“Fellow Daoist Han, show mercy—you’ve already passed the test! These eight Yellow Spring Ghost Kings are still of some use to this old man. I hope you can spare them.” Upon seeing this, the monk’s eyes flashed with surprise, but he immediately flicked his sleeve, releasing a strange ripple that surged before the golden vortex, instantly severing the immense suction force.
Once freed, the eight malevolent ghosts let out low growls before dissipating into specks of black mist and vanishing.
“Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, I would never truly attack these ghostly beings. I was merely curious and wanted to test their true strength.” Han Li chuckled softly, his Dharma Form and the golden vortex behind him flickering out simultaneously. In his hand, however, a pitch-black sphere materialized, which he examined with great interest.
It was the Yellow Spring Yin Wind he had collected earlier using his Golden Light of the Abyss.
However, this Yin Wind had now been compressed into a dense sphere through his immense magical power, taking on its current form.
“Brother Han’s divine abilities far exceed my expectations. It seems the rumors are true. This old man’s test was rather superfluous.” The monk exhaled, though his expression remained wooden.
“Now that Brother Bi has finished testing me, shall we discuss the main matter at hand?” Han Li ignored the monk’s earlier words and directly countered with a question.
“Very well. Of course, you are qualified. I assume Brother Han is already well aware of my identity,” the monk replied.
“If the girl outside wasn’t lying, you must be the person in charge of the Helian Trade Alliance on the Blood Sky Continent, holding a status similar to that of Venerable Mingzun,” Han Li said indifferently.
“That is indeed my position. But how much does Fellow Daoist truly know about our Helian Trade Alliance?” the monk countered.
“Not too much, I’m afraid. I only know that your alliance wields immense influence, being one of the few superpowers spanning three continents,” Han Li replied, frowning slightly.
“Our alliance is actually a rather loose organization. Apart from establishing branches on each of the three continents to facilitate resource and information exchange, we generally impose no mandatory rules or obligations. Disputes are usually resolved by a council of all Mahayana elders within the alliance. I was temporarily appointed to oversee affairs on this continent by the elders of the Blood Sky branch. If a Mahayana cultivator wishes to join, they typically assume the role of a guest elder, which does not interfere with their cultivation or status within their own race. They also enjoy numerous unforeseen benefits. The only obligation is to lend a hand should the alliance face a crisis,” the monk explained unhurriedly.
“What is the meaning behind these words, Fellow Daoist?” Han Li stared at the monk, his tone indifferent.
“I wish to formally invite you to join our trade alliance. Would Fellow Daoist Han be interested?” For the first time, the monk revealed a faint smile.
“Was all this testing and summoning me here solely for this matter?” Han Li remained eerily calm.
“Of course not. However, if you were to become a member, the matters I wish to discuss with you would involve fewer reservations,” the monk replied frankly.
“While I do have some interest in the Helian Trade Alliance, I’d prefer to hear the main matter first before deciding anything else,” Han Li said impassively.
“Very well. Since you insist, I won’t press further. How much does Fellow Daoist know about the Netherworld and the Underworld?” The monk nodded before abruptly posing the question.
“The Netherworld? Though often mentioned, I’ve never heard of anyone who’s truly seen it. As for the Underworld, it seems more like a legend—whether it truly exists is impossible to confirm. At least, I cannot be certain. Why? Does the matter you wish to discuss involve these two?” Han Li appeared somewhat surprised.
“Indeed. Roughly a century ago, while exploring a spatial rift on the Blood Sky Continent, our branch accidentally discovered the entrance to a newly formed minor world.”
“A newly formed minor world! Are you serious?” Han Li was startled.
“Absolutely genuine. Though called ‘newly formed,’ it has likely existed for many years, simply devoid of higher lifeforms and undiscovered by the outside world. The minor world isn’t vast, but its resources are extraordinarily abundant. Just as our branch was ecstatic and preparing to invest heavily in its development, another realm discovered its existence and also invaded.” The monk paused, his eyes flickering with recollection.
“Another realm… Could it be—?” Han Li seemed to ponder.
“Correct. The moment we clashed with these new enemies, our alliance was shocked. They were entirely composed of ghostly beings like those you saw earlier. Their strength varied—some as weak as Qi Refining cultivators, while the strongest rivaled the Mahayana existences of our Spirit Realm. The Yellow Spring Yin Wind was collected after I battled one of their powerful figures. The eight ghosts were conjured from the essence of these beings.
“Of course, they were mere imitations, far weaker than true Ghost Kings. A genuine Yellow Spring Ghost King is a terrifying existence on par with us. These ghostly beings claimed to hail from a realm called the ‘Netherworld,’ under the rule of the so-called Ten Underworld Kings. Our alliance fought several battles with them over control of the minor world, resulting in a stalemate and heavy losses on both sides. To avoid mutual destruction, we eventually forged an oath, deciding the distribution of resources through a contest of strength.
“My purpose in meeting you, Fellow Daoist Han, is to invite you to represent our alliance in one of these battles. Naturally, if you were to join our alliance, it would lend further legitimacy to your participation. Regardless of victory or defeat, as long as you take part, our alliance will reward you handsomely.” After a moment of hesitation, the monk laid out everything.
“I see. Is this ‘Netherworld’ the same as the legendary one? And what of the Ten Underworld Kings—will they participate in this contest?” Han Li’s expression shifted slightly.
“Our alliance has conducted investigations. Though lacking concrete evidence, I believe this realm isn’t the true, enigmatic Netherworld of legend, but rather a Yellow Spring-like dimension suited for powerful ghostly beings. The so-called Ten Underworld Kings are merely ten entities stronger than ordinary Ghost Kings. Otherwise, despite our alliance’s might, we couldn’t have held out against them for so long. As for the contest, it’s likely some of the Ten Underworld Kings will participate.” The monk thought for a moment before answering.
“Not the true Netherworld… A pity. I thought I might finally uncover the secrets of reincarnation.” Han Li stroked his chin, his eyes flickering with regret.
“Though not the true Netherworld, the supernatural abilities these ghostly beings cultivate are indeed vastly different from ours, hinting at laws and principles distinct from those of living beings. If you were to face them in battle, you might, by chance, glean some insights into the mysteries of reincarnation.” The monk smiled.
Han Li fell into contemplation.
After a long silence, he raised his head and asked carefully:
“When and where is this contest scheduled? How many matches are there? Aside from me, who else from your alliance will participate?”
Far from showing displeasure at Han Li’s detailed questioning, the monk perked up and eagerly replied:
“The contest is set for three years later, within the newly discovered minor world. There will be five matches in total. Apart from myself, a fellow Daoist from the Thunder Continent branch and a guest elder from the council will participate. Additionally, I’ve invited Blood Sky Continent’s top-tier expert, Blood Fiend. With you, we’ll have our five combatants. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han, the battles will be one-on-one, and even if defeated, there’s no risk to life. If you win a match, aside from the agreed-upon reward, I can arrange for you to enter our alliance’s Heavenly Ascension Pavilion and select a secret technique originating from the Immortal Realm.”
“A secret technique from the Immortal Realm? Did I hear correctly?” Han Li was momentarily stunned.
“You heard right. Though not widely known, it’s no great secret that our alliance possesses several such techniques. The founders of our alliance were true descendants of Immortal Realm immortals in the Spirit Realm. Originally, our alliance was an extremely covert surveillance organization established by the Immortal Realm here, staffed solely by direct descendants of immortals. Thus, it’s natural that we possess a few immortal techniques. However, after the Great Upheaval severed all realms’ connections to the Immortal Realm, our predecessors had no choice but to admit other powerful figures into the organization. Over time, it evolved into the alliance we know today.
“Beyond being a superpower spanning three continents, our alliance secretly strives to maintain this realm’s stability and counter external threats. During the previous incident with the Mother of Phantom Insects, we dispatched several Mahayana cultivators to the Demon Realm. Unfortunately, they were trapped in the primordial demonic land’s restrictions before they could act, and were only freed thanks to your group’s efforts. In a way, many of our elders owe you a debt of gratitude.” The monk smiled as he elaborated.
Han Li’s eyes gleamed as he once again sank into deep thought.
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