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Chapter 1558 (Raw 1540): Entering Hell Again

After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen nodded and said, “Alright. I’ll listen to you. When the time comes, I’ll go with your master.”

Qing Cheng smiled and said, “I’ll let my master know now.”

“Let’s go to the Yellow Springs Road first and wait for your master there.”

The Yellow Springs Road was one of the famous forbidden lands of the Kunlun Realm. Its fame was comparable to the Savage Battlefield’s.

During the Immortal Epoch, before the six paths of reincarnation broke, this was the netherworld. It managed the three realms and six paths of reincarnation, governing the reincarnation of all living beings.

[TL Note: The “three realms” here does not refer to a specific place like the Kunlun Realm. Instead, it refers to heaven, hell, and the mortal plane.]

During that epoch, if one did not become immortal, they would end up in the cycle of reincarnation forever. They would be judged based on their deeds—good and evil—and be reincarnated accordingly.

Those who were evil became animals, pigs, dogs, or other wild beasts lacking intelligence, unable to escape the fate of being slaughtered. Those who were extremely vicious and evil ended up in hell, sinking into that place forever and enduring all sorts of cruel torture, a sight that was too cruel to witness.

Those who were good would reincarnate as humans, possibly becoming wealthy or nobles. Those who were very virtuous could even end up in heaven, reborn as spiritual beings and nourished by nature; they would become heavenly soldiers.

However, the Immortal Dao shattered. The cycle no longer continued; hell no longer existed. Only the Nine Layers of Purgatory remained.

The facts of the past became legends. Then, they later became myths.

In the current epoch, the cycle no longer continued. There was no one immortal in the world. Everyone would be able to live only one lifetime. No one believed in accruing virtue.

Who could have known that there was a bodhisattva from the previous epoch hidden in the Nine Layers of Purgatory who announced a great ambition—he swore not to become a Buddha if hell was not empty? This wait ended up being millions of years.

Such determination and a heart for Buddhism were terrifying.

However, it was exactly such a person who was extremely ambitious, resorting to all sorts of methods to meet his goals. He saw the believers as cattle, only taking and not giving.

The K?itigarbha Bodhisattva was an extremely scary existence. When properly calculated, his influence was even greater than that of the Thunder Sovereign and the Demonic God.

After half a day, Xiao Chen and Qing Cheng arrived at Mount Tai, which towered over the Nine Layers of Purgatory.

Mount Tai looked like it did in the past. The fifty kilometers surrounding the mountain were gloomy and sinister. Wandering spirits and feral ghosts roamed the place, making occasional appearances.

A large turbid river gushed down from the top of the mountain, flowing all the way to its foot, and surged to the land. This river was the famous Underworld River. It was also known as the River of Death, the Yellow Springs, or the River of Helplessness.

However, it had not been entire for millennia. When the cycle broke, the same naturally happened to the Underworld River, just like the Profound River, which had fragmented into many segments.

All sorts of strange powers were lost. If one walked downstream, one would reach the Nine Layers of Purgatory.

“Xiao Chen, do you remember this river?” Qing Cheng asked, recalling the matters of the past.

“Naturally, I remember.”

Xiao Chen looked at the surroundings, indulging in some reminiscences. He recalled that the last time he came here, many cultivators were gathering at the riverside.

This time, all he could hear was the sound of gushing water. The surroundings were empty.

At that time, when Xiao Chen crossed the river, some interesting things happened. Back then, Qing Cheng pretended to be the boatman.

She nearly stranded Xiao Chen, Xiao Bai, and the others.

Xiao Chen stopped the recollection here. If he continued, it would become somewhat awkward.

“Hehe! It seems like at that time, someone even wanted to strip me.”

Xiao Chen was not willing to recall that, but Qing Cheng took the initiative to mention it, glancing mischievously at Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen smiled in embarrassment. Just as he was at a loss as to how to reply to this, a figure descended from the sky.

It was the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun. Qing Cheng’s smile immediately disappeared, her expression turning serious.

“Azure Dragon King, sorry for the long wait,” the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, said courteously, strangely respectful to Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen replied calmly with a smile, “Ghost Empress, you are too polite. I would like to know, what is special about the Nine Layers of Purgatory now?”

The Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, nodded and explained, “The entrance to the Nine Layers of Purgatory from the Underworld River is blocked by a Buddhist statue. That Buddhist statue seems to be able to draw strength from the Underworld River. It is very difficult to deal with. Even after gathering a few people and working together, we could not break it. As for what the Yellow Springs Road is like now, I do not know much.”

Xiao Chen entered deep thought. It looked like the Ghost Empress did not have much information, either.

“Come, follow me and take a look.”

Most people could not fly above the Underworld River. However, this restriction, naturally, did not apply to the current Xiao Chen.

Between Qing Cheng and the Ghost Empress, one was a Greater Heavenly Martial Emperor and the other was of the Holy-Master-level, so they had no difficulty flying over the river.

While flying over the Underworld River, Xiao Chen kept feeling a force trying to pull him down.

Having already skimmed the surface of Soul Dao Martial Techniques, he realized that this was the work of the Soul Energy in the Underworld River.

Although Martial Emperors and below could not cultivate Soul Energy, their Soul Energy still grew with their strength. It was just that they could not use it.

The pull of the Underworld River was already ineffective on the Soul Energy of someone of the Martial-Emperor level.

As the three flew over the Underworld River and gradually descended, they soon arrived on the other side.

Xiao Chen saw the Buddhist statue that the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, mentioned. It was a one-kilometer-tall Buddhist statue radiating golden light from its entire body as it sat in the Underworld River.

The Buddhist statue’s gargantuan body made the underground space look very small.

“This is the depths of hell. Mortals should not come here. Quickly return!”

Suddenly, the Buddhist statue opened its eyes, and the golden light from its body flared. The Buddhist Might made the water of the Underworld River churn restlessly.

“What a strong Buddhist Might!” Qing Cheng said with a sigh and a slight frown.

The Ghost Empress said, “There are many arhats arranged in a formation behind the Buddhist statue. This allows the Buddhist statue’s strength to rise infinitely.”

“Mortal? Are you not a mortal yourself?”

Smiling coldly, Xiao Chen immediately threw a punch after stepping forward.

“Rumble...!”

The water of the Underworld River soared up and covered the Buddhist statue, making it look like it was covered in gold paint.

Then, the Buddhist statue formed a hand seal with one hand and blocked Xiao Chen’s punch. Its golden body did not budge, and the Buddhist light intensified.

“Interesting, but unfortunately, I do not have time to continue playing with you.”

Xiao Chen roared. Ten thousand Dragon Force gathered into a dragon cauldron, and he burst out with one Cauldron Force.

This punch was fast and ruthless. Before the Buddhist statue could react, Xiao Chen struck its chest.

Cracks quickly spread through the Buddhist statue like a spiderweb.

Just when the Buddhist statue looked like it was about to shatter, solemn chanting of Buddhist scriptures rang out behind it.

The water of the Underworld River churned continuously. The cracked Buddhist statue healed quickly, returning to normal.

“That’s how it was. We could not kill this Buddhist statue at all. We already tried several times,” the Ghost Empress Xi Xun said softly. This was not her first time seeing this scene.

Xiao Chen looked at the Buddhist statue carefully, and after a while, he understood.

“I thought there was a trick behind this. It is merely using the Soul Energy in the Underworld River to recover. Acting all mysterious. Today, I will scatter your soul!”

After he shouted, Dao Might came from his body. A disk of faint light appeared behind him.

The appearance of the Dao Might immediately and completely suppressed the Buddhist Might of the other party.

Xiao Chen stretched out his hand, and his strong Veritable Essence Energy formed a whirlpool in his palm.

“Hu ci! Hu ci!”

A strong suction pulled the water of the Underworld River into the whirlpool.

Qing Cheng was stunned at this sight. She had never imagined that a person could pull over the waters of the Underworld River.

When the Buddhist statue saw this scene, it formed hand seals with both hands, bombarding Xiao Chen with a barrage of attacks without pause.

However, the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, blocked them all, not letting Xiao Chen come to any harm.

In reality, Xiao Chen did not need the Ghost Empress Xi Xun’s help to remain safe. However, her aid made it easier to focus.

Soon, the water level of the Underworld River fell by about thirty centimeters, leaving the body of the Buddhist statue high and dry.

“Now!”

Xiao Chen punched. This time, after the cracks spread out, no matter how loud the scripture chanting was, the Buddhist statue could not recover.

When the Buddhist statue shattered, a figure flew out from it.

It turned out that this Buddhist statue was the Dharmic Incarnation of a Buddhist cultivator. The destruction of the Dharmic Incarnation exposed his true body.

The instant the Buddhist statue shattered, the arhats chanting behind it fled in all directions.

“Xie Zixuan!” Qing Cheng exclaimed when she saw this person’s appearance.

This person was the Ghost Monarch’s disciple, Xie Zixuan. It was hard to imagine that this person ended up following the Buddhist Dao.

“Don’t call me Xie Zixuan. Now, my Buddhist name is Dao Xuan. How dare you mortals barge into Master K?itigarbha Bodhisattva’s rite?! You will not have a good end.”

Qing Cheng was shocked. She could not imagine how a person like him suddenly turned this strange.

“Don’t feel that it’s strange. He was purified, something akin to being brainwashed. He is now the K?itigarbha Bodhisattva’s slave. If we follow him, we will find the K?itigarbha Bodhisattva.”

Unsurprised by this turn of events, Xiao Chen immediately set out in pursuit. The Ghost Empress Xi Xun and Qing Cheng quickly followed.