Chapter 1260: Yellow Spring Fish! Comprehending One's Own Willpower!

Chapter 1260: The River of Souls' Fish! Mastering the Will That Belongs to Yourself!

The former chieftain of the Shadow Ghost Clan, Yan Jun, had already perished at the hands of His Sunlight Army. This being, named Yan Luo, was Yan Jun's half-brother, sharing the same father but born of different mothers.

Their relationship, however, had grown strained due to their rivalry for the position of clan chief—especially after Yan Jun ascended to power, making their bond increasingly hostile, almost like that of mortal enemies.

After Yan Jun's demise, Yan Luo was covertly swayed by Zhou Zhou through the Universal Sage's Strategy. Thus, Zhou Zhou directly appointed him as the current chieftain of the Shadow Ghost Clan—and simultaneously as the Domain Master of the Shadow Ghost Region within the Sunlight Empire.

Now, as Domain Master of the Shadow Ghost Region, he remained stationed there, not venturing to assist on the Blue Star.

"Your Majesty, what is it you would like to instruct me upon?"

In the virtual projection call, Yan Luo spoke with due respect.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zheng relayed to him the details of the River of Souls Dock.

Then he continued:

"The River of Souls Dock has been completed. I intend to dispatch your entire Shadow Ghost Clan to settle there and undergo the transformation into River of Souls Fishermen, tasked with endlessly fishing for the River of Souls Fish from within the River of Souls."

"There is a great peril lurking in the Yellow Springs, one that could emerge at any moment."

"You must catch as many Yellow Springs fish as possible before this great peril arises."

Zhou Zheng spoke seriously.

The Yellow Springs fish are vital—directly tied to whether a new master-level immortal will emerge among His subordinates, and whether He himself can ascend to the realm of Will-Infused Immortal.

Thus, Yan Luo's duty is of great significance.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Yan Luo replied with due respect.

There was not a trace of fear on his face—instead, a spark of excitement flickered.

Given the way Your Majesty values this matter, it must be a rare opportunity to prove oneself.

I must do my utmost to serve Your Majesty well!

Yan Luo, fiercely loyal to Zhou Zhou, yet his resolve was not for reward nor for glory.

He simply wished, willingly and wholeheartedly, to serve Zhou Zhou.

Even just to earn the slightest glance from the Emperor.

Zhou Zheng nodded, then paused, saying:

"Then I shall go with you to the Underworld."

He still wanted to see the Underworld—what it truly looked like now.

Otherwise, his heart would never be at ease.

With that,

he merely thought a single thought, and both he and Yan Luo vanished from the spot.

...

The Yellow River of the Underworld.

The sky was dim, yellowed, and obscure.

A magnificent yellow river poured from the heavens, plunging into the abyssal depths.

Yes.

Ordinary rivers flow horizontally.

But the Yellow River of the Underworld is a grand, vertical river, flowing from above downward—like a waterfall, yet more like a celestial river hanging from the sky!

Thus, the "Heavenly Blue and Yellow River" is born.

And upon this heavenly blue and yellow river, a vast, ancient, majestic, mysterious, and terrifying shipyard stands firmly by the river's edge.

Clusters of crimson, blood-red, vibrant flowers—flowers of the Yellow River's shore—thickly cluster around the central area, embracing the shipyard. These blooms lend the structure a touch of gentleness, softening its inherent terror.

At that very moment.

The figures of Zhou Zheng and Yan Luo appeared upon this shipyard.

"This... is it the Yellow Springs?"

Yan Luo stared in awe at this Yellow Springs.

Though exalted as a True God, He had never set foot in this realm before.

Today was the first time He had seen it.

Then, taking a deep breath, His face blossomed with joy and rapture.

"The essence of the Yellow Springs here is ideal for our clan of shadow spirits to practice."

"If I had practiced here from childhood, I am certain I could ascend to True God status within five thousand years!"

"If my entire clan practiced here, their progress would at least double!"

He murmured to himself.

His expression brimmed with astonishment.

This place—how perfectly it aligned with his very soul.

In this very moment,

He felt even greater gratitude toward the Emperor for assigning him such a task.

For both himself and the Shadow Ghost Clan, this duty was nothing short of a boundless fortune!

Zhou Zheng paid no heed to Yan Luo’s reaction.

He merely gazed upon the vast and magnificent Yellow River of the Afterlife.

After a long while,

He slightly furrowed his brow.

"The scent of the Yellow Springs, normally, should be still and silent."

"Yet now, the scent of the Yellow Springs carries a touch of frenzy and restlessness."

"It seems that when the will of the Yellow Springs fell, it must have felt just this way."

Zhou Zheng took a deep breath.

If the future truly unfolded as Bodhi Master had described,

then even if the Yellow Springs did not vanish entirely, its power would be reduced to a mere fraction—diminished to such a degree that it might merely become an ordinary hidden realm.

He shook his head.

Then, with a single thought, he drew forth the Yellow Springs Seal.

Though the will of the Yellow Springs had already perished, before it was completely corrupted, the Yellow Springs Seal still held some value.

For instance, right now:

Zhou Zheng inputted a few fragments of Chaotic Sacred Powers into the Yellow Spring Mandate held in his hand.

Instantly, the Yellow Spring Mandate emitted a faint, watery yellow glow, spreading across a vast expanse of the Yellow Spring basin before him.

A moment later—

A river fish, its entire body withered and yellowed, burst suddenly from the depths of the Yellow Spring and landed in Zhou Zheng’s hands.

Zhou Zheng looked at it.

The item information appeared.

[Item Name: Yellow Spring Fish]

[Item Rank: Special Tier]

[Item Effect: After consumption, it enhances a being’s spiritual potential. When reached at its peak, the eater will awaken a personal will force from within their spiritual core and automatically enter the Realm of Will as Light.]

[Item Description: A rare kind of fish born only in the deepest recesses of the Yellow Spring—capable of awakening a mysterious, supreme will force in living beings!]

After gazing at it, a smile bloomed upon His face.

Indeed, it was exactly what He had sought.

Then His eyes turned to the Yellow Stream Mandate.

This item proved equally invaluable—remarkably capable of summoning the Yellow Stream fish together.

If not for the immense time required to gather them once, He would have been tempted to fish these creatures daily right along the Yellow Stream’s edge.

With no hesitation, He opened His mouth and swallowed the Yellow Stream fish whole.

Then He chewed thoughtfully.

Hmm.

Eating too quickly, He failed to detect any distinct flavor.

Next, He settled casually into a meditative posture and began digesting the power of the Yellow Stream fish within His body.

And beside him, Yan Luo was far from idle.

Having taken a brief glance at the scenery of the Yellow Springs, he immediately turned his attention back to the matter at hand, stepping into the Yellow Springs shipyard to familiarize himself with its various functions—preparing for the work ahead.

A moment later.

Zhou Zheng had fully absorbed the power of the Yellow Springs fish.

He opened his eyes, and within them shimmered a look of sudden clarity.

"Ah, now I understand."

"I've always been unable to transcend the realm of Willful Deity. Now I see—my own willpower has always been drawn from the wills of other chief deities and will-level beings."

"To transcend the realm of Willful Deity, one must forge a breakthrough using one's own unique willpower."

"I have not yet grasped the willpower that truly belongs to me."

"When I finally grasp the willpower that is truly mine, combined with all the groundwork I've laid before, I will instantly transcend and become a master of Willful Immortal Realm!"

Zhou Zheng murmured to himself.

The joy on his face grew ever more intense.

He finally understood the root of his failure to advance.

And he now knew exactly how to awaken his own willpower.

It was simple—consume more Yellow River Fish!

The Yellow River Fish was, by nature, the finest artifact for any being to cultivate and awaken their own inner willpower!

As long as he continued to devour and refine the essence of the Yellow River Fish, he would inevitably come to master his own will, and ascend to the realm of Willful Immortal!

"I need more Yellow River Fish!"

With this thought in mind...

Zhou Zheng immediately stared at the yellow spring river region before him, his eyes blazing with fervor.