Chapter 931: Underworld

Chapter 931: The Underworld

"Can the Book of Life and Death mentioned by the Xinsu truly harvest souls?" Hearing Yuan Er's words, Bai Lingmiao could not help but grow suspicious.

Judging by the implications of his words, was he suggesting that this Yama Palace was actually real?

Though the man spoke with such certainty, Bai Lingmiao found it impossible to believe in her heart; if what they said were true, where would that leave the Unborn Venerable Mother, who presided over death itself?

"Could there really be a Yama Palace?" The Ershen voiced the very thought echoing in Bai Lingmiao's mind.

"Naturally, there is. Why else would I ask for your help? It is not just the Yama Palace; the eighteen levels of hell exist as well! Do you know what path we are walking on right now? It is the Road to the Yellow Springs!"

These words sent a chill through Tuoba Danqing, who followed behind. He looked down at the gravel path beneath his feet and shivered, glancing around in terror, feeling that coming along had been a grave mistake.

Silence fell upon the group, and they walked forward in quiet apprehension, each person’s vigilance heightened.

The mountain path was long, but even the longest road has an end, and soon a pitch-black cavern appeared before them.

Above the cave hung a couplet: The upper scroll read, "In the three lives of the mortal world, all harm and evil are of your own doing," and the lower, "In the Underworld, since ancient times, who has ever been spared?" The horizontal scroll read: "So, you have finally arrived."

The ghostly wind blowing from within seemed to carry a biting chill that made everyone tremble.

Seeing the look on Bai Lingmiao's face, Yuan Er, who led the way, offered a cold smile. "This is the Ghost Gate Pass. Well? Do you dare to enter?"

Bai Lingmiao studied the couplet carefully and shook her head slightly. "This is not the Ghost Gate Pass. If it were, the couplet would be wrong; in this world, there is no such thing as retribution."

She led the other White Donkeys inside. Once within, they found the ceiling of the cave jagged with strange rocks, resembling the bared fangs and claws of demons.

A faint, ethereal blue mist began to drift along the ground, covering everyone's shins, and the murky darkness stretched deep into the distance, suggesting a vast and bottomless space.

The place was so large and hollow that Yuan Er’s voice echoed. "Keep moving downward. We have already cleared most of this area. It is only when we enter Fengdu City that we encounter things we cannot handle; the Yama Palace is located within that city."

The group continued forward, occasionally passing corpses and skeletons along the way—clearly the remains of those the Xinsu had brought before, all of whom had perished here.

"It seems what they said was not a lie; there truly is something here that can make death permanent."

Hearing the Ershen, Bai Lingmiao frowned, bracing herself with every ounce of her spirit as she pressed on.

They walked for an unknown duration until, amidst the chaotic darkness, a massive, magnificent wall glowing with faint green light emerged. Bai Lingmiao knew they had reached Fengdu City.

Compared to the bizarre, hole-riddled Fengdu described by Brother Li, this city looked far more authentic—at least, it was a city.

Just then, accompanied by a heart-trembling creak, the massive iron gates slowly swung open.

Amidst curls of blue smoke, figures began to emerge from within the walls in twos and threes.

"Shh! Get down! Don't let them see you!" At Yuan Er's command, the Ershen twisted his body, flipping over to crawl on all fours like a beast, pressing himself into the blue mist on the ground.

His large, bestial eyes peered through the haze, catching sight of rows of strange, gaunt, towering figures carrying tattered, yellowed lanterns. They wore rags, and because they were so tall, their shoulders and heads were swallowed by the darkness above.

It was clear the Xinsu held these things in great dread; they lay on the ground, not daring to draw a full breath, waiting until the figures had passed before poking their heads out.

"What are those?" Bai Lingmiao asked.

"They are the underworld soldiers of the nether realm, of course. What? Have you never heard of the underworld soldiers claiming the path?" asked a bearded man.

"Are they that formidable? Even you fear them?"

"We do not fear them, but if we provoke these soldiers, the demons on the walls will beat their gongs. The entire city of Fengdu would know we are here, and then how could we seize the Book of Life and Death?"

Yuan Er gestured toward the great gate. "You said you wanted to help, didn't you? Come, this is our trouble. Deal with them."

"Fengdu City is filled with these maddened ghost soldiers. If you can help us clear this hurdle, we will help you in return!"

"You are Xinsu, are you not? Even if all the ghost officials of Fengdu came, are you truly unable to handle them?" Bai Lingmiao found this hard to grasp; to her, eleven Xinsu were nearly omnipotent.

"What good is being able to handle them? In this wretched place, the ghost officials cannot die! If we engage them, we are only dragged into a stalemate, slowly drained of our last ounce of strength. If it weren't for three Xinsu covering our retreat last time, all eleven of us would have been left behind."

Yuan Er revealed the reason they were trapped: the underworld officials could kill them, but they could not kill the officials. In such an unfair exchange, it was no wonder they were stuck without a solution.

"No." Bai Lingmiao’s expression hardened as she shook her head. "As long as I am here, there will be death. You need only strike."

Seeing the Xinsu standing there, half-doubting and hesitant, the thirty-six White Donkeys immediately began their spirit-invocation and charged toward Fengdu City.

As several pot-bellied, naked demons the size of half-grown men emerged, beating their broken gongs frantically, the entire city of Fengdu seemed to jolt into life.

The gates opened once more with a thunderous tremor, and a colossal Ox-Head creature ducked out, swinging a flail and charging toward the White Donkeys with earth-shaking force.

"Disciples invoke the thirty-three heavens... all masters by our side... eighteen Arhats... twenty-four heavens! Flesh turned to copper and bone to iron... becoming Mount Tai... twelve iron caps upon the head... twelve layers of iron armor... copper skin wrapped in three turns... iron skin wrapped in three layers!"

The massive flail, several yards long, slammed into the White Donkeys, numbing the Ox-Head’s arm and sending sparks flying from the point of impact.

But it did not end there. The copper-headed, iron-armed White Donkeys surged forward, fingers pressed together like blades, slicing easily into the Ox-Head’s legs.

With a roar of agony, the giant creature collapsed. A swarm of White Donkeys surrounded it, engaging in a fierce struggle until they hacked at its neck with their blade-hands, severing the ox head entirely.

When they saw the fallen ghost official’s body fail to pick up its head and reattach it as it usually would, the Xinsu, led by Yuan Er, were filled with sudden joy. What this woman said was actually true—she could truly make these ghost officials die!