…” Ye Yuqi’s voice reached Meng Qi’s ears.
“The core of the Nine Nether?” Meng Qi turned his head in bewilderment, still on high alert against the black mist, fearing that a formidable mummified corpse might suddenly emerge—perhaps the Poisonous Hand Demon Lord or the Soul-Stealing Night Specter!
Ye Yuqi’s face was smooth and expressionless: “Yes, the core of the Nine Netherworld. According to some ancient texts that survived from antiquity, the ordinary Nine Netherworld is merely filled with demonic or yin energy. However, in a few core areas, the laws of heaven and earth differ from those in the mortal world. Without attaining the Dharma Body, even those who enter will become ordinary mortals.”
The laws of heaven and earth were entirely different, naturally severing their connection with the Dao. Therefore, without achieving the Dharma Body, one was merely an ordinary mortal… Meng Qi now understood the current situation.
Ye Yuqi glanced at the fissure, as if seeing through the black mist. After a moment, her voice trembled slightly with an unusual tone: “This is a crack formed by a single sword strike—splitting the earth, tearing through space, and reaching straight into the core of the Nine Netherworlds…”
Zhenwu swung his sword?! Meng Qi instinctively thought, then half-deliberately, half-anxiously asked to conceal his astonishment: “Could there be Nine Nether evil spirits or yin spirits emerging from here?”
“Currently, the Nine Nether is separated from the mortal world, with only faint energy exchanges. Unless a secret entrance is opened, no evil spirits or yin spirits will emerge.” Ye Yuqi seemed to know some hidden knowledge, her tone certain.
Indeed, after experiencing several life-and-death missions, powerful reincarnators wouldn’t be entirely unfamiliar with the legends of Journey to the West, Investiture of the Gods, and the Nine Netherworlds… Meng Qi gave a slight nod.
“Let’s make a grappling hook and cross over. Once we pass through the Nine Nether Black Mist, things should return to normal,” suggested Ye Yuqi.
As Meng Qi was about to agree, a sudden thought struck him: “Miss Ye, let’s try the Eight-Nine Transformation first.”
If he were to transform into a Yin ghost, would he be able to adapt to this Dao in the Nine Netherworld and take flight?
Ye Yuqi hesitated for a moment before quickly realizing his intent, and together with Meng Qi, they retreated from the black mist.
Meng Qi took out the Ghost-Face Jade, sat cross-legged, and began further refining it, having already mastered the “Yin Ghost Transformation” technique to avoid any mishaps.
He touched the Ghost-Face Jade with both hands, circulating his true energy, absorbing threads of deathly yin energy, and channeling them into several acupoints, combining them with his true energy to begin refining!
After a cup of tea’s time, these acupoints felt full, and ghostly masks emerged within, gloomy and lifeless.
Meng Qi transformed with a shake of his body, his face turning bluish-gray, his skin cold, his vitality hidden inward, exuding death, his body semi-transparent, seemingly no different from the yin spirits.
He stood up and stepped into the black mist, feeling an immediate connection with the world, the ocean of primordial energy soaking his body. Every movement allowed him to harness the immense natural forces!
It worked! The Eight-Nine Transformation truly lived up to its reputation as one of the top three supreme techniques on the Exchange Chart! Meng Qi’s heart swelled with pride and he inwardly laughed:
“Call me an all-weather, all-terrain combat machine!”
Meng Qi grabbed Ye Yuqi’s shoulders, soared into the air, and crossed the fissure, only transforming back after exiting the black mist.
Ahead lay an ancient-style corridor, flanked on both sides by seven-petaled carefree flowers resembling orchids, their vibrant crimson stamens swaying softly in the breeze.
Unwilling to depart empty-handed, Meng Qi casually plucked a few carefree flowers before stepping into the corridor with Ye Yuqi.
The corridor’s stone bricks were grayish-white, naturally luminous, gloomy and dim, like the underworld.
After walking for a while, Meng Qi’s pupils suddenly contracted, his sword and dagger raised, for the Poisonous Hand Demon Lord and the Soul-Stealing Night Spirit stood on either side of an open stone door.
These two vicious left-path cultivators had already become mummified corpses. One still bore deep wounds with exposed intestines. Both wore expressions of confusion, whispering softly to themselves, “Who am I?”
Meng Qi had already experienced such a shock and no longer felt his scalp tingling, but he still felt a slight pang of sorrow as he looked at the items on the Soul-Stealing Night Spirit’s body. They had lost their spiritual essence, directly connected to the cold, damp, and lifeless energy!
By now, the cold, damp, and lifeless sensation was almost tangible, but for some reason, perhaps because they had entered through the “birth gate,” nothing unusual occurred.
Just then, a figure flashed from behind the open stone door. Cloaked in a black imperial robe, with white hair tied into a high bun adorned with a snake-shaped hairpin, it was none other than the “King of the Underworld” previously slain by Doumu Yuanjun!
His expression was equally bewildered as he swiftly darted toward another stone door in the distance.
As the door opened, he inexplicably turned back, his bewildered face breaking into a faint, unconscious smile at the corners of his lips!
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